ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY
Saints celebrated on the 8th of February
SAINT JUVENTIUS, BISHOP OF PAVIA
Saint Juventius is also called Eventius, Inventius, Juentius, Yventius, Yentius, Hyventius, Quentius and Juvencus, Bishop of Pavia (Ticinum).
He and St Syrus were sent to Pavia by Hermagoras, a disciple of St Peter. From there Syrus sent him to Milan to encourage to the martyrs there. Upon his return, he was ordained a deacon.
Before Syrus died, he prophesied to Juventius that he would succeed him in the bishopric. To escape this dignity he fled to Lodi, but was brought back from there and compelled to accept the episcopal dignity after Syrus' death.
HE FULFILLED HIS DUTIES WITH HOLY ZEAL
He then fulfilled the duties of his office with holy zeal. He often travelled from Pavia to Milan to encourage the Christians there, who had suffered much from the pagans.
On one occasion, the heathen adversaries stood in his way in a threatening manner, but he prayed for them. Suddenly there arose a terrible hailstorm, and his enemies could not move from the spot until they repented of their crime against him and entreated him to believe in Him whom Juventius preached. The storm abated immediately after Juventius' prayer.
THE STORM ABATED
The heathen then literally threw themselves at the feet of the saint and begged him for holy Baptism. He bestowed this on many Milanese and appointed priests and clerics for them too.
Once when he was giving Christian instruction in various towns around Pavia, Duke Porphyrius met him, surrounded by a large company of soldiers, in order to get the bishop out of the way, so that the religion might not spread any further.
"I PREACH NOT MY DOCTRINE, BUT GOD'S"
But when Porphyrius saw the humble and innocent man, and heard from his mouth the words, "I preach not my doctrine, but God's," he let him go without suffering; only he further forbade him to preach to his people.
HE RUSHED INTO THE CHURCH
But when Juventius later celebrated Mass in the church of St Nazarius, which he himself had built, Porphyrius rushed furiously into the church with an armed group of men. But before he could make an attack on the servant of God, he and all his entourage became possessed of the devil, and they drove each other out of the church themselves, punching each other with their fists, so that the blood spurted from their mouths and noses, and they howled terribly, until the saint had finished the sacrifice of the Mass. The saint and all Christians then prayed for these unfortunates.
THE BAPTISM OF PORPHYRIUS
During the prayer there was an earthquake and fire from heaven surrounded everyone present. Then the heathen cried out: "Truly, great is the God of Christians; foolish are all those who worship idols." But Porphyrius asked for Baptism for himself and his entire household. He died shortly after receiving it. His companions returned to their homes completely changed.
ST SYRUS APPEARED TO HIM IN A VISION
A while later he himself was given the message that he would die shortly; St Syrus appeared to him in a vision to that effect with the holy martyrs Nazarius, Celsus, Gervasius and Protasius. Juventius thereupon was full of joy and remained two days more in the church, watching and praying; but on the third day, which was Easter Sunday, he celebrated Holy Mass, blessed all those present, tried to encourage and strengthen them again through heavenly conversations and slept happily in the Lord.
HIS RELICS
His holy remains were buried near the altar on February 8, where they still rest to this day, and at which many miracles and signs took place. St Juventius is said to have ruled the Church of Pavia for 39 years, namely from A.D. 100 to 139.
Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints
➡️ Saint Juventius' entry in the Roman Martyrology
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