Vidal

Saint Vidal lived in the 3rd century. According to tradition he was born at Complutum (today Alcalá de Henares) in Hispania, into a notable family, the son of Natalis the Confessor. He should not be confused with Saint Vitalis of Milan, who is sometimes also called Vidal.

As a young man he joined the Roman army and married; from the first marriage Natalis was born at Milan. Left a widower, he returned to Hispania, married again at Tielmes and had two sons, Justus and Pastor. After his second wife died he went back to Italy and left his children in the care of their aunt Marta at Astorga. Tradition makes him a brother or half-⁠brother of Saint Marta of Astorga. Returning to the army, he was sent to Campania under Saint Sebastian.

When the persecution of Diocletian began, Vidal was among those who begged the twins Mark and Marcellian, then in prison, to yield. Saint Sebastian rebuked them, worked miracles, and many believed, Vidal among them; Bishop Polycarp baptized them. After leaving Rome he lived as a confessor in Campania, then was put to death in 293 near Padua. A legend says that his body, cut into pieces, miraculously came together each time. He is commemorated on 2 July, by the Western calendar (new style), although he does not appear in the Roman Martyrology of 2004. He is honored as a saint of the undivided Church.