| Saint Vitalis of Assisi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1295 Bastia Umbra |
| Died | May 31, 1370 Assisi |
| Honored in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast | May 31 |
| Patronage | patron against sicknesses and diseases affecting the genitals |
Saint Vitalis of Assisi (Italian: San Vitale de Assisi) (1295 – May 31, 1370) was an Italian hermit and monk. Born in Bastia Umbra, Vitalis as a youth was licentious and immoral. However, he attempted to expiate his sins by going on pilgrimage to various sanctuaries in Italy and Europe. When he returned to Umbria, he became a Benedictine monk at Subiaco and later lived as a hermit. He spent the rest of his life in the hermitage of Santa Maria di Viole, near Assisi, in utter poverty. His one possession was an old container that he used to drink water from a nearby spring. His reputation for holiness soon spread after his death. He was known as a patron against sicknesses and diseases affecting the genitals.[1]
On Sunday, May 29th 2011, a relic, the alleged head of the saint, was offered at auction with an estimate of €1,000 at Annesbrook House, Duleek, County Meath, Ireland.[2]