St. Saturninus of Toulouse

Saint Saturninus of Toulouse

Bishop & Martyr

Saturninus was a Greek bishop who, like St. Denis and the other Apostles to the Gauls, was sent by Pope St. Fabian to evangelize what is now France, in the third century. Saturninus established his see at Toulouse, and through preaching and the working of miracles he won many converts. Between the holy bishop’s residence and the small church from which he led his flock stood the main pagan temple of Toulouse, where heathen oracles claimed to prophesy. Whenever Saturninus passed by, however, the oracles fell silent. Once the pagan priests realized what was causing the disruption, they angrily seized Saturninus as he passed by one day. Saturninus refused to bow down before the idols, proclaiming that he sacrificed only to the one true God, never to devils. The furious pagan mob immediately assaulted him, and tied him by the feet to a wild bull that had been meant for a pagan sacrifice. The bull charged out of the temple and down a hill, with Saturninus dragged violently behind, until the holy bishop’s skull was smashed in. Patron of his city of Toulouse, Saturninus is also invoked against ants, plague, smallpox, headaches, nausea, and mad cow disease.

Traditional Roman Martyrology for November 29th

THE vigil of St. Andrew, apostle.

At Rome, on the Salarian road, the birthday [into heaven] of the holy martyr Saturninus, an aged man, and the deacon Sisinius, in the time of the emperor Maximian. After a long imprisonment, they were, by order of the prefect of the city, placed on the rack, distended with ropes, scourged with rods and whips garnished with metal, then exposed to the flames, taken down from the rack and beheaded.

At Toulouse, in the time of Decius, the holy bishop Saturninus, who was confined by the Pagans in the capitol of that city, and from the highest part of the building precipitated down the stairs; by which fall, having his head crushed, his brains dashed out and his whole body mangled, he rendered his worthy soul to our Lord.

Also, the martyrdom of the Saints Paramon and his companions, to the number of three hundred and seventy-five, under the emperor Decius and the governor Aquilinus.

At Ancyra, St. Philomenus, martyr. During the persecution of the emperor Aurelian, under the governor Felix, he was first exposed to the flames, then having his hands, feet and head pierced with nails, consummated his martyrdom.

At Veroli, the holy martyrs Blasius and Demetrius

At Todi, St. Illuminata, virgin.

℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

℟. Thanks be to God.