St. Peter of Verona was famous for moving people with his preaching and miracles and was eventually killed because he proclaimed the truth so effectively.

Peter was born in the year 1205 in Italy, and when he went to study at the University of Bologna, he was offended by the behavior of his classmates. At the same time, he met the great St. Dominic and decided to follow him and entered the Order of Preachers.

Peter dedicated himself whole-heartedly to religious life—he spent his days in study or prayer or serving the sick. He grew into a successful preacher and traveled the region speaking to crowds.

He was falsely accused of scandalous behavior, and was exiled to a distant monastery until his name was cleared. He nearly despaired from the crisis, complaining that he had done nothing to deserve this trial. The insight came to him that Christ did not deserve his passion and death, and this thought restored his courage. When his name was cleared, he was even more effective as a preacher.

His eloquence and wisdom encouraged those struggling with their faith and brought back those who had wandered. He often spoke against those who professed to be Christian with their words, but who did not support those beliefs with their behavior.

He was given the gift of working miracles to accompany his preaching, and so many people were eager to hear him and be near him that he was often nearly crushed by the crowds that rushed together when he appeared.

In 1234, the pope appointed Peter as an inquisitor for the territory around Milan, which gave Peter an even wider context in which to defend and promote the faith. In addition to his preaching, he confronted heresy and reconciled those whose beliefs had strayed from the Church’s.

His efforts created a number of enemies, as can be imagined, and they soon began to threaten his life. When he preached on Palm Sunday in 1252, he announced that a price had been placed on his head. “Let them do their worst,” he said. “I shall be more powerful dead than alive.”

On this date in 1252, Peter was traveling with another Dominican brother through the woods between towns when they were followed by assassins. One of the killers, a man named Carino, struck Peter on the head with an axe. Peter fell to the ground, wounded terribly but still conscious. Carino then attacked Peter’s companion. Peter began to recite the Apostle’s Creed before he was struck again and killed (which is why he is depicted with the word credo above, “I believe”). The other Dominican brother died five days later.

Carino, the assassin, fled to a distant town but was overwhelmed with shame at his actions. He repented of his crime and turned from the heresy that had inspired his opposition to Peter. He even later joined the Dominicans himself and was remembered as a holy man when he died.

Peter was canonized less than a year after his death, the fastest canonization ever. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame’s campus, and he is illustrated above by Matthew Alderman ’06. Some calendars mark his feast on April 29, and he is also known as Peter the Martyr.

St. Peter of Verona, you were the wonder-working preacher who was assassinated for opposing heresy—pray for us!

Image credit:
The image of St. Peter of Verona was created by Matthew Alderman and is used here with his permission.