St. Vitus, Fourteen Holy Helper and Martyred Youth (+ 303 AD)

THE PAGAN IS RAISED A CHRISTIAN
St. Vitus belonged to a noble pagan family of Sicily, and was born around the year 291, at Mazurra. During his early childhood, his father, Hylas, placed him under the charge of a Christian couple named Modestus and Crescentia. They raised him in the Christian faith and had him baptized. Vitus grew in years and in virtue, until, at the age of twelve, his father called him back to the home. Being an important man in town with a reputation to maintain, he was exceedingly angry to learn his son had become a fervent Christian. At this time, Christians were not only considered superstitions and "low-class," but they had been declared enemies of the empire. After many unsuccessful attempts (including whippings and other punishments) to induce him to renounce the Faith, his father became convinced that his son was hopelessly lost. Rather than suffer family embarrassments or be stripped of honors, the father delivered his brave son to the governor, Valerian.

HIS FAITH IS TRIED BY PLEASURE AND PAIN
In vain Valerian employed every artifice to shake Vitus' constancy. He commanded Vitus to be scourged. But when two soldiers were about to execute this order their hands and those of Valerian were suddenly lamed. The governor ascribed this to sorcery, yet he invoked Vitus' help and behold, when the Christian boy made the Sign of the Cross over the lame members, they were healed. Then Valerian sent him back to his father, telling him to leave no means untried to induce his son to sacrifice to the idols.

Hylas now tried blandishments, pleasures, and amusements to influence the brave boy. He even sent a corrupt woman to tempt him, and for that purpose locked them both together in one room. But Vitus, who had remained firm amid tortures, resisted also the allurements of sensuality. Closing his eyes, he knelt in prayer, and behold, an angel appeared, filling the room with heavenly splendor, and stood at the youth's side. Terrified, the woman complained to the father and fled. But even this miracle did not change the obstinate father.

TORTURES AND MIRACLES IN ITALY
Being warned by an angel, Vitus escaped from his father, and with Modestus and Cresentia fled to Italy. They landed safe in Lucania (near Naples), and there proclaimed Christ wherever they had an opportunity. Their fervor and many miracles which they wrought gained them substantial fame, even attracting the attention of Emperor Diocletian. He summoned Vitus because his son was possessed by an evil spirit and he hoped Vitus would be able to cure him. St. Vitus indeed exorcised the demon and freed his son. Yet when the emperor found that all his gifts and honors could not bring Vitus to worship his idols, he had the ingratitude to cast Vitus into prison, along with Modestus and Cresentia. Bringing Vitus before a tribunal, the emperor determined he was guilty of evil sorcery. As the three would not renounce Christ, the emperor had them cruelly tormented, but with no other result than confirming them in their constancy. Enraged, the emperor condemned them to be thrown to the wild beasts. But the lions and tigers forgot their ferocity and cowered at their feet. Such a miracle began having an effect towards conversion for the local populace. This further enraged the emperor and his furious wrath knew no bounds. He ordered them to be cast into a cauldron of molten lead and boiling pitch. They prayed, "O God, deliver us through the power of Thy Name!" And behold, like the three young men thrown into the furnace at the time of Daniel, they praised God and remained unharmed.

Then the emperor condemned them to the rack, on which they suffered greatly. Many of their limbs and bones were broken. The soldiers stopped the tortures when a terrible storm broke. Lightning and earthquakes destroyed several local pagan temples. Fearing for their own lives they loosed the Christians, but already counted them as dead. An angel transported them back to Lucania, where they did indeed expire on account of the many wounds they had endured. Three days later, St. Vitus appeared to a distinguished matron named Florentia, who then found the bodies and had them embalmed with spices and properly buried according to the Christian rites.

VENERATION
Written records have been found proving that devotion to these three saints existed within the Church during the fifth century. Thus, their historical existence is quite indisputable. His cult grew in Sicily and was promoted by various German monasteries that had received some of his relics. In 925 AD, King Henry I of Germany presented as a gift the bones of one hand of St. Vitus to St. Wenceslaus, Duke of Bohemia. This relic became a national treasure and is kept in the St. Vitus Cathedral overlooking the city of Prague (shown below). Devotion to this saint became widespread in the Slavic countries. During the Middle Ages, people in Germany and the Baltic nations celebrated the saint's feast by with traditional dances before his statue.

He is the patron saint of Bohemia. He is invoked in epilepsy, chorea ("St. Vitus Dance"), lethargy, bites of mad or poisonous animals, and storms; he is a patron of dancers and actors; he is also a patron for dogs and domestic animals. St. Vitus is sometimes also called St. Guy. His veneration as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers is most popular in France and Germany. In art, he is usually represented as a youth with a palm (for his martyr's victory), in a burning kettle or with a lion (tortures which he survived), and at times also with dogs.

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