On September 14th, we honor the life of St. Verena, a woman who found herself alone in a foreign land, leading her to serve Christ in ways she likely never dreamed of.
St. Verena was born to a Christian family in Thebes, now modern day Luxor, Egypt. Her parents chose to call her “Verena” which means “good fruit”. She was given an excellent education by their Bishop and was well known for serving her community. This was the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284- 305), when many Christians were martyred and received the crowns of martyrdom. It is said that St. Verena visited those imprisoned and ministered to their needs.
St. Verena’s cousin Maurice was part of the well-known Theban legion. Relatives of the soldiers were encouraged to accompany them into battle to provide medical services and food. At some point during her cousin’s service, St. Verena accompanied his legion, which consisted of 6,000 young men, sent to fight for Diocletion’s army.
After a victorious battle, Emperor Diocletian ordered the Theban legion to worship idols. They refused, and the king ordered the martyrdom of all of the men in the legion. Mourning her cousin and likely also in danger, St. Verena fled to a region that is Switzerland today.
There she lived an ascetic life, continuing in fasting and prayer. She supported herself with handiwork which a nearby Christian woman sold for her, and many people began to come to her for help. St. Verena cared for them both body and soul, teaching them personal hygiene and how to use medicinal herbs, serving the poor, and acting as nurse to the sick. A stranger in a strange land, it is not difficult to imagine her having a soft spot in her heart for all who were outcast or vulnerable. She attended to the wounds of lepers and gave them ointment without concern for infection. It is said that she healed many people by her prayers. St. Verena was especially concerned for young girls, becoming a mentor and a guide to many.
After many years of serving Christ in modern-day Switzerland, the local ruler became upset at St. Verena’s influence and ordered her to be arrested. While in jail, she was visited by an appearance of her martyred cousin, St. Maurice, who comforted and strengthened her. Tradition states that this ruler became ill with a high fever, which his doctors could not cure. He ordered for St. Verena to be brought to him. After she prayed to God on his behalf, he was healed and ordered her release.
St. Verena departed on the 4th day of the Coptic month of Thout (September 14). A church was built after her name in the city of Zurzach and she became the patron saint of the city. She accompanies us now as a woman of courage and perseverance, who cared for and healed bodies as well as souls, and who took the new road that was offered her through sorrow and found a means of blessing whole communities while remaining steadfast to Christ.
Holy Mother Verena, pray to God for us!