Annual Mass in Honor of St. Donatus

St. Donatus Church
97 East 1st Street
St. Donatus, Iowa 52071

Parish Office – 563-872-3234

            The parishioners of St. Donatus Church cordially invite you to celebrate with them the feast of their patron, St. Donatus.  The Annual Mass in Honor of St. Donatus is celebrated on the second Sunday of July at 8:30 a.m. with refreshments following.  When visiting St. Donatus Church, notice the beautiful statue of St. Donatus in the church’s high altar.  Read the story of St. Donatus below.

The Story of St. Donatus, Patron of Protection from Lightening Storms

            St. Donatus, one of Luxembourg’s favorite patron saints, was born a Christian in Rome in 140 AD.  At the age of 17 he became a soldier in the Roman Army.  In 166 AD, Donatus and his Christian legion were responsible for saving the Emperor and his Army through prayer.  In thanksgiving, Donatus promised to serve God more faithfully and he took a vow of celibacy.  In 180 AD, the Emperor condemned St. Donatus to a martyr’s death after he refused to marry the Emperor’s granddaughter and to adore pagan gods.

St. Donatus, Patron of Protection Against Lightening Storms

            In 1646, the relics of St. Donatus were placed in the altar of St. Martin’s Church in Euskirchen, Germany.  Tradition has it that during a Mass at the church, a terrible storm broke out.  As the Jesuit pastor, Fr. Heerde, turned to give the final blessing, lightening struck the church.  The altar, altar cloth and Fr. Heerde’s vestments immediately caught fire.  The priest prayed for the intercession of St. Donatus and at once the fire was extinguished and the priest’s wounds were miraculously healed.  As a result of this incident, St. Donatus is invoked as a special patron of protection against lightening storms.

            Images of St. Donatus, like the statue found in St. Donatus Church, depict him in Roman military garb with a lightening bolt in his hand.