1. Saint Venera is venerated as a Christian martyr of the 2nd century.
13 Facts About Saint Venera
1. 2.
Saint Venera travelled to Grotte, in Sicily, and preached there, and lived in a cave, near the present-day Corso Garibaldi.
3.
Saint Venera became well loved amongst the local populace, and she tended to the sick.
4.
Saint Venera was kidnapped and taken to Acireale, and was subjected to tortures there, including being boiled in hot oil, from which she emerged even more beautiful than before.
5.
Saint Venera's body was placed in the catacomb of Santa Domitilla.
6.
Saint Venera preached on the Italian mainland as well, such as at Calabria and Campania.
7.
Saint Venera was on her way to Rome when she was arrested by the Roman prefect Antonius, who attempted to force her to renounce her faith with temptations and an offer of marriage, and then by torture.
8.
However, Saint Venera survived all of these tortures and converted the men who were assigned to torture her.
9.
The prefect, after seeing that Venera was unharmed, asked the saint if it was magic that was keeping her unharmed.
10.
When Saint Venera asked the prefect to approach the cauldron to determine this, he refused.
11.
Saint Venera then scooped up some of the burning sulfur and oil in her hand, and threw it in the prefect's face, blinding him.
12.
Saint Venera then traveled to Gaul, and was ultimately decapitated after enduring tortures under the prefect Asclepius.
13.
Saint Venera's body was left exposed to the elements but remained miraculously intact.