Beatus

CONCERNING ST. BEATUS, PRIEST, AT VALLECAVA IN SPAIN.

A.D. 798.

Preliminary Commentary.

Beatus, Priest, at Vallecava in Spain (St.)

By G. H.

[1] In Asturias, the Spaniards recognize both the Christian religion and the ancestral nobility of Gothic blood as having been long preserved, since their forefathers fled there and among those mountains first broke the initial assaults of the Moors; and, gradually throwing off the yoke, they at last drove them from Spain. The mountains that formerly divided Asturias into Transmontane and Augustan were called Ladicus and Vindius; by later generations they are called the Liuanian Mountains, or at least some part of them. At the foot of these lies the place called Vallecava — in Spanish, Valcabado — not far from the better-known town of Saldana, in the diocese of Leon. Distinguished investigators of Spanish antiquities — Ambrose of Morales in book 13 of the General Chronicle of Spain, chapter 27; Athanasius Lobera in his History of Leon, chapter 33; and John Tamayo de Salazar in his Spanish Martyrology under February 19 — record that the body of St. Beatus the Priest is preserved with great veneration in the church of Vallecava, where the inhabitants call him by the corrupted name St. Bieco. The following is Tamayo's eulogy there: "In the territory of Leon, the deposition of St. Beatus the Priest, who, together with the Blessed Aetherius, afterward Bishop of the Church of Osma, when he learned that the vile heresy was being disseminated throughout the world by Elipandus of Toledo and Felix of Urgel, Bishops of Spain — by which they preached in writings and sermons that the Only-begotten of God was an adoptive son — wrote against those deceived by impious persuasion ^a treatise composed with Catholic argumentation. Afterward, celebrated for learning and erudition, marvelous in the publication of books, he attained eternal rest as ^a Confessor; his body, enclosed in an honorable shrine at Vallecava, is recalled with due veneration."

[2] Arnold Wion and Hugh Menard, in the Appendix to the Benedictine Martyrology, treat in alphabetical order of Benedictine Saints whose feast day they did not know; among these they list St. Beatus, with this eulogy: "St. Beatus, ^a monk of Valcabado, ^a Spaniard, and ^a most fierce enemy of heretics, was distinguished for learning and sanctity in the year 770" — which year Menard omitted. But he flourished somewhat later, after the year 780, when the Felician heresy emerged. Anthony Yepes also treats of St. Beatus and his companion Aetherius in volume 3 of his Chronicle of the Benedictine Order at the years 783 and 784, and calls these two illustrious monks, distinguished in learning and sanctity. They appeal to the authority of Ambrose of Morales, who suspects that St. Beatus and Aetherius were monks, because those who at that time shone in learning and sanctity were mostly monks, and especially because St. Beatus, in the preface of his Commentaries on the Apocalypse of St. John, addresses Aetherius with these words: "These things, holy Father Aetherius, I have, at your request, dedicated to you for the edification of the study of the Brethren, so that him whom I enjoy as ^a companion of the Order, I may make also ^a co-heir of my labor." Morales asserts that he saw these commentaries in the church of Vallecava, where they are held in veneration along with his sacred body, copied in the Era 1008, or the year of Christ 970. But they cannot for this reason be immediately assigned to the Benedictine Order, since there were at that time in Spain many monasteries that had not adopted the Benedictine Rule. Menard himself, who cites Ambrose of Morales here, in his preface to the Concordance of Rules composed by St. Benedict of Aniane and Inde, whose Life we gave on February 12, records the Rule of St. Isidore, Bishop of Seville, another of St. Fructuosus, Bishop of Braga, and another of ^a second Fructuosus. But Gabriel Pennotus also, in part 2 of his History of Canons Regular, chapter 31, reports from the account of James Ayerve, Prior of St. Mary of the Pillar at Saragossa, that the Churches which remained amid the ruins of the Saracens, or which did not fall into their hands, were all Regular, and that the most ancient documents testify that the church of Geslabium, or St. Peter de Taberna, was such.

[3] Anthony Yepes adds other conjectures in favor of his Order — namely, that Aetherius was Abbot of the ancient monastery of St. Toribius de Liuania, which he reports now depends on the monastery of Onna, and that many charters are found there which pertain to St. Toribius. "One of these charters," he says, "at the Era 1366 mentions the Priest Popedius and the Lady Nonita, ^a woman devoted to God, as having built ^a church in honor of St. Peter at Biniona, and having endowed it with many possessions and given it to this monastery, which then bore the name of St. Martin." He adds these words from that book: "Which is in the place called Torenza, and to the religious Priest, the Lord Aetherius, and to the monks dwelling in Agone, during the reign of Ildephonsus in Asturias." From this Yepes concludes that notable distinction is added to the monastery by Aetherius, who, as is believed, was its Abbot. For he was the companion of St. Beatus, with whose celebrated fame all the Annals of Spain are filled, because he boldly and steadfastly opposed Archbishop Elipandus of Toledo, who was devising ^a new heresy. These are the words of Yepes in volume 1 at the year 537, chapter 3, where he treats of the origin of the monastery of St. Toribius; this is also illustrated by Prudentius Sandoval in part 3 of his work on the Foundations of Benedictine Monasteries in Spain. St. Toribius is venerated, as is the above-mentioned Fructuosus, on April 16.

[4] Moreover, Tamayo de Salazar marvels at what title Menard and Yepes — to which add Wion — make St. Beatus the Priest ^a monk, when the unanimous opinion of the writers is that he held only the rank of Priest. He therefore dismisses these claims as groundless and proceeds to the Acts, which he published from the manuscript Legendarium of Astorga, in which this title is prefixed to them: "On the eleventh day before the Kalends of March, the feast of St. Beatus the Priest, whose Life is as follows." Ambrose of Morales appears to have had the same, as his account agrees entirely with this Life. And Mariana, in book 7 of his History of Spain, chapter 8, uses the very same words that are contained in this Life. But at what time the author lived is not clear; he uses the years of Christ, not the Spanish Era, which Rodrigo of Toledo still used in his History of Spain, who flourished around the year of Christ 1220. We have observed that some things in the same manuscript Legendarium do not cohere, on February 14 in the Life of St. Valentine, Bishop of Interamna, no. 6, toward the end.

LIFE

published by John Tamayo de Salazar from the manuscript Legendarium of Astorga.

Beatus, Priest, at Vallecava in Spain (St.)

BHL Number: 1063

From manuscripts in Tamayo de Salazar.

[1] In the time of Mauregatus, King of Asturias, there was in Toledo ^a certain Archbishop named Elipandus, who amid the dire storms of the Hagarenes had succeeded his predecessor Cixilianus, on account of the fame of his learning and sanctity that was spread throughout all Spain. He was descended from the Mozarabic Goths and was distinguished by the nobility of his blood. He had been taught from his earliest introduction to letters by ^a certain Felix, ^a Gaul by lineage, Bishop of Urgel, who was afterward ^a Nestorian heretic, and who taught — contrary to right, contrary to all auspices, and contrary to all human and divine letters and religions — that Christ, insofar as He is man, was an adoptive son of the Father. Elipandus had imbibed this loathsome doctrine from his master through sacrilegious epistolary instructions, and, following in his teacher's footsteps with reckless adherence, using first writings and then anathema against all the Bishops and Priests of Spain who rejected his opinion, he defiled Spain with his damnable proposition.

[2] When these things were taking place, in the Liuanian mountains which rise between both Asturias, God drew sweetness from the strong and ^a David from the forests to confound the mighty; and like ^a second Isaiah who knew not how to speak, touching his lips with ^a burning coal, He raised up in Spain ^a Prophet who would vigorously inveigh with an iron pen against the erring leaders of the Church. Nebuchadnezzar had constructed ^a statue, firm in appearance, tall in stature, rich in metals, famous in renown, and magnificent in splendor — who shattered its excellency? A small stone rolling down from the mountain. The vessels of the Temple were profaned by the ignorance of Belshazzar — who revealed his ambition and his death? Two fingers and ^a brief stylus. Therefore God, who had seen in Elipandus ^a Goliath, in his error ^a people, in his vain glory ^a Nebuchadnezzar, and in his ambition ^a Belshazzar, raised from the lowliness of the common people and the caves of the mountains ^a David, and from the unknown people ^a stammering Isaiah, from the mountain ^a Beatus, from the forests his finger, who would crush the errors of this Archbishop.

[3] This man, who was Blessed both in name and in deed, was ^a Spaniard who, born of those most rugged mountain regions, drew his origin from the most ancient Asturians. He was ^a Priest by order, learned in sacred letters, and conspicuous for his zeal for the Catholic faith. When he heard the erroneous profession of Elipandus, he immediately began throughout that entire region both to sow the Catholic doctrine and to uproot the heretical tares. Elipandus, opposing these advances, gradually came to realize that his inventions were being exposed. There was also present in this Catholic work the Blessed Aetherius, who was afterward Bishop of Osma, and who relied on the friendship of Beatus. Both, running through the peoples with writings and sermons against Felix and Elipandus, taught the Catholic truth with manly and holy charity. Through the effectiveness of these men, very many who had drunk the poison of Elipandus, vomiting up the heretical man, returned to the bosom of Mother Church with the repentance of contrition.

[4] Elipandus had heard of the works of the holy Aetherius and Beatus, and, vehemently angered against the latter, directed ^a letter to Fidelis, Abbot of Astorga, in which he complains about the holy Priests, because he, the Bishop of Toledo, being present, was treated by them as if they despised his dignity and rank, and they did not think to learn from him any knowledge of the doctrine of adoption. "Who then," he continues, "has ever heard that an Asturian man, ^a mountain wanderer, should presume to correct and teach the men of Toledo? Could he not have taken an example from the Bishop Archarius, who, having heard the contradiction of your Beatus, hastened to our See and humbly asked what was to be held? But just as it happened by the grace of God that through us and the assembly of the Bishops of Spain, victory was obtained over the Magecian Spalitans, who, straying around the day of the Paschal feast, were spreading ^a confused rule of order, so we trust in the Lord to extirpate the Beatian heresy from the Asturian mountains. I am not unaware that Aetherius, being young, was deceived by Beatus, ^a rustic and vain-talking man. If our views please you, summon him to yourself immediately, and show him how much he has erred before God and His Church and before us; and if he persists in the deceits of his obstinate proposition, crush him with our correction and that of the entire Church."

[5] When Beatus arrived ^a short time later on ^a visit to Adosinda, Abbot Fidelis showed him the letter of Elipandus. As befitted ^a Catholic man and ^a defender of the faith, he summoned Aetherius and wrote ^a complete work composed in two books, which refuted the errors of Elipandus with solid passages of sacred Scripture and powerful arguments. When the book came into the hands of Elipandus and his other followers, they pursued him, most hostile, with the sores of insults, in word and on page; among which they besmirched him with the name "Antiphrasist." But God, to whom all the secrets of the heart lie open, looking from the throne of His Majesty upon the spirit of the innocent Beatus, and knowing from on high the pure zeal of the Priest's faith, delivered him from all the dangers of his enemies.

[6] For Elipandus, departing from Toledo, traversed the Asturias and Galicia, and in those places infected many with his depraved opinion by the pestilent breath of his mouth. Felix, striving to infect the Vaccaei in Spain, the Septimani in Gaul, and others in Germany, was repulsed by all with steadfast defense. Thus at Regensburg, ^a city of Bavaria, he was first condemned in an assembly of Bishops; then before Pope Adrian he feigned repentance; and finally at Frankfurt, where ^a Council had been convened in the presence of Charles, King of the Franks — at which Theophylactus and Stephen from Rome, and Beatus and Aetherius from Spain, sent on behalf of the Catholics, were present as legates — the error together with its authors was condemned by the assembly of the Council. This the Pontiff Adrian also confirmed.

[7] When this was learned, Elipandus of Toledo, resolving to retreat from his position, convened ^a gathering of Bishops at Toledo, at which, repenting, he presented ^a document of confession, wherein he professed with humble contrition of heart that the Only-begotten Son of God, consubstantial with the Father, was not an adoptive but ^a natural son. Received by the Fathers with tears at his profession, he obtained the benefit of reconciliation. Here he kindly received Beatus and Aetherius, having set aside the malevolence of the former dispute, and addressed them, not without tears and sobs, as defenders of the faith and patrons of Catholic truth.

[8] When the Council was finally dissolved, and the affairs of the faith in Spain had been well settled, and the contention over the Felician depravity had been quieted, the holy man Beatus served as ^a constant tutor for the welfare of her soul to Adosinda, the wife of King Silo, who on account of the tyranny of Mauregatus had put on the sacred religious habit. He continued in this role until he withdrew to Vallecava, where, devoting himself to prayers, fasts, and the study of sacred Scripture, he composed ^a book on the mysteries of the Apocalypse in wondrous order. At length, celebrated for miracles, he commended his spirit in ^a peaceful sleep to the Lord whom he had served, on the nineteenth day before the Kalends of March, in the year of the Lord 798. His body lay buried there for three years, until, translated to ^a more honorable place — with one arm reserved for the benefit of the sick who came to his sarcophagus — it was enclosed in ^a marble shrine and kept with the due tribute of honor; as God, who lives and reigns forever and ever, promised to guard it and the bones of His saints. Amen.

p. The Pontiff's letter survives, published together with the Council of Frankfurt.

q. Luitprand in his Chronicle says that this occurred in the year 795, on April 13; but Julian in his Chronicle, no. 411, refers it to the Era 834, the year of Christ 796, at the beginning of which he says the Synod was convened. But in neither year does that day, April 13, on which St. Hermenegild the King and Martyr is venerated, fall on ^a Sunday, as Luitprand asserts; but in the year 795, with the Solar Cycle 20 and the Sunday Letter D, it falls on the Monday nearest after Easter Sunday, with the Lunar Cycle 17. In the leap year 796, with the Solar Cycle 21 and the Sunday Letters C and B, it falls on the Wednesday after the Sunday in Albis, with the Lunar Cycle 18. From which we learn that full credence should not be given to those Chronicles, which were, if not fabricated, much corrupted by later writers.

r. Tamayo de Salazar published under this day ^a letter from Bishop Archarius of Braga, in which he praises him for this reconciliation.

s. Adosinda, daughter of King Alphonsus the Catholic, was married to Silo and reigned with him from the year 774 to 783, at which point Mauregatus, born of the same father Alphonsus but by ^a servant woman, invaded the kingdom, as we have said.

t. Perhaps in the monastery of St. John of Pravia in Asturias? There both she and her husband King Silo, who built that church, are buried.

CONCERNING BLESSED BONIFACE, BISHOP OF LAUSANNE, AT CAMERA NEAR BRUSSELS IN BELGIUM.

A.D. 1265.

Preliminary Commentary.

Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne, at Camera near Brussels in Belgium (Bl.)

By I. B.

Section I. The age of Blessed Boniface, his episcopate, and his deeds after resigning from it.

[1] Lausanne is ^a city on the northern shore of Lake Geneva, to which the episcopal throne was transferred from Aventicum, formerly the chief city of the Helvetii, when the latter (by what fate is uncertain) had fallen from that spacious and celebrated state which Ammianus Marcellinus describes in book 15, chapter 27 — already in his own time, under the Emperor Valentinian, ^a deserted city, but not at all ignoble in former times, as the half-ruined buildings still demonstrated. But Lausanne itself also, ^a hundred years ago, when it came under the power of the Bernese heretics, was stripped of its episcopal See, which was relocated to Fribourg, ^a Catholic and populous town. Nonetheless, Lausanne retains great glory and splendor from the five preceding centuries, on account of the sanctity of its Bishop Boniface.

[2] He was born at Brussels in Brabant, around the year of Christ 1188, of respectable family. Around the year 1205 he went to Paris and spent thirty full years in learning and teaching the sacred disciplines, and then two more years at Cologne. Afterward created Bishop of Lausanne, when he had governed that Church for ten years during most difficult times, he at last, with the consent of Pope Innocent IV, resigned, and spent the rest of his life at Camera of the Blessed Mary, where he died on February 19 in the year (it appears) 1265. Not earlier — since he attended the Council of Lyons in the year 1245, then remained in his Church for some time, and afterward labored for ^a full year to be released from its burden; so that he does not seem to have come to Camera until the year 1247 or the beginning of the following year. Since, therefore, he lived there for eighteen years, he must have died in the year 1266 or certainly 1265. Camera, however, is not ^a village in the County of Burgundy, as Philippus Ferrarius writes in his Topography of the Roman Martyrology and his new Catalogue of Saints; but ^a convent of Cistercian nuns near Brussels, the chief city of Brabant, constructed by the devout virgin Gisla around the year of Christ 1200, in ^a place then called Pennebeke (the Villers Chronicle calls it Bunebeke), which Henry, Duke of Brabant, had bestowed upon her. By him and his son Henry and other noblemen, various gifts were conferred upon the same convent, concerning which Aubert Le Mire treats in book 1 of his Belgian Donations, in his Notice of Belgian Churches, and Chrysostom Henriquez in his Cistercian Menology under February 12, where he calls the virgin Gilda, but on August 22, treating of Godfrey, formerly Confessor of the same monastery, he calls her Gilla, as does the book concerning the deeds of the illustrious men of the Villers monastery, chapter 4, in the Life of Godfrey the Sacristan.

[3] Whether Boniface adopted the Cistercian habit and rule here, we have no grounds to affirm with certainty and beyond doubt. Henriquez declares so in his Fasciculus of Saints of the Cistercian Order, book 1, distinction 32, chapters 4 and 16, and Henry Murer the Carthusian follows him in his Helvetia Sacra. Henriquez supports this with the testimonies of several recent writers of the same Order, mostly Spanish. Among them, Barnabas Montalbus in part 1 of his Cistercian History, book 2, chapter 32, cites Arnold Wion, ^a writer by no means accurate, who does indeed state this in book 2 of his Lignum Vitae, chapter 58, but who manifestly errs when he cites Molanus's Index of the Saints of Belgium, ^a booklet in which no mention of this Boniface is made. Nor does Molanus, in other works — in his additions to the Martyrology of Usuard and in his Natales Sanctorum Belgii, where he does mention Boniface — assert that he became ^a monk. Another witness produced by Henriquez is Angel Manrique, who asserts the same in his Laureae Evangelicae, book 3, discourse 7, and cites the same Wion, as well as Molanus — who does not contain this at all — and the author of the Mirror of Examples, distinction 5, sections 112 and 113. Then the same Manrique and Henriquez cite ^a letter from Godfrey of Villers to ^a certain nun named Ida, in which this is affirmed. But who this Godfrey was, and where his writings survive, we have nowhere read; and elsewhere Henriquez attributes the same letter to Blessed Richard of Adwert.

[4] Somewhat greater weight attaches to what is adduced from the Life of Boniface itself: "Behold, we have said ^a few things about what he did in the world; now let us see what the Lord accomplished through him in the religious life." But this passage, as he reports it, is not found in the Life that survives in the library of Rouge-Cloitre (Rubea Vallis), but in the more ancient one found in the Camera codices. Aubert Le Mire in his Monastic Origins, book 5, chapter 15, absolutely lists Blessed Boniface in the catalogue of Saints and Blessed of the Cistercian Order. And we ourselves incline more to this opinion, especially if it is supported by old paintings and other monuments of the Camera convent. For although that most holy Order by no means needs distinctions borrowed from elsewhere, Boniface achieved by the sanctity of his conduct that he could be regarded as ^a pupil of that discipline. Nevertheless, it remains ^a fixed principle for us not to pronounce anything rashly. It is certain, however, that at that time not only nuns dwelt at Camera, but also monks — both priests who provided them with sacred services and lay brothers who cultivated their fields. This is made clear from the charter of Duke Henry, as found in Le Mire's Notice of Belgian Churches, chapter 203; for he acknowledges having promised three uncultivated acres of land and forest to the Brothers and Sisters of the monastery of Blessed Mary of Camera. And his son Henry testifies that "the Brothers of Camera, residing at the court of Holthem and dwelling in the allod of Filfordis, have hitherto had the right to dig peat for the use of their house," which right he confirms in the year 1232. "Turba" here, or perhaps "turbum," is the Teutonic Torf or turf, or turve — ^a sod dug from marshy places, which is used for fuel in certain parts of Belgium. We believe, however, that all these Brothers of Camera, before being sent there, had served their novitiate of monastic life in the monastery of Villers. For, as we reported on January 29 in the Life of Charles, the eighth Abbot of Villers, no. 5, the Villers Chronicle records that he had been entrusted with the Paternity in Camera of Blessed Mary near Brussels.

[5] If anyone, therefore, wishes to suppose that Boniface truly became ^a monk, we shall gladly agree, provided he does not maintain what Andrew Saussay writes in the Gallican Martyrology — that Boniface embraced the Cistercian institution from boyhood in the convent of Camera of St. Mary — for the remaining course of his life does not allow this to seem probable to us. Murer says that after abdicating the episcopate, he was made ^a monk in the Camera convent — that is, as we interpret it, he put on the habit of the Cistercian Order, which he had long wished to be permitted to do.

Section II. By whom was the Life of Blessed Boniface written?

[6] "The Life of Blessed Boniface," says Chrysostom Henriquez in the cited distinction 32, chapter 1, and in his Notes to the Cistercian Menology, "is found to have been written by various persons: namely, by ^a certain Religious of Rouge-Cloitre near Brussels, and by another monk of Camera of Blessed Mary." We shall give both: the latter from ^a manuscript codex of Camera, which Henriquez had previously published, but in his own style rather than that of the ancient author; the former from the second part of the Hagiologium that is preserved at Rouge-Cloitre, collected by John Gielemans, but collated with ^a manuscript of the Corssendonk monastery of Canons Regular, in which he is erroneously called Bishop of Laon. The former appears to have been written by some monk of the Cistercian Order, perhaps ^a contemporary residing at Camera, or at least from the papers of the Camera nuns. It is simpler and explains the course of his life more clearly. It was later interpolated by some Canon Regular of Rouge-Cloitre, perhaps Gielemans himself or Anthony Gentius, who often retained the original phrasing but added some things and also omitted certain others. The former is cited by John Gerbrand of Leiden in his Belgian Chronicle, book 23, chapter 8, writing thus: "But what follows is truly marvelous. For at the same time, while these things were happening, Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne, then dwelling at the monastery of Camera of St. Mary and engaged in prayer, saw in the spirit an armed knight..." — and he recites what is found in chapter 4, no. 14, in the very same words. He then adds: "These things are found in the Life of the said Bishop Boniface, who lies buried at Camera, or the crypt of the Cistercian monastery near Brussels." Thus Gerbrand, who wrote about 150 years ago. But Blessed Boniface was not buried in the crypt, as will soon be apparent.

[7] Chrysostom Henriquez, in his Phoenix Revived (so he titled his work on the English and Spanish writers of the Cistercian Order, which he published at Brussels in 1626, three years after the Fasciculus of Saints), says that Blessed Richard the Sacristan wrote about Blessed Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne, ^a Cistercian monk, whose body rests at Camera of Blessed Mary; and he lists other writings of the same Richard: ^a letter to the nun Ida; the martyrdom and miracles of Blessed Gerard, Abbot of Clairvaux; the life and miracles of St. Silvanus, also ^a monk of Clairvaux; the miracles that occurred in the Cistercian Order; one book on Harmony; the foundation of the Eboracian, or Eruacian, monastery in Upper Germany; and many other things — which, however, he admits he was unable to find. He cites Molanus, Pitseus, and Angel Manrique. Concerning Blessed Richard, ^a monk of the Cistercian Order at the monastery of Adwert, one league from the city of Groningen in Frisia, Molanus treats in his Natales Sanctorum Belgii under December 30, and Le Mire in his Belgian Calendar; but neither mentions his writings. Pitseus in his Appendix of Illustrious English Writers, century 3, no. 93, and Bale in his British Writers, century 13, no. 70, report from Leland that he wrote one book on Harmony. Angel Manrique in his Laureae Evangelicae, book 3, discourse 7, celebrates him as distinguished for his writings, but neither enumerates them; and what Molanus writes was divinely granted to Richard the Englishman of the Premonstratensian Order — that the hand with which he had written very many books should remain intact after twenty years, when the rest of the flesh had turned to dust — Manrique erroneously attributes to this Richard. From where then did Henriquez learn that the other books were written by Blessed Richard of Adwert, surnamed the Sacristan? He had already previously ascribed the letter to the nun Ida to Godfrey of Villers. We treated of Silvanus on February 17, in the catalogue of those passed over.

[8] Besides those already cited, Thomas of Cantimpre, his contemporary, mentions Blessed Boniface in book 2 of his work On Bees, chapter 30, section 6: "The venerable Boniface," he says, "formerly Bishop of Lausanne, then Master of Theology at Paris, related to me at that time, and to many others, that ^a certain Cleric had confessed to him that, accustomed to ^a bad habit, he provoked himself to lust by illicit self-touching. Horrible to hear! And see what follows. When he attempted this once, as was his custom, his hand grasped ^a serpent between his thighs in place of the male member. Struck with horror at this occurrence, he soon came to confession and did penance with many tears." In the printed books it reads "now Master," which we have corrected. For he did not return from the episcopate to the academy, but embraced ^a private and perhaps monastic life. The same Thomas of Cantimpre in the same book, chapter 51, section 4, writes that he learned from the truthful report of the venerable and God-worthy Master Boniface, formerly Bishop of Lausanne, that ^a certain nobleman of his diocese, going hunting around the mountains of the Alps, separated from his companions, had by night beheld ^a horrible vision and understood that ^a certain Brabantine knight, accustomed to indulge in lust and slaughter, who had also neglected confession during his illness, had been struck dumb when the hour of death was imminent; but that, forestalled by divine mercy and moved by powerful contrition of heart, he had expired thus, and was delivered to two most wicked demons to be tortured until the day of judgment, and that only then would he obtain pardon. The knight, however, who had seen and heard these things, was converted from the plundering of the poor and his wicked life, and lived more uprightly from that time on, and moved many other sinners to examples of repentance by his narrative. These things Thomas of Cantimpre relates from the account of Blessed Boniface; they are also found in the old Mirror of Examples, distinction 5, section 113. Thomas of Cantimpre in the same book, chapter 57, section 32, also recites another story which the venerable Boniface, formerly Bishop of Lausanne, had narrated to him, concerning ^a blind cowherd who grasped by the horns whichever cows someone commanded, of whatever color — through the help of demons. This ceased when he received the sacrament of Confirmation.

[9] Andrew Saussay composed an elegant and lengthy eulogy of Blessed Boniface in his Gallican Martyrology. Also treating of him are Chrysostom Henriquez in his Cistercian Menology; William Gazet in his Ecclesiastical History of Belgium, under the saints of the diocese of Mechelen; our own Heribert Rosweyde, who published his Life in the Flemish language using the Rouge-Cloitre codex, and treats of him in his Belgian History at the year 1250, as do other authors to be cited below. The same Life in German was published from the Fasciculus of Saints of the Cistercian Order by Chrysostom Henriquez, by the already-mentioned Murer of Lucerne in his Helvetia Sacra.

Section III. The public veneration of Blessed Boniface.

[10] Blessed Boniface was buried, as Henriquez describes more fully in distinction 32, chapter 8, in the presbytery of the Camera church, that is, the Choir, on the right side of which ^a tomb was built for him, four feet high, covered with blue marble, on which the image of ^a Bishop was carved. It has been received by tradition from the elders that many would flock thither and implore the Saint's aid, especially against fevers, with candles lit, arms outspread, or hands raised on high.

[11] His name has been inscribed in the sacred calendars by more than one authority. For John Molanus, in his additions to the Martyrology of Usuard, published in 1568, writes thus: "There died Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne in Burgundy. He was born at Brussels and rested in the monastery of Camera of the Cistercian Order near that same town in the year 1260, illustrious for miracles both in life and after death." Peter Canisius has the same in his German Martyrology. But Molanus in the later edition omitted the year of his death, and rightly so; for one who in the year 1245 at the First Council of Lyons decreed with the other Bishops that ^a sentence of excommunication should be pronounced against Frederick II, and afterward administered his Church for some time more, and for ^a whole year implored the Pope to release him from its burden, and then lived in retirement for eighteen years, cannot be considered to have died in the year 1260, but rather, as we have established above, in the year 1265. Even further from the correct calculation strays the author of the manuscript Florarium, who nevertheless counts him among the Saints in these words: "At ^a monastery of the Cistercian Order in Belgium, the deposition of Blessed Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne, ^a native of Brussels. He died in the year of salvation 1234." Molanus, Canisius, and others place Lausanne in Burgundy because the city was formerly in the province of the Maxima Sequanorum, which the Burgundians afterward occupied; and to this day Lausanne acknowledges the Archbishop of Besancon, as does Belley and Basel, whose proper diocese is contained within the County of Burgundy.

[12] What veneration was formerly paid to Blessed Boniface, Molanus explains: "On the anniversary of his deposition, his tomb is adorned with tapestries, flowers, and lights which are called 'stal-lichten.' The Office of the Dead is not celebrated for him, because he is numbered among the Blessed; but rather for his friends. His sacred chalice is used only once ^a year, in the sacred celebration of this day. Moreover, on Laetare Sunday, large loaves of bread are distributed, on account of the many benefits he conferred upon the monastery; and they are called 'the Loaves of St. Boniface.'"

[13] Concerning the veneration of the same Saint, Le Mire relates the following in his Belgian Calendar: "John Dorothee, Bishop of Lausanne, in the Status of the Lausanne episcopate transmitted to Pope Paul V in the year 1605, calls Protasius, Maximus, and Boniface, his predecessors in the episcopate, Saints, and says that they are devoutly venerated throughout the entire diocese. Of these, however, Boniface, who rests near Brussels at Camera of Blessed Mary, though raised from the earth in the year 1600, is not venerated with an ecclesiastical Office by the Belgians as ^a Saint; he is, however, held in great veneration as ^a Blessed."

[14] Others of more recent date have likewise inscribed him in their Martyrologies. Arnold Wion: "At the monastery of Camera of the Cistercian Order in Gaul, the deposition of St. Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne in Burgundy, ^a native of Brussels, whose life shone with virtues." Hugh Menard has the same, except that for "in Gaul" he substitutes "in Belgium" and omits "in Burgundy." Benedict Dorgani in the Benedictine Calendar: "St. Boniface, Bishop, whose life shone with virtues." Our Baldwin Willot in the Belgian Martyrology: "At the Camera monastery near Brussels, Blessed Boniface died and rests, who, born at Brussels, was Bishop of Lausanne on Lake Geneva." Philip Ferrarius, though in need of correction as we noted above: "At Camera in Burgundy, St. Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne." Claudius Robert in his Gallia Christiana, Arnold Raisse in his Belgian Hierogazophylacium, and others call him Blessed; Montalbus, Manrique, Rosweyde, and Murer, cited above, call him Saint.

Section IV. The relics of Blessed Boniface elevated.

[15] The sepulchre of this most holy Bishop stood for more than three hundred years, during which time the convent was enriched with estates and adorned with splendid buildings. But at length, in the year 1581 — ^a most ill-omened and rather accursed year, which brought eternal infamy upon Belgium among foreign nations and for all posterity: first by the edict of the Estates, decreed in the assembly at Antwerp at the instigation of the Prince of Orange, abrogating all power of the Catholic King over these provinces; and soon by even greater madness, at Antwerp, Brussels, and elsewhere, with the images of the Saints thrown down and torn apart, the priests driven out, and all exercise of the ancient religion forbidden — in that most calamitous year, the Camera monastery and its church were also burned on September 10, with fire set, as John Baptist Gramaye attests, by the royal soldiers themselves, because, since the nuns had already departed, it would be ^a perpetual refuge and stronghold for the enemy. The nuns numbered at least one hundred; and when they had retreated to Brussels, they were afflicted for several years with great hardship and poverty in all things, yet with such constancy of piety that not one deserted her vocation — which, after God, must be attributed to the protection perhaps of St. Boniface and to the solicitude of Abbess Barbara Tasse.

[16] Having eventually returned to their former dwellings, when the darkness of heresy had been dispelled from that region, the sacred community reassembled. The restoration of all the buildings and the church was then begun. The monument of Blessed Boniface, its covering stone having been broken, had been shamefully damaged by rains. Abbess Joanna Penninia and the other nuns judged it better to exhume the body of the holy Bishop and place it in ^a more honorable location than to repair the tomb. The plan was approved by those to whom she had disclosed it: Robert, Abbot of Camberon, and Gaspar, Abbot of Hautmont — the latter of the Benedictine institute, the former of the Cistercian, who was also at that time the Vicar of his Order for all Belgium.

[17] First, therefore, Joanna imposed ^a three-day fast and prayers upon her nuns. Then, on June 22 of the year 1600, she ordered the tomb to be opened, believing the sacred body to be enclosed within it. When it was found empty, it was decided to dig in the ground beneath. Here was found the foundation of another wall, perhaps of some house that had once stood there, at so narrow ^a distance from the church wall that it scarcely seemed probable to anyone that any person had been buried in that spot. On the following day, to the left of that interior wall, at the depth to which graves are customarily sunk, the body was found when the earth was removed — the bones still cohering and solid, except that some ribs were broken and some joints of the hands and feet were missing. The bones were extracted individually, for they could not be removed connected as they had lain. On the following day, dedicated to the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, both Abbots having duly celebrated the sacred rites, together with Giles Isogartus, the nuns' Confessor, and Florentius Curtius and James Surhonius, monks and Chaplains of the Camera convent, devoutly washed those sacred bones while the nuns meanwhile sang the Litanies. When they had been washed, they were placed in ^a casket and carried by the same monks through the Cloister — as they call the interior porticoes of the convent — with the entire community preceding and singing hymns, and finally placed upon the altar in the chapel of St. Barbara.

[18] Several manifestations of divine favor are recorded as having occurred at that time, besides the unusual piety and consolation felt by all who were present. Louisa Jouvenelle had been tormented for two years by ^a troublesome asthma, so that, having tried many remedies in vain, she was no longer able to sing the divine praises with the rest. Raised to new hope, she applied to her chest the earth that had lain nearest to the sacred remains. Within three days the pain was removed and the ability to sing was restored.

[19] Pasquina Cottemie, likewise ^a nun, was seized with an eagerness to search whether any small particles of bone had escaped those who exhumed the body. She afterward confessed that in this work she was completely freed from the sciatica from which she had suffered for two full years, and that whenever some small bone came into her hands, she was first suffused with ^a certain sweet fragrance — which she also perceived being wafted to her one night as she lay awake. Others testified that they had perceived ^a similar fragrance when the sacred bones were being unearthed. Giles Isogartus reported that his hands, with which he had washed those same bones, gave off ^a most pleasant fragrance for the entire day. Certain nuns related that they had been relieved of various ailments when they invoked the patronage of Blessed Boniface at that time.

[20] The fame of the event drew many from Brussels and other places to venerate the relics. Many sufferers from fevers were given to drink the water in which the bones had been dipped, with some dust sprinkled in from where they had previously lain, and health was soon restored. During those days there was ^a person who, unwillingly suffering ^a vile carnal temptation, implored the aid of Blessed Boniface, whom he had heard was ^a zealous cultivator and defender of chastity, and immediately experienced those importunate impulses subsiding.

Section V. The cult of Blessed Boniface inhibited, then restored.

[21] What was occurring in the sight of the great city could not fail to reach the ears of the Archbishop of Mechelen, in whose diocese Camera and Brussels are situated. He decreed that the body should not have been exhumed and exposed, even to private veneration, without having obtained his permission, in accordance with the prescription of the sacred Canons. He ordered the relics to be removed for the time being and all veneration of them to be suspended. Meanwhile, he delegated Peter Vinck, Dean of Brussels, with ^a public notary to the place, with orders to examine legitimately whether it was established both that the body was indeed that of Boniface and that veneration had been paid to him from ancient times.

[22] He came to Camera on September 13 of the year 1601, and from the testimonies of Abbess Joanna, several elderly nuns, and other respectable persons, he ascertained the following: that there were six places in all where burials were given to those who died; the outer cemetery was assigned to farm managers and servants, the inner one to the Conversi; the nuns' choir to distinguished persons whose names are inscribed in the Necrology; the Cloister to Confessors, Chaplains, and the nuns themselves; the Chapter House to Abbesses; but in the presbytery, or Priests' Choir, no one other than Boniface had ever been buried. Otherwise, some monument would survive, or at least ^a written record — as in the cited Necrology this entry is found: "The Lord Boniface of Brussels, formerly Bishop of Lausanne, buried at Camera in the Choir of the Lords." That the tomb stood in one place and the body lay in another appeared to have happened because the body either could not properly be placed closer to the wall of the Choir, or the other underground wall did not allow it, while the tomb, lest it be an obstruction, was judged fitting to be erected at the side of the Choir, even if somewhat removed from the body.

[23] What we have already narrated concerning the elevation, its manner, and the benefits divinely received, was reported to Dean Vinck, and Henriquez lists the individual testimonies. That veneration had been paid to him from ancient times was shown by what had already been adduced from Doctor Molanus, and by what is narrated in the epitaph — which the Abbess and others testified they had seen before the disturbances of the heretics, inscribed on parchment in an old wooden tablet hung on the wall beside the tomb. The tomb itself, on the anniversary of the blessed Bishop, February 19, was adorned with flowers, tapestries, and lights; very many would flock to it, even from distant places, and there offer prayers, light candles, and present other offerings; and some of them had been healed of fevers through his help after making prayers in due form — things which the same witnesses asserted they had partly seen themselves and partly heard from those of more advanced age.

[24] All of this, having been legitimately recorded and reported by Vinck to Archbishop Matthias Hovius, the latter caused it to be examined by the judgment of serious theologians — William Estius, Bartholomew of Lintre, John Clarius, and others. On their recommendation, he ruled that the relics which were established to have been venerated by the people from time immemorial, though still hidden in the tomb, could likewise be venerated after being raised from the earth, as before; and that for this purpose they could be enclosed in ^a casket, placed upon or beside an altar, and displayed for the people to see and kiss; yet the honor proper to Saints enrolled in the Canon should not be accorded to them. The decree of the Archbishop reads as follows:

[25] "Matthias, by the grace of God and the Apostolic See, Archbishop of Mechelen. Having carefully read the investigation, conducted by our order on various days of the past year, by the venerable Lord Peter Vinck and Master Philip van Asbroeck, Secretary of the Chapter of St. Gudula, after hearing many trustworthy witnesses on this matter, who declared that they had ascertained that the bones found and exhumed about two years ago, beneath the broken tomb in the church of the Camera monastery near Brussels, are the body of Boniface of happy memory, Bishop of Lausanne, who was formerly honored and adorned there with great reverence and devout invocation and with lights and other marks of veneration. For this reason, we consent by these letters that the aforesaid body shall remain elevated henceforth, and shall be honored, adorned, and devoutly visited by all the faithful of Christ and devout persons as that of ^a venerable and blessed man. We do not, however, permit the honor to be given to him that is proper to one who has been canonized. We also consent that appropriate letters be drawn up concerning these matters. In testimony of the truth, we have signed this our declaration and fortified it with our seal, on the twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of the Lord one thousand six hundred and three."

[26] On account of these letters, as we suppose, George Colvenerius wrote in his notes to book 2 of Cantimpre, chapter 30, that the bones of Blessed Boniface had been elevated with the consent of the Archbishop of Mechelen — though the elevation had been carried out without his knowledge; the ancient veneration, however, was retained with his consent. Gramaye also mentions this elevation in his Antiquities of Brussels, and Le Mire in his Belgian Calendar. Henriquez in his Cistercian Menology records the commemoration of this elevation under June 24. The sacred body was then enclosed in an elegant wooden casket, clothed in pontifical vestments, as Arnold Raisse testifies in his Belgian Hierogazophylacium.

[27] The dwelling which the same most holy Bishop once inhabited, within the outer walls of the monastery indeed, but somewhat removed from the habitations of the nuns, escaped the flames that consumed the convent. There ^a most beautiful chapel was fashioned, in which this inscription was engraved above: "By long tradition received from our ancestors, as it were from hand to hand, we have learned that Blessed Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne, after resigning the episcopate, dwelt in this place. In memory of this, this chapel was built in honor of the Blessed Virgin and All Saints in the year 1609."

[28] "On ^a certain tablet," says Henriquez in distinction 32, chapter 16, "which is seen hanging in the same chapel, the following prayer is contained:

I humbly ask and beseech you, O Blessed Boniface, to deign to remember me, ^a most wretched sinner, before the face of the Lord, that by your merits and prayers I may be defended and preserved from all evils of both body and soul, and may advance as much as possible in every virtue and good work; and at the hour of my death and departure, may you faithfully come to my aid against the wiles of the enemy, and deign to lead my soul, freed from all tribulation, to the joys of the heavenly Paradise. Amen.

V. Pray for us, Blessed Boniface. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

We humbly pray You, Lord God, Father Almighty, receive the prayer of Your servants, that, recalling the memory of Blessed Boniface, we may by his merits and intercession be freed from all adversities in body and cleansed from evil thoughts in mind. Amen."

LIFE BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR,

from manuscripts of the Camera monastery.

Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne, at Camera near Brussels in Belgium (Bl.)

LIFE BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR,

from manuscripts of the Camera monastery.

Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne, at Camera near Brussels in Belgium (Bl.)

BHL Number: 1398

By an anonymous author, from manuscripts.

CHAPTER I

The life of Blessed Boniface before his episcopate.

[1] Although the blessed life of the Saints endures eternally with Almighty God, and the book of life contains their names without forgetting, we believe it is nonetheless in no way contrary to true religion if we turn over their merits more frequently in our minds and commemorate their deeds in words and writings. Wherefore we have thought it fitting to commit to writing, for those seeking an example of his life through the records of letters, certain things concerning the life, character, learning, divine consolations, miracles, and inspirations, collected with all discretion, of Bishop Boniface of blessed memory: so that although he is absent in bodily presence, the memory of his virtues may always be present. Since, therefore, his life was graced from the very cradle, let our narrative take its beginning from the origin of his earliest age.

[2] The venerable servant of Christ, Bishop Boniface, whose memory is in blessing, drew his origin in the city of the diocese of Cambrai which is called Brussels, from ^a religious father and mother. It once happened that his mother was hastening to matins, when an old man with white hair and an angelic countenance met her and said these words: "You have conceived ^a glorious child, who will be acceptable to God and to His Saints and to men; he will be great and honored in learning." He immediately vanished from her sight. After this, the time of delivery came, and she gave birth to ^a son whom she called Boniface.

[3] This boy grew in age and in grace before God and men. Whenever his mother, or grandmother, or nurse kissed him, he would immediately wipe his mouth with his garment or wash it with water. When he was five years of age, he was taken by his mother to begin his studies. Having embarked upon the path of learning letters, while he was still very small in stature and tender in age, he gave various proofs of his future probity. For God gave him ^a capacious mind, ^a ready understanding, ^a tenacious memory, grace in conversation, and effectiveness in action. He was ^a humble listener to his teachers, and what he absorbed from his teachers through his ears, he stored faithfully in the little treasury of his heart. He was as innocent among the adolescents with whom he received his youthful instruction as he was free from the allurements by which the juvenile age is most accustomed to indulge in wantonness; and just as he came forth pure and undefiled from the womb of his mother, so he remained pure and undefiled unto the day of his death from carnal vices. He surpassed all his companions in learning and knowledge; on feast days he was praying in church or studying, and he was as it were the guardian of his companions.

[4] When he had reached the age of seventeen, he went to Paris. There he advanced from one level of learning to another, from one field of knowledge to another, until he became great and honored and was called to the Chair — without his knowledge. He sat in the Chair of Theology for seven years, teaching and disputing with great honor, dignity, and reverence. He spent thirty years at Paris, learned in the seven liberal arts. The venerable man Boniface strove with every effort to live for Christ. He was also profuse in humility, assiduous in vigils, devout in prayer, preeminent in learning, cautious in speech, most holy in conduct, and strong in hard sufferings. He bore the simplicity of ^a dove; in correcting others he was austere, most fierce against heretics and unbelievers, and most steadfast in the Catholic faith.

[5] The man of God, therefore, adorned with no small beauty of virtues, by the office of God and divine grace, receiving sacred orders, attained the rank of the priesthood. Understanding himself to be bound by so great an office, he began to exercise the duties of ^a Priest devoutly and faithfully. He never celebrated Mass without tears. He chastised his body with prayers and vigils; he always wore ^a hairshirt; he bound his belly with an iron chain. Afterward, seeing that he could not bear that chain, he laid it aside. But he took ^a girdle made from horsehair with many knots, and wore it for ^a long time.

[6] Once he was in ^a great desire to see the Blessed Mary, who appeared to him as he lay on his bed. Immediately leaping from his bed, he fell at her feet, saying: "My Lady, Holy Mary, sanctify me." She answered: "I have sanctified you, and I will sanctify you again after ^a year, or after three days, or after ^a Sabbath." And saying this, the vision departed. After this ^a dissension arose among the Masters and scholars, so that they did not come to lectures as they had been accustomed. Wherefore he departed from there and came to the city of Cologne, where he was also received with great honor and was called to the scholastic chair, without his knowing; and there he sat for two years.

CHAPTER II

The life of Blessed Boniface in the episcopate.

[7] After this he was called to the episcopal chair without his knowledge. He devoutly and humbly accepted this office, multiplying the talent committed to him by the Lord, and scattered the seed of the word of God far and wide. Thus, watering the hearts of many with the stream of his teaching — hearts that were subject to worldly fear — he himself, or rather the Lord through him, dedicated them to the Creator, through public exhortation, private counsel, and every means by which he could incite men to good works. To all from the towns and surrounding villages who flocked to him for counsel, he was always ready. Set before all as ^a watchguard of virtues, he showed himself ^a model of the celibate life by his good example. What he taught in words, he fulfilled in deeds. He was especially accustomed to reprove the bad morals of men in his public sermons. He listened unwillingly to the lengthy gossip of men. Worldly words or unfavorable talk about the morals of men he removed from himself either by silence or by ^a stern countenance. He spent all his time either praying, or reading, or writing, or giving counsel, or hearing confessions, or preparing himself for preaching, or instructing others. Very rarely did ^a short hour of the day pass without his being occupied in one of the aforesaid activities. When he had ^a servant who spoke worldly, base, or indecent words, he dismissed him from his presence.

[8] After this, ^a certain war arose between the Lord Pope and the Emperor Frederick. Whereupon the Lord Pope summoned certain Bishops to ^a council, among whom was Bishop Boniface; and according to the counsel of Boniface and the other Bishops, ^a sentence of excommunication was issued against him. Then the Lord Pope excommunicated Frederick. When Frederick learned that he had been excommunicated, he assembled two hundred soldiers to besiege the city in which Bishop Boniface was, and to kill him. Then the Bishop went out of the city, not knowing that there were ambushes there, with only two soldiers. When the Bishop had gone out of the city, they rose from ambush, ran to meet him, laid hands on him, bound his hands behind his back, threw him upon ^a horse, and departed. Then ^a soldier, kindled with the zeal of God, attacked the adversaries so vigorously that none of them dared to say anything in opposition; and the soldier turned the horse on which the Bishop was sitting and led him back into the city. And all his adversaries remained outside the city as if mute and struck by God. And thus the Lord liberated His servant.

[9] Once he preached ^a sermon to Priests who kept wives. But they, angered, gathered together and armed, came to ^a certain church where he was singing Mass, in order to kill him there before the altar. There was present ^a certain Brother of the Order of Friars Minor, who, perceiving their wickedness, began to cry out, and the entire city came running and freed him. When he saw that he could not endure the ambushes, terrors, blasphemies, and evils of wicked men, he went to Rome, asking the Lord Pope to absolve him from his office; the Pope refused. And the Bishop said: "I will not go there again, nor will I see that city." When he had troubled the Pope about this matter for an entire year, the Pope, at last overcome by his entreaties, accepted his resignation, with the preservation of his pontifical honor. With the counsel of upright men, however, the Pope offered him two other bishoprics, asking him not to refuse to accept them; but he absolutely refused to receive them, saying that he was now feeble and less suited for this work.

[10] Then he turned to prayer, praying and asking that God would deign to give him ^a suitable place where he might in peace and quiet, absolutely free from all worldly noise, spend the rest of his time. Then, having received leave from the Lord Pope and the Cardinals, he set out on his way. He returned to his homeland and came to the city of Brussels, in which he had been born, visiting his relatives there. Then he came to the monastery called Camera of St. Mary, visiting the community and his kinsfolk there. Then ^a certain devout nun came to him and said: "This the Blessed Virgin Mary commands you: that you remain here with us; for it is her will, and that of her Son, that you spend the rest of your life here." Having heard this, he consented to her words, and the Abbess and the entire community received him with joyful hearts and with great devotion, honor, and reverence; and he remained there the rest of his time in great peace and quiet.

[Further annotations on William Count of Holland elected Emperor; on the siege and capture of Aachen; on the Blessed Aleydis de Scarenbeca who offered her eye for the new King; on St. George's miracles; on the capture of St. Louis, King of France, in 1250; and on the defeat of the Flemish in Zealand in 1253 — all providing historical context for the visions of Blessed Boniface.]

ANOTHER LIFE

by an anonymous Canon Regular, from the Corssendonk and Rouge-Cloitre manuscripts.

Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne, at Camera near Brussels in Belgium (Bl.)

BHL Number: 1399

By an anonymous author, from manuscripts.

PROLOGUE OF THE AUTHOR.

[15] When the King of France was overseas against the Saracens and Pagans, defending holy Jerusalem and the sepulchre of the Lord, the Bishop was in prayer, and ^a voice came to him from heaven saying: "Know for certain that the King of France is this day delivered into the hands of the nations, and many of his people are to be slain, and the rest led captive." And so it was.

[16] Likewise, when the Count of Flanders entered into combat against the Hollanders, he was similarly in prayer, and ^a voice came to him from heaven saying: "Know that the Count of Flanders shall be led captive, and the greatest slaughter shall be made among his people." And so it was.

[17] He had the greatest compassion and grieved much over the perdition of Aristotle, and often prayed, if it could be, that God would deign to have mercy on his soul. Then ^a voice came from heaven, saying to him: "Cease, cease now, and do not pray for his soul; for he did not found My Church, as Peter and Paul did, nor did he teach My law."

[18] On the octave of St. John the Baptist, he was in great desire and would gladly have received some consolation from the Blessed Virgin. Then the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of heaven, appeared to him, wearing ^a crown on her head and ^a mantle woven with gold and garments adorned with various colors, bringing with her ^a company of Virgins; and the Virgins themselves were adorned with jewels and heavenly ornaments. They came as if to visit him, and sat on one side of his bed; and St. John the Baptist also came, most glorious, and was clothed in the whitest garments, and St. John himself sat on the other side of his bed. And they sat there through the entire night, and afterward departed.

[19] Once he was in great tribulation and fear over his sins, fearing that God had not pardoned his sins. Then two Virgins appeared to him, as if sent to him by God; one of them, holding ^a small parchment in her hand, said to him: "Read what is contained herein." And he took the parchment, saying: "I cannot read it, because no letters are written within." And she said: "Thus are all your sins blotted out in the sight of God." And immediately they departed.

[20] Once he sang Mass, and ^a certain religious woman, who is worthy of belief, saw two Angels: one stood at his right hand and the other at his left, and they raised his hands, and likewise set them down, and ministered to him, and very lovingly inclined their heads to him.

[21] Once he was very weak on the night of the Lord's Nativity and could not come to matins, but remained on his bed. Then he was very saddened and complained to the Blessed Virgin Mary that he was there alone. Immediately the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him, carrying in her arms her Son wrapped in swaddling clothes, and placed Him on his bed. And the Infant drew His hand from His swaddling clothes and raised the cloth from His face, as if showing him the beauty of His countenance. Then the Bishop was greatly delighted and rejoiced in His beauty, and marveling, he said: "If there were nothing else in paradise but that blessed face, it would be worthy to suffer everything that is sorrowful, in order to behold that glorious face."

[22] Once he was in prayer and was caught up in the spirit and led into Paradise, and he saw the Cherubim, how they are kindled and burn. And afterward he was led through the individual choirs of Angels and of Prophets, and he saw their dignities. Then he came to the choir of the Apostles, who were the first founders of the Church of God, and he saw their dignities and glory. Then he came to the choirs of the Martyrs, who were strong in battle and adorned the Church of God with their blood; their dignities also he saw and their glory. Afterward he came to the choir of Confessors, who sustained the Church of God by word and example; their glory also he saw. Then he came to the choir of Virgins, who follow the Lamb wherever He goes; and he saw their glory and dignities, and was greatly delighted in their glory. Lastly he was led to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and saw with what honor, reverence, and dignity she is honored by her Son and by all the Saints. Finally he came before the Majesty of God; there he saw the Son in the Father and the Father in the Son, the Holy Spirit proceeding from both; and how God is in His Saints and all the Saints in God. Of that glory, and union, and dignity, and reverence, it is better to be silent than to say anything; for whatever can be said about it is nothing compared to what it is.

[23] Whenever he came among Religious men and women, as wax melts before the fire, so he melted from devotion and divine grace. After this he fell into ^a great illness, so that he lost the strength of his hands and could scarcely raise his hand to his mouth; yet from great desire he could not refrain from celebrating Mass. Whence it was often shown that the Angels of God were helping him, as was said above.

[24] Once he held the text of the Gospel according to John in his hand, and embraced the book, saying: "This I have learned, in this I have lived, and in this I believe, and hope, and desire to die." And so it happened. Therefore the Pontiff Boniface, after he had governed the pontifical See of the Church of Lausanne for ten years, came to the monastery called Camera of St. Mary, and there lived eighteen years, and, taken from this light, was happily translated to the seat of the eternal kingdom, full of days and sanctity.

ANOTHER LIFE

by an anonymous Canon Regular, from the Corssendonk and Rouge-Cloitre manuscripts.

Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne, at Camera near Brussels in Belgium (Bl.)

BHL Number: 1399

By an anonymous author, from manuscripts.

PROLOGUE OF THE AUTHOR.

[1] We have learned that the wondrous works of God must always be received by the human race with faith intact and recounted with devout glorification, as holy Scripture admonishes and as the holy Angel himself commanded holy Tobias. Tob. 12:7 Yet very many things which the power of Christ accomplishes through himself, or works through his Saints set before the world as an example, are for this reason sometimes less known and celebrated in our time: because we neglect to transmit in writing to the age that will follow us those things which by their greatness move us to admiration and even to imitation -- not so much from ignorance of these deeds as from indolence of spirit. The deeds of the Saints must be narrated: In this matter our fault is far more manifest and inexcusable than that of our forebears, so that we are rightly compelled to bear the mark of guilt if we allow the deeds of the Saints, which have been able to come to our knowledge, to perish from the awareness of posterity. For although the blessed life of the Saints remains eternally with Almighty God, and the book of life contains their names without forgetting, nevertheless we believe it contributes no small measure to our own advancement and that of our successors if we more frequently revolve their merits in our minds and commemorate their deeds in words and writings.

[2] Wherefore I have thought it fitting to record certain things concerning the life and character of the venerable and God-worthy Boniface, of blessed memory, formerly Bishop of Lausanne, through the written word, as an exemplar of his life for one who desires it; therefore the Author writes this Life so that although he be absent in bodily presence, yet the memory of his virtues may always be present. And let no one esteem that I presumptuously assume the authority of correcting that work which the efforts of our elders have yielded, nor that I arrogantly undertake ^a reader's labor under the name of composing ^a written work: but I consider what I set forth at the beginning, that according to Scripture it is ^a glorious thing to declare the works of God and to make known the deeds of the Saints to the age that will follow us. Indeed, in undertaking this work, trusting greatly in the merits of the Saint himself, about whom I eagerly desire to speak and write in ^a plain and simple style, with the help of God to whom I owe all that I can do, I am not lightly moved, nor do I think I should greatly regard the petty rumors or prejudices of any persons, since, if the matter goes well, I shall have among the well-disposed ^a testimony of truth and faith.

CHAPTER I

The Life of Bl. Boniface before his Episcopate.

[3] ^a. The venerable athlete of Christ, Bishop Boniface, drew his origin from the district of Brabant and the noble city of Brussels, Boniface of Brussels from religious parents. When his mother was carrying him in her womb, going one day to matins, she encountered an old man of venerable white hair, bearing an angelic countenance, who addressed her thus: (whose virtue and learning were divinely foretold to his mother) "You have conceived ^a glorious offspring, who shall be acceptable to God and to His Saints and to men, and shall be great and honored in learning." Having said these words, he was immediately taken from her sight. After this the time of delivery came, and she bore ^a son, whom she named Boniface.

[4] The boy grew and advanced in age and grace before God and men. The virtue of modesty and the purity of chastity so flourished and prevailed in him in childhood remarkably chaste that whenever his mother or grandmother or nurse kissed him, he would immediately wipe his mouth with his garment or wash it with water, as ^a sign of his future purity of mind. When he was five years old, he was placed by his mother at the study of letters; at five he is trained in letters and though still tender in age, he showed forth various tokens of his future blessedness. For the divine munificence had bestowed upon him an apt understanding, ^a ready intellect, ^a retentive memory, grace in conversation, endowed with ^a remarkable disposition and effectiveness in action. He was ^a humble hearer of his teachers, and what he had taken in by ear from his instructors he tenaciously stored away in the little treasury of his heart and frequently pondered. He was found as innocent among the youths with whom he was learning the rudiments of childhood as he was free from the allurements by which youthful age is usually wont to be wanton; and just as he came forth clean and immaculate from his mother's womb, so he remained clean and immaculate from carnal vices until the day of his death.

[5] ^b. When he had reached his seventeenth year, he is sent to Paris he went to Paris, and there he advanced so greatly in knowledge and learning that he became great and honored. Indeed, just as he surpassed all his companions in the ardor of study, so he merited to go before them in honor. He persevered at Paris for thirty years, nobly instructed in the seven liberal arts; during which time he also sagaciously taught others. where he lives holily But with every effort he strove to live for Christ, and he was lavish in humility, diligent in vigils, devout in prayer, preeminent in teaching, cautious in speech, most holy in his manner of life, most steadfast in tribulation, solicitous in correcting faults, most severe against heretics and unbelievers, most constant in the Catholic faith, always abhorring idleness; and on feast days he was either studying or praying in church.

[6] ^c. When divine mercy saw that his servant was advancing from virtue to virtue, it decreed to mark him more abundantly with its own character. The man of God, therefore, adorned in no small degree with the beauty of virtues, he is made ^a Priest having received sacred orders, merited to be raised to the rank of the priesthood. Feeling himself bound by so great an office, he devoutly and faithfully exercised the rights of the priesthood. There was accordingly in him so great ^a grace of compunction that he never celebrated Mass without tears. He also chastised his body with vigils, fasts, wondrously devoted to penance and various abstinences, lest it should become wanton and so impede him from his salutary purpose. But to say nothing of the hair shirt which he always wore next to his skin, he also bound his belly tightly with an iron chain; and when, for some reason or other, he was unable to wear this chain, he took care to remove it and exchanged it for ^a belt of horsehair fastened with many knots, which he wore for ^a long time.

[7] When, toward the end of the thirty years he spent at Paris, he teaches Theology at Paris he had for seven years read from the chair of Theology, teaching and disputing with great honor and reverence, it happened that ^a dissension arose between the Masters and the scholars, whence it came about that they disdained to come to lectures as usual. On that account he departed thence and came to the city of Cologne, then at Cologne which is called Agrippina, and there he was received with honor and called to the scholastic chair, in which he sat for two years.

CHAPTER II

The Life of Bl. Boniface in the Episcopate.

[8] ^a. At length it pleased the Lord to say to him, "Friend, come up higher"; and after this he was called to the episcopal chair. Accepting this office devoutly and humbly, he is made Bishop he took care to multiply the talent entrusted to him by God, sowing the seed of the divine Word far and wide, irrigating the hearts of the faithful with the streams of his teaching, and he preaches and cares for his people those things which he found subject to worldly fear he himself subdued with the fear of the Lord, with manifest reason, private counsel, and every means at his disposal, inciting men to good works. From towns and villages, near or far, he was always ready for all who came to him seeking counsel. Set as ^a watchman over all in the mirror of virtues, he exhibited himself as ^a model of the celibate life. For what he taught in words he first fulfilled in deeds, whence it came about that, worthily displaying the etymology of his name through his works, he appeared ^a worthy Bishop of Lausanne. He heard the lengthy conversations of men unwillingly; secular or detracting words he abhorred detraction he silenced either by silence or by ^a stern countenance. Whenever he had ^a servant accustomed to speaking secular, foul, or dishonest words, he immediately expelled him from his presence, and foul speech not suffering so great an evil to creep into his honorable household. He occupied all his time either in writing, or praying, or studying, or instructing others, or hearing confessions; very rarely did even ^a small hour of the day pass by without his being occupied with one of the aforesaid.

[9] ^b. He had the custom of reproving the wicked morals of men in public sermons, he rebukes the lust of Priests so that by this they might be confounded and repent. Once he preached ^a sermon to Priests who kept concubines, in their assembly, concerning things that pertained to their correction. Aroused, they gathered together in ^a mob and, bursting into the church in which the man of God was singing Mass, attempted to kill him before the altar. Seeing this, ^a certain Brother of the Order of Friars Minor began to cry out, and immediately the people of the city rushed in and delivered him from their hands. who attempt to kill him

[10] When he saw that he could no longer bear the plots, terrors, blasphemies, and other evils of wicked men, he went to the Lord Pope, urgently requesting that he be relieved of this burden; but the Pope delayed doing this, knowing him to be necessary to the people over whom he had been appointed as Pastor. he begs to be released from the episcopal burden And the Bishop said, "I shall not go there again, nor shall I see that city." And when for an entire year he had pressed the Pope on this matter, and the Pope at last consenting, he resigns it at length, overcome by his entreaties, he accepted his resignation, with the pontifical honor preserved to him. With the counsel, however, of upright men, the Apostolic See offered him two other bishoprics, asking that he not refuse to accept them. But he utterly refused to accept them, he refuses other bishoprics declaring himself deficient in age and less fit for such work. Then he turned to prayer, asking that God would deign to provide him ^a suitable place in which he might spend the remainder of his time in quiet, free from all worldly tumult. Having received leave from the Lord Pope and the Cardinals, he returns to Brussels he came to his native city of Brussels to revisit his parents and friends.

[11] Before we descend to declaring the rest of his virtuous deeds, it is not beside the point -- indeed it is consonant with the subject -- to commemorate another injury and insult inflicted upon the man of God in his bishopric. For ^a dissension had once arisen between the Lord Pope and the Emperor Frederick, the second of that name; whence it happened that the same Pope summoned certain Bishops to ^a council, he takes part in ^a council against Emperor Frederick II among whose number was Bishop Boniface. Having held ^a careful deliberation, therefore, and having considered all things, according to the decree of the same Boniface and the other Bishops, ^a sentence of excommunication was issued against the Emperor. Taking this badly, he sent two hundred knights to surround the city in which Bishop Boniface was, and to kill him wherever he might come forth. captured by 200 emissaries of this excommunicate It happened, however, at that time that he went outside the city with only two knights, because he was unaware that ambushes lurked there. When he had gone out, those who were lying in ambush, seeing the Bishop, rose up, laid hands upon him, bound his hands behind his back, threw him upon his horse, and departed. Then one of the knights in the man of God's company, freed by the valor of one knight burning with zeal, made such ^a fierce assault upon the adversaries that none of them dared resist. The knight himself then turned the horse on which the Bishop sat and led him into the city, and all his adversaries remained outside as if mute and struck by God; and thus God again delivered his servant from the snares of his enemies.

CHAPTER III

The Visions and Apparitions of Bl. Boniface.

[12] ^a. When at length, free from the episcopal office, he had undertaken to revisit his native soil, he turned aside after some time had elapsed to ^a monastery of Cistercian nuns, of Camera of Blessed Mary, which is situated near the city of Brussels to the south, visiting there the community and his kinswomen. By the admonition of Bl. Mary, he remains at the convent of Camera At that time ^a certain religious nun from the community approached him and said to him: "This the Mother of God, the glorious Virgin Mary, commands you: that you should remain here with us; for it is her will and the will of her Son that you should spend the remaining time of your life here." Hearing these words, he acquiesced to this decision; and the Abbess, together with the whole community, received him joyfully and with great devotion and reverence; and he remained there for the whole time of his life, devoting himself to God and to himself, in great peace and quiet.

[13] Once he sang Mass with the devotion that was customary to him, when behold ^a certain religious woman, who is worthy of belief, Angels assist him while he celebrates the sacred rite saw two Angels, one of whom stood at the right hand of the man of God and the other at his left, and they raised his hands in like manner and similarly set them down; and thus they ministered to him and very lovingly inclined their heads toward him.

[14] A certain Cardinal was sick at Paris unto death, and Master William of Milieton was ministering to him. He said to his companions: "I am going to rest ^a little, for I am very weary." And when he had gone out, immediately in ^a vision the venerable Boniface appeared to the sick man himself, he appears with Bl. Agnes to ^a sick Cardinal and heals him resplendently adorned in pontifical vestments, bringing with him ^a certain most beautiful Virgin, most becomingly adorned with jewels. And Boniface said to the sick man: "My lord, what ails you, and how do you fare?" He answered: "I am very weak." Then the Bishop signed his forehead with his finger, and wiped his face and breast with his hand, and having given his blessing, the man immediately recovered. Meanwhile, when the sick man asked who that maiden was, the Bishop answered: "This is St. Agnes." And immediately the vision vanished.

[15] ^b. At the time when William, King of Germany, was besieging the city of Aachen, the blessed man Boniface was at Camera of St. Mary in prayer, and he saw in the spirit ^a certain knight clad in white armor, sitting upon ^a white horse and carrying ^a lance in his hand; and other knights followed him, armed in the same manner. Then the Bishop said in his heart: he learns in advance by heavenly revelation of the victory of King William "Lord God, who is this, and where is he going?" And the Angel of the Lord answered him, saying: "This is St. George, whom God has sent to aid King William, because today he shall obtain the victory." And this was found to have truly come to pass.

[16] Likewise, at the time when the Count of Flanders entered into battle against the Hollanders, the man of God was similarly in prayer, and ^a voice came to him from heaven saying: "Know that the Count of Flanders shall be led captive, likewise the defeat of the Count of Flanders and the greatest slaughter shall be made among his people." The firmness of this saying was afterward confirmed by the very truth of the event.

[17] Once he was in great tribulation and fear on account of his sins, reconsidering whether the Lord God had pardoned all his offenses. Then two beautiful Virgins appeared to him, sent by God, one of whom, holding ^a small parchment in her hand, addressed him thus: "Read," in ^a vision he learns that his sins have been blotted out she said, "what is written herein." The Bishop, taking the parchment and finding nothing written in it, said to her: "I cannot read it, because nothing is contained within." Then she replied: "Thus," she said, "are all your sins blotted out in the sight of God, nor does anything of them remain upon your conscience."

[18] This holy man had the greatest compassion for the soul of Aristotle, he is forbidden to pray for the soul of Aristotle and grieved much over his perdition, and often prayed that, if it could be, God would deign to have mercy upon him. On ^a certain occasion, therefore, he heard ^a voice from heaven saying to him: "Cease to pray for his soul, because he did not build My Church, as Peter and Paul did, nor did he teach My law." Hearing this, and grieving, he ceased thenceforth.

[19] ^c. On ^a certain occasion the man of God was in great desire to see the glorious Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, who, satisfying his pious wish, appeared to him as he lay upon his bed. When he saw her, he sees the Blessed Virgin immediately leaping up, he fell at her feet, saying: "My Lady, sanctify me." And she, graciously assenting, answered: "I have sanctified you, and I shall sanctify you again." Having said this, the vision vanished, nor did she grant him ^a greater share of her presence for that time.

[20] On another occasion, on the octave of St. John the Baptist, he was in great desire to receive some consolation from the Blessed Virgin herself, likewise at another time, with many Virgins and St. John the Baptist who immediately appeared to him, wondrously crowned and mantled in cloth of gold, most becomingly adorned with other multi-colored garments, bringing with her ^a company of Virgins, who themselves were also adorned with precious garments and jewels. They all came to visit the Bishop, and were seated on one side of his bed. St. John the Baptist also came, exceedingly glorious, distinguished in garments of the purest white, and sat on the other side of the bed of the man of God. Who could estimate, let alone express, with what great consolation he was filled in the visit and conversation of such and so great ^a company? And when they had sat with him through that entire night, at dawn they departed.

[21] Once the man of God was very weak on the night of the Lord's Nativity, so that he could not be present at the office of matins; wherefore he was greatly saddened over this likewise at another time, with the little Son and made his complaint to the glorious Mother of God, Mary. To him the Blessed Virgin immediately appeared, bearing in her arms her most beloved Son wrapped in swaddling clothes, and she placed Him upon the bed of the blessed man. The Infant himself drew His hand from the swaddling band and raised the cloth from His face, showing the Bishop the beauty of His countenance. And he was wondrously delighted at the sight, whose countenance is of wondrous beauty and marveled all the more, so that he afterward said to those of his household: "If there were nothing else in paradise but that glorious face, it would assuredly be worthy to suffer everything that is thought sorrowful, in order to behold that blessed face in its glory."

[22] ^d. Being one day in prayer, this holy man was caught up in the spirit; and when he had been led into the heavenly paradise, in the spirit he sees the glory of the Saints and their individual orders he saw there the Seraphim, how they are kindled and burn, the Cherubim, how they are illuminated and shine. Then he came to the individual choirs of the Angels and saw their orders and ministries. Afterward he was led to the assemblies of the Patriarchs and Prophets, where he contemplated their dignities. Then he came to the choir of the Apostles, who with their blood had founded the Catholic Church, whose preeminence he saw and their glory. Next he came to the army of the Martyrs, who adorned the Church of God with their sufferings, whose honor and beauty he also beheld. He came also afterward to the assembly of the Confessors, who sustained the Church of Christ by word and example, and their excellence also he perceived. Moreover, coming to the fellowship of the Virgins, he saw how they follow the Lamb wherever He goes; beholding their glory and beauty, he was wondrously delighted. After this he was led to the blessed and glorious Virgin, Queen of Virgins, and he saw with what honor, reverence, and dignity she is venerated by her beloved Son and by all the aforementioned Saints. Finally he came before the throne of the majesty of God on high, where he saw the Son existing ineffably in the Father and the Father in the Son, the Holy Spirit also wondrously proceeding from both. Lastly he saw how God dwells and rests in His Saints, and how conversely they abide in Him. By this vision he was so greatly edified and inflamed that, with his whole heart intent upon heavenly things, he labored to become ^a partaker of those whose most excellent glory he had specifically beheld with blessed sight.

CHAPTER IV

The Miracles of Bl. Boniface.

[23] ^a. The Lord deigned to glorify His Saint with wondrous and varied prodigies and signs, even in this life. For ^a certain girl, seized by ^a sudden illness, was weighed down unto death, to such ^a degree that it seemed to her that her face must burst and her eyes leap from her head. His hair heals ^a sick woman She cried out in pain to her mother and said: "Mother, behold, I am dying." Then her mother took some of the clipped hair of Bishop Boniface and, binding it upon her daughter's face, caused her to sleep ^a little; and she at last, having awakened, rose up whole and well.

[24] He frees ^a demoniac by his blessing Once the man of God came to ^a certain place where there was ^a youth possessed by ^a demon. Having offered ^a prayer, he blessed him, and he was freed. A certain other youth, suffering from sickness, sought the blessing of the blessed man; likewise ^a sick person as soon as he obtained it, he recovered his health. Moreover, ^a certain boy afflicted with epilepsy asked the man of God an epileptic that he might be permitted to receive the sacrament of Confirmation from him. Immediately, seized by the falling sickness, he fell at his feet; but when the blessing was given, he rose up perfectly well.

[25] A nun of ^a certain convent was held by great and severe fevers. The blessed man came to her and, standing over her, blessed her, and she was healed. two women with fevers There was also another woman who was likewise suffering greatly from fever, who also recovered at the blessing of the man of God. Once ^a certain girl filled with ^a demon encountered the holy man; another demoniac without any fear he opposed to her the sign of the holy Cross, and immediately the demon departed from her, and she was totally freed. There are also many other wondrous deeds which Bishop Boniface performed, but let it suffice to have narrated these few, to declare how great his merit is now, when he stands before the fountain of mercy, if he had such power with God when he lived here among us.

[26] ^b. A certain man of servile condition was sick unto death in the monastery of Camera of St. Mary, who was so bound by the devil that he could not confess his sins even if he wished. And when Priests came to him and tried to compel him to tell his sins, having labored much in this very effort, at last they accomplished nothing. Finally Bishop Boniface was invited to visit him. Coming, he said to the sick man: To one unable to confess his sins "Confess your sins." But he answered: "I cannot." And the Bishop said: "You shall go to hell unless you tell the sins you have committed." The sick man answered and said: "Most willingly would I tell them, if I could." Then the Bishop said to the Priest: "Go, bring the Body of the Lord." When he had brought it, the Bishop said to the sick man: he commands the Eucharist to be given "Do you believe this to be the true Body of Christ, and that He is your salvation and deliverance?" He answered: "I believe, my Lord." When the Bishop heard this, he said to the Priest: "Give him the Body of the Lord." When this had been done, he was immediately freed from the bond of the devil and made confession of all his sins, having received it, he confesses and dies piously and after no great space of time he departed this world happily under good hope. O the wisdom of the physician, who knew by what art the poison could be drawn from the bowels of the sick man! -- which, had it been retained, would assuredly have made him liable to eternal death. Moreover, many others of various conditions were freed from various temptations and tribulations through his holy prayers, giving thanks to God.

CHAPTER V

The Death, Burial, and Epitaph of Bl. Boniface.

[27] ^a. When after many labors the Lord wished to reward His servant, it happened that he fell into ^a severe illness, he falls into sickness from which he also died. This illness first deprived him of the function and strength of his hands, to such ^a degree that he could scarcely raise his right hand to his mouth. Yet from great devotion he could not refrain from continually celebrating Mass; whence it was often shown to some he often celebrates, with Angels ministering; he makes ^a profession of faith that Angels were ministering to him and assisting him, as was said above. When he was drawing near to the end of his life, he asked for the text of the Gospel according to John; holding it in his hand, he embraced the book, saying: "These things I have learned, in these I have lived; finally these are the things in which I believe and hope, and in which I desire to die" -- which not long after, as he had wished, came to pass; nor was he defrauded of his hope, but God granted him the desire of his soul, and this swiftly.

[28] Therefore the man of God, Boniface, after he had worthily and laudably governed the Church of Lausanne for ten years, and afterward, coming to the monastery of Camera of Blessed Mary and there serving God day and night in holiness and justice before Him, had survived for eighteen years, at last he was taken from this light he dies piously and was happily translated to the seat of the eternal kingdom, full of days and good works. He departed from this world to the Father and to the fatherland on the nineteenth day before the Kalends of February, about the year of the Lord one thousand two hundred and sixty; and he was buried in the aforesaid monastery of Camera of Blessed Mary, in an eminent place, namely in the part of the choir. His epitaph, which summarizes his entire life, is found there in the following manner.

[29] Here lies buried ^a man of the most serene life, the Lord Boniface, Bishop of Lausanne, His epitaph, containing ^a summary of his life Doctor of sacred Theology and the seven liberal arts, who drew his origin from religious parents in the city of Brussels. His mother, when she had conceived him, heard from heaven that she bore ^a glorious offspring, acceptable to God and His Saints and to men, and destined to be great and honored in life and learning. From his earliest age even to the end he persevered continually chaste, just, sober, quiet, humble, generous, well-mannered, and exemplary; and he grew in grace and age before God and men. As he came forth clean and immaculate from his mother's womb, so he remained clean and immaculate until the day of his death. This venerable man strove with every effort to live for Christ: for in humility he was lavish, in vigils diligent, in prayer devout, in teaching preeminent, in speech cautious, in his manner of life most holy, in harsh sufferings ^a brave athlete, pursuing ^a dove-like simplicity. He never celebrated without tears; he chastised his own body with want and abstinence. He merited to behold the Blessed Virgin Mary sometimes with bodily sight and to be comforted and sanctified by her. By his honey-flowing teaching he converted many from error to salvation, and, multiplying in wondrous fashion the talent entrusted to him, he faithfully rendered it to the Lord. What he taught in words, he fulfilled in works; he displayed to all the form of the celibate life; he spent his times in the praises of God; he often came almost to the point of martyrdom, but by God's will he was always rescued. And because he was just and vigorous, though always gentle, in his corrections, the perverse, unable to endure this, pursued him with murderous intent. Relinquishing one bishopric, guided by God, he came to this monastery and perceived by ^a revelation of the glorious Virgin Mary that it was the will of her Son that he should spend the remaining time of his life here. At his arrival the Abbess of that time and the whole community rejoiced exceedingly. For when he chose to dwell here, God wrought remarkable miracles through him: for he cured the ailing and those suffering from whatever infirmity at once, by the sign of the Cross alone or by the laying on of hands. He merited to foreknow many things by frequent heavenly revelation; he raised up those who were tempted by mercifully succoring them; he freed those vexed by demons and, subjugating the demons to himself, everywhere put them to flight. When he celebrated, Angels were often seen raising his arms on either side and, as if concelebrating, assisting him. When he dwelt among religious, as wax melts before the fire, so he melted with devotion and divine grace. At last the man of God, leaving this life, found ^a blessed and happy death, and, taken from this light, enjoys eternally the secrets of secrets with the blessed spirits. And although this man of God and Priest of the Most High has not been canonized by the Church on earth, he is nonetheless held in heaven among the Saints of God as glorified; and among us he is worthy to be canonized. Therefore let all who behold the tomb of this most sacred man beseech him, for he is worthy, that he may deign to intercede for us before God, so that by his merits we may be rendered worthy of His grace, and may glory in reigning with him perpetually in heaven. Amen.

ON BL. CONRAD OF PIACENZA, HERMIT, AT NOTO IN SICILY, OF THE THIRD ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS, PATRON FOR THE CURE OF HERNIA

YEAR 1351

Preliminary Commentary.

Conrad the Hermit, at Noto in Sicily, and at Piacenza in Italy (Bl.)

By the author I. B.

Section I. The annual celebration of Bl. Conrad, his Acts, miracles at his Relics.

[1] There is ^a city of Sicily, formerly called Netum and Neetum, in Greek Neeton and Neton; now commonly known as Noto, in the diocese of Syracuse, nearer to the promontory of Pachynus than to Syracuse itself. This city, says Thomas Fazellus in Decade I of Sicilian Affairs, book 4, chapter 2, The celebration of Bl. Conrad at Noto on account of miracles is today ennobled especially by the miracles of St. Conrad of Piacenza at his sepulchre, clear especially around those who suffer from hernia, which continue daily. He is venerated there and at Piacenza on the 19th of February. And indeed at Noto, as Roccus Pirrus of Noto writes in volume 2 of the Notice of the Churches of Sicily, page 215, public markets are opened for eight days in his honor; and twice ^a year they appoint ^a solemnity for him: on the day of his death, February 19th, and August 28th, in memory of the first faculty obtained from the Pope, when it was published among our countrymen. To this latter celebration were transferred those solemn eight-day markets, which in the winter season were less well-attended and convenient.

[2] On the 19th of February, Octavius Caietanus, our fellow member, thus recorded the memory of Bl. Conrad in the Sicilian Martyrology: "At Noto, St. Conrad, Hermit and Confessor." And Philip Ferrari in his general Catalogue of Saints: "At Neetum in Sicily, St. Conrad, Hermit." His name in the Martyrologies on February 19 The same writer mentions him in the New Topography of the Martyrology under the word "Neetum," and more fully in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy. Arthur of the Monastery, in his Franciscan Martyrology for the same day: "Among the Netines in Sicily, Bl. Conrad, Confessor, Tertiary, who, shining with the splendor of noble birth and virtues, glows with the gift of prophecy and most frequent miracles in life and after death even to the present day." He has not yet been inscribed in the rolls of the Saints by solemn ceremony; yet he is commonly called St. Conrad by writers and even by Urban VIII himself in ^a diploma, which Wadding recites in part 4 of the Annals, page 20. What veneration has thus far been permitted or decreed for him, we shall say presently.

[3] Very many have committed his pious deeds to writing. Besides the Lessons from the Proper of the Saints of the Church of Piacenza, conceded and approved by the Sacred Congregation of Rites in the year 1608; Acts written by various authors and besides the epitome of the Life which Ferrari compiled from these and the writings of the people of Noto; the following have come into our hands: The history of Bl. Conrad, briefly summarized by Vincent Littara of Noto, Doctor of Theology, published at Palermo in the year 1593, which we shall give here. The same work composed in Italian by Roccus Pirrus of Noto, published at Palermo in 1595. Another Italian work, much more prolix, by the author Petromaria Campo, Canon of the Cathedral Church of Piacenza, ^a pious and learned man, published at Piacenza in the year 1614. Then what Luke Wadding wove into his Annals of the Seraphic Order, chiefly from this last, in volume 3 at the year 1315, number 21 and following, and volume 4 at the year 1351, number 22 and following. And what Odoric Raynaldus narrates in volume 16 of the Ecclesiastical Annals at the year 1351, number 8.

[4] Other works are cited concerning the deeds of St. Conrad, committed to writing by various persons; and especially the Conradias of the same Vincent Littara, written in heroic verse and divided into ten books, published posthumously. While Roccus Pirrus, Doctor of Theology and examiner of books, was reviewing this poem for publication, he was seized by ^a malignant fever, with present danger of death. When he perceived this, the relics prove salutary to ^a certain writer he obtained that some relics of St. Conrad be brought to him; by the touch of these, suddenly as if recalled from death to life, he first took ^a peaceful rest, then that same night he composed these verses in testimony of the benefit received, which Petromaria Campo recites in chapter 17:

"When the heart of the Priest was touched, malignant fever Seized me, and ^a constricted throat delivered me over to death: While I read this book, here by the flesh of Conrad I am touched again, And to my throat life itself and health are restored."

[5] Bl. Conrad died on the 11th day before the Kalends of March in the year 1351. His body, placed in ^a chest in the sacristy of the principal church, which is dedicated to St. Nicholas, the throngs that come to them remained at Noto for many years. Great were the throngs of people who came to venerate it, offering prayers, candles, and votive gifts. Yet the hope which the people of Noto had conceived from the beginning of obtaining from the Supreme Pontiff permission to invoke him publicly at the altars seemed gradually to be cut short by the adverse circumstances of the province. Then around the year 1485 the memory of the immense benefits which their forebears had often obtained from God through the merits of Bl. Conrad entered the minds of certain persons. miracles renewed Therefore they too implored his aid in their own affairs, and found it readily granted. Inflamed thenceforth with fresh zeal, they besought the Bishop of Syracuse, Dalmatius, recorded in writing to order that the prodigies which had recently occurred be seriously examined and recorded in official acts for perpetual memory. The Bishop assented to their pious requests.

[6] In that year, the people of Noto most honorably erected ^a special structure with gilded stones in ^a high place over the sepulchre of St. Conrad. The body found intact after 134 years When the sepulchre was opened, the sacred body was found intact, with ^a wonderful fragrance of scent emanating, as Roccus Pirrus writes in the Notice of the Church of Syracuse, page 214. Littara also reports this in his book on Netine affairs, page 129, in the following manner: "The same year, fourteen hundred and eighty-five, reminds us that we should not pass over in silence what we have found committed to writing: that Giovanni Capello, Giovanni Landolina, Calcerando Salonia, and Giacomo Speciale, the Jurors, together with Giovanni Battista Sapia, then the urban Praetor, opened the tomb of Bl. Conrad, and beheld the body still intact and uninjured in every part, with ^a wonderful fragrance of scent emanating therefrom." He adds further matters, which we shall report below, concerning an arm then removed from it. Pirrus likewise reports for that year that the body was placed in ^a silver chest skillfully wrought, and that it was established by public decree that on the anniversary of his death all should abstain from servile works, and that St. Conrad should be invoked along with the other Saints in the public Litanies. A feast established by the people And this was thus established in common, with ^a certain simple piety, without the Roman Pontiff having been in any way consulted, as would have been proper.

Section II. The veneration of Bl. Conrad permitted to the people of Noto and Syracuse by Pope Leo X.

[7] From that time onward, both the throng of mortals flocking to venerate his relics and the heavenly prodigies at those relics increased. At length, as Wadding writes from Petromaria Campo, having sent Brother Bernardino of Brescia of the Order of Preachers, they obtained from Pope Leo X that his relics might be celebrated and venerated with solemn cult. Leo X permits him to be publicly venerated as Blessed; his Brief lost on the way But as Bernardino was joyfully returning to the people of Noto and opened his traveling bag near the city to extract some garments, he saw that the Pope's diploma was missing and that he had lost it. Anxious and sorrowful at the unexpected loss of the Apostolic letters for which he had been sent, he hesitated, uncertain whether to proceed shamefacedly into the city, or to go back again, either to search for the lost diploma or to have it reissued at Rome. As he thus deliberated and grieved, ^a venerable Hermit appeared, clad in the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis, and consoling the sorrowful man, pointed out ^a bundle of papers lying on the ground not far away. found when the Blessed one himself pointed it out Joyfully picking it up, he found enclosed within it the Apostolic Brief he had lost, while the Hermit immediately vanished from his sight. So reports Wadding, and much more diffusely Campo, who also recites the Brief itself translated into Italian. Wadding gives it in Latin, and it has seemed fitting to present it here.

[8] Pope Leo X. To our Venerable Brother, the Bishop of Syracuse, or his Vicar General in spiritual matters.

Venerable Brother, greeting and the Apostolic benediction. Our beloved sons, all the inhabitants and residents of the territory of Noto in the diocese of Syracuse, have lately caused it to be set forth to the people of Noto, on account of many miracles that already one hundred and sixty years ago and more, Conrad of Piacenza, of blessed memory, sprung from noble stock, coming to the said territory, led ^a hermit's praiseworthy life in ^a certain hermitage situated in ^a certain wood near the said territory until the end of his life; and that through his intercession, both before and after his death, our Lord Jesus Christ has wrought there many and diverse miracles, and continues to work them in the present, as is said to be more fully contained in various instruments or public documents drawn up at your command or that of the then Bishop of Syracuse. and attested to Wherefore the aforesaid inhabitants and residents, on account of the many miracles wrought from that time forward, have venerated and continue to venerate the same Conrad as Blessed, and observe the day of his death or another certain day as ^a feast; those who venerate Bl. Conrad and it would be in ^a manner impossible to recall them from such veneration and observance. But since it is lawful for no one to venerate anyone as Blessed without the authority of the Apostolic See, and since they therefore fear that they have incurred excommunication and other sentences, and those who seek this to be approved by the Pontiff censures, and ecclesiastical penalties, the said inhabitants and residents have caused us to be humbly petitioned that we would deign to make suitable provision in these matters out of Apostolic benignity.

[9] We therefore, inclined by these supplications, he entrusts this to the Bishop or his Vicar by these presents commit and command your fraternity to inform yourself diligently concerning the matters set forth to us, and if, all due observances having been observed, you shall find the aforesaid to be true, to absolve the same inhabitants and residents, and each of them, from such transgressions in the form customary to the Church; and to grant them, as well as any other faithful of Christ, perpetual license and faculty that he may lawfully establish this to venerate the same Conrad as other Blessed ones not yet canonized are venerated, to celebrate his feast on ^a day to be appointed by you, and to do freely and lawfully all and singular other things necessary or in any way opportune in the aforementioned matters and around them. Notwithstanding any Apostolic constitutions and ordinances, whether special or general, issued in provincial and synodal councils, and anything else whatsoever to the contrary. Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, under the Ring of the Fisherman, the 12th day of July 1515, in the third year of our pontificate.

[10] When this Pontifical diploma was brought to Sicily, James Humanus (whom Littara and others call Humana), Bishop of Scodra in Dalmatia, that is Scutari, Abbot of the Holy Spirit near Caltanissetta, Vicar General of William Raymond, Bishop of Syracuse, went to Noto and carried out what the Pope had commanded, as he himself attests in the public acts which he then caused to be drawn up and which are extant, at the place cited, in Wadding. Among other things he states: "Wishing to obey the Apostolic mandates humbly, as we are bound, for the execution of the aforesaid Apostolic rescript, we diligently examined the witnesses presented to us, likewise received faithfully by command of Dalmatius, then Bishop of Syracuse, he examines here the old testimonies concerning the miracles numbering more than fifty from thirty years before, and upon reviewing them we found that they, being most worthy of trust, had deposed concerning the sanctity of life of the aforesaid Conrad, and concerning the innumerable and diverse miracles which our Savior Jesus Christ has deigned to work through his merits and intercessions, from the time then reckoned at most sixty years, but now ninety. We add also that we rightly knew the aforesaid witnesses, for the most part then in old age, while we were in childhood -- Christians, that is, who feared God, who under no agreement, for no reason or cause, would have given any testimony unless it were true and most certain. Nevertheless, so that we might have the whole matter most thoroughly explored, and lest any suspicion of doubt should arise from any quarter whatsoever, we commanded that some additional witnesses be received, he receives others concerning more recent miracles who should depose concerning more recent miracles in this time confirming the sanctity of the same Conrad -- so that just as from the old witnesses and those of more than thirty years, so also from modern and living persons, we might learn of miracles declaring the life and sanctity of the same Conrad. Many witnesses, almost innumerable, were presented to us, from whom we selected only seven, who bore testimony in writing, because they had experienced in their own persons most evident miracles, through devotion to the said Conrad, and had received from our Redeemer Jesus Christ great and wonderful healing of diverse illnesses, through the merits and intercessions of the said Conrad."

[11] Recognizing all these things, we were unwilling to linger further in this matter; we wished at last to meet the truth, and most manifest truth at that, lest we should appear to be calumniators rather than seekers of the truth. We have known, we have seen, and by experience itself we have perceived the sanctity of life, the virtue, and the prerogative of so great ^a man. He absolves the people of Noto who had rashly dared to venerate him Wherefore, wishing to carry out the Apostolic mandates -- and we wished no less than we ought -- we have, by Apostolic authority, in which capacity we act in this matter, absolved the citizens, inhabitants, and residents of this noble city of Noto, gathered in the greater church of St. Nicholas, and each of them of both sexes, who, having venerated the body of the same Conrad, albeit Blessed, without the authority of the Apostolic See, had fallen under ecclesiastical censures, from all such transgressions, in the form customary to the Church.

[12] Thence, proceeding with the Clergy and people in procession to the chest in which the body of the same Conrad had been deposited for more than one hundred and sixty years, the scent diffused from the chest we ordered the chest itself to be opened. When it was unsealed, so great ^a fragrance of scent was diffused throughout that entire temple that all the perfumes of aromatics seemed to be stored away therein. We saw and with our own hands touched the head and one arm only, which were separated from the body (which arm indeed, covered with ^a silver case, the body found clothed in flesh after 164 years had been customarily displayed to the people in his honor). The rest of the body, however, with its other members intact, cohering and attached to one another, was clothed in flesh from the day of the deposition and death of the same Conrad, more than one hundred and sixty years, as was said above. These blessed relics, again enclosed in the same chest, we ordered to be carried forth in procession with the Clergy and all the people and to be honorably conducted to the church of the most holy Crucifix, [he orders them to be carried about in ^a procession, in which hernia sufferers are healed] where our Savior Jesus Christ deigned to display most evident miracles. For some who suffered from fractures and visceral hernias in the groin, devoutly praying beneath the chest of relics, immediately received the benefits of health.

[13] We therefore, by the Apostolic authority in which capacity we act in this matter, have perpetually granted license and faculty both to the said inhabitants of the aforesaid city of Noto and to all other faithful of Christ of both sexes, to venerate the same Bl. Conrad as other Blessed Confessors not yet canonized are venerated, and to celebrate his feast on the 19th day of the month of February, on which day he departed hence to the Lord, permission to venerate him as Blessed on February 19 appointed by us, and to do all and singular other things necessary or in any way opportune in the aforesaid matters and around them, freely and lawfully. We have also granted that the said blessed body may be carried forth and conducted in procession through the city of Noto itself, and to be carried in procession whenever and as often as it shall seem necessary or opportune to the Vicar with the Clergy and the Magistrate with the people of the said city for the time being. Notwithstanding, etc. Given in the noble city of Noto, in the house of our customary residence, on the 28th day of the month of August, in the 3rd Indiction, 1515. Part of this diploma is recited from Wadding by Odoric Raynaldus. The miracles performed in the procession are treated at greater length by Petromaria Campo in chapter 14.

[14] At this time the verses inscribed on the tomb appear, which Pirrus recites on page 214:

"Sacred is what you behold, and the venerable bones of Conrad verses then inscribed on the tomb in the year 1515 Are entombed together in this place. Already thrice ^a hundred lustra had the year accumulated, The thirteenth, and to these twice also was ^a harvest joined."

For one thousand five hundred is indicated in the penultimate verse, and fifteen in the last. In the year 1515 his veneration was permitted and his relics were publicly carried about.

Section III. The miracles of Bl. Conrad in 1516. His cult permitted to all Sicilians by Paul III. To the entire Order of Friars Minor by Urban VIII.

[15] What happened thereafter Wadding briefly summarizes in number 32: "On account of these letters, in the following year, on the aforesaid day of the month of February, the solemnity of Bl. Conrad was carried out with the greatest applause of all and with due magnificence. His sacred relics were also carried about through the entire city, with the sick or those afflicted coming from everywhere. On February 19, 1516, healed in the procession: ^a deaf woman, two paralytics In the church of St. Clare he caused ^a deaf woman to hear. In the church of St. Michael he healed ^a paralytic woman. Near the church of St. Peter Martyr he restored to health ^a man of Hybla, half-dead and deprived of the use of his limbs. In that same church, when ^a wall collapsed from the multitude of people and many were buried under the rubble, those rescued from ^a wall's collapse; speech obtained no one was injured. In the church of St. Francis he restored speech to ^a mute man and health to ^a woman suffering from dysentery. At the shrine of Christ Crucified, when the devoted image of the Cross was uncovered, all who were present -- those with hernia, paralytics, the mute, the deaf, and those afflicted with other diseases -- recovered, very many sick healed to the immense astonishment of all."

[16] "That was peculiar and remarkable: that while the sacred body was being carried from the church of St. Peter the New to the church of St. Peter Martyr, the relics become immovable before the doors of ^a certain old woman the weight so increased that it had to be set down, nor could it be moved from there. Until, with all astonished at the novelty of the event, the old woman sprang forth into the midst and handed the Bishop ^a staff, saying: 'Perhaps Bl. Conrad is demanding back this pledge of his. This was his staff. My great-grandfather obtained it, I know not by what fortune; his son, my father, always held it in great esteem. They would apply it to the sick, who would immediately feel well. As for me, he now judges me unworthy to have so great ^a thing in my possession; therefore I consign it to you, to be guarded together with the body.' until the Saint's staff was added to them Her expectation did not deceive her: for when the staff was placed alongside the bier, what had been heavy before began to become so light that it could easily be carried forth."

[17] "Moved, or rather terrified, by this miracle, those who had rosaries or prayer beads of the blessed man a rosary also brought forth, and other items brought them to the Bishop, and they are religiously preserved in the same church. At last the body was returned to the church of St. Nicholas and was placed in ^a beautiful and magnificent chapel built in his honor, in ^a gilded sepulchre and silver chest." Thus far Wadding; and all these things are described more diffusely and most elegantly in Italian by Petromaria Campo.

[18] The same Wadding continues in number 33: "As devotion toward him of the entire Sicilian people grew by the day, the Magistrate of Noto saw fit to send an envoy to Paul III to request that everywhere outside the city of Noto and the diocese of Syracuse, to which his cult seemed to be restricted by the diploma of Leo, it might be permitted to decree to him the honors of ^a Blessed Confessor. At Rome, ^a hernia healed by his relics The envoy obtained this, preceded by ^a miracle: for when he explained his mission and desire to ^a certain Count, ^a familiar of the Pope, and the latter heard of the blessed man's power in curing the herniated, he earnestly commended to him his own son, who was suffering from the same affliction. When the relics of Conrad's garment were applied to the boy, he received him back immediately healed. He aided and promoted the cause before the Pope by reporting the miracle, and the Pope willingly extended his cult to the rest of the Sicilians." Petromaria Campo writes that it was not relics of Bl. Conrad's garment that were applied to the boy, but ^a small piece of cloth made sacred by contact with the holy man's members.

[19] Wadding recites the letters of Paul III, by which he granted that outside the said town, the veneration of him permitted to all Sicily by Paul III city, and diocese of Syracuse, those residing in any cities, towns, and territories might henceforth venerate the same Conrad and celebrate his feast; the declaration of this matter being committed to the Vicar General of the Bishop of Syracuse. From the same letters it is clear that the envoy who obtained this faculty from the Pope was Sanctorius de Monaco, Abbot of the monastery of "della Venia" of the Order of St. Benedict in the diocese of Messina, then residing in the city of Noto. The letters of Paul III were dated at Rome, at St. Peter's, in the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1544, the 3rd day before the Kalends of November, in the tenth year of his pontificate. "When his cult was permitted everywhere in Sicily," says Wadding in number 35, "many altars, chapels, and entire churches were erected in his honor, and his name became celebrated throughout all cities and towns."

[20] "At length in our own age," says the same writer, "as miracles continued to multiply, to the entire Order of Friars Minor by Urban VIII and with the General and the religious Capuchin Fathers interceding, Urban VIII granted to all followers of St. Francis, wherever they might be, the faculty of reciting the Office and Mass in his honor." Wadding exhibits the Pontifical diploma, given at Rome at St. Mary Major, under the Ring of the Fisherman, on the 12th day of September 1625, in the third year of his pontificate. In it he is perpetually called Saint Conrad, the title of Saint given to him and it is decreed that concerning the same St. Conrad, on the day of his feast, all and each of the religious of the Order of Friars Minor of St. Francis, wherever they may be, may freely and lawfully recite the Office under the rite of ^a semi-double of the common of one Confessor not ^a Bishop, according to the Rubrics of the Roman Breviary. Arthur of the Monastery observes that his Lessons for the second Nocturn (which has befallen no other of the Blessed of the same Seraphic institute) are proper, from the Ordinary of the Saints of the Church of Piacenza itself. In the Proper Offices of the Order of Friars Minor, published for the 19th of February, it is noted: "On the feast of St. Conrad, Confessor, of Piacenza. Semi-double." Then the prayer "Adesto" is added, and the proper Lessons of the second nocturn.

[21] And indeed long before the pontificate of Urban VIII, images with the appended title of "Saint" existed everywhere in Sicily, nor could the people's devotion toward him be restrained as had long been the case in Sicily so as to be content with the appellation of "Blessed." And the connivance of the Apostolic See was added, as Petromaria writes in chapter 15, chapels and altars erected to him where he enumerates ^a great many churches, chapels, and altars erected under his name, not only at Noto and in the surrounding region, but also at Syracuse, in the fortress of the promontory of Pachynus, which is now called Capo Passaro, likewise at Catania, images everywhere Palermo, Agrigento, and in other cities. In the territory of Noto, moreover, there is scarcely ^a church, scarcely ^a house in the city itself, where some image of him is not to be seen. Indulgences for his feast Indulgences also were granted by Clement VIII and Paul V at various times in honor of Bl. Conrad to the people of Noto, Syracuse, and Palermo, as the same Campo records in chapter 15.

[22] With what joy and splendor both his solemnities are celebrated at Noto, he describes at length in chapter 16: what concourse of peoples takes place there, celebrated with immense joy what is the magnificence, piety, and order of the procession, what the cheerfulness of the citizens throughout the eight days, what the sound of musical instruments, what the abundance of flowers at the crossroads, the fires by night, the incense in the churches, and the other tokens of religious joy. He adds this, which I do not know whether it is practiced elsewhere: throughout the entire month in which each celebration falls -- namely February and August -- the bells of the entire city are rung every day at the second hour of the night, and meanwhile various cannons are discharged, to excite public piety and joy.

Section IV. The celebration of Bl. Conrad at Piacenza. His relics there and elsewhere.

[23] The honors due to the citizens of heaven are also paid to Bl. Conrad at Piacenza, his native city, though later than where he had died. Claudius Rangonius, Bishop of Piacenza, moved by the fame of the things being done in Sicily, Piacenza also honors him with an ecclesiastical office obtained from Pope Paul V that it might be lawful for the people of Piacenza to venerate their fellow citizen with an annual celebration, with ^a proper office, which the Sacred Congregation of Rites approved. When the Magistrates of Noto, unaware of this, nevertheless sought to propagate the honors of their Patron elsewhere, and especially in the place from which he had once come to them, they sent Vincent Littara's Conradiad on November 8th of the year 1610 to the Senate of Piacenza, and to Ranuccio Farnese the Duke, as well as to the Bishop. The three letters were delivered belatedly, in the month of April of the following year. Campo recites them, along with the most gracious replies written by the Duke on the last day of April, by Bishop Rangonius on the 11th day of May, and by the Magistrate on the 14th. Then images of Bl. Conrad were eagerly painted in colors and engraved in copper there, with images, altars altars and chapels were erected in his name. Petromaria commemorates these at the end of the last chapter, saying that he was then stimulated to publish the Life of Bl. Conrad.

[24] At the same time ^a magnificent chapel began to be built in the Cathedral basilica, which, when Campo published his history, was not yet completed. A nobleman born of the same stock as Conrad, John Louis Confalonierius, a magnificent chapel undertook this pious work, making no small expenditures on it and other religious works of this kind. This circumstance served to inspire his kinsmen, both those living at Milan and those at Piacenza, to seek the decoration of Bl. Conrad, their clansman, with sacred honors. John Louis himself appeared to have obtained by divine providence, through the patronage of the Saint, that upon the death of his wife he should embrace an ecclesiastical way of life, and devote his whole mind entirely to piety, following in some measure in the footsteps of Conrad.

[25] Pope Paul V, as Roccus Pirrus writes in volume 2, page 215, to which the Pontiff granted indulgences on January 13, 1614, granted an indulgence to those who should visit the Cathedral Church of Piacenza and the chapel of St. Conrad situated therein (which we mentioned) on the feast day of the same saint. There also, as the same author Pirrus reports, the hand and part of the arm of the same St. Conrad, which was preserved at Noto in silver cases, some relics sent there is venerated with the greatest piety. This sacred gift, with the permission of the Pope, was distributed by the Senate of Noto in the year of Salvation 1616 to the most serene Prince, the Duke of Parma.

[26] For at Noto the arm and hand had long since been detached from the body. Pirrus himself so testifies on page 181: "Dalmatius, Bishop of Syracuse," he says, "by Apostolic authority, with great devotion and piety, opened the sacred tomb of Bl. Conrad, at Noto the arm and hand were formerly enclosed in ^a silver case and found the sacred body intact and uninjured in every part after 134 years from the day of his death, and suffused with ^a great sweetness of heavenly fragrance. Then he permitted Antonio Caruso, Lord of the town of Spaccaforno, to enclose the entire arm with the hand of the same Saint in silver cases, for the Church of Noto, as it is still seen." Littara narrates this somewhat more precisely in his work on the affairs of Noto, page 129, in the following manner: "In this same year, 1485, Antonio Caruso, Lord of the Inspica estate, son of Nicolo and grandson of Antonio, who flourished under Alfonso, one freed from kidney pains immediately recovered from kidney pain through the touch of St. Conrad's arm, when the priest Antonio Mineo applied the relics to the afflicted area. Wherefore, having obtained his health, to the joyful acclaim of all, he ordered the arm and hand, as they are seen today, to be enclosed in silver cases. These things we have gathered from the documents of the greater Church." Thus far Littara.

[27] Hence above in Section 2, number 12, it was related from the acts drawn up by James Humana, Bishop of Scutari, that when he opened the chest in which the body of Bl. Conrad had been deposited in the year 1515, he found that the head and one arm were missing from it. This arm, namely, had previously been enclosed separately in ^a silver case. The head, however, is said to be preserved at Molfetta in Apulia, the head at Molfetta set upon ^a silver bust. So the above-cited Pirrus: "In Apulia also, in the city of Molfetta, he is magnificently venerated under the title of Tutelary and Protector. Nor does he enjoy this title in vain, since he once freed the city from the incursion of French enemies, appearing upon the walls, and has often sent copious rain to those suffering from ^a shortage of water. There the sacred head, brought there by stealth, is held in great veneration." Other writers report the same things. or perhaps of another St. Conrad But there are those who write that it is not this Conrad of Noto who is venerated there, but another, ^a Frenchman by nationality, who is said to have led an anchoritic life in the same region. We have not yet seen any documents from Molfetta from which we could determine anything with certainty.

[28] At Avola also, or Avula (a town distinguished by the title of Marquisate under the dominion of the Duke of Terranova, called Hybla by Littara and others, at Avola, ^a chapel with relics as we shall say below), there is ^a chapel under the title of St. Conrad within the church of St. John, as Campo reports. A confraternity of laymen has been established there, who carry ^a statue of the Saint and some relics in procession on his solemn day, when very many miracles usually occur, especially in the cure of the herniated. Those who are still of such ^a tender age that they cannot follow the procession on foot are carried, at which miracles occur seated on another bier behind that statue, until they obtain the health they seek -- as we shall presently say happens also at Noto.

[29] "At Palermo also," says Pirrus, "in the chapel of the confraternity of St. Conrad, relics at Palermo in the little church of St. Mary of the Angels of the Observant Friars Minor, and in my own possession, notable relics from the arm of the same saint are venerated, which the Marquis of Villena, Viceroy of Sicily, having obtained faculty from the Supreme Pontiff, transferred and distributed." So says Pirrus. But Petromaria Campo in chapter 15, page 126, writes that at Palermo, in the quarter called "della Calza," in the street called Vetrera, there is to be seen ^a fine church of St. Conrad, and that ^a confraternity of laymen has been established in it, who are called the Knights of the Cross of St. Conrad. By these the relics of St. Conrad are carried about with great splendor and devotion, brought there in the year 1608 and not rare miracles occur through them. The same author, on page 137, writes that the Viceroy who brought those relics to Palermo, when he had come to Noto, ordered the sacred chest of relics to be opened for him, from which once again ^a most sweet odor was exhaled. Then by his authority he took for himself some relics from it, asserting that this had been granted to him by the Supreme Pontiff. Part of those relics he gave to the aforesaid confraternity at Palermo, and part he carried off to Spain. Because of such losses, the chest is not rashly brought out, much less unsealed, unless perhaps some Prince of great name should request it; but then careful guard is kept, lest anything be pilfered.

[30] The chest is of pure silver, of ^a length sufficient to contain the body of ^a tall man (such as Conrad was), At Noto the body is carried in procession in ^a great silver chest wrought with remarkable craftsmanship, with statues of the twelve Apostles arranged along its sides. Priests clad in sacred vestments carry it in procession; the Magistrates and other illustrious men follow, holding torches in their hands. Behind comes another bier, or elongated wooden structure, splendidly decorated and divided into three tiers. In the middle of these stands ^a small column, atop which is set the arm of Bl. Conrad in ^a silver case, and other relics separately together with the Saint's staff and his rosary beads. Around the tiers sit the sick, especially boys suffering from hernia, in such numbers that sometimes forty men or even more are needed to carry the structure. The herniated boys are first carefully examined by physicians, lest there be any room for fraud. Since the procession is interrupted at certain stations -- either by entering churches or by pausing at houses which the familiars of Bl. Conrad once inhabited -- wherever the bier becomes so heavy that it cannot be moved from the spot, then several boys are removed from it, overcome by ^a sweet slumber as proof of their recovered health. innumerable persons are then healed Other sick persons too, as they approach closer to the sacred chest, having obtained their desired health, burst into thanksgiving. The confidence of others is excited by this outcome. New sick boys are continually presented by their parents and placed upon the structure, with equal success, so that on that day and the seven following, sometimes ^a hundred are restored to health.

Section V. Some illustrious miracles of Bl. Conrad.

[31] Who then could recount all the miracles which, as has been said, occur almost without number? Campo briefly touches upon some in passing, which it would scarcely be worthwhile to pursue at such length. Three, however, we have judged should by no means be omitted. The first occurred in the month of February 1612. There was at Noto, in the convent of Mons Virginis, of the Cistercian order, ^a nun named Lucia, two demoniacs freed at his relics daughter of the Baroness Formica, granddaughter of Dalmatius, the Royal Secretary of Syracuse (so they call the King's Treasurer), who for ^a year had been cruelly tormented by an evil demon residing in her. One day the demon declared through the girl's mouth that he did not fear being driven out from there, unless perhaps by the old man of Piacenza, Conrad the Hermit. Friends implored the Bishop of Syracuse either to grant the nun permission to go to the tomb of Bl. Conrad in the church of St. Nicholas, or to allow his relics to be brought to her. For some years before, ^a certain matron, when she had come from Calabria to Noto, had been freed from many evil spirits. The Bishop granted neither request, urging them to wait for the February solemnity, which was not far off, since on that occasion the sacred chest would be brought as usual into the parish and religious churches -- whereas in the month of August, because of the intense heat, it is carried only to the church of the Holy Crucifix. When therefore on the 19th of February the sacred chest was brought into the church of the said nuns, the demon began to shriek and rage in ^a horrible manner and to vomit curses against Bl. Conrad; but as Mariano Laurentius, ^a Canon, and Peter Sero, the Confessor of the monastery, assailed him with sacred exorcisms and repeated the name of St. Conrad, the demon dashed her to the ground and left her half-dead. Shortly afterward she rose up free and whole, and gave thanks to God and to her Savior, St. Conrad.

[32] Not many years before, ^a certain Neapolitan had come to Noto, begging alms from door to door for his sustenance, a beggar suffering from an enormous hernia but pressed by so enormous ^a hernia that his intestines hung down to the very ground, so that he was forced to hold them up with ^a huge mule's girth tied around his neck, not without great pain and difficulty in walking. A certain Priest, when he was not far from the basilica of St. Nicholas, which he was then serving, caught sight of that wretched man and, moved by compassion, said: "Come, enter this church with me and with firm faith invoke St. Conrad, whose remains are preserved here, renowned for very many miracles, and especially for the cure of the affliction from which you suffer." He, having drawn ^a great measure of confidence, approached the altar of the Saint, took oil from one of the lamps hanging before it, anointed the afflicted parts with it, and at the same time with the most fervent prayers and copious tears besought St. Conrad for no small space of time to obtain health for him from God. Suddenly, relieved of all his affliction, he cried out in ^a loud voice: "Mercy, mercy!" Those who were in the sacristy with the Priest, the author of this salutary counsel, roused by his cry, hurried over and found the man healed. They gave thanks to God and to the Saint. When the report spread through the city and the matter was verified, the bells were rung and cannons were discharged as ^a sign of joy.

[33] The last prodigy is of value both for inspiring terror and for building confidence. There is to be seen at Noto, in the street of the Tailors, ^a most ancient image of St. Conrad, which is believed to represent his living features quite aptly, a gambler takes away the lamp lit before his image formed on ^a wall beside the workshop of the man whose son he had once healed of hernia by the sign of the Cross, as is narrated in the Life, chapter 2, number 9. Before that image ^a lamp burned by night. Now when not far from there, among the public watchmen, ^a Spaniard, gambling by night with ^a certain fellow soldier, saw fortune favoring him but the candle nearly consumed, and could find no shop open from which to buy another, yet greedy to continue his winning, he darted to the lamp we have mentioned and tore it away, adding impious words to his sacrilegious deed: "What," he said, "does this old man need with ^a light burning now? He will see just as much without it as he sees at present." So he carried off the lamp and brought it to the guardhouse and continued his game. But divine power soon made him atone for this crime with ^a heavy penalty, and taught others through him how great ^a reverence is owed not only to God's own name but also to the images of the Saints. soon punished with ^a dangerous hernia First the fortune of the game turned, and he lost not only what he had won but whatever money he had previously had in his purse. Then, returning home, he threw himself upon his bed to take his rest. But in the middle of his sleep his groin ruptured with such violence and pain that he not only woke up but, as the affliction grew worse by the moment, believed death was upon him. Friends and neighbors, aroused, came running to the man. Among them ^a simple old woman said: "Implore the aid of St. Conrad." "Who," said the soldier, "is this Conrad?" "The Protector," she said, "of our city, renowned for very many miracles, especially in curing the affliction which you now suffer. In the principal basilica of the city his body is preserved. His is also that image of the aged hermit which I imagine you have often seen, in the street of the Tailors, before which ^a lamp is customarily lit at night. healed by his help If you devoutly invoke him, you will obtain the desired remedy." The man perceived why this wound had been inflicted on him by God. He prayed to the Saint with the greatest humility for pardon for the injury he had done to his image that night; he added vows, and recovered complete health. and thereafter he honors him diligently Thereafter he was an outstanding devotee of St. Conrad, and as long as he was stationed at Noto he frequently visited the image of the Saint to whom he had done injury, honored it with flowers and candles, swept the area before it, and would not allow any uncleanness to be there, or anything that might otherwise obstruct those who came to see and venerate the image. And let these things, drawn from the more prolix history of Petromaria Campo, suffice.

LIFE

by the author Vincent Littara.

Conrad the Hermit, at Noto in Sicily, and at Piacenza in Italy (Bl.)

By the author Vincent Littara.

THE AUTHOR'S DEDICATORY EPISTLE.

Vincent Littara, to the illustrious man Charles Iavanti, Lord of the fiefs of Buxello, Saccollino, Ciarramio, and Plana, sends greetings.

That ^a religious piety is innate in all souls -- one which teaches both to worship God above all things to Charles Iavanti and to venerate those Saints who have attained the glory of God -- the greatest Philosophers and Theologians have taught. This piety, moreover, among the other kinds of your virtues, has so firmly established itself in you that it has produced the most evident effects of ^a devout heart. For (to omit other things) in cultivating the solemnity of our Patron, Bl. Conrad, you have always shown yourself so dutiful, a pious man and you still labor so for his celebration, that you have gained for yourself not only popular esteem (which is indeed ^a common thing, though also ^a duty owed to virtue) but also the most efficacious patronage of the Saints, which we hope will benefit you both in the prosperity of your fortunes and in the enjoyment of the highest good. Among other things, moreover, he sought ^a Latin epitome of the life of St. Conrad that pertain to honoring the memory of St. Conrad, it has been your concern that his entire history be committed to Latin letters in ^a very brief compendium, so that when needed it might be read through without weariness by all, especially by preachers. For although many small works have been published on this subject, none has yet appeared that, in both elegance of language and brevity of style, would be considered worthy of so great ^a man. Wherefore I, having long desired to serve you, and though I do not trust that I have equally achieved the first quality, nevertheless I believe I have attained the second to the best of my ability. For I have brought it about that the desired handbook should be available, so that I might summarize all the deeds of Conrad, taken from the most faithful exemplars, in the Roman language and in ^a moderate style of writing -- indeed prepared to produce ^a greater and heroic work, if both your approval should concur and the aid of St. Conrad should cut down all the obstacles of the wicked. the Author dedicates Accept therefore now this little gift of your Littara, more fittingly dedicated to none other than to you, by whose favor it was composed -- ^a most certain token of my regard for you and of your piety toward the Patron of the people of Noto. Farewell, Palermo, the Kalends of August.

CHAPTER I.

The occasion of St. Conrad's conversion, his withdrawal from the world, his journey to Sicily.

[1] Conrad, ^a knight of Piacenza, noble by birth, having been stripped of his earthly wealth on account of hunting, in which he took ^a wondrous delight, applied all his effort to acquiring heavenly riches. For it happened Conrad the hunter that, having pursued wild beasts with ^a great array of equipment, because they fled unharmed into woods and thickets choked with brambles, he could not at any point achieve his desire. He therefore ordered the place to be opened up with fire. he sets fire to the lairs of the beasts, with great damage But the fire, from small beginnings, grew into so great ^a conflagration by the force of the winds that, spreading farther than could be extinguished at will, it consumed everything. They returned to the city secretly and in fear; and not long after, the report of the burned forests followed.

[2] Those to whom the damage had been done begged the Governor of the city for soldiers by whom the discovered author of the fire might be thrown into chains. They found no one but ^a lowly man of the common people, whom they happened upon by chance. They rebuked him, seized the trembling man, and charged the one already struck dumb with fear with the crime of starting the fire. a certain man condemned to death on this account Brought to trial, he confessed to the crime of which he was innocent, either from sheer wickedness or from some other cause. Without delay, condemned to the gibbet, he was being dragged to execution.

[3] But God, who does not fail the just, pricked Conrad's conscience. Hearing the unfortunate man's fate, he frees him he boldly freed him from the hands of the executioners, kept him in his house, and dismissed the lictors, telling them that ^a fault committed by another's misfortune was not to be expiated by the death of an innocent man. and confesses his own deed Summoned also by the Emperor's Vicar, he voluntarily confessed the same, asserting that it was not by deceit but by the desire for hunting that he had fallen into such an unexpected misfortune. And he conducted himself so aptly and wisely in his speech that they pardoned what he had sinned through imprudence, and admitted his promise that he would make satisfaction for the damage inflicted. This was also pleasing to all the people, to whom he was most dear by reason of his virtues. and repairs the damages Then he disclosed his plan to his wife, ^a woman worthy of such ^a husband, who willingly offered even her own dowry to repair the losses of the people. The next day, therefore, he paid everyone in full.

[4] Not long after, having considered the vanity of the world, he resolved to devote himself entirely to the service of God (which is the singular privilege of Christians). He therefore begged his wife that he might be allowed to carry out his conceived piety. She, being as pious as her husband, having professed the religious rule of nuns with his consent, his wife imitating him and having distributed their remaining goods between what had been damaged and the monastery, sent her husband forth with ^a brave heart. Departing by night, alone and poor, he left behind his country and his kindred; and was received into ^a certain place where pious men devoted themselves apart from the pomp of the world to divine worship. There, he leaves the world clothed in the habit of the Religious who are called Tertiaries of St. Francis, he was imbued with the most holy precepts of life.

[5] Leaving that place, however, on account of its proximity to his homeland, he goes to Rome he made his way to Rome, visited the sacred churches. Departing thence, he arrived at Palermo on ^a Ligurian ship. There, learning of the uprightness of the Sicilians, he heard that the peoples of the Noto Valley and the citizens of Noto surpassed all others in both piety and charity. thence to Sicily He therefore went there; but at the very boundary of Noto's territory, having passed by Palazzolo, he experienced things contrary to what he had heard. ill-treated by shepherds For, weary from the toil of the journey, he hoped to find refreshment in ^a nearby sheepfold. But the rustic and brutal impiety of the shepherds took the man's arrival badly. Wherefore, yielding to the insult, he turned aside from the place; and although they set their dogs upon him, he nonetheless reached Noto unharmed.

[6] Lodged in the hospice of St. Martin, he begged for alms, until, through the assistance of Giovanni Meneo, desiring to rest apart from the crowd, he was commended to Guglielmo Buccherio. At Noto he lives with ^a pious man This man had indeed been of robust strength, as later he was of wonderful sanctity; and while bearing aid to Frederick, King of the Sicilians, whose horse was being attacked by ^a boar, he was struck by the tusked beast and fell twice, nearly lifeless. At length, treated generously by the King, who promised him everything, he obtained some small houses at the upper entrance to the city of Noto, in which he gladly received pilgrims. Here Conrad dwelt for some years, pleasant to all, though hateful to certain inflated persons. hateful to some For Peter, the son of Guglielmo, whose sole act of piety was that he fed and visited his crippled father, bore it ill that his father, captivated by the most sweet conversation of Conrad, would spend time at the guest's lodging.

CHAPTER II.

The solitary life, miracles, and temptations overcome by Bl. Conrad.

[7] Since the frequent company of men distracted him from his prayers, he asked his intimates Nicolo Vassallo and Bartolo Longo he withdraws to ^a hill to show him, if they knew of any wilderness far from the city, where it was. They pointed out certain hills, which is called the Hill of St. Conrad which now bear the name of St. Conrad, although, unaware of his intention, they murmured among themselves. Wherefore, reluctantly released by Guglielmo, he made his way straight to the place with no one going before him. From there he scarcely ever departed, except for want of food.

[8] There he was exercised with fasting, prayers, and other perfections of the monastic life. He slept on the ground and sustained his life now with bread alone, now with herbs alone. he lives austerely He resolved at some point to come into the city every Friday to adore the Crucifix, whose image is most celebrated among the people of Noto. When he first did this, he was received at lunch by Antonio Sessa. But during their conversation Antonio was seized by ^a most bitter pain in his side; he heals pleurisy by his prayers yet by the prayers of his pious guest he was relieved of its severity. Then, content with greens alone, he refused the rest.

[9] And departing thence, near the Malfitania, ^a place once frequented by tailors, he found ^a friend whose infant was suffering from hernia. Asked to visit him, he did so and healed him by the sign of the Cross. he heals hernia by the sign of the Cross And with the miracle still unknown, he entered the church of St. Nicholas, and soon returned to his dwelling, although the father of the healed boy called out after him to give thanks.

[10] Nor were other things lacking by which the man's sanctity might shine forth more and more. Bartolo sent him two wine vessels. But the drunken servant hid one for himself he reveals things absent and future and gave the other to Conrad. He, aware of the fraud, reproved the man and warned him of an impending danger: for ^a snake, coiled around the mouth of the vessel, would have bitten the youth had he not been forewarned and repelled it with ^a stick. This man was the witness and messenger of so great ^a matter.

[11] A certain man had gone out under ^a clear sky to visit him; he rescues ^a man from ^a divinely perceived danger yet during the journey ^a cruel storm arose, so that the cloudy sky thundered with rain and lightning. He took refuge in ^a cave and, wearied by his cares, fell asleep. Meanwhile it was revealed to Conrad that the man would perish from ^a bolt from heaven. Wherefore, having prayed to God for mercy, he went to the place, roused the man still sleeping, warned him of what had happened, and sent him home unharmed.

[12] he frees ^a boy led to ^a precipice by ^a demon Lawrence Cardo charged his son to carry certain vegetables to Bl. Conrad. The enemy of the human race, jealous, caught sight of the boy and offered himself as guide to the man of God; but, as is his custom, having led him onto ^a high and precipitous cliff, he abandoned him and vanished. But when the boy implored heavenly aid, Conrad, divinely admonished, was at hand, and consoling the youth from the other side of the deepest valley, soon drew him out from that dreadful precipice and loaded him with holy precepts.

[13] He bravely overcame frequent carnal temptations from the devil through the mortification of the body and constant prayer. he overcomes temptations of the flesh He also admirably overcame frequent blandishments of gluttony and enticements to eat lavish foods. For when he was most ardently tempted by ^a craving for pork, ^a fat hen, and cheese pie, and of gluttony he so eluded the enemy's assaults that he would not touch the little gifts obtained from friends until, long left aside and swarming with worms, his very senses recoiled from them; whence that insane hunger was most easily driven away.

[14] When the early figs were ripening, he ceaselessly desired to taste the fruit of his own hands; therefore, to subdue his appetite, having removed his tunic, for these he rolls in thorns he rolled his bare limbs for so long in thorns and brambles until, with blood flowing, the fever of eating cooled down. When the devil saw this to be beyond his expectation, he openly assailed the blessed man with insults and abuse. But he, having conquered the contests, gave thanks to God, the author of his victory. Meanwhile Peter Buccherio, Guglielmo's son, was seized with ^a chilling fever and, sent by his father to Conrad, was restored to his former health.

[15] he heals fevers; he knows things happening at ^a distance Once he asked his old friend Nicolo Vassallo for ^a form of cheese, which he ordered to be carried by his son, who, being the first godchild of Bl. Conrad in baptism, was called Conrad among the people of Noto. Although the wife had resisted, refusing to send the whole cheese. When Conrad the younger found Conrad the elder, he prevents quarrels the holy old man sent back the halved cheese because it was given against the mother's will, although the boy denied it; for he showed that he had foreknown whatever quarrel had arisen between the parents.

[16] In very many things it was evident that he possessed both the grace of healing and ^a prophetic spirit. he foretells many things Invited by ^a friend to lunch, he declined, both because he did not seek earthly fare and because the fish purchased for this occasion had been stolen by ^a cat. When the friend did not believe this, upon returning he was met with the scolding of his angry wife, and found the matter to be true exactly as he had heard.

CHAPTER III.

Various predictions of Bl. Conrad, and other miracles. The wicked punished. Grain obtained from heaven.

[17] The fame of Bl. Conrad -- his holy manner of life and the renown of his miracles -- was brought to the Bishop of Syracuse. He is visited by the Bishop He, eager to learn the truth of the matter more certainly, came to Noto, went to the hermitage, admired the cave devoid of all furnishing, and soon encountered the Hermit himself, who prostrated himself at the Bishop's feet and received his blessing. Invited to supper by the Bishop, he ran ahead to his cell and brought four warm, white cakes, he receives food from heaven ^a thing wondrous to all. The Bishop, recognizing the man's sanctity and eloquence, joyfully returned to Syracuse and proclaimed the man's illustrious virtues.

[18] Already the sanctity of so great ^a Hermit had pervaded all of Sicily. When certain very wicked men mocked this, they resolved to deceive the man, namely by inviting him with the promise of fish but placing forbidden meat before him on ^a Friday. to confound his mockers The opportunity to carry out the plan presented itself when Conrad visited the church of the Crucifix according to his custom. They were all there ready, and with feigned expressions making ^a show of piety, they asked him to dine with them. The Blessed man, aware of the fraud, consented in words. Then they served roasted piglets at table and ate nothing else themselves. meats are turned into fish for him And while they either blamed the man's wickedness or mocked his simplicity, they revealed their impious designs -- that so great ^a man had eaten pork on ^a Friday. The Hermit denied it and declared that he had received the fish with which he had been invited. In proof of this, he uncovered the bones, thorns, and scales deliberately hidden under the tablecloth, and rebuked the men for their impudence. Returning to his cave, he kissed the hands of ^a farmer he met on the way and taught the man, who asked for instruction, to recite the Our Father and the Hail Mary frequently.

[19] After this he was assailed with insults by certain most wicked hunters and beaten with rods. But having prayed to God for mercy, beaten with rods he cheerfully distributed to each of his assailants bread prepared by the ministry of Angels. he gives his assailants bread brought from heaven They, marveling at the novelty of the thing, fled with silent step lest the injury they had inflicted become known. But the report of so great an outrage had preceded them; the matter was brought to the Magistrate, and when the perpetrators of the crime had been thrown into chains, Conrad, questioned, acknowledged the event but testified that he did not recognize the wrongdoers, and excuses them before the Judge since he saw them changed both in garb and in spirit. Nevertheless, though they were acquitted by temporal justice, eternal punishments were exacted from them; for they perished most wretchedly.

[20] The same man, having gone to Syracuse to the Bishop, was surrounded near the palace by ^a great many small birds, he is honored by birds which seemed in ^a way to be congratulating the blessed man on his arrival. When this was reported by servants, the Bishop came down and received Conrad honorably. he confesses to the Bishop Conrad, having confessed whatever faults he had to the Pontiff, returned to his hermitage not long after.

[21] Then near Hybla, leaning against the wall of ^a sheepfold, he was likewise greeted by birds. A certain traveler, seeing this, wished to learn the man's name and way of life. Having most gladly received this information, he reported it to his fellow citizens of Hybla, among whom his name also enjoyed great renown, he is honored by the people of Hybla and Noto as indeed it did among the people of Noto. So great was the throng whenever the Hermit came to the city, and especially to the church of the Apostle St. Peter to visit his Confessor, that he had to come secretly to avoid the crowd.

[22] It happened that as he was tending to ^a stone carved out in his cave, where he was arranging ^a place in the manner of an altar for the image of the Crucifix, he summoned neighbors to help remove it. They, having offered their labor, were dismayed by the mass of the stone, which exceeded their strength. he easily moves ^a huge stone But Conrad, trusting in God, encouraged the men. He himself took one side, placed his helpers on the other sides, and then they drew out the stone, which proved lighter than expected. he receives bread from heaven As soon as they had left the cave, where they had left nothing shortly before, he brought out as many sweet and still-warm loaves of bread as would suffice for each of them. Moved by both miracles, they blessed the Lord.

[23] One of these men offered himself to Conrad as both ^a companion and disciple. Conrad, having set forth the difficulty of the undertaking, tested the man's resolve; when he found it firm, he wished him to be clothed in the Hermit's habit, and for two years found him energetic and obedient. he foretells the future to ^a departing disciple But the enemy of human salvation, burning with innate envy, so kindled the young man's passions that he confessed himself too weak and unfit to resist. Despairing of perseverance, he disclosed to Conrad his intention to leave the hermitage, being inflamed with the desire to take ^a wife. Although the holy man tried to deter him from that obscene thought with frequent and serious admonitions, he could not dissuade the cowardly man from his purpose. At last, dismissed without hope, three imminent dangers were foretold to him: that he would be bitten by ^a snake lurking in his shoe, that he would face ^a most evident risk of death in combat, and that he would face the same by falling from an inverted spear. Deafer than the sea, he returned to his vomit and is said to have ended his life with ^a most unhappy death.

[24] A most bitter famine had invaded Sicily, otherwise the parent of crops, in famine he wondrously feeds the poor so that wretched mortals, consumed by starvation, displayed the appearance of death before their eyes. Some fled to St. Conrad, by whom they were most generously received and fed with heavenly bread. Then others in turn followed the same course of refreshment, and each was satisfied by bread created through divine grace.

[25] The prophet beloved of God perceived that ^a certain young man was held in mortal sin and was about to undergo ^a most certain danger to his life. he knows hidden and future things He went to the father, who was laboring on his threshing floor, and charged him to admonish his son to be cleansed from ^a certain stain by sacramental confession. When the son had done this, returning to his father's threshing floor, he recognized in what great danger he had been held; for when ^a sudden tempest arose and ^a bolt of lightning fell from heaven nearby, he collapsed nearly lifeless. Conrad, foreknowing the matter, was present while the rains still hung in the air, consoled his friends, and deterred them from mortal sins. They recognized that the young man's life had been preserved by the prayers of the holy Hermit and gave thanks to God.

CHAPTER IV.

The death, burial, and veneration of Bl. Conrad.

[26] The longed-for day was now at hand on which, after so many victories, he would be called to the palm of heavenly glory. Admonished of the time by ^a divine oracle, he foretells his death he went to Noto to his Confessor, was refreshed by the sacrament of the Eucharist, and earnestly begged that pious Priest to come to his hermitage on the day after the morrow. When the Priest had done so, Conrad disclosed the approaching hour of his passing, predicted that both the people of Noto and those of Hybla would contend with arms over the possession of his body, and other things and that no harm was to come of it; and he said that he wished to be buried in the church of St. Nicholas. That man, most devoted to Conrad, could not contain his tears; and while he wept over the loss of so great ^a man, Conrad, seized with fever, knelt on bare knees before the Crucifix, commended himself and his people of Noto to the Lord, he dies in heavenly light and then, with ^a wondrous splendor illuminating the place, he gave his soul back to God. The Priest, terrified by the radiance, looked upon Conrad, still standing on bended knee, so that he believed him to be alive; but when he saw he was dead, he was tormented by ^a heavier grief.

[27] God willed that this should become known to the pious peoples in ^a wondrous manner. For the bells at both Noto and Hybla, with no one striking them, all rang so loudly and forcefully that the people anxiously sought out the cause of this novelty. the bells ring of their own accord They went to the dwelling of Guglielmo, whom, on account of his holy manner of life, all held dear and believed to be dead. But he directed them instead to inquire about Bl. Conrad. Immediately they flew there armed, and finding him still on bended knee as if praying, they thought he could be most easily carried away; yet they could not move him from the spot. The holy man's Confessor was present, and by him Conrad was placed in ^a chest, so that he might be borne more honorably. But behold, the people of Hybla arrived, and with overbold audacity they tried to snatch that most precious burden from the hands of the people of Noto. after ^a battle Both sides joined hands, and the fight was most fierce; yet such was Conrad's protection that no one was killed or wounded. Indeed, the weapons that had been thrown they found put back in their quivers.

[28] When they saw this miracle, the people of Noto, with whom the sacred deposit had always rested, announced, the body falls to the people of Noto now certain of the divine will, that four men from each of the two peoples should try to lift the chest from the ground -- the people of Hybla first -- and if they could, the others should yield; but if not, they themselves should try. The people of Hybla accepted the condition, yet were unable to lift the chest from the ground. The people of Noto succeeded, to whom the precious weight seemed so light that they set out for Noto cheerfully and without any hindrance.

[29] When they had entered the city, some were pleased that the body should be deposited in the church of St. Mary of the Castle, which now bears the name of the Crucifix; but while they tried to bring it in there, they lost all their effort. he is buried at St. Nicholas Wherefore Conrad's Confessor disclosed the Saint's wish: that he be carried to the church of St. Nicholas, which was the greater church, or at least was so at that time. And he was borne there most easily by two men, while the rest accompanied the funeral most honorably. illustrated by miracles So great was the piety and throng of people, and the grace of the Blessed one, that very many who were sick -- those with hernia, the blind, the deaf, the lame, the mute, and those afflicted with other kinds of diseases -- were restored to health. All these things the Quattuorviri took care to have committed to writing by trustworthy commissioners, for the memory of posterity.

[30] Finally, Leo X, in the third year of his pontificate, granted to the people of Noto that the relics of Bl. Conrad might be venerated, adored, and carried in procession through the city. he is publicly venerated Whence in the year of salvation 1516, the first solemnity of Conrad was begun. James Humana of Noto, Bishop of Scutari, who was present at the rescript of the Apostolic See, collected the many miracles of that day. Paul III also granted that the feast of St. Conrad might be celebrated and venerated even outside the city of Noto and the diocese of Syracuse, in the manner of other Blessed ones whom the Church had not yet enrolled among the number of the Saints. The diploma was given at Rome in the year of salvation 1544, the 3rd day before the Kalends of November.

[31] Conrad was tall in stature, most elegant in appearance, magnanimous in aspect, grave and eloquent in speech. He yielded to nature on the 11th day before the Kalends of March in the year from Christ's birth 1351. his body is preserved in ^a silver chest His body, placed in ^a silver chest, is preserved at Noto in ^a most ornate tomb and chapel, where we daily experience the signs of divine power.