ON ST. VERONA, VIRGIN,
NEAR LOUVAIN IN BRABANT,
At the close of the IX century or the beginning of the X.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
Of her cultus and its place, and of her Acts.
Verona, V., near Louvain in Brabant (St.)
BY J. S.
The memory of St. Verona the virgin various martyrologists announce, not only moderns but some also who lived in that time, so that her cultus may be abundantly established for us. The Saint's cultus from the sacred calendars She is found first of all in the Usuardine additions in Greven and Molanus on the XXIX of August. On the same day she is announced in our manuscript Florarium in these words: At Berchem (Bertem), a village of Brabant, the birthday of St. Verona the virgin. This royal offspring, coming of the stock of the Carolingians, and succeeding her father in inheritance, ruled her kingdom humbly and manfully corrected it, and led a most holy life. Who freed the city of Mainz from a demon and from an evil fire on a certain Wednesday, and at last, being dead, was carried without a driver near Louvain and there buried. This eulogy is taken from the Acts, and is for the greater part fabulous, as we shall say of the Acts. In the Cologne calendars in Gelenius, page 718, it is thus on the same day: Today also St. Verona, daughter of Louis king of Austrasia, foundress of the monastery of Veronhoven on the Rhine.
[2] Molanus in the Natales of the Saints of Belgium on the same day sets forth the cultus of St. Verona more clearly, and from others is shown: writing thus: In the territory of Louvain, the birthday of blessed Verona the virgin. She rests between Louvain and Vure in the church of the Holy Cross, which is now called St. Verona's, formerly in the diocese of Cambrai, now in that of Mechlin. Her birthday is on the day of the Beheading of the Baptist, which I have also observed noted in a tattered Missal in the court of Egeno, in most ancient characters, in the following words: "Of blessed Verona the virgin, in the church of the Holy Cross." She is not, however, contrary to the custom of the Gallican church, raised from the ground; but in the middle of the church the virgin's tomb is frequented, and outside the church her spring is drunk against fevers. See concerning her the proper Office in the church of her brother St. Veronus at Lembeek, where she is called by the common people Veronica. Nearly the same has Aubert le Mire in the Fasti Belgici on the XXIX of August, adding, however, the following concerning the Acts: For the rest, the Life of SS. Veronus and Verona, which is extant in manuscript at Rouge-Cloître and elsewhere, seems to me less authentic, as I noted above on the XXX day of March.
[3] some will have her to have been a nun, and a king's daughter: For this cause Le Mire abstained from what is reported in the Acts, as did Molanus for the most part. He nevertheless seems to have taken from the Acts that he calls St. Veronus the brother of Verona. Bucelinus in the Benedictine Menology weaves a long eulogy for the Saint, which seems to have flowed partly from the Acts, partly from elsewhere. For he has this on the XXIX of August: At the city of Louvain, the birthday of St. Verona, virgin and nun, daughter of Louis, king of Germany and Austrasia. She, seeking earnestly the service of the Lord of lords, having put off the purple and embraced the poor garment of Christ, when with her father's permission she had built a monastery near the bank of the Rhine, which thenceforth kept from her the name Veronhute, entering that very house and being consecrated to God as a nun, so piously and holily ordered her manner of life that, being after her death enrolled in the catalogue of the Saints, she became far more illustrious by the cowl than by purple and diadem. Her sacred body, afterwards translated to the monastery of the Holy Cross between Louvain and Vure, is now there honored with worthy honor; and a hill near Louvain is called by the name of St. Verona, whose memory God has commended by remarkable miracles, chiefly by a prodigious spring near the church, whose water wondrously heals fevers and is frequented by pilgrims and by the sick to this day. Wion in the Lignum vitæ on the same day likewise writes that she was the daughter of Louis, king of Germany, and a nun in the monastery of Veronhoute, and that her body was translated to the monastery of the Holy Cross. But for a monastery of the Holy Cross we shall substitute a chapel; nor shall we find a monastery of Veronhoute, which perhaps is nowhere to be found; and finally we shall not be able to prove either that she was a nun or that she was the daughter of king Louis.
[4] Now, other martyrologies being set aside, I shall set forth a little more distinctly the place in which the Saint is chiefly honored, the place in which the Saint's body rests, and in which she is honored: and which has been variously assigned. Between the villages of Bertem and Leefdaal is situated the chapel of St. Verona, which was formerly called the basilica of the Holy Cross, about one Belgian league distant from Louvain toward Vure, from which it is distant by nearly an equal space. Our Papebroch in the year 1656, while he was studying sacred theology at Louvain, wrote to Bolland certain things concerning the chapel and other matters bearing on this, as he had understood them on the spot. Take his words: As to the rest, I know this … that St. Verona's church is not a parish church, but the church of Bertem, sacred to St. Peter, is … What is now called St. Verona's was a chapel of the Holy Cross; to which she, betaking herself for the sake of prayer, understood from heaven that she was to be buried there and to be held in honor; and afterwards she was miraculously translated after her death: which things, and the rest of the Saint's life, are seen painted in the aforesaid church. He who lately resigned the pastorate had a new casket made for the relics of that Saint, of gilded wood and elegantly enough carved, and translated them into it. A spring lies beside the chapel, which they call S. Veronen-born, drawn forth by her, as they say, by a stroke of her staff after prayer poured forth, for the refreshing of two pilgrims fainting with thirst. Hence also we have that the Saint's body was raised after Molanus's times, since the relics were translated into a new casket about the middle of the XVII century, as is gathered from Papebroch's words.
[5] The Acts of St. Veronus and St. Verona we have from a manuscript codex of the Canons Regular of Rouge-Cloître, The Acts wholly fabulous. and the same are extant among the Canons Regular at Corsendonk; but, as is noted in our two transcripts, these manuscripts have not been collated with each other, because they agreed entirely. We have another transcript, received from the parish priest of Bertem, which is said to be taken from old writings preserved at Lembeek. Moreover Le Mire holds these Acts suspect, as we have already seen. He alleges the reason on the XXX of March in St. Veronus why they displease both himself and our Serarius, to whom he had sent a copy, when he writes thus: That certainly which among other things is there read (that St. Verona was very well known at Mainz in her own and in later ages, on account of the city's being freed from an evil fire) Serarius, the writer of the affairs of Mainz, signified to me by letter had never been heard by himself or by other learned men of Mainz, and therefore is the less approved. The same is the judgment of our Henschen concerning these Acts, who on the XXX of March in St. Veronus brings another reason from Olbert, who wrote the miracles of St. Veronus. For Olbert at number 1 affirms that the Life and genealogy of St. Veronus are unknown, of which nevertheless these Acts have not a little. Then it is certainly false that St. Verona administered a kingdom and was the heiress of Louis, king of Bavaria or Germany, as I shall show in the Annotations. And finally all the things which are read in these Acts are so wonderful and related in a manner so little likely that it is easy to suspect that most are fabulous, or at least adorned with fictitious additions. I have nevertheless resolved to publish the Acts, because from the knowledge of them it will easily be gathered on how weak a foundation rest the things reported from them by certain modern writers.
Annotations* ter Vueren.
* that is, the Spring of St. Verona.
THE LIFE.
By an anonymous author,
From the first part of the Hagiologium of the Brabanters, manuscript at Rouge-Cloître.
Verona, V., near Louvain in Brabant (St.)
BHL Number: 8548
By an Anonymous author.
PREFACE.
When we describe the brave deeds and holy life of venerable fathers and holy mothers, what else do we wish but to stir up our hearts to serve God our Creator with kindly and most humble prayers, and to be watchful in His service? Which may He deign to grant us, who in perfect Trinity lives and reigns for ever. Amen.
CHAPTER I.
The Blessed one's birth, and her life until the death of her parents.
The birth of Veronus and Verona, and their pious boyhood: After the death of the lord Charlemagne there succeeded his son Louis, mild and humble, surnamed the Pious, a lover of the most holy Church, who was father of three a sons; of whom one, Lothair, after his father's death remained emperor of Italy and of Austria b; the second was called Louis, to whom his father gave Teutonia and the Rhine, and made him king of Germany c; the third was called Charles the Bald, who reigned in France d. In the year 831 after the Lord's Incarnation, to Louis, king of Teutonia, reigning in Germany, a most Christian prince, twins e were born of different sex: one was a male, the other a girl. The son's name was called Veron, and the daughter's Verona; who, by the Lord's granting, were of good disposition, humble, chaste, mild, kindly, prudent, modest, pious, generous, and of good conversation. Why say more? When they had come to their fifteenth year, weighing that word of the Gospel, Behold, we have left all things and have followed Thee, they did not frequent dances or love-songs, but the thresholds of the temple and the songs of David.
[2] both refuse marriage; but Veronus flees, But the aforesaid meanwhile loved God with their whole mind, counting as nothing things transitory and vain and worldly glory, and cleaving in sense and mind to that word of the Apostle: God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of the Lord. But when this happy offspring had come to the age of the sixteenth year, and their father wished to give both to the Sacrament of matrimony, they recall that word of the Apostle: Let every one possess his vessel in sanctification and honor. But Veron, who set aside his father's will, wished, in order to flee uncleanness and vainglory, to keep his heart, as a sanctified temple of God, clean and untouched. And when his father pressed his son, Veron, like a fugitive, forsook the kingdom and despised the scepter, and hid himself from all his friends, except his holy virgin sister Verona, who greatly grieved at her brother's departure.
[3] The blessed Verona therefore said to her brother: O dearest and most faithful brother, bidding farewell to his sister and promising her a sign of his death: whither wilt thou go? Shall I see thee any more? To whom Veron said: For thee, sister, the kingdoms f and scepters shall remain; what more dost thou wish of me? To whom the virgin: The kingdom of the world and all the ornament of the age I have despised for the love of the Lord: I only wish to know of thy return. To whom Veron: Of my return there shall be no mention henceforth; but I wish to serve the Creator, the Lord, who created all things out of nothing. To this the virgin answered: If thou wilt thus leave me bereft, give me, dear brother, a sign of thy death and in what part of the world thou shalt be. To whom Veron: Gladly will I give thee a sign: when these trees shall fall, toward whatever land they shall lay themselves, there shall I be dead g; and, farewell being said, he departed. Now the trees were great, and stood before the king's gate. Therefore the most blessed virgin Verona remained in the king's palace, exceedingly beautiful, gracious in her eyes, kindly in speech, prudent and watchful, and keeping her most sacred dwelling for God from all filth, and full of all simplicity, as she understood in the Lord's word: Be ye prudent as serpents and simple as doves.
[4] At that time there was a certain king of Hungary named Conrad h, Verona refuses marriage: who had an only son whom he wished to join in marriage to the most blessed virgin: to which her father consented. But the aforesaid virgin utterly despised it, saying: I adore and worship the true God, one in Trinity and Trinity in unity, and Him alone I serve, and Him I choose as my spouse: no other do I wish. His love I keep: in Christ I trust: all others I set aside. To whom her father: If thou desirest to remain a virgin, what shall we do concerning our kingdom i? Thy brother has fled. To whom the virgin: The kingdom of the world and all the ornament of the age I have despised for the love of my Lord Jesus Christ. But her father, seeing the virgin's constancy, refused the marriage and left the most blessed virgin to persevere in her virginity.
[5] The most blessed virgin therefore constantly kept her virginity, she drives out a demon: visited the thresholds of the temple, prayed to the Lord, loved God, and bestowed all that was hers upon the poor. Why say more? But it befell on a certain day that a certain girl, a maidservant of her mother, was tormented by a demon and was so horribly shaken that the whole royal household was terrified. The blessed virgin, hearing this, went to her. But the demon, seeing the holy virgin, cried out, saying: Verona, holy virgin, depart from me, and I will go away: for thy coming has weighed me down. To whom the virgin answered: O unclean Satan, how hast thou dared to enter the hall of my father? The demon said: Veron thy brother has departed, and thou, chosen virgin, art rich, and I would gladly have given counsel of thy marriage through this maidservant of thine; but at the sight of thy coming I could not. To whom the virgin: Depart quickly, and return no more, and harm neither the house nor the palace nor any man. This being said, he departed like flame and smoke. But the king and his servants, seeing the power and sanctity of the virgin, did reverence to her k.
And she said: The true God whom I worship, invoke, and adore — Him ought you to adore. By these and like miracles the blessed virgin was renowned; she loved God and with pure mind worshiped her chosen spouse Christ.
[6] She frees Mainz, vexed by a demon and by an evil fire. On a certain day the aforesaid virgin entered the city of Mainz, and saw the whole city vexed by a demon; and all were kindled with an evil fire, and all the firstborn were dying. So cruel a plague was among all the people of Mainz that there was none in the whole city who was not either burning or dead. The virgin of Christ came to the aforesaid city on a certain Wednesday; and beholding its sorrow, she bent her knees and said: O Christ, most merciful King, most just Judge, most kindly Creator, excellent Ruler, multiply upon this city and upon these Thy creatures Thy mercy and Thy loving-kindness, that with Thee as ruler and Thee as leader they may be loosed from every bond of the devil; and let all the snares of the lurking enemy depart, and let all the fire of spiritual wickedness be quenched. This being said, straightway the fire was quenched in all, and all were healed; but the demons who had vexed them were seen by all in the air, roaring and crying out: Holy Verona, why dost thou torment us? By thy prayers we are conquered; by thy merits thou hast saved the city. Having said this, they fled. But the citizens of the said town, hearing the words of the demons, did reverence to the holy virgin, and celebrated that night every week throughout that year in her honor; whence Wednesday has always been called the Night of St. Verona even to this present day l.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER II.
The rest of her life: her death and prodigious burial.
Bereft of her parents she founds a monastery: Meanwhile death bereft the aforesaid virgin of her parents; who, the obsequies being finished, bestowed all that was hers upon the poor, and kept nothing save only the name of queen. In a certain place beside the Rhine she established a convent of nuns, which is commonly called Veronhoute a, and there she remained for a month.
[8] But when after the space of five years from her bereavement she had visited Mainz, she wondrously learns of her brother's death, and had come before her own hall, on a most fair day, all marveling, those great trees fell with a great crash toward the west. Which riddle the aforesaid virgin understanding, she began to weep bitterly, saying: Now I know most certainly that Veron my brother is dead. Prepare me a carriage in which you shall put two oxen and one servant: I wish no more.
[9] Let us go to seek the tomb of my beloved brother. whose sepulcher she wishes to seek: But many, marveling at this, said one to another: How can the most holy virgin know so certainly the death of her brother? But where she should wish to seek him they doubted. Which the virgin understanding in spirit, answered thus: O height of heaven, King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone doest great wonders, not by my merits but by Thy most holy grace hast Thou made me know these things: be with me, [coming to the chapel of the Holy Cross, she is taught from heaven where her brother is buried:] O Lord, that I may deserve to find my brother, Thy servant, whom I purpose to seek by wandering.
[10] Meanwhile the virgin's cart was made ready; and with two oxen and one servant she departed. The aforesaid virgin meanwhile came into Lorraine b, crossed the Rhine and the Meuse. At Maastricht c, an ancient town, she stayed one night. And when morning came, she entered Brabant near the town which is called Louvain. But when she was passing through the town, not far off she came to a certain chapel d dedicated in honor of the Holy Cross; and when she had come to it, the oxen stood as though fixed and could go no further. Which the holy virgin seeing, she said: This is my rest for ever and ever; here will I dwell, for I have chosen it. And she entered the church, and prostrating herself before the holy Cross, she prayed, saying: Hail, holy Cross, which wast consecrated in the body of Christ, the price of my journey, my peace, my salvation, my hope, and my glory: be to me a help, that I may deserve to find my brother and to come to the end of my labor. Having said this, the virgin of Christ fell asleep and heard a voice from the holy Cross speaking to her: O my chosen spouse, I have chosen thee with unfeigned charity; the place in which thou liest shall be thy tomb; this town shall take its name from thee, and thou shalt be its patroness: rise and go to the town which is called Lembeek: there thou shalt find thy brother's monument; and having found him, return to thy country, until thy coming to me shall seem to me expedient. Having said this, the blessed virgin is roused from sleep, and rendering praise to God she departed.
[11] she draws forth a spring from the earth: Meanwhile two pilgrims from Germany near the town of the Holy Cross saw the holy virgin and asked of the servant: Is this lady the queen of Germany, our lady Verona? To whom the servant: She is indeed. — Lady, they said, dearest queen, silver and gold are not with us; we have great thirst; what shall we do? Then the virgin fixed her staff in the earth and said: Lord Jesus Christ, who hast hidden this spring from the wise and prudent and hast revealed it to Thy little handmaid: make it flow forth, that many may be refreshed here in memory of me. And straightway a spring flowed forth in that place. Whence that spring has been called the Spring of St. Verona e to this present day.
[12] she comes to Lembeek to her brother's sepulcher: After this the virgin mounted her cart, and the beasts went on as far as the town which is called Lembeek f; and presently at her entrance all the bells of the said town rang, and all the inhabitants of the said town exulted, marveling nevertheless why they had so great joy. But seeing the holy virgin enter the church, they followed her. And when the virgin of God entered the church, a most sweet odor of all spices, flowers, and roses breathed in the church, going forth from the tomb of St. Veronus, so that all the sick who came there were healed of divers sicknesses by that very smell. And the tomb of St. Veronus was opened at the coming of his holy sister, so that she beheld her brother with bodily eyes as though living; and she, bending her knees, said: Holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God, who hast directed me from the beginning, Thee I rightly praise, bless, and glorify, that by Thy leading I have found Thy servant, my brother, for whom I labored. Now I see that Thou considerest labor and sorrow; to Thee is the poor man left; Thou wilt be a helper to the orphan; the Lord hath heard the desire of the poor; Thy ear hath heard the preparation of their heart. Having said this, the virgin prayed over her brother's tomb for a month. Which being ended, bidding farewell to all, she closed the tomb and returned home.
[13] thence she returns to her kingdom and to her monastery: Having returned therefore to her kingdom, which she humbly ruled and manfully corrected, she led a most holy life at Veronhoute g. In this convent she remained ten years after she came from her brother's tomb, where she wrought many miracles, ever steadfast in prayer, sober in the refectory, temperate in the dormitory as a nun; and she led the life of nuns in fasting, watching, singing, reading, praying, abstaining, and obeying. Moreover the virgin of God built five monasteries of men, which she royally endowed.
[14] After the end of ten years the virgin of God, knowing that the time of her death was at hand, bidding farewell to the nuns and leaving them her mantle, disposed of her kingdom to her nephews, and said to her nuns: I wish to visit my brother, dearest sisters; I shall return no more: but where God shall will, there shall I rest. My mantle I leave you, which you shall keep in memory of me. And they, weeping and grieving, received the mantle of St. Verona, and have kept it as great relics to this present day: which is shown to the people five times in the year, namely at the Nativity of the Lord, on Easter day, on Pentecost day, on the day of the most holy Verona, and at the dedication of her church h.
[15] After this the holy virgin asked leave, despised her kingdom, she departs to Mainz: is seized with sickness and dies: took the road, and left the whole kingdom most sorrowful at her departure. She took nothing with her, neither menservants nor maidservants; but she sat upon the carriage which two most beautiful oxen drew. She wished no other company, nor needed any; and thus, farewell being said, she departed. But when she came to the city of Mainz, so great a fever seized her that she was compelled to remain there; and when day by day her sickness grew heavier, on that day, after receiving the Sacraments of the Lord, she asked that after her death her body should be laid in the cart and be permitted to depart with the oxen. And when they had vowed it, she said: Into Thy hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Having said this, she breathed out her spirit. O holy virgin, blessed offspring, most holy child! For all the bells of the said city rang without any help, and all the sick were healed of every sickness at her death. The holy virgin died in the city of Mainz i in the year from the Lord's Incarnation 870, on the IV of the Kalends of September, our Lord Jesus Christ reigning, to whom be honor.
[16] After the departure of the blessed virgin the bishop and all the people strove to keep the holy body, the people of Mainz, afflicted with many evils, let the body go, but they by no means could. But so great a terror seized all the people of Mainz that they dared not speak. Meanwhile they were vexed with divers sicknesses so much that all marveled: because at her death all the sick were healed, but now all were falling sick; and yet they would not let her go. Moreover a great earthquake was made, so that the church of St. Peter fell down, and so great a horror and grief seized all the citizens that all went through the town weeping and wailing. At last, by the counsel of the wise, they laid the holy body in her cart, and, wrapping it in silken garments, they let it go in peace, the oxen being yoked. And when this was done, all the bells rang, and angelic songs were heard in the air, singing: Come, my chosen one, and I will set My throne in thee, for I have desired thy beauty; and this antiphon is always sung by the people of Mainz k on the feast of the said virgin: who keep her garments as great relics, through which great miracles are wrought: for there infants born untimely come to life again, lepers are cleansed, the fever-stricken are cured. Why say more? The Lord has wrought so great power for her merits that all who touch the fringe of her garment are cured of every disease and pain.
[17] Accordingly the holy body lying in the cart departed with the oxen as far as the town which is called Coblenz l, in which all the bells rang without any help; which comes to the place of burial: and all, marveling, went forth to meet the holy body. A certain paralytic matron, seeing the holy body, ran to it, and by touching the silken garment with which it was covered was healed. A certain blind man, and a lame man, and one burning with fever, sitting before the gate, were healed by the odor of the said body. Why say more? So many miracles did the Lord deign to work through her that scarcely could a tongue of flesh relate them. At last it came to the town of the Holy Cross, which is now called the Mount of St. Verona m; and when the animals with the cart came near the churchyard, they remained fixed, and the bells rang, all the inhabitants marveling; and the neighbors came together at so great a spectacle, and took down the holy little body from the vehicle, and with great reverence and honor buried it before the front of the church. At that time there was through all Brabant a great famine, so that many men perished of hunger; but at the coming of the sacred body so great an abundance of crops came that all marveled. So great was the concourse to the tomb of the blessed virgin and pious patroness that in one day they filled a great cask with offerings.
[18] A sacristan delivered from despair and voluntary death. About the year of the Lord 1000 a certain sacristan, despairing through exceeding poverty, desired to hang himself; and when in the church of St. Verona, seizing the bell-rope, he was preparing a noose, yet he ever cried: Holy Verona, help me. There came a certain voice in the air like a cloud, which said: Wretched man, make an end of thyself; why dost thou delay? Hasten; thy Verona cannot help thee: poor thou art, and poor shalt thou die. He, despairing the more strongly, prepared the noose; but he ever repeated this word: Holy Verona, help me. To whom the voice answered as before: Hasten, wretched man; no one will free thee from thy need n. And when he had made the noose, straightway holy Verona was present, with St. Gertrude [o] on the right and St. Gudula on the left, and straightway the cloud disappeared. They consoled the said sacristan, and leaving him in a good state, they vanished. And he, coming to himself, remembered what the most sacred virgin had done for him; and giving thanks to God and to the most blessed virgin, he entered a monastery, where in good works he ended his life.