St. Apollinaris of Ravenna

St. Apollinaris is honored as the first bishop of Ravenna and as a shepherd who suffered for Christ. The ancient Church of Ravenna kept his memory with deep devotion, and St. Peter Chrysologus praised him as a martyr whose long endurance under persecution bore witness to the Gospel.

A later tradition makes him a disciple of St. Peter and tells of his mission from Antioch to Ravenna, repeated banishments, miracles, and steadfast returns to his flock. The surviving details were written long after his lifetime, but they preserve the central image by which Christians remembered him: a bishop who would not abandon his people when fidelity was costly.

His feast invites us to pray for the courage of a good shepherd—faithful in suffering, patient in opposition, and determined to lead souls to Christ.