ON SAINT MACARIUS,
ARCHBISHOP OF ANTIOCH, AT GHENT IN FLANDERS.
YEAR 1012
PrefaceMacarius, Archbishop of Antioch, at Ghent in Flanders (St.)
BY G. H.
Ghent, the most noble city of the Flemings, and equal by its extent to the greatest cities, not only of Belgium, but of almost all Europe, was once cultivated in the Christian faith by St. Amand, The monasteries of Ghent built by St. Amand: and adorned with distinguished monasteries. Of these the first is reckoned to be that once dedicated to St. Peter and the rest of the Apostles, and often called the monastery of Ghent: the other is called Blandinium, sacred to Sts. Peter and Paul, and now commonly called the monastery of St. Peter. Mention is celebrated of both below in the Acts of St. Macarius: but the first is ennobled by his habitation, death, relics, and miracles. In this monastery, he who had built it, Amand, received St. Bavo, coming to him from Hesbaye, and imbued with learning and piety, tonsured him as a cleric; and at length, having died most holy, gave him burial. After St. Bavo it was called by one name: Hence afterwards the monastery was named after St. Bavo. Consult more we have said on February 6 at the Life of St. Amand, and on March 19 at the Life of Sts. Landoaldus the Archpriest, Amantius the Deacon, Its Abbot Eremboldus receives various relics, Adrianus the Martyr, Julianus, Vinciana, and Adeltrudis: whose relics were translated in the year 980 from Winterhoven to the said monastery of St. Bavo.
[2] Among the Abbots of this monastery, Eremboldus stood out sufficiently, who succeeded Odwinus, who died on the 16th day before the Kalends of July in the year 998, and departed this life on the 9th day before the Kalends of August in the year 1017. He took care to have transmitted from Rome to his monastery the relics of St. Pancras and many other Saints; and from Holteme, a village of the territory of Alost, translated with solemn apparatus the body of St. Livinus, and causes the body of St. Bavo to be shown: in the year 1007. Then in the year 1010, on the very Kalends of August, he caused the body of St. Bavo to be uncovered and shown: and then in the following year 1011 he received a pilgrim guest, St. Macarius the Bishop; whom in the next year 1012, having died most holy on the 4th day before the Ides of April, he honorably buried in the crypt of Blessed Mary before the altar of St. Paul: He buries St. Macarius, and when soon the said Saint began to shine with many miracles, he took care to have them diligently recorded by one of his monks, which we have obtained from a very ancient Manuscript. And orders the Acts to be written: The author in the History of the uncovering of the body of St. Bavo thus speaks: "Compelled by true obedience, I have undertaken, that I might in some way more lucidly unfold the distinguished deeds of the holy Father Bavo done in our times": and having narrated some miracles, there followed in the autograph three blank pages, that the miracles to be done afterwards might be added: afterwards there was some report of the arrival of St. Macarius, his death and miracles, with this opening: "At the time when the sacred limbs of St. Bavo were uncovered, and replaced in the manner mentioned above; Macarius came to this monastery of Ghent…" Hence
we recognize the same author of both accounts, who testifies that he was present everywhere: and says that the last miracle performed, in the present year 1014 at Easter, on a wretchedly bent man, who, he says, "having remained with us during the days of Easter, returned joyful, and now departed safe and sound of himself," when St. Macarius had departed from life only two years before.
[3] In the year 1019 Otthobold was ordained Abbot of Ghent; After the year 1019 his name is counted among the Saints, from whom Lady Otgiva, Countess of Flanders, humbly asked that he deign to transmit to her the names of the Saints whose bodies, by God's grant, rest in the monastery of Ghent. The venerable Abbot Otthobold, inclined by the prayers of the most devoted Countess, took care to transmit to the same Countess the names of the holy men and women resting in the said monastery of Ghent, that she might have their memorial in the present, and that she might deserve to have part with them in the future. So it is had at the end of the Manuscript Chronicle of this monastery, where the author of the memorial noted above and there transcribed proposes to note the names of the said Saints one by one, which he soon does, with a brief elogium of each: but he concludes the enumeration with the Ninth, and last among them, by Abbot Otthobold, "Macarius of blessed memory, Archbishop of the See of Antioch, outstanding in wisdom and honesty of manners; as the aforesaid Abbot Otthobold, having seen and known him, testifies." Therefore either Otthobold was still alive when this memorial was first written, or he had left something written about Macarius, which the author of the memorial had before his eyes and in which that elogium was read, which is continued with these words: "whom, namely Macarius, after many discomforts of pilgrimage, the Lord deigned to transmit to the monastery of Ghent: where, stripped of the trouble of the present life, and raised to eternal glory, he afterward shone wondrously with frequent signs of miracles."
[4] Otthobold was the immediate successor of the aforementioned Eremboldus, and had as successor after him in the year 1034 Abbot Lidwinus: and when this one resigned after two years, Rumoldus: to whom soon deposed was substituted in the following year Folbertus. The death of Folbertus, occurring in the year 1066, was followed by Abbot Sigerus, in whose second year, 55 years having elapsed from the death of St. Macarius, when the sepulchral place of Blessed Macarius was shining with distinguished marks of miracles, In the year 1067 the body is elevated, as is said below in other Acts, his body was elevated on the 7th day before the Ides of May in the year 1067; and then, at the exhortation of the same Abbot Sigerus, very long Acts of the life, performed in his fatherland, episcopate, and pilgrimage, were written, and also the history of his miracles and elevation. These Acts we give from the Thosan Manuscript, and other Acts are written: and the same are extant in the very ancient Manuscript of Paderborn of the monastery of Abdinghof, and in the Manuscript Passional of the monastery of Bodecke in the diocese of Paderborn: in which there were interpolated some miracles, which have been expanded from the earlier Acts. The author of the earlier Life did not wish to unfold the sequence of the pilgrimage, fearing that the truth, more excellent than the fame of uncertain opinion, should in some way be harmed. Meanwhile all things seem to have been received and noted from the mouth of St. Macarius and his companions, and the author of the later Life greatly amplified them. Surius published the same, but with the style changed in most places, and various things which seemed to overflow reduced to a compendium. But we prefer to exhibit the Acts themselves entire in our manner, that the reader may more conveniently judge what credit is to be given to them. Of these, compendia: We also have an illustrious compendium drawn from a small Manuscript of the Ghent monastery of St. Bavo, which we could append, but its entire probability is to be established from other greater Acts. We have another Compendium in certain manuscript Lives of some Patrons of Flanders, more concise than the former, and a third still shorter in the Manuscript Chronicle of Ghent of this monastery of St. Bavo: with the epitaph. in which is also had the Epitaph of St. Macarius Archbishop of the See of Antioch in these words: "Here rests St. Macarius, pilgrim and Archbishop, from the monastery of St. Simeon of Antioch: who died in the year from the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ 1012, on the 4th day before the Ides of April, with Henry reigning over the Romans, with Robert prince over the Franks, with Baldwin the Bearded Count of the Flemings." But we pass these by, as also those which Anthony Sanderus published in book 2 on the Saints of Flanders, Haraeus, Lippelous, and others also inserted in various languages and Legendaries. Rather it seems here to be added, that the aforesaid elevation of the body of St. Macarius was made in the year immediately following the consecration of the new church of St. Bavo, performed in the year 1066 by Baldwin Bishop of Tournai and Noyon: who shortly before had dedicated at Lille the church of St. Peter, invited there by its founder Baldwin of Lille Count of Flanders. Because moreover it is read that the same Count and Bishop were present at the elevating of the body of St. Macarius; therefore the Canons of the aforesaid church of St. Peter are not rashly persuaded that the Arm of St. Macarius, which is with them, although now contained in an elegant reliquary of more recent work, fell to them long ago by the liberality of the same Count with the Bishop's consent. Certainly that the possession is ancient was taught us by R. F. Joseph Ignatius of St. Anthony, Discalced Carmelite, from the letters of the Venerable Dean and Chapter of St. Peter of Lille, given in June of the year 1230, where of Roger, Castellan of Lille, it is said: "He also had a phylactery made for the arm of St. Donatian, and adorned the arm of St. Macarius." Moreover when in the year of Christ 1537 by the authority of Pope Paul III the Roman Pontiff, The Arm at Lille, in place of the monastery a citadel for the guard of the city was built by the Emperor Charles V, and the monks of St. Bavo, with their dress changed, were taken up as Canons, and three years later translated to the parochial basilica of St. John the Baptist of Ghent, now the Cathedral; to the same were also conveyed the bodies of the Saints, and one of the chapels of the same Basilica was endowed with the title of St. Macarius.
[5] In that lamentable destruction of sacred things, which the Calvinistic fury made through the Belgian cities in the year 1566, some dearer pledges were preserved by the care of Catholics, for the consolation of posterity. Among these at Ghent was the Body of St. Macarius, whose aid being invoked had often freed the city from the plague. But with peace restored to the orthodox Flemings, and the cult of ancestral religion with obedience to the legitimate King restored, it was also brought back to its former seat, namely the Cathedral church, where up to this day, on this 10th of April, the feast of his Deposition is performed with solemn rite, He is venerated with solemn rite on 10 April, and at the second Vespers only a bare Commemoration is made of St. Leo the Pope: as the Proper Offices published in 1572 indicate. The Lessons of the second Nocturn and various Antiphons and Responsories are taken from the major Acts. The feast of the Elevation of the same St. Macarius is also celebrated on the 9th day of May, the Office of St. Gregory Nazianzen being transferred to the following day: and on 9 May. of whom at the second Vespers of St. Macarius a bare Commemoration is also made, and the fourth Lesson is taken from the deeds performed in the Elevation of the body itself. In the ancient Breviary of Antwerp is prescribed the Office of the Translation of St. Nicholas with commemoration of St. Macarius: and this Collect is recited: "O God, who by wondrous disposition destined Blessed Macarius the Archbishop from foreign nations as our Patron, propitiously grant, that by his pious intercession we may happily come from the exile of the world to your kingdom." His memorial is inscribed in the sacred Fasti of the Roman Martyrology on this 10th of April in these words: Memorial in the sacred Fasti. "On the same day of St. Macarius, Bishop of Antioch, famous for virtues and miracles." In the ancient Manuscript Martyrology of Brussels of the church of St. Gudula, this encomium is had: "Likewise of St. Macarius, Archbishop of Antioch, who, having undertaken a laborious pilgrimage for Christ, came to Ghent, and there in the monastery of Blessed Bavo, dying, rested with a holy end." Similar things are read in the Manuscript Florarium, likewise in Grevenus and Molanus in the additions to Usuard and many others. Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology adorns him with a very long elogium. But on the 9th day of May, on account of the elevation of the body, it is celebrated in the Manuscript Martyrologies of Centula of St. Richarius, of Trier of St. Maximinus, and others: likewise in the Manuscript Florarium, and in Grevenus and Molanus in the Additions to Usuard. But Molanus at length reports his Acts on that day, and other recent authors commonly have followed.
[6] It remains to inquire about his homeland and the Antiochene Episcopate. The author of the earlier Life, who received St. Macarius coming to Ghent together with his Abbot, and was present to him while he was still ill, Armenia in the strict sense, asserts that he confessed himself to be the Archbishop of Antioch, "which was the flower of Armenia, outstanding for nobility, wealth," etc. Now there is various acceptance of Armenia: and first there is Armenia properly so called, between the river Euphrates and Cilicia, Cappadocia and Pontus Polemaicus, distinguished into two provinces, of which Armenia Prima has as metropolis Sebaste, and Armenia Secunda, Melitene: nor is there any episcopal city called Antioch. Besides, neighboring provinces seem from time to time to be comprehended under Armenia: for in the ancient Notitia of the dignities of the Roman Empire, two Duces of military affairs are established in the East through Egypt, of Libya, and broadly for Asia Minor or Anatolia, of the Thebaid; six through the East, of the Phoenicians, of Euphratensis, of Palestinian Syria, of Osrhoene, of Mesopotamia, of Arabia; one through the Pontic, of Armenia; two through the Thracians, of Moesia Secunda, of Scythia; two through Illyricum, of Dacia Ripensis, of Moesia Prima. Where under the military Dux of Armenia seem to be comprehended the Asian and Pontic provinces, which are placed in Asia Minor or Anatolia, and those are especially held such, which are nearer to the interiors of Armenia proper. There is Antioch, the metropolis of Pisidia, there Antioch of Pisidia, an archiepiscopal city, by St. Paul, as is reported in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 13, imbued with the precepts of the Christian faith, and watered with the blood of many Martyrs, of whose number under the Emperor Severus suffered Sts. Charalampius the Priest, Porphyrius and Baptus the soldiers and three women, whose Acts we have illustrated on February 10. There was also Bishop St. George, to be brought forth below on April 19, who was driven into exile in the time of the iconoclasts for the sake of sacred images. From this Antioch of Pisidia, Metropolitan Pergamius subscribed to the Council of Chalcedon, and Theodore to the 8th Collation of the 5th general Synod. From this city the region itself is afterward reported to be named, and in it the Turkish Prefect resides at this time. Under the Patriarch of Constantinople. These Archbishops were subject to the Patriarchs of Constantinople, among whom we have shown that in the tenth century orthodox religion flourished, on February 5 at the Life of St. Polyeuctus, who died in the year of Christ 970: and at that time Macarius the elder, Archbishop of Antioch, is said to have flourished, a blood-relative of this St. Macarius, who had received him from the sacred font, had instructed him in good morals and every kind of knowledge, and at length had caused him to be elected among the Clergy and people as his successor. Thus these things are read in the later Life.
[7] What kind of city Antioch of Syria was at the same time, George Elmacin shows best in his Saracen History, which Thomas Erpenius published in Latin from the Arabic. When
John Tzimiskes, Emperor of the East, died in the year 975 on December 4, Basil the Younger Porphyrogenitus, son of the Emperor Romanus the Younger, succeeded with his brother Constantine. Under this Emperor, according to Elmacin page 244, there was at Aleppo a certain man named Agabius, Agabius created Patriarch of Antioch in the year 977, whom the Antiochenes requested to be their Patriarch, and sent him to the Emperor himself: to whom when he had entered, he showed him the state of the city, and the inclination and affection of its citizens toward him, and the Emperor sent him to Abdalla Muntasir, to try to move him to obedience; and promised him, that with Antioch restored to him, he would make him its Patriarch for all the time of his life, and would give to Abdalla whatever he promised him. So Agabius went unknown in a monastic habit, and entering Antioch, met Abdalla, and transacted the business with him; so that Abdalla gave himself into the obedience of the Emperor, and restored to him the empire over the city; with the name of Sclerus repudiated. Thus Agabius was made Patriarch of Antioch, on the day of the sun, the 23rd of the later Canon of the year of Alexander 1327, or the Hijra 367, and the year of Christ 977.
[8] But afterwards, as Elmacin reports on page 252, the Emperor Basil, indignant against Patriarch Agabius, cast him out of Antioch, cast into exile in the year 989, and compelled him to remain at Constantinople, in a certain monastery, when he had already presided 12 years. The cause of this matter was that Basil had found in the chests of Bardas Phocas a certain letter of his, in which he approved the counsel of Phocas concerning the rebellion, and confirmed him in that purpose. He remained however in that exile almost seven years: and at that time appointments were being made in his See. Agabius therefore was cast out in the year 989, and after an exile of seven years he seems to have returned in the year 996, and perhaps returned in the year 996: but how long afterward he sat or who succeeded him we do not find. Now to say that this Agabius was called by another name Macarius, and that then St. Macarius succeeded him in death, we do not dare to affirm from the sole authority of the second writer; Is this elder Macarius to be called by another name? because the earlier writer calls him not Patriarch, but Archbishop of Antioch, and places that city not in Syria but in Armenia. But in a doubtful matter we prefer to propose these things to the learned reader, rather than to define something from conjectures alone.
[9] In the Epitaph indicated above, St. Macarius is called "Archbishop of the monastery of St. Simeon of Antioch." Moreover, in Elmacin, in the Hijra 375, Whether in the monastery of St. Simeon in the dominion of Antioch, that is, in the year of Christ 985, the Saracen Sarduddaulas advanced to the monastery of Simeon, which was in the dominion of Antioch, and after a siege of three days took it by force, on Wednesday, the 12th of Rabi the later of the same year, and slew most of the monks who were in it: but the monastery was inhabited by many: and those who had fled into it from the region of Antioch, he led away as captives and brought to Aleppo. Whether then should it be said that Macarius the elder then restored the said monastery, created Archimandrite with Episcopal authority, would they have been Archimandrites with Episcopal authority? and in the time of the exile of Agabius supplied the role of Archbishop of Antioch of the Syrians, indeed succeeded, and when he died around the year 1006, St. Macarius was substituted to him? Perhaps from these things another will receive greater light, and will supply with his erudition what here is lacking.
EARLIER LIFE
Written at the command of Abbot Eremboldus by a monk of Ghent.
From a very ancient manuscript of the Ghent monastery.
Macarius, Archbishop of Antioch, at Ghent in Flanders (St.)
BHL Number: 5100
FROM MSS.
CHAPTER I.
The arrival of St. Macarius at Ghent: his death, burial.
[1] At the time when the sacred limbs of St. Bavo were uncovered and in the order mentioned above replaced, there came to this monastery of Ghent a certain man of great gravity, with others joining him, three a: who indeed confessed himself Macarius by name, and Archbishop of Antioch: which city is the flower of Armenia, far surpassing the rest in nobility, wealth, After the elevation of St. Bavo, St. Macarius the Bishop comes to Ghent: glory of deeds, probity of character, memorable in war and peace, and with its magnificent works, as we receive, overshadowing every illustration of distinguished glory. These things have sent to us such a man, of unknown custom and foreign institution, never before seen by anyone to this time. The sequence of whose pilgrimage is not easy to recall: since the truth is more excellent than the fame of uncertain opinion. Who was received kindly and sufficiently hospitably, and on account of his devotion of holy conversation, was admitted to fraternal society. By whose blessings we and those dwelling round about were for days made joyful, and we rejoiced with no little joy. And wishing to possess him with us for a boundless time, we daily urged him: but since this did not settle in his mind, and rather it pleased him to see his homeland again, he was permitted to depart with the greatest grief. Then faithful companionship separated the certain from the doubtful faces of his companions: About to depart, he is hindered by illness: indeed he was left by his own, content with only one companion. And when he had moved to the port of the neighborhood, he was seized with swelling of the feet, and detained in bed. And as the illness worsened for some days, his life was despaired of. They went to the monastery, that he might be brought back. They went, and he was brought back, and lay with us for some time more like a corpse.
[2] And behold, in the silence of a certain deep night, not indeed weighed down by sleep, refreshed by a vision of St. Bavo appearing to him, he sees St. Bavo standing by him, and addressing him with these words: "Rise," he says, "enter the monastery, and make known what you have seen." Who, as it seemed to him, rose, entered the monastery, and before the holy altar found Saints of both sexes seated. And of other Saints, From whose company, as it seemed to him, St. Bavo rising up, with extended hand held him, and led him out beyond the threshold of the church, and behind the altar of St. Peter, formerly dedicated by St. Amand, commanded him to stand. Where while he waited, he sees the same Saints approach this very altar with him with candles, whom on account of the brightness of very great clarity he could scarcely look at. By their admonition he is strengthened, and assured that he will remain healthy for the rest. From whose company he recognized St. Landoaldus wearing an infula, He is made well: who after the manner of celebrating Masses in a solemn manner, deserved that he be blessed with the rest. Who immediately in the morning rose quite sound, and made known what he had seen, and by the sign of his health made us certain of the vision: and thus, having remained with us for the space of five months, he again decided to go to his homeland. But by a wonderful and in our age unheard-of decree, Christ claimed him for himself. Again preparing to depart, On the holy Good Friday, when his departure had been heard of, innumerable people of both sexes of the whole province came together, since on the day of the Lord's Resurrection he was to celebrate Masses and to bless all, and afterwards depart at the pleasure of all. But since in that year the savagery of the plague had invaded very many, indeed innumerable, in the district of Ghent, with a sudden attack unheard or seen in many years before, He is seized by the plague: at the same time it touched the limbs of this blessed one. Having been touched with that heaviness, by signs and nods by which he could, as if foretelling, he took care to indicate by words, that he indeed would be ended by that very trouble, and the impending plague would afterwards cease: which the outcome of the matter afterwards proved. Having called the Father of the monastery, namely the venerable Abbot Eremboldus, and at the same time all the Brothers, he earnestly begged that his hair and beard be shorn in every way, and earnestly requested that part of the beard be sent to his mother, left behind in foreign regions, He wishes part of his beard to be sent to his mother: for an eternal memorial of a pledge; lest, as for a son, various thoughts of his coming should torment her in suspense, and she might know in what regions and in what place of his holy rest was kept.
[3] These things duly done, with us accompanying him, he enters the crypt, namely the oratory of St. Mary, and with his staff showed the place of his burial, and there commanded himself to be committed to the earth. And soon the same night, His burial designated, he dies piously. overcome by great bodily trouble, he departs from life. Christ, that is, disposing it, and with the merits intervening of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles, in whose honor and name the same place flourishes, and at the same time of our pious protector Bavo, that in the place in which, when asked, he refused to remain, he might remain to be glorified. After his departure also, according to the word of so great a man, the savagery of the plague and mortality ceased. But who can worthily relate the joy and eagerness of the whole people, how each in turn strove to put his shoulders under the holy bier? Many therefore, to whom this opportunity was least given, counted it great gain for themselves to be able to touch with their hand even the extreme part of the staves. Others, to whom this also did not avail, rejoiced at least to hold the garments of the bearers; commonly glorifying Christ, who reserved for himself as Patron in this place him whom they were sighing to lose. Being brought therefore into the crypt of St. Mary and the place he had chosen, he was buried honorably; and by the offerings of the faithful, as if alive, he is thus venerated as one deceased. In the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1012, in the tenth indiction, on April 10 in the year 1012, b with two concurrents, on the 4th day before the Ides of April this Saint died: for whom death was the way to his homeland; and the exit of the present life became the entrance into the following and never-ending life. Indeed, what merit he was with God is testified by his distinctions.
NOTES.
CHAPTER II.
Miracles performed within two years after his death.
[4] A certain woman named Frehegard, from the village of Munta, deprived of the use of her limbs, was admonished by a vision to go to his tomb. Who rising at daybreak, propped up by staves, At his tomb the crippled are healed, made her way as best she could to his tomb; when she had prayed, she cast away her staves and departed healthy. Another woman from the port of Ghent, her hand contracted, was so maimed in her fingers, that the point of her nails passed through to the other side. When she had prayed at the tomb of the Saint, the nails were drawn back from the palm, and to the ancient use of the sinews the thread was rewoven, another with fingers twisted in the opposite direction, and without delay the health of the hand was restored.
[5] From the women's quarters of Count Henry of the Port, that is, a of Einham, there was a girl named Oda, blind for a period of years. Because the solemnity of St. Bavo was soon to come, with crowds flocking together from every nation, she came as desired, a blind girl, and her mother with her daughter hurried with the hope of recovering health. And when the solemnities of Masses were being celebrated, our Lord b Baldwin the Marquis enters the crypt, to pray as usual at the tomb of this Saint. And when he was leaning forward, and this girl of whom we speak was lying behind the tomb; in one moment it happened that both the Prince himself lifted his head from prayer, with Count Baldwin present, and that she received sight. Who magnificently praising God who glorifies his Saint, himself took care to inform the Brothers. What joy and what gladness there was for all the clergy, with the same Prince acclaiming praises to Christ, let each weigh within himself. Who also devoutly
with devoted mind offered to the same Saint candelabra of marvelous size. Thus therefore this sign happened to be known from him, whose words indeed and conscience of virtue we gave greater credit to than if we ourselves had seen the things we say.
[6] A matron suffering from a blemish of the eye, A most liberal matron, indeed most celebrated in fame of virtues, from the port of Ghent itself, Wihted by name, had a blemish on her eye: which detracted somewhat from her beauty. And when the eye had swelled up like a fist, it now seemed to be tending toward ruin. She recognized the Saint of God standing by her in a vision, who made her certain of the prosperity of health. And when she had awakened, she saw very clearly, and found the blemish, which hung on her eye, in the shape of a bean on her breast. The fame of the deed attracted her neighbors and relatives, and together they went to his tomb, and he is most devoutly honored with gifts. And lest it can be hidden from posterity, since the memory is neither very ancient nor uncelebrated, let another miracle be added to this one.
[7] c Ostburg is a city situated on the shore of the Ocean: thence a man is brought, Mannin by name, another wretchedly vexed in the groin, stricken with a wondrous calamity. For indeed from the groin downward he was suffering burning pains in the private parts, so that the digestive passages being blocked rendered him half-dead. This man, so sorrowful and anxious, staying with us for some days, cast his face down to the ground in great sadness, and lamented the disturbance of his mind and the misfortune of his calamity. But with the Lord glorifying his Saint, within a short space he is restored to health, and returns home sound.
[8] A plague of cattle is averted by a vow made: Among the Maritimes there was a certain person of great substance, Gundwaccar by name, in whose enclosures much hope of cattle abounded. But a pestilent plague invaded his hopes and flock at the same time: which calamity of the estate greatly disturbed the man. And when the cattle were being prostrated in droves, with wiser counsel he supplicates the Saint for protection, and promises a lamp. When this was done, he thereafter lost not even one animal, because the pestilence settled.
[9] The celebration of St. Bavo occurs festively every year. By the inhabitants of merchants of every nation, and by the other peoples on every side, goods are brought out. A certain Othelardus from the port of Tournai brought a ship laden with wool. He, troubled by false accusations, is brought into the act of public administration for the protection of his right. A certain man unjustly bound and shut up in prison, Forensic complaints arise, which often happen to the most wicked magistrates, who are wont not to put wickedness to flight but rather to illustrate it. Therefore by the censure of the Prefecture he is compelled to go to prison. His arms are bound back with iron and chains, his feet fastened with a thong. Here therefore returning to himself, when he had invoked St. Macarius as helper, and promised to carry a lamp, as if ignorant of his pains, he lifts his eyes on high (for the chains had pressed his palms), and groaning supplicates. And behold, the darkness of the prison flashes with the splendor of light, and the double bite of punishments springs apart with reins broken. Then he sees the Saint standing by him, and with more august countenance addressing him with these words. He is loosed from chains by St. Macarius appearing with light, "Rise," he says, "secure of yourself, enough has the functions of threatening punishment been run out on you." And when he was astonished, the keeper of the gloomy prison, near whom through-the-night care had remained to guard the death-house, through the chinks snatches inner lights. So therefore loosed from the chains, and stupefied by such a vision, he indulged the rest of the night in sleep. The fame of the deed calls forth an innumerable crowd, all marveling, by what means and by what reason he was loosed. To prove the majesty of Christ, by human curiosity the chains are doubled and the locks multiply fortified. even a second time: In the silence of deep night the Saint is present, unlocks the locks, and looses him calling upon him from the chains. Early in the morning also the peoples are present, to see the great deeds of Christ: the whole populace runs up, all rejoice, and with him they go to the tomb of the Saint. Rejoicing he pays his vows, and for the rest returns home secure.
[10] A certain young man, Athalardus by name, already known in many places by miserable fame, a paralytic and a madman are healed: was so weakened by the dissolution of paralysis, that leaning on his arms, dragging his whole body behind him, like a worm he crept along the earth. To this misfortune was added a foul shaking of the whole body, so that if anything were given in any regard of clemency, he could not even hold it with his hand: but also such stupidity was in his mind, that among the sensible he seemed mad. This man truly crawling here and there, as a serpent winds immense backs in a coil, and at length with pitiable winding came to the tomb of this Saint: where I know not what he murmured, since he did not even know how to invoke help. But with Christ glorifying his Saint, he arose indeed by himself, and in a childlike manner, with tottering step, before the eyes of all, began to walk. And not long after, saved from that wondrous agitation, he deserved the restoration of his whole salvation.
[11] A certain poor woman from the district d of Mempisc, blind for many years, went along with others gathering to those places, a guiding hand being given her. And now as she was crossing long stretches of journey, the power of divine mercy met her: for indeed she suddenly began to see. a blind woman, And when, astonished, she beheld those beholding her, and hastened her steps from joy, her weary guide stopped. But she said, "Until I return, wait for me; or if you prefer, having done your duty, give me your hand that you may be led." So rejoicing she came to pray, and brought forward several of the Menapians as witnesses of this sign and departed. From the same district there was also another, having a withered hand, bearing a withered hand: she, warned by a vision, that she should cover the tomb of the Saint with some covering, and would receive her hand; she hastened the covering as she could, came quickly, covered the tomb of the Saint, and received her hand.
[12] It is always fitting to dwell on wonder at good deeds, and especially those which increase of faith follows. In the present year, which is the 1014th of the Lord's incarnation, there came to this monastery of Ghent, by which especially and solitarily Flanders is strong, from the island of Walcheren a certain bent man, Rocelimus by name: miserably bent over: and since it was the second day of Palm Sunday, up to the holy Good Friday, f the fifth day, namely the death of this Saint, he continued thus bent. And when the crowd of the people, as is the custom there, entered to pray; this man also prayed with the others at the tomb of the Saint. And behold, suddenly as if pushed he fell. Whom as the bystanders were about to raise up snatched, he himself rising, said, "Fear nothing, this Saint has saved me." And thus behind the tomb, twice and thrice stronger, he lay upon the earth. Then he cast away his staff, and having stayed with us during the days of holy Easter, with the fame of the deed, those who had gathered he made joyful, and now secure of himself he departed sound.
NOTES.
SECOND LIFE
Written by a Ghent monk at the command of Abbot Sigerus after the elevation of the body.
From various manuscript codices.
Macarius, Archbishop of Antioch, at Ghent in Flanders (St.)
BHL Number: 5101
FROM MS.
PROLOGUE. a
[1] The omnipotent essence of the Deity, to whom "to be" is perfect, and who in ineffable and inconceivable order of things, forms which by certain principal formations, God foresaw and created all things: according to his will he shows to us, always indeed had with himself perfectly. (Nor did anything come to God in time that he should be creator: for he himself is older than time, since he is the creator and orderer of times, and created all things in time.) But before they were shown to us they were in the presence of the creator: and all created things are governed by the providence of the maker, nor does anything proceed beyond or below, except insofar as it is preordained by his omnipotence, justly moderating and disposing all things, either for some common utility, or for the avenging of his hidden and just judgment. Indeed his wisdom, whose will is also held as omnipotent, has all things without time together, which are not shown to us together in time: and therefore distributes all things according to the opportunity of times, so ordering all things, that she herself is not only the orderer, but also the ordaining of all.
[2] For who could more wisely and strongly order and rule, than he who both provided what things must be done, and willed to perfect what had been provided? He made and perfected heaven and earth with all their adornments. But with pride subverting in heaven, envy in earth, the love of the principal creatures, lest anything on his part should remain imperfect in creatures, for the angelic restoration and human redemption, God about to be man, not by the steps of ladders, but by the mouths of Prophets, and made man, deigned to descend from heaven to earth, with the Angel announcing and the Holy Spirit cooperating, in the womb of the Virgin: who indeed assumed an unlike law of being born, but voluntarily took on an equal condition of dying with mortals. He filled the world from himself, and did not empty heaven, and having wondrously filled out the order of living, after the cross and death restored himself to the supernal seats: whence, with the elect gathered into one, he sent forth the Holy Spirit, through whom their sound went forth into all the earth. Isa. 5 He enlarges the church, which Isaiah had sung under the thorny branches of a beloved vineyard; through Apostles and Evangelists, and commends it to fishermen, whom he had chosen from the sea-shores. The Evangelists fly through the whole world: Matthew shows the man-God whom the Holy Spirit had painted within the bowels of virginal limbs: Mark the Evangelist hastens to bring forth the lion, not from a hunting cage, but from a stable cave: Luke carries the calf, fattened on Pontifical shoulders, that the human race may be fed from it: the eagle flies higher than the others, and even to the Lord's breast John turns the oars of his feathers, that from the breast of Christ he may receive the scent, and extend his flights to heaven, leaping with flight and song, "In the beginning was the Word." From east and west these eagles bring forth the feathers of justice, he roused up Martyrs, Confessors, Virgins, by which they establish to call to God the holy Martyrs, Confessors, Virgins, and all the elect.
[3] The bones therefore of Martyrs, the limbs of Confessors, the chastity of Virgins, are the feathers of eagles: which the song of Angels invites, and the flight of Evangelists, whence there may be joy of believers, and return to the supernal Jerusalem. By which invitation, with many flying from nest to nest, seeking namely a voluntary pilgrimage, by which they might return to the homeland of the heavens up to the last age of the world; from the limbs of Christ everywhere on earth the religion of churches has gloriously flourished: Europe has flourished, and the breadth of Africa: Asia has flourished, and the nobility of Syria; and he sent St. Macarius from Syria: which sent to us to have a certain young man, Macarius by name,
of first character, the flower of all Armenia: who, trampling on worldly pomp, preferred to follow God with the steps of mind and body, than to retain the Bishopric of Antioch committed to him. Whose life to approach in writing, even though inexperience dissuades, yet greatly exhorts the imperious virtue of charity of Dom Abbot b Sigerus, who reduces impossibilities to possibility: whose Life the author writes at the command of Abbot Sigerus, to whom to deny anything honest is wicked, and many things are honest. In ecclesiastical matters indeed by no means using the foot of a chicken, because he urgently strives to render the fruits of the church, in the end he will hear from the Lord "Well done, blessed one," and with blessed Macarius, with God prompting, will place his own part, whose life and acts, according to the truth of the matter, he wishes to be unfolded in every way. Far be it, therefore, far be it, any error of falsehood, where with confidence of charity, the fruit of piety is presumed, and the reward of truth is awaited.
NOTES.
CHAPTER I.
Birth, education, studies, Episcopate, virtues, miracles.
[4] A royal gem, the glory of Armenia, whom not the hand of an artist, but God the artist of all placed in his diadem; the glory of his parents, Born of an illustrious stock in Armenia, but the long hope of his friends, the glorious boy Macarius, drew the line of noble blood from the foremost of the province. The forefathers of his forefathers, from the memory of men, were all most noble: no one in their stock was unknown, no one degenerate was easily found. After God the Creator, Armenia was his procreator, which, always a most fruitful nurse of generous men, and a strenuous cultivator of faith and truth and all virtues, among the other goods of its distinction, deserved to be the bringer forth of this great good also in modern times. His most generous parents were Michael and Maria: his parents being Michael and Maria: whom even if the noble family of their ancestors commended, no less did the glory of the one born respond, a little afterward, to their kindred by distinguished character.
[5] He was born however in that age when Macarius the elder, Archbishop of great sanctity, was acting in the infulae b at Antioch, a stable column of the realm and firmament of the whole Church. Which city, established as metropolis of the Syrians, excelling the other cities, by Bishop Macarius received from the sacred font, glory of its distinguished men and the excellence of its ancient nobility, was receiving also very much increase from the authority of so great a Pontiff. For he was first among the first, religious among the religious, noble among the noble, being a blood-relative of the aforesaid Macarius: by which connection, receiving the little boy offered to him from the font of baptism, both from the duty of kinship and from the grace of Christian sonship, he made him his namesake, entrusting it to God that he might at some time make him one of the same name and nature. And because he was an old man and already broken with age, he kept him in place of a parent to be fed and entirely instructed; so that this new Macarius might renew in Christ him who was now failing. Nor did vain hope fail him. As much as his spiritual father desired, he is instructed in every knowledge the Lord filled that vessel of his with the spirit of wisdom, by which whatever good he heard he strove to gather in the treasury of his heart. There was absolutely no kind of liberal studies in all Greek or Armenian eloquence which could escape the liveliness of his mind: nor could any disgust creeping from elsewhere turn his mind from this noble leisure. Continual meditation testified to the cleanness of his heart, so that what Scripture says, "a boy is understood by his pursuits, if his works are clean and right" Prov. 20:11, might be believed written of him. He sold the morning twilight at no price, nor did he in any way give himself to solicitous sleep.
[6] and to holy manners: By which studies, passing the bounds of adolescence, he began more studiously than usual to imitate blessed Macarius the Prelate, and to strain toward the supernal, to decline the enticements of the world, to seek heavenly things; and all the zeal which earlier he was expending on liberal studies, to expend in the acts of religion: and in this beginning he made no mean progress, counted the rumors of the crowd as nothing, and gave himself wholly to serving God. Father Macarius, now nearly done with his labor, rejoiced at such a worthy filial relationship of the boy, gloried in such a liberal moral character; and because he was now failing from old age, he wholly directed his mind toward his succession: the youth was daily advancing with God in morals and wisdom, that he might be elected successor, but the elder was gradually failing; grown old and infirm at an age now decrepit. And when he was despairing of life, and was providing for the sheep committed to him for the future; while the former was going from virtue to virtue with giant steps, and wherever he put his foot was always advancing in the will of the Lord; the elder ordered the assembly of the Clergy, the dignity of the Princes, and the crowd of the peoples, to be called together.
[7] He is commended to the Clergy and people: When they were called, he begins the opening of his address in senile manner: "Behold brethren and sons, the door of the breast of this veteran is knocked upon: I am called to render account of my work. Look upon the honorable hoariness of your father, attend to the decrepit old age of your Pontiff, and if you cannot look to my matters, consult your own: Order the commonwealth and choose the person of my succession. I am entering the way of all flesh, and I have no little confidence, despite my reputation, in my works: yet I would depart more joyfully, if I were certain about the ordering of the See of Antioch. But if this youth Macarius, whom I received from the font, nourished and instructed, does not displease you, it pleases me well: for he is generous and religious, as it seems to me, as far as it is lawful for one man to judge of another. I do not prejudge the part of your dignity, but I declare my sentence and will to you; if he is worthy of the judgment of your election."
[8] The old man pressed with such words: and because the matter was being done by God, the whole Clergy, the authority of the Princes, and the rest of the populace, vying with one another, assented. The word is snatched from his mouth: one will of all, a sentence not dissimilar, the same voice, that Macarius be enthroned. So the blessed old man, with the matters of his provision disposed, with the term of bodily dissolution pressing upon him, happily migrated to the homeland of salvation. But the people, deprived of so great a Pastor, in that very confusion, He is made Bishop. having contrived nothing doubtful (as has been set forth) nothing varied, chose for themselves as their sole solace in Macarius, magnificently approved, following the solace of the magnates and all the Clergy. Who with such unity of election being promoted at Antioch, most mature in honest morals in a youthful body, it is not easy to relate in the very summit of sublimity how humble and meek he appeared. For he set it in his mind to become all things to all, and so entered the tabernacles of the heavenly King to fight against spiritual wickedness. He loved above all the beauty of the house of the Lord and the place of the habitation of God's glory. In him was a gravity seasoned with affability, He excels in every kind of virtue: a befitting cheerfulness in the gathering of crowds, and through all a praiseworthy honesty in works. His first and greatest intention was to be either fortification or ornament to holy Mother Church. His speech was seasoned with salt, which the people of Antioch drank in so sweetly, that nothing could enter in more sweetly. He was seated on the chair of Moses indeed, but that Gospel saying, "Do what they say, but do not do what they do," could by no means be said of him; because he himself offered to his subjects a mirror of living. He thought nothing great that was fleeting: nothing was sudden to him, but all had been foreseen.
[9] His preaching was not vain, but either persuaded, or admonished, or consoled, or commanded. He did not retain anger in his heart, because he knew that to forgive is a great and honorable kind of vengeance. And because he was continent, he came to the point becoming an example of these virtues to others. that he was content with himself: for he who is sufficient to himself is born with riches. His food was easily obtained, because he approached it not for pleasure, but for food sufficiently meager. He was himself a fugitive and contemner of vices, and of others he was neither a curious examiner nor a sharp reproacher; but without reproaching the error, an easy giver of pardon. He was more severe in judgment than in speech; a clement avenger, detester of cruelty; slow to anger, prone to mercy, firm in adversity, in prosperity humble and cautious; a hider of virtues, as others of vices; contemner of vain glory, not a harsh exactor of the goods with which he was endowed. He strove to benefit all, to harm none, but even to prevent those who harmed: for not to harm is not justice, but abstinence from what belongs to another. Among the merriest guests he was himself merrier, often abstaining: soft and delicate garments, in which he had been brought up and led to manhood, he shunned, using the roughest camel's hair; and among the purple-clad ministers and soldiers shining in gold, he clothed himself in a cheap tunic. He strongly spurned the delights of the bed: in baths, by which the shining of the skin is acquired, he was scarcely ever bathed. But it is impossible to unfold the deeds of so great a man through the daily advances of virtues, and fittingly to raise his great merits with the worthy praises of record: which far and wide, that he might be the good odor of Christ, he strove to draw together: for the magnificence of his deeds exceeds whatever even Cicero himself would promise himself in eloquence. This his most brilliant work testifies, by which, namely lest his lamp should longer lie hidden under a bushel, the grace of God willed him thus to shine from the hidden.
[10] It was the custom of this blessed man, and from custom a necessity, always to have with him a little cloth, when he gave himself secretly to prayers, with which to be wiped, the great outpouring of compunction scarcely ever ceasing. This alone was witness of his tears, With the little cloth he wipes away tears, this one alone was admitted between man and God of his secret prayers: for it wiped the tears of the eyes, by which the sins of the peoples were wiped away. This little cloth, the handkerchief of the just man, was alone present, when the just man was reconciling to God the map of the whole world: nor was it a stranger to virtues, which, always so bedewed with so many and such great tears, witnesses of his merits, soon deserved to become a cleanser even of stains. There was at his court a certain leper, named Theodorus: for such were the companions of the blessed man, because he had the greatest care of such, who were subject to sickness and poverty more than others. As he was tossing from his poverty, pondering long about health, faith, the counselor, was not lacking, which would come to aid in need. Touched by it, it heals the leper: Silent faith found counsel; and because it did not doubt, it received solace. At length taught perhaps by that woman who is read in the Gospel to have touched the fringe of the Lord, daring to ask no such thing from the holy Bishop, he silently approached the church where the man of God had been accustomed to pray; and with only faith as witness, he touched the place of his leprosy with the handkerchief, that minister of such great compunction. Matt. 14:39 The uncleanness did not endure the touch of the cloth; but bearing testimony to approved faith, it departed, put to flight by the merits of the tears. The new man now dares to the man of God
to stand by; he dares to give thanks to God and to him; he confesses that he dared to receive what he had not dared to ask.
[11] Such is the medicine which proceeds from God. For he does not cure with medicines and the knife, but heals with virtues and the word. His court shone as with certain gems, namely with the poor of Christ, the blind, the deaf, and the lame, or those who were oppressed with various ailments: whom daily hastening to his alms, He heals others, with given food or water of washing of hands, the mercy of the Just one doubly relieved. For to whomever he extended food or drink with his hand, immediately healing accompanied; and whoever could reach the water which flowed from his washing hands, was restored whole. But the more these things abounded to him and more frequently, the more unworthy and humble he showed himself; so bearing himself in all things, as if he were altogether ignorant of these things. But with the fame of such great works growing (for how could the grace of God, which fills heaven and earth, lie hidden in him?), Syria already began to be marked more clearly by this reputation, and his native land of Armenia began to be illumined with joy. Thence thanksgiving accrued to God the Author from all, and praise and glory grew to the man of God, and the people came to him more frequently than usual. Desiring in every way to decline this (lest the grace which he had earned through humility he should seem to lose through arrogance), he resolved gradually to incline himself to better things. He gives all his goods to the poor, Whatever was in the world of flesh became worthless to him, every honor, every dignity, and whatever among mortals flourishes more majestic; gold also and silver, except to give to the poor. In his house do not shine glittering pearls, but the blind see, the lame walk, and the needy are filled with bread. Not men with shields and silks go before him; but the poor made rich, and the wretched satisfied. He distributes all his things to them: he makes them the heirs of his possessions in the present life, that he may not lose his inheritance in the future.
NOTES.
CHAPTER II.
Pilgrimage of St. Macarius through Palestine. Blows and chains endured: conversion of many.
[12] He commends the Episcopate to a certain Eleutherius, And when nothing remained to him except the dignity of the See of Antioch, he also committed the care of it to a certain Eleutherius of Venerable memory, reserving to himself only the Episcopal benediction: and thus freed of all earthly things, and made poor among other poor men, and himself a poor man of Christ, he leaves the bounds of his kindred, that he may enter the land of promise. He left all things, that he might imitate Simon Peter; and with Peter, taking up his cross, he might follow Christ also. For the affection of parents does not hold him back, nor the glory or sublimity of his kin, although many were friends of the rich. Elected indeed by the Lord with no unusual disposition, he rendered to his Elector the fruit of his election in the first flower of his youth, so that from East to West his election should flower. Having taken with him four faithful men, He takes 4 companions: they are bound together by the knot of one and the same devotion. Their names were John and Peter, David also and Constantine: who from infancy had served Christ and the man of God under the yoke of religion, and with him they leave the Egypt of this wretched servitude, and tend toward the homeland of freedom.
[13] And his first and sufficiently generous intention was to seek that place, namely Jerusalem, from which universal redemption proceeded; armed in every way in mind even to die for the truth himself, unless the torturer failed before the assertor of truth. For he did not fear the contest, because he wished to rejoice in triumph: He travels through Palestine, he did not fear the temporal battle, because he wished to obtain perpetual victory: he imposed voluntary exile on himself, because from exile he wished to return to the homeland of heaven. And so he goes on his joyful and sorrowful way: with feet indeed he walks, but in mind he runs, with piety and mercy: for swift is the course which so sweet an affection drives: his will is retarded by no leisure, for nothing is sufficiently hastened for one willing: he hastens to enter the land once distinguished by the presence of the Lord, Capernaum familiar with the signs of the Lord, and at the same time to behold all Galilee: to ascend Hermon and the torrent of Endor, where Sisera was overcome; He visits the sacred places: to appear in the town of Nain, in whose gates the widow's son was raised up: besides, to pass through the desert, where from five and seven loaves five and seven thousand men were filled: in Cana, where water was turned into wine, to taste the true vine: to see Nazareth, according to the interpretation of its name, the flower of all Galilee: to proceed to Samaria, and adore the ashes of John the Baptist, Elisha, and Obadiah together: also to see the Prophet Amos, blowing his shepherd's horn on his own rock: thence to proceed to the sheepfolds of the shepherds, to pray in the cave of David, to attend to the streams of the Jordan made purer by the bath of the Lord; to see Lazarus bound with bands going out from the tomb; on Mount Olivet to be lifted up in vow and mind, with the Lord ascending; to kiss and lick the place of the wood of the holy cross; He is received by the Patriarch of Jerusalem: finally to enter the cave of the Savior, and thus in the sepulchre of the Lord so long desired, to weep for his own sins and the sins of the whole world.
[14] a His noble fame had gone before him even to the holy Patriarch John, for such a fame proceeded of the holy treasures of his faith, that it penetrated even to the Jerusalemites set far away; and with the hearing of the grace of God, as with the oil of gladness, had fattened their ears: by whom also received quite ceremoniously, and detained honorably by the holy Patriarch, he lingered there some time. For the place of the Savior's rest delighted him, and the place of Calvary, where our Lord crucified, the saving victim, had lain for the redemption of all, that he might grant all, propagated from the seed of the transgressor Adam, to rise with him happily to life. It delighted him to exchange words with Jews about their unbelief, to have a conflict with Saracens; if in some way he could gain any of them from error: among whom, standing for some days an intrepid asserter of the truth; He disputes with Saracens: and resisting their errors, an unwearied propagator of the Gospel, gradually he was conquering them, as an unconquered warrior of the Lord. The just one contested with the unjust, the learned with the unlearned: and because no fear of death could shake him, through his insistence error easily opened up.
[15] The battle was sufficiently contrary to him, committed also for a gain very contrary to him: for he only seeks and desires their salvation, but they, their own and his perdition. Unable to resist him with words, they insist with blows; and persuading him to participate in their errors, they strive with many terrors to incline him to this. But he does not yield, while he is beaten: he presses with words, while he is afflicted with punishments: and if sometimes he does not conquer, He is severely beaten by them: but is conquered; he yields to no blows, from no terror does the patience of the just depart. There was nothing of his members which the sprinkling of wounds had not captured: thus, alas! they had so wounded the limbs, that the bones remained almost destitute of flesh, safe indeed, because it could not be wounded, was the precious soul. He is rendered always sharper for battle, and does not abandon the care of preaching until he lays down his life. Then he is snatched and separated from his companions; He is shut up in prison: he is thrown into the midst of the iniquitous multitude: to whom refusing to yield, he is shut up in the workhouse of prison: in the manner of a cross, whose glory he was preaching, he is stretched supine on the ground: nails are driven in, but with the earth casting back the nails, he is also bound with chains: they inflict on him a new but cruel torment, he is cruelly tortured: namely a stone glowing with excessive heat, upon his bare breast, hoping by this, as I believe, to burn away that by which he was refuting them, his generous character: and thus with him shut up with diligent guard, that useless conspiracy departs, then for the first time confident of victory. But he, confined by darkness, removed from light, counted the prison as the governor's hall, through which he hopes to gain the paradise of joy: and because by hoping he presumed, he changed the prison, put the darkness to flight, nor frustrated of the martyr's palm which he sought, he triumphed a little afterward over the conquered victors.
[16] A beautiful and great spectacle appears, that he who had come to venerate the place of the Lord's passion, should also experience the trophy and merit of the same holy Cross. Strengthened by an Angel, For the light of heaven illumines the dark prison; lying in the manner of a cross, divine mercy raises him up; and to him led out from the punishments, angelic consolation speaks thus: "Be secure, Macarius, asserter of truth: nor let the sudden release of your liberation move you, for in such manner does the regard of supernal mercy liberate its own: such victory follows the fighters of Christ, nor will the crown of happiness be lacking after the battle. Go forth then, He is led out of the prison: go forth with me: nor draw back your foot from what you have begun, for tomorrow among the unbelievers the victory will be with you. For those who earlier were your malignant persecutors, tomorrow will become benign enforcers of the truth for you; and most ready executors of all that you shall teach or command." The soldier, renewed by such arms for the battle (when the heavenly physician sought again the heavenly bosom), thrusts himself into the midst of the enemies, rejoicing in the restored light, doubting nothing of victory: for the angelic promise had excluded all doubt, and the loosened chains. The Jews are amazed and the Saracens wonder, and they look at each other and at him astonished. They marvel at him free, whom a little before they had left shut up; loosed, whom they had left bound; unharmed, whom pierced with nails they had rendered afflicted with many blows. Very much error disturbs their minds, until the guards being called and questioned, there is told to them the light sent from heaven, the angelic visitation, the divine healing and loosing. Compunct by which things, at length they assent to truth, they venerate the mystery of the word of God, although assailed in every way, yet by no means overcome: He converts many to embrace the faith: they embrace his footsteps, they interpellate him with a double mercy for pardon of what they had committed against him, and for the grace of commending the faith. He is not found difficult in giving, because if they had not asked, they would have had to be asked by him, namely that they should seek pardon of their errors. He is proposed as mediator between them and God, he is constituted intercessor for them before the Lord: and thus commending the word of faith to their hearts, he intimates to them that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are reborn through water and the Holy Spirit. They receive the faith: they run to the font of baptism: as many as had been predestined by him are regenerated in Christ.
[17] The fame of the Just one runs through the region, others fly to his teaching, many more to see the teacher; diverse was the concourse, for the affection of those running together was not the same, but the same effect came shortly after to all their eyes. Offering him indeed a Eutychian, a certain noble Saracen, He heals a Saracen mute and deaf and suffering from a withered hand, to whom from the ninth year of his nativity, as his own reported, up to old age too great weakness had taken away the office of speaking and hearing: from whose recovery they wished to take for themselves experience of that attestation. His right
hand, deformed and dried up with a twisted clutching of nails and fingers, so much so that it seemed more a burden than a use to him, made the Pagan useless in soul and body together with his other ills. All beseech the Just one urgently for him, the Just one beseeches God still more urgently for himself and for all of them, that with faith rooted in their hearts, the restored health of the Saracen might bear witness to his preaching. He prayed, and obtained his prayer: the Saracen heard himself speaking fluently, and he baptizes him: received the integrity of his withered hand, and with very many others, poured over with the sacred font of baptism, praised the Lord, and thus made his tongue a witness of his cure even before those absent, he departed with joy. By the grace of whose cure and conversion, with many hurrying to the faith, it was afterwards a cause of escaping infirmity and unbelief, and of magnifying the glory of the aforesaid. For how great he was in the subtlety of disputations, in the sincerity of discussing the Scriptures, we can indeed admire, but cannot define. This is commended by the return to God of Jews, made by his admonitions, and also the very great conversion of Gentiles; and in those who had believed, the manifold operation of virtues: whom when he had faithfully informed with the word of truth, and thoroughly founded in perseverance of the received faith, confirmed with the gracious words of God's commandments, he commended them to God the highest shepherd with sobbing prayers.
[18] Then to bid farewell, visiting places of such worthy memory, namely of the cross and death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord, he bids farewell to the Patriarch John with the other faithful; and thus with his company, a pilgrim and exile, he departed to seek the supernal Jerusalem. The breadth of lands lies open to him, but no place pleases him for remaining. He seeks to have no homeland, except one which it would please him to change no more. The roads of the world rejoice, He departs from Palestine: where the passage of so great a pilgrim is had. He goes right and left, he takes care to pass by no region except Syria and Armenia: for fleeing his homeland and parents, imitating Christ, He does not return to his homeland: he counts even the honor of the Archiepiscopate as nothing. That place alone pleases him which he can pass through unknown. Nor did his devout intention lie hidden from his most illustrious parents, who grieved grievously that they were deprived of the privilege of so illustrious a pledge, and deprived of the patronage of a man of such sublimity. Wherefore sending legates to observe the passage of pilgrims, they indicate to them commands of entreaty and exhortation to the Archbishop. They also add in the commands, that if they could not lead him away by blandishments, they preferred that he be led back with injury than not returned to his friends. But against God there is no reason or counsel. That legation, carried out with its commissioners, besieged the roads, but without danger to those passing by: He meets the messengers of his parents: for it was a besieging of piety, therefore it did not supply the effect of impiety. And when the expected wedge had arrived, not by ambushing, but by serving, the array of legates began to accompany them. They greet each other, as familiars from acquaintance: there is inquiry from both about the meeting of their own: and now as they were proceeding together on the course of the journey, the legates open the cause of their traveling. They set forth to him the desires of his friends and the sighs of his parents: they set before him, not without some mark, the wonder of the Armenians at his flight: they lay before his deaf ears the glory of the See of Antioch, and the benign affections of the Syrians toward him, and in many ways compose a deception to lead him back.
[19] He answers those persuading his return to his homeland and to his Episcopate: But he, founded upon the firm rock, held them off with playful responses, walking more attentively in the royal way by which without doubt one arrives at life. "All things," he said, "which were available for my uses, I have left to be held by my friends and parents: besides, I have left them all Armenia, I have taken nothing with me but a staff and a wallet. To the Syrians also I have left Antioch with many citizens, as well as Archbishop Eleutherius with his blessings: but if this seems too little to them, if I shall acquire anything through Christ on this pilgrimage, God willing they will share in it."
[20] These and like things conferring pleasantly, revealing the rough spots of journeying, they composed what response the legates should bring back. Using force, But they, seeing that they could profit nothing from the commands, but without any delay the man of God was completing the begun journey; boldly confess that they were commanded, if he refused to return willingly, to lead him back unwilling: and at the same time holding him with injury, they dragged and pulled with immoderate power and reproach: for they were more in number, and therefore superior in strength.
[21] But when he was already almost beaten, with no unusual custom, that Evangelical Samaritan came upon them: intercepted and treated unworthily by robbers, and so, by divine power, they were punished by blindness and immobility of arms, he freed him: and lest they return empty to the fatherland, he ordained what new thing they should report to the legates: for some he struck with sudden blindness; the arms of others, as they had stretched out over the Bishop, he suspended in the air; but the horses of each, wandering in different directions, he made to scatter. There was the greatest confusion there; and if there had been mockers, very much mockery. So all, intent on their own concerns, are rebuked from their begun and illicit intentions; nor does it please them to obey any longer the commands of another: they regret their former boldness: they marvel at the justice of him to whom they had earlier inflicted injuries: they stand stupefied, nor do they see anything: their outstretched arms, as if threatening, they cannot lay down their blow: they hear the speakers, and dare not interpellate. But because beyond this alone every refuge was lacking to them, thrown at his feet, they cry out with great wailing to the Bishop for their recovery. But he, already forgetful of the injury, becomes intercessor for them before Christ. And begging pardon, he heals them: He prays and is heard, because pious is the prayer by which one prays for enemies. He had fitted a little cross on the top of the staff which he carried, that he might seem to fulfill, even according to the letter, that Gospel saying, "Whoever does not take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me." Matt. 10:38 This was always companion of the traveler, companion of the waking and sleeping, companion no less of one doing anything: which when he had raised against those seeking mercy, the arms which had been stretched out for his injury were loosed, the eyes put off the cloud of blindness: when restored to their office, the benign Father said to them, "Depart, little sons, at once, lest any harm again come to you in delaying: forbid mourning to mine, because I am going to acquire for myself the joy of eternity: I run irrevocably, no earthly thing will recall me from this purpose." But they, hastening to return, and orders a swift return, do as commanded, what they would have willingly done uncommanded: as those to whom nothing is secure, not earth, not heaven, fearing all things threaten them with vengeance and destruction. And having parted from each other, those retrace Armenia, these the western region. The magnificent Prelate continues the course of his pilgrimage, with no preceding travel-preparations with human power, but with miracles accompanying in divine power.
NOTES.
CHAPTER III.
Miracles performed by St. Macarius while traveling, even through Germany.
[22] Once when he was walking accompanied by a little band of disciples, he met a little group of pilgrims seeking Jerusalem, among whom was a certain man deprived of the light of eyes: he followed the others, often tripping with his feet, because he walked with another's eyes and steps. He was there as a poor and a beggar, but without doubt the medicine and physician of his sins was at hand. Finally, offering him a guide by turn, out of vicarious charity, they were succeeding one another at this office by turns and days. When greeted, Among pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem, a blind man, led by others, the man of God with his companions returns their greeting, and resisting a little out of regard of piety looks at the blind man: whom addressing with fraternal charity, he asks where he was now tending. "To Jerusalem," he said, "Lord, I would desire to come with these, if the Lord deigned to permit me." But he, with his usual piety, abundantly bathed in tears, and pouring out with great compunction of heart the mercy of the Lord within himself in supplication, moved the little cross which he carried to the cloudy orbs, and the great overflowing of his tears moved both companions to mercy: piety fixed its step there for a little, being accustomed never to pass by a torrent of tears without its effect. The tears rush forth from the eyes of all in silence, yet not without outcry, because the confession of the heart is greater than that of the mouth. At length the pious Archbishop breaks into speech, and having implored divine consolation on the wretched man, with prayer made, "May divine mercy be present to you, dearest," he said, "so that by the collyrium of his brightness the vision of your blindness may be illumined. You also, brothers, invoke my Lord: for it is not, nor ought to be, foreign to you, since in his name we have gathered, that he himself should not be in our midst. For where the true light Christ is present, no one can remain obscure. Therefore may his grace deign to illumine this blind man, who illumines every person coming into this world: may the most pious condescension of him come upon him, who out of charity descended from heaven, that all flesh might see him." Scarcely was the Just one concluding on earth, and God from heaven was nodding to just prayers. The darkness of blindness is excluded, He enlightens him: abundant thanks are rendered to God and St. Macarius with great tears: and thus the blind man, restored with light, went before his companions now with his own steps.
[23] The man of virtues progressing from thence, cheerfully walked with his fellow travelers, and coming to a certain place quite useless to himself and his companions, namely damned with dryness and in every way barren of water (which seems last in the uses of men, but is first), in his passage he rendered it watered forever and fertile. In the greatest dryness For his own, as the defect of humanity has it, laboring with the narrowness of thirst, the malign nature of the earth was threatening a worse defect for lack of water: they tried pits in several places, but what was not there could not come to their aid. At length not quarreling, as once the sons of Israel against Moses their excellent leader, but crying out as sweetest to a most dear father, "Nothing is lacking," he said, "little sons, to those who fear God: to you also, presuming on his mercy, He draws water from the earth by the sign of the Cross: neither will water for drinking be lacking, nor the fountain of life to those who believe." Saying these things, he painted the sign of the holy Cross with his staff in the ground: and scarcely had he scraped away the surface of the earth when overflowing water flowed forth: which when they had applied to the judgment of their lips, they found quite suitable and wholesome for drinking, necessary also for the future, and a memorial of the blessed man forever: refreshed by which according to their wish, they walked cheerful and secure: for the fatherly care of so great a man delighted them, nor was the captivity burdensome to them, which so great abundance accompanied.
[24] And so proceeding with free minds and joyful steps, In Bavaria he stays a whole year: they came to Bavaria, some regions having been crossed: where seeking a host convenient for their uses, by divine disposition they obtained a certain Adalbert, a man of great dignity and very rich, the more worthy than others for this, that he deserved to receive so great a Pontiff as guest: by whom with all
his companions he was received with charitable humanity, for a whole year he was provided for with charity never diminished. He prepares a fitting lodging for him, is always ready for his service, nor is he affected with weariness by those coming and going: for wherever there was an excursion and return, there was the familiar return. Nor was the reward of hospitality lacking to him, namely the superabundant benefit of the received guest: for the wife of Adalbert, a Ava by name, for a very long time oppressed by the gravest illness, He heals the dying wife of his host with holy water and the sign of the Cross: was so near the end, that she lay lamented, nor could she loose her tongue in words, and nothing was seen in her except the departure of her soul: by which expectation too the household of the house was longer wearied, her friends also and relatives. Macarius was moved to pity, and he had recourse to his customary prayer, and visiting the modern Shunammite, he rendered the most plentiful return of hospitality, for the charity shown, complete health: he blessed water; the often-mentioned little cross he dipped in; and he instilled three droplets into her mouth with the sign of the Cross; her already going, already failing, he called back to life. And scarcely had the space of one hour passed when the woman began to recover: she sat up, called her husband, and addressed him quite plainly: "Whence, my Lord," she said, "did this man come to us, who so far surpasses us in such and so distinguished merits? O we, I say, O happy we, who have deserved to have the common walls of a dwelling with him to whom we have such unlike manners! He is just, we sinners: he without doubt is of heaven, we of earth: to whom I owe whatever I am, because by his gift I exist as a survivor. Let therefore a search be made in our resources, for what to bestow on the bestower of such sudden health." He rejects the gifts offered: These and similar things in praise of the Just one while the woman was pursuing, she rose up healthy, and the household rejoices: praises to God and many graces to the Saint are multiplied: gifts are offered to him for the benefit: but, well instructed from the Gospel that what he had received freely he should render freely, he accepted nothing, apart from the service of hospitality, admonishing that from these things which were offered to him there should be a refreshment of the poor. Matt. 10:8 Thereafter veneration toward him is increased in all the household: but because in every house there is hardly ever wanting one who can be deceived and deceive, even in this hospitality the deception of the enemy was not lacking.
[25] For two of those attending the aforesaid Adalbert, wishing to become Macarians, by blind cupidity become Simonians; they wish to be seen as workers of virtues, but with merits lacking they turn to theft: they are agitated by the goads of wickedness, they confound themselves in worst confusion. One meets the other, Two seeking gain and having conceived the thought, thus instructs his companion: "Behold," he says, "we are needy and naked: if however you would give me your assent, at once we would be rich. Poverty reduces us to daily servitude, but a great possession would grant us secure freedom. For this our guest, so holy and wonderful in the magnificence of works, all that he possesses, all that he touches, are full of virtues; [and with the garments of St. Macarius stolen by theft, they will make themselves healers of diseases;] if therefore anything of his garments were in contact with us, and we should snatch it; who can estimate how much gain we could acquire from it: none would be our equal in healing: all our medicine would be without labor and danger: whoever was touched by this garment, immediately he would be made healthy and whole: all the multitude would yield to us: sight would come to the blind, hearing to the deaf, step to the lame. O how famous and known, how magnificent and wondrous we should be among rich and poor! None would be richer than us in the province, none more famous in all Bavaria." "I marvel," said the other, "that you have so long been obscure, in whom such a famous and wholesome counsel lay hidden: certainly if you had been known, it is long since you would have earned your freedom. For I know not if Minerva speaks with you, but it pleases me greatly that you have found this counsel: it only remains not to delay in carrying it out."
[26] They steal his towel substituting another in its place: Thus agreeing with each other in words, they suddenly become the highest; and they wish to be rich before becoming so: they snatch the towel consecrated for the uses of the Mass by so great a Priest; so that the holier prey might contain the holier merit; placing in its place a similar, but not equal, cloth: best of faith, if avarice were not a companion. The matter was made known by God to his friend: but he wished to cover it entirely, as he was full of superabounding grace of all gentleness, lest the mark of such foul commission should lead them to the confusion they deserved. He wished to oppose his own kindness to them, whom, afflicted with sharp fever, but the greater will of God preferred his glory and his dignity, and shortly after made public their malice: for those whom the deceit of the deed made equals in fault, a fitting response of vengeance made equals in punishment. Having been seized therefore with the excessive heat of fever, if the power of healing and the merit could be in them, there would be no one to whom they would need to come to aid first rather than to themselves. But the patience of the Just one did not bear their tortures: St. Macarius heals: for being moved to pity over them even to shedding tears, he was exhorting them to confess whatever had been committed. But they persisting in denial, fearing the vengeance of their lord more than the anger of God, he applied the little cross to those laboring heavily, and drove away the burnings of the fever from those already nearly failing. Then indeed for the first time, compunct to confession, and warning others by their examples not to covet a similar working of virtues, they rejoice that they received as much pardon as they would have deserved punishment.
[27] He departs from Bavaria, The servant of God, made famous by such great merits in the kingdom of the Bavarians, where he most began to be frequented and extolled by the favors of the peoples; preferred to yield rather than to sell the oil of simplicity, and blessing his hosts with his hostess, is led away with their tears and greeting and with great benevolence and service. Instilling in them what pertains to their instruction, and in every way admonishing them not to depart anywhere from the path of equity, in bidding farewell he departed with his companions. He extended his mind to foreign regions of nations, and traversing diverse places, he commended his memory to many with different titles of sanctity by the diversity of places. Thus going on everywhere with salutiferous steps, when he began to approach the walls of the city of Mainz, He goes to Mainz: he incurs a scandal from the necessity of charity. For a certain wretched man, having barely escaped by flight from a riot, disturbed in mind, wandering in thought, stained with blood, furious in eyes, nowhere quite safe (as guilty of murder), with the whiteness of pallor most like to the death he was fleeing, ran up bloodless and gasping to him as he came. Guilty of murder For a killing having been inflicted on a certain man, as the precipitation of human rage has it, with fear disturbing his flight, by fleeing he was pressing to escape the danger of vengeance. There followed with fury and onslaught the crowd of enemies, seeking to extinguish without any cause of delay the life of one sinner.
[27] Nothing came between the killers and the one to be killed, except that the course of the fleeing man, from fear of death, was faster to escape. He protects him fleeing to him: But when he came to Macarius, with God's grace bearing the sail, he found the safest port. Before his feet, no longer daring or able to proceed further, he fell: and not knowing who he was, yet he merciful implored that he be a help to him: and with the hour of need pressing, he sought from him an escape from death. There followed the shout with the fury of those following, threatening death even to the man of God, He opposes the Cross to the weapons of the pursuers: if he should prepare a defense. To whom, running forward to meet them, the fearless soldier of Christ, bravely armed with those arms with which he had been accustomed to fight, stood between the weapons and the guilty man undaunted: he opposed to the raging ones an invincible shield, namely the little cross, the sign of his redemption, the familiar refuge in all his works. There is added in his native tongue, necessary to the time and the thing, a humble petition; and nonetheless to God without voice a familiar and friendly prayer. But if anyone wished in any way to extend arms or hand against the guilty, before both the horses and riders the saving little cross is continually set as an obstacle. There was there a pious spectacle to see, the enemies fighting with arms, the Just one with prayers and merits; but God powerfully expugning from heaven those resisting the just.
[28] At length inspired by God, they are bent to mercy, they show the Just one the reverence of due subjection; and he makes them gentle, and though not his words, yet understanding his intention, they humbly receive his petition for peace: they lay aside ferocity and fury; they bring back their eyes and minds to gentleness; they relax their arms and weapons, hitherto extended for destruction; and springing from their horses, having embraced his feet, they beg pardon and receive a blessing. They confess that they saw an angelic appearance in him, that the splendor of heavenly grace shone more fully over him, and therefore they were by no means able to be victors against his vows: and whatever he might command, over the guilty man they would willingly receive. But the guilty man, now free and secure, as one whom such an advocate had taken up to protect, and he reconciles with the guilty, that nothing indeed in such a business might remain imperfect, which might further stir up a scruple of peace for the instigators of evil; the man of God did not cease until he reconciled the enemy to the enemies even to a kiss, and gave them with a blessing permission to depart.
[29] He himself with his fellow-soldiers, with God's grace going before, enters the city of Mainz: and going out from there, after some days he came to Cologne noble for the worship of Saints: He comes to Cologne, where, benevolently taken into hospitality by a certain Tiro, he is received with the service of the greatest veneration and charity: nor was the benefit of hospitality lacking, namely from the blessed man the reward of gracious remuneration. For the same Tiro, most famous among his own for honesty of manners, although he was outstanding among his fellow citizens in the opulence of his possessions, yet seemed to have nothing, because he lacked health, which is more powerful for the uses of mortals: He frees his host from jaundice: for what has he who lacks himself? He labored for a long time with the illness of jaundice: by which being heavily oppressed, the appetite for food and drink at times he began to loathe. He had expended much on medicines: but in vain, because health is of God alone. Poor therefore in health, but rich in charity, he had his guest recline daily with him, and eat and drink with him in the same vessel: and whatever food he received, he himself consecrated it before he received it. Nor did the consecration turn out in vain: for after some days he began gradually to pause, to become better from day to day, and to be more at ease; and not only to eat, but even to devour what was set before him. He wonders and rejoices in his heart: for the medication was hidden, and the public cure, which indeed the blessing was effecting: which when he clearly perceived, he magnified God in his wondrous works, and gave thanks to the pilgrim. But he, reputing nothing to his own merits, exhorting the benign host to acknowledge God as the giver of such things, did not delay to concede neither his mind nor his course longer.
NOTES.
CHAPTER IV.
Pilgrimage through Belgium. Arrival at Ghent. Miracles.
[30] He goes to Mechelen: He was going around the places distinguished by the merits of Saints, and everywhere leaving distinguished traces of his merits, he came to Mechelen after some walking through lands: where how gloriously he was glorified with a miracle of divine working, the same night the quite necessary liberation of certain ones clearly experienced. Received indeed with affectionate veneration of the faithful, next to a the Church of Blessed Rumoldus the Martyr, he conveniently received with his own hospitality and benevolent service. And behold, before the middle of the night, when the heaviest sleep looms over the greedy cares of mortals, from the happening of the matter a cry of the greatest tumult arises: A fire arising at night, whence he himself too is suddenly, not without harm to the sleeper, shaken from sleep. For the conflagration of a fire badly extinguished had already invaded the houses of some, and with smoke steaming upwards, the dangerous fire was raging here and there. The voracious flame devours whatever is in its way: it deigns to spare none as long as it is fed with sufficient matter. And when no human labor could resist, but the excessive heat of the fire drove back the resisters further away; they run to Blessed Macarius, that in so great a danger the ardor of his faith might come to aid his hosts. Nor did he delay to come: but hastening quickly to the house over which the fire was now impending, kindled by the heat of his customary faith, He stops and extinguishes it with the sign of the Cross: he draws from the roof of the dwelling one bundle; and signing it with the sign of the holy cross, sets it down in its place. As those present beheld the cooperation of divine power, the same bundle was as it were set as a boundary, which the fire neither wished to cross nor to burn; but as if by a very strong gust of wind turning itself back, with incredible haste it began to fail in assault. For which matter a cry is raised to heaven, the omnipotence of Christ is praised, and the merit of the Archbishop is proclaimed.
[31] He goes to Maubeuge: Because, although not as is fitting, but as the inexperience of the writer can, the pilgrimage of so great a man is described; how he was pilgrim among the Maubeugians is not to be passed over in silence. There is a monastery and in it a convent of maidens, where also rests buried in body the holy Virgin b Aldegundis: to which place when the often-named Archbishop had come on pilgrimage, He venerates the body of St. Aldegundis: and had sought a lodging there to rest out of veneration for the holy Virgin; a certain man of good will, Durandus by name, but humble and gentle in heart, honored him with his own in suitable hospitality, and provided the services of humanity as far as he was able. When he had delayed there some time, On account of his blood received from an opened vein, on account of the long fatigue of the journey, it pleased him that he be refreshed with a letting of blood: which the aforesaid host receiving in a little vessel placed with himself; and weighing greatly the merit of the man, he took great care to commend it to one of his servants, that with the highest solicitude he might keep it in a safe place so it would not be spilled. But since sometimes there is nothing worse than the nature of servants; the same servant, as wickedest of all, deceived as much by envy as by the instigation of the devil, cast that sacred blood into the latrine, and thought that he would be able to hide what he had wickedly committed. But God, the avenger of wickedness, searching the hearts and reins, consuming the wickedness of the sinner, and directing the just, struck him, as once wicked Gehazi, with the disease of leprosy, Leprosy struck upon the servant. and as long as he survived, he did not lack the misery of this illness.
[32] But the blessed Archbishop, as a man of such dignity, often to be pondered in heart and mouth, by no means yet ceasing from the labors of his pilgrimage, departing from there came to the city of Cambrai: where also having stayed a few days, who, of what kind, or how great he was was by God made known. For on a certain day, when the sun brought light to those below, darkness to those above, he entered the basilica of the holy Mother of God c (as was his custom) to spend the night, and to offer praises and prayers to the Lord; [Wishing at Cambrai to spend the night in the church of the Mother of God, he is shut out:] but the keeper of the church finding him within, not without injury cast him out; and after him, moved by gall, he secured the door with a bolt and lock: which he, with his patient mind, most humbly endured, and prostrated himself outside before the doors of the church with benign devotion of mind. But God Almighty, He remains before the door divinely opened. whose will is power, whose work is mercy, wishing to show of what merit he was who was shut out, who even seemed so abject and obscure; as he once opened the iron gate to Peter the Apostle led out of prison by an Angel, so also to this lover of his prostrate before the doors he unbarred with equal piety the door of the same church: which however at that hour he by no means entered: because recalling that Gospel saying about what one deserves who has scandalized one of the little ones, he took care not to offend the keeper's animosity, but to bathe him with the piety of faith. Matt. 18:6 But the keeper, returning in the morning hours to open the door, when he saw it open and found the pilgrim prostrate before the doors in prayer, there was no spirit in him: whatever he committed against the man of God, fear itself without doubt purged him. When morning came the matter became known to all, and the fidelity of the faithful gave thanks to the Almighty, and the shut-out guest began to be held most famous from famous.
[33] But putting his mind to such things, he departed thence: whom d Tournai received in hospitality as a pilgrim. It is a city abundant in wealth, At Tournai full of citizens, filled with things for sale; the people also in it are fickle and tumultuous, and therefore sometimes disturbed by seditious movements. Chance led him here, but God and Lord of all also there magnificently honored him, through a remarkable miracle. A civil sedition. For with the envy of the devil waging war against the peace of men, a dangerous sedition arose on a certain day among the citizens; and because civil, therefore most grave: words fly, the citizens run to arms, to the strikers nothing comes between except crossed weapons. War thunders with savage lamentations, with women mourning for their husbands, giving birth to a shower of tears: the kindred ranks stand with drawn right hands, demanding license for crimes. O how execrable a battle, where wars are waged without enemies! O contest, than which nothing is more insolent, where no triumph follows victory! Citizens are armed against citizens, kin against kin: and if the affection of those running together should come to effect, there would be one lamentation for both conquered and conquerors. Nature and piety weep, because charity is divided with the sword: rage grows in crimes, and the strengths increasing through disasters usually become weakened: destruction threatens the city, because neither piety nor honor is spared: the sword rages among kinsfolk, and cruelty has no measure. On that day the Prince of the country, the elder e Baldwin, was at Tournai, who himself too, leaping out with armed soldiers, Which Count Baldwin was unable to restrain, urged his men to proceed quickly to the battle; not that they should fight, but that they should appease the madness of so great fury. But his expended labor yielded in vain, because it can no more restrain the started movements of the citizens, than if one should wish by a whirling wind to restrain the waves of the Ocean.
[34] But behold, after the shipwrecks of such a deadly battle, the wondrous clemency of supernal peace follows. Bursting forth indeed, the blessed guest Macarius, with his soldiers—namely his arms, his prayers, his little cross, and his pilgrim companions—hastening speedily to the place of contest, stood between the ranks and the weapons as standard-bearer of peace: where, girded with the armor of the Holy Spirit, with prayer poured out with tears to God, he boldly raises the precious staff of the journey with the Cross fixed on top, and not without the presence of God implores the aid of peace on the raging. Immediately by God's nod the stormy sedition began to fail: and that day it became quite clear that the admonition of the guest availed more than the threat of the Count: for he restrained them all from that battle by the staff of power and the merit of intercession, so that none of them thereafter presumed to raise a hand against another: And adds perfect peace: but before they departed from one another, he reconciled each to each even to the kiss of peace. So by the prayers of the Just one, with principal clemency assenting from heaven, the whole city, with such great tumult laid to rest without blood, in peace accomplished was made glad.
[35] The Archbishop, however, always opportune with novelty of graces, never importunate, wherever he went, always advancing with new additions of merits, was passing through the province; not knowing whither to go, except where the Holy Spirit was intimating to his mind. Nor is it a wonder that he was marked with such great powers of signs, whose continual companion of the journey was the Lord of powers: He obtains the end of his pilgrimage at Ghent; for he himself composed all the acts, he himself disposed the course of life, and he was happily leading him to the place of rest: at length he set a limit to his pilgrimage; established the end of the most happy course; preordained a fitting receptacle for the great labors of the Just one. Nor undeservedly, because all his hope was placed in God, with whom as leader for so long wandering, never erring, at length blown by the breath of divine breathing, he was led, with God's grace going before, into the safest port and station; and thus after some days he joyfully entered Ghent. He first took care to visit the monastery of St. Peter, which is called Blandinium: He goes to the monastery of Blandinium, but the virtue of the visitor was there unknown, because the shining lamp lay hidden under a bushel. O blind, O wretched condition of man, where yet there is no intention of error! f He passes to the port; he comes to that monastery of St. Peter which the holy Confessor Bavo illustrated by his merits, then to St. Bavo's: where, because the time of mercy had come, the clear experience proves. O happy port, happy city and people! happy those, to whom, although they did not know, such great salvation was granted by the Lord, over whom so famous a star shone forth! A joyful and memorable day; a day worthy never to lack the memory of joyfulness.
[36] King Robert was wielding the scepter of the Franks, Count Baldwin the march of Flanders; in the monastery of St. Peter at St. Bavo's Abbot Eremboldus seemed to perform the office of Christ: He is received by Abbot Eremboldus: by whom and the Brothers of the monastery received quite benignly in hospitality, while being a guest also being greatly won over by the service of fraternal charity, he is gradually induced in mind to remain among them. From time to time he is admitted to the cloistral and fraternal society; guest is connected to guests by the bond of singular love; and day by day he is rendered dearer and more familiar. The abyss of the judgments of God appears great, so that whom all Armenia with his parents could not retain, nor the capital or glory of Syria, Antioch, the little Church of Ghent might retain. But no wonder, whatever new is done by God, before whose disposition that which is to come in ages is already past. He brought eternal salvation to the men of Ghent from Armenia, but provided for the Armenians perpetual servitude from Ghent. So the lodging is shown, a common Church, a common cloister; but a singular cell for resting with his own, but with the Brothers no separate refection.
[38] Living holily with the monks: He pleases all, nor does his holy conversation seem burdensome to anyone: his mind's pious devotion invites all to better things: not only the Brothers, but also the provincials, his sacred blessing confirms daily. Impatient indeed of unfruitful rest, he was frequenting the Churches of the province of Ghent: he was celebrating Masses, on each he was spending time in the prayers of his customary devotion: he was commending the peoples everywhere to God with familiar vows, by which though he was unable to speak, yet
he persisted attentively to speak for them; he reckoned it of little worth to have been born for himself alone, if he did not strive to benefit many. Every offering bestowed on him by the faithful, without any delay, became refreshment for the poor, as one with whom from infancy the care of such things had grown. He shines with miracles: From every side there was a people without lack of those frequenting the great man, because sweet was the labor which the love of charity suggested; nor were they free from justice, who following the footsteps of the Just not only with steps but also with devotion, were freed from many ailments by the experience of his merits. Water also flowing from the hands of him washing, by no means was without powers: his touching with the hands was effective and most salutary to those oppressed with infirmity; and those whose devotion of faith was deeper, the sole Episcopal blessing received them for obtaining health. He was often invited by the rich and by many sick; with whom, business of invitation having been completed, without delay he returned to the monastery of the taken dwelling. For the affection of experienced charity recalled him, with which the Brothers of the monastery had uniquely bound him to themselves, and also the illustrious Father Eremboldus: by whom though frequently called upon to remain with them perpetually, he could by no means be induced in mind; with God's judgment disposing this very thing, that it should become clearer than light that fortune had not led him there, but supernal dispensation.
[39] About to return to his homeland, He accordingly contradicted those petitioning in every way, and having become a deaf listener, he decided attentively to return to his homeland: but that intention did not rest at all with his other companions; and therefore, lest any contention arise among them, with the greatest piety the separation of such a society was made. He himself, He is hindered at the port by swelling of feet: having received leave from the Father of the monastery and the Brothers, who grieved over his return, content with only one companion, moved to the port of the neighborhood, and immediately his journey is impeded by swelling of feet. He is made infirm, held by his bed, so much that his life was despaired of. The matter came to the hearing of the Blandinians, who with late repentance, led by this that they had not at first received such a man, that if he would not come willingly, he might at least be brought to them unwillingly, meet with prayers g Lambert then Castellan at that time. When together they were going to visit the sick man, according to the quality and reason of the time, He is invited by the Blandinians and the Bavonians: from the monastery of St. Bavo his earlier hosts come as well, in no way changed from their former intention. With these sitting round on both sides, the blessed exile regarded both parties with the regard of piety; and when asked, and indeed urged through an interpreter by the Castellan himself, that he might return to the monastery of the Blandinians; sweetly turning his eyes to his own, now not guests but Brothers, he intimates that he is to be brought back to the lodging of his Bavo. Hearing this, the Castellan, not daring to offer any force to the man of God, departed frustrated in his attempts. He is brought back to the monastery of St. Bavo. Nor is he sent to the monastery (for who in his right mind would leave behind him so great a treasure?) He orders himself to be brought back to the lodging: they go and with as much grief of the Brothers at his lately departing, with as much exultation of theirs he is recalled. He finds them in no way changed, he is cherished in charity, with as much humanity as they can.
NOTES.
CHAPTER V.
Health bestowed on him from heaven. Illness, death, burial.
[40] But with nothing of human means profiting him, for he lay entirely like a lifeless one, he deserved to be visited by the consolations of the Saints resting in their bodies in the same church. For on account of the great infirmity of his body, exhausted for some time with continual privation of sleep; behold, in the silence of a certain deep night, He is refreshed by St. Bavo appearing in a vision, from his contrition, between waking and sleeping, as if in ecstasy, he sees the Patron of the same place, namely St. Bavo, standing by him, and ordering him with vigilant admonitions to enter the monastery. And he, as it seemed to him, rose, entered the monastery, and before the holy altar found most worthy persons of both sexes sitting with St. Bavo: with St. Landoaldus and others, among whom he also seemed to recognize St. Landoaldus, whom alone of the others he had seen celebrating Masses wearing the infula, and he himself with the others having been blessed after the completion; then indeed St. Bavo having risen from the midst of the others, and having held him amicably with extended hand, and having commanded him to stand by the altar of St. Peter. Where while he stood as commanded, he sees those same Saints approach him with the others, shining so greatly that the sight of humanity could scarcely bear their brightness. By the presence of these, therefore, he is strengthened, and is assured that he has recovered his health. And is made well: When morning came he rose well, explained to the Brothers what he had seen, and by the judgment of his health made them certain of the vision: and thus having delayed in the same monastery for a course of five months, he was again nonetheless tempted to go to his homeland.
[41] But while he was deliberating to return to his homeland, God, the rewarder of the good, disposes to crown him: he calls him to himself by the election of merits: his return is changed by a pious calling from earth to heaven; not Armenia but his homeland receives the returning pilgrim: nor is lacking in the departure, so wondrously disposed, very great commendation of the faithful. For his departure being heard of, with devotion taken up and leisure from the opportunity of the time, on the holy Good Friday of Easter the multitude of the whole province was flowing together to him. The day of indulgence and remission invited them, the day of exultation and liberation, the day, namely, of days, He is visited with the greatest gathering of men: that is, the Lord's Resurrection, in which they were setting great store on communicating with him in the Paschal sacraments, on being present at the blessings of so great a Pontiff, not uncertain of his protection, if they could commend themselves and their possessions to him on his departure. The greatest faith of the peoples, and not untried by them, the suffrages of the Just one, with whom so great was their confidence even in one absent. But while with generous intention they were awaiting his departure, pious God's disposition provides them the same Patron eternally, and now salutiferously to give protection in that necessity which was then pressing upon them.
[42] A deadly plague, moreover, was at that time cruelly raging: the mingled multitude of the district of Ghent was falling by droves with inevitable disease, so that almost a wretched desolation of the whole province seemed to come about. For with blisters suddenly growing in the palates of men, unless the surgical iron was promptly applied, by which the noxious humor might flow out, no one escaped the danger of death. Unheard of was the madness of the most savage pestilence, unusual the disturbance of human lot, In the most savage pestilence imprudent the suddenness of multi-flowing death. The frequency of those dying was overcoming the survivors, and scarcely did the trembling labor of the living suffice to bury them, themselves expecting without any delay the same for themselves. Wretched their condition, whom, just now whole and sound, the devouring of such a plague suddenly snatched. Every refuge, except God alone, is excluded from them: at length hanging on the edge, a common counsel is taken, because the danger was common to all. It pleases them to take refuge in God's mercy, tried by them, The bodies of Saints are brought together: to faithfully seek the aid of the Saints resting at the port of Ghent, and to bring together into one place such great Patrons, most accustomed to propitiating the grace of God in such anxieties. It pleases them to undertake a general three-day fast, for men and beasts to make the same mourning, A three-day fast is announced: and thus to renew ancient Nineveh in wretched Ghent.
[43] But while the new religion of the people, to placate the anger of God, was composing such things in their ordering; that supernal Merciful one, who is present to those about to invoke him before he is invoked, disposes their salvation, and chooses one from all the people, who for all might become the final sacrifice of such a plague. Holy Macarius then, how often with knees bent he struck the earth that he might penetrate heaven with prayers, how often for the ending of the people with sobs and tears he assailed the sanctuary of highest piety, is easy to think, St. Macarius seized by the plague, but most difficult to relate. But while he intercedes for others, he himself, by God's pious providence, also incurs the common danger of others; and touched by the disease of such cruel pestilence, first that magnificent praiser of God lost the use of his tongue: for which receiving immediately from Christ the spirit of prophecy, by nods and signs, as he could; besides himself and two others, he foretold that no one henceforth would die from that disease: He foretells that he alone will die with two others: and the effect of truth afterwards proved the assertion of his prediction. Then having received the use of speaking from God, having called the Father of the monastery, namely Dom Eremboldus, with the rest of the Brothers, he begs as quickly as possible that the hair of his pilgrimage and the beard of his nation be shorn. A testament, a poor man, pilgrim and guest, he did not make (nor had he anything to give to anyone), but to his mother alone, a great gift indeed, but the memorial of eternal grief, he left, namely part of his beard, which he sent back to her in Armenia. These pitiable signs he left to her, He asks that part of his beard be sent to his mother: monuments of perpetual piety, lest the long expectation of a son never to return should torment her longer in suspense, and in the place of him at least this solace, though small, should remain to her. O moderation of nature! how great was the sweetness of piety, when he saw such things in maternal love.
[44] Thence entering the crypt with the brothers, venerable with the title of the holy Mother of God Mary, He chooses burial before the altar of St. Paul. before the altar of St. Paul he designated with his staff the place of burial, after so many circuits of the globe destined to him by God, not without the grace of happy memory. And now from Friday pressed the third day of fasts; besides the other ages, milk is denied even to little ones and calves; in every way that human care can, violence is done to the kingdom of heaven. The bodies of Saints are brought out from both monasteries, and immediately so great a multitude of the populace surrounds the place prepared for so great a gathering, as that of not any loss but the most wretched necessity of death was compelling to be gathered in one. On the third day of fasts a public supplication is performed: There were present diverse ages and sexes, wailing women with children and infants, whose vitals maternal affection cruelly tortured. For little ones hanging from maternal necks, even with tender fingers clasping the hands of their mothers and whatever they childishly snatched, and with wretched cries sweetly demanding their accustomed nourishment of milk, are tormented with hunger, not their own, but the sins of their parents
innocently bewailing. Nor only that place is rendered tumultuous with such great frequenting; but the whole region, the whole neighborhood, and the port of Ghent itself for the most part: everywhere groaning and inundation of tears, that over all supernal mercy might become general. Very great clamor is raised to heaven, and diverse mourning lamentation of men and women; the sighs of the old and the shouting of boys; the tears and wretched wailing of suckling babes, and the intolerable lowings of cattle and beasts of burden tied before empty mangers.
[45] Nor did such great labor yield in vain: for the benign Creator of all, mingling mildness with severity, transferring his anger into benevolence; loving by chastising, consoling by loving; judge in scourges, father in blandishments; faithful everywhere, never cruel; from heaven looked down mercifully on so great a multitude, and entirely extinguished the trouble of such great disaster on Blessed Macarius alone. The bodies of Saints are replaced in their seats: each one, having bewailed his sins for some time, returns to his own. The Archbishop, however, having returned with his hosts to the monastery, and at the hour of refection, St. Macarius having returned, with what strength he could, entered the refectory, and when he saw the Brothers taking nothing but a little bread and a little water, full of the charity which most abounded to him, by begging and commanding he obtained for all of them to break the fast: with whom he himself sitting down showed himself cheerful to all; from what was set before him, more from charity than from necessity, He wishes the monks to be well fed in the refectory, he took a little, and thus bidding them farewell, he Episcopally blessed them; and almost failing from disease, he hardly made it back to the cell of his lodging. Vigilant care of the Brothers is assigned to him, and he bids farewell: so that with the others resting in the dormitory, they might announce the departure of that blessed soul. He himself, however, with the hour of migration already pressing, sat up in bed; With death imminent he commends himself to God and the Saints: and with hands outstretched and eyes raised to heaven, he commended himself attentively to the Lord his God, about to go soon, with a great outpouring of tears; the suffrages of the Saints and the guardianship of the Angels with manifold prayers he invited to lead him; and thus the dreadful hour of his dissolution, with mind intent on the command of his Creator, he awaited.
[45] But so great a horror seized those watching around him, from the presence, as is believed, of the Blessed Spirits, that, as also is read in the Dialogue of Pope Gregory of St. Paulinus Bishop of the city of Nola, all without delay would have sought the aid of flight, had not the company of Brothers rising for the obsequies kept back their minds: And amid the prayers of the monks he dies: when these were gathered, he reclined his head on the earth, and among those singing psalms and praying, happily breathed out his spirit. What could not die in him was returned to the Creator. Nor is his truthful prophecy refuted, for he alone of all fell as the last victim of the pestilential disease. The body, however, placed upon the bier with worthy composition, was pious to see, with how much contention of the bearers it was carried to the church: for there were scarcely as many steps as incursions of those succeeding to the most holy burden: nor did he seem injured by a small loss to his soul, He is brought to the place of burial with a very great throng of men: whom the very great pressing of the people least permitted to bear the coffin of the body. Wherefore each one thrust himself in vying, striving to touch whatever parts of the bier even at the extremities; and to whom this opportunity did not come to effect, at least strove to touch the very garments of the bearers. Such was the devotion of the people: for the contention was pious, because the intention was most pious. Being brought, moreover, next to the crypt, where he himself while alive had designated the burial of his dissolution, he is honored with gifts and watered with tears: and the place itself was scarcely capable of the many-flowing incursion. For Armenia would not have shown greater grief for a kinsman, than Flanders showed for a pilgrim: nor indeed would the lack of kinship have drawn more tears from them, than the affection of piety drew from these. For the pious impatience of the people, not able to bear the desire of its mind, in no way rested in their vows, until, with the venerable face of the deceased also being uncovered, the covering of the whole bier should be torn away and its covering.
[46] Then indeed for the first time freedom is given to kisses of the hands and feet, and after a space given, to those running up and offering gifts, freedom is given to the rainings of tears, freedom is given to the familiar vows of those rushing in, freedom is given to munificent outpourings of offerings. They contended in offering, on this side men, on that women; these silver pieces, those rings and earrings, every necklace and chains snatched from their own breast, casting them upon the body of the deceased. Seeing which, each affected devotion more liberally, the more profusely endowed the deceased exile: He is buried: and thus with the Brothers commending to burial a treasure of such great preciousness, it cannot be said with what tears that pious multitude prolonged the time of the obsequies, and with what great compassion it expressed the poured-out pains of its heart before the friend of God, until, the entombing being completed, each one returned to his own, with joy and confidence bearing with him the patronage of so great a man. St. Macarius died on the 4th day before the Ides of April in the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1012, died on April 4, 1012 with Henry reigning over the Romans, Robert prince of the Franks, but for us forever reigning our Lord Jesus Christ. How much he loved the place of hospitality is sufficiently apparent, where up to today it is plainly shown what kind of man he was, how he lived, how he died. Flanders frequents the place of burial; it seeks the Patron resting in earth, but reigning in heaven: where how famous he shines forth, a few miracles will tell out of many, namely on account of the scarcity of those rightly dividing.
NOTES.
CHAPTER VI.
Miracles performed after the death of St. Macarius especially at his tomb.
[47] "Blessed be the Lord, who alone does wonders." The province of Flanders is witness, A paralytic woman is healed, the tomb of Blessed Macarius the Confessor is witness, a certain woman also is witness, Fredegardis by name, who at the Just one's tomb the first matter of his wondrous operation, also first provides for the narration the opening of her liberation. She at a village which is called Monta was sick, deprived with such dissolution of limbs, that she was approved as useless for life in every way. The continuation of her pain was wearing the wretched one, no relief of improvement came from anywhere. Macarius at length took pity, that new Patron, became a nocturnal visitor of the sick woman, nor was the monitory consolation of the visitor lacking, to whose pious visitation the woman's liberation was indeed near. He admonishes her to go to his tomb, that she would there recover her health without doubt. And she, not uncertain of the vision, from the promise of the Patron with hope of salvation doubtless now conceived, at daybreak not so much awaited as desired, rose, more swift in vow than in motion: and thus with tortoise step she tended toward the tomb of the Saint propped up by staves. Where after she had for some time bathed in tears and spoken out her prayer, rising sound she cast away her staves; which leaving upon the tomb as payment for her healing, she departed rejoicing.
[48] Another woman also was at Ghent, known in her neighborhood and pitiable in her illness, another with contracted fingers, to whom a contracted hand made death more desirable than life: for so deformed did it seem to have lacked its use, that the nails of the fingers seemed to have perforated the palm, and on the other side had nonetheless grown out like birds. Who likewise flying to the healing tomb, pouring out suppliant prayers, with such piety of faith was striking her familiar Patron, that she too might deserve to experience his patronage. And when she was doing violence to the kingdom of heaven with strongest faith, by which those doing violence snatch it; unexpectedly the sinews of the fingers began to stretch, and with the nails drawn out, the whole hand returned to its office: and thus the woman, known to many by the contraction of her hand, was rendered most known to all by the liberation of the holy Confessor.
[49] A blind girl, It was the Kalends of October, a celebrated day for the festivity of St. Bavo: many were flocking more than usual from diverse regions to Ghent, some to pray, some to trade, most out of curiosity for the fair, which was drawing from every side a people gaping for more avaricious gains. Among many there was present, with quite another intention, a certain girl, Oda by name, for nine years indeed buried in darkness, the light of her eyes captive, who with hope of recovering health flew to the memorial of St. Macarius, assisted by the guidance of her mother grieving for her daughter. There prostrate with her whole body she lay long, not so much praying as awaiting the prayer of the Saint for her before the merciful Christ. And when the principal Mass was being celebrated, the Prince of the country, Marquis Baldwin, with his nobles, came into the crypt to pray at the memorial of the Saint, he prostrates himself on the ground, before the tomb of the exile the knees of the Marquis are bent, with his Magnates surrounding him: a familiar conscience of guilt accuses, heavenly grace is poured out from above; and how great he was in heaven whom they venerated on earth, the experience of his merits immediately declared. For the girl, heard in her petition, as the Count rose from his prayer, she herself also rose with the light of her eyes restored: she beholds the beholders: about the misery of her own and the mercy of the Saint, by showing more than by proclaiming, she instructs the Marquis and his Nobles: to the admiration of his power she converts all who were present. He ceases, prays, and praise succeeds, to which the attestation of the Prince and his Nobles provided an illustrious argument. The crypt was full of people, and resounded with the voices of their joys, singing praises to God on every side. The Prince also, having been personally struck by this miracle, honored the tomb of the Just one with princely gifts, namely two candelabra of lofty dignity, cast from silver. But the girl, fully restored in her eyes, led back with two illustrious leaders instead of one, with the sign of her health, bears with her the praise of God and the glory of the Saint and brings it even to those absent.
[51] There was likewise at Ghent a certain matron, Wistedis by name, A matron suffering from a knotted tumor in her eye, famous in fame and noble in family, rich in the world and not wholly poor in divine things: but because human things never lack any temptation, and the confusion of adversities often succeeds more prosperous things, there also happened to her a certain dangerous onset of illness. A deformed tumor besieged one of her eyes, in the middle of which a knot growing to the measure of a bean, darkening the star-like mirror of the woman, threatened the danger both of her beauty and of the eye. Her mind is bound not so much by pain as by a pious shame of the deformity: the soul of the one in peril is anxious in so great a ruin of piety: but the confidence presuming much on the mercy of God was not lacking to her. And when a certain night had found her thus oppressed in the darkness of sadness; and, as usually happens to those oppressed by grief, amid such great affliction she had fallen asleep a little; immediately there was present to her that customary and pious visitor of the wretched, namely blessed Macarius, comforter of all the mourning. He consoles the grieving one, raises the sleeping woman to hope of healing, and not without the effectiveness of health confirms the promise of recovery. At length the woman, awakening with the very joy of such an illustrious visit, in no way frustrated of that by which while sleeping she had been relieved, the promise of so great a Visitor; as soon as she applied her hand to her eye, as she had been accustomed from pain, and perceiving it entirely cured, found the knot, which had grown in it, lying like a bean upon her breast. How much joy succeeded her sadness, every one sufficiently approves who has ever experienced any misfortune. When morning came she rose sound and joyful, fame running before to her neighbors and
kinswomen, who greatly commiserated with her, she turned into joy: who running to her, she proclaimed the visitation of the Saint, and showing that which had fallen from her eye, with many accompanying her she came to the tomb, where giving thanks to God she fulfilled gifts and vows.
[52] A man suffering from a hopeless blockage, A certain man of Ostburg also, Manninus by name, who, condemned with a most pitiable calamity of body beyond human endurance, was led by some of his kinfolk to the same memorial of the blessed man. Worst certain secret troubles of the interior were torturing the wretched man, an invisible fire was burning the interior of the passageways and the genitals; whenever, with the passage of the bowel denied, whatever was put in and not sent out was cooking the remaining passages. The use of nature demanded the material of living, but the necessary emission being shut off threatened danger to life. And when staying there for some days he was frequenting the tomb of the Just one, and by insisting on prayers was striking the ears of God's friend with pitiable wailing; at length by supernal mercy he deserved consolation, namely by the intercession of blessed Macarius the fullest liberation: and thus restored to health, and himself also becoming a herald of the merits of the blessed Confessor among those absent, after so great a dissolution of body, revived through the friend of God, he returned home well and joyful.
[53] Nor only in that place of his happy memory, but also in more remote places, some things worthy of relating have often been shown by his merits. A mortality of animals is stopped: Among the maritimes, finally, a certain Gunduwachar, enlarged with very ample possessions, was also enriched by innumerable enlargement of herds of cattle and flocks of sheep: but the fact of his possession was greater than its fame, if fortune the stepmother of felicity had not a little opposed her back to him. For a pestilence, an enemy to possessors, entering the fortunate house of the rich man, with the cattle shed emptied, was bringing the detestable misfortune of poverty. The pestilential disease in its usual manner raged, inside the house and outside, by droves it lays low the flocks: which matter renders the mind of the possessor too anxious from future poverty: which if fortune had been permitted, she would have mocked him so much that, besides sorrow, she would have left nothing to the man. But quickly he takes healing counsel, and not yet fasting, by the fame of the merits of St. Macarius he flees to his intercession: he promises a candle, and overthrows fortune's purpose. As soon as the votive promise went forth from his mouth and heart, without loss even of one beast, that most evil destruction ceased thereafter; and there is made, not for a candle of barely one penny, but through the mercy of the Saint, a redemption of such great fortune. So the father of the family, mercifully freed from impending loss, and about the mercy of his liberator, which had been so evidently experienced by him, now secure thereafter, learned no longer to fear fortune, as long as he would be willing to promise the Saint a candle of even one small coin.
[54] Nor is that to be passed over in silence, how much Adalard of Tournai experienced his mercy in judgment. This man, as is the custom of possessors, for the sake of convenient gain, An innocent man thrown into prison as the celebration of St. Bavo was impending, loaded his ship with wool, and flew to Ghent with other merchants gathering wares to the same market from everywhere. Where when he had set out his goods for sale, and among the other merchants was exercising the mercantile art, an accusation was made against him before the tax collectors, uncertain whether accusation or imputation: whence—since no excuse could be made for this charge, though false—he is seized into the public: forensic judgment proceeds over him; and as one can believe, he would then have preferred to be at Tournai rather than at Ghent. He receives sentence judicially, by the censure of the judge is forced into prison, with his feet in stocks, and his arms twisted behind his back, he felt judicial indignation. Which tortures while he could scarcely bear, even among the torments faith was present, that he might implore the aid of the glorious Confessor. Then with fear first put to flight, his mind a little recalled to itself, and gradually revived from the flight long since drawn from his mind, he promises a candle as the reward of his release; not uncertain about the merits of the Saint. He is released by the Saint appearing, At whose invocation, not with the chains yet loosed, but the pains; with his eyes raised on high, whose liberty he still used, though in darkness; weeping he was invoking the glorious friend of God with prayers, and sweetly recalling to his memory the fame of his mercies.
[55] But behold, amid the tears which that penal place rightly drew out, the dark prison is rendered illumined by supernal brightness: and with the very light, the bonds being loosened, the invoked Confessor standing by the guilty man commands him, relieved of manifold cares, to be secure for the rest: and thus loosed from chains and cares, he indulged sleep for the remainder of the night. The jailer, however, seized with great stupor, scarcely daring to look at him whom he had received to guard, was marveling at the light sent in with searching curiosity. When morning came the matter became known to many, wondering how he had been loosed. The jailer not well credulous, thinking him loosed by his own negligence, doubled the chains, fortified the locks manifoldly: but the Lord of powers multiplied the glory of his Confessor by a repeated liberation. And again he is released from his chains free: For on the following night, compelled by the sharpness of the punishments, to the same liberator with voice and tears suppliantly began to cry. Nor without light did St. Macarius again appear, opened the locks, loosed the one invoking him from all chains and punishments. With the light restored, the fame rousing the peoples, there is a running up from every side: the guilty man, by the intervention of the Saint having obtained freedom, is led out of prison: with him likewise they go to the tomb of the Confessor: God is praised in common. Prostrated on the ground he gave thanks, gave the candle which he had promised, and well instructed to relate to the Tournacians for how much the wool would have been sold in Ghent, if St. Macarius had not come to his aid, he departed with joy.
[56] A certain youth named Adalardus, already known by fame through miserable rumor in more places than was expedient for him, A paralytic lacking step and mind was so weakened by the dissolution of paralysis in all his limbs, that creeping on his arms, dragging the rest of his body behind him, he seemed more a serpent than a biped man, not walking with human steps. A foul certain trembling was also in all his limbs, so much so that if anything of alms was given to him, no receiving of the hands could come to his aid; but living uselessly, he was the pitiable expectation of the living: and what was worse than all these things, he was captured in mind and spirit with such great stupidity inwardly, that nothing was worse than that infirmity. The omnipotent Artificer had left in him whatever was imperfect, that in him the human race might see the mirror of his omnipotence; and from his misery at length, with the eyes of all satisfied, through his recovery it might appear to the faithful how much that blessed exile availed with prayers before Christ the liberator. For embracing with pitiable rollings the pavement of the temple, He is granted health of body and mind. and in the sorrowful condition of his limbs, crept bent manifoldly, at length with pitiable winding he slides crawling to the tomb of so great an intercessor. Where murmuring something with his usual stupidity (nor did he know how to invoke God or the Saint for his aid) he is heard better than he himself knew how to beg: he is heard not the prayer, but the necessity; not the intention, but the deformity. That shapeless temple is raised up, and tottering in childlike attempt with his steps, without firm stability of the limbs, yet step by step he began to walk in the sight of the bystanders. And thus delayed there for some time, and daily visiting the tomb of the friend of God, strengthened in body and mind, at length he departed entirely reformed from his former infirmity. b
NOTES.
CHAPTER VII.
The solemn elevation of the body.
[57] Therefore since the sepulchral place of blessed Macarius was famous with illustrious signs of miracles, and the merits of his sanctity flourished far and wide with wondrous works of diverse cures, because divine; From the desire of the people the religious intention preoccupied the hearts and mouths of the peoples of the whole neighborhood, and from the intention a most pious entreaty, that at some time it might be permitted them by God to see the most celebrated elevation of his sacred body. And since the voice of the people is the voice of God, when the Abbot and monks were most affected with that intention, with God disposing when it pleased him, at length they were not frustrated of their desire. For the Omnipotent, always a lover of a just petition, and though most pious hearer with some delay, after some changes of things and successions of times, led the desire of such great dignity, when and how he willed, happily to effect. For Eremboldus, the memorable Father, after he was taken from human miseries by divine calling, namely by whom that blessed exile was received, having spent some time with paternal charity, and thus having passed away, had left the inheritance of succession and departure in its order and time to three Abbots in the same monastery after him, before the time of that sacred elevation, so long sighed for by many, should press. The greater church also, which formerly had been dedicated in honor of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles by St. Amand the Bishop, After a new church had been built, cast down by the destruction of age, and rebuilt from the foundations decently improving the principal buildings, awaited the time and most desired day of its consecration and dedication.
[58] While therefore that venerable place fluctuated for some time in hostile delay of such matters to be fulfilled; at length by divine ordination and the election of the Brothers or Elders, under Abbot Sigerus Abbot Sigerus was ordained in the same monastery, a man indeed not little approved in prudence and experience of mind; although in the same business (being Provost of the same place) at the time of his predecessors he had labored much, the effect of the matter had not come to fulfillment. For since all things have their time, his ordination all these things were awaiting, that they might come to effectiveness; just as to none of the Kings up to Solomon was it given to build the house of God. When he, supported by the favor of many and especially the courtiers, had conciliated to himself the mind of his senior, Count b Baldwin; and under Count Baldwin, he aspired to the dedication of the principal church and the elevation of the holy body.
[60] Nor did he cease from his undertaking, until, with expenses and gifts gathered, with necessary preparation, he invites c Baldwin Bishop of Noyon (because it was of his diocese) with monitory letters, by the Bishops Baldwin of Noyon and Lietbertus of Cambrai and d Lietbertus Bishop of Cambrai with precatory letters, to fulfill the business on the appointed day; he also invites Abbots and some clerics of the same Marquisate, that with the Relics of Saints they might be present at the elevation of the sacred body and the dedication of the elder church; that veneration and decency might not be lacking, which it was fitting to be present to holiness. Count Baldwin was also present with his nobles: in the presence of Philip King of the Franks, Count Baldwin with his own, under whom, spending the years of childhood, there was present the illustrious King of the Franks e Philip; f Adela also the wife of the Count, and his son the Count of Hainaut, namesake of his father, g Baldwin: but such a multitude of people flowed together from diverse provinces, as scarcely anyone has yet seen anywhere gathered into one place. For the most desired day was pressing, from all the peoples of the neighborhood, with so many
years' courses sighed for in desire; the day, I say, about to be experienced with wonderful novelty, how much the exile of that friend of God availed with God.
[61] But there was not yet lacking, even among so many prudent men, a hostile temptation; while at the instigation of some deceived with sinister intention, not-yet-well-quieted envy strives to subvert the now impending elevation of the holy body, already bearing the joys of common gladness. In vain did some, grumbling, For among the Princes and Prelates, a certain controversy of worst suggestion crept in; some saying that the holy body should not be lifted from the ground, unless first the stone placed on top of the tomb should prove the merit of the one buried, suspended in the air by divine support, as it seemed to them, not without labor for God or the injury of the burden. O counsel without salt! Which was greater, for the Lord to favor his servant, to relieve the blind, deaf, or lame and those cast down with diverse infirmities; or to lift one stone from the earth a little by his omnipotence? Surely a knot is sought in a bulrush: the sentence is plain, if one contrives no sinister thing in judgment, as immediately appeared in the same little assembly of the faithful. Others indeed, execrating, in whom was sounder counsel, said it was injurious even by the very thought, that God should be tested in any way, and the merit of his friend prejudged: that so many powers and signs of cures sufficed as a sign of sanctity, namely the stools, staves, and other spoils of misery that hung around his tomb.
[62] And because the whole matter was being handled by divine disposition, for the willing and the unwilling one and the same approval of the sentence suddenly settled, the multitude of the people running up, that without delay the elevation of the holy body should be done. Which when the people, shut out from the church, had perceived through the growing rumor, such a multitude rushed in, that the very broad compass around the church could scarcely contain them without narrowness: so great was the incursion of those tumultuous with force against the doors of the church, that the strength of the bolts could hardly hold them. But with the interior strongly bolted, with litanies and due veneration, the treasure of such great preciousness is dug up and set forth limb by limb upon a precious cloak. Not the gold of Arabia, The body of St. Macarius is elevated, but the flower of Armenia, and the mourning of Syria; the glory of Flanders, and the adornment of the Ghentians; now reigning in heaven, but once a pilgrim exile on earth for God. The sweetness of piety sweetened the hearts of those present: pious contrition of heart drew forth from the Princes themselves a fountain of tears, no one's vitals did the tearful devotion pass by: the exultation of the monks with loud weeping in the praise of Christ was surpassing the tears of all: because namely before their eyes appeared the intact finding of the blessed body, which some jealous slander had spread abroad as having been stolen, to detract from the dignity of the place.
[63] But while such things, before few, are gloriously done on earth; the King of Angels, before all the shut-out multitude, deigns to show more gloriously the merit of his exile in heaven, namely to reprove the unbelief of any doubt. With two circular orbs appearing in the air with the sign of the Cross: For two circular orbs suddenly appeared in the air, like crowns; the greater of which encompassed the whole courtyard along with the people, but the lesser was illuminating the compass of the temple alone, in which the holy body was being elevated: in the middle of which the sign of the holy cross was shining, visible with a golden brightness. At the sight of these, the immense clamor of the people was raised to heaven with an outpouring of tears: breasts are beaten: from those who were outside, to those shut in within, the wonderful sign is proclaimed: one of whom, going out with a few, namely h Godescalcus Provost of Nivelles, nowhere without doubt forgetting the etymology of his famous name, after he had for some time sighing beheld the sign of such novelty, returning with tears, led out the King and Count, the Countess also and the others, to see. Where longer intent, nor satisfied of eye with new wonder, at length they return to more devoutly complete what they had begun. The body is placed in a shrine, it is placed in a shrine with Te Deum laudamus sung, glorified from God with such brightness; and now not by human, but by divine indication, it is acclaimed as to be placed among the other bodies of Saints. And thus with the doors of the whole church unbarred; as the Bishop of Noyon intoned the hymn Te Deum laudamus, not without danger to the life of some, all the people rushed in: and with the shrine lifted up, the holy body is carried out to be placed among the others. With what difficulty and sweat of labor it was brought forth, no one, as I believe, has more certainly experienced, than those who, nearly oppressed by the onrush of the peoples, had to carry the bearer of the sacred body. But the voice of the peoples was made like the sound of many waters, there is a pushing and pushing back of those laboring to reach the case of the sacred body, and thus wishing to offer gifts to the friend of God.
[64] But the guardians of the altar and bier, since they were unable to bear the onslaught and pressure of the great people, caused it to be loudly cried out among the people, that going out from the church they should wait outside; that the holy body was to be borne to the place called Mount of St. Pancras i, that they might there obtain freer access. It is borne to Mount St. Pancras, By which pledge at length for a little broken, exhorting each other in turn, and going out with the greatest tumult, they occupied all the ways and the space of the whole courtyard: others however remained, others went ahead up to the Mount of St. Pancras. The holy body is brought forth in the bier; with the great diligence of monks and clergy: it is led, not without the lamentation of the people mixed with joy; and with an infinite multitude filled, passing with great labor through the courtyard, violently dragging rather than carrying, they came to the summit of the aforesaid mount. Where how eager was the devotion of the people worthy of God, how wonderful, how joyful, cannot be followed in writing: and because the multitude was of such numerousness, that the broadest field could not altogether contain them in one place; and all nonetheless with popular roaring thrust themselves to endow the most holy body; again it was proposed by proclamation with a shout, that they should pass on to the mount k of Livinus, then to Mount St. Livinus, by whose breadth spread out, they would more freely approach and withdraw, and labor less.
[65] But when with every labor and narrowness it was reached, the place and holy body is so crowded and oppressed by the density of the people, that, unless by the sagacious ingenuity of the Abbot it were removed from them, the very new joining and enclosure of the holy relics would be in danger even to the point of dissolution: who mounting a horse with certain Brothers and men of virtues, not without the greatest labor even of a military hand, violently snatched from their midst, It is brought back and placed in the oratory of the Mother of God: in a fugitive haste, and not by the way they had come, caused it to be brought back to the monastery; and meanwhile secretly and as if by theft decently placed in the oratory of the holy Mother of God, which is within the compass of the cloister. You might have seen the people, running after him from the higher parts of the mount, no otherwise than water rushing headlong from lofty mountains: anyone who had not been able to honor him with his gifts considered it an irreparable loss for himself and was indignant at being shut out. And thus deceived by a pious fraud of necessity, with all doors of the cloister and church strongly bolted, he is honored with offerings: they stood outside, with hands suppliantly stretched to heaven; and begging to be admitted, they sought with pious wailing him taken from them by theft. But when, the danger of crowding preventing, they could in no way achieve the effect of their will; some, bearing themselves more restrainedly, obtained from the Abbot and Brothers a hidden entrance; through which entering, at length with permission they satisfied their vows after their desire.
[66] With these things therefore performed with divine piety, that happy day, than which none more happy shone on the men of Ghent, is closed with the sun setting: The monks spend the night in vigil. the tired and joyful people returns each to his own. With bodies scarcely refreshed a little with food, the pious sweetness of the Brothers delighted to keep vigil the whole night with tears and psalms and praises before the once pilgrim guest, but now reigning Patron. And thus the church, first consecrated in honor of the Prince of the Apostles, and now in honor of our Lord and all the Saints, with so great a guest enthroned happily in his place with his other guests, rejoices, through him and in him, whose kingdom is without end. Amen.
NOTES.
ANALECTA
concerning the miracles and patronage of St. Macarius.
Macarius, Archbishop of Antioch, at Ghent in Flanders (St.)
FROM VARIOUS SOURCES
[1] From a Flemish version it is had Oliverius de Langhe, Prior of the monastery of St. Bavo, whose memorable and grateful work to God in translating the Life of St. Coleta from Latin into Flemish we praised in the Commentary on the Life of the same Saint, no. 4, on the 6th
of March, in the sixth year before that writing, namely 1435, likewise exercised his Flemish style in translating the miracles of St. Macarius, as John Schattemannus, Pastor of the church of St. Macarius at Laerne, who wrote a very accurate little book on the Life of the Saint in the Flemish tongue, and in the second edition published a much augmented one at Ghent in the year 1641, testifies that he read them in the parchment autograph; whence we, drawing out what is lacking in our Latin manuscripts, again render them to Latinity, until the original and integral text of the miracles be unearthed from darkness.
[2] A paralytic healed, "Be sober and watch," says Peter the Apostle, "because your adversary the devil goes about seeking whom he may devour." A certain Deacon, rich and noble, thought little of this: whence on a certain night, pressed with grave thirst, while he was in vain calling a servant fast asleep to bring him drink; angrily he repeated the call with a command, saying, "Rise, devil, and bring me drink." The wicked demon, more wakeful than the servant, heard the one calling him, and readily running up, offered a cup to the thirsty man. Who forgetting to sign it with the cross, together with the drink drew in such great infirmity that he could henceforth take no food or drink, unless helped by the hands of others. The unfortunate man spent a whole seven years in that calamity, experiencing no help from physicians; when, having heard of the miracles of St. Macarius, on his feast day he ordered himself to be carried to the Saint's tomb: where spending the night in prayer with tears, he recovered his former health. And this indeed was before the translation of the body: after it were done those things which follow.
[3] and a fortunate fishing, On the very joyful day of the body elevated, certain fishermen intent on their work around the monastery of St. Bavo, when they had caught nothing though laboring all that day, at length tired and sad toward evening made a last cast in the name of St. Macarius; and they caught such a multitude of fish, that they could scarcely draw in the nets.
[4] Two lame men cured, On the other feast of the Saint recurring, when his sacred relics were being borne in processional pomp to the mount, four miracles were performed. For first a certain man, lame and weak for 14 years, touching the bier of the sacred body, invoking St. Macarius, received free power of walking. Another, moving his body with two stools, and having followed the procession all the way to the mount, while divine services were being celebrated there with the bier deposited, received sudden health, at the sound of a voice proceeding from the very chest, but understood by no one; except as the miraculous healing I mentioned indicated its author. Thirdly, to another accompanying the same procession, and one hurt in the arm, within the greater gate of the cemetery the pressing of the crowded multitude broke his arm: who nevertheless did not cease to pursue the votive journey; trusting that he through whose cause he had incurred the danger would also drive it away. Nor was the hope in vain, for while going, he felt his arm becoming whole. Miraculous brightness and fragrance. The fourth miracle happened in the temple itself: for when the Religious were very fearful of the future compression of the people within it, they thought it more advisable in the more open courtyard of the temple to place the relics upon the altar of St. Peter. This done, a great brightness from heaven filled the place, illustrating especially the bier and the cross, and a most sweet odor diffused from there soothed the senses of all present.
[5] A penitent freed from his bond, A certain penitent had girded one of his arms with an iron ring, so tightly that he suffered much discomfort from it; with the purpose however of not laying it down until by some divine sign he should understand that his sins had been remitted to him. He therefore came to the body of St. Macarius, where asking to be loosed from the bonds of soul and body, while in the midst of the people he was insisting on prayer, the ring broken in three parts sprang from his arm. A mute and deaf woman healed, The fame of this matter reached a woman deaf and mute from birth, who with the hope of obtaining health had made nine pilgrimages to Rome, and had eagerly visited the sacred places along the way. On the feast of Pentecost therefore, also coming to St. Macarius as a suppliant, she obtained her vow.
[6] A submerged girl is brought back to life In the year 1153 on the 10th of May, when in the church of St. Bavo the annual celebration of dedication was being held, and the bier of St. Macarius was being carried out after the office of Mass to the mount, with the clergy going before and the innumerable multitude of people following; there was among others a certain inhabitant of the parish of Laerne together with his wife. Returning home, they found the daughter, whom alone they had left there, suffocated in a well; whence the father, drawing out the dead child, with certain hope of obtaining grace, carried her to the church in that place, established under the name of St. Macarius. Then prayers were poured out commonly by her parents and their neighbors: among which the girl revived, and within the octave of the dedication was gratefully led to the temple of St. Bavo, and made public the benefit done to her, and gave thanks to God and the Saint together with her parents and neighbors.
[7] In the Laerne church of St. Macarius. Laerne is situated in the extreme bounds of the territory of Dendermonde, two leagues from Ghent, with an ancient castle, whose Lords of the place greatly adorned the parish church by the foundation of an anniversary to be celebrated for their souls and those of their ancestors, and with frequent munificence for the support of the poor and the building of the church: which although from the year 1153 bore the title of St. Macarius, could yet by some centuries have been earlier than its Patron, under the designation of Sts. Blaise and Hubert, for their images together with the image of St. Macarius in the year 1641, when Schattemannus was publishing his little book, were still seen in the altar. The same Lords of Laerne in the preceding century enlarged the triple choir of the church, and having introduced vaulting, covered it. But with the same unhappy century growing old, with heretics raging through Belgium in the year 1583, the church was burnt: in which with its ornaments, also many writings perished, pertaining to St. Macarius and his miracles. But since the wise man reminds that there is a time to destroy and a time to build, the ruin was restored not long after, and new bells were cast from metal, most of which show the imprinted name of St. Macarius.
[8] Where his feast is held on the 2nd day of Pentecost; The annual feast of the dedicated church with solemn procession was held from all past memory, on the second feria of Pentecost in honor of St. Macarius, and that with great increase of popular piety, as often as the waters permitted, frequently overflowing at such time of year around the Mana and Merta: and so, a humble little petition being formed, the Most Reverend Bishop of Ghent Franciscus vander Burcht was humbly asked, that it might be permitted to restrict the aforesaid procession within narrower limits: which on the year 1614, on the 10th of May, he granted. Ancient and famous also is the confraternity of St. Macarius in the same parish, of which matter even now a little book is witness with this title: "There follow the Brothers and Sisters of St. Macarius, Patron against the plague, inscribed in the church of Laerne in the year 1485": from which it appears that not only commoners and natives, but also noble men and matrons of the district of Ghent, very many, wished to be enrolled in the same confraternity. To incite even more their number and devotion, Gregory XV, and an ancient confraternity, granted to them ample Indulgences, under the day of the 27th of March in the year 1621, the first year of his Pontificate, by a bull which the often-named little book presents in Latin and Flemish. This devotion of the men of Laerne toward St. Macarius, moreover, is founded in an ancient tradition received from their ancestors, that St. Macarius came to them, when having left the monastery of St. Bavo he had undertaken the journey to his homeland. Of this tradition, the elders of the municipality are witnesses, affirming that they remember having so read it in the bulls, which before the burning of the church used to be publicly exposed on the feast itself; and thus they heard from the pulpit from those who then spoke the words before the people.
[9] Also in the present century a more effective incitement to popular devotion was added, by the benefit of the Bishop of Ghent Masius, concerning which we received the following instrument, described from the original by the hand of the Episcopal notary, thus: "Carolus Masius, A part of an arm given by Bishop Masius. by the grace of God and the Apostolic See Bishop of Ghent, to all who shall see these present letters, health in the Lord. When in the visitation of our Cathedral Church we had found eleven cases of holy Relics, and among them one with the inscription of St. Macarius, we took care to have it opened with all the others in the chapter room of our church, in our presence and that of all the Lords, on the 25th of February: and at the instance of the Lord Pastor and Parishioners of the place of Laerne, and with the permission of the Reverend Lords, the Provost, Dean, and Chapter of our church, we took a part of the arm from the same holy relics and body of St. Macarius Archbishop of Antioch, with the reverence that was fitting; which we handed into the hands of the aforesaid Lord John Schattemann, Pastor at Laerne, that he, enclosing it in gold or silver and decently adorning it, might publicly and reverently expose it in his church, to his people and others coming for the sake of devotion, and reverently preserve it. Given at Ghent in the year of our Lord 1611, on the 13th day of the month of May, under our signature and seal." It was subscribed, "Carolus Masius, Bishop of Ghent," and signed with the small seal of the said Most Reverend Lord.
[10] And a marble altar To promote finally the cult and veneration of St. Macarius, in place of the obsolete altar of the same St. Macarius, a new and elegant one of marble was constructed, and the whole face of the chapel was renewed from the munificence of the most illustrious Lord Gerardus van Vilsteren, of the noble and always known House of Vilsteren in Overijssel, one of the seventeen provinces of Belgium; who is now Baron of Laerne and Royal Commissary for renewing for the King the magistracies of the cities through Flanders: of whose liberal hospitality we at one time used, we are glad to have had the occasion to honor St. Macarius in the said place, and also to celebrate the sacrifice of the Mass in his church.
[11] Arnoldus Rayssius in Hierogazophylacium Belgicum, page 547, writes Relics at Mons, that in the noble collegiate Church of the Lady Canonesses at Mons in Hainaut, sacred to St. Waltrude, the arm of St. Macarius, Patriarch of Antioch, singular Protector against the plague, is preserved. This Relic was given to that city by the Ghentians, when they had honored the holy Prelate's body lent to them with a distinguished silver case, in that year and on that occasion which is appended at the end of the MS. Chronicle of St. Bavo in these words: "At Mons in Hainaut, in the year 1615, with a pestilence raging beyond measure, the inhabitants fled to the R. D. Abbot of the monastery of St. Adrian in the city of Geraardsbergen, humbly begging that the Relics of the aforesaid Saint, preserved there, be granted to them to placate God. The Abbot assented; but on account of the excitement and tumult of the people, from the year 1615, the wretched ones could not enjoy the grace assigned to them, nor transfer to themselves the desired pledge, in which they had piously placed the hope of health. Meanwhile the pestilent contagion crept more and more, taking away many daily: whose lot the Most Reverend Dom Henricus Franciscus vander Burght, Bishop of Ghent, pitying, with the assent of the Provost, Dean, and Chapter
of St. Bavo, sent them the Relics which were over at Ghent: at whose presence, with the air soon purged, the mortality began to cease, and the contagion gradually to disappear."
[12] That there exist public letters of this benefit, Mireus asserts in the Belgian Fasti, Raissius in the Gazophylacium, Sanderus in book 3 of Flandria Illustrata: Schattemannus brings them forth in Flemish from the French, as we believe, when the city was laboring with the plague we give them in Latin from the Flemish in this tenor: "To all who shall see or hear these read, greeting. We, the aldermen of Mons, make known, that when it had pleased God Almighty to visit and chastise the city of Mons in Hainaut with a contagious disease of pestilence, at the beginning of June in the year 1615; and the same was raging so much during that whole month that it could no longer be concealed or doubted, at the beginning of August we turned our hearts to the supreme clemency of God, to be implored through the merits of Saints. Remembering therefore how we had formerly been freed from a similar evil by the intercession of St. Adrian, we offered a suppliant petition to the Reverend Prelate of Geraardsbergen, that the Relics of that Saint be sent to us. The Prelate was inclined to our vows, but with the people of the place disturbing the matter he could not comply with us. Meanwhile the fame spreads of the aid denied to those in peril, obtained that the body of the Saint be sent to them; moved by which the Most Reverend Dom Franciscus vander Burght, Bishop of Ghent, nominated Archbishop of Cambrai, piously sympathizing with us, signified through letters, that among the Relics of the saints resting at Ghent there was the body of St. Macarius, through whose aid he hoped that the end of the pestilence might be obtained, nor doubted that it would easily be obtained from the Chapter Lords, if the Magistracy of Mons should request it. Therefore the Magistracy asked the Reverend Dom Prelate of St. Denys to go to Ghent and petition this favor from the Most Reverend Bishop and Chapter of the Cathedral church of St. Bavo. Who, having fulfilled his legation and also having become possessed of his wish, brought with him the sacred bier on the 25th of September. and present, experienced its aid It was received with great joy of the people, and was held with much reverence: whence it happened that with the merits of the saint interceding, all felt manifest aid, with the contagious evil languishing day by day, and the city at length fully freed, in the month of March of the year 1616. Further, to make it clearer to all, that that remission of the contagious disease should be ascribed to the aid of the Saint interceding for us, it was observed, that from that very day on which a silversmith had begun to fashion the chest for the holy relics, committed to him by the Magistracy, no house at all was newly infected with the plague, and those which had been infected before, with the number of the sick and dying diminishing daily, were gradually entirely purged: as it was clear to us after an accurate scrutiny of each. In witness of which we have caused the seal of the city to be appended hereto, on the 25th of July, in the year 1616."
[13] It sent it back with a new silver case That silver chest, according to the aforementioned appendix of the Bavonian chronicle, is three feet long, one foot and two or three inches tall and wide; which four couchant lions cast from bronze support at the four corners. The lowest edge of the case these words running around fill: "Blessed Macarius, sent from Ghent, calms and conquers the plague cruelly raging at Mons in Hainaut in the year 1615: the Clergy, Senate, and People with joy send back the victor, placed in this case, 1616." Each side, with finely wrought silver, represents certain miracles performed while he was living, at Tournai, Cambrai, Ghent, Mechelen; each likewise has in the middle the image of some Saint; and indeed of Sts. Macarius and Bavo in such a way, that over the head of each hang the arms of the city of Mons, but at the feet of St. Macarius is affixed the seal of Bishop vander Burght, at the feet of St. Bavo the seal of the Ghent Chapter: but the images of Sts. Germanus and Waldetrude have only a single seal added, the latter of the Canonesses, the former of the Canons so called. On the side that bears St. Waldetrude, there is also seen an inscription of this kind, in French words but expressed in Greek letters: ΦΑΙΚΥ ΑΜΟΝΣ ΠΑΡΥΓΩ ΛΑΒΙΓΝΕ, faict à Mons par Vgo la Vigne; as if the craftsman intended to reveal his name only to those skilled in Greek letters and in the French language alike, and to give the others matter for divination.
[14] Moreover, the Relics sent to Mons on the 23rd of September, were received at Ghent with the new silver case, which is received at Ghent in solemn pomp in 1616, on the 24th of the following July, and in a solemn supplication of the whole city, led from the smaller Beguinage to the Cathedral by the Most Reverend Bishop of Ghent pontifically robed; the bier being borne by four Abbots, themselves also distinguished by pontifical ornament, namely Dom Arsenius Joachim of St. Peter on Mount Blandinium, Dom N. of Loos near Lille, Dom Guilielmus de Castillo of Baudeloo, and Dom Levinus Molinaeus of Tronchiennes. And these indeed bore the glorious burden up to the chapel of St. Catherine: which then all the Canons received in turn up to the Cathedral, and about to enter the church restored it to the Abbots, finally to be borne to the altar itself. At the same solemnity were present three non-mitred Abbots from Hainaut, of Cambron, St. Denys, and St. Ghislain: then the Senate of Mons and the Canons of St. Germanus, accompanying their liberator for the sake of honor and obedience. These things are read in the said appendix, but a little more diffusely and confusedly.
[15] And with the relics translated into it, a part is given to the men of Mons: On the following day, namely July 25, as Schattemannus narrates, the Most Reverend Bishop of Ghent, before the venerable Chapter and many others, transferred the bones of the sacred body from the old case to the new silver one: and handed to the Reverend and Dom Henry Abbot of St. Denys, one of the bones to be carried back to Mons, in thanksgiving for so distinguished a gift: which, enclosed in a silver reliquary, is kept in the church of St. Waldetrude upon the altar; long ago built under the name of St. Macarius by pious men who had translated themselves from the Ghent Clergy to Mons; in which also on this occasion the exposed case had stood, during the whole space of those three months illuminated and frequented with most frequent lights and daily Masses. And from this time, by the care of a Sodality, established there under the patronage of the same Saint, every Sunday a solemn Mass is sung of that Saint. Nor is he so venerated only at Mons, but also at Obourg, a Domain belonging to the Abbot of St. Denys, Obourg is freed from contagion, not far from the city of Mons. For when the aforesaid Abbot had undertaken the Ghent legation to obtain the body of St. Macarius, as has been said; not even one of that whole parish was afflicted by the plague, although all had much and frequent communication, both inside and outside the city, where the contagion was raging. In recognition of which benefit the Abbot himself took care to have a chapel erected in the same parish at the foot of the mount under the name of St. Macarius, and a Sodality enrolled; placing there the particle from the holy body which also had come to him on the aforesaid occasion.
[16] Likewise Thielt in the year 1631, There is also, as it were in the navel of Flanders, the noble municipality of Thielt, vulgarly Thielt, under the Castellany of Kortrijk, about three leagues from Kortrijk, five from Bruges, and not much further from Ghent; whose inhabitants experienced similar power of the Saint as the men of Mons, invoked against the plague, with the parish priest of the place attesting this in the instrument which Schottemannus presents in Flemish: "We John de Mol, Priest, Licentiate in Sacred Theology, and Pastor of the town of Thielt, and Dean of the surrounding Christianity, and also I. Santvoorde, Consul, and Aldermen of the same town, give undoubted faith, attesting, that when in the summer of the year 1631 the inhabitants of this town had been visited by the Lord with the disease of pestilence; we obtained around the month of October from the Most Reverend Bishop and Reverend Provost, Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral church of St. Bavo of Ghent, for the reason that the contagious disease was lasting long, an image and some Relics of St. Macarius. Which reverently received and piously and processionally carried about, begging the aid of the man of God, we experienced that aid most present, with such success that before the beginning of the following May we were entirely freed from every disease: which after God we referred to the intercession of St. Macarius alone, and returned the image and relics with thanksgiving, and caused these, signed by the hand of the Pastor and Consul, to be fortified by our clerk with the seal of our town, on this 22nd of August 1634." Moreover the image of St. Macarius, according to Molanus, is painted to be an Archbishop, having in his right hand a heart pierced with three nails; but more commonly, says Schattemannus, he is represented holding a stone in his hand, and nails placed on it, namely those with which the Saracens wished to fix him to the ground; which not succeeding, they placed a glowing stone on his breast, as the Life has.
[17] Relics near Geraardsbergen Near Geraardsbergen in the Barony of Boelare there is a parish called Lower Boelare; where from immemorial time St. Macarius is venerated as Patron, both on the 9th of May and on the Sunday following the said day, when the greatest concourse takes place there from everywhere, on account of the Indulgences there granted by the Apostolic See to those then praying, and the notable relics of the same Saint given to that place by Bishop Jacobus Boonen, afterwards raised to the Archbishopric of Mechelen. Finally, in the year 1637 on the 29th of March, the Most Reverend Dom Antonius Triest, Bishop of Ghent, gave to Mag. Nicolaus Outschoorn, Pastor of Pamele within Oudenaarde, two distinguished parts from the body of St. Macarius, and at Oudenaarde. one of which was to be placed in the Pamele church itself, the other in the Abbey of the Benedictines at Einham; in place of the relics of St. Bavo, three parts of which, marvelously found in the Pamele church, the Ghent church had received from the Rev. Dom Hugo Enguianus, Abbot of Einham and Patron of the Pamele church. Which relics of St. Macarius, with joyful meeting of the whole city, and with all civil and military apparatus, were received by the men of Oudenaarde, both citizens and the garrison; and above the high altar, next to the relics of St. Bavo, were most solemnly placed.
[18] It is time for our hurrying discourse to return to Ghent as the goal, and to scrutinize the other memorials of St. Macarius there from antiquity. When around the year 1540 the monastery of St. Bavo, which three years before had been converted into a citadel, was being destroyed; there were preserved, besides part of the church, the refectory, the cloisters, wells, and some other old buildings, partly for memory, partly for use; and they stood as long as the Catholic cause stood unshaken. At Ghent by heretics in 1580 the tomb was destroyed. But in the year 1576 the heretics, rebels against royal majesty, occupied the place, and three years after demolished the remains of the church: as is shown in a certain codex, containing various figures of destroyed monasteries and churches, among which also the aforesaid ruins are noted, with the inscription: "This was a part of the Abbey of St. Bavo, which the Spaniards posted as garrison of the castle had as a church: in which also stood the tomb of St. Macarius with other sepulchres, destroyed in the year 1580." In this castle even now there is held with veneration the well, There remains the well of St. Macarius, called of St. Macarius, within the enclosure of the cloister, to which entrance
is through the crypts or vaults placed beneath the church: and the water taken from it is sought far and wide against fevers; and it is most pure, although within the memory of men that well has never been cleaned out. The cause of this appellation is unknown: only this is known, that not far from the well there is a crypt of St. Mary, which in Life II, no. 64, is called the Oratory of the holy Mother of God, which is within the enclosure of the cloister, in which the holy body was deposited at the time of the elevation, brought there from the mount.
[19] Moreover, in the year 1620 the traces of the old Bavonian basilica were completely obscured and obliterated, when military dwellings were built at the entrance of the castle, beyond the Governor's house at about thirty paces toward the south, opposite the corner of the new church: on which occasion many old monuments were dug up, together with the pavement of the old church, seen by many not without amazement. And in the year 1260, with the plague raging Notwithstanding, however, this ruin and the translation of the body of St. Macarius to the Cathedral church, divine providence willed that in the castle itself the veneration of the holy Bishop should flourish again, and that his dwelling or cell should be converted into a devout chapel. For when in the year 1634 a grievous pestilence had fallen upon the men of Ghent, first a general supplication was instituted with the body of St. Macarius: then particular supplications on consecutive days, a supplication was instituted: to the number of the parish and cloistral churches; each of which in procession brought to itself the sacred pledge; and after having exposed it for adoration through the whole day, with similar pomp toward evening they carried it back to the church of St. Bavo. The last lot, falling on July 23, went to the Castle parish, where the procession was received with the festive roar of all the cannons: but it seemed lamentable to all that in that place, which Macarius had sanctified by his life and death and innumerable miracles, no chapel or altar of his remained in which the body might be laid.
[20] When this was reported to the Magistracy, over which the Chief Alderman Dom Judocus Triest then presided, and the surviving chapel among the ruins Knight and Lord of Lovendegem; and at the same time it was made known that a certain round little tower, nearest to the well of St. Macarius, and then filled with warlike equipment, was believed to have been the Saint's very cell, and that in it the body had rested while it had been brought hither from the Mount; it was judged by common sentence that the place should be inspected, and if found suitable, converted into a chapel. No sooner said than done: the Magistracy went there, and found the entrance into the crypt in the church of today, from the side of the high altar, covered by a vault, through twenty-three steps. Therefore workmen were immediately hired, who were to complete the appointed work as swiftly as possible. Meanwhile, it pleased God to transfer the pestilence from the city, now freed by His favor and the intercessions of the Saint, into the castle. The sick multiplied, and new funerals were carried out daily: it is restored under the name of the Saint, which the Pastor, the Rev. Dom Alphonsus Lopez, Licentiate, seeing with the deepest feeling of his soul, begged the Most Reverend Bishop of Ghent, that with his gracious leave it be permitted him to dedicate the new chapel, by saying a Mass there over a portable altar. The Bishop assented in so pressing a necessity, and with all things duly prepared, the first sacrifice of the Mass was offered there on the 5th of June of the year 1635. And behold, with the air soon purged, the contagion ceased, to such an extent that within eight days no house was found to have contracted the plague. Thanks therefore being given to God, something of the relics of St. Macarius was also brought thither, and an annual feast of the translation was instituted on the last Sunday of August, with a solemn procession, [and he is presented with a part of the body, with an annual feast on the last Sunday of August.] in which the Relics themselves, accompanied by the Magistracy, were carried to the church of the castle, and there placed on a magnificent platform, by the light of innumerable torches, and amid the crash of cannons and military artillery. A confraternity was also established, which is daily increased in number, and takes care that a Mass be celebrated weekly there in honor of the Saint. Finally, with pictures expressing the Life of the Saint and various ornaments the place began to be enriched and decorated; to excite the devotion of those who frequently flock there for the sake of prayer. Thus far Schattemannus in his Flemish booklet on the Life of St. Macarius.
ON BLESSED PATERNUS THE RECLUSE,
AT PADERBORN IN LOWER SAXONY.
IN THE YEAR 1058
CommentaryPaternus the Recluse, at Paderborn in Westphalia (B.)
FROM MS.
The springs of the Pader, from which Paderborn owes its name, made famous by camps, assemblies, and the frequent hospitality of the Emperors and Kings of Germany and France, and by the royal coronation of St. Cunigunde, Ferdinand adorned with a distinguished monument for the memory of posterity, Paderborn, illustrated by the studies of Bishop Ferdinand, by the grace of God and the Apostolic See Bishop of Paderborn, Coadjutor of Münster, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire and Count of Pyrmont; when he honored them, among the Monuments of Paderborn drawn from Roman, Frankish, and Saxon history and illustrated with notes, with such an epigram.
Here, where the spring of the Pader rises in the middle of the city, I draw my ancient name from the great river Po; Charles, long compelled to contend with doubtful Mars, Chose this place for his camps and counsels: And he commanded the Saxon nation, cleansed by these waters, To bow its proud neck to the true God. Here Leo, brought from the Roman city, consecrated a chapel, The first work of religion. Here was the Seat, renowned, to the Lords of the earth Following in long order, to the Caesars. Here Cunigunde, virgin bride of a virgin husband, Received the royal garlands on her locks by her husband's merits. Let another pass through the seven mouths into the vast sea; No nobler source has a river than I.
[2] See the individual encomia, explained and expounded in the most learned Commentary of the same Most Serene Prince, in the aforementioned most learned book itself: which, when he, in the year 1670 next after its first edition, Blessed Paternus the recluse, (for two years later it came forth enlarged) out of his singular humanity toward us and his most favorable affection toward ecclesiastical antiquities unearthed by us and yet to be unearthed, sent to Antwerp, encouraged us, so that before any other we might in the future appeal to him himself (in whom we understood such a distinguished knowledge of sacred and profane matters pertaining to the diocese of Paderborn to reside), if anything pertaining to the Saints of the same diocese, doubtful or obscure, should occur to us in which we needed outside help. everywhere inscribed in the monastic fasti, Therefore, since Trithemius in book 3 of On the illustrious men of the Order of St. Benedict entitled chapter 324 on St. Paternus the monk: and, following the example of Trithemius, Wion, Dorganius, Menardus, and Bucelinus inserted the same with the title of Saint into the Monastic Martyrologies; while Wilson, Camerarius, and Dempster inserted him into the English and Scottish Fasti; and with these Ferrarius in the general Catalogue, and Simon Martin in The Sacred Relics of the Desert made mention of the same Paternus as a Saint: we (who have many reasons not to trust Trithemius outright in this genre) thought we should have recourse to that place from which we ought to obtain more certain knowledge of his perpetual and present veneration, namely to Paderborn itself and its Bishop Ferdinand, who would teach us by what right the title of Saint was given to Paternus.
[3] He readily granted our wishes; and first indeed made us secure, that, he is piously venerated: (although the neglect of past centuries had abolished both the distinct memory of the miracles wrought by St. Paternus and the knowledge of his tomb, and it is not known that he was ever honored with the religion of an annual feast, nor is he now honored) nevertheless by the constant tradition and piety of the people of Paderborn he was counted and named among the tutelary Saints of the city. Then the same Most Serene Prince communicated to us what he himself had once transcribed at Rome from the autograph chronicle of Marianus Scotus, which is published in a more enlarged edition of his, in these words: "In the year 1058 the city of Podelbrunna with two monasteries, that is, his death from the autograph of Marianus Scotus, of the Bishopric and of the monks, on the Friday before Palm Sunday, was consumed by fire. Now in the monastery of the monks there was a monk named Paternus, a Scot, for many years enclosed, who also had foretold the conflagration. He, seeking martyrdom, went not outside on any account, but burned in his little enclosure, passed through fire into refreshment; and concerning his tomb certain good things are also told. On those very same days, on the Monday after the Octave of Easter, going out from Cologne, for the sake of enclosing myself with the Abbot of Fulda at Fulda, upon the mat in his little enclosure, where upon that same mat he had been burned and had suffered, I prayed."
[4] That these are the genuine words of Marianus we in no way doubt: since that parchment codex (which the Most Serene Prince discovered had been translated from the monastery of St. Martin at Mainz into the Palatine Library and with it into the Vatican, rather to be sought from the autograph than from the printed edition: and judged to be the autograph of Marianus himself) came forth from there first, where the author, after he had lived ten years as a recluse at Fulda, passed the last seventeen years of his life likewise as a recluse, having died in the year 1086. Meanwhile the published edition, much more contracted in this passage, in no small measure obscures the esteem of Marianus for Paternus, and the veneration paid to him by him, when it uses words of this sort: "The city of Podelbrunna with two monasteries on the Friday before Palm Sunday were consumed by fire. Now in the monastery there was a monk named Paternus, a Scot, for many years enclosed, who also had foretold the conflagration; and seeking martyrdom he was burned. On the Monday after the Octave of Easter, going out from Cologne, for the sake of prayer I visited the same place, on account of the good things that are told about his tomb: and thus I came with the Abbot of Fulda to Fulda."
These things, discrepant from the original not lightly, make us desire, the honor of the tomb. that the Chronicle of that author be at some time published more fully and more sincerely from the autograph itself. Meanwhile we leave it to the reader to judge whether what Trithemius writes, that many miracles are read to have been wrought at the tomb of St. Paternus, indicates that some booklet of his miracles had been composed, which has now perished and was read by Trithemius; or whether he himself enlarged the words of Marianus, in which he says that certain good things are told concerning Paternus's tomb, in this manner, being a writer in matters of this sort little careful.
[5] A contemporary of Marianus, but having died 14 years before him, was Blessed Peter Damian the Cardinal, who, in the year following that in which the things we have related from Marianus were done, writing a letter or apologetic opusculum for the resignation of his Bishopric (which is among the opuscula edited in volume 3 of his works, the twentieth), when he had shown by various examples that even to the best servants of God a grievous death sometimes befalls, under such a title, That a servant of God foretells the conflagration of a city, but takes counsel for himself, he weighs the whole history, as it had been narrated to him, in this manner: "That also seems worthy of no dissimilar dread, which, as a certain religious Abbot of the Diocese of Pisa related, I learned. He knew clearly, St. Peter Damian describes the same, because it happened this last summer just passed, that there was in a certain city of the Germans a servant of God, of holy conversation and good reputation, who dwelt in a little cell near a monastery. To him indeed it was revealed, that unless the people should restrain themselves as quickly as possible from their wickedness by penance, within thirty
days their whole city would lie subject to fire. He indeed not only made known the mystery of his vision to the Bishop of the city, but also took care to divulge it without delay through the whole people. They, however, persisting in the malice of their wickedness, judged the man of God to be raving; and, making no account at all of the threats of God, deigned not to correct their deeds. Thereupon the man of God orders whatever was more precious in the monastery to be conveyed into hidden recesses, where they might be kept unharmed from the fires.
[6] Why do I delay in words? At length that mournful day came, and from the seven regions of the city the avenging fire arose. Behold, the monks rush anxiously to the cell of the servant of God, and marvels at the judgments of God concerning his servants, and urgently demand that he not sluggishly go out in the imminent danger. But he utterly refuses, and committing all things to the Divine judgment, awaits unmoved what may please God concerning him. The fire therefore, with balls raging into the stars, occupies everything, pervades everything; and not only sets fire to everything else, but also, alas! — I am loath to say it — burned up the monastery itself and the very servant of God with his whole cell. Which judgment of God is indeed not so much to be discussed as feared. For what gaze of a human mind could penetrate the abyss of the Divine judgments, since He is utterly terrible in His counsels over the sons of men? For who could have believed that he who by revelation merited to recognize the destruction of a city about to perish, would himself be ignorant that he was to be burned up at the same time by the fierce flames?"
Thus far he, and turning himself to the consideration of the fire of hell, from the memory of those flames, he is pricked by the goads of divine fear. Vincent of Beauvais in book 25 of the Speculum Historiale chapter 35 summarizes Peter Damian's narrative, The firmness of his purpose proved by a miracle, after the words of Sigebert in the chronicle, transcribed to some extent from Marianus; but explaining the sense of Marianus in this, that where the latter says that Paternus, seeking martyrdom, was burned, the former writes that "on account of his purpose of enclosure he suffered himself to be burned." That this purpose was pleasing to God, no one could doubt, who will have considered that, with the whole cell burning and the servant of God himself dying among the flames, the little mat on which he was lying remained unburnt.
[7] A similar purpose of not going out of his cell on any account, on April 16, we shall see in St. Drogo, thus speaking to those who exhorted him to go out on account of the raging fire: "I have vowed a vow to the Lord, and I will pay it: but if it shall please the divine goodness that I be consumed by flames, let His will be done." But [His purpose not to be disapproved because death was not hindered by another miracle,] his burnt cell did not harm him, the flames did; they harmed Paternus. Yet it cannot for this reason be said that the purpose of the latter pleased less than that of the former; just as in the martyrs whom the flame consumed, their faith shone no less than in those whom, restrained by divine nod, it spared; as neither was the obedience of the daughter of Jephthah less praiseworthy, who allowed her father's vow to be fulfilled in herself, than that of Isaac, who offered his throat to the knife to fulfill the command of God; although in the latter case the Lord faithful in the promises made to Abraham suspended the execution of the work itself, while in the former case according to the opinion of most He permitted it, the same arbiter of life and death. Saint Peter Damian did not wish to scrutinize the abyss of the divine judgments, nor do we presume to do so; yet we think it may be said not implausibly, that the servant of God, dreading the annoyances of human praises, if he had survived by miracle the flames foretold by him, begged the Lord that He not permit him to survive the burning of the city and monastery.