JUVENAL, Saint. - Bishop of Narni in the 4th century, died, probably, in 376 (cf. Anal. Boll., 54 [1936], p. 168). A Life, dating from after the 7th century and of very doubtful authenticity, states that he was of African origin, ordained by Pope Damasus, and died on 7 August, but it assigns 3 May as the day of his feast. However, in this Life, as in the Gelasian Sacramentary which contains the Mass in his honour (ed. H. A. Wilson, Oxford 1894, p. 172), J. is called only bishop and confessor.
The title of martyr attributed to him by St Gregory the Great (Dial., IV, 12 and Homil. in Evang., XXXVII, 9) is therefore uncertain; it is not expressly supported even by the Martyrologium Hieronymianum (p. 228), which, however, in the Brescian codex, commemorates J. on 3 May, together with Evencius, Alexander and Theodulus, martyrs of the Via Nomentana. The tomb of J., adorned with an oratory attributed to his successor Maximus, was greatly honoured in antiquity and is still preserved in the cathedral of Narni. From the Liber Pontificalis (I, p. 296) we learn of a monastery founded by Belisarius near Orte, dedicated to J.