Saint Philip of Agira (also Argirò, Aggira, Agirone, Agirya or Argira) was an early Christian
confessor. There are two parallel stories of this saint which give to possible dates in which this saint lived. Traditionally, through the writings of
St. Athanasius
Athanasius I of Alexandria, ; cop, ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲡⲓⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲥ or Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲁ̅; (c. 296–298 – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, ...
, it is maintained that Philip of Agira is a saint of the 1st century, born in the year 40 in
Cappadocia (modern
Turkey) and died on 12 May 103.
Another recent study says to have been born of a Syrian father in
Thrace on an unknown date in the 5th century whose elder brothers drowned whilst fishing. Philip was known as the "Apostle of the
Sicilians", as he was the first Christian missionary to visit that island. Nothing else can be certainly stated about him.
His feast day is 12 May, and he is naturally,
patron saint of the city of
Agira, Sicily, and of the city of
Ħaż-Żebbuġ, Malta, he is celebrated also in the town of
Limina, Sicily, where he also lived. Putatively, his relics were discovered in the
church dedicated to him in Agira. Philip is one of the patron saints of the United States Army Special Forces and also known for his power of accomplish
exorcisms.
Catholic Online – Saints & Angels – Patron Saints – U
/ref>
References
Sources
Il portale di Agira
History, life, miracles of St. Philip of Agira
{{DEFAULTSORT:Philip Of Agira
Saints from Roman Anatolia
Sicilian saints
Saints from Roman Syria
2nd-century Christian saints