Valeria of Milan was an early Christian martyr who lived during the first or second century. Born into a noble family in Milan, she was among the city's earliest converts to the faith. She was the wife of Vitalis and the mother of Gervasius and Protasius. Depending on the historical tradition, she died either in Milan after refusing to participate in pagan sacrifices or in Rome after being executed in the Colosseum for her religious convictions.
Life and death
One account suggests Valeria helped collect the bodies of martyrs in Rome. Another tradition claims she was martyred in Milan following the death of her husband, Vitalis, in Ravenna. In this version, she died after being beaten for refusing to honor Roman deities. Alternatively, she may have been caught by Roman soldiers and beheaded in the Colosseum after declaring her Christian faith.
Veneration and legacy
She is honored in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, with her feast day observed on April 28. In Thibodaux, Louisiana, she is the patroness and is called upon for protection against floods and storms. A relic of her arm was brought to St. Joseph Church in 1868 and was famously preserved during a church fire in 1916.