Basiliscus (1)

was bishop of Comanes, or Comana, in Pontus, who, according to Palladius (Dial, de Vita S. Joh. Chrys. c. 11), was martyred at Nicomedia, about 312, during the persecution of the emperor Maximinus, together with the celebrated St. Lucia, priest of Antioch. When peace was restored to the Church, the body of St. Basiliscus was brought back to Comanes, and buried a short distance from the town; a church, moreover, was built over his tomb. In' 407 St. John Chrysostom passed through Comanes, and his guards, not willing that he should stop in the city, caused him to pass the night in the.presbytery of the church of St. Basiliscus. During the night the martyr Basiliscus appeared to St. Chrysostom, entreated him to be of good courage, and assured him that they should be together on the following day; accordingly, on the following day he died, and was buried near the martyr. Basiliscus is said to have been shod with red-hot iron shoes, and then beheaded and thrown into the river (Baronius, at May 22). The festival of St. Basiliscus is May 22, the day on which his body was translated; his martyrdom occurred Jan. 7. See Ruinart, Acta Sinc. p. 505; Baillet and Butler, May 22.