Vitus is considered the patron saint of actors, comedians, dancers, and epileptics, similarly to Genesius of Rome. He is also said to protect against lightning strikes, animal attacks and oversleeping. Vitus is the patron saint of the city of Rijeka in Croatia; the towns of Ciminna & Vita in Sicily, Forio on the Island of Ischia, in Campania, Italy; the contrada of San Vito, in Torella dei Lombardi, in Avellino, Italy; the town of Rapone, Italy; the town of Winschoten and the Gooi region in the Netherlands, the Italian colony of San Vito (Costa Rica) in Costa Rica, and the town of St. Vith located in Belgium.