Saint Felix of Nola

Felix was the son of a Syrian soldier who had settled at Nola, near Naples, in the third century. He gave away his inheritance, was ordained a priest and became the trusted helper of his bishop, Maximus. During the persecution of the emperor Decius around 250, Felix was arrested, beaten and chained in prison; tradition says an angel freed him so that he could rescue the old bishop, who was hiding in the mountains, half dead from cold and hunger.

When soldiers came looking for him again, Felix hid in a gap between ruined walls, and a spider quickly spun its web across the opening, so the soldiers passed by. After the persecution the people wanted him as bishop, but he refused, farmed a small plot of land and gave his harvest to the poor. He died in peace at Nola, probably around 260.

A century later Saint Paulinus of Nola built a great church complex over his tomb and wrote yearly poems for his feast, making Felix one of the most famous saints of the ancient West. He is still honored at Cimitile, near Nola. The Roman Martyrology commemorates him on January 14.