ON STS. VITALIAN, AND ALSO VITALIS, AND 44 SOLDIERS, AT SPOLETO IN UMBRIA.
CommentaryVitalian, Martyr at Spoleto in Umbria (S.) Vitalis, Martyr at Spoleto in Umbria (S.) 44 Soldiers, Martyrs at Spoleto in Umbria
G. H.
Spoleto, called Σπολήτιον by Ptolemy, and generally Spoletium by the older writers, is a splendid city of Umbria, abounding in plenty of all things, which was at one time the seat of the Lombard Princes. At Spoleto "This city, although it is very strongly fortified, yet it and very many towns of this diocese," says Ughelli in volume I of Italia Sacra, "are known to be fortified and honored more by the bodies of the Saints than by towers or ramparts." The manuscript Roman Martyrology, or that of St. Jerome, ascribes two classes of Martyrs to that city on this day, and the first is expressed thus: St. Vitalian, "In the city of Spoleto, the birthday of Vitalian, Vitalis, Marcian, Felicula, Julian." But we have proved above, from the ancient Martyrology of Reichenau, that these, Vitalian excepted, belong to other cities; in it they are distinguished thus: "At Spoleto, of Vitalian. And on the Ardeatine Way, of Felicula. In the city of Aegea, of Julian, Marcian." Vitalis, who remained, and Vitalis with 44 soldiers. we have said was the companion of St. Felicula in martyrdom. The other class of Martyrs is indicated thus in the same Martyrology of St. Jerome: "In the city of Spoleto, of Vitalis and of forty-four soldiers." To these we have joined St. Vitalian, although he perhaps died on another occasion, and even in another persecution, yet in the same city of Spoleto, and recurring on the same 14th of February.