St. Vitalis was a hermit monk in Gaza in the 600s. In his old age, he felt called to travel to Alexandria, Egypt, to serve the many prostitutes there. He would work as a laborer during the day, then hire a prostitute with the wages he earned and ask her to spend the night with him without sin. If she would listen, he would ask her to pray and he would teach her about the faith and her human dignity. He made the women promise not to tell anyone about the evening.

This approach led to much controversy and gossip, but every charge was investigated and he was cleared of any impropriety. It was said that many prostitutes were saved to become wives and mothers.

One night, a man misunderstood Vitalis’ intentions at a brothel, and struck him on the head. The monk managed to return to his hut and died alone there from the wound.

In today’s world, a group of nuns who pose as prostitutes to rescue women and children from the human trafficking industry–they are known as Talitha Kum and are active in more than 140 countries. Read about their work here.

The relics of a martyr named Vitalis rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, though there are several martyrs with that name in the canon of saints.

St. Vitalis, you died saving prostitutes from exploitation, pray for us!