QUADRATUS, ST.

Early second-century apologist, possibly martyr. Only a fragment of the Apology addressed by Quadratus (or Codratus) from Asia Minor to Emperor hadrian during a persecution (124 or 129) has been preserved by eusebius (Hist. eccl. 4.3.1–2). It speaks of the witness to Christ's wondrous deeds by people who had been healed or raised from the dead and were still alive. Quadratus is thought to have been a disciple of ignatius of antioch and polycarp of smyrna (Eus., Chron. 2140; Hist. eccl. 3.37; 5.17). R. Harris has attempted to prove that the legendary Apology of St. Catherine of Alexandria quoted in the romance of barlaam and josaphat was an adaptation of the Apology of Quadratus, and P. Andriessen considered the Apology to be identical with the Epistle to diognetus. However, neither of these theses has been accepted as established. Jerome (De vir. ill. 19; Epist. 70) mistakenly identified the apologist with the Bp. Quadratus of Athens who lived during the time of Marcus Aurelius. He has also been mistakenly identified with the Bp. Quadratus of Utica who was put to death in the Valerian persecution (Aug. 21, 259) and was eulogized by St. augustine in several sermons as the patron of a church in Hippo Zarytus (Bizerte).

Feast: May 26; Sept. 27 (Byzantine Church).

Bibliography: r. harris, Expository Times 32 (1921) 147–160; The Bulletin of the John Rylands Library 7 (1923) 355–383. e. klostermann and e. seeberg, Die Apologie der hl, Katharina (Berlin 1924). É. amann, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, ed. a. vacant et al., (Paris 1903–50) 13.2:1428–31. p. andriessen, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 1957–65) 6:366, s.v. Kodratos; Recherches de théologie ancienne et médiévale 13 (1946) 5–39, 125–149; 14 (1947) 121–156.

[f. x. murphy]