Cornelius the Centurion
Cornelius the Centurion | |
|---|---|
Detail from Vision of the Centurion Cornelius by Zanobi Rosi, 17th cent. | |
| The First Convert | |
| Born | unknown |
| Died | unknown |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Anglican Communion Armenian Apostolic Church |
| Feast | 20 October, 2 February, 4 February, 7 February, 13 September |
| Attributes | Roman military garb |
Cornelius (Greek: Κορνήλιος, romanized: Kornḗlios; Latin: Cornelius; fl. 1st century AD) was a Roman centurion who is considered by some Christians to be the first Gentile to convert to the faith, as related in Acts of the Apostles (see Ethiopian eunuch for the competing tradition). The baptism of Cornelius is an important event in the history of the early Christian church. He may have belonged to the gens Cornelia, a prominent Roman family.