Edistus

Saint Edistus (also known as Aristus, Orestes, Horestes) is venerated as a martyr and saint by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. His legend states that he was martyred on the Via Laurentina and his passio places his martyrdom during the reign of Nero, on October 12, 60 AD.

His companions are named as Thermantia (Termanzia), Christina, his servant Victoria, and the priest Priscus.

He is patron of an old church on the Monte Soratte, near which a town, Sant'Oreste, is named after him. The first mention of Sant'Oreste is made by Benedict of Soracte in his Chronicon in 747 AD, in which he mentions Curtis Sancii Heristi. One source states that the toponym derives from the family of the Aristi or Edisti. A member of this family was martyred for his faith around 68 AD. Linguistic corruptions transformed the name from Sanctus Edistus to Sanctus Heristus, Santo Resto, San Tresto, Sant'Oreste.

A church and village grew on the site of sandpit. This was the curtis Sancti Heristi. The village later moved to the slopes of Mount Soratte for better defense against raiders. This became the Castrum Sancti Heristi, later Sant'Oreste. The Romanesque church of Sant'Edisto still exists.