The Epistle of Paul to Philemon, known simply as Philemon, is one of the books of the Christian New Testament. It is a prison letter, co-authored by Paul the Apostle with Timothy, to Philemon, a leader in the Colossian church. It deals with the themes of forgiveness and reconciliation. Paul does not identify himself as an apostle with authority, but as "a prisoner of Jesus Christ", calling Timothy "our brother", and addressing Philemon as "fellow labourer" and "brother." Onesimus, a slave that had departed from his master Philemon, was returning with this epistle wherein Paul asked Philemon to receive him as a "brother beloved."
AD 68 (LXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Silius Italicus and Trachalus, or the start of the Year of the Four Emperors. The denomination AD 68 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. These are now used throughout the world.
Saint Onesimus, also called Onesimus of Byzantium and The Holy Apostle Onesimus in some Eastern Orthodox churches, was probably a slave to Philemon of Colossae, a man of Christian faith. He may also be the same Onesimus named by Ignatius of Antioch as bishop in Ephesus which would put Onesimus's death closer to 95 A.D. Regardless, Onesimus went from slave to brother to Bishop.
Soissons is a commune in the northern French department of Aisne, in the region of Hauts-de-France. Located on the Aisne River, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) northeast of Paris, it is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones. Soissons is also the see of an ancient Roman Catholic diocese, whose establishment dates from about 300, and it was the location of a number of church synods called "Council of Soissons".
Hilary of Poitiers was Bishop of Poitiers and is a Doctor of the Church. He was sometimes referred to as the "Hammer of the Arians" and the "Athanasius of the West." His name comes from the Latin word for happy or cheerful. His optional memorial in the General Roman Calendar is 13 January. In the past, when this date was occupied by the Octave Day of the Epiphany, his feast day was moved to 14 January.
Saint Gontrand, also called Gontran, Gontram, Guntram, Gunthram, Gunthchramn, and Guntramnus, was the king of the Kingdom of Orleans from AD 561 to AD 592. He was the third eldest and second eldest surviving son of Chlothar I and Ingunda. On his father's death in 561, he became king of a fourth of the Kingdom of the Franks, and made his capital at Orléans. The name "Gontrand" denotes "war raven".
Hincmar, archbishop of Reims, was the friend, advisor and propagandist of Charles the Bald. He belonged to a noble family of northern Francia.
Arnold (Arnoul) of Soissons or Arnold or Arnulf of Oudenburg is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, the patron saint of hop-pickers and Belgian brewers.
Saint Remigius, Remy or Remi,, was Bishop of Reims and Apostle of the Franks,. On 25 December 496 he baptised Clovis I, King of the Franks. This baptism, leading to the conversion of the entire Frankish people to Christianity, was a momentous success for the Church and a seminal event in European history.
May 12 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - May 14
Leodegar of Poitiers was a martyred Burgundian Bishop of Autun. He was the son of Saint Sigrada and the brother of Saint Warinus.
Saint Medardus or St Medard (456–545) was the Bishop of Vermandois who removed the seat of the diocese to Noyon.
Philemon was an early Christian in Asia Minor who was the recipient of a private letter from Paul of Tarsus. This letter is known as Epistle to Philemon in the New Testament. He is known as a saint by several Christian churches along with his wife Apphia. Philemon was a wealthy Christian and a minister of the house church that met in his home.
Polycarpus I, was a bishop of Byzantium. He succeeded Bishop Onesimus in 71 AD, and served in that office for eighteen years until his death in 89 AD. His last eight years of office were during Emperor Domitian's persecution of the Christians. His relics are deposited in the Cathedral of Argyropolis.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Soissons, Laon, and Saint-Quentin is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The diocese is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Reims and corresponds, with the exception of two hamlets, to the entire Department of Aisne. The current bishop is Renauld Marie François Dupont de Dinechin, appointed on 30 October 2015. In the Diocese of Soissons there is one priest for every 4,648 Catholics.
The Abbey of Saint-Médard de Soissons was a Benedictine monastery, at one time held to be the greatest in France.
Godfrey of Amiens (1066–1115) was a bishop of Amiens. He is a saint in the Catholic Church.
Saint Gildard or Gildardus, or Gildaredus also known as Saint Godard or Godardus, was the Bishop of Rouen from 488 to 525. He is venerated as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, and the missal of the Sarum Rite refers to him as a confessor.
Warinus of Poitiers was the Franco-Burgundian Count of Poitiers and Count of Paris and later Saint Warinus, Martyr of the Franks. He was the son of Saint Sigrada of Sainte-Marie de Soissons and the brother of Saint Leodegarius. He was the father of Saint Leudwinus.
Sinice of Reims or Saint Sinice was a 3rd-century French saint and Bishop of Soissons.
