St. Vitus, Patron Saint of Nerve Diseases

I found the Patron Saint of Nerve Diseases and his name is St. Vitus ( pronounced Vits ), born in 291 in Sicily. He was one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Most know the Saint through the phrase ” St. Vitus’s Dance” meaning people’s bodies ‘dance’ or jerk when the nerves are short circuiting and dying. 

Saint Vitus is the patron saint of dancers and of people with nerve afflictions. The nerve disease Saint Vitus Dance, or chorea, is named after him.

Unreliable legend has Vitus, the only son of a senator in Sicily, become a Christian when he was twelve. He was martyred with Modestus, his tutor, and Cresentia, his nurse, during the Diocletian persecution (303). For more on his life, read http://www.catholic.org/saints/saints/vitus.html and http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintv07.htm

He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, a collective cult of saints that originated in the 14th-century Rhineland, believed to intercede effectively against various diseases. Vitus is invoked against diseases including epilipsy, nervous disorders, and St. Vitus’ Dance (Sydenham’s chorea). In Germany it was believed in the 16th century that good health for a year could be secured by anyone who danced before the statue of St. Vitus on his feast day. This dancing developed almost into a mania, and came to be confused with chorea, which was subsequently known as St. Vitus’ dance, the saint being invoked against it. From this confusion comes his patronage of dancers. There is an interesting article in the Skeptical Inquirer about the mediaevel dancing mania.

There is a Saint Vitus Cathedral in Prague, the city of which he is the patron saint; see http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=761580882

Saint Vitus’ feast day is June 15.

I am saying a Novena to St. Vitus for the healing of my nerve disease and if anyone wants to join me that would be great.

9 Day Novena to St. Vitus

Patron Saint of Nerve Diseases

Almighty and eternal God! With lively faith and reverently worshiping Thy Divine Majesty, I prostrate myself before Thee and invoke with filial trust Thy supreme bounty and mercy. Illumine the darkness of my intellect with a ray of Thy Heavenly light and inflame my heart with the fire of Thy Divine love, that I may contemplate the great virtues and merits of the Saint in whose honor I make this novena, and following his example imitate, like him, the life of Thy Divine Son.

Moreover, I beseech Thee to grant graciously, through the merits and intercession of this powerful Helper, the petition which through him I humbly place before Thee, devoutly saying, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Vouchsafe graciously to hear it, if it redounds to Thy greater glory and to the salvation of my soul. Amen.

My Lord and God! I offer up to Thee my petition in union with the bitter passion and death of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, together with the merits of His immaculate and blessed Mother, Mary ever virgin, and of all the Saints, particularly with those of the holy Helper in whose honor I make this novena.

Look down upon me, merciful Lord! Grant me Thy grace and Thy love, and graciously hear my prayer. Amen.

http://neurophilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/05/04/saint-vituss-dance/

~ by mrsgijoe on December 15, 2008.