| Saint Vitalis of Milan | |
|---|---|
The martyrdom of Saint Vitalis. This 14th century French manuscript depicts Vitalis being buried alive. |
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| Martyr | |
| Died | ~1st century or 2nd century |
| Feast | April 28 |
| Attributes | with Saint Gervase and Saint Protase |
| Patronage | Ravenna and Granarolo dell'Emilia, Italy; Thibodaux, Louisiana |
Saint Vitalis of Milan, known as San Vitale in Italian and Saint Vital in French, was an early Christian martyr.
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Vitalis was a wealthy citizen of Milan, perhaps a soldier. He was married to Saint Valeria, and they were the parents of the perhaps legendary Saints Gervasius and Protasius. According to legend, when he encouraged Saint Ursicinus of Ravenna to be steadfast at his execution, Vitalis was discovered to be a Christian. A judge named Paulinus ordered Vitalis to be racked and then buried alive in a pit with stones on his head.
The date of his martyrdom is uncertain – some sources say that he was a victim of Nero, others of Marcus Aurelius. He was martyred in Ravenna, but all else in the story is suspect. Some writers argue that he may have been a character in a work of fiction that was mistaken for history.
The feast of Saint Vitalis occurs on April 28.[1] Churches are dedicated in honor of Saint Vitalis at Rome, Faenza, Rimini, Como, Ferrara, Venice and Verona, in Italy, and at Jadera (now Zadar) in Dalmatia, but by far the most famous church bearing his name is the octagonal Basilica of San Vitale at Ravenna, a masterpiece of Byzantine art, erected on the purported site of his martyrdom. He is also the patron saint of Granarolo and Marittima, Italy, as well as of Thibodaux, Louisiana, along with his wife, St. Valeria.
The Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral recognizes Saint Vitalis of Milan as its patron saint. A mass to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Cebu as an archdiocese and the feast day of Vitalis took place on April 28, 2009 and was officiated by Cardinal Archbishop of Cebu Ricardo Vidal.