![[Saint Vitus holy card]](stv07001.jpg "17kb jpg antique holy card of Saint Vitus; artist unknown; if you have information on this image, please email me; please do not write to ask about the image")
Guy Vito
Freed from prison by angels, they fled to Lucania, then Rome. There Vitus freed Emperor Diocletian's son from an evil spirit. When Vitus would not sacrifice to the pagan gods in celebration, his cure was attributed to sorcery, and he and his household were arrested again. Tortured, and condemned to death, they were thrown to the lions; the lions would not touch them, so they were thrown into boiling oil. At the moment of their deaths, a immense storm destroyed several pagan temples in the region, which led to the tradition of protection against stormy weather. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
For obscure reasons, some 16th century Germans believed they could obtain a year's good health by dancing before the statue of Saint Vitus on his feast day. This dancing developed almost into a mania, and was confused with chorea, the nervous condition later known as Saint Vitus' Dance, the saint being invoked against it. His connection with such "dancing" led to his patronage of dancers, and later to entertainers in general and in particular.
A rooster was thrown into the oil with him, sacrificed as part of the ritual against sorcery. A rooster became a symbol for Vitus, and its connection with early rising led to Vitus's patronage and protection against oversleeping.
actors against animal attacks against dog bites against lightning against oversleeping against storms against wild beasts Badia Calavena, Italy comedians comediennes Czech Republic dancers dog bites dogs epilepsy epileptics Forio, Italy lightning oversleeping Prague, Czech Republic rheumatic chorea Saint Vitus Dance snake bites storms Vacha, Germany Wetsens, Netherlands Zeven, Germany
Google Directory The Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints, by Matthew Brunson