Raynald

ON SAINT RAYNALD, BISHOP OF NOCERA IN UMBRIA.

Year 1225.

Preliminary Commentary.

Raynald, Bishop of Nocera in Umbria (Saint)

G. H.

[1] Nocera, ^a very ancient city of Umbria on the Flaminian Way, in the Apennine Mountains near the river Tenia, opened its eyes to the light of the Gospel in the time of the Apostles, At Nocera in Umbria, and in the first persecution of Nero enrolled its citizens Saints Felix the Priest and Constantia the matron, illustrious with the palm of martyrdom, in heaven; whose commemoration is inscribed in the sacred calendar on the 19th of September. The diocese of this Nocera extended its boundaries from the ruins of the surrounding cities of Tadinum, Rossella, Luceolum, Pistia, and Usentium, which were destroyed by the fury of the Lombards and Saracens, so that the See of all of them was established at Nocera, which flourished above the rest. There one may see the splendid Cathedral church, The Cathedral church dedicated to Saint Raynald, Bishop, sacred to Saint Raynald, Bishop of Nocera, of whom we treat on this day. The Clergy is said to consist of ten Canons with ^a Provost, and thirty other Priests, and various ministers of the sacred rites, who carry on the divine worship day and night, as the reader may gather more fully from the first volume of Ferdinando Ughelli's Italia Sacra.

[2] Saint Raynald was the nineteenth Bishop of Nocera, who departed to heaven on the 9th of February in the year 1225, of whom Ferrari thus makes mention on that day in his General Catalogue: His name in the sacred calendar, "At Nocera in Umbria, Saint Raynald, Bishop." Concerning him the same Ferrari composed an illustrious encomium in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, which Bzovius transcribed in its entirety, with no mention made of Ferrari, in the Annals at the year 1225, Number 13. Another eulogy of his virtues was published by Ughelli, in whom it reads -- but perhaps through ^a typographical error -- that he died on the 19th of February. His Acts were collected more copiously in Italian by Ludovico Jacobilli, Various Acts, and published among the Saints of Umbria at the 9th of February from diverse documents cited by him, which he says include: ancient manuscript Lives of Saint Raynald in the church of Nocera; ^a Life of the same written by his disciple and preserved in manuscript at Nocera; an ancient manuscript codex in the sacristy of the Cathedral of Nocera, written by Silvestro Ser-Angeli; an ancient manuscript codex in the possession of the parish priest of Saint Facundinus; ancient manuscript Lessons in the convent of Saint Francis at Gualdo; the manuscript Chronicle of Gualdo in the same convent and in the possession of Captain Angelo Morone; and then two printed Lives of Saint Raynald -- one published at Assisi in the year 1617 by Giovanni Battista Teodoro of Nocera, the other at Perugia in the year 1627 of this century, written by Celso Placido; by whom Ughelli reports that the Lives of all the Saints of Nocera were published and ^a work on the Bishops of Nocera was being prepared.

[3] From this ^a desire was stirred in us to obtain those ancient documents, from which our Henry Lindanus, while dwelling at Rome, Published here, from the Italian version of the original Latin, by diligent investigation procured and brought with him to Belgium this Life which we publish, but written in Italian, with this title: "A certain servant of Blessed Raynald, as ancient tradition has it, left behind this Life written by him in the Latin language. It survived in an ancient parchment codex, appended to other Acts of Saints who are venerated throughout the year, and is preserved in the archive of the Cathedral church of Nocera, which was translated into Italian as follows." Hence the necessity was imposed upon us of restoring it once more to the Latin language. The servant or disciple of Saint Raynald could have written those things which are related in the first chapter up to his burial, which another person then augmented; or certainly someone later collected these things from his and other documents, When was it written? who, in asserting in Number 13 that "moreover it is read of him," implies that he was much younger. But the miracles that occurred in the year 1415 and the following year were written by Silvestro Ser-Angeli, ^a contemporary author. Of all these things ^a notable summary is what Ferrari published, from the documents, as he adds, of the Church of Nocera and the manuscript Life. The rest we explain in the Notes.

[4] Two hymns were also sent to us, composed by the Lord Anselmo Corradino of Nocera in praise of the most blessed Confessor Raynald, Two hymns, of which one is to be recited at Vespers and Matins, the other at Lauds in the Ecclesiastical Office. We omit both, partly because they contain only what is narrated in the Acts, partly because we do not know in what period the said Corradino lived, and to avoid ^a superfluous bulk of the work.

LIFE,

written in Latin by an ancient author, here restored from the Italian.

Raynald, Bishop of Nocera in Umbria (Saint)

From the Italian Manuscript. Translator: G. H.

CHAPTER I

Summary of the deeds of Saint Raynald: death, veneration.

[1] After the greatest incursions of the barbarians, when God had restored peace to the Western Empire, Descended from German Counts of the Imperial family, Emperors who had set out from Germany into Italy distributed the uncultivated regions among the Counts and other noble men who followed them. Among these Counts three brothers were preeminent -- Lupus, Viccus, and Eufredus -- descended from the very stock of the Emperors, to whom ample territories fell: to Lupus around Camerino, from whom the noble Alviani, Viscoli, and Baroli derive their origin; to Eufredus around Foligno and above Bevagna, and many acknowledge him as the founder of their family. But Viccus obtained the mountains and valleys between Nocera and Forum Flaminii, Saint Raynald descended from him: from whose posterity are numbered many Bishops and Abbots, among whom was the Blessed Raynald, son of Napoleon, ^a religious Priest, ^a true servant and friend of the most high God, and at last Bishop of Nocera.

[2] This holy man, therefore, although he was resplendent with the highest family of the sons of Viccus and with the most noble stock of the Counts of Germany, Devoted to virtue from infancy, nevertheless attained ^a greater nobility from true sanctity and perfection of life; imbued with holy morals from his earliest infancy, he grew pleasing to God and men. Then, educated in human and sacred letters, when he could -- like other nobles, on account of the various possessions of fields and other properties -- enjoy riches and honors, Splendidly educated, moved by the divine Spirit, trampling on the pomp of the world and scorning deceitful riches, he secluded himself in the venerable monastery of the Hermitage of the Holy Cross of Fonte Avellana, to serve God alone, to whom, exercised by fasts, prayers, A pious monk, and pious meditations, he desired to adhere constantly and sincerely.

[3] Then, upon the death of Hugo, Bishop of Nocera, not without ^a singular providence and inspiration of God, the holy man Raynald was substituted. He is made Bishop of Nocera. He retained in that dignity the same gravity of morals and modesty which he had previously observed among the monks: benign toward widows, pupils, and orphans, and embracing pilgrims and the poor with the utmost charity.

He abstained from splendid buildings and the accumulation of money; but whatever was left over from his honest support and the clothing of himself, his Clergy, and the rest of his household, he ordered to be expended on the poor. A certain poor infant, bereft of both parents, He raises an orphan in his household, was at Nocera destitute of all assistance and weighed down by great need. When the man of God, Raynald, learned of this, he ordered the child to be brought to him and raised in his household with paternal affection. When the boy was somewhat older, he wished him to carry ^a wallet around his neck and daily to approach his table, and he taught him to beg for alms both from himself and from other guests -- Clergy and laity -- with these words: "Give me, ^a poor man, alms for the love of God and the Virgin Mother of God." The Saint did this so that the memory of Christ might be perpetually renewed.

[4] Raynald, severe toward himself, would not accept ^a bed made up by his servants, Severe with himself, he sleeps on the ground, but stayed awake almost whole nights intent on prayer; or if overcome by sleep, he lay on the ground or upon ^a table. And so the bed, which had been artfully made up the day before, was found untouched at the next dawn. In this he imitated his predecessor, the Blessed Facundinus, ^a man outstanding in great holiness and perfect virtue, who was accustomed to shun the softness of ^a bed in order to devote himself to nocturnal prayers and to lead an austere life in solitude, where he might attend to prayers with greater freedom.

[5] Raynald burned with the ardor of divine justice against men hardened in their sins. For while with ^a kind and merciful spirit he received those who were wearied of their sins and had become contrite and humble, Strict against those hardened in sin, so, rendering to each one his due, he severely punished those whom he observed to be unwilling to emerge from the mire of vices. When he went about his diocese to visit his subjects, he seriously applied himself to the amendment of morals and the correction of the Clergy, and governed the peoples committed to him with the utmost fidelity. Certain wicked men had despoiled the church dedicated to Saint Peter in the territory of Gualdo of its sacred books and ornaments, and had burned the neighboring houses, while the man of God was making his way toward the parish of Saint Felicity. He excommunicates the plunderers. He immediately convened the Clergy and people and bound those impious and wicked men with the chains of anathema. By good and pious men, who revered him as ^a holy man, he was singularly loved; but by the impious and wicked he was greatly feared, because they knew him to be ^a severe corrector of morals.

[6] He held the Episcopate at the time when Saint Francis, the true imitator of Christ and professor of the Evangelical law, while he proclaimed penance and the way of eternal salvation by the pattern of his own life, Stirred by the example of Saint Francis, then living, was drawing many to embrace the sweet yoke of Christ; and shining like ^a star, he illuminated all Christians alike -- religious and laity -- by word and example. To him also ^a Seraph then appeared, impressing upon him the sacred stigmata. Blessed Raynald, having happily passed through mortal life in the service of God, broken by old age, vigils, and prayers, departed in peace to immortal life; and almighty God declared him to be ^a Saint by wonderful signs. He dies holily. His sacred body, embalmed with balsam and enclosed in ^a casket, was buried by the Canons and Clergy in the Cathedral church, with ^a great gathering of the people of Nocera. He spent three years in the Episcopate. His predecessor Hugo still survived in the year 1222; Pelagius was appointed to succeed the same Blessed one in the year 1225.

[7] In subsequent times, when Emperor Frederick had occupied the more fortified places around Nocera, and the citizens of Nocera preferred to return to the obedience of the Roman Pontiff, Nocera destroyed in the year 1249, the Germans and the people of Foligno, hostile to them, from the more fortified strongholds invaded the city of Nocera and, having expelled the citizens, destroyed it in the year 1249,

[8] When Frederick died in the year 1250, and afterward his son King Conrad, and when Manfred and Conradin were killed in war, peace was restored by God to the holy Church; Nocera is restored and the veneration of Saint Raynald. at which time the people of Nocera returned, destroyed the walls and towers of the fortress, and restored the city, within which is enclosed the Cathedral church, in which the body of Saint Raynald was thereafter held in the same veneration in which it had formerly been.

[19] A subtle and truly divine acuity was present in his mind, especially in discerning demons lurking under whatever appearance. For they would assume now the image and face of Jupiter or Venus, more often of Mercury, and would assert that they were Jupiter or Bacchus or Hebe, the Goddess of Youth. [He is vexed by ^a demon in the appearance of Jupiter and other gods, and of ^a King pretending to be Christ.] On ^a certain occasion, when ^a demon, adorned with purple and ^a diadem, shod in golden shoes, with ^a beguiling mouth and cheerful face, had displayed himself like ^a King to the Blessed Raynald, after ^a mutual silence maintained for some time by both, he at last said: "Raynald, I am your Christ, whom you adore fallen to the ground: before all others I wished to reveal myself to you." When Raynald was struck with consternation at these words and suppressed his voice, the demon said again: "Why do you hesitate to believe, Raynald, when you see that I am Christ?" Then the Blessed Raynald, taught by the Holy

Spirit, replied with these words: "My Lord Jesus Christ did not predict that He would come clothed in purple and ^a shining diadem. Unless I see Christ in that garment and appearance in which He suffered, and unless He shows me the wounds and injuries which He endured on the Cross, I will not believe." At these words the demon vanished and filled the entire church with ^a most foul odor.

MIRACLES PERFORMED IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY,

described by Silvestro Ser-Angeli.

Raynald, Bishop of Nocera in Umbria (Saint)

BHL Number: 7080

[1] In the year 1414, in the month of August, on the very feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, By the intercession of Blessed Raynald, Lorenzo Marcuzio of Bagnaia offered to the blessed Father Raynald -- toward whom he was exceedingly pious -- The fury of war is averted: ^a wax candle of seven pounds, narrating the benefits bestowed upon him in that year in which Ceccolino, ^a cruel enemy, had brought war upon the inhabitants of the plain of Nocera. For at that time, having taken ^a vow, he had obligated himself to Blessed Raynald, that he and his family might be delivered from the danger of this war. And what he attributed to the kindness of God and the intercession of Blessed Raynald: he was immune from the hardships of that war, having suffered no loss either himself or anyone of his household. Indeed, although during that war Lorenzo often saw himself surrounded on all sides by enemies, he always escaped free and unharmed without any loss.

[2] In the fifteenth year of the same century, on the 23rd of June, Claruzzia, wife of Peter de Nolfo, from Colle Manzio, Bubonic plague is driven away, narrated that during the time of the recent contagion, when she was oppressed by the gravest illness from the bubonic plague, she had made this vow: that if that disease were overcome, she would be bound in devotion to visit the church of Blessed Raynald. On the very next day, experiencing the aid of God and of Blessed Raynald, with the pain of the bubonic plague removed, she found herself free and healthy.

[3] On the same day, when ^a certain woman of Assisi was oppressed by the pains of ^a most grave disease and ^a lethal disease: and appeared exposed to the near danger of death, another woman, joined to her by singular friendship, named Checia, originally from Postignana, who was descended from the family of Blessed Raynald, of her own accord made ^a vow for her to Blessed Raynald; to whom Blessed Raynald appeared, declaring that he was already bringing aid to her companion. By his patronage, with divine grace assisting, the other woman recovered her former health within three days.

[4] On the sixth day of July of the same year, Angelello, also called Mancino de Aviano, who had already been held in chains in the fortress of Nocera for sixteen months, A captive is freed, and about whom all the people of Nocera commonly lamented that he would never leave that place but would end his life there -- he himself as ^a suppliant implored the aid of Blessed Raynald, offering ^a votive gift of wax valued at thirty solidi. And not in vain. For by the kindness of God and of Blessed Raynald he was restored to liberty.

[5] On the same day, Illuminata, the widow of Nicola from the prefecture of Christana, for ^a certain granddaughter of hers who suffered from scrofula from her very birth, and for another little boy Scrofula and another disease are cured: whose disease was considered incurable by human aid, vowed to God and to Blessed Raynald that she would offer loaves of bread equal to the weight of the sick persons; and through the grace of God and of Blessed Raynald she obtained health for both.

[6] Bartholomew, son of Matthew de Cecco, from the territory of Stravignano in the County of Nocera, affirmed before the Lords Matteo Marcio, Francesco de Antonio, Paolo Vanno, and Vitale de Francesco of Nocera Pestilence is warded off, that in the year 1414, when the pestilence was raging most gravely in the city and County of Nocera for five months, he had vowed to Blessed Raynald ^a wax candle worth eight Anconitans, on condition that the contagion would not penetrate his house and that both he himself and his family would be preserved unharmed from its danger. The matter turned out according to his vow, with all freed from that evil.