Saint Geronci d'Itàlica

Gerontius of Italica or Gerundius (Baetica, 1st century) was the first bishop of Italica. He is likely a legendary saint with no historical existence. He is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church. Although he appears as bishop of Italica in the 1st century, the bishopric did not exist until the 6th century. He is mentioned in a Mozarabic breviary from the 5th or 6th century, and his cult developed during the Visigothic period. Fructuosus of Braga mentions visiting his tomb in one of his 7th-century writings. According to tradition, he was the first evangelist of Baetica and was a disciple of, and ordained priest by, one of the Seven Apostolic Men or the apostles, which implies he would have been in Rome. He was imprisoned and tortured for his faith and died in prison. He was buried in Italica, where a church was dedicated to him. The existence of his tomb is recorded until the Muslim invasion, after which its exact location was lost. The name of the town of Santiponce, which grew near the ancient Roman city, derives from the name Saint Gerontius, Sancti Gerontii.