Theophilus of Adana | |
|---|---|
.png) Theophilus as archdeacon | |
| Born | unknown Adana, Cilicia, Eastern Roman Empire (modern-day Adana, Turkey) |
| Died | c. 538 Austrasia, Kingdom of the Franks |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Canonized | Pre-congregation |
| Feast | February 4[1] |
Saint Theophilus the Penitent or Theophilus of Adana (Greek: Θεόφιλος Άδανας, died c. 538 AD) was a cleric in the sixth century Church who is said to have made a deal with the Devil to gain an ecclesiastical position. His story is significant as it is one of the oldest popular stories of a pact with the Devil and was an inspiration for the Faust legend. Eutychianus of Adana, who claimed to be an eyewitness of the events, is the first to record Theophilus's story.
Although Theophilus is considered to be an historical personage, the tale associated with him is of an apocryphal nature. His feast day is February 4.[1]
- ^ a b Baring-Gould, Sabine. "Theophilus", Curious Myths of the Middle Ages, London. Rivington's, 1877
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
