medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
16. January is also the feast day of:
Valerius of Sorrento (?). This less well known saint of the Regno is traditionally considered to have been one of Sorrento's early bishops. He is first attested in three eighth- or ninth-century sermons of Sorrentine origin jointly praising him and St. Renatus of Sorrento (BHL 7179-7181); in the first of these the two are said to have come to the aid of Sorrento when it was under attack by duke Radoaldus/Rodoaldus of Benevento (641-646 or 647).
V. is also one of the five principal patron saints of Sorrento (Antoninus, Renatus, Athanasius, Baculus, and V.) whose appearance in perhaps 849 to a combined fleet from the duchies of Gaeta, Naples, and Sorrento setting out to battle Muslims is recounted in the later ninth- or earlier tenth-century Vita of St. Antoninus of Sorrento. In that text, which also says that bodies of all five are kept and venerated at Sorrento, V. is described as being in the bloom of youth; this detail is thought to derive from his late antique or early medieval portraiture.
Nothing is known about the historical V. He has yet to grace pages of the RM. Somewhat belatedly, this is his first appearance in this list's 'saints of the day'.
Best,
John Dillon
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