JANUARY XXII.

ST. VINCENT, MARTYR.

From Prudentius, hymn 5, and St. Austin, serm, 274, 275, 276, 277, all
four preached on his festivals. His ancient acts in Bollandus are also
authentic, but not those in Metaphrastes and Surius. See Tillemont t. 5,
p. 217.

A.D. 399.

THE most glorious martyr St. Vincent was born, some say at Saragossa,
others at Valentia, but most authors, and most probably, at Osca, now
Huesca, in Granada. He was instructed in the sacred sciences and in
Christian piety by Valerius, the bishop of that city, who ordained him
his deacon, and appointed him, though very young, to preach and instruct
the people. Dacian, a most bloody persecutor, was then governor of
Spain. The emperors Dioclesian and Maximian published their second and
third bloody edicts against the Christian clergy in the year 303, which
in the following year were put in force against the laity. It seems to
have been before these last that Dacian put to death eighteen martyrs at
Saragossa, who are mentioned by Prudentius, and in the Roman
Martyrology, January the 16th, and that he apprehended Valerius and
Vincent. They spilt some of their blood at Saragossa, but were thence
conducted to Valentia, where the governor let them lie long in prison,
suffering extreme famine and other miseries. The proconsul hoped that
this lingering torture would shake their constancy; but when they were
brought out before him, he was surprised to see them still intrepid in
mind, and vigorous in body, and reprimanded his officers, as if they had
not treated the prisoners according to his orders. Then, turning to the
champions of Christ, he employed alternately threats and promises to
induce them to sacrifice. Valerius, who had an impediment in his speech,
making no answer, Vincent said to him "Father, if you order me, I will
speak." "Son," said Valerius, "as I committed to you the dispensation of
the word of God, so I now charge you to answer in vindication of the
faith which we defend." The holy deacon then acquainted the judge that
they were ready to suffer every thing for the {194} true God, and little
regarded either his threats or promises in such a cause. Dacian
contented himself with banishing Valerius.[1] As for St. Vincent, he was
determined to assail his resolution by every torture his cruel temper
could suggest. St. Austin assures us, that he suffered torments far
beyond what any man could possibly have endured, unless supported by a
sup