June 15
The actual dates of this saint are unknown, and his life, according to some historians, may be entirely legendary. Others disagree, pointing to public veneration as proof of the reality of his life. He is said to have died as a martyr during the persecution of Diocletian in 303 and is also counted among the Fourteen Holy Helpers. In Germany, his feast was celebrated with dancing in front of his statue, leading to the name “Saint Vitus Dance” being given to a neurological disorder called Sydenham’s chorea. (This disorder causes the body to jerk uncontrollably. It usually begins in childhood. There is no cure, but most children heal completely in time.)
Saint Vitus is honored as a patron saint of Serbia, and his feast day, called Vidovdan, is important in Sebia’s history. The cathedral in Prague, Czechoslovakia, is named after him. Vitus is still recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church, and Mass may be celebrated in his honor.
(Image © Zvonimir Atletic, via Shutterstock