Page "Vitus" Paragraph 8

During the sixth and seventh centuries a purely legendary narrative of their martyrdom appeared which appears to be based upon other legends, especially on the legend of Poitus, and ornamented with accounts of fantastic miracles.

According to this legend, which has no apparent historical value, Vitus was a 7-year-old son of a senator of Lucania ( some versions make him 12 years old ).

He resisted his father's attempts, which included various forms of torture, to make him turn away from his faith.

He fled with his tutor Modestus and Modestus's wife Crescentia, who was Vitus's nanny, to Lucania.

He was taken from there to Rome to drive out a demon which had taken possession of a son of the Emperor Diocletian.

This he did, and yet, because he remained steadfast in the Christian Faith, he was tortured together with his tutors.

By a miracle an angel brought back the three to Lucania, where they died from the tortures they had endured.

Three days later Vitus appeared to a distinguished matron named Florentia, who then found the bodies and buried them in the spot where they were.

The author of the legend doubtless connected in his invention three saints who apparently suffered death in Lucania, and were first venerated there.