St. Vitus

A legend recounts that Vitus, the son of a pagan Senator from Sicily was converted at age twelve, by Saint Modestus, his tutor and Saint Crescentia, his nanny. Vitus’ father had his son arrested and whipped along with his two mentors. The three escaped with the help of angels and went to Rome. Vitus cured the son of the Emperor Diocletian by casting out an evil spirit, but people thought this was due to sorcery. Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia were arrested and thrown to the lions, who would not eat them; the three were then thrown into boiling oil. Several pagan temples were destroyed by a storm at the time of their death. St. Vitus was martyred around 303. In the sixteenth century, some Germans believed they could obtain good health by dancing before the tomb of St. Vitus; this turned into an obsession that swept across Europe. The dance resembled chorea—a nervous condition, which came to be known as St. Vitus' dance. St. Vitus is considered the patron against this disease and he is also the patron of dancing, dancers, and entertainers. St. Vitus is symbolized by a rooster, because a rooster was thrown in the boiling oil with him as defense against his alleged sorcery. Because roosters are the tradition symbol of waking in the morning, St. Vitus is also invoked against oversleeping. His feast day is June 15.