VITALE of ANTIOCH: V. APOLLINARE, VESCOVO DI LAODICEA.
VITALE, abbot of SANKT PETER and bishop of SALISBURGO, saint. - A disciple of St. Ruperto (v.), with whom he came to settle in Salisburgo. He died on 20 October, probably in 730, and was buried in the Cathedral of Salisburgo.
He appears to have been a monk, like St. Ruperto, whom he succeeded upon his death (718) as abbot and bishop, according to the Hiberno-Scottish custom. He continued his work and is regarded especially as the evangelizer of the Pinzgau (the valley of the Salzach, near Salisburgo). He took particular care in founding «cellae», small religious and cultural centres. The cause for canonization was introduced in 1459. In 1519 the abbey of
St. Peter obtained the privilege of celebrating Mass and Office in his honour; in 1628, on the occasion of his translation to the new cathedral, this privilege was extended to the entire archdiocese. Feast: 20 September.
BIBL. A.: Pachler, Disquisitiones in vitam et miracula s. Vitalis, Salisburgo 1663; Indicia sanctitatis S. V. (Epistula Simplicii monachi Salisburgensis, anno 1462) et Miracula, in Acta SS. Octobris, VIII, Parigi 1876, pp. 913-65; A. Zimmermann, Calendarium benedict., III, Metten 1935, pp. 200-202. Giuseppe Löw