Saint Vitalina of Artonne
A consecrated virgin of Artonne in Auvergne in the 4th century, Saint Vitaline was renowned for her purity. After her death, Saint Martin of Tours visited her tomb and conversed with her, learning that she was undergoing a temporary penance for a minor fault before attaining the divine vision. She is also known for having miraculously helped local priests feed the poor.
Contemporaries
Figures and markers around the normalized period for this entry.
Guided reading
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VIRGIN AT ARTONNE, IN AUVERGNE (390).
Context and Renown
Saint Vitaline lived in Artonne in Auvergne during the 4th century. Her reputation for holiness attracted the attention of Saint Martin, Archbishop of Tours.
While Saint Martin governed the Church of Tours, the small town of Artonne (arrondissement of Riom), in Auvergne, breathed the fragrance of the virtues of Saint Vitaline sainte Vitaline Consecrated virgin living in Artonne in the 4th century. . After her death, the fame of her holiness reached the ears of the illustrious archbishop, who wished to visit her tomb.
Dialogue with Saint Martin
Saint Martin recounts a mystical dialogue with the saint from her tomb, where she confesses a slight fault delaying her vision of God.
“When I had greeted the Saint and addressed my prayer to God,” he tells us in his book on the Glory of the Confessors, “I heard a voice come from the tomb and ask for my blessing. I hastened to do so, then I asked Vitaline if she was en joying t Vitaline Consecrated virgin living in Artonne in the 4th century. he presence of her divine Spouse; sadly, she replied that she was deprived of it for some time due to a slight fault she had committed during her life. I then turned to those in my retinue and said to them: If this poor Virgin who consecrated herself to God from her tenderest years, and whose actions were so pure during her life that she merited performing miracles after her death, is nevertheless deprived for a time of the vision of God, due to a very slight fault she neglected to avoid, what will become of us, miserable sinners, who drink iniquity like water? Then I returned before the tomb of the Virgin, I revived her courage, and assured her that in three days, she would be led before her celestial Spouse, from whom nothing henceforth could separate her.”
Posthumous miracles
The saint intervenes after her death to assist the local clergy, multiplying money and wine for charitable works.
She appeared again to several other people, and rendered them many offices of charity: to the archpriest of Artonne, who wished to give a meal to the poor, she caused him to discover a sum of money which provided for all the expenses; to another priest, who wished to satisfy the same precept of almsgiving, she multiplied the wine in his cellar.
Cult and sources
Celebration dates vary between February and May. The account is recorded by Saint Gregory of Tours.
The feast of Saint Vitaline was formerly celebrated on February 21; some calendars indicate it on May 25.
Sain t Gregory of Tours, Boo Saint Grégoire de Tours Historian and bishop, primary source for the narrative. k of the Glory of the Confessors, ch. 5.
Iconography
Signs and attributes
Entities
Narrative network
The names, places, and concepts most present in the entry, weighted by centrality in the text.
The supernatural in their life
The miracles of Saint Vitalina of Artonne
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Consecrated to God from her earliest years
- Life of virtue in Artonne
- Died around 390
- Posthumous dialogue with Saint Martin of Tours from his tomb
- Released from purgatory after three days following the intervention of Saint Martin
Quotes
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If this poor Virgin [...] is nevertheless deprived for a time of the vision of God, due to a very slight fault she neglected to avoid, what will become of us, miserable sinners?
Saint Martin of Tours cited by Saint Gregory of Tours