CENTRAL EDITORIAL, 16 Feb. 23 (ACI Prensa/EWTN Noticias).- Today the universal Church remembers Saint Onesimus, Bishop of Ephesus; a man subjected to slavery who would become a fugitive escaping from his inhuman condition.
Without having initially intended it, he ended up finding full and true freedom in Christ Jesus, liberator from the chains of body and soul. Onesimus gave up his life in martyrdom by stoning while in the city of Rome.
Meeting with Paul of Tarsus
According to the Roman Martyrology, Onesimus “was welcomed by Saint Paul of Tarsus and begotten as a son in faith.” Onesimus’s conversion happened while he was fleeing from justice, after having stolen Philemon, his master, a Christian belonging to the Church of Colossae (located in present-day Turkey).
It was thus that Onesimus, after being arrested, came into contact with Saint Paul, who was then a prisoner in Rome because of his preaching.
The Apostle converted him, baptized him and sent him to his former master’s house with a letter of recommendation, just as it is written in the letter to Philemon, verses 10 to 12: “I beg you on behalf of my son, whom I bred in chains, Onesimus, who in another time was useless to you, but now is very useful to you and to me. I send it back to you, and with it goes my own heart.”
In verses 18-19 of the same epistle, Paul promises to pay Onesimus’s debts: “If he offended you in anything, or owes you something, put it on my account; I, Paul, sign it with my own handwriting, I will pay”.
Freedom comes from Christ
Of the 25 verses that make up Saint Paul’s letter to Philemon, 12 are dedicated to Onesimus, “his son” in the Lord. In the letter of the Apostle to the Colossians (Col 4, 7-9) he is named again; there it is stated that he returned to Philemon’s house and was accepted as a true brother:
“As for me, Tychicus, my beloved brother, faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord, whom I am sending you expressly so that you may know about us and comfort your hearts, will inform you of everything. And with him Onesimus, your faithful brother and dear compatriot. They will inform you of everything that happens here”.
Philemon forgave and released his repentant slave and ordered him to meet again with Saint Paul.
Saint Jerome tells that Onesimus became a preacher of the Gospel and became bishop of Ephesus, by order of Paul. Later, Onesimus was taken prisoner and taken to Rome, where he was stoned to death.
Do you want to know more about Saint Onesimus?
Read this article from the Catholic Encyclopedia.