Valeria of Milan
Encyclopedia
Saint Valeria of Milan (d. 1st or 2nd century), or Saint Valérie, according to Christian
tradition, was the wife of Vitalis of Milan
, and the mother of Saint Gervase and Saint Protase
, although other traditions make her a virgin martyr rather than a wife and mother.
She was martyred for burying Christian martyrs, and then refusing to sacrifice to the Roman gods. It is said she was from a noble family, and at an early age was baptised. The reigning Pope had commanded the priests of the area to organize nine decurias, each consisting of five men and five virgins. Their duty was to gather the corpses of Christians who had been martyred in the Coliseum (Flavian Amphitheatre) and other places of martyrdom the preceding day.
According to one tradition, on June 3rd, Valeria was discovered by Roman soldiers searching for Christians. She avowed herself to be one of the faithful. Following terrible tortures, Valeria was beheaded in the Coliseum in the company of several other martyrs. Her remains were gathered by other Christians and were deposited in the Catacombs of Saint Sebastian. According to another tradition, shortly after the martyrdom of her husband, Vitalis of Milan
, in Ravenna
, she refused to join in a celebration and sacrifice to pagan gods, and was severely beaten, causing her death two days later in Milan.
depicting Valeria appears in the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
in Ravenna
. A church dedicated to her in Milan
was destroyed in 1786.
Canon Charles M. Ménard (1845–1896), pastor of St. Joseph Church (now Co-Cathedral) in Thibodaux, Louisiana, made a pilgrimage
to Rome in 1867, marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of Saint Peter the Apostle. Longing to bring back an important relic
for the veneration of his parishioners, he requested an audience of Cardinal Costantino Patrizi Naro
. Patrizi owned two such relics: one of Saint Prosper
, as well as part of the arm-bone of Saint Valeria. After much persuasion, the Cardinal agreed to relinquish the latter.
The prized relic was placed in a box of pasteboard, and sealed with Cardinal Patrizi's coat of arms
. The relic was then sealed in a waxen statue which represented a young woman. It was dressed in a robe of silk moire embroidered with gold and a crimson tunic of velvet and gold ornamented with fringes. It was laid in a coffin-like reliquary of oak and glass from The Netherlands, and decorated with gilded copper.
On the morning of April 18, 1868, the steamboat
Nina Simmes arrived from New Orleans, by way of Bayou Lafourche
, with the reliquary of Saint Valeria. It was placed on the altar of St. Joseph Church, with solemn ceremonies attended by more than four thousand people.
Since then, Valeria has been known as the Patroness of Thibodaux, and is especially invoked for protection from storms and floods.
On May 25, 1916, a fire began in the sacristy of St. Joseph's, and within minutes it was realized the church would not be saved. Cries of "Save Saint Valérie! Save Saint Valérie!" were heard from the onlookers. In fact, the reliquary was one of the few objects saved from the ruins. The reliquary was then brought to the Mount Carmel Convent Chapel until the new church was built, where it was installed with due reverence.
The British Museum
has in its collection an enameled reliquary sometimes misidentified as that of St. Valeria of Milan, but the reliquary is actually associated with Valerie of Limoges
, a different saint.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
tradition, was the wife of Vitalis of Milan
Vitalis of Milan
Saint Vitalis of Milan, known as San Vitale in Italian and Saint Vital in French, was an early Christian martyr.-Biography:Vitalis was a wealthy citizen of Milan, perhaps a soldier. He was married to Saint Valeria, and they were the parents of the perhaps legendary Saints Gervasius and Protasius...
, and the mother of Saint Gervase and Saint Protase
Gervasius and Protasius
Saints Gervasius and Protasius are venerated as Christian martyrs, probably of the 2nd century....
, although other traditions make her a virgin martyr rather than a wife and mother.
She was martyred for burying Christian martyrs, and then refusing to sacrifice to the Roman gods. It is said she was from a noble family, and at an early age was baptised. The reigning Pope had commanded the priests of the area to organize nine decurias, each consisting of five men and five virgins. Their duty was to gather the corpses of Christians who had been martyred in the Coliseum (Flavian Amphitheatre) and other places of martyrdom the preceding day.
According to one tradition, on June 3rd, Valeria was discovered by Roman soldiers searching for Christians. She avowed herself to be one of the faithful. Following terrible tortures, Valeria was beheaded in the Coliseum in the company of several other martyrs. Her remains were gathered by other Christians and were deposited in the Catacombs of Saint Sebastian. According to another tradition, shortly after the martyrdom of her husband, Vitalis of Milan
Vitalis of Milan
Saint Vitalis of Milan, known as San Vitale in Italian and Saint Vital in French, was an early Christian martyr.-Biography:Vitalis was a wealthy citizen of Milan, perhaps a soldier. He was married to Saint Valeria, and they were the parents of the perhaps legendary Saints Gervasius and Protasius...
, in Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
, she refused to join in a celebration and sacrifice to pagan gods, and was severely beaten, causing her death two days later in Milan.
Veneration
A mosaicMosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
depicting Valeria appears in the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
The Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo is a basilica church in Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna . It was erected by the Ostrogoth King Theodoric as his palace chapel, during the first quarter of the 6th century...
in Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
. A church dedicated to her in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
was destroyed in 1786.
Canon Charles M. Ménard (1845–1896), pastor of St. Joseph Church (now Co-Cathedral) in Thibodaux, Louisiana, made a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to Rome in 1867, marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of Saint Peter the Apostle. Longing to bring back an important relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
for the veneration of his parishioners, he requested an audience of Cardinal Costantino Patrizi Naro
Costantino Patrizi Naro
Costantino Patrizi Naro JUD was a long-serving Italian Cardinal who became Dean of the College of Cardinals. Cardinal Benedetto Naro was his great-uncle.-Biography:...
. Patrizi owned two such relics: one of Saint Prosper
Saint Prosper
Saint Prosper may refer to:*Prosper of Aquitaine, Christian writer and disciple of Saint Augustine of Hippo*Prosper of Reggio, Italian saint...
, as well as part of the arm-bone of Saint Valeria. After much persuasion, the Cardinal agreed to relinquish the latter.
The prized relic was placed in a box of pasteboard, and sealed with Cardinal Patrizi's coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
. The relic was then sealed in a waxen statue which represented a young woman. It was dressed in a robe of silk moire embroidered with gold and a crimson tunic of velvet and gold ornamented with fringes. It was laid in a coffin-like reliquary of oak and glass from The Netherlands, and decorated with gilded copper.
On the morning of April 18, 1868, the steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
Nina Simmes arrived from New Orleans, by way of Bayou Lafourche
Bayou Lafourche
Bayou Lafourche, originally called Chetimachas River, is a bayou in southeastern Louisiana, United States, that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The first settlements of Acadians in southern Louisiana were near Bayou Lafourche and Bayou des Écores, which led to a close association of the bayou with...
, with the reliquary of Saint Valeria. It was placed on the altar of St. Joseph Church, with solemn ceremonies attended by more than four thousand people.
Since then, Valeria has been known as the Patroness of Thibodaux, and is especially invoked for protection from storms and floods.
On May 25, 1916, a fire began in the sacristy of St. Joseph's, and within minutes it was realized the church would not be saved. Cries of "Save Saint Valérie! Save Saint Valérie!" were heard from the onlookers. In fact, the reliquary was one of the few objects saved from the ruins. The reliquary was then brought to the Mount Carmel Convent Chapel until the new church was built, where it was installed with due reverence.
The British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
has in its collection an enameled reliquary sometimes misidentified as that of St. Valeria of Milan, but the reliquary is actually associated with Valerie of Limoges
Valerie of Limoges
St Valerie of Limoges is a legendary Christian martyr and cephalophore, associated with the Roman period, whose cult was very important in Limousin, France, in the medieval period...
, a different saint.