Saint of the Day – 9 December – Saint Proculus of Verona (Died c320) Bishop of Verona, Italy. Died in c320 in Verona of natural causes thus our Saint Proculus was a survivor of the violent persecutions of Diocletian. Also known as – Procolo.
The Roman Martyrology says today: “In Verona, during the persecution of Diocletian, St Proculus, Bishop, who was buffeted, scourged with rods and driven out of the City. Being at length, restored to his Church, he rested in peace.”
During the Diocletian persecution, Proculus, the Bishop of Verona went to the prison to encourage Sts Firmus and Rusticus. He was bound and brought with them before Anulinus, the Consul. However, as Proculus was elderly, Anulinus did not consider him worth his interest and had him beaten, released and driven from the City. He lived to survive the persecutions and eventually returned to resume leadership of his flock but died not too long after.
Attached to the Basilica of St Zeno in Verona, is the Chapel of St Proculus housing his Relics. It dates from the 6th or 7th Century. It is first mentioned, however, only in 845.
In San Zaccaria’s Church in Venice their stands a life-size wooden statue “St Proculus of Verona” (1451) – see above. In 1704, Sebastiano Ricci executed a large Canvas of St Proculus for Bergamo Cathedral.
AnaStpaul 
Unfortunately, during my pilgrimage in 1990, the church of St Zeno was closed … but we did see the exterior. By the way, today is also the feast day of saint Juan Diego (the seer of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Mexico). He was canonized by saint John Paul II.
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What a pity – that is a magnificent Church from what I have seen of the interior.
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