Saint Potitus of Sardinia

Leaving prison, Potitus left his country and retired to Mount Epiru s. There h mont Épire Place of retreat and preaching for the saint. e shone brightly through the preaching of the word of God and the holiness of his life, and triumphed over all the snares of the devil, which were numerous and very dangerous.

In the city of Va leria, he healed ville de Valérie The Pope's city of origin in the land of the Marsi. the wife of the senator Agathon, who wa sénateur Agathon Christian arrested with the three sisters. s sick with leprosy: which determined the senator, his family, and many citizens to attach themselves to Jesus Christ. It is said tha Rome Birthplace of Maximian. t in Rome he also delivered Agnes, d aughter of the e empereur Antonin Roman emperor during whose reign the martyrdom is said to have occurred. mperor Antoninus, from a hideous demon that was tormenting her horribly. But, hard of heart and obstinate in his blindness, the emperor attributed the salvation of his daughter to his gods, and used every means to draw Potitus to embrace their worship.

Potitus was then led before the idols, which were overturned by the power of his prayer and virtue; and immediately, full of anger and spite, the emperor ordered that he be subjected to the most refined tortures.

First, he is placed in a very narrow prison, then tormented on the rack, then burning torches are applied to his sides. The holy martyr having reproached the prince for his barbarity, the latter has the nails of his hands and feet torn out and then has him thrown to the beasts; but the beasts forget their natural ferocity and do not even touch him. Then he is plunged into a cauldron of boiling oil, his body is doused with molten lead, he is pierced with a red-hot iron, from which a miraculous and invisible hand immediately delivers him. Here the prince, seized with a violent headache, implores the help of Potitus who, yielding to the prayers of Agnes, heals him. But, instead of showing gratitude for this miracle, the emperor attributes it to magic. Potitus reproaches him for his impiety, and the emperor has his tongue cut out. The Martyr speaks no less well, and, mocking the prince, he predicts that he will do in vain, that there is no torment that can take his life in Rome.

Then Antoninus, troubled and fearing the conversion of the people, handed him over to guards, with orders to take him away and kill him wherever they wished. Thus he was led far from Rome and had his head severed at Asculum (Ascoli) Site of the saint's execution in Apulia. Asculum (Ascoli), in Apulia, on January 13. His body was buried by the Christians, and discovered, at the beginning o f the 16 Tricario Place of discovery of the relics in the 16th century. th century, in Tricarico, in the church of the Most Hol y Trin Naples Place of the saint's death. ity. There exists in Naples a church dedicated in his honor. The memory of the Martyr had been celebrated there for a long time, by nuns Ordre de Saint-Benoît Religious order occupying the monastery of Honnecourt. of the Order of Saint Benedict, on the 14th of January. Moved by the prayers of thes pape Clément XII Pope who canonized Catherine in 1727. e same nuns, Pope Clement XII granted them the present office for the same day. Finally, the same pope ordered that all the clergy of the city of Naples, both secular and regular, would also celebrate this office on the same day. Proper of Naples.