ON SAINTS PROBA THE VIRGIN MARTYR, AND GERMANA THE VIRGIN.
AT HENNIACUM IN BELGIUM NEAR DOUAI.
CommentaryProba, Virgin and Martyr, in Belgium (Saint) Germana, Virgin, in Belgium (Saint)
By G. H.
[1] Arnoldus Rayssius, in his Supplement to the Nativities of the Saints of Belgium, produces the notice of these Saints, from those things, he says, which George Coluenerius, Doctor and Professor of Sacred Theology and Chancellor of the University of Douai, kindly communicated, and from the Belgian History of Gazaeus; narrating thus the matter received under this preface:
[2] Their bodies "In Gaul, the nativity of Saints Proba, Virgin and Martyr, and Germana the Virgin. The bodies of these Saints, in the time of the French wars, were transferred from the village which is called Sale, situated between Guise and Laon, to the monastery of Saint Augustine at Henniacum, about the third mile from Douai, Translated to Henniacum in 1540 in the year 1540; by the gift and liberality of the illustrious hero Lord Adrian de Croy, Count of Roeux, Governor of Flanders and Artois. As appears from the ancient documents found with their bodies in the year 1603 of this century: in which was signified the time of the elevation made by Anselm, Bishop of Laon, whose tenor we shall append.
[3] [The body of Saint Proba elevated at Scalae in the territory of Laon in the year 1231] "The body of the most blessed Proba, Virgin and Martyr, elevated by Anselm of Laon in the year of the Lord 1231, in the month of September, was shown in the presence of the Most Reverend Father in Christ Lord Baldwin de Mol, Abbot of the monastery of Blessed Mary of Boheriis, Professor of Sacred Theology; the honorable man Lord Nicholas de Cervay, Bailiff of the forests of the Duchy of Guise; and the learned man Lord Anthony Despinay, Bachelor in civil law, Fiscal Procurator of the same Duchy; Lord Claude Fricquet, Squire; John de Bossu, Mayor of Scalae; and John de Queulx, William Guyo, Aldermen of Scalae. In the year of the Lord 1533, on the 18th of May. Signed below, Le Febre.
[4] And inspected in 1389 "Another inspection of the Virgins in the year 1389, with a crowd of illustrious men attending, was made: to which I will add another document sewn between the two bodies. On the third feria after Pentecost, in the year of the Lord 1389, the bodies of Saint Germana and Saint Proba were shown in the church of Scalae, in the presence of the Dean of Christianity of Guise, who was called Lord Philip Grumelli, Curate of Scalae, Lord Wiard de Humblemus, and many others; namely Lord Prior of Scalae, Master in faculty disp., and Master John de Gavet; and Lord Gribertus, Chaplain of the Leprosarium of Guise and Scalae; and many other trustworthy men.
[5] "Of their life the Religious of Henniacum know nothing, nor do they perform an office for them. Cult on September 5" Thus far Rayssius, who found the same in Hierogazophylacium Belgicum, p. 244. William Gazet in his Ecclesiastical History of Belgium describes the same in a summary on p. 166, and adds that Molanus mentions this Saint Proba in his Additions to Usuard on April 25 and September 5, who on the said September 5 has these words: "At Laon, of Saint Genebaldus, Bishop and Confessor, and of Saint Proba, Virgin": perhaps because on the said feast of Saint Genebaldus, first Bishop of Laon, the aforesaid showing had been made in the year 1231 in the month of September under Bishop Anselm. And especially on April 28 But on April 28, Molanus has these words: "At Laon, the translation of Saint Proba, Virgin." Canisius, Ferrarius, and with some verbal addition Saussaye, transcribed Molanus on both days. We have a Missal of the Church of Laon printed in 1506, in which on September 5 is prescribed a whole Office of Saint Genebaldus, and on April 28 of Saint Proba the Virgin, with Commemoration of Saint Vitalis the Martyr. Where in the title she is called Virgin and Martyr, the Introit of the Mass "I spoke of your testimonies"; and the Collect: "Hear us, O God our Savior, that as we rejoice in the feast of your Blessed Virgin Proba, etc." without the dignity of Martyr being added. Meanwhile we think that of one and the same Proba are to be understood the authors hitherto reported.
[6] Again Saussaye with repeated zeal in his Supplement to his Martyrology on this April 28 has these words: "On this very day at Herford in Westphalia Saint Proba the Virgin is celebrated, whose body thence translated to Gaul Was the body of Saint Proba formerly at Herford? rests at Laon." Following Saussaye, Gelenius in the Fasti of Agrippina writes thus: "Of Saint Proba the Virgin translated from Herford in Westphalia into Gaul at Laon." Whence Saussaye drew these things he does not indicate, nor do we attain it even by conjecture. Herford is a free Imperial city, joined to the County of Ravensberg; to which the body of Saint Pusinna the Virgin was brought from Gaul in the 9th century of Christ, as is clear from the Life and Acts of the Translation elucidated on April 23.