St. Vitus
Name: St. Vitus
Date: 15 June
Saint Vitus, sometimes called Guy, was a child nobly born, who had the happiness to be instructed in the Faith under the tutelage of his Christian nurse, Crescentia, and Modestus, his preceptor. His father was not aware of his baptism. The boy received the gift of miracles. Before he reached theage of twelve, Valerian came to Sicily representing Diocletian, less to be governor of that islandthan persecutor of Christians. Vitus was denounced to him as one of them, and Valerian sent forhis father, telling him to use his paternal authority to bring his son into line, and have him practicethe religion of the empire. Hylas promised to do so. Finding Vitus unmoved by his tears and embraces, his warnings of what he would lose if he didnot acquiesce to the emperor’s wishes, and every persuasion based on the grief his son wouldcause him by continuing to adore a man who died on an ignominious cross, Hylas delivered Vitusup to Valerian. The governor in turn could not change this child’s mind; when Valerian askedhim why he resisted his father’s will and did not submit to the emperor’s laws, Vitus answered, “I only disobey the emperors and my father to obey God, my sovereign Lord and first Father.” Hedid not fear chastisement, he said, or death, and would gladly endure all things rather than adoredemons, the sworn enemies of men. Valerian ordered that he be scourged; but the arms of the executioners grew limp, and even the hand of Valerian, which he had raised to give the command, withered. They accused him of beinga magician, but Saint Vitus cured them, “to show them that the spirit of Jesus Christ is one ofgentleness, and that His true disciples have only love for all their enemies.” Hylas, his father,furious at his son’s refusal to comply with all efforts to change him, resolved to put him to death. But Modestus, his tutor, was told by an Angel to flee with him and his nurse, Crescentia, to Italy. There all three would win the crown of martyrdom. Diocletian himself, hearing of the miracles of Saint Vitus, sent for him but then imprisoned him, after Vitus had delivered theemperor’s son from a demon, but had refused to deny Jesus Christ. A furious lion would notharm the young Christian, but lay down at his feet and licked them. When he and his twoChristian preceptors were attached to racks and tortured, their protecting Angel released them,but not until after lightning had struck the idol temples and caused them to fall, amidst a terriblestorm. Many idolater among the spectators were converted on this occasion. They were set freeafter this incident, but Saint Vitus prayed that their souls might finally be released also, and hisprayer was answered. They were buried at the place to which they had first come in Italy, in thekingdom of Naples. |
