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.
- buried
alive in the 1st
or 2nd
century in Milan,
Italy
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.
