[Icon] St. Peter of Verona

       

St. Peter of Verona
1206 - April 6, 1252
Dominican friar, priest, preacher, martyr

Feast day: April 6

Peter of Verona was born of Catharist parents in Italy. He was educated at the University of Bologna and embraced Catholicism upon hearing St. Dominic's preaching. He became a Dominican at age 16 and was received into the Order by St. Dominic himself.

Noted and inspiring preacher in the Lombard region, he spoke often against the Catharists. Called a "Second Paul" because he turned from heresy and tried to convert his former confreres. Peter was also an Inquisitor for northern Italy c.1234, appointed by Pope Gregory IX. Assigned to preach against Manichaeanism, he evangelized throughout Italy.

According to legend within the Order, Peter often conversed with the saints. One day the virgin-martyrs Catherine, Agnes and Cecilia appeared to him. A passing religious, hearing their feminine voices, accused him to their Superior, who without hesitation or questions exiled Peter to a convent where no preaching was being done. St. Peter submitted humbly, but complained in prayer to Jesus crucified that He was abandoning him to his bad reputation. The crucifix spoke, "And I, Peter, was I too not innocent? Learn from me to suffer the greatest sorrows with joy." Eventually Peter’s innocence was brought to light.

Every day at the elevation of the Mass St. Peter prayed, "Grant, Lord, that I may die for Thee, who for me didst die." His prayer was answered. A group of Milanese Cathars conspired to kill him. They hired an assassin, Carino of Balsamo. Carino's accomplice was Manfredo Clitoro of Giussano. On April 6, 1252, when Peter was returning from Como to Milan, the two assassins followed Peter to a lonely spot near Barlassina, and there killed him and mortally wounded his companion, a fellow friar named Dominic.

Carino struck Peter's head with an axe and then attacked Domenico. Peter rose to his knees, and recited the first article of the Creed. Offering his blood as a sacrifice to God, he dipped his fingers in it and wrote on the ground: "Credo in unum Deum" — I believe in one God.

The blow that killed him cut off the top of his head, but the testimony given at the inquest into his death confirms that he began reciting the Creed when he was attacked.