Who knew?
Happy St. Vitus Day, ya'll!
Vitus was a Christian saint from Sicily. He died as a martyr during the persecution of Christians by co-ruling Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximian in 303. He is counted as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers of the Roman Catholic Church.
Saint Vitus' Day is celebrated on June 28 according to the Gregorian calendar, and on June 15 according to the Julian calendar.
During the Middle Ages, people from both Central Europe and Northern Europe (Germany, Latvia etc) celebrated the feast of Saint Vitus with the so-called Saint Vitus Dance, though that term also has a meaning of a nervous disorder exhibited by trembling, see chorea.
St. Vitus is considered the patron saint of actors, comedians, dancers, and finally epileptics. He also protects against lightning strikes, animal attacks, and oversleeping, and is the patron saint of Bohemia. Vitus is the patron saint of the towns of Forio in Campania, Italy, and the town of Winschoten in the Netherlands. Various places in Austria and Bavaria are named Sankt Veit in his honor. The feast of St. Vitus is also important to the Serb Orthodox Church.
Vitus was a Christian saint from Sicily. He died as a martyr during the persecution of Christians by co-ruling Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximian in 303. He is counted as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers of the Roman Catholic Church.
Saint Vitus' Day is celebrated on June 28 according to the Gregorian calendar, and on June 15 according to the Julian calendar.
During the Middle Ages, people from both Central Europe and Northern Europe (Germany, Latvia etc) celebrated the feast of Saint Vitus with the so-called Saint Vitus Dance, though that term also has a meaning of a nervous disorder exhibited by trembling, see chorea.
St. Vitus is considered the patron saint of actors, comedians, dancers, and finally epileptics. He also protects against lightning strikes, animal attacks, and oversleeping, and is the patron saint of Bohemia. Vitus is the patron saint of the towns of Forio in Campania, Italy, and the town of Winschoten in the Netherlands. Various places in Austria and Bavaria are named Sankt Veit in his honor. The feast of St. Vitus is also important to the Serb Orthodox Church.