Felix was the son of Hermias, a Syrian who had been a Roman soldier. He was born on his father's estate at
Nola near Naples, Italy. On the death of his father, Felix distributed his inheritance to the poor, was ordained by
Bishop St. Maximus of Nola, and became his assistant. When Maximus fled to the
desert at the beginning of Decius'
persecution of the Christians in 250, Felix was seized in his stead and imprisoned. He was reputedly released from prison by an angel, who directed him to the ailing Maximus, whom he brought back to Nola. Even after Decius' death in 251, Felix was a hunted
man but kept well hidden until the
persecution ended. When Maximus died, the people unanimously selected Felix as their Bishop, but he declined the honor in favor of Quintus, a senior priest. Felix spent the rest of his
life on a small piece of land sharing what he had with the poor, and died there on January 14. His
tomb soon became famous for the miracles reported there, and when St. Paulinus became
bishop of
Nola almost a century later (410), he wrote about his predecessor, the source of our information about him, adding legendary material that had grown up about Felix in the intervening century. His
feast day is January 14th.
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