Demetrius
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [1]
dē̇ - mē´tri - us ( Δημήτριος , Dēmḗtrios , "belonging to Ceres"): The name of two persons:
(1) A C hristian disciple praised by John ( 3 John 1:12 ).
(2) A silversmith of Ephesus who manufactured the little silver shrines of the goddess Diana to sell to the visiting pilgrims ( Acts 19:23 ). Because the teachings of Paul were injuring the trade of the silversmiths, there arose a riot of which Demetrius was the chief. Upon an inscription which Mr. Wood discovered among the ruins of the city, there appeared the name Demetrius, a warden of the Ephesian temple for the year 57 ad, and some authors believe the temple warden to be identical with the ringleader of the rebellion. The name, however, has been most common among the Greeks of every age. Because of its frequent use it cannot be supposed that Demetrius, the disciple of 3 John 1:12 , was the silversmith of Ephesus, nor that Demas of 2 Timothy 4:10 , who bore the name in a contracted form, may be identified with him.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [2]
(1) A martyr at Thessalonica, A.D. 296; commemorated October 8 or October 26.
(2) Bishop and martyr at Antioch with Anianus, Eutosius, and twenty others; commemorated November 10.
(3) Saint; commemorated December 22, with Honoratus and Florus.
(4) Patriarch of Alexandria, A.D. 231; commemorated March 8 and October 9.
(5) Demetrius and Basilius; commemorated November 12.
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [3]
Or
he name of several sovereigns of Russia, and of four adventurers called the four false Dimitri.
