Of the time at which St. Vivian suffered martyrdom and of the circumstances of her passion nothing certain is known. Certain it is, however, that there existed in the city of Rome in the Fifth Century the Church of St. Vivian, said by the Liber Pontificalis to have been dedicated by Pope Paul Simplicius and to have contained St. Vivian's body. It was under the Emperor Julian, the Apostate, according to legend, that she suffered. A native of Rome, she was the daughter of zealous Christian parents, both of whom were persecuted for their Faith; he banished from the country after severe tortures and she beheaded. Their daughter, St. Vivian, then stripped of all she had in the world, and suffering much for five months from poverty, was placed by the Court judge into the hands of an extremely artful woman named Rufina, who sought to bring St. Vivian to another way of thinking. But Rufina's blandishments were tried in vain, and after she had failed to tempt St. Vivian from the way of Faith and chastity, she ordered blows to be rained upon her, but this too to no avail, St. Vivian was next tied to a pillar and whipped with scourges loaded with lead, and under this tremendous torture she died. Her body was left in the open air to be eaten by scavenging dogs, but they would not touch it, and her body, after having lain exposed for two days, was buried in the night by a priest called John near the palace of Licinius. Because St. Vivian is in one story represented as having been locked up with mad people, she has been honored as a patron of the insane and epileptics. The Feast Day of St. Vivian occurs on December 2.

If you look for the original church of St. Vivian you will find it near the railroad station in Rome. It was built in the fifth century. The church was restored by Bernini in 1625. Bernini was a famous Italian architect.

If you travel to Italy the name you will find on the church is Bibianae. Bibianae in the Old French reads Vivianae and so in English we have Vivian. It is said that this church was built on tile sight of St. Vivian's home and that her body is buried in this church. The church was dedicated by Pope Paul Simplicus in the fifth century.

God of Mercy and love, you gave St. Vivian the courage to witness to the gospel of Christ, even to the point of giving her life for it. By her prayers, help us endure all suffering for love of You and to seek You with all our hearts, for You alone are the source of life.