Saint Vitalis of Gaza

Memorial: 11 January
Profile: Monk and hermit in the Gaza region. At age 60 he felt driven to travel to Alexandria, Egypt and work to save the area prostitutes. He had a unique method - he worked as a day labourer. With each day's wages he would hire a prostitute for the evening. However, instead of the usual services, he requested that she spend the night without sin. To those who would listen, he would teach and pray, and from each he extracted a promise to not describe the evening. Not surprisingly, this frequently led to controversy, gossip and opposition, but every investigation cleared him of any charge of impropriety. Some writers claim that he met and prayed with every prostitute in the city, and many of them were led to abandon the life and overcome the things that had driven them to it.
Died: murdered in 625 in Alexandria, Egypt; he was struck in the head by a man who saw his leaving a brothel, but managed to return to his hut and died alone soon after, apparently in prayer
Canonized: Pre-Congregation
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Readings: Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart.

-Saint Vitalis