Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century/Spyridon, bp. of Trimithus

Spyridon, bp. of Trimithus in Cyprus, one of the most popularly celebrated of the bishops attending the council of Nicaea, although his name is not found in the list of signatures. He was the centre of many legendary stories which Socrates heard from his fellow-islanders (Socr. H. E. i. 12). Spyridon was married, with at least one daughter, Irene. He continued his occupation as a sheep farmer after, for his many virtues, he had been called to the episcopate. He is mentioned by Athanasius among the orthodox bishops at the council of Sardica (Athan. Apol. ii. p. 768). His body was first buried in his native island, then removed to Constantinople, and when the Turks captured the city it was transmitted to Corfu, where it is annually carried in procession round the capital as the patron saint of the Ionian isles (Stanley, Eastern Church, p. 126). His Life, written in iambics by his pupil, Triphyllius of Ledra, is spoken of by Suidas as "very profitable" (Suidas sub voc. Triphyllius, ii. 947). Rufin. 1, 3–5; Socr. H. E. i. 8, 12; Soz. H. E. i. 11; Niceph. H. E. viii. 15, 42; Tillemont, ''Mém. eccl.'' vi. 643, 679, vii. 242–246; Hefele, ''Hist. of Councils, vol. i. p. 284, Clark's trans.; Stanley, op. cit.'' pp. 124–126, 132).

[E.V.]