Post #6048

Occured the liberation, the ungrateful emperor not being able to persuade him with the greatest rewards to venerate the gods, loaded with chains he had him thrown in prison together with Modestus and Crescentia. The, finding them even more inflexible, commanded to had them thrown in an enormous caldron filled with of liquefied lead, of resin and boiling pitch; in which singing they, like the three Hebrew children, sacred hymns, were removed and exposed to the lions, who, crouching down, began to lick their feet. Then the emperor was furious, because he saw the multitude being moved in front of the miracle, he ordered that stretched out on an easel, their limbs be cut off and their bones plucked out. Meanwhile there were thunder, lightning, and great earthquakes, whereby the temples of the gods collapsed and many were oppressed. Florentia, noble lady, embalmed their remains and buried them honourably. The fame of St. Vitus from Southern Italy extended to the extremities of Christianity, such is his thaumaturgical power - he is one of the fourteen Holy Helpers - against epilepsy and chorea or "dance of St. Vitus"; against excessive need for sleep and catalepsy; against insomnia and the bites of mad dogs and demonic obsession.