ON BL. ALBERTINUS, PRIOR OF THE HERMITAGE OF THE HOLY CROSS OF FONTE AVELLANA
IN UMBRIA
About the year 1285, as it is said.
HISTORICAL SYLLOGE.
Of his celebrated cult and the fame of his miracles: and a few things concerning the Blessed's deeds.
Albertinus, Prior of the hermitage of the Holy Cross of Fonte Avellana in Umbria (Bl.)
BY J. S.
Of the congregation of Fonte Avellana in Umbria, which is now incorporated into the Camaldolese Order, our predecessors treated on the XXIII day of February in the account of Bl. Peter Damian, who was superior of that congregation, [The congregation of Fonte Avellana formerly distinct from the Camaldolese Order, now united to it:] that is, in volume III of February, pages 406 and 407. The same congregation and its rigid manner of life have been described by Mabillon in volume 4 of the Benedictine Annals from page 436, by Hippolyte Helyot in the History of the Monastic Orders, volume 5, from page 280, and by several others. Further, I here observe one thing, which the praised authors have proved more at large, namely that the Order of Fonte Avellana was distinct from the Camaldolese Order until the XVI century, and was at last united to it in the
XVI century as it drew to its close, about the year 1570. These things it has pleased me to note, that it may be understood in what sense Bl. Albertinus, who is said to have been general Prior of the hermitage or congregation of Fonte Avellana in the XIII century, belongs to the Camaldolese Order, to which he is by some so attributed as though he had followed the Camaldolese institute.
[2] Some more recent martyrologists announce Bl. Albertinus at the XXXI of August. Benedict Dorgain in the Benedictine Calendar has thus: Of St. Albertinus, hermit, famous for miracles. the Blessed's name in the more recent Calendars: Arnold Wion in the Tree of Life: At Camaldoli, of St. Albertinus, hermit of the Camaldolese Order, famous for miracles. He adds this observation: I have taken his birthday from the printed Calendar of the Most Reverend Camaldolese Fathers of St. Mark at Mantua. Wion's announcement Hugh Ménard repeated in the Benedictine Martyrology. But Bucelinus in the Benedictine Menology writes this: At Camaldoli, of St. Albertinus, monk and confessor. Albertinus flourished in the year of Christ MCCLXXX, and for the notable merits of his life deserved to be made illustrious by the Godhead with the glory of miracles. Philip Ferrari in the General Catalogue records the same more briefly in these words: At Camaldoli, of Bl. Albertinus, hermit. The error of these martyrologists, who wrongly ascribe our Blessed to Camaldoli, the studious reader will easily correct, partly from what has been said above, partly from what is to be said below. We meanwhile shall show more fully the lawful veneration of Bl. Albertinus.
[3] Jacobilli in the Lives of the Saints of Umbria treats of Bl. Albertinus in volume 2, an ancient and celebrated cult. pages 197 and 198, and in volume 3, page 351. In both places he relates many things which clearly show the Blessed's ancient cult; namely that in the ancient church of the monastery of the Holy Cross of Fonte Avellana an altar was erected to him, to which his body was brought and exposed to veneration; then that his festival was celebrated on the XXXI of August with a great concourse of people; and that the church also was named from his name, of St. Albertinus. He adds that a likeness of the same Blessed is set above the greater door of the church of the monastery, another in the refectory, and others elsewhere. Silvano Razzi in the Lives of the Camaldolese Saints and Blessed, folios 124 and 125, confirms the foregoing by his testimony. The same relates that the altar is so placed in the chapel that even to women, who are not permitted to enter the church, a nearer access to it lies open, because the place is separated by very large gratings. Maurolico in the Sacred History of all the Religious Orders, book 2, page 160, brilliantly confirms the cult of Bl. Albertinus. For, having testified that the body of Bl. Albertinus is preserved in the monastery of Fonte Avellana, he goes on thus in Italian: To which holy sepulcher the whole March of Ancona flocks, and other innumerable peoples from the neighboring places, because of the notable miracles which the Lord God perpetually works there through his merits.
[4] Bolland in the year 1663 had recourse to the abbot of St. Lawrence of Massaccio in the March of Ancona, an innumerable people flocking to his festival, who was then Andrea Vallemani, that he might obtain from him certain notices about the Saints of the Camaldolese Order, and among them about Bl. Albertinus. And the praised Vallemani in that same year most courteously sent a compendious manuscript collection concerning the Saints of his Order, which does not appear to be ancient. In this the following is read of Bl. Albertinus: Bl. Albertinus came forth from the most sacred house of Avellana, and was Prior of that same place. He shone with a wonderful fame of holiness, so that his name is always in benediction, most illustrious among the peoples of the neighboring regions; who therefore have been accustomed always to keep his birthday both as a feast and as a solemnity to this day, on the day before the Kalends of September. There stands for him a most well-known altar erected in the sacred church, where his venerable body is kept in a gilded chest. The praised abbot, in a letter to Bolland given in that same year 1663, on the XXIV day of August, recorded the following about the continuing cult of Bl. Albertinus: Of blessed Albertinus all the things which … Razzi and Minio have still continue. His public cult still lasts, with numerous peoples flocking (as I myself saw every year during the seven years in which I dwelt at Avellana, and for four years exercised there the lectureship of philosophy and of moral theology, noting down by my superior's order in a little book the graces and miracles wrought by the Blessed's intercession) to his feast on the last day of August. At Jesi there stands in the church of the Society of Death a statue erected in honor of the aforesaid Blessed. Likewise at Fabriano there are two churches in which the image of blessed Albertinus is venerated in the pictures of the altars. Nor are there wanting those who wear his habit by a vow made to him, either for a grace received or to be received, as I myself did, and I received the grace of health.
[5] as is proved from an eyewitness: To these he added others in the same year, writing thus: Concerning blessed Albertinus, to the things which I sent at another time I add that in the present year MDCLXIII I betook myself to his feast on the last day of August. I saw peoples flowing thither for devotion's sake on foot, some also on horseback; women too bringing their infants with them, laid in baskets, to fulfill vows for health received, or to receive it. This year there were only about 7,000 persons, perhaps because of the huge rains which arose a little before the eve: but in other years about 10,000 are wont to come together to the aforesaid feast. It is wonderful, nor did I behold it without a certain affection of devotion, that on the XXX and XXXI days so many faithful should make the rough journey through the steeps of the mountains, and rest the whole night in the church upon the bare ground. Afterwards, roused from sleep at the voices of the monks singing the morning praises at midnight, they rise, and very many of them at earliest morning, having heard Mass and received holy Communion, set out on their journey to return to their own homes. I saw also tablets and cast-off garments hung up in that same church for graces received. On the aforesaid days they leave with us the charge of celebrating Masses for them, sometimes about four hundred, sometimes even five hundred, in honor of the aforesaid Bl. Albertinus. All these things I myself have seen more than once, and in witness thereof I shall subscribe myself with my own hand. I, Dom Andrea Vallemani, Camaldolese abbot of St. Lawrence of Massaccio. These things abundantly show the Blessed's cult. For the rest, that Bl. Albertinus is chiefly invoked by those who suffer from hernia, Jacobilli and Razzi, praised before, bear witness.
[6] a few things about his deeds and the time in which he lived, Of the deeds of Bl. Albertinus very few things have come down to posterity. Some Jacobilli gathered in volume 2, and rather more in volume 3, where he also tacitly corrects some things which he had before asserted. He makes Gubbio his birthplace, but on what foundation is not clear to me. Francesco Bricchi in the Annals of Cagli, page 40, had called him a disciple of Bl. Peter Damian; and Jacobilli, following him, had in volume 2 also made him Bl. Peter Damian's successor in the government, and consequently had fixed his death about the year 1120. But in volume 3, page 351, he arranged everything otherwise: for he places the beginning of his monastic life about the year 1250. He asserts that he was created superior of the whole Congregation of Avellana in the year 1275. Thence in the year 1276, on the X day of July, he says, he was present at the sentence which was pronounced by Bl. Philip, bishop of Nocera, concerning the disputed boundaries between the aforesaid monastery and the monastery of Sassoferrato, or of Blessed Mary di Sitria, and he ratified the bishop's sentence. Finally he asserts that he died on the XIII of April in the year 1285. From this date the above-cited Bucelinus, and Ferrari and Wion in their observations, do not depart much: for all say that the Blessed flourished about the year 1280. More concerning Bl. Albertinus has not come to our hands.