Saint of the Day – 1 October – Saint Severus Priest and Confessor of Orvieto, in Umbria, Italy, Miracle-worker. Two entries in the Roman Martyrology probably relate to this Saint:
✴under 15 February: “In the Province of Valeria, St Severus, Priest, of whom St Gregory (the Great) says that by his tears he recalled a dead man to life”;
and:
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Orvieto, St Severus, Priest and Confessor.”
SS Severus (damaged), Augustine, Mary Magdalene,
John the Evangelist, Elizabeth, John the Baptist and Martirius (lost)
Fresco (13th Century) in SS Severus and Martirius.
The Abbey of Saints Severus and Martirius (23 January) outside Orvieto is dedicated to our Saint together with St Martirius.
Dialogues of Pope Gregory the Great:
These two men are mentioned in successive stories in the Dialogues of Pope Gregory.
Book I, Chapter 12: of Severus, a Priest in the same Province
This chapter relates of a Parish Priest called Severus who lived in a valley in the Province of Valeria.
The account records that he delayed visiting a dying man (because he was busy in his vineyard) and, therefore, failed to give him Extreme Unction before he died. On hearing of the death, “the good man fell a trembling and cried out aloud that he had killed him; whereupon he fell a weeping and in that manner came to the corpse … suddenly the dead man returned to life.”
He recounted that, as he had been taken “ through dark places, suddenly a beautiful young man with others met us, who said … ‘Carry him back again; for Severus the Priest laments his death and our Lord, for his tears, hath given him longer life.’”
Severus duly administered the Sacrament, and the man died again having confessed his sins.
The date chosen for the Feast of St Severus in Orvieto (1st October) is also the date of the translation of the presumed Relics of another St Severus whose Feast is 15 February to Trier in the 10th Century. This St Severus was from Munstermaifeld, in Germany and these Relics are now in Saints Martin and Severus Church there.
The supposed Relics of Saints Severus and Martirius in Orvieto were, in 1613, moved to Sant’ Angelo (which belonged to the Abbey), presumably for greater security. They were placed in a new Reliquary and the High Altar of Sant’ Angelo was restored in order to receive it. The old Reliquary was then destroyed. An attempt was made to steal the Reliquary in July 2011 but the stolen objects were, fortunately, recovered.
AnaStpaul 