Saint of the Day –13 June – St Peregrinus/Cetteus (Died c597) Bishop Martyr, Defender of the Faith. Unknown date and location of his birth but he died in c597 by being drowned in the Pescara River in Abruzzo region of Italy. Patronage of – the Diocese and City of Pescara in Italy. Also known as – Cetteus, Ceteo, Cetteus, Cetheus, Cetteo. Pellegrino, Pelligrinus. Additional Memorial – 10 October (Pescara, Italy).
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “In Abruzzo, Italy, St Peregrinus, Bishop and Martyr. For the Catholic Faith, he was thrown into the river Pescara, by the Arian Lombards.”
Peregrinus, although he is more commonly referred to as Cetteus (his real name). According to our source, he was the Bishop of Amiterno (now St Vittorino, in Abruzzo) at the time of St Gregory the Great. During his Episcopate two Lombard leaders, Alai and Umbolo, occupied the City and he, in order not to witness their depredations, took refuge in Rome. To quell the citizens’ discontent, a Lombard mission went to St Gregory the Great and, after having solemnly promised that the subjugated citizens Peregrinus returned to Amiterno.
But, when a disagreement arose between the two Iongobard leaders who held the City, Alai allied himself, with Count Veriliano of Orte, occupied Amiterno at night. When the betrayal was discovered, the furious people wanted to kill Alai but their Bishop Peregrinus intervened, trying to have him condemned only to prison.
But Umbolo suspected that the Bishop was also conniving with the traitor and ordered that our Saint and his accomplice be killed. Alai’s sentence was immediately carried out, while Peregrinus’ execution was suspended due to the executioner’s firm refusal.
Umbolo then ordered that he be thrown into the river (now Pescara) with a large millstone around his neck. His body was carried by the current to the sea and thrown onto the shore. According to one manuscript, it would have reached Zara, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea but, with much greater likelihood, it arrived in Pescara, at the mouth of the river of the same name.
When Peregrinus was found by a fisherman, the local Bishop was notified and, not knowing who he was, called him “Peregrinus” and buried him on the spot. Later, following a miracle which occurred at his tomb, the Bishop had him transferred and buried, with greater honour, nine miles from the City.
Peregrinus/Cetteus is commemorated in the Roman Martyrology on 13 June and the Diocese and City of Pescara remember him on 10 October.
AnaStpaul 