Saint Orontius of Lecce

illustration of Saint Orontius of Lecce, artist unknown, published in 1906; swiped from Wikimedia Commons Also known as

Orontius the Companion
Aronzo…
Hermes…
Horace…
Oronzio…
Oronzo…
Rontius…

Memorial

26 August

Profile

Son of Publius, a Roman imperial treasurer; uncle of Saint Fortunatus. Converted by the shipwrecked Saint Paul the Apostle. Roman imperial treasurer upon his father‘s death. Denounced as a Christian, he was ordered to sacrifice to idols; he refused. He was arrested, stripped of his office, whipped, and exiled to Corinth where he met up with Saint Paul again. Consecrated as the first bishop of his home town of Lecce, Italy. He returned to the town during the persecutions of Nero, was arrested again, and ordered to denounce Christianity. He refused, and after some time in prison managed to get released. He immediately resumed preaching in the areas of Brindisi and Bari. Martyr.

Born

22 in Lecce, Italy

Died

beheaded with an axe on 26 August 68 a couple of miles outside Lecce, Italy

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Patronage

against cholera (his intercession ended an outbreak in 1851)
—
Acaya, Italy
Botrugno, Italy
Brindisi-Ostuni, Italy, diocese of
Campi Salentina, Italy
Diso, Italy
Lecce, Italy, city of
Lecce, Italy, archdiocese of
Lecce, Italy, province of
Muro Leccese, Italy
Ostuni, Italy
Paola, Italy (his intercession saved the city from a siege by the Bruzi)
Turi, Italy (hid from his persecutors in a cave there; appeared in a vision there in answer to prayers, and his intercession ended a plague in the city c.1657