Saint Pudens

Who is Saint Pudens?

Saint Pudens was an early Christian saint and martyr.

He is mentioned as a layman of the Roman Church in 2 Timothy 4:21. According to tradition, he lodged Saint Peter and was baptised by him, and was martyred under Nero. He is commemorated on April 14 in the Eastern Orthodox Church calendar and May 19 according to the Dominican Martyrology.

He is said to have been the son of Quintus Cornelius Pudens, a Roman Senator. He is said to have had two sons, Novatus and Timotheus, and two daughters, Praxedes and Pudentiana, all saints, but if Pudens life is documented, those of his daughters is derived only by the existence of two ancient churches, Santa Prassede and Santa Pudenziana in Rome.

The acts of the synod of Pope Symmachus show the existence of a titulus Pudentis, a church with the authority to administer sacraments, which was also known as ecclesia Pudentiana.