St. Verena - 3rd Century African Missionary

Verena was born in the 3rd Century in Upper Egypt [the area of modern day Luxor] to very pious parents. They wished for their daughter to grow in the love of the Lord, and to dedicate her life serving Him. So they handed her over to Bishop Sherimon, Bishop of Beni Sweif, who baptized her and taught her the fear of God. She fell in love with Jesus, chose to remain a virgin, and was always occupied in prayer, fasting, and serving anyone around her as if serving Christ Himself.

A few years later, a legion of 6,600 Christian soldiers from Upper Egypt, led by St-Maurice, were called to travel to Western Europe, to assist Roman Emperor Maximian. When Verena heard about this mission, she decided to travel with them because she had a heart to serve those who suffered in the war, and families who had lost loved ones.

In Europe, Verena lived in Milan in the home of a holy man named Maximus for some years, visiting prisoners and comforting those who had lost loved ones through martyrdom. One day, Maximian ordered St-Maurice and his legion to harass the local Christians. When St-Maurice and his men refused, the entire legion was martyred.

Afterwards, Verena retired to a narrow cave where she spent her time in prayer and fasting. She supported herself by means of handwork, which a Christian woman nearby sold to the pagan Germans. Verena was particularly burdened to serve young girls and used to look after them spiritually and even physically, since she had some training as a nurse.

Eventually she became widely known, and became a spiritual mother to many, especially young maidens. The Lord performed many miracles of healings through her prayers. She restored vision, guided all that came to her on the path of piety, and even taught proper hygienic practices. Because of her, many converted to Christianity, and many others became witnesses to the Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, as more people became aware of her, she was arrested by the Roman authorities. St-Maurice appeared to her in prison to comfort her. She was later released after healing the Roman governor.

To escape the resulting fame, she fled to a small island nearby. There she freed the island from serpents, nursed the sick, and healed the blind and lame. Afterwards she went to Tenedo (Zurzach) and stayed at the home of a local priest. Verena spent all her time praying and caring for the sick, especially those suffering from leprosy. She would wash their wounds and put ointments on them with great love and care, not fearing infection. She also founded a church there dedicated to the Mother of God.

The devil fought her good work by planting jealousy in the heart of some of the village people, and many began to speak badly about her because she lived in the home of a priest. After many insults, she begged the priest to build her a segregated cell, where she lived the remaining eleven years of her life in prayer and fasting, healing those who came to her and guiding whoever sought her counsel.

On the day of her repose, she was granted a vision of the Holy Mother of God Saint Mary. Her cell later became a shrine and was one of the most frequented places of pilgrimage in that region of Europe.

Through the prayer of St-Verena, may the Lord grant us all that same burning love that she had, a love which cannot sit still, but acts through the loving care of others.

References:

• El-Keraza English Magazine; Vol. 3, No. 5; September, 1994 Saints of Our Church: Saint Verena, Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, Cairo, EGYPT

• “St-Verena” on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verena)