Saints of Otricoli
SS Victor and Corona (14th May)
According to tradition, St Victor was born in Ocriculum in the 2nd century. He joined the Roman army and was sent to Syria, where he was denounced as a Christian and tortured. A soldier's wife, Corona was so moved by his demeanour during his suffering that she converted, and St Victor was forced to watch as she was torn to pieces between two trees. He was then beheaded, and his body was returned to Ocriculum.
An inscription (late 6th century) from San Vittore, Ocriculum records the discovery by St Fulgentius (see below) of the relics of St Victor in the 6th century, and the erection of an altar over his grave. The inscription and the relics were translated to Santa Maria Assunta in 1351.
St Fulgentius (22nd May)
St Fulgentus was Bishop of Otricoli in 543, when Totila threatened the
city, and he was apparently still alive in 593, when he featured in the "Dialogues of St Gregory".
This account records how Totila arrested him and confined him within a
circle marked out on the ground in the baking heat of a summer's day. However, a miraculous storm cooled the
bishop but left him dry while the Goths were drenched, causing Totila
to relent and saving the city from destruction.
As noted above, an inscription (late 6th century) from San Vittore records St Fulgentius' discovery of the relics of St Victor, an event that is believed to have occurred shortly before his death.
According to a local tradition, Totila
returned to Otricoli in 546, and when St Fulgentius refused to adopt
the Arian heresy, he was executed. However, this contradicts the statement of St Gregory that St Fulgentius was still alive in 593. An inscription (late 6th or 7th century) from San Fulgenzio, Ocriculum identifies his relics: the relics and inscription were translated to Santa Maria Assunta in 1316.
St Medicus (25th June)
The relics of this otherwise unknown saint were found under the apse of San Vittore, Ocriculum in 1611, along with an identifying inscription (10th or 11th century). The relics and inscription were translated to the crypt of Santa Maria Assunta in 1613.