Chromatius of Rome


Agrestius Chromatius was a city prefect in Rome under Diocletian. He condemned several martyrs to death in the reign of Carinus. He was later converted to Christianity by St. Tranquillinus and baptized by Polycarp. This happened because of Tranquillinus' testimony that he had been cured of gout during baptism. Chromatius suffered from the same malady, so he sent for Polycarp, who baptized him, and he was also healed.
After becoming a Christian, he welcomed other Christians into his home to protect them from persecution and freed 1400 slaves.
He had one son, Tiburtius, who was ordained a subdeacon. He was later betrayed, tortured and beheaded. Tiburtius is held to be a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
Chromatius retired into the country to escape persecution where he lived quietly for many years, but he is said to have been martyred in the third century. However, no details of his martyrdom remain. According to Butler's Lives of the Saints, he was mentioned in several ancient martyrologies along with his son Tiburtius. His feast day is August 11.