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There are not many details about the life of St. Zeno (300-371). He was likely born in North Africa and may have accompanied St. Athanasius northward during his exile from Alexandria after the Council of Nicaea. He was elected bishop of Verona, Italy where his major shrine is located. As bishop he was active in teaching the faith and preaching and is said to have caused many Arians to return to the faith. He established a convent for women, established guidelines for baptism, and trained priests. He is sometimes considered a martyr but the details of this are not firmly established, the last years of periodic, organized persecution having occurred during the reign of Emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363). St. Zeno is depicted among many other saints on a large glorious altarpiece by the Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna which was reproduced on a Vatican City miniature sheet in 2006. He is at the end of four figures in the left panel which feature St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, and St. Zeno. He is included because Mantegna’s patron originally requested the altarpiece to be placed at Verona’s Basilica of St. Zeno. It is now located at the Vatican Museums. St. Zeno is the patron of fishermen, anglers, and new born babies. His feast day is 12 April. Article Link: • Fred Keating, Vatican Notes, Volume 55, Number 3, pp. 6-7, 2006, Vatican: New Issues Technical Details: Scott Catalogue - 1325-1328 Date Issued - 16 March 2006 Face Value - €1.25 Perforations - 13 Printer - ITVF (France) |
