St Vitalis with Book and Heart – hand-carved wooden statue from South Tyrol

This wooden statue of St Vitalis shows a bishop with mitre and crozier, a red heart on the book in his hand. Hand-carved in Val Gardena, it is intended for people called Vitalis, for Salzburg parishes and for expectant parents.

This usually means Vitalis of Salzburg, a disciple of St Rupert and second Bishop of Salzburg, also abbot of St Peter’s. He worked as a missionary in the Pinzgau. The Archdiocese of Salzburg gives 20 October as his feast day. He was never formally canonised but is listed as a saint in the Roman Martyrology. He is patron saint of the Pinzgau, of children and of pregnant women.

• Material: wood from the Gardena Valley – mainly lime wood, depending on size also maple or Swiss stone pine
• Heights: 100 cm, 80 cm, 60 cm, 40 cm, 30 cm, 20 cm and 12 cm
• Finishes: Natural – untreated and finely sanded, multicolour stained, hand-painted: oil paints, decorated with gold leaf and silver leaf details, fixed with lacquer at the end

The saint suits the birth or christening of a child, and likewise the name day around 20 October. A Salzburg parish can donate the statue for its patronal feast or parish festival.

Your Vitalis is carved and painted by hand; face and robe are one of a kind. Expect a delivery time of approx. 4–5 weeks. It is sent insured via UPS from our warehouse in Flieden, to all delivery countries, for €6.90. Every piece is blessed by a Catholic priest in our warehouse in Flieden and comes with a certificate card showing the date of the blessing. If the parcel arrives damaged, please report it within 48 hours.