Saint/s of the Day – 23 May – Saint Eutychius of Valcastoria (6th Century) Abbot and Confessor, Hermit and Saint Florentius of Valcastoria (6th Century) Confessor, Hermit, Miracle-worker. Also known as Eutizio and Fiorenzo. St Florentius attracts 2 additional memorils – on 1 June in Foligno and on 27 June in Norcia.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “In the territory of Norcia in Umbria, commemoration of Saint Eutizio, Abbot, who, as Pope Saint Gregory the Great recounts, first practiced a solitary life together with Saint Fiorenzo, leading many to God with their encouragement and later, governed the nearby Monastery with great holiness.”
St Gregory the Great narrates their lives in the Dialogues. There is also a legend of Eutychius of late origin, in which the events told by St Gregory are attributed to him. And what is found in the fabulous Acts of another Eutychius are also sometimes attributed to today’s Saint.
After having led a solitary life together with Florentius in the Norcia Province, Eutychius was elected Abbot of a Monastery in Valcastoria, famous in the Middle Ages which he ruled for many years and which took its name from him, even though he was not its founder.
It is believed that the arrival of Eutychius to Valcastoria and the construction of the Monastery date o the early times of the Ostrogothic invasion, i.e. after 487.
When Eutychius became the Abbot, Florentius remained alone and, suffering as a result, he prayed to the Lord to send him a companion. As soon as he left the oratory he found a bear, to which he gave the task of taking four or five goats to pasture, a job which the animal carried out with care. But four of Eutychius’ Monks, envious of Florentius’ miracles, killed the bear, causing him great pain. Eutychius went to console him but Florentius, inconsolable, asked the Lord for severe punishment of the guilty. These, struck by a mysterious illness, died miserably.
Upon Eutychius’ death, Florentius probably took himself to Foligno, where he died around 540 and where he is commemorated on 1 June. In Norcia, his Feast is 27 June. The Martyrology of Farfa, from the 16th Century commemorates both our Saints today on 23 May as Confessors. Both are registered in the Roman Martyrology on 23 May.
AnaStpaul 