Anthony Neyrot, Bl.
ANTHONY NEYROT, BL.
Dominican martyr; b. Rivoli, Italy; d. Tunis, April 10, 1460. Contrary to the advice of St. antoninus, under whom he had been professed several years earlier, Neyrot went to Sicily to preach; but growing tired of the island, he embarked for Naples. Pirates captured the ship (Aug. 1458) and took its passengers to Tunis. After a prison term Neyrot was released, but while waiting ransom he succumbed to temptation (April 1459), publicly denied Christ, became a Muslim, and contracted marriage. Four months later he repented, undertook a life of penance, and was reconciled to the Church. On Palm Sunday 1460 he publicly rejected Islam, renounced his apostasy, and preached Christ before the Sultan, who had him executed. His body was sent to Genoa and thence to Rivoli (1469). Clement XIII beatified him on Feb. 21, 1767.
Feast: April 10.
Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum Aug. 6:530–541. i. taurisano, Catalogus hagiographicus ordinis praedicatorum (Rome 1918) 1:41. p. alvarez, Santos Bienaventurados venerables O.P., 4 v. (Vergara 1920–23) 2:195–200.
[f. c. ryan]