Alferius

ON SAINT ALFERIUS,

FOUNDER AND FIRST ABBOT OF CAVA IN ITALY.

IN THE YEAR 1050.

Alferius, founder and first Abbot of Cava, in Italy (St.)

G. H.

[1] Cava, a notable city of the Salernitan territory among the Picentini, in the Hither Principate, a province of the kingdom of Naples, owes its origin to the monastery built by Saint Alferius toward the end of the tenth century: when Amatus was presiding over the Church of Salerno, City and monastery of Cava. the last Bishop, and in the year 984 declared Archbishop: "under whom," says Ughelli in volume 7 of Italia sacra, column 511, "the celebrated Cava monastery had its beginning. The beginning, progress, Abbots, and men illustrious both for sanctity and dignity of it, from a short Chronicle transcribed from the autograph documents of the same monastery, the same Ughelli there recounting, produces a Catalogue of the Abbots of the monastery of Cava, in which the first is called Saint Alferius, otherwise Adelferius, who in the year of the Lord 980 constructed the sacred monastery of Cava, its founder and 1st Abbot Saint Alferius: and there was the first Abbot, up to the 1050th year of salvation; in which on the day before the Ides of April, when the Lord's Supper was being commemorated, he gave up the spirit, at the age of 120 years, powerful with the spirit of prophecy, a magnificent raiser of the dead, and famous for innumerable miracles; and he was buried in the most sacred cave, which was changed from his own cell into the oratory of Saint Michael the Archangel: where to this day he rests, worshipped by the pious devotion of the faithful, and obtains benefits, with the Blessed Leo of Lucca, Peter of Salerno, Simeon, Benincasa, and Peter of the same second name: who succeeded the same Saint Alferius in sanctity of life and in the government of the monastery, and departing this life wished to be buried next to him. The life and miracles of this holy man are extant in the book of The Lives of the Holy Fathers of Cava, His Life written by the Abbot of Venosa, once composed by a certain Abbot of the most holy Trinity monastery of Venosa, and written out by Blessed Leo II, Abbot of Cava, in Lombard letters on parchment, which in the library of the Cava monastery is kept with veneration. His festivity is solemnly celebrated under the rite of a double office in the Cava monastery, on the very day of his dormition, April 12. The cited Life of Saint Alferius we here give, transmitted to us from a Cava manuscript, and distinguished, as is our custom, into chapters and numbers, and illustrated with additions and notes. the feast is celebrated on April 12, Of its author we said more on March 4 in the Life of Saint Peter, Bishop of Policastro and third Abbot of Cava, nephew of holy Alferius through his brother."

[2] Paolo Regio, in part 2 of the Saints of the kingdom of Naples, after the Life of Saint Priscus the Bishop, chapter 5, treats of the four holy Abbots of Cava, Epitome of the Life published by Paolo Regio, Ferrari, and in the first place gives some compendium of the Life of Saint Alferius: from which Ferrari in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy composed an epitome, with some errors corrected: because, as he notes, for Victor III Paolo Regio had Victor II, and for the Emperor Henry III he wrote Henry II. But he neglected to avoid the chief mistake of Paolo Regio, by which the death of Saint Alferius is transferred to the year 1098, when with the lunar cycle XVI, solar XV, Dominical letter C, Easter was celebrated on March 28, and April 12 fell on the second feria after the second Paschal Sunday: far from the fifth feria in the Lord's Supper, and the year of Christ 1050. Afterwards however the same Ferrari, weaving the General Catalogue of the Saints who are not in the Roman Martyrology, observed the error, and noted the aforesaid year 1050, with the Life cited from the Annals of Baronius, who mentions him under that year, no. 15, and numbers the fourth year of the Emperor Henry II. A shortened Life of Saint Alferius has been published by Benedictus Gonon, in Book 3 On the Lives of the Fathers of the West, page 169 and following; Simon Martin by Gonon, Martin, Haraeus, in The Sacred Relics of the Desert, page 290 and following; Francisco Haraeus, in The Lives of the Saints on this April 12; and he thinks he died about the year of Christ 1090. But after the year 1050 April 12 does not fall on the Lord's Supper until the year 1123. Arnold Wion inscribed Saint Alferius in his Monastic Martyrology and notes that he was counted in the number of the Saints, and that he learned this from a letter of the most reverend father lord Victorinus Manso of Aversa, Abbot of Cava, who in the year 1589 being about to go to the General Chapter of the Order, Cult in monastic Martyrologies. obtained a declaration of Canonization from the most Illustrious and Reverend Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church deputed over the interpretation and execution of the Sacred Ecumenical Council of Trent, after the Acts had been seen. Thus Wion: whom also the author of the Letter we readily believe; yet we should prefer to see the declaration of Canonization in the proper words of the Cardinals, and to propose it to our Reader for more certain faith: and we shall do the same in a supplement, if anyone should see to communicating it to us. By the example of Wion, Dorgain, Menard, and Bucelinus with a very long encomium from the Acts inscribed Saint Alferius in their Martyrologies. Four Hymns, with several Antiphons and a Prayer, were composed by Angelo Sangrino, Abbot of Monte Cassino, to be sung on his Solemnity, which for the sake of brevity we do not here publish.

LIFE

By the Abbot of Venosa.

From a Cava manuscript and Surius.

Alferius, founder and first Abbot of Cava, in Italy (St.)

BHL Number: 0302

BY THE ABBOT OF VENOSA FROM A MANUSCRIPT.

PROLOGUE.

[1] If, according to the saying of the divine Truth, a candle

is lit for this purpose, that placed upon a candlestick, it may give light to those entering the house; we well carry out the force of the well-spoken saying, The Life of the Saints is compared to a lamp set upon a candlestick, if we more highly lift up the examples of holy men, for the instruction of the less. Matt. 5:15. Indeed, from on high, in the manner of a fire, the more they spread their light of revelation, the better they can invite those whom they illuminate: but when they are great and unknown, they do not put forth the great light they have, because they are hidden in lowly and secret places. And perhaps therefore a lamp is said to be hidden under a bushel, because those who know the shining manner of life of the Saints are designated by the name of the bushel, for the perfect measure which it contains: but they will be expressed from the lower part, when they hide what is known, because through merit they place themselves in a low and abject place. Hence also sacred Scripture declares, saying: "He who hides grain will be cursed among the peoples." Prov. 11:26. For what is figured by the name of grain, unless the examples of the Saints? For of all foods, the food of the grain is more excellent: so the excellent deeds of the perfect are designated by the name of grain: because the more sweetly these are perceived by the minds of the faithful, the more fully they are satisfied as though by a more choice food. and grains given as food. If therefore he who hides grain is cursed; one must carefully watch, that whatever faithful person comes upon the wondrous deeds of the Saints, he may bring them forth by preaching, lest he incur a curse; and he may be in the depths by hiding, who by expounding can become the candlestick of the sublime light. Luke 16:12. Whence also in the Gospel the Lord says: "If you have not been faithful in what is another's, who shall give you what is your own?"

[2] I therefore, both terrified by these and such things, and also invited by the progress of my hearers, have proposed to write the lives and miracles of the venerable Fathers, namely of Alferius, ^a of Leo, of Peter, and of Constabilis, Abbots of Cava: so that since, by God's authorship, the same Cava monastery is of great religious life, [and now the Lives of the 4 Abbots of Cava are proposed to the monks of the Order of Cava.] and now the Order ^b of that religious life is being spread far and wide, those who follow their institution may be kindled by their examples and miracles. Which indeed specially befits you, my Brothers of this kind, whom, with the devout burden of religious life laid upon you, we have brought back to the norm of their order. For you run more devoutly after their steps, if you clearly see that those who preceded you in laboring, from their labor have now come to eternal joys. That this is also fitting for me, none of you doubts: that I, having gone out from that cloister, as from the land of promise, in a distant region ^c have taken up flocks to be fed and multiplied, may set forth the rods of examples of various bark for those to be instructed: so that they who from you through divine grace are made fruitful in spiritual progeny, may not only be green with perpetual incorruption of the flesh, but shining with every variety of virtues. But since in our universal writings we are accustomed to block the approach of rivals with certain obstacles of words, the tender composition of this little work we clothe with no thorns of reprehensions, because with our household on known matters we converse in fraternal affections. To which work indeed we are kindled not with a little blush by our elders, who were unwilling to treat of their own what others had done. ^d For Victor, Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Church, when he was still in the venerable habit presiding ^e over the monastery which was built by our most holy Father Benedict on Monte Cassino, [The Life of Saint Alferius is brought forth from the writings of Pope Victor III,] in the book ^f which he wrote on the miracles of the Saints, made mention of the venerable man Alferius, asserted that he himself had been his familiar, and narrated some of his miracles, just as they had been done by him. The holy man indeed, while he was endeavoring to kindle the souls of his subjects to the heavenly homeland through the examples of the better, sought those things which he wished to produce for their example both near and far. What then must we do of our own, if by others now they are both extolled with wondrous praises, and celebrated with the memory of writers? But because the aforesaid Pontiff wrote some, not all, of the miracles of this venerable man; and from the account of the elder monks. and out of reverence for him we prefix the authority of his writing to our work, and for the edification of our hearers, we supplement many things which either then could lie hidden from him, or were done after his death. Because also recent times of writing are accustomed to be despised, let the reader ascribe the faith of what is said to those reporting, not to the writings: for although we write at this time, we narrate those things which have been told us by the ancient elders of the monastery.

NOTES.

CHAPTER I.

Family, secular and monastic life: the monastery of Cava built, miracles performed.

[3] The man of God Alferius was therefore from the city of Salerno ^a: Saint Alferius of Salerno, in which, when he flourished with good morals, and shone as highly trained in the science of letters, he was joined with great familiarity to the Prince ^b of the same city, and was received among the first of his palace with great honor. Apocrisiarius sent to Gaul. At a certain time, when the matter required that messengers should be sent by the aforesaid Prince to the King of Germany, the venerable man by merit of his probity was chosen, and destined as apocrisiarius (envoy) to Gaul for carrying out the principal affairs. Which however began to be determined not so much by human judgment as by divine: that is, that he who was already counted great in the kingdom of heaven might aim at other things, and come to other things; might seek something, but obtain something else; while he who is supported on earthly things is raised to spiritual and heavenly things.

[4] For when he came to ^c the church of blessed Michael of Clusa, Sick at Clusa he determined to serve God: he fell into a grave bodily illness: by whose impulse, he decided to change his mission, and to leave the affairs of men unfinished, that he might attain to the divine services perfect and whole. Therefore, terrified by the haste, as he thought, of death, he proposed to renounce the world, and to consume what remained of his life in the service of Almighty God. Now a man of very venerable life, ^d Odilo, Abbot of Cluny, had by chance then come to the same monastery: whom when he much asked that he would impose on him the habit of holy religion, Led to Cluny, he receives the monastic habit. he was led to Cluny, and there he was granted to obtain what he piously requested. The holy man therefore, after he had taken the habit of religious life, turned all that strenuousness of the world to divine studies. For he began with great desires to seek supernal things, who was accustomed with great zeal to appear energetic for temporal things. Fleeing therefore the world with all his intention, in a short time he so progressed, that he reached the citadel of holy conversation, and obtained the summit of perfection with the great merits of his labors.

[5] He is set over the monasteries of Salerno, When he had spent much time in the more secret conversation of the cloister, although he was much received by the Brothers, and dear enough to the Father of the monastery, yet at the request of the memorable Prince of Salerno he is sent back, and almost all the monasteries of the same city are committed to him to rule. But the holy man, accustomed to the splendors of internal quiet, was unwilling to be long hindered by the shadows of external affairs. Leaving the city, he went to the side of a high mountain, whose name is Fenestra, the place of his quiet, and first before all ^{e f} made the Cava of Mattelliano the dwelling of monks, he flees to the Cava of Mattelliano: and, as is now openly seen, it was the seminary of our whole multitude: for like a grain from that grain of Gospel wheat, when with perfect contemplation of the land of the living, he died to all the clamors of the world, he gave much fruit of those who imitated him. John 12. There then placed in the secrets of a huge and terrifying cave, alone giving himself to God alone, and desiring to please God alone, while he fled the glory of the world, he moved the tongues of almost all the neighboring cities to the proclamation of his praise.

[6] So his name of sanctity began to be famous, He dwells alone in a cave: and the fame of so great a reputation to spread far and wide. And because the perfection of the Saints is greater in merits than can be reported by the mouth of men, the holy Father not only exercised strong deeds, but also shone with miracles: that those whom fame attracted, he receives as disciples Saint Leo and Desiderius, afterwards Pope. miracles might establish. Therefore some began to leave the world, and to submit themselves to his teaching. Among whom also the venerable man Leo of Lucca, and Desiderius, a noble of Benevento, to emulate the zeal of the same devout virtue, submitted themselves to his teaching. ^g Of whom, of course, one afterwards presided over the Cava monastery, the other, constituted Abbot of Saint Benedict on Monte Cassino, thence was raised to the summit of the whole world, namely the Pontificate of the Roman Church.

[7] But the enemy of the human race, envying the success of the holy man, ^h when on a certain day he saw him going to Salerno, He is thrown down by the demon from the mountain to the seashore, unharmed, presented himself opposite him on the top of a high cliff, ⁱ and terrifying ^k the beast on which he sat, through the immense precipice of the mountain cast him headlong. Thrown down therefore from the summit of so great a cliff with the beast on which he sat, to the seashore which was beneath the same mountain, he fell not as one falling, but came to rest as though stepping down walking, because he appeared whole and unhurt. But those who were accompanying him, with much weeping come to the edge of the sea; but joyful they see him safe, whom mourning they sought to find.

they had believed dead. ^l And so it happened that the ancient enemy blushed at having been overcome by such virtue of the venerable man: because he increased his glory, which he had thought to extinguish by his plotting.

[8] At another time also, while certain men of the city of Salerno were fleeing the assault of attacking robbers, they came to the places near the cell of the man of God: A man crushed by a stone and brought to burial, he resuscitates by prayers: where, when they wished to rest under a certain cliff, a huge rock sprang off from the same cliff, and dragged out a certain one of them, Burellus by name, crushing him. Whom when his companions saw dead and crushed, they brought him to the monastery of the man of God to be buried, evening already declining. Them the venerable Father commanded to depart that night; and on the following day to return to bury him whom they had brought. But in the same cave the holy Father had already built an oratory, in which he ordered the bier to be placed: and taking Leo his disciple, whom I mentioned above, in the same night he kept vigil in prayer. Morning therefore having come, the companions of that dead man return; but with wondrous astonishment and joy, he whom they had left dead, they received not only ^m living, but also unharmed.

[9] ⁿ On another day seven men came to the monastery, whom after words of edification he ordered to be refreshed. Which when the cellarer ^o wished devotedly to carry out, he found only five eggs in the whole cell, he multiplies eggs for refreshing the guests: from which an equal refreshment could not be distributed to the seven men, and he announced it to the man of God. These things however the holy Father ordered to be instantly brought to him; those brought, he blessed, and, what is greatly to be marveled at unless it had been done by God through the ministry of such a man, from the five eggs he offered to the seven men, to each one. By which work of the man of God, how great is the power of charity is recognized, by which things without order, as it were, can be ordered by one perfect in charity, and those which were not could be.

[10] The man of the Lord also began to be mighty in the spirit of prophecy, to know things to come, and what he knew, as the usefulness of matters demanded, to announce. For certain men from neighboring places led to him a certain demoniac bound in iron, humbly praying he foretells that the demoniac will be freed after his death. that he should lay his hands on him, and drive the unclean spirit from him. To whom the venerable man replied, saying: "He will be cured not while I am living, but while I am dying." Which indeed was thus fulfilled, as those testified who knew. For when the holy Father died, from the same possessed man, brought to his sepulchre, he cast out the unclean spirit: which was arranged by Almighty God, that he might purge the possessed man with a longer penalty, and that in his healing the quality of his servant's life might be shown. The man also appeared glorious with the double splendor of a miracle: because he both foretold things to come, and performed the healing which he promised.

[11] To the venerable man Leo his disciple and to the other fellow disciples he had commanded, that after his death there should never be more than twelve brothers together in the same monastery: lest if they exceeded the aforesaid number, they could by no means be supported from the resources of the monastery; for the means of the same monastery at that time seemed barely to suffice for only so many brothers. But when he was now about to depart from this world to the Lord, calling his disciples to him, he said: "What I established concerning the number of the Brothers, and that in his monastery many monks must be gathered: I said according to man: for (what the Lord has deigned to reveal to me) in this monastery an innumerable multitude is to be gathered for his service. For which reason the future reception of the Brothers must be weighed not by the present poverty, but by the future abundance: because he who gathers them for his kingdom, also furnishes temporal expenses generously." The man of God said this in voice, we are astonished in the deed: because Almighty God has both established many in the same monastery, and always generously provided.

[12] To those disciples also, while he put forth joyful things to come, he announced what adversities also remained for them. "After my death," he said, "a certain wolf will enter into this Lord's sheepfold, [and after his death the peace of the monastery will be disturbed, but quickly restored,] will strive to disturb the common peace: but flee from being disturbed, because he will be quickly extinguished." Which indeed was so done, the elders of the ancient monastery are accustomed to report. For a certain one, supported by a whirlwind of worldly power, after the holy man died, burst into the monastery, and expelled his successor: but the pastoral place, which he believed he had seized for himself with impunity, struck by divine vengeance, he quickly left free to him whom he had expelled.

[13] These things have come to us concerning the life and miracles of so great a Father; not that these alone were, but because the Saint performed many things which he humbly concealed. For holy men, when they do great things, as far as they can, desire to lie hidden: He conceals his virtues. because they wish to be honored in heaven, not on earth. Thus perhaps the holy man would also have hidden these, if they had been such as could in any way lie hidden. For that falling from the summit of a high cliff, he could not be hurt; that he returned alive to his companions one whom he had received for burial; that at his blessing the number of eggs grew; these were indeed great matters which could not be hidden. And perhaps he refused to cure the demoniac while living, for this reason, that then he might shine great in his curing, when he was already received there, where favor could in no way lessen to him the merit of his work.

NOTES.

CHAPTER II.

The outstanding virtues of Saint Alferius. His death without illness foretold: miracles following him.

[14] Moreover, that in which he could be hidden, has not come to the knowledge of posterity. For with what rigor of abstinence he wore down his body, with what vigils he wasted his mind, with what tears he daily demanded heavenly things, how strong he was in adversities, how mild in prosperities, with what vigor he despised the world, Devoted to continence and abstinence, to the kingdom of heaven with what fervor of desires he burned; of these things and similar things, the measure of his greatness has not come to the knowledge of others. But if we cannot know the manner of his life and of his continence, we can gather from the evident miracles shown, that in the use of daily conversation he was very severe and austere with himself. For who could keep the weight of the flesh unharmed in so great a precipice, if with daily fervent and fiery desires he did not daily suspend himself in the love of the heavenly life? And to fly, so to speak, by desires, all fiery when could he, if he did not lighten the weight of the flesh by the force of great abstinence? How would he increase the number of things, if he did not powerfully take from himself the use of things? Finally concerning the casting out of demons, by the very Truth it is said, "This kind of demons is not cast out, except in prayer and fasting": it is clear therefore, to prayer, fasting, and purity of heart. by what austerity of fasts he had worn himself down, with what insistence of prayers he had been importunate to God, who, when he willed, received power to cast out demons. Matt. 9:28. Likewise, if by the insistence of vigils, prayers, readings, and spiritual meditations we obtain purity of heart; the man of the Lord, who knew not only present but also future things, had the measure of all these gifts not only good, pressed down, and shaken, but also overflowing.

[15] But why do we assert in foreknowledge such purity of his heart, who is asserted by those to whom he is best known to have been so great, that he merited even to see the Redeemer of the human race himself while still placed in the flesh? Christ appearing, he learns the day of his death. For they say that before the sixth day of his departure the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him, and said to him: "On the day of my Supper you will come to me." Then with how much joy and gladness the venerable Father exulted, with what desires he awaited the day of so great a promise, let him who can gather by thinking, because it cannot be said. On that day then coming, he is said to have fulfilled all things which were owed to the ministry of so great a solemnity. For he celebrated the solemnities of Masses, washed the feet of the Brothers, distributed gifts to the poor, He designates Saint Leo as his successor. and having established the Father for his disciples, namely the venerable man Leo, whom I mentioned above, the only

supper of the day he passed over, to which the Redeemer had promised the banquet of his vision: or perhaps on that account he wished fasting to pass from this world, that by a regular command he might subject himself both in dying. For because Brothers directed on the way from the monastery are commanded to return fasting; who with the evening of the day already declining fasting passed to the Lord, from the course of this life to the heavenly home, came as though from the way to the cell.

[16] Then indeed, with the Brothers with the Father appointed for them dismissed to the refectory, he entered the cell of the cave, in which he was accustomed to remain; he gave himself to prayer, and between the words of prayers gave his last ^a breath into the hands of the Redeemer. Indeed there is no doubt, he happily died in the 120th year of his age, with his eyes not yet dim that he came to conduct him, who six days before had deigned to invite him. For when would he have been missing to that blessed soul going forth, who a little before had been the messenger that he should go forth? But the very venerable man died an old man and full of days, when he was nearly 120 years old. And what is wondrous to all, so healthy and strong he remained up to the last hour of death, that he neither grew dim through so decrepit age, nor failed from any weakness. For up to the last time of his life he most clearly read and wrote: celebrated Masses, and exhibited all the ministry of his pastoral order powerfully: and so, as is seen, as much by living as by dying he overcame the troubles of human nature: growing old indeed, not knowing the failing of his vigor; dying, not incurring the sickness of death.

[17] and weakened by nothing in old age Endowed therefore with such great merits, he is looked upon as such, that what is said of the beloved John by our same Redeemer may in some way be applicable to him: "So I will have him remain," he says, "until I come." Indeed he was such, that he had whence he might receive the good things of the highest reward, but had not what should be corrected. John 21:21 For indeed he had what would stand for eternity: but had not what might fail with the fragility of human falling. So therefore the Lord wished him to remain, until he came: for indeed from the beginning of his inception he was such as at the time of his departure merited the presence of the Redeemer himself. But when the Brothers were rising from the refreshment, entering his cell, they found him dead; so disposed in his limbs, The Brothers lament his death exceedingly. that he could be believed praying, not dead, unless the touch indicated what had been done to him. Then what was the mourning and grief of all together, what and how great the sorrow and sadness of each, by no means can the tongue say. The holy Father indeed wished to have his disciples absent when dying, that he might take from them the mourning of his death. But whence he believed he was lessening their grief, he doubled it: for all mourning, not only because so great a Father died, but also because he refused to have his own nursed ones present. But perhaps he is rightly known to have avoided their noise, so that in the quiet of secret prayer he might more freely enjoy the majesty of the coming Jesus. Taking up his body, the disciples placed it in the same cave near the oratory, which the same man of God had built.

[18] These things concerning the life and death of the very venerable man Alferius the Abbot, both from the writings of Desiderius, Abbot of Monte Cassino, and from the assertions of the old men of the monastery, we have gathered into a small book. Now let us come to those things which, after his death, were done in the same monastery. I remember I said above The possessed painter is freed. that the demoniac brought to his sepulchre, as he came, was freed from the malignant spirit: whom they assert to have been a very good painter, and lest he should appear ungrateful for such benefits, with his own hands he painted the church of the Holy Trinity, which they call suffragan, in sign of his liberation.

[19] There was moreover a certain brother in the monastery, Nicolas by name, a very religious man indeed, but yet still exposed to the wicked wars of the ancient enemy: for as often as he disposed to communicate, by diabolical illusion that happened to him which those who suffer do not presume to approach the Lord's sacraments: with many fastings and prayers, The monk is cleansed from the illusions of the demon. with tears and confessions also he tried to cut off the causes of his testing, yet he could not be freed. At length, having found a salutary counsel, he made himself a custom of praying at the tomb of the holy man. On a certain day, while he was praying there sad, and was asking from the Lord with his usual sorrows for the cleanness of his flesh, as is wont to happen to those mourning, from sadness he fell asleep. To whom in venerable habit the same holy Father appeared, and asked the causes of such great sorrow. And when he was explaining what he was suffering, a living fountain was seen to rise before the altar of the same oratory: in which the venerable old man placed him, washed him, and said to him: "Go, because from now on you will be clean": which was so done: for from that day he no longer bore the usual hindrances of the unclean spirit.

[20] The anniversary solemnity of his deposition was being celebrated in the monastery, when the very venerable man Abbot ^b Peter, solicitous about the Brothers' refreshment, sought for fish through almost all the sea shores of the neighboring region, and could not find any. For his annual solemnity fish are brought of their own accord. Therefore those who had been sent returned, reporting that they could nowhere in all those sea shores find fish. Then the very venerable man began to be much saddened, because he could not pursue with the charity he had wished the day of his predecessor. But what was lacking in the straits of time, to him for whom God was now all in all, could not be lacking. For on that day the holy Father Alferius prepared for the Brothers an overflowing supper. For when the venerable Abbot Peter went out from the Chapter, before the door of the cloister he saw a basket full of large fish: and when he earnestly asked who had set it down, and could find no bearer of it, he was astonished at the miracle by which the holy man had shown himself, and recognized that that fishing had been Father Alferius'.

[21] And now let us come to the deeds of our own times: Luke the monk still survives, who used to relate to us in the monastery, A sluggish monk is corrected. that on a certain day being bled, according to the custom of the monastery he had leave to sit outside the choir. There therefore sitting, when he was not attending to what was being sung in the choir, but oppressed with sleep was sleeping heavily; a certain old man, shining with venerable gray hair, seized him by the sides of his cowl, and began violently to drag him to the choir. Then Luke the monk, moved, asking who he was who dared violently to drag monks; heard that it was Abbot Alferius, to whom all things were permitted as in his own monastery. And when he hurried in dragging, but the other followed more slowly; it seemed to him that he came before the altar of the same suffragan church. Waking, he found himself there, where he had seen himself being drawn in his dream: he also found the garments, which the man of God had held, now stripped off, and laid on his shoulder. Which the holy man is known to have done, that he might show himself present in that place which he inhabits, and might rouse the torpor of the negligent to the zeal of divine praise.

[22] A glass lamp is not broken by falling: Nor do I think that this should be passed over in silence, that a glass candle, which was wont to shine above the blessed man's tomb, often falling, came upon the stones of the same tomb, and not only could it not be broken, but sometimes, as it was, it remained full.

[23] Toothache is removed: Coffus also the monk used to report about himself, that by the flow of an evil humor his jaw vehemently swelled up, and he began to be tormented by the intolerable pain of his teeth. But when daily the languor grew heavier, and he could feel no remedies by the art of physicians, he threw himself before the sepulchre of the holy man in prayer. When prostrate there he had obtained the relief of so great pain by devout prayers, he rose from prayer, and immediately the skin of the hurting gum broke open; and through that wound of breakage the putrefaction being let out, he both lost the swelling of his face, and the pain of his teeth.

[24] There is also Peter of Guardia the monk, who with effective assertion is wont to testify what was also done in him. For in that pestilence which about twenty years ago vehemently wasted the people in those parts, A pestilent fever is cured, the aforesaid monk was seized with great fevers: and when the excessive burning of fevers exceeded his strength, at the hour of the paroxysm ^c he fled to the tomb of the often-remembered Father, firmly believing that the fever could by no means invade him who was commended to so great a Father. In which place of protection and refuge he so obtained the fruit of his faith, that the most burning fever left him, nor could it any further weary him commended to the holy man.

NOTES

ON BLESSED PETER THE HERMIT

Of the Vallumbrosan Order, on Montepiano in the Diocese of Pistoia

IN THE YEAR 1098

Peter, of the Vallumbrosan Order, in the Abbey of Montepiano in the diocese of Pistoia (B.)

D. P.

[1] In those Alps which divide the diocese of Pistoia from the Bolognese territory, there is an Abbey of the Vallumbrosan Order, called Saint Mary of Montepiano; distant two thousand paces from the town of Vernio, but from Pistoia, to whose Bishop the place in sacred things is subject, ten thousand toward the north. This owes its origin to a certain Peter, professed of the Rule of the same Order, on the occasion which Eudoxius Locatellus narrates in Book 2, chapter 13, pursuing the history of the Generals following Saint John Gualbert: "Peter, led by the pursuit of a more secret life, with the good leave of his superiors retiring into the woods of the Vernio territory, Peter is found in the wilderness by the Lords of Vernio had built himself a little hut: to which when at some time the Lords of the same place, intent on hunting, and by mistake led some distance from their company, a certain chance or rather Divine providence had brought them; to those asking him whether he had anything necessary for refreshing a famished and thirsty body, with prompt will indeed, what he had in daily use, he offered—breads and wild fruits; and taking pure water from a fountain, and trusting God, he signed it with the Cross, he turns water for them into wine, and turned it into the most exquisite wine. Moved by the prodigy, and kindled with immense devotion toward the holy man, they gave him the choice of any land he might wish, for building a monastery in honor of Saint Mary the Virgin: which when the builders called to the work began to build in the place where the Saint had designated: by whose will the church is founded but when they marveled that as much of the work as they had done by day was the next day found dissolved by night, and reported it to the man of God, they began with him to go around the wood, praying God and the Blessed Virgin, that the place,

would deign to show them another place they had themselves chosen. While they were doing this, they came upon chips of wood or stones, upon which was inscribed in golden letters, 'Ave Maria.'"

[2] Thus far Locatellus. Tiberio Petraccio, more than once elsewhere mentioned by us with praise, a distinguished preacher and writer of the Vallumbrosan Order, in a letter given on this matter in the year 1670, on the 9th day before the Kalends of June, from popular tradition adds that the name of Mary was seen by the blessed man, in the place designated from heaven, not as Locatellus writes inscribed in golden letters on chips or fragments of stones; but composed upon them by doves, gathering grains of wheat with their beaks, and arranging them in the shape of the sacred name. However that may be: the holy man understood that it was the divine will that there should be built a church to be consecrated to the Mother of God, which also was done; and then with Peter dead, and buried there near the altar, a certain walnut tree, as the same Petraccio writes, closer to the church began to produce fruits, whose kernels bore the likeness of doves; and then that tree withering with the passage of time, another near it succeeded in place of the miracle: and with the miraculous walnut with its form shining down to this day, and with the trees thus four times changed down to this present time, there continues there in the kernels the dove-shape. "Such a walnut," he says, "even today I keep by me, for faith and display of the prodigy, and I believe it to be a sign of the most pure virginity, which this devout man cultivated all his life."

[3] His veneration continues there, especially at the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin, to whom the church is titularly dedicated; when his sacred relics are wont to be displayed for adoration to the people running in crowds. Otherwise, in the very ancient Kalendar of the Vallumbrosan Religious and in the old table of the Blessed of the Order, these things are read. where Peter is venerated. "On the day before the Ides of April, the deposition of Blessed Peter, Monk and hermit, formerly Abbot of the monastery of Saint Vigilius of Brescia: inscribed in the Kalendars of the order on April 12. who was so just and upright and fearing God, that of his own will he refused the Abbacy, and betook himself to a hermitage: and was of such sanctity, that by prayer alone he turned water, by the example of the Lord, into wine. He died in the year 1098." These same things, written in the same words, are found in the manuscripts of Saint Praxedis of the city, written out four hundred and fifty years ago: but in the month of June. In this month perhaps, and of June, in the year 1350 in the presence of the most Reverend Bishops of Bologna and Pistoia (this one being Andreas of Centoriis, in the year 1350 placed under the altar, that one Beltramo Paravicino, according to the Catalogues of Ughelli would have been) and a certain Anastasius, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, a Vallumbrosan monk (of whom here the first mention occurs, nor anywhere else); then perhaps engaged for the affairs of the Pontiff living at Avignon, traveling in Lombardy and Tuscany; before these, I say, perhaps in the month of June, the translation was made of the sacred body of Blessed Peter from the sepulchre to the altar, under which thenceforth until the year 1668 it rested. For of this translation then made, testimony is borne by a parchment manuscript of the Abbey of Montepiano, not without miracles, almost consumed by age of time, and subscribed by three Imperial Notaries; in which also mention is made of many graces, especially concerning various sick persons, which it pleased the Lord to confer by the merits of Blessed Peter.

[4] and in the year 1668 translated into a new ark. So the above-praised Petraccio, from whom if we obtain a copy of that old writing, we shall not refuse to add it at the end of this volume. Meanwhile (to follow the other things concerning him) the same suggests that the memory of the aforesaid Saint is even celebrated in our own age, especially from the year 1668 mentioned, by the most noble Counts of Vernio, who flowed from the very ancient progeny of the Florentine Bardi, at the insistence of the most Illustrious and most Reverend Vincenzo Bardi, from the same Counts of Vernio, Archdeacon of the Metropolitan and Vicar General of the Florentine diocese, and Commendatory of that Abbey, the body of Blessed Peter was placed in a gilded ark, upon the main altar of the church, transferred there with solemn pomp and the greatest concourse of peoples from another on the side, under which up to that time it had lain. Gabriel Bucelinus referred his name on this day in his Benedictine Menology, with a longer exposition of the life received from Locatellus.