St. Venantius

Martyr

Feast Day - May 18

At the age of fifteen, Venantius of Camerino was denounced for his Christian religion to Antiochus, who was governor of Camerino under the emperor Decius. Venantius presented himself to the governor at the city gates. For a long time the governor tempted him by means of promises and threats, then commanded that he be beaten and chained.

Miraculously freed by an Angel, Venantius was then burned with torches and suspended face down over a smoking fire. Led back again to the governor, he had all his teeth and his jaws broken and, thus mutilated, he was thrown into a pit of dung. Rescued from this pit by an Angel, he stood once more before a judge, who even as Venantius was speaking to him, fell from his tribunal, crying out, “The God of Venantius is the true God! Destroy our gods!” and expired. At length, after new and exquisite torments, Venantius was beheaded, along with ten others, and so finished the course of his glorious struggle. The Christians gave honorable burial to the bodies of these martyrs, who now rest in Camerino, in the church dedicated to Venantius.

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