Catervus

Saint Catervus, remembered in tradition as Flavius Julius Catervus, was likely born in the fourth century, probably within the Roman world, and belonged to a noble senatorial family. Rising to the high civil office of prefect, he nevertheless became known not for worldly honor but for his courageous witness to Christ. Christian memory holds that he brought the faith to Tolentino, helping plant the Gospel in a city that would soon be firmly rooted in Christian life, with bishops attested by the following century. For this apostolic work he is venerated as a martyr, offering his life for the Lord he proclaimed. He died at the age of fifty-six, and his wife, Septimia Severina, prepared a marble sarcophagus for them, richly carved with images of the Good Shepherd and the Adoration of the Magi. His relics are kept in the Cathedral of San Catervo in Tolentino, built over what seems to have been his Roman mausoleum, and have long drawn the faithful to prayer and gratitude. Saint Catervus is patron of Tolentino and Santa Lucia. His feast day is October 17.