Saint Vitalis of Calabria

Also known as

• Vitalis of Castronuovo
• Vitalis of Castronovo
• Vitale of….

Memorial

• 9 March

Profile

Monk at the monastery of Saint Philip at Agira, Sicily. Pilgrim to Rome, Italy. Hermit in the Calabria region of Italy for two years before returning to monastic life near Agira for a quiet 12 years. He returned to Calabria to escape the Muslim invasions of Sicily. He later lived at the monastery of Saint Elias in Carbone, Italy, and then as a cave hermit near Armento, Italy where his reputation attracted so many would-be students that he founded a monastery for them. Later founded another monastery in Basilicata. Captured and abused by Muslim raiders, but eventually released. Founded a monastery on Mount Vulture near Rapolla, Italy where he finally retired.

Born

• Castronovo di Sicilia, Palermo, Sicily

Died

• 893 at the monastery on Mount Vulture near Rapolla, Italy of natural causes

Canonized

• Pre-Congregation

Patronage

• Castronovo di Sicilia, Sicily

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Medieval Religion Listserv, by John Dillon
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

MLA Citation

• “Saint Vitalis of Calabria“. Saints.SQPN.com. 11 March 2013. Web. 26 May 2013. <>