Cetteus

Saint Cetteus, also known as Ceteus or Peregrinus, lived in sixth-century Italy; the details of his birth are not known. In 590, during the pontificate of Pope Gregory the Great, he was chosen as bishop of Amiternum in Sabina, shepherding his people in a time of fear and instability as Lombard forces pressed into the region. Tradition recounts that when Amiternum fell under the control of Lombard captains, Cetteus refused to lend them support and fled to Rome. At Pope Gregory’s urging, and trusting a promise of mercy for the townspeople, he returned—seeking peace and protection for his flock. When conflict erupted among the occupiers, the citizens wished to kill one of the captains, but Cetteus intervened to spare his life. Misjudged for this act of restraint, he was condemned and executed: a stone was tied to his neck and he was thrown from a bridge into the river. His body was carried to Pescara, where fishermen found and honored him, and he came to be venerated as the patron saint of Pescara. His feast day is June 13.