The bishop was not popular in that city

Several times he was physically attacked, coming close to death more than once, and thrown out of town.

This went on for nearly 25 years, but the bishop always came back, so finally they killed him.

Bishop Apollinaris thus followed in the footsteps of the Pope who had appointed him and who himself had been martyred.

This Pope happened to have been an old friend and comrade of Bishop Apollinaris. This Pope also happened to be the very first Pope or Bishop of Rome: Peter, former fisherman of Galilee and leader of Christ's twelve Apostles.

The memory of St. Apollinaris, martyr and bishop of Ravenna, is celebrated on this day.