Saint Venantius

His holiness subsequently shone forth through many miracles. One day, unable to celebrate Mass due to an eye ailment that prevented him from reading, he had it said for him in the illustrious basilica of Saint Martin, and, when the priest reached the blessings of the Host, he saw a venerable old man, vested in ecclesiastical garments, descending from the rood screen with a ladder and approaching the altar to bless the heavenly gi fts. It was undoubtedly Saint Martin, who wished to make known to him that he assisted in spirit at all the sacrifices offered in his church. Another time, while returning in the morning from visiting the c hurches of Tours, he heard angels singing the Sanctus in his own. He stopped short, leaning on his staff, and, as he was asked what was stopping him and if he had some heavenly vision, he exclaimed, with tears in his eyes: 'Woe to us, cowards and sluggards that we are! They have already almost finished the celebration of the holy Mysteries in heaven and we have not yet begun them'; and, at that very hour, he had the Mass begun. Both events occurred on a Sunday.

As on another day the Lord's Prayer was being said at Mass, at these final words: Sed libera nos a malo, he heard a voice, from the depths of the earth, repeating the same words. It was a priest, named Bassin, who w as imploring the suffrages of the Church to be delivered from the flames of purgatory. Then our Saint approached his tomb, and, animated by a lively faith, he asked this deceased person what must be done for his relief. The soul answered him what it desired of him, and immediately he accomplished it.

Although these visions are famous testimonies to the holiness of Venant, Saint Gregory, neve rtheless, reports several miracles that God performed to give him greater luster. He was brought, he says, a child who suffered great pain in his thighs and legs. He rubbed these limbs with blessed oil, and had him lie on his bed for an hour; and, after having prayed for him, he returned him to his mother in perfect health. He also drove away, by the sign of the cross, several dangerous and even pestilential diseases. He delivered the possessed by the invocation of the Holy Trinity. He made himself so formidable to the demons that, when they appeared to him in hideous forms, his word alone, fortified by the salutary sign of our Redemption, made them flee.

His special grace was for healing tertian and quartan fever, and for tempering the heat of others. Finally, laden with years and merits, he left this mortal life to go and enjoy immortality in heaven. This was towards the middle of the 5th century.

The same miracles that he had performed during his life continued at his tomb. A portion of his relics were, before 93, at the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris, w here they were transported by the piety of Saint Germain , bishop of t he same city; the rest were in Tours, where they were honored with great devotion.

He is represented: 1° in religious attire, a hood on his head, a book and a sword in his loins; the sword is partially hidden by a shield with coats of arms; 2° in the attire of a count, holding a sword, and blessing with his right hand a lion cub sitting near him; 3° in solitude, chasing away the demon; 4° holding a shield and a sword, sometimes a book.

Taken from Saint Gregory of Tours: The Glory of th e Confessors.