ON BLESSED ANDREW, ABBOT OF THE MONASTERY OF ELNON, AT AMANDOPOLIS IN BELGIUM,
AROUND THE YEAR OF CHRIST 693
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
Andrew, Abbot of Elnon in Belgium (Blessed)
By G. H.
[1] Blessed Andrew was a disciple of the great Amandus and a strenuous imitator of his virtues, concerning whom the Elnon author in the Epitome of the Translation and Elevation of the body of Saint Amandus published above, and also published by Surius together with the Life of the same by Baudemund, Blessed Andrew, formerly listed among the holy disciples of Amandus: writes thus at number 6: "Indeed, the memory of the Saints who chose to serve the Lord through Blessed Amandus, having been touched upon above in general, it now remains to make known the names of certain ones, to the praise of the outstanding Doctor, so that if anyone should wish to read their deeds, from the virtues of those ones he may in some measure be able to weigh the merits of so great a Father and the standard-bearer of so capable a legion. Of whose blessed company a certain honorable part was the holy Andrew, established by the same Bishop as Abbot in the monastery of Elnon." There follow Saints Ionatus, Florebertus, Maurontus, Humbertus, Gertrude, Bavo, Landoald, Amantius, all entered in the list of Saints. Lippelous, in the Life of Saint Amandus published by him, reviews almost all the same Saints, and thus begins with Blessed Andrew: "One of whom was Saint Andrew, established by the same Bishop as Abbot in the Elnon monastery." In the same manner Antonius Vincentius Domeneccus, on the Saints of Catalonia on February 6, in the Life of Saint Amandus, enumerating the holy disciples of this Saint, begins from Saint Andrew, Abbot of Senon (to be read: Elnon): as do others passim.
[2] Barisiacum in the territory of Laon was given to Saint Amandus by Childeric, King of the Franks, as we said in the Life of this saint, producing in section 2 the diploma of that King, he presided over the monastery built at Barisiacum in the year 666, written on the Kalends of August in the second year of his reign, with Queen Imnechild, widow of the holy King Sigebert, subscribing. That year was the year of Christ 666, as was proved there in section 14. Saint Amandus (as Philip the Abbot continues in his Life at number 60), graciously accepting the royal gift with thanksgiving, established there for the suitability of the place and time a monastery in a fitting arrangement, and gathering therein men fearing God and professing the warfare of Christ, he set over them with provident dispensation the venerable and God-worthy Andrew, his own disciple, soon to be his successor in the Elnon monastery. And at number 68: "The blessed Father Amandus was already at that time feeling the failings of his body, worn out by labors and old age, and by a secret inspiration he had a presentiment that the day of his departure was not far off." then over the Elnon monastery Therefore, having summoned to himself the venerable Andrew, whom he had previously set as Abbot over Barisiacum, he set him over his family, which with the Lord's help he had gathered, so that in his hand the strength of order and the severity of discipline might flourish with provident moderation, and that for himself a more private and freer entrance might be open for devoting himself to God. He decreed, however, that there should be recalled into the perpetual possession of the Elnon monastery whatever he had previously possessed at Barisiacum from the munificence of King Childeric; which to this very day, according to the dispensation of the man of God, is irrefragably preserved. These things Abbot Philip writes in chapter 48 according to his division, to which he prefixed this title at the beginning of the Life. in the year 683 "How Blessed Amandus set over the Elnon monastery his disciple Saint Andrew, Abbot of Barisiacum": which we said was done in the year 683 in section 15.
[3] The same things are reported from the Elnon Chronicle in volume 8, part 1, of monastic affairs collected by Francis le Bar; and it is added at the end: "This Andrew (whom he had earlier called a holy man) built the church of Saint Martin above the Scarpe. He was buried in the middle of the Church of Saint Amandus in the year 670," died around the year 693, inscribed in the Martyrologies that is, according to his computation, nine years after the death of Saint Amandus, assigned to the year 661; and so according to our chronology he lived until the year 693. He is listed in the Gallican Martyrology of Saussay on February 5 in these words: "In the monastery of Elnon in the district of Tournai, Saint Andrew, Abbot, disciple of Saint Amandus, who, after he had governed his monastery to the divine good pleasure, and had obtained great praise of sanctity for his merits, peacefully rested in a death precious in the sight of God." February 5 and 6: On the same day Menard writes this in the Benedictine Martyrology: "At Elnon in Belgium, Saint Andrew, Abbot, disciple of Saint Amandus." But on February 6 others report. Ferrarius: "In Hainaut, Blessed Andrew, Abbot of Elnon." Our Willot in the Appendix to the Roman Martyrology published by him in French, when he had treated of Saint Amandus, adds: "On the same day in the said town of Saint Amandus is venerated Saint Andrew, Abbot and successor of the said Saint, who died in the year 670." Namely, he too had reported the death of Saint Amandus to the year 661 in the same place. Ghinius, in the Birthdays of the holy Canons, says: "There also flourished at Elnon Blessed Andrew, first Abbot of Barisiacum, in the Cell of the Apostles, then of Elnon, a disciple of the same Saint Amandus, who is numbered among the Saints of Elnon, even though his birthday is not celebrated: and there exists about him in the same place on his tomb an Epitaph."
[4] The same words Molanus had previously given in the Index of Saints of Belgium, and then in the Birthdays of the Saints of Belgium together with the Epitaph itself, which is as follows:
"Approach this tomb not irreverently, whoever you are, Because it encloses the casket and limbs of the holy Andrew. Who was pious and prudent, humble, and the disciple Of the venerable Father and at the same time his successor, Amandus. Hugo, Shepherd of the fold, the body elevated, builder of the present hall, Elevating him, washing him with water, and storing him in a casket, With the tomb cleaned, solemnly replaced him here. Those languishing with fever there frequently recovered."
Abbot Philip inscribed the Life of Saint Amandus to Abbot Hugo, whom we observed in the same place to have died in the year 1169. Another poem is added by Francis le Bar, which we also add here: around the year 1160
"When it happened that the venerable Amandus was taken From human affairs, and was joined to the choirs of the Heavenly ones; From Barisiacum he is summoned, where monastic buildings arise, O Childeric, built at your expense. Andrew flies to Elnon, and the possessions held long since At Barisiacum by the gift of Prince Childeric Are recalled to the jurisdiction of Elnon: as Amandus by word Had commanded, and had sanctioned in the writings previously given. Not so much the care of his flock occupies Andrew, As the love of the divine religion. Whence he raises a pious temple to the divine Martin, Where the pleasant Scarpe flows with watering streams. Those with fevers were helped, Nor did he lack virtues when dead: at his bones They report that those badly afflicted with fever recovered."
Concerning the Elnon monastery, ample treatment was given in the Life of Saint Amandus.