mardi 28 avril 2015

Saint VITAL de MILAN, martyr

St Vital, martyr

Cette fête, réduite à une commémoraison en 1869 par l’ajout au Calendrier de Saint Paul de la Croix, fut supprimée en 1960, comme doublet de la fête des saints Vital et Agricola au 4 novembre.

Deux traditions à propos de St Vital : il aurait été le père des saints Gervais et Protais (tradition suivie par la légende du bréviaire de St Vital, voir plus bas et celles de ces deux fils) ou l’esclave de saint Agricola (fêté au 4 novembre).

La réforme du calendrier de Jean XXIII a suivi la deuxième tradition et donc supprimé la fête de St Vital du 28 avril. Or une question se pose : St Agricola n’est aucunement fêté à Rome avant les XIIe et XIIIe siècles, alors que St Vital l’est déjà en 595 (titre donné à la basilique de Vestina), et dans le sacramentaire Grégorien au VIIe siècle.

Cette disparité de dates nous amène à penser que, malgré les historiens, le saint Vital du 28 avril est bien le père des deux martyrs milanais plutôt que le compagnon d’Agricola.

Textes de la Messe

ante CR 1960

Eodem die 28 aprilis

SANCTI VITALIS

Martyris

Commemoratio

Missa Protexísti, de Communi Martyrum T.P. I loco, cum orationibus ut infra :

Oratio.

Præsta, quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus : ut, qui beáti Vitális Mártyris tui natalícia cólimus, intercessióne eius, in tui nóminis amóre roborémur. Per Dóminum.

Secreta

Munéribus nostris, quǽsumus, Dómine, precibúsque suscéptis : et cæléstibus nos munda mystériis, et cleménter exáudi. Per Dóminum nostrum.

Postcommunio

Da, quǽsumus, Dómine, Deus noster : ut, sicut tuórum commemoratióne Sanctórum temporáli gratulámur offício ; ita perpétuo lætámur aspéctu. Per Dóminum nostrum.

¶ Pro votiva extra Tempus Paschale Missa In virtúte,de Communi unius Martyris 3 loco, cum Orationibus, ut supra.

Office

avant 1960

ce même 28 avril

SAINT VITAL

Martyr

Commémoraison


Messe Protexísti, du Commun des Martyrs au T.P. I, avec les oraisons ci-dessous :

Collecte

Accordez, Dieu tout-puissant, à nous qui célébrons la naissance au ciel du bienheureux Vital, votre Martyr, la grâce d’être, par son intercession, fortifiés dans l’amour de votre nom.

Secrète

Ayant accueilli nos dons et nos prières, nous vous en supplions, Seigneur, purifiez-nous par ces célestes mystères, et exaucez-nous dans votre clémence.

Postcommunion

Faites, s’il vous plaît, Seigneur notre Dieu, que comme nous nous réjouissons d’honorer dans le temps, en cet office, la mémoire de vos Saints, nous puissions aussi nous réjouir de les voir dans l’éternité.

¶ Aux Messes votives en dehors du Temps pascal, Messe In virtúte, du commun d’un Martyr 3, avec les oraisons ci-dessus.

Leçon des Matines avant 1960

Neuvième leçon. Vital, père des saints Gervais et Protais, était militaire ; entrant un jour dans Ravenne avec le juge Paulin, il vit chanceler dans les tourments un médecin nommé Urcisin, qu’on avait conduit au supplice pour avoir confessé la foi chrétienne. Vital s’écria : « Ursicin, toi qui, en qualité de médecin, as coutume de guérir les autres, prends garde de ne pas te donner à toi-même le coup de la mort éternelle ». Fortifié par ces paroles, Urcisin subit courageusement le martyre. Mais Paulin, irrité contre Vital, ordonna de le saisir, de le tourmenter sur le chevalet, puis de le jeter dans une fosse profonde et de l’accabler sous des pierres. Cet ordre ayant été exécuté, un prêtre d’Apollon, qui avait excité Paulin contre Vital, fut aussitôt tourmenté par le démon et se mit à crier : « Vital, Martyr du Christ, tu me brûles extrêmement » ; et violemment agité par le feu qui le torturait, il se précipita dans le fleuve.

Dom Guéranger, l’Année Liturgique

Entre les plus célèbres martyrs de l’Occident, saint Gervais et saint Protais occupent l’une des premières places. La vénération que l’Église Romaine professe pour eux l’a portée à honorer la mémoire de leur père, qui remporta aussi la palme sous la persécution de Néron, dans le cours du temps consacré à honorer la résurrection du Sauveur. Le récit liturgique sur saint Vital est court ; mais les traits qu’il contient donnent à connaître quels étaient ces chrétiens primitifs, que le glaive païen moissonna dans cette première persécution qui immola, entre autres victimes de choix, les deux Apôtres saint Pierre et saint Paul.

Le péché est l’ennemi de l’âme ; il la replonge dans la mort d’où Jésus l’a tirée par sa résurrection. C’est pour faire éviter ce malheur à l’un de vos frères, ô saint martyr, que votre voix retentit tout à coup, et vint lui rendre, au milieu des tourments, l’attention sur soi-même et la force d’âme. Veillez aussi sur nous avec cette fraternelle charité, ô Vital ! Nous sommes vivants de la vie de Jésus ressuscité ; mais l’ennemi voudrait nous ôter cette vie. Il s’efforcera d’abord de nous affaiblir, il nous tendra des pièges de toute sorte, enfin il nous suscitera des combats. Priez, ô saint martyr, afin que nous soyons sur nos gardes et que le mystère de la Pâque accompli en nous y demeure à jamais en son entier.

Bhx Cardinal Schuster, Liber Sacramentorum

Station au Titre de Vestina.

Aujourd’hui le martyrologe de Berne indique : Romae Vitalis Martyris. Il ne s’agit pas d’ailleurs d’un martyr de Rome, car l’histoire des catacombes est absolument muette sur son compte, mais seulement de la dédicace du Titre romain de Vestina, dans la IVe Région ecclésiastique, en l’honneur d’un des plus célèbres saints de Bologne.

La renommée du martyr Vital, compagnon d’Agricola, en l’honneur duquel Justinien fit ériger à Ravenne une des plus splendides basiliques d’Italie, se répandit en effet très rapidement hors de l’Exarchat, en sorte que la Ville éternelle elle-même voulut avoir un temple sous son vocable. Ce temple s’élève dans la vallée située entre le Quirinal et l’Esquilin, dans le vico longo, qui, du Quirinal, conduisait aux Thermes de Dioclétien.

Le Liber Pontificalis fait de Vestina, la fondatrice du titre, une contemporaine du pape Innocent Ier. En effet, une inscription lue par Bosio dans le cimetière de Saint-Agnès mentionne un certain acolyte Abundantius, Regionis Quartae, tituli Vestinae. Au nom de Vital furent associés jadis ceux des martyrs milanais Gervais et Protais rendus si populaires par saint Ambroise. Cependant dans la prescription de la litania septiformis au temps de saint Grégoire le Grand, il est ordonné simplement aux veuves de se ranger en procession in basilica beati Christi martyris Vitalis. Au moyen âge un monastère était uni au Titre.

Les corps des martyrs Vital et Agricola furent retrouvés à Bologne dans un cimetière juif en 393. A leur translation prit part saint Ambroise, qui déposa ensuite quelques-unes de leurs reliques sous l’autel de la basilique de Florence, dédiée par lui. En tout cas, la tombe des saints Vital et Agricola était à Bologne, comme nous l’apprend saint Paulin de Noie : Vitalem Agricolam Proculumque Bononia condit [1].

La messe est celle du Commun des Martyrs durant le temps pascal, sauf les collectes.
Autrefois, la fête de saint Vital était beaucoup plus solennelle. L’Antiphonaire Grégorien assigne pour ce jour ce verset alléluiatique : Alléluia. Beatus vir qui timei Dominum etc. Alléluia, Iustus non conturbabitur, quia Dominus firmat manum eius.

L’antienne pour l’offertoire était la suivante : Repleti sumus mane misericordia tua, et exultamus et delectati sumus, Alleluia.. V/. Domine, refugium factus es nobis a generatione et progenie. V/. Priusquam montes fierent aut formaretur orbis terrae, a saeculo et in saeculum tu es Deus. Alleluia.
La secrète était ainsi conçue : Accepta sit in conspectu tuo, Domine, nostra devotio, et eius nobis fiat suppli-catione salutaris, pro cuius solemnitate defertur. « Que notre dévotion vous soit agréable, Seigneur, et que l’intercession de celui dont nous célébrons la fête nous la rende profitable. »
L’antienne pour la Communion est tirée du texte évangélique : Ego sum vitis vera et vos palmites ; qui manet in me et ego in eo, hic fert fructum multum. Allel. Allel..

\La collecte après la Communion était propre elle aussi : Exultet, Domine, populus tuus in Sancti tui commemoratione Vitalis, et cuius votivo laetatur officia, suffragio relevetur optato. « Que votre peuple, ô Dieu, se réjouisse en la fête de saint Vital, et que celui dont la solennité est célébrée avec tant d’allégresse l’assiste de sa protection précieuse. »

Lors de la dédicace d’un temple, selon l’ancien rit romain, la messe était celle du Saint auquel ce temple était dédié. C’est ainsi qu’à Rome de nombreux anniversaires de dédicaces de basiliques sont devenus par la suite la fête de leurs respectifs martyrs titulaires.
[1] Carm., XXVII, 432.


Federico Barocci (1535–1612). Le Martyre de saint Vital

Dom Pius Parsch, le Guide dans l’année liturgique

Saint Vital était le compagnon de saint Agricola. Il vint à Ravenne au moment où le médecin Ursicinus, qui avait été condamné à mort à cause de la foi chrétienne, était conduit au supplice. Remarquant qu’Ursicinus, à cause des tortures effroyables, allait être ébranlé dans sa fermeté, il lui cria : “Ursicinus, tu en as guéri d’autres, prends bien garde de ne pas blesser mortellement ton âme ». Encouragé par cette adjuration, Ursicinus reçut avec joie la couronne du martyre. Vital fut à son tour arrêté et torturé, puis jeté dans une fosse profonde où il mourut (vers 70). Les corps des saints martyrs Vital et Agricola furent découverts à Bologne en 393. Saint Ambroise assistait à la translation ; il réserva quelques reliques pour Florence. A Ravenne, l’empereur Justinien éleva la magnifique Église qui subsiste toujours et qui est riche en mosaïques intéressantes du point de vue liturgique. Rome possède aussi une église de station dédiée aux Saints martyrs (vendredi après le deuxième dimanche de Carême).


SAINT VITAL *


Vital signifie vivant tel, car, tel il a vécu extérieurement en œuvres, tel il a vécu intérieurement dans son cœur. Ou Vital vient de vie, ou vital vivant par les ailes. En effet il fut comme un des animaux divins que vit Ezéchiel, ayant sur le corps quatre ailes, savoir l’aile de l’espérance, avec laquelle il volait au ciel, l’aile de l’amour avec laquelle il volait vers Dieu, l’aile de la crainte avec laquelle il volait en enfer, l’aile de la connaissance par laquelle il volait en soi-même. On pense que sa passion fut trouvée dans le livre des saints Gervais et Protais.

Vital, soldat consulaire, engendra de Valérie, sa femme, Gervais et Protais. Etant venu à Ravenne avec le juge Paulin, il vit un médecin chrétien nommé Ursicin, condamné à être décapité après avoir subi de nombreux tourments, mais saisi d'une trop grande frayeur. Alors Vital lui cria: «,Prenez garde, mon frère Ursicin, vous qui exercez la médecine et qui avez souvent guéri les autres, de vous tuer vous-même d'une mort éternelle. Puisque vous êtes arrivé à la palme (Il y avait dans ce lieu un vieux palmier.( Il y avait dans ce lieu un vieux palmier), ne perdez pas la couronne que Dieu vous a préparée. » A ces mots Ursicin reprit courage; et se repentant de sa frayeur, il reçut de plein gré le martyre. Saint Vital alors le fit ensevelir honorablement, après quoi il se refusa à accompagner son maître Paulin. Celui-ci fut excessivement indigné, d'abord de ce que Vital ne voulait pas venir avec lui, ensuite, de ce qu'il empêcha Ursicin de sacrifier alors qu'il le voulait faire, enfin de ce qu'il se montra ouvertement chrétien, et il ordonna qu'on le suspendît au chevalet. Vital lui dit : « Tu es bien insensé si. tu penses me tromper, moi qui me suis appliqué à délivrer les autres. » Alors Paulin dit à ses bourreaux : « Conduisez-le au palmier, et s'il refuse de sacrifier, creusez-y une fosse si profonde que vous arriviez jusqu'à l’eau et vous l’y enterrerez vif et couché sur le dos. » Les bourreaux le firent et enterrèrent en cet endroit saint Vital tout vif; ce fut sous Néron, qui commença d régner vers l’an du Seigneur 52. Un prêtre des idoles, qui avait suggéré ce conseil, fut aussitôt saisi par le démon et pendant sept jours qu'il fut hors de sens, il s'écriait sur le lieu où était enseveli saint Vital : « Tu me brûles, saint Vital. » Et le septième jour, il fut précipité par le démon dans un fleuve où il périt misérablement. La femme de saint Vital, retournant à Milan, rencontra des gens gui sacrifiaient aux idoles. Ils l’exhortèrent à manger de ce qui avait été immolé : « Je suis chrétienne, répondit-elle, il ne  m’est pas permis de manger de vos sacrifices. » L'entendant parler de la sorte ils la frappèrent si cruellement, que les personnes de sa maison, qui l’accompagnaient, la conduisirent demi-morte à Milan, où elle trépassa heureusement dans le Seigneur, trois jours après.

*Tiré du Martyrologe d'Adon.

La Légende dorée de Jacques de Voragine nouvellement traduite en français avec introduction, notices, notes et recherches sur les sources par l'abbé J.-B. M. Roze, chanoine honoraire de la Cathédrale d'Amiens, Édouard Rouveyre, éditeur, 76, rue de Seine, 76, Paris mdcccci




April 28

St. Vitalis, Martyr

From Fortunatus, l. 1, carm. 2, p. 33. His acts and the suppositious letter under the name of St. Ambrose, were written only in the ninth age.

ST. VITALIS is honoured as the principal patron of the city of Ravenna, in which he glorified God by martyrdom in the persecution of Nero. He was a citizen of Milan, and is said in his acts to have been the father of SS. Gervasius and Protasius. The divine providence conducted him to Ravenna, where he saw a Christian named Ursicinus, who was condemned to lose his head for his faith, standing aghast at the sight of death, and seeming ready to yield. Happy is he who, by a perfect diffidence in himself and a sincere humility, obtains strength and comfort from above in the fiery trials of his last conflicts; when the devil rages with the greatest fury, knowing that he has only a little time to compass the ruin of a soul for ever. Vitalis was extremely moved at this spectacle. The honour of God, which was in danger of being insulted by sin, and the soul of a brother in Christ which appeared to be upon the very brink of apostacy, were alarming objects to awaken his zeal. He who dreaded the presumption of rashly seeking the combat, knew his double obligation of preferring the glory of God, and the eternal salvation of his neighbour to his own corporal life: he therefore boldly and successfully encouraged Ursicinus to triumph over death, and after his martyrdom, carried off his body, and respectfully interred it. The judge, whose name was Paulinus, being informed of what he had done, caused him to be apprehended, stretched on the rack, and, after other torments, to be buried alive in a place called the Palm-tree, in Ravenna, as Fortunatus and his acts relate. These acts add that his wife, Valeria, returning from Ravenna to Milan was beaten to death by certain peasants, because she refused to join them in an idolatrous festival and riot. The relics of St. Vitalis are deposited in the great church which bears his name in Ravenna, and was magnificently built by the emperor Justinian, in 547. It belongs to a noble Benedictin abbey, where in a ruinous private chapel are shown the tombs of the emperor Honorius, and of the princes and princesses of his family.
We are not all called to the sacrifice of martyrdom; but all are bound to make their whole lives a continued sacrifice of themselves to God, and to perform every action in this perfect spirit of sacrifice. An ardent desire of devoting ourselves totally to God in life and in death, and a cheerful readiness to do and to suffer whatever he requires of us, in order constantly to accomplish his divine will, is a disposition which ought to accompany and to animate all our actions. The perfection of our sacrifice depends on the purity, fervour, and constancy of this desire. We must in particular make our bodies and our souls with all their faculties continual victims to God: our bodies by patient suffering, voluntary mortification, chastity, temperance, and penitential labour: our souls by a continual spirit of compunction, adoration, love, and praise. Thus we shall both live and die to God, perfectly resigned to his holy will in all his appointments.

Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73).  Volume IV: April. The Lives of the Saints.  1866.

St. Vitalis
Martyr. His legend, which is of little historical value, relates that he was martyred by order of a judge named Paulinus for having encouraged St. Ursicinus, who was wavering at the prospect of death, and for having given burial to his remains. St. Vitalis was racked and then buried alive. He was the husband of St. Valeria who was martyred at Milan, and father of the more famous Sts. Gervasius and Protasius. The feast of St. Vitalis occurs on 28 April, but the date of his martyrdom is uncertain. The legend makes him a victim of the Neronian persecutions, but Baronius gives year 171 during the persecution of Marcus Aurelius. The question is discussed by Papebroch in the Bollandist "Acta" and by Tillemont in his "Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire ecclésiastique". Papebroch cites churches dedicated in honour of St. Vitalis at Rome, Faenza, Rimini, Como, Ferrara, Venice, Verona, and at Jadera in Dalmatia, but the most famous church bearing his name is the octagonal San Vitale at Ravenna, the place of his martyrdom, built in the years 541-46 and dedicated as an inscription attests in 547. This church, which was originally constructed by Julius Argentarius and restored by Ricci in 1898-1900, is one of the most magnificent works of Byzantine architecture and mosaic.

Sources

Acta SS. April, III, 562; Dict. Christ. Biog., IV, 463; SURIUS, Vitae SS., IV, 334; GUERIN, Petits Bollandistes, V, 62; SERRATRICE, Brevi Cenni sulla vita e sul culto di S. Vitale Martire (Mondovi, 1899).

Webster, Douglas Raymund. "St. Vitalis." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 27 Apr. 2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15486a.htm>.


Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Thomas M. Barrett. Dedicated to St. Vitalis.


Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. October 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.


Vitalis of Milan M

1st century? There are two 2nd century saints called Vitalis, but the one who is commemorated today was reputedly a rich man who lived in Milan, Italy. He was happily married to Saint Valeria with at least two fine children, SS. Gervase and Protase, whose remains were discovered and enshrined by Saint Ambrose in the 4th century. The only crime of Vitalis was that he became a Christian. Another martyr was to be executed in Ravenna and Vitalis stood by him, urging him not to lose his faith in the face of this final trial. The authorities were enraged. They stretched Vitalis on a rack and then buried him alive.


His wife, too, was attacked by vicious pagans and died of her wounds just outside Milan when Marcus Aurelius was emperor. Because their acta are spurious, their cults have supposedly been discontinued; however, I still find their names on the revised calendar and in the canon of the Ambrosian Mass. A conundrum (Attwater2, Benedictines, Bentley, Encyclopedia, Farmer).

In art, Saint Vitalis is portrayed with stones in his lap, seated between his two sons, Gervasius and Protasius, who each hold a stone. He may also be shown (1) buried alive in a pit; (2) stoned; (3) with a whirlbat; or (4) as a young layman with two sons (Roeder).

St Vitalis, Martyr

April 28

Another holy saint and martyr by the name of St Vitalis was a citizen of Milan, of noble descent; the entire family were Christians, and his conduct was most exemplary. St Vitalis had served in the army of the emperor, and was consequently on terms of friendship with Paulinus, the consul, trusting to whose favor he assisted the persecuted Christians, succored them in their need, and visited tem in their prisons or in the caverns where they lay concealed.

Paulinus was a great enemy of the Christians, but, not knowing that St Vitalis was one, invited him to travel to Ravenna. On their arrival our saint heard that a certain Christian, named Ursicinus, by profession a physician, had been condemned to torture, and seemed frightened at the approach of death.

Vitalis, leaving the consul, ran to the spot, and finding Ursicinus almost ready to yield, exclaimed:

“How is this, my friend? Thou hast the crown almost within they grasp. Having already suffered so much, wilt thou miserably lose it? To avoid these short pains, wilt thou cast thyself into everlasting torments? Thou hast cured the maladies of others; wilt thou now condemn thyself to eternal death? Enliven thy faith! Have confidence in Jesus Christ! Bravely consummate the sacrifice of thyself.”

Upon this exhortation the constancy of Ursicinus revived, and he gave his life for Jesus; upon which Vitalis carried off his body and respectfully interred it.

Information having been given to Paulinus of all that had passed, he said to St Vitalis:

“How then! Art thou mad, to have acted as thou hast, not being a Christian?”

The saint instantly replied: “Nay, but I am a Christian, and am proud to be so. Nor am I mad either. He is mad who gives to wicked men the honor due to God. There is but one only God: this God we adore, and we glory in dying for his sake.”

Paulinus loved Vitalis, but his hatred for the Christians prevailed over this feeling, and he ordered Vitalis to be imprisoned; who, finding himself in the company of other confessors, made such manifestation of his joy, that Paulinus became infuriated, and commanded all his joints to be dislocated upon the rack, and his sides to be torn with iron hooks.

During theses tortures the holy martyr ceased not to preach Jesus Christ, whereupon he was thrown into a ditch and buried alive beneath a torrent of stones, on the 27th of April, of the year 171, according to Baronius.

As St. Vitalis expired, one of the priests of Apollo, who had incensed the tyrant against him, was possessed by a devil; full of rage, he cried out:

“Thou tormentest me, O Vitalis! Thou burnest me.” Seven days after, he cast himself into a river and was drowned.

The relics of this saint are deposited in a magnificent church at Ravenna, built upon the place of his martyrdom.

On the day dedicated to the honor of St. Vitalis, commemoration is made of his wife, St. Valeria, who, while returning from Revenna, after the death of her husband, was so beaten and maltreated by the pagans for her faith, that she expired on the second day after her arrival at Milan. She is also honored as a martyr.

*as related by St. Alphonsus de Liguori

Saint Vitalis of Ravenna

Martyr

(† 171)

Saint Vitalis was a first century Christian citizen of Milan and the father of the twin brothers and future martyrs, Saints Gervasius and Protasius. He is the principal patron of Ravenna, where he was martyred.

Divine providence had conducted him to that city, where he saw come before the tribunal there a Christian physician named Ursicinus, who had been tortured and who then was condemned to lose his head for his faith. Suddenly the captive grew terrified at the thought of death, and seemed ready to yield. Vitalis was extremely moved by this spectacle. He knew his double obligation to prefer the glory of God and the eternal salvation of his neighbor to his own corporal life; he therefore boldly and successfully encouraged Ursicinus to triumph over death, saying, Ursicinus, you who cured others would want to drive into your soul the dagger of eternal death? Do not lose the crown the Lord has prepared for you! Ursicinus was touched; he knelt down and asked the executioner to strike him. After his martyrdom Saint Vitalis carried away his body and respectfully interred it.

Saint Vitalis now resigned his post as judiciary assistant to Paulinus, who had been absent on the occasion of the sentence of Ursinius. Paulinus had his former assistant apprehended, and after having him tortured, commanded that if he refused to sacrifice to the gods, he be buried alive, which sentence was carried out. Afterwards, his wife Valeria, as she was on her way from Ravenna to Milan, was beaten by peasants because she refused to join them in an idolatrous festival and riot. She died two days later in Milan, and is also honored as a martyr and Saint. Gervasius and Protasius, their sons, sold their heritage and for ten years before their own martyrdom, lived a penitential life of prayer.

Reflection. We are not all called to the sacrifice of martyrdom; but we are all bound to make our lives a continuing sacrifice of ourselves to God, and to perform every action in this spirit of sacrifice. Thus we shall both live and die to God, perfectly resigned to His holy will in all He ordains or permits.

Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on Butler's Lives of the Saints and other sources by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894); Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 5

Saint Vitalis of Milan

Profile

Married to Saint Valeria of Milan. Father of Saint Gervase and Saint Protase. Soldier. Convert. When Saint Ursicinus of Ravenna wavered in his faith on his way to martyrdom, Vitalis encouraged him to stand firm. This exposed his faith and led to immediate arrest, torture, and martyrdom. Some modern writers contend that he may have been a character in a work of fiction mistaken for history.

ST. VITALIS was a citizen of Milan, and is said to have been  the father of SS. Gervasius and Protasius. The divine  providence conducted him to Ravenna, where he saw a Christian  named Ursicinus, who was condemned to lose his head for his faith, standing aghast at the sight of death, and seeming ready to yield. Vitalis was extremely moved at this spectacle. He knew his double obligation of preferring the glory of God and the eternal salvation of his neighbor to his own corporal life: he therefore boldly and successfully encouraged Ursicinus to triumph over death, and after his martyrdom, carried off his body,  and respectfully interred it. The judge, whose name was Paulinus, being informed of this, caused Vitalis to be apprehended,  stretched on the rack, and, after other torments, to be buried alive in a place called the Palm-tree, in Ravenna. His wife, Valeria returning from Ravenna to Milan, was beaten to death by peasants, because she refused to join them in an idolatrous festival and riot.

REFLECTION.—We are not all called to the sacrifice of martyrdom;  but we are all bound to make our lives a continued sacrifice of ourselves to God, and to perform every action in this perfect spirit of sacrifice.  Thus we shall both live and die to God, perfectly resigned to His holy will in all His appointments.

ST. VITALIS, Martyr.

ST. VITALIS was a citizen of Milan, and is said to have been the father of Sts. Gervasius and Protasius. The divine providence conducted him to Ravenna, where he saw a Christian named Ursicinus, who was condemned to lose his head for his faith, standing aghast at the sight of death, and seeming ready to yield. Vitalis was extremely moved at this spectacle. He knew his double obligation of preferring the glory of God and the eternal salvation of his neighbor to his own corporal life: he therefore boldly and successfully encouraged Ursicinus to triumph over death, and after his martyrdom carried off his body, and respectfully interred it. The judge, whose name was Paulinus, being informed of this, caused Vitalis to be apprehended, stretched on the rack, and, after other torments, to be buried alive in a place called the Palm-tree, in Ravenna. His wife, Valeria, returning from Ravenna to Milan, was beaten to death by peasants, because she refused to join them in an idolatrous festival and riot.

Reflection.—We are not all called to the sacrifice of martyrdom; but we are all bound to make our lives a continued sacrifice of ourselves to God, and to perform every action in this perfect spirit of sacrifice. Thus we shall both live and die to God, perfectly resigned to His holy will in all His appointments.