Vicente

Vicente is the Portuguese and Spanish form of Vincent, both of which are derived from the Latin “vincens” which means "conquering, winning". The name was borne by scores of early saints, the most notable of which was Saint Vincent of Saragossa who lived in the 3rd century. Saint Vincent of Saragossa was an outspoken and fearless Christian who lived during the period of Roman persecution. He was tortured for his beliefs and killed when he refused to burn the Scripture. It is said that ravens protected his corpse from vultures until his followers could recover his body, entomb him and build a shrine. He is now the patron saint of the Portugal capital, Lisbon, and also said to be the patron saint of wine-makers. Another popular early saint was Saint Vincent of Lérins, a 5th century monk who was an author of early Christian writing and is known for his “Vincentian Canon”: quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus credituni est ("what has been believed everywhere, always, and by all"). He believed that the ultimate source of Christian truth was Holy Scripture and that the authority of the Church was to be invoked to guarantee the correct interpretation of Scripture. Lastly, there was Saint Vincent de Paul who lived in 16th century Paris, France and dedicated his life to the service of the poor through the founding of the Daughters of Charity. Today, he is patron of all societies devoted to works of charity. In the Middle Ages, most Christian Europeans adopted the names of early saints as a form of veneration and protection. Legends and cults which grew up around early saints in medieval times had one of the most profound impacts on the usage and spread of particular names; as well as their endurance into modern times. Currently Vicente is most popular in the nation of Chile where it’s a Top 3 baby boy name choice.