Vital

Saint Vital on a mosaic in Ravenna

Vital is a young Roman legionary on guard in Jerusalem on the Monday holy day, the day after the triumphal entry of Jesus into that city (Palm Sunday). He is a peasant from Benevento, a province in southern Italy located in the Campania region with Naples as its capital. San Gennaro (Saint Januarius), the famous saint whose blood miraculously liquefies, was born in Benevento in 270, and the region is today known for the Padre Pio of Pietrelcina who was born there.

The Encounter with Jesus

Early in the morning, Jesus wants to enter to greet his mother who stayed in the city. The officer lets him pass despite orders: Jesus is the only Jew who respects The Romans, he says. He leaves them in a last dialogue:

"Peace to you." - "We are men of War..." - "Even in War the Peace that I give remains, for it is the Peace of the Soul."

Vital is admiring and wonders: "What did he mean by his words? I would have liked to know," but he is mocked by Marcus Gratus who Doubts everything and does not believe in anything except Rome. "A God on a donkey!?!" Vital retorts:

"Me, on the contrary, I believe. And I would like to know... To know about that Man who just passed by. He certainly knows the Truth. Something strange comes from Him. It is like a light that penetrates you!"

He decides to keep watch to meet Jesus on his return. He asks him: "You said earlier: 'The Peace I give remains even in War because it is the Peace of the Soul.' I would like to know what this Peace is and what the Soul is?" Jesus explains to him that War and Peace do not coexist in the world, but in the man at War the divine Peace can exist which addresses the divine part of man: the Soul. Then he leaves him, encouraging him on his path of truth.

Historical Cross-References

Excerpts from the Dictionary of Gospel Characters, Salton Maria Valtorta (Mgr René Laurentin, François-Michel Debroise, Jean-François Lavère, Salvator Editions, 2012):

Salton Jacques de Voragine, Saint Vital, a former soldier, settled in Ravenna where he married the Blessed Valeria. They had two twins: Saint Gervasius and Saint Protasius. Saint Vital died buried alive under Nero. His Wife Valeria died from ill-treatment after she also confessed her Christian faith. Saint Vital, the Blessed Valeria, Saint Gervasius and Saint Protasius are celebrated together on April 28.

His Name

Vital comes from "vita," life. Jacques de Voragine elaborates on his first name in the introduction to his hagiographical note:

Vital means truly alive, for just as he lived outwardly in deeds, so he lived inwardly in his Heart. Either Vital comes from life, or Vital is alive by wings. Indeed, he was like one of the divine animals Ezekiel saw, having four wings on his body, namely the wing of hope, with which he flew to heaven, the wing of love with which he flew toward God, the wing of fear with which he flew to hell, the wing of knowledge with which he flew within himself.

Where is he mentioned in the work?

EMV 192