The homeland of Saint Martyr Vincent was Spain. From his youth, he dedicated himself to the service of God, studying the Divine Scripture under the guidance of Blessed Valerius, Bishop of Augustopolis. The bishop, seeing his virtues, ordained him as a deacon and entrusted him with preaching the word of God.
In the time of the wicked Emperor Diocletian, a judge named Dacian, a cruel persecutor of Christians, was sent to Spain. He ordered the arrest of Bishop Valerius and Deacon Vincent and brought them to Valencia. On the way, they were tormented by hunger and thirst, but God strengthened them.
In Valencia, they were thrown into prison, where they suffered for a long time without food. Dacian, seeing that they had not suffered, began to interrogate them. The bishop answered quietly, but Vincent, filled with the Holy Spirit, reproached the judge, urging the bishop to confess Christ.
Dacian, enraged, ordered Vincent to be tortured. He was tormented with iron claws, but the saint rejoiced that he was suffering for Christ. He said that he desired even greater torments so that the reward would be greater. The torturer, unable to break him, tried to entice him with deceit, but Vincent rejected all offers.
After severe tortures, the saint was crucified and subjected to fire, but, strengthened by grace, he continued to confess Christ. He completed his martyrdom, surrendering his spirit into the hands of the Lord.
Dacian ordered that the body of the saint be thrown to the birds, but God preserved it, sending a raven that would not allow anyone to touch the body. After unsuccessful attempts, Dacian commanded that the body be thrown into the sea, but it reappeared on the shore. The Christians gathered the relics and buried them with honor, glorifying God.
