Florentius of Nursia

Holy Venerable Florentius of Nursia was a monk and laboured in Italy, in the sixth century, in the region of Nursia, with Venerable Eutychius, with whom he is remembered.

Eutychius brought many to God by his teaching. When the abbot of a nearby monastery died, he was begged to take over its leadership and did so, but he went on caring for the place where he had laboured before and where his companion Florentius had stayed. Florentius worked miracles even in his lifetime. It is told that he tamed a bear, which served him, pastured the sheep, carried water and carried out other commands of the elder. Four monks, envious of the saint's glory, killed the bear. The saint foretold God's punishment to the killers, and so it happened: the monks were struck by disease. Seeing the punishment, Florentius was grieved and filled with remorse for what had happened, calling himself the killer of those monks.

Eutychius did no miracles in life, but after his death healings were given from his remaining clothes. In time of drought his clothes were carried through the fields, and God sent rain, as happened in the year 1492. Venerable Eutychius died on 23 May 540, and Venerable Florentius on 1 June 547. Saint Florentius is commemorated on 5 September.