Venantius of Camerino
Saint Venantius of Camerino | |
|---|---|
Venantius is hung upside-down over a fire, and then thrown to the lions. Wall mural from St. Venantius Church, Horgenzell. | |
| Died | ~250 AD |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Major shrine | Camerino and Raiano (AQ) |
| Feast | May 18 |
| Attributes | young man crucified upside-down with smoke coming from his head; young man holding the citadel of Camerino; young man holding the city of Camerino, a palm, and a book; young man with a banner holding a city wall |
| Patronage | Camerino and Raiano (AQ) |
Venantius of Camerino (Italian: San Venanzio, also known as Saint Wigand) (died 18 May 251 or 253) is the patron saint of Camerino, Italy and Raiano, Italy. Christian tradition holds that he was a 15-year-old who was tortured, and martyred by decapitation at Camerino during the persecutions of Decius. Martyred with him were 10 other Christians, including the priest Porphyrius, Venantius' tutor; and Leontius, bishop of Camerino.
Before Venantius was killed, he was scourged, burned with flaming torches, hanged upside-down over a fire, had his teeth knocked out and his jaw broken, thrown to the lions, and tossed over a high cliff. His 11th century Acts state additionally that he managed to briefly escape from Camerino and hide at Raiano, where a church was later dedicated to him.