Baring-Gould’s sources: Greek Mensea; modern Roman Martyrology. Authority: — A late life in Greek, probably a panegyric preached on the festival of the saint in the church dedicated to him at Tarsia. J Eleutherius was chamberlain of the Emperor Maximian. He had long inclined to Christianity, and had been instructed in the faith, but was not baptized.

->Jt But at length he resolved to receive the washing of regeneration, and for that purpose asked leave to visit his estate in the country for change of air. He was then baptized, and he contrived secretly the construction of a subterranean church to which access was only obtained by descending a well.

On his return to court, Maximian [Diocletian’s co-emperor in the West, 286–305] asked him why his absence had been so prolonged ? He replied that the air of his villa was salubrious, and it was a relief to be away “ from the smoke and dust of a city.1' Maximian laughingly said, he would much like also to make long holidays in the country, but he had duties to attend to which prevented him. One of the servants of Eleutherius, hoping to ingratiate himself with the Emperor, privately told Maximian that his master had become a worshipper of the Crucified. Maximian then professed a wish to visit the villa of his chamberlain, and was invited thither.

Whilst there, his eyes spied every corner, and he soon detected the well, the mouth of which was covered. “ What is that, Eleutherius ?”

“ An old dry well, Sire.” “Some one get a rope and go down it.” Maximian knew of the catacombs of Rome used as churches. A man descended, found a passage, and came on a chapel with a rich altar and numerous burning lamps. The Emperor immediately ordered the head of Eleutherius to be smitten off. As soon as Constantine had conquered Licinius [Roman emperor in the East 308–324], the Christians built a church on the spot over the body of the martyr.