pamphilus

Pamphilus is a male given name of Greek origin. It derives from pan (“all”) and philos (“friend” or “loving”), yielding meanings such as “all-loving” or “friend of all.” The name appears most often in late antiquity and medieval Christian contexts, where it is borne by several saints and martyrs.

The best-known bearer is Pamphilus of Caesarea (died circa 309). He was a deacon in Caesarea during the persecutions of Diocletian. According to the early Christian writer Eusebius, who produced a Life of Pamphilus, he died as a martyr for his faith while defending fellow Christians against imperial authorities. Pamphilus’s cult spread through Eastern and Western Christian communities, and his feast day appears in various liturgical calendars.

In addition to Pamphilus of Caesarea, other local or lesser-known saints named Pamphilus appear in medieval and early modern liturgical sources. These figures are typically cited in regional calendars and hagiographies rather than having broad, widely attested cults.

Outside Christian hagiography, the name Pamphilus is less common and is predominantly encountered as a historical or literary toponymic or onomastic reference in scholarly works about early Christian literature and prosopography. The form Pamphilus has also appeared in Latin and Greek texts as a proper name for various individuals in antiquity and the medieval period.

See also: Pamphilus (disambiguation)