Faustinus and Jovita

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Saints Faustinus and Jovita
Virgin Mary and Christ Child with Saints Faustinus and Jovita, by Vincenzo Foppa.
Born
Died
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Major shrine	relics at Rome, Bologna, Verona, Brescia
Feast	February 15
Attributes	depicted as two knightly brothers holding the palms of martyrdom. Sometimes only Faustinus is shown, richly dressed and on horseback; an angel may be shown saving them from drowning; sometimes shown with Faustinus of Brescia
Patronage	Brescia
Catholic cult suppressed	1969
Saints Portal

This article is about the saint. For the Roman usurper, see Jovinus.

Saints Faustinus and Jovita (or Jovinus), brothers, were said to be Christian martyrs under Hadrian. Their traditional date of death is 120 AD. They are patron saints of Brescia.

[edit] Traditional vita

Tradition states that they were members of a noble family of Brescia in Lombardy (northern Italy). Faustinus, the older brother, was a preacher; Jovinus, a deacon. For their fearless preaching of the Gospel, they were arraigned before the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who at Brescia, Rome and Naples, subjected them to frightful torments, after which they were beheaded at Brescia in the year 120, according to the Bollandists, though Allard (Histoire des Persécutions pendant les Deux Premiers Siècles, Paris, 1885) places the date as early as 118.

Saint Faustinus of Brescia, a bishop of Brescia and an alleged descedant, compiled their Acts.

[edit] Doubts and veneration

The many "Acts" of these saints are chiefly of a legendary character. The Jesuit Fedele Savio questioned nearly every fact related of them except their existence and martyrdom, which are too well attested by their inclusion in so many of the early martyrologies and their extraordinary cult in their native city, of which from time immemorial they have been the chief patrons.

Their common feast day was 15 February, the traditional date of their martyrdom. However, their cult has been suppressed since the saints' existence seems unproven. Rome, Bologna and Verona share with Brescia the possession of their relics.