Eusebius of Rome

Eusebius of Rome was born in Rome, remembered as a patrician who became a priest and a steadfast witness to the Catholic faith during the troubled controversies of the fourth century. He is honored as the founder of the church on the Esquiline Hill that still bears his name, built, according to tradition, on the site of his own home. Ancient martyrologies praise him as a confessor of the faith under the Arian-leaning emperor Constantius II, and later tradition even speaks of him as a martyr. Accounts of his life emphasize his courageous defense of the Nicene Creed at a time when political pressure and confusion tempted many to compromise. Whether through public preaching or the quiet perseverance of suffering and imprisonment, Eusebius is venerated as a priest who chose fidelity to Christ and His Church over safety and favor. He was said to be buried in the cemetery of Callistus, remembered simply as a “man of God.” He is invoked as patron of Venaria Reale. His feast day is August 14.