St. Vincent of Saragossa Vincent the / Vincent the Deacon

Feast day: January 22

Died: 304

Patron : vinegar-makers; -makers; , and , Portugal

St. Vincent was born near Saragossa, Spain in the late 3rd century. Vincent was educated and became a deacon of the Church of Saragossa under Bishop Valerius. Valerius was elderly and had a speech impediment so he commissioned Vincent to preach throughout the diocese in his stead.

Spain, at this time, was under the Roman empire. Emperor made it a crime to practice Christianity. Vincent and Valerius were apprehended and imprisoned in Valencia, Spain where they were tortured and starved. Brought before the governor Dacian, they were expected to reject Christianity. St. Vincent spoke on behalf of himself and his bishop, declaring that they were willing to suffer everything for their faith.

Valerius was exiled. But the governor was so outraged at Vincent’s outspokenness that he had him tortured again. First, he was stretched on a rack. Then, his flesh was torn with iron hooks and his wounds rubbed with salt. Dacian had the torturers beaten because they failed to make Vincent renounce his faith. Next, Dacian tried to compromise with Vincent. He would free him if he would allow all of his sacred books to be burned. When St. Vincent refused, he was burned over a red-hot gridiron. When he still refused to denounce Christ, he was thrown into a prison covered with shards of broken pottery. He remained tranquil and at peace which inspired his jailor to convert.

St. Vincent died while in prison and his body was guarded by ravens until recovered by Christian followers. They intended to sail to safer territory to lay St. Vincent to rest, but appear to have been shipwrecked on the coast of Portugal. He was buried at the site now named Cape St. Vincent, Portugal. A shrine was erected over his grave where the ravens continued to keep watch. In the 6th century, Muslims took over Spain and Portugal. An Arab geographer noted the ravens guarding the shrine and named it Church of the Ravens. In the 10th century, Christians regained the area around Lisbon. King Alfonso had St. Vincent’s body exhumed and transferred to Lisbon, Portugal where it remains today.

Christopher Columbus founded the Caribbean island he named St. Vincent on January 22, 1495.

“Make it your principal endeavor to grow in habits of prayer and in union with Christ. Have confidence in Him. He will make you victorious over your spiritual enemies and over yourself. He will enlighten your darkness and sweeten your sufferings, and in your solitude and desolation He will draw nigh to you with His holy angels.” ~ St. Vincent Saragossa