ON SAINT TRESANUS, PRESBYTER, OF AVENAY IN GALLIC CHAMPAGNE
Fourth Century
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY
Tresanus, Presbyter, of Avenay in Gallic Champagne (Saint)
By the author I. B.
[1] Avenay was a village of the province of Rheims, in which a monastery of nuns was built by Saint Bertha in the times of King Childeric, son of Clovis II, in a place called "the Golden Valley," as will be evident from her Life on May 1. Avenay is now -- called Avennacum by Flodoard in several passages of his History of Rheims -- commonly Avenay. at Avenay in Gaul Here the body of Saint Tresanus the Presbyter was committed to burial in the sixth century and is preserved even to this day, although John Colgan in the Acts of the Saints of Ireland writes that it rests in the monastery of Saint Remigius at Rheims.
But Francisca Marcana, Abbess of Avenay, in the preface to the proper offices of the Saints of that monastery -- which she, by the authority of Pope Clement VIII the body of Saint Tresanus is preserved and of Philip, Archbishop of Rheims, had restored to the form of the Roman Breviary and had printed at Rheims in the year 1600 -- thus addresses her charges: "And we, my good and beloved daughters, in this our poor religious house and community, honor the bodies of Saints Gumbertus, Bertha, and Tresanus; through whose merits and intercessions the place of our habitation is filled with happiness and the grace of God, who, through the presence of the bodies of these Saints, frequently works miracles and things far surpassing the power of nature and plainly divine, as anyone can see with their own eyes day by day." And then she says that she labored greatly to have the offices of those glorious Saints, whose bodies rest in that church, composed by learned men. In first place is the office of Saint Tresanus, arranged up to the Octave.
[2] In that monastery of Saint Remigius at Rheims, however, the body of Saint Gibrianus is preserved, who was a brother of Saint Tresanus and is much more famous, the standard-bearer of the troop of holy brothers and sisters, as we shall say on May 8 in his Life. Concerning them, Flodoard writes (History of the Church of Rheims, book 4, chapter 9), where he treats of the deeds of Archbishop Fulco: who came to Gaul with Saint Gibrianus and others "At that time also the remains of Saint Gibrianus were brought to the church of the blessed Remigius from the district of Chalons, where he is known to have sojourned as a pilgrim and to have been buried. For seven brothers from Ireland had come to this province for the sake of pilgrimage, out of love for Christ: namely, Gibrianus, Helanus, Tresanus, Germanus, Veranus, Abranus, Petranus, with their three sisters, Frauda, Promptia, and Possenna; choosing for themselves suitable places to dwell along a river called the Marne." So far he. Concerning Saint Helanus, or Tesanus, we shall treat on October 7.
[3] The Life of Saint Tresanus was published in French by Renatus Benedictus, composed by Petrus Viellius from a more extensive one published at Rheims, which we have not seen. Besides the one that is distributed into lessons in the cited Office of Avenay, we have another, whence this Life is here published but one fashioned from it in polished style by Guilielmus Duiatius, a Regular Canon, which existed in the codex of Nicolaus Belfortius. Davidus Camerarius recites another from a manuscript codex of the monastery of Saint Remigius at Rheims, but one subsequently condensed, as Colgan notes; he, however, presents the fuller version, though with very many errors both of the typesetters and of the copyist. Certainly what is said in number 2 -- that the holy man wished to seek food by bodily servitude, which he could not have from ecclesiastical ministry -- as four cited authors had it, this seemed unseemly to the copyist, that the Saint, having undertaken a pilgrimage from Ireland to Gaul, should have admitted any thought about sustenance other than from heaven, and he substituted "heaven" for "food." Then what is said in number 15, "finishing the cosmic (that is, worldly) contest," he altered to "finishing the contest of Cofnucius" -- as if the place where he died were being indicated. We have, however, transcribed that Life from Colgan, as it was the fuller one, with errors corrected from other sources as far as was permissible, and occasionally by conjecture.
[4] That Life was written long after the death of the Saint, as is clear from number 11, where the author says of his staff, which had grown into a tree: when was it written? "which endures to this day through the course of so many years, and shows the miracle that is recorded." Colgan judges it to have been written 700 or 800 years ago, and that Flodoard drew from it what he wrote about Saint Tresanus and his brothers 700 years ago. But Flodoard has only a little about Tresanus, and this Life has little about the brothers. One might rightly suspect that it was written before the times of King Childeric, for the monastery of Avenay was then founded by Saint Bertha, of which this writer makes no mention -- which he would otherwise have done in honor of Tresanus, who was buried there.
[5] The author clearly indicates the era of Saint Tresanus when he says he was a contemporary of Saints Remigius and Genebaldus. Sigebert of Gembloux agrees Saint Tresanus lived in the sixth century (or, as Miraeus supposed, if anyone was an interpolator of his Chronicle), writing at the year 509: "Gibrianus, a Scot, with his brothers and sisters, sojourning in Gaul, adorned the city of Rheims by both his life and his death." But it is plainly contrary to the truth what Colgan relates in the Appendix to the Life of Saint Tresanus, chapter 2: "The anonymous author of the Supplement to Gembloux writes that he and his brothers flourished in the year 1145, but he is far wrong." So Colgan. But neither does that writer say what Colgan attributes to him, nor does he err in what he writes. His words are: nor does the Supplement of Sigebert deny this "At Rheims, in the monastery of the blessed Remigius, Saint Gibrianus the Scot shines with many miracles and is frequented by a great concourse of the people." This is to be understood of the miracles wrought at his relics. And indeed, there is no mention of the brothers there.
[6] What is said on December 3 in the Life of Saint Eloquius -- "In the year of the Incarnation of the Lord 656, during the reign of Clovis, now most Christian King, the blessed Eloquius came to the shores of Gaul from the island of Ireland with certain venerable men, namely Furseus, Ultanus, Foillanus, Boetius, Mombolus, Adalgisus, Etto, Helanus, Tresanus, he was not a companion of Saint Eloquius Germanus, Veranus, and Columbanus" -- was ignorantly written, or the names were added by some pretender to learning. It is surprising that this was not noticed by Molanus in the Birthdays of the Saints of Belgium. For neither did Columbanus come with them, being much younger than Saint Gibrianus's brothers and older than Saint Furseus and his brothers; nor did the rest come with Furseus, as is clear from his Life which we gave on January 16. Nor is it necessary (as Ferrarius seems to suggest in the General Catalogue of Saints, Note on December 3) to invent two Tresanuses -- one a Presbyter who lived in the year 509, and the other a monk who lived in 651.
[7] Saint Tresanus is venerated on February 7, the feast of Saint Romuald having been moved to the following day, he is venerated on February 7 as is evident from the Office of Avenay and from Renatus Benedictus. On this day he was also listed by Belfortius, Camerarius, and Colgan, although in the Office of Avenay (Lesson 4 of the Octave day) and in the Life written by Duiatius, he is said to have died on February 8. Ferrarius places him on December 3 in these words: "In Champagne, of Saints Tresanus, Veranus, and Germanus, brothers" -- which Saussaius transcribed in the same words in the Supplement to the Gallican Martyrology on the same day. Ferrarius cites Molanus not on December 3 (who indeed names them in the Life of Saint Eloquius, as we said) and a Scottish Calendar -- but which one? Dempster indeed, in the Scottish Menology and in book 17 of the Ecclesiastical History of the Scots, writes that Saint Tresanus is venerated on that day, and also incorrectly cites Molanus and Colvenerius in his Notes to Flodoard, who merely proves from the passage of Molanus already mentioned that the other brother of Saint Tresanus should be called Helanus rather than Tesanus.
[8] elsewhere incorrectly called Saint Sanissimus Ridiculous is what Ferrarius has on this very day of February 7: "At Rheims in Gaul, of Saint Sanissimus, Confessor," concerning whom he says in the Notes that he is called by others Sanctissimus. The occasion of error arose from the French superlative prefix "tres-" (very/most); thus for "Tresain," someone read "Tres-sain" or "Tre-sain" (most holy), or "tres-sainct" (most holy). What he adds, that he was a Brabantine by nation, is unknown to us here in Brabant.
LIFE BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR,
from the manuscript of the monastery of Saint Remigius, published by John Colgan, O.F.M.
Tresanus, Presbyter, of Avenay in Gallic Champagne (Saint)
BHL Number: 8313
By an Anonymous Author.
[1] Tresanus, therefore, from the island of Ireland, born of the Scottish race, together with six brothers and three sisters, leaving his native land and all his possessions, Saint Tresanus, a Scot, comes to Gaul came into the regions of Gaul. For he had heard the Lord saying to Abraham: "Go forth from your land and from your kindred, and come into the land that I shall show you." Gen. 12:1 And he chose a secluded place to dwell, so that he might serve God alone in greater seclusion, and thereby ascend more freely to heavenly things. For the aforesaid servant of the Lord was unlearned in letters, yet although uneducated, he was a most devout worshiper of the Lord. But since we have said that he came to the borders of Gaul with six brothers and three sisters, with six brothers and three sisters we thought it fitting that their names be noted. They were, therefore: Gibrianus, Helanus, Germanus, Veranus, Abranus, Petranus, and the sisters Frauda, Promptia, and Possenna.
[2] These six brothers with three sisters, devoting themselves to the praises of God, despised earthly things, desired eternal things, and yearned for heavenly things. Then a holy thought occurred to the holy man -- since he was unlearned -- that he should seek food by bodily service, unlearned in letters which he could not have from ecclesiastical ministry. He attached himself to one of the inhabitants of the region, in the district of Rheims, along the river Marne. And when his master saw that he was born of the Scottish race and entirely ignorant of the Frankish tongue, he entrusted to him the keeping of swine -- he acts as a swineherd which is the most lowly and squalid work among all kinds of flocks. He accepted this humbly and carried it out faithfully, not unmindful of the Apostolic precept: "Servants, be subject in all fear to your masters." 1 Pet. 2:18 He watched over the flock and guarded his mind from wicked thoughts.
[3] In that place, therefore, the aforesaid servant of the Lord was keeping his flock. There is a place called Mutiniacus, where there is a church dedicated in honor of the blessed Martin. he frequents the Divine Offices There, while the priest was completing the solemnities of Matins and Mass, the blessed Tresanus would come to the doors of the church, eager to learn the ministry of the ecclesiastical rule; and he performed a double duty: guarding the flock outside, while within filling his mind with the knowledge of letters. he is divinely imbued with knowledge The merciful Lord, therefore, who guards all who love him, seeing his servant most devoted in his service, instructed his mind in the skill of letters and guarded the flock entrusted to him from the jaws of beasts.
[4] The ancient enemy, therefore, who does not cease to persecute the servants of Christ, stirred up the inhabitants of a neighboring place called Ageius and inflamed them with the goads of envy. When they heard on a certain day that the blessed Remigius had come to the estate called Villare in the forest, he is falsely accused before Saint Remigius the rustics approached the aforesaid Bishop, complaining that Tresanus, a man of Scottish race, had ravaged their vineyards, was grazing down their fields and meadows, and was plundering all their possessions. But Saint Remigius, who was not, like a reed, lightly swayed by the blast of the wind, sent a legate, summoned Tresanus, and investigated the case. he is acquitted When Saint Remigius found Tresanus to be without fault, he dismissed the accusers and envious men from his presence, and sent Tresanus away consoled with kind words.
[5] he curses the accusers Saint Tresanus, therefore, gathering together the herd of swine and leading them back to the houses of their owners, stood on a place that is still called the Mount of Saint Tresanus. Looking toward the place called Ageius, he said: "You who have falsely accused me before the chief Priest of the Lord -- after you have passed through thirty years, may you never increase in worldly wealth. It is better for you to be punished in this world than to be tormented without end in the next." When these words were spoken, he returned the swine to their owners the outcome follows in perpetuity and thus remained in the service of God. The Lord, therefore, wishing to show to the people that he had heard the voice of his servant, fulfills this in the posterity of the aforesaid envious men; and it appears to this day that after they have passed their thirtieth year of age, they labor in want, are in need, and beg.
[6] After a short interval of time, Saint Tresanus went to Laon. He approached the holy Bishop Genebaud through the intercession of Saint Genebaud and humbly asked that he petition the blessed Remigius to promote him to holy orders. Saint Genebaud, seeing the good desire of the holy man and that in a short time he had been not inconsiderably instructed, went to Saint Remigius, revealed the desire of the just man, and what he humbly asked, he quickly obtained.
[7] he receives holy orders from Saint Remigius At the appointed times, therefore, so as not to seem forgetful of the sacred canons, as Genebaud had requested, Saint Tresanus was ordained by Remigius: chosen by the elect, sanctified by the saint. And when he dismissed him in peace, he exhorted, strengthened, and encouraged him to serve at the sacred altars of Christ. How much he devoted himself to God in divine service, how he wore down his body with fasting, how he unceasingly labored in vigils and prayers, how liberally he distributed alms to the poor, he lives holily how he despised the world, hated the works of the devil, crucified his flesh with its vices and desires, and clung inseparably to Christ -- no one can tell. For he who clings to Christ and follows his works is himself made one body with Christ.
[8] Having been promoted, therefore, to the order of the priesthood, Saint Tresanus chose a place above the river Marne he dwells at Marogillus called Marogillus, where there is a church dedicated in the name of the blessed Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers. This he chose for serving God and satisfying the Most High King. Moreover, near that place there is a church consecrated in honor of the blessed Martin, Bishop of Tours, where, likewise embracing the divine office, he offered sacrifice to God, immolating himself on the altar of his heart -- a blessed stranger and pilgrim, who was exalted by the Lord to such great grace that he was presented by Genebaud, the praiseworthy Bishop of Laon, for the attainment of holy orders; consecrated by Saint Remigius, Bishop of Rheims, for the most devout service of the altars of Christ; and received by Christ the High Priest, to remain forever in the heavenly Church. For this attainment, there was not lacking the incomparable merit of the holy Confessors and Bishops, Hilary and Martin.
[9] While the aforesaid Saint Tresanus was dwelling there and exercising himself in divine worship, a certain inhabitant of that place came to him, confessing his sins and humbly imploring him to pour forth prayers to God on his behalf. He asked the Saint to accept something of his own, a field donated to him is accepted trusting that what is given to a servant of the Lord will be repaid a hundredfold in the future and eternal life. The blessed man, therefore, seeing the devotion of the man, yielded to his prayers and agreed that he should give him one meadow, which he had nearby, for pasturing his donkey. This meadow, therefore, lies within the boundaries of the estate called Ageius, and it retains its name from the Saint to this day.
[10] How dear and acceptable to God are the merits of this blessed man is demonstrated by the miracles he is distinguished by miracles that were wonderfully wrought through him during his life. But one should believe in good works rather than in miracles, for the Truth itself says: "Believe the works." John 10:38 And although we cannot encompass all of them and must omit very many, nevertheless, with God's help, we shall bring some forth publicly.
[11] On a certain day, after completing the morning office and celebrating Mass at Mutiniacus in the church of the blessed Martin, while he was returning and making his way back to Marogillus, sleep overcame him. He lay down upon the ground and fixed his staff in the earth, his staff, fixed in the earth on the slope of a hill where there was such dryness that water had never flowed there. Waking after sleep, he saw his staff restored to its former greenness, grows into a tree clothed with bark and natural leaves -- which to this day endures through the course of so many years and shows the miracle that is recorded. At a certain time, therefore, a certain inhabitant of the aforesaid estate cut down the aforesaid tree, but did not cut it down to the ground. not to be violated without harm When he wished to use it for the construction of his house, he was seized by illness and died miserably on the seventh day after the perpetration of the sacrilege.
[12] beneath which a spring flows At the root of the aforesaid tree, at the very hour when the man of God fixed it in the ground, there arises a spring of wonderful sweetness, which flows down to the edge of the hill. When the aforesaid priest Tresanus saw this, he gave thanks to God, drank from the spring, and asked God that nothing unjust might ever be done in this world with the aforesaid spring. For to this day, nothing stolen and nothing taken by force from anyone and it is itself sacred is known to have been touched by the aforesaid spring. In recent times, a certain woman of the aforesaid estate, wishing to wash her garments in the aforesaid spring, could not accomplish what she desired, for when she put the aforesaid garments into the water, the spring turned the color of red, and salutary against fevers like blood flowing from the body of a living person. Very many, therefore, suffering from tertian or quartan fevers come there, drink from the spring, and recover their health.
[13] After, therefore, the Redeemer of the world had published the merits of his servant in this world through these and other signs and wonders, to the honor of his name and as a good example for posterity who would come in the flesh, he called him from the snares of this world, about to translate him to the eternal glory of Paradise. And so the holy man of God, the priest Tresanus, weighed down by bodily infirmity and afflicted by the distress of fevers, took to his bed; and being brought to his last extremity, perceiving that the end of his body was at hand, he summoned the priests and ministers of the sacred order. He professed himself to be a sinner and unworthy of the priesthood, to have offended against men and to have sinned grievously against the Lord.
[14] Having received gentle consolation from the ministers, he received the oil of holy reconciliation he is anointed with sacred oil and accepted it with intimate contrition and humility of heart. Comforting the brethren, he said: "Be strengthened in the Lord, dearest brethren, and in the power of his might; and according to that word of the Lord, 'Walk while you have the light' John 12:35; and that of the Prophet David, 'The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord' Ps. 111:10; and he added: 'The end of wisdom is the meditation on death.'" When he had finished these words, he asked for the Viaticum. When it was brought before him, rising from his bed he asks for the Eucharist and prostrating himself upon the ground, he said with a most devout heart: "Hail, most blessed hope of ours; hail, our holy redemption; hail, most holy flesh of Christ, most precious and dear to me above all gold and topaz, he reverently greets it and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. Hail, most blessed blood of Christ, given as the price of our redemption, mercifully shed for sins. Hail, Jesus Christ, Son of God; may your power defend me from the snares of the ancient enemy; may the prince of shadows not meet me. I pray that, as your servant, I may appear last in the order of your servants." he receives it and dies holily Having said this, and having received the body and blood of the Lord, he was placed back in his bed; and placing his hope, with his eyes and heart fixed on heaven, he sent forth his holy spirit, entering the kingdom that will endure without end.
[15] At the very hour in which the blessed soul of the holy man was released from the prison of the flesh, a sweet fragrance being diffused so great a fragrance of scent was immediately present there as none of all who were present had ever perceived in this world. Nor is this wonderful or incredible, for he who in this world was a good fragrance unto God through good works, and had left a good work for the passing world, it was fitting that he should depart from the world with a good fragrance. Saint Tresanus, priest of Christ, therefore departed from this world on the seventh day before the Ides of February, finishing the worldly contest and receiving an eternal reward from the good and supreme Rewarder. Aided by his prayers and filled with the fruit of good works, let us labor in this world so that we may reach the fellowship of the Angels and attain the kingdoms of heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord, whose kingdom and dominion remains without end forever. Amen.
[16] After, therefore, the blessed priest of Christ, Tresanus, stripped of his body, left the world and passed to heavenly things, his body cannot be moved from there the priests and those who attended his funeral began to dispute about the burial of the lifeless body. It was proposed that he be buried in the church of Saint Hilary at Marogillus, in which he had served the Lord for many days. When they wished to lift the bier, however, they could not succeed in any way. Then it was proposed that he be carried to the monastery of Hautvillers; but those who attempted this found their labor similar to the former attempt. By a wiser counsel, however, conceived by divine inspiration, it was proposed that the body be placed on a cart, and that two young heifers be yoked to it, and that by the beasts he be led to the place of burial but when two heifers were yoked to the cart where the Lord had appointed. We read in the Book of Kings that the chiefs of the Philistines placed the Ark of the Lord on a new cart and yoked cows to the cart -- which are reported to have been nursing -- and led them along the road to Beth-shemesh; and the cows went straight along the road that leads to Beth-shemesh, proceeding and lowing, and they did not turn aside to the right or to the left. It is clearer than light that the Church is signified by the Ark, and the Doctors by the cows yoked to the cart. So also this holy man, a son of the Church and a servant of the Church, was led by the Doctors of the Church, with weeping and singing of psalms, to the place which the Lord had appointed. For nearby was a place called Avenay, he is willingly carried to Avenay where, when the heifers yoked to the cart arrived with the body of the Saint, they stood motionless, in no way able to proceed. When the priests saw this, they recognized it to be the will of the Lord that the priest, whose holy soul had already penetrated the heavens, should be buried there. There, therefore, they buried the body of the holy priest, and is buried there destined to rise in glory on the day of judgment, with our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, to whom be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Annotationsi. Colgan: "which."
p. We shall give the Life of Saint Remigius on October 1.
q. Duiatius calls it Villare Silva (Forest Villare). In the chorography of Rheims it is called Villiers-en-Selve.
r. Laon is a city of Upper Picardy, commonly called Laon in French; its first Bishop was Saint Genebaud, or Genebaldus.
s. Duiatius says he first received the rites of sacred things by the work of the divine Genebaud, with a docile mind and pious zeal.
t. So the Office of Avenay and Camerarius. But Colgan: Marogilus, and below in number 10, Marolgilus. Duiatius: Marouillus. Viellius: Mareuille.
v. The Office of Avenay adds: situated at Mutiniacus.
x. Duiatius adds: "before he had crossed the intervening mountain."
y. Duiatius paraphrastically explains this thus: "And finally he asked the Supreme Creator that it might not be harmful to any who drink from it. That this was granted to him, daily experience clearly demonstrates."
z. The French commonly call it Hautvillers. It lies between Rheims and the town of Epernay, built by Saint Nivardus, Bishop of Rheims.
aa. So the Office of Avenay. Colgan and Camerarius have "volentes" (wishing).