FELICE and FORTUNATO, saints, martyrs. - Commemorated today in the Roman Martyrology on 11 June, they were solemnly venerated at Aquileia on 14 Aug., in accordance with the Hieronymian Martyrology; in the Milanese liturgy, however, on 14 May together with St Victor. The acts concerning them are legendary. Venanzio Fortunato, recalling the most illustrious martyrs of certain cities, mentions Felice in connection with Vicenza and Fortunato with Aquileia (Carminum, VIII, 3, vv. 165-66); in both these cities there stood a cemetery basilica dedicated jointly to the two martyrs, and their cult spread elsewhere also in the Venezia and beyond, together with their relics.
BIBL.: Acta SS. Iunii, II, Anversa 1698, pp. 460-63; anom., Storia dei ss. F. e F., Venezia 1825; P. Paschini, La Chiesa aquileante ed il periodo delle origini, Udine 1909, p. 54 ff.; Lanzoni, pp. 872, 917-18; Martyr. Hieronymianum, pp. 215, 443; IG. Lorenzoni, La basilica dei SS. F. e F. in Vicenza (Vicenza 1938).