ON SAINT LUDANUS, PILGRIM, IN THE DIOCESE OF STRASBOURG.
In the year 1202.
PrefaceLudanus, pilgrim, in the diocese of Strasbourg (Saint)
J. B.
[1] Nowhere yet, so far as I recall, have I read the name of Saint Ludanus inscribed in the Martyrologies, The feast of Saint Ludanus, except in the supplement of Hermann Greven to Usuard, published about one hundred and forty years ago; in which, under the day before the Ides of February, these words are found: Of Ludanus the Confessor. In the copy of the Carthusian house at Brussels, it is noted in the margin: Elsewhere he is listed as a Bishop. A very brief Life of him was presented to us by our confrere John Gamansius from the distinguished codex of the Bodecen monastery of Canons Regular, A Life, of the Order of Saint Augustine, in the diocese of Paderborn.
[2] The relics of Saint Ludanus, preserved up to this time and honored with the customary honors of the Blessed and even with an ecclesiastical office, veneration, are in Alsace between Strasbourg and Benfeld. There is a village called Northus, mention of which is made in the Life of Saint Ludanus; it is now called Northeim, and in certain documents Nort, situated on the Ill, or Ell, or as it is called in the same Life, the Ylsa River. Adjacent to it is another village, Hipsh, or Hipsheim, a church, below which the stream Scheer flows into the Ill. A short distance from the village itself stands its parish church, called today Saint Luden; and perhaps, before the place was made famous under the patronage of Saint Ludanus, it was called Scherkirch, that is, the church on the Scheer, just as near Strasbourg there is Ilkirch, the church on the Ill.
[3] a tomb, The tomb of Saint Ludanus was there, most celebrated both for the concourse of people and the frequency of cures. But when the Swedes in recent years gained possession of Benfeld, miracles. that tomb was abandoned, the church was burned, and ditches and ramparts were constructed around it for fortification, because there, being on the public road, a toll is customarily collected. These same things Gamansius wrote to us some years ago from Baden. What has meanwhile happened to the relics of Saint Ludanus, whether his veneration has been restored after the peace was made, we have not yet ascertained.
LIFE, BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR,
from the Bodecen manuscript of the Canons Regular, brought to light by John Gamansius of the Society of Jesus.
Ludanus, pilgrim, in the diocese of Strasbourg (Saint)
BHL Number: 5025
By an anonymous author,
[1] Divine piety has deigned to renew for us today, most beloved Brothers, the holy and glorious festival, to be honored with all veneration, of the most blessed Father and Confessor Ludanus, which we believe is proclaimed no less in the heavens while it is also devoutly venerated by us sinners on earth. For although the soul of every Christian should be a partaker of every solemnity of the Saints, yet it is more proper and particularly fitting for us to rejoice in the festival of our Leader and Father Ludanus, so that where the glorious departure of this outstanding Confessor is glorified, there may be the principality of joy on the day of his deposition. Whatever, however, is rendered to his service, let it be referred to the praise of its author and ours: The solemnity of Saint Ludanus is profitably celebrated, for just as your own pious attendance testifies, you understand that the recurrence of this day attains to all praise, when you hasten together to celebrate the annual feast of so great a Father. For we believe that by the prayers of this present Patron we are visited with a more abundant grace from the Divine presence, when you gather with diligent zeal for his holy vigils: for he does not desert our devotion whose reverence has gathered us together. For you know, Brothers, how the pious one rejoices in holy observances and exults in being counted among the number of his sons. O truly venerable festival of our holy Father Ludanus! O truly blessed solemnity, greatly to be preferred with praises, for which the Angels praise the Lord in the stars, and the company of Priests and Martyrs resounds with great honor! Whose feast day, I believe, the Prophet of the Lord had long foreseen, when he said: Lord, I have loved the beauty of your house and the place of the habitation of your glory. Psalm 25:8 And worthily proclaiming the sacred passing of our most blessed Father Ludanus, praising the Lord, he said: Blessed is he whom you have chosen and taken to yourself in the heavens, for he shall dwell in your courts.
[2] Saint Ludanus, therefore, Confessor of God, not a Priest, born of noble stock, he was the son of a Duke of the Scots, who was the son of a Duke of the Scots, named Hilteboldus; and just as there was nobility in him according to the generation of the flesh, so also in virtues and the conduct of his morals. Therefore, after the death of all his relatives, when that whole land lay in his hand and power, he began to fulfill what he had always previously borne in his heart, and he built a great and spacious hospice in which he had founded very many benefactions for all pilgrims and for the sick with various ailments, for the blind and the lame, he builds a hospice: providing for all their needs with every effort: which he had maintained for so long until he had expended his kingdom and all his substance.
[3] In which, by his own judgment, not sufficiently serving God, he began a journey of pilgrimage, he goes on pilgrimage: and passed from virtue to virtue, visiting the holy sepulcher of the Lord, the thresholds of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and many other Saints, according to the saying of the Apostle: He that fears God and works righteousness is acceptable to Him. Acts 10:35
[4] At length he arrived at a certain elm, or tree, in the diocese of Strasbourg, in the ban of the village of Northus, forewarned of death in a dream, beside a river which, flowing from the upper parts, is called the Ylsa, from which the whole of Alsace is named. Under the shade of this tree, outside the village, he desired to rest: and in his sleep it was divinely revealed to him that the end of his life was at hand. Waking, however, he prayed to almighty God that he would not depart before he had received the Body of Christ. having received the Eucharist from an Angel, he dies: And an Angel came and gave him Communion. Which having been done, he said: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit, and he expired.
[5] Our God, however, leaves no one who serves Him without reward: for He placed his holy soul in the heavens, the bells ring of their own accord: and all the bells in the surrounding villages were rung without human aid until his burial. It happened, moreover, that a certain young man, bolder of heart than the rest, opened his wallet, in which he found a slip of paper containing this inscription: he is recognized for who he is: I am called Ludanus, son of the noble Hilteboldus, Duke of the Scots: I was born a Christian, and for the name and love of God I became a pilgrim. a sweet fragrance from the body: When his body was moved, a most sweet fragrance pervaded all.
[6] Since, moreover, two Parish churches were known to exist in the said village of Northus, the Pastor of each church with his subjects desired the body of the holy man to be carried and buried in his own church, when the two Pastors dispute over the body, from which a great discord arose. But God, the lover of peace, wishing to remove this discord from their hearts, it happened that a certain Abbot coming and riding along the road toward Northus, hearing of their discord, said: What troubles you? And they replied, explaining to him the wondrous event: A holy man has died, as we judge from his signs, and each of us wishing to bury him in his own church, we cannot come to agreement. The Abbot, by the will of God disposing, gave counsel that greatly pleased both Pastors and their subjects, and they consented; and he said: Take an untamed and unbridled horse, by the counsel of an Abbot, which has never been harnessed to any cart, or wagon, or chariot, and bring it to a wagon, in such a way, however, that it has no driver; and place the body of the holy man upon it, and let it be turned toward the road leading to Northus, and follow from afar with crosses and banners, it is placed upon an untamed horse for transport, and to whichever church it shall lead, in that same church let him receive Ecclesiastical burial.
[7] The horse, however, freely and of its own accord turning to the road that leads to the church at Scherkirche, in which Saint George is the patron, passing through like a gentle lamb, and coming to the aforesaid church, that is Scherkirche, named from the water beside that church, and to where the horse miraculously carried it, would go no further. And observing that no one wished to unload it, with its front hooves it kicked as a sign of remaining. And when they still did not wish to bury him, this horse fell to its knees with its front legs, as if to say: You do not wish to unload me and bury him? I myself will accomplish it in person.
[8] And so at length he was honorably buried near the church of Saint George, there he is buried, and on the bank of the Scheer a church was built in his honor and an endowment was established: and by the will of God great wonders and signs, as well as miracles, are performed by God through him, as experience teaches, even to this present day. The holy man died in the year of the Lord one thousand two hundred and two, and is made illustrious by miracles. on the day before the Ides of February; whose soul rests in peace, in the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto the ages of ages.
[1] The Divine goodness has deigned to renew for us today the holy and glorious and all-venerable feast of the most blessed Father and Confessor Ludanus, which we believe is no less celebrated in the heavens, while it is devoutly venerated on earth even by us sinners. For although in every solemnity of the Saints, the spirit of all Christians is a participant, yet we must rejoice more properly and particularly in the feast of our Leader and Father Ludanus, so that where the glorious death of the preeminent Confessor is glorified, there on the day of his deposition may be the beginning of joy. Whatever, however, is devoted to his service, let it be referred to the praise of its and our Author: for just as your own pious gathering testifies, The solemnity of Saint Ludanus is profitably celebrated, you understand that the return of this day pertains to every praise, since you hasten to celebrate the annual festival of so great a Father. For we believe that by the prayers of the present Patron we are visited with more abundant grace from the Divine Presence, since you assemble with eager zeal for his holy vigils: for he does not desert our devotion, whose reverence has gathered us together. For you know, Brothers, that the pious one rejoices in holy observances and exults in being counted among the number of his children. O truly venerable feast of our holy Father Ludanus! O truly blessed and greatly praiseworthy solemnity, for which the Angels praise the Lord in the heavens, and the assembly of Priests and Martyrs resounds with great honor! Of which day's festival, as I believe, the Prophet of the Lord had long before caught sight, when he said: Lord, I have loved the beauty of your house and the place of the habitation of your glory. Ps. 25:8 And worthily proclaiming the sacred passing of our most blessed Father Ludanus, and praising the Lord, he said: Blessed is he whom you have taken up into the heavens, for he shall dwell in your courts.
[2] The holy Ludanus, therefore, Confessor of God, not a Priest, was born of a noble family, He was the son of a Duke of the Scots, being the son of a Duke of the Scots named Hilteboldus; and just as nobility was in him according to carnal generation, so also in his virtues and manner of life. Therefore, after the death of all his parents, when that entire land was in his hand and power, he began to fulfill what he had always before borne in his heart, and he built a great and spacious hospice, in which he established many benefactions for all pilgrims and the infirm with various ailments, for the blind and the lame, he builds a hospice: providing for all necessities with every effort: which he maintained so long until he had expended his kingdom and all his substance upon it.
[3] Not satisfied in his own judgment with serving God in this, he began the journey of pilgrimage: he goes on pilgrimage: he passed from virtue to virtue, visiting the Holy Sepulchre of the Lord, the thresholds of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and many other Saints, according to the saying of the Apostle: He who fears God and works justice is acceptable to Him. Acts 10:35
[4] At length, however, he came to a certain elm, or tree, in the diocese of Strasbourg, in the territory of the village of Northus, forewarned of death in a dream, beside a river which, flowing from the upper regions, is called the Ylsa, from which all Alsace takes its name. Under the shade of this tree, outside the village, he wished to rest: and in his sleep it was divinely revealed to him that the end of his life was at hand. Waking, however, he prayed to almighty God that he might not depart before he had received the Body of Christ. Having received the Eucharist from an Angel, he dies: And an Angel came and gave him communion. When this was done, he said: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit, and he expired.
[5] But our God leaves no one who serves Him unrewarded: for He placed his holy soul in the heavens, the bells ring of their own accord: and all the bells in the surrounding villages were struck without human assistance until his burial. It happened, moreover, that a certain young man, bolder of heart than the rest, opened his scrip, in which he found a slip of paper containing this writing: I am called Ludanus, he is recognized for who he is: the noble son of Hilteboldus, Duke of the Scots: I was born a Christian, and for the name and love of God I became a pilgrim. a sweet fragrance from the body: And when his body was moved, a most sweet fragrance pervaded all.
[6] Since, moreover, two parish churches are known to exist in the said village of Northus, the Pastor of each church with his subjects desired that the body of the holy man be carried to his own church and buried there, two Pastors contending over the body, from which a great discord arose. But God, the lover of peace, wishing to remove this discord from their hearts, it happened that a certain Abbot came riding along the road leading toward Northus, and hearing of their discord, said: What is the matter with you? And they answered, explaining to him the wondrous event: A holy man has died, as we judge from his signs, and each of us, desiring to bury him in his own church, cannot come to agreement. The Abbot, by the disposing will of God, gave counsel which was most pleasing to both Pastors and their subjects, and they consented; and he said: Take an untamed and unbridled horse, by the counsel of an Abbot, which has never been harnessed to any cart or wagon or chariot, and harness it to a wagon, yet so that it have no driver; and place the body of the holy man upon it, and turn it toward the road leading to Northus, and follow from afar with crosses and banners, the body is placed upon an untamed horse, and in whichever church it shall have arrived, let him receive ecclesiastical burial in that church.
[7] The horse, however, turning freely and of its own accord to the road which leads to the church at Scherkirche, in which Saint George is patron, passing through like a gentle lamb and arriving at the aforesaid church, namely Scherkirche, named from the water beside that church, and there it wonderfully conveys him, refused to go further, and when it perceived that no one wished to unload it, it kicked with its front hooves as a sign that it wished to stop. And still, when they were unwilling to bury him, this horse fell to its knees with its front legs, as if to say: You do not wish to unload me and bury him: I myself shall accomplish it in person.
[8] And so at last he was honorably buried near the church of Saint George, there he is buried, and on the bank of the Scheer a church was built in his honor and a benefice was founded: and by the will of God, great prodigies and signs, and also miracles, are performed through him by God's favor, as experience teaches, to this very day. The holy man died in the year of the Lord twelve hundred and two, and is renowned for miracles. on the day before the Ides of February; whose soul rests in peace, our Lord Jesus Christ reigning forever and ever.