Biography
Abadiu of Antinoe
About Abadiu of Antinoe
Tradition remembers Abadiu as Antinoe’s bishop, encouraging persecuted Christians before martyrdom under Arrianus.
The name varies across the transmitted accounts. René Basset’s edition calls the bishop Abadion in a commemoration under 30 Kihak. Hippolyte Delehaye’s calendar survey uses Abadiou. Aaltje Hidding’s study connects the 30 Choiak and 1 Mecheir notices and explains that the Arabic tradition renamed a bishop called Pinoution in the older account associated with Colluthus. These connections support identifying the named bishop across the notices without treating every version as an independent historical witness.
Hidding distinguishes the surviving manuscript from the date of its composition. She rejects an eleventh-century origin for the encomium attributed to Bishop Isaac because its complete manuscript was copied earlier. She considers a composition between the fifth and seventh centuries likely, while recognizing uncertainty about the author. The account belongs to a developing cycle of martyr stories. Its transmission preserves Christian remembrance of the bishop, but does not establish the dates of his own life.
Wondering how to weigh the stories and sources? Learn how to read a saint biography.