April 28
Vital (3rd century)
Priest
Vital was a magistrate of Ravenna, Italy, who was denounced as a Christian by a priest of Apollo.
Biography
The accuser advised drowning him under a pile of stones at the bottom of a well. He was barely thrown when the priest began to scream like a condemned man and suffered the tortures of hell all week. As for Valeria, his widow, who had gone to live in Milan, she was thrown from her carriage by the followers of the god Silvanus, who beat and tortured her in such a way that she died the next day from her wounds.
Practical advice
With simplicity and joy, he charitably corrects a fault that should not be ignored without seeking applause or recognition.
Example of
Spirit of serviceFortitudePriestly life