Saint of the Day – 17 April – St Innocent (c285-c353) Bishop and Confessor of Tortona in Italy. Born and died in his See of Tortona. A brave and holy shepherd who underwent all manner of evil for the Faith of Christ.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Tortona, St Innocent, Bishp[ and Confessor.”
St Innocent was born into one of the noble families of Tortona who protected the local Christians and were exterminated during the ferocious persecution of Emperor Diocletian, who left the City without a Bishop until 318.
In 303, Innocent, at the age of 22, was imprisoned and his family property confiscated. Only after 313 did he go to Rome to recover his father’s property. There he gained the suport of Pope Sylvester, who first Ordained himas a Deacon and then sent him to Tortona as the Bishop after Consecrating him on 24 September 325.
Thus began a pastoral care which led to the reorganisation of the local community and was characterised by the fight against paganism. During St Innocent’s Eepiscopate, the Relics of the 1st Bishop of Tortona, Saint Marzianus of Tortona , were found on the left bank of the Scrivia River.
The family property was donated by St Innocent’s to his See and by the proceeds thereof the construction of several Churches began, including a Basilica on the hill overlooking the City (later destroyed by fire in 1609).
St Innocent’s body, who died on 17 April c353, was buried at the Basilica he had built. His sister is credited with founding what would later become the Monastery of Sant’Eufemia.
AnaStpaul 