Venantius was born at Camerino near Ancona in Italy. At the age of 15 years he was accused of being a Christian and was brought before Antiochus, the governor of the city under the emperor Decius. After being coaxed and threatened, he was scourged and condemned to be chained. But he was miraculously unfettered by an angel, and was then burned with torches, and was hung, with his head downwards, over a fire, to be suffocated by the smoke. One of the officials, Anastasius, noticed the courage with which Venantius suffered his torments, and saw an angel walking in a white robe above the smoke, and again liberating Venantius. He believed in Christ and with his family was baptised by the priest Porphyrius with whom he later was to suffer martyrdom.
Venantius was again brought before the governor but refusing to renounce his faith, he was put in prison. A herald, Attalus, was sent to tell him that he also had once been a Christian, but had renounced the faith when he discovered that it was false, and that Christians were tricked into giving up the good things of the present life by the vain hope of what was to follow in the next life. Venantius rejected the herald, upon which he was yet again again led before the governor and all his teeth were beaten out, and his jaws broken. After that he was thrown into a dung pit. But being delivered by an angel once again, he stood before the judge, who, while Venantius was addressing him, fell from his judgment-seat and died exclaiming “The God of Venantius is the true one! Destroy our gods!”
When the Governor found out, he ordered Venantius to be exposed to the lions, but the animals bowed down before him. Venantius instructed people in the Christian faith and was again imprisoned. On the following day, Porphyrius told the governor that he had had a vision in which he saw that those bathed with water by Venantius were brilliant with a splendid light, but that the governor was covered with a thick darkness. The governor ordered Porphyrius to be beheaded, and Venantius to be dragged, until evening, along places covered with thorns and thistles. Venantius was left there half dead but again presented himself to the governor who condemned him to be thrown from a rock. Venantius was miraculously preserved in his fall, and was once more dragged, for a mile, over rough places.
Seeing that the soldiers were tormented with thirst, Venantius made the sign of the cross, and water flowed from a rock, which was in a neighbouring dell. Many were moved by that miracle, to believe in Christ, and were all beheaded, together with Venantius, on that very spot, by the governor’s orders. Lightning and earthquakes followed the killings and a few days after taking flight, the governor met divine justice by a humiliating death. Christians gave honourable burial to the martyrs outside the city. In the fifth century a basilica was built in honour of Saint Venantius and a spring nearby was used by lepers and people with ulcers to cure themselves. Venantius replaced Saint Ansovinus as patron saint of Camerino.
Dom Prosper Gueranger:
In Egypt, St. Dioscorus, a lector, who was subjected by the governor to many various torments, such as the tearing off of his nails and the burning of his sides with torches, but a light from heaven having prostrated the executioners, the saint finally consummated his martyrdom by having red-hot metal applied to his body.
Venantius was again brought before the governor but refusing to renounce his faith, he was put in prison. A herald, Attalus, was sent to tell him that he also had once been a Christian, but had renounced the faith when he discovered that it was false, and that Christians were tricked into giving up the good things of the present life by the vain hope of what was to follow in the next life. Venantius rejected the herald, upon which he was yet again again led before the governor and all his teeth were beaten out, and his jaws broken. After that he was thrown into a dung pit. But being delivered by an angel once again, he stood before the judge, who, while Venantius was addressing him, fell from his judgment-seat and died exclaiming “The God of Venantius is the true one! Destroy our gods!”
When the Governor found out, he ordered Venantius to be exposed to the lions, but the animals bowed down before him. Venantius instructed people in the Christian faith and was again imprisoned. On the following day, Porphyrius told the governor that he had had a vision in which he saw that those bathed with water by Venantius were brilliant with a splendid light, but that the governor was covered with a thick darkness. The governor ordered Porphyrius to be beheaded, and Venantius to be dragged, until evening, along places covered with thorns and thistles. Venantius was left there half dead but again presented himself to the governor who condemned him to be thrown from a rock. Venantius was miraculously preserved in his fall, and was once more dragged, for a mile, over rough places.
Seeing that the soldiers were tormented with thirst, Venantius made the sign of the cross, and water flowed from a rock, which was in a neighbouring dell. Many were moved by that miracle, to believe in Christ, and were all beheaded, together with Venantius, on that very spot, by the governor’s orders. Lightning and earthquakes followed the killings and a few days after taking flight, the governor met divine justice by a humiliating death. Christians gave honourable burial to the martyrs outside the city. In the fifth century a basilica was built in honour of Saint Venantius and a spring nearby was used by lepers and people with ulcers to cure themselves. Venantius replaced Saint Ansovinus as patron saint of Camerino.
Dom Prosper Gueranger:
Today’s martyr carries us back to the persecutions under the Roman Emperors. It was at Camerino, in Italy, that he bore his testimony to the true Faith. And the devotion with which he is honoured by the people of those parts... has occasioned his feast being kept throughout the Church. Let us, therefore, joyfully welcome this new champion who fought so bravely for our Emmanuel. Let us congratulate him upon his having the privilege of suffering martyrdom during the Paschal Season, all radiant as it is with the grand victory won by Life over Death.
The account given by the Liturgy upon Saint Venantius, is a tissue of miracles. The omnipotence of God seemed, on this and many other like occasions, to be resisting the cruelty of the executioners, in order to glorify the martyr. It served also as a means for converting the by-standers, who, on witnessing these almost lavish miracles, were frequently heard to exclaim that they too wished to be Christians, and embrace a religion which was not only honoured by the superhuman patience of its martyrs, but was so visibly protected and favoured by Heaven.
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Dear youthful Martyr, loved of the Angels, and aided by them in your combat, pray for us! Like yourself, we too are soldiers of the Risen Jesus, and must give testimony before the world to the divinity and the rights of our King. The world has not always in its hands those material instruments of torture, such as it made you feel, but it is always fearful in its power of seducing souls. It would rob us also of that New Life which Jesus has imparted to us and to all them that are His members. Holy martyr, protect us under these attacks! You had partaken, during the days of your last Easter, of the divine Flesh of the Paschal Lamb, and your courage in martyrdom redounded to the glory of this heavenly nourishment. We also have been guests at the same holy Table. We also have partaken of the Paschal Banquet. Like you, we have known our Lord in the breaking of bread (Luke xxiv. 35). Obtain for us the appreciation of the divine mystery of which we received the first-fruits at Bethlehem, and which has been gradually developed within our souls, as well as before our eyes, by the merits of the Passion and Resurrection of our Emmanuel. We are now, at this very time, preparing to receive the plenitude of the divine gift of the Incarnation. Pray for us, Holy Martyr, that our hearts may more than ever fervently welcome and faithfully preserve the rich treasures which are about to be offered us by the sublime mysteries of the Ascension and Pentecost.Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
In Egypt, St. Dioscorus, a lector, who was subjected by the governor to many various torments, such as the tearing off of his nails and the burning of his sides with torches, but a light from heaven having prostrated the executioners, the saint finally consummated his martyrdom by having red-hot metal applied to his body.
At Spoleto, St. Felix, a bishop, who obtained the palm of martyrdom under the emperor Maximian.
In Egypt, St. Potamon, bishop, a confessor under Maximian Galerius, and afterwards a martyr under the emperor Constantius and the Arian governor Philagrius.
At Ancyra in Galatia, the martyrs St. Theodotus, and the saintly virgins Thecusa, his aunt, Alexandra, Claudia, Faina, Euphrasia, Matrona and Julitta. They were at first taken to a place of debauchery, but the power of God having preserved them from evil, they had stones tied to their necks and were plunged into a lake. For gathering their remains and burying them honourably, Theodotus was arrested by the governor, and after being horribly lacerated, was put to the sword and thus received the crown of martyrdom.
At Upsalla in Sweden, St. Eric, king and martyr.
At Rome, St. Felix, confessor, of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, celebrated for his evangelical simplicity and charity. He was inscribed on the roll of saints by Pope Clement XI.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
