Holy Confessor and Passion-Bearer Verena
Companion of the Theban Legion
 The virgin Verena came from Upper Egypt and followed the troops into Europe. She lived in Milan in the home of a holy man named Maximus for some years, visiting prisoners and comforting those who had lost loved ones through martyrdom. When she heard about the martyrdom of St. Victor of Soluthurn, one of the Theban legion, she crossed the Alps to Aguanum and stayed at the home of a Theban fugitive not far from there.
Afterwards, St. Verena retired to a narrow cave where she spent her time in prayer, fasting, and repentance. She supported herself by means of handwork, which a Christian woman nearby sold to the pagan Germans. Eventually she became widely known, and became a spiritual mother to many, especially young maidens. Healings occurred through her prayers. She restored vision, guided all that came to her on the path of piety, and
even taught proper hygienic practices. Finally, as more people became aware of her, she was arrested by the Roman authorities. St. Maurice appeared to her in prison to comfort her. She was finally released after healing the Roman governor.
To escape the resulting fame, she fled to a small island where the Aar and Rhine rivers meet. There she freed the island from serpents, nursed the sick, and healed the blind and lame. Afterwards she went to Tenedo (Zurzach) and founded a church dedicated to the Mother of God. She lived at the home of the local priest, but because he fully trusted her, it stirred up jealousy in the village people. In spite of this, she cared for the poor, cleansed the lepers, and devoted herself to the needy. Due to the continued jealous slanders, she begged the priest to build her a segregated cell, where she lived for her remaining eleven years in prayer and fasting, healing those who came to her and guiding whoever sought her counsel.
On the day of her repose, she was granted a vision of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. Her cell later became a shrine and was one of the most frequented places of pilgrimage in that region. The first monastic enclosure of Canton Aargau was built at the site of her tomb.
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