ON SAINT REINOLD, MONK AND MARTYR.
PrefaceReinold, monk and Martyr at Tremonia in Westphalia (S.)
[1] Various Martyrologies record the birthday, or translation, of Reinold the monk and Martyr on this day. Certain manuscripts under the name of Usuard have: "At Tremonia, The name of St. Reinold in the Martyrologies. St. Reinold the Martyr, a man of outstanding virtue, whose acts are extant." The Cologne Martyrology: "At Tremonia in the diocese of Cologne, the Translation of St. Reinold, Monk and Martyr. Born of most illustrious parentage and valiant in arms, he became a monk at St. Pantaleon in Cologne, renowned for his life and miracles. Killed by the stonemasons over whom his Abbot had placed him, he was cast into a pool. Whence, by the Lord's revelation, he was recovered and given to the people of Tremonia." The German Martyrology has the same, and Galesin nearly the same. Molanus adds in his Additions to Usuard: "who most devoutly requested that the body of some Saint be given to them by the Archbishop of Cologne, so that their land might be more venerated and more secure from enemies." A manuscript Florarium: "At Tremonia, the Translation of St. Reinold the Martyr in the year of salvation 495." But there is a manifest error in this date. Hugo Menard (who calls him Rainald) and Ferrarius in the General Catalogue of Saints also mention St. Reinold.
[2] Arnold Wion writes: "At Tremonia in the diocese of Cologne, the Passion and Translation of St. Reinald, Monk and Martyr: who, born of noble family (for he was the son of Haymo, a most noble man and knight), having left the secular military service in which he had acquired the highest rank, He was a monk at Cologne. became a monk at St. Pantaleon in Cologne, illustrious for the holiness of his life and the multitude of his miracles. Killed by wicked stonemasons over whom he had been placed, he was cast into a well; whence, after being recovered at God's admonition, he was given by Archbishop Anno of Cologne to the people of Tremonia, who had requested that the body of some Saint be given to them, so that their land might be more venerated and more secure from enemies. In his honor they built a distinguished church." He then discusses at length in his Notes the questions of Reinold's age, family, deeds, and the widely circulated stories about him and his brothers.
[3] Fabulous books about him. Whether there was some Haymo, a kinsman of Charlemagne, who had four sons long celebrated in fabulous books, is not worth debating here; nor whether our Reinold was one of their number. One thing I deeply lament: that the most noble deeds of the most illustrious men — Charlemagne, Oliver, Roland, Adelard, and also Reinold (perhaps this very one) — have been shamefully obscured by the utterly foolish fabrications of idle men; and I marvel that those books have been tolerated until now which recount the fictitious wars of Maugis, Vivian, and the sons of Haymo, contrived so ingeniously for the readers' amusement that meanwhile they instill various superstitions and a taste for magic into the mind.
[4] Source of the Life. Setting aside these tales, therefore, I shall present here what I found concerning the death and translation of Reinold in the manuscripts of Rouge-Cloitre, in the autograph of Johannes Vlimmerius, a most learned Canon Regular of St. Martin in Louvain, and in the Legend of Antonius Liber. Trithemius testifies in Book 3, Chapter 249, On the Illustrious Men of the Order of St. Benedict, that his feast day was customarily celebrated in the city of Tremonia with the greatest festivity. Tremonia is an Imperial city in Westphalia, commonly called Dortmund. It is described by Georg Braun in Book 4, number 20, of his Theatre of Cities, and by Petrus Bertius in Book 3 of his Commentary on German Affairs, where they also mention St. Reinold, to whom the principal basilica of the city is dedicated.
LIFE
From the MS. of Rouge-Cloitre and others.
Reinold, monk and Martyr at Tremonia in Westphalia (S.) BHL Number: 7110
By an Unknown Author, from Manuscripts.
[1] The supreme providence of God, wishing to restore the human race — bound by the deception of the venomous serpent — to the faith, chose Martyrs, Confessors, and Virgins who would lead back the wandering sheep to the knowledge of the way of eternal salvation. Among these the most blessed Martyr of Christ, Reinold, shone forth like a star that gleams more brightly than the rest: he who taught most perfectly how God is to be loved. Since indeed he stood as a kind of chief among the Carolingian line, it seemed fitting to insert his life here among them, so that it might appear more illustrious from his addition; for a virtuous son ennobles his family more than it ennobles him.
[2] Reinold was of illustrious birth. The future most blessed Martyr Reinold, born of the most illustrious parentage, was rich in paternal estates and exalted in dominions over cities and many other possessions too numerous to recount. But who is ignorant of his father Haymo, a man vigorous in military affairs? He begot four sons, whose valor is most widely celebrated throughout the world; for who they were is most clearly shown through popular songs. But just as one star surpasses others in brightness, so in nobility of character he surpassed not only his brothers but also all men who then lived. For from his earliest years he began to love the Author of life, and him whom he loved inwardly he ultimately deserved to know most fully.
[3] He becomes a monk. Illuminated therefore by the wisdom of God, he left temporal things to attain eternal things, which he understood to be abiding. Coming therefore to Cologne, he put on the monastic habit and poured himself entirely into the love of Him whom to serve is to reign. He is renowned for miracles. There indeed the divine power, which had long lain hidden and concealed, began through him to work wonders miraculously: for, what is greatest of all, he found favor in the sight of Princes. What wonder? For he was of such great sanctity that he was loved by all; the Lord made him resplendent with innumerable miracles. In his cloister he cured infirmities, restored the power of walking to the lame and hearing to the deaf, and even restored sight to some who had been blind from birth. It is also said by many who attested that they saw it themselves, that the Lord raised a dead person through his prayers and restored that person alive to a mother who wept greatly, in the sight of all. He also so healed a certain boy who had been suffering from fevers for many years that on that very day the boy felt better and returned to his home glorifying God with joy.
[4] He calms a raging plague through prayers. It also happened that the people of the surrounding province were afflicted with pestilence and preferred to be condemned to sudden death rather than to be eternally tormented by the wretched plague. Hearing therefore of the holy man's fame, they sent devout men to him to beg for healing for their bodies, or at least to end their suffering with death. When these men came to him, they all cast themselves at his feet, begging with many tears that he would deign to free their people from the terrible illness. At last yielding to their petition, he immediately gave himself to prayer, praying most devoutly to the Lord that He would show mercy to those for whom only the image of death now remained. The Lord, mercifully hearing His holy man as he lay prostrate, bestowed the desired health upon the languishing people, and sent the aforementioned men home with thanksgiving. Having returned to their homeland, all unanimously gave thanks to God, because through the merits of His beloved they had recovered bodily health and escaped the plagues from which they had most grievously suffered. They spread abroad everywhere the virtue of the most blessed Reinold, and thereafter sang a hymn of praise in his honor every year.
[5] Afterwards, the man of God Reinold, by command of his Abbot, was made master of the stonemasons. When he labored more than the rest, the stonemasons conceived a great envy against him and devised among themselves a treacherous plan for how they might put him to death. Now the servant of God had the custom He visits various churches. of frequenting monasteries and individual churches, whether near or far, and of distributing alms on his way to the poor who waited for him. When those most wicked men understood this, they conceived incredible joy from it, because they saw they had now obtained the opportunity for their crime. Accordingly, having set an ambush at the right time, they determined to seize him in the manner of brigands and, having killed him by an unexpected death, resolved to hide the body so that so great a crime would not be discovered. The servant of God, knowing their plans, began to hasten to his sufferings as if invited to a feast, and offering himself to the brigands as if to friends, he eagerly desired to merit ascending to heaven as a Martyr. Those most villainous men, attacking him, He is killed by the stonemasons. shattered his skull with mallets and dashed out his brains, and stripped of his garments, they cast him into a certain deep pool near the Rhine. And so the distinguished Martyr Reinold won the palm of martyrdom; the angelic host carried his soul to heaven with hymns and canticles. After his death, the Abbot and the remaining monks ordered their brother's body to be sought everywhere; but though sought throughout the world for a long time, it was not found.
[6] His body is divinely revealed and brought to Cologne. But the Lord, whom he had served worthily and laudably, did not wish the body of His faithful servant to remain hidden any longer. For it happened that a certain woman had lain in a bed of illness for many years; and no physician promised her hope of recovery, unless the heavenly Father should raise her by the power of His might. One night so great a pain seized and began to overwhelm her that she wished for death and continually begged God in prayer to end her life along with the pain. After midnight, therefore, exhausted by extreme pain, she fell asleep; and in that sleep she saw the following vision. A certain most splendid man came to her and said to her: "Go to the water in which Blessed Reinold was killed by the stonemasons; there you will feel better." And he showed her the place. Awaking, she remembered that she had seen these things and on the following day told her friends what she had seen. They immediately ordered the sick woman to be carried to the place shown to her, so that there, through the merits of the most glorious Martyr, she might deserve to be freed from her illness. When she had been brought there, the sacred body appeared on the surface of the water and restored the woman to health. Rising at once from her bed of illness, she assisted those extracting the most sacred body, and on the litter on which she had been carried, she herself helped carry it to the monastery where the blessed man had made himself a monk.
[7] Then, after much time had passed, it happened that the neighboring city of Trotmannia, that is, the city of Tremonia, came to the Archbishop of Cologne and most devoutly requested that the body of some Saint be given to them, It falls to the people of Tremonia in a wondrous manner. so that their land might be more venerated and more secure from enemies. To satisfy them, he ordered the clergy of the city to be summoned to him, and he diligently inquired of them which Saint he might send to Trotmannia. When they had long hesitated, the Lord exposed the blessed Martyr Reinold in a sarcophagus before the church, showing that He willed him to preside over a newly converted people. Still the blind mind of men doubted what to do, and they kept carrying back into the church the one whom the Lord had clearly enough indicated should be sent. But when this happened repeatedly, the Lord at last opened the eyes of their hearts, so that they most clearly recognized that this one was to be sent for the salvation of the peoples. He is conveyed to Tremonia. The clergy therefore, assembling with all the people, honorably placed the most blessed Martyr Reinold in a fittingly adorned casket and delivered him to be carried to the regions of Trotmannia, while a throng from the city of Cologne accompanied him with innumerable praises for three miles. He was brought into the church of Trotmannia on the 7th of the Ides of January January 7, and there found a worthy dwelling; in which, as a gracious patron, he saves the people who hasten to him. In that church the Lord has deigned to show many wonders through him, by which He made him praiseworthy and desirable to every person laboring in need. The blind have been illuminated there, lepers cleansed, and even paralyzed limbs strengthened to the praise of God and the honor of the holy Martyr.
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