medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Without wishing to comment on later interpretations/applications of the name Vitalis, one could note that a very likely reason for the number of early saints bearing either this name or its Greek equivalent Zotikos (Ζωτικός; latinized as Zoticus) is that these names, which already existed in the onomastic repertories of their respective languages and which are derived from common words for 'life', will have been selected preferentially by early Christians as baptismal names reminding their bearers and others of the Christian promise of eternal life (cf. Rom 6:23: _stipendia enim peccati mors gratia autem Dei vita aeterna in Christo Iesu Domino nostro_; τὰ γὰρ ὀψώνια τῆς ἁμαρτίας θάνατος, τὸ δὲ χάρισμα τοῦ θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιος ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν).
Best again,
John Dillon
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