Elpidius of Atella was a Catholic bishop who led the church in Atella, Africa, for roughly twenty years. Born into a noble family in 388, he was consecrated to the episcopacy around 420. During the period of Vandalic persecution led by Gaiseric, he was among twelve bishops sentenced to death and sent away on a vessel without oars or sails. The ship eventually wrecked near the coast of Campania. He began his tenure as the bishop of Atella in 432 and passed away in 452.
Life and service
Following the death of his brother Canius, who was a priest, Elpidius established a small temple to protect the remains of the martyr. He placed a poetic couplet at the entrance of the basilica to honor his brother. His leadership in Atella lasted until his death on May 24, 452.
Veneration and relics
His remains were originally interred in the Cathedral of Atella in 460. Due to Longobard incursions in 787, the body was moved to the Cathedral of St. Matthew in Salerno. In 1958, an investigation of the crypt in Salerno confirmed the presence of his relics, which had been placed there in 1081.