Day 16: St. Vitus, patron against oversleeping

I personally love Mondays, but if you don't, and are afraid of oversleeping on any particular Monday, then St. Vitus is the man to go to!


Lived from about 290 to 303 AD
Hometown: Sicily, Italy
Feast Day: June 15th. 

St. Vitus was the son of a pagan Roman Senator, but converted to Christianity with the help of his tutor, St. Modestus, and nurse, St. Crescentia, also martyrs.  Because of persecutions, the three of them set off and fled to Lucania first, then to Rome where Vitus drove a demon out of the son of the Emperor.  The Emperor wanted a sacrifice to the pagan gods in honor of this cure, but Vitus refused and was sentenced to several tortures, but survived.  After a terrible storm, an angel of God brought him out of Rome back to Lucania where he eventually was killed for his Christianity by being boiled in oil.  It is said that when he died a rooster was also boiled with him, and because the rooster is the early riser, he is the patron saint against oversleeping.  For more information:

http://catholicsaints.info/saint-vitus/

St. Vitus, thank you for your persistence in faith and your ability to trust in God's path.  You were not afraid to die for your faith, may we have the same courage and persistence that you had.  St. Vitus, pray for us!