Innocent was sentenced to become a martyr in the early Church, but he miraculously escaped and became a leader of the Christian community.

He was born in the fourth century to Christian parents living through a persecution in Tortona, which is in the north of Italy. His parents were exempt from the persecution by a special privilege, but that privilege did not extend to their children. When Innocent was a young man, his parents died, and he was brought before the authorities and tried for being Christian.

Innocent refused to sacrifice to the imperial gods, and was tortured and sentenced to die at the stake. The night before he was to be executed, he had a dream in which his father told him to go to Rome at once, where he would be safe.

Innocent woke up from the dream and found his guards asleep. He escaped from the prison and went to Rome. The pope received him and he eventually became a deacon for the community there. After Constantine became emperor and ceased the persecutions, Innocent was sent back to Tortona as bishop. He led the Church there for 28 years, building new churches and spreading the faith.

St. Innocent died around the year 350 and his relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.

St. Innocent, you escaped execution and later become bishop of the city where you were imprisoned–pray for us!