Daily Saint

The Church of Sts. Faustinus and Jovita (Santi Faustino e Giovita) in Brescia, Italy, stands on the original site of their martyrdom, but has been reconstructed, most recently in the 17th century. It is the city’s most important church after the cathedrals and houses the relics of its patron saints. Previous structures on this site, honoring the two saints, date back to the sixth and ninth centuries, when a church and then a monastery were built. The present Baroque structure was rebuilt starting in 1621. The church features unique art, beautiful architecture, and an elaborate Baroque tomb (Ark) of the saints by Giovanni Antonio Carra, a 17th-century sculptor and architect. It is a significant pilgrimage site.

Several miracles are associated with Sts. Faustinus and Jovita, particularly during their martyrdom. Accounts say their persecutors exposed the two saints to fire and wild beasts, yet they were not harmed. As a result, many pagans converted. In 1438, more than a century after their deaths, a miracle occurred in the city of Brescia, which had become part of the Republic of Venice. The town was being besieged by forces led by Niccolò Piccinino, who sought to reclaim the city under his rule. Having remained outside the city walls for months, the enemy was about to break through the city’s eastern wall during an extended attack when the shining figures of Sts. Faustinus and Jovita reportedly appeared on the city walls, putting the attackers to flight and saving Brescia from conquest.