Virgins Liberata and Faustina

ON THE HOLY VIRGINS LIBERATA AND FAUSTINA, AT NOVUM COMUM IN ITALY.

AROUND THE YEAR 580.

Liberata, Virgin at Novum Comum in Italy (S.) Faustina, Virgin at Novum Comum in Italy (S.)

[1] At Novum Comum in Cisalpine Gaul, the birthday of S. Liberata, Virgin, is observed on this day, as the Roman Martyrology records. Bellinus, Maurolycus, and Molanus in his Additions to Usuardus say the same: "On the same day, S. Liberata, Virgin." Others add her sister Faustina; The birthday of these Saints, January 18 Galesinius: "At Novum Comum, the holy Virgins Liberata and Faustina." Wion, Menardus, and Dorganius concur. About Faustina in particular, Ferrarius in his General Catalogue of Saints: "At Novum Comum in Insubria, S. Faustina, Virgin and sister of S. Liberata." Baronius cites in his Notes to the Martyrology the Tables of the Church of Comum; Galesinius cites the Breviaries of Aquileia and Comum; Ferrarius moreover cites the Lectiones of the Church of Piacenza; and he reports that these Virgins are venerated together at Como, Piacenza, and Verona.

[2] Augustinus Valerius, in his book On the Bishops and Saints of Verona, reports the following about them: "The feast of S. Libera, Virgin, is celebrated in the Veronese Church according to ancient custom under the simple office on April 21, as in all the ancient Calendars of the city of Verona, Elsewhere on April 21 especially from the Calendar of the Martyrology of the Cathedral Church, where it says: 'On the 11th before the Kalends of May, S. Libera, Virgin.' Whence it is inferred that S. Libera was not ^a Martyr, although in some Calendars she is described as ^a Virgin and Martyr. The same is confirmed S. Liberata not ^a Martyr from her life, described in an ancient book on parchment, covered with red leather, in small folio, of 48 pages, on folio 39, at the monastery of S. Euphemia at Verona. In the ancient Breviary also on parchment, of the Church of S. Bartholomew on the Hill, she is called only Virgin. Hence it is also evident that it is false that S. Libera was the mother of the one whom S. Syrus raised from the dead at Verona on his way to Pavia, as ^a certain writer has left in writing, since S. Libera is celebrated as ^a Virgin. She has ^a church, which was previously called the church of S. Syrus. This blessed Virgin had ^a sister, S. Faustina, both of whom led the monastic life in the city of Comum, as in the aforesaid history."

[3] Among the Comenses and the Brescians she is called Liberata, and they celebrate her feast as well as that of S. Faustina; but some on January 18, others on April 11, according to their custom. Called Libera By Francesco Corna, in the book mentioned above, she is called Liberata in the vernacular. Hence it happened that in the ancient Veronese vernacular, for S. Liberata they said S. Libera, and for S. Consolata, S. Consola; and in Latin, for S. Liberata they said S. Libera. The printed Usuardus of Louvain 1568 has thus on January 18: "On the same day, S. Liberata, Virgin."

[4] Above the main entrance of that church on the west side is the image of ^a Bishop in episcopal garb, which is taken to be the image of S. Syrus; on whose right and left are two images of holy women with ^a diadem on their head, Images of both painted in the year of the Lord 1366, April 20, which are taken to be the images of SS. Libera and Faustina, sisters. In the parchment tablet in the church of S. Libera, where ancient Indulgences are described, in the year 1338 an Indulgence is granted not only for the feast of S. Libera but also of S. Faustina: from which it is most clearly inferred that S. Libera was S. Liberata, sister of S. Faustina, who were both only Virgins. Indeed, from the tradition of those who celebrate her feast, in that very church she is celebrated as ^a Virgin only. There are also two verses at the head of her ancient image on the wall of that church attesting the same:

"Libera, Virgin of God, with prayers, with kindly devotion, Be mindful of me, freeing me from evil death."

[5] At Mantua, on January 16, as Ferrarius testifies, S. Libera is venerated in her own church, whom he judges to be this same Liberata of Comum. But on April 21 the same Ferrarius in his General Catalogue of Saints: "At Verona, S. Libera, Virgin." Wion: "At Verona, SS. Libera and Faustina, sisters and holy monastic Virgins."

Both are listed by Dorganius on the same day. And Wion indeed considers their translation to be recalled on this day, while their birthday is observed on January 18. Yet the same Wion and from him Menardus and Ferrarius in the General Catalogue on March 21: "At Verona, Translation of SS. Liberata and Faustina, sisters and holy monastic Virgins." The author of the life writes that ^a double translation was made: the day of the first is unknown; the second occurred on May 13. Ferrarius in the General Catalogue on May 14: "At Comum, Translation of the holy Martyrs Protus and Hyacinthus, and the holy Virgins Liberata and Faustina."

[6] Life We have not yet been able to obtain the ancient life cited by Augustinus Valerius. What we give was written in Italian by Francesco Balarini in part 3 of the Annals of Comum. A somewhat shorter version was published by Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, and by Abraham Bzovius in volume 14 of the Annals, under the year 1317, number 8, where he treats of their translation. Silvanus Razzi briefly mentions Liberata in volume 1 on women illustrious for sanctity.

LIFE

Written in Italian by Francesco Balarini.

Liberata, Virgin at Novum Comum in Italy (S.) Faustina, Virgin at Novum Comum in Italy (S.)

By Francesco Balarini.

[1] The holy Virgins Liberata and Faustina had as their father ^a certain John, ^a most noble man, lord of the fortress and town of Genesinum, The homeland and parent of the holy Virgins situated in the Cottian Alps, on whose southern side the ridges of those same Alps tower above, while on the northern side the Po irrigates the wide-spreading fields; where at that time merchants used to travel along the Via Claudia from Gaul into Italy. However, those are not the Cottian Alps which Strabo places in Cisalpine Gaul, but ^a part of the Apennines, in which is also the town of Bobbium; and they are now called the Piacenza Mountains, as Paulus Longobardus and Merula write. Book 2, chapter 18

[2] Occasion of their conversion The pious sisters had seen ^a certain woman weeping inconsolably at the death of her husband. Moved therefore by that grief, they resolved to abstain from marriage themselves and to embrace ^a holier manner of life. Therefore, without their parent's knowledge, Flight they took precious jewels of gold and silver, and with the religious priest Marcellus as their companion, set out for Comum, ^a city three days distant. Their father at first bore this ill, not because he wished to call them back from the worship of God and ^a more austere life, but fearing lest that sudden and clandestine flight might have proceeded from youthful fickleness -- Their constancy tested by their father which indeed under the appearance of good often impels imprudent youth to undertake such things, from which little or nothing can be gained, when repentance comes too late. Writing therefore with ^a notable expression of paternal love, he admonishes them to take great care lest this plan had been seized upon by diabolical fraud with ^a sinister end. They should rather return home, to be placed in ^a noble and wealthy marriage. But if that resolve was deeply rooted in their souls and truly inspired by the divine Spirit, then they should press on resolutely in their good beginning and tirelessly complete the heavenly journey they had voluntarily undertaken: nothing could happen to him more pleasing. And when he was assured from their letters that these plans had both originated from God and were deeply imprinted, since he was exceedingly wealthy, he assigned them ample revenues so they could conveniently build ^a monastery and support themselves.

[3] Let parents learn not to rashly call back their children from ^a resolve of religion when they perceive it has been inspired by God; Children should not be called back from religion for otherwise they provoke the divine vengeance upon themselves; and it is lawful for children (with even S. Jerome encouraging them) to trample upon father and mother in order to fly to the service of God; and disastrous outcomes often await children when the divine vocation is resisted. Nor should they be forced Nor indeed is it proper, whether driven by avarice (which is the service of idols) or by any other human consideration, to compel by threats, beatings, or other means -- especially timid and simple girls -- to embrace the religious life unwillingly (even though the state of virginal chastity may seem far superior to the conjugal), so that those whom they themselves begot they confine in perpetual cloister, not to say prison, under the strictest discipline, with no consideration for the scandal and the present danger into which those souls are precipitated, which far surpass all mortal things in value. And this matter is certainly subject to the reproaches of the heretics who now assail the Church. 1 Cor. 7:38 Nor let them object to me that saying of the Apostle: "He who gives his virgin in marriage does well; and he who does not give her in marriage does better." For it is ^a well-known principle in the school of sacred Doctors that the matter is so indeed if there is freedom to act as one wills, but not if the Virgin's consent is extorted by force. And indeed, when the heavenly wrath is provoked, the Apostolic excommunication is also incurred, intended by the sacred Council of Trent, for which God will demand an exact account in that terrible judgment of the last day. And those also to whom the care and censure of such matters pertains must direct their attention to this, lest they be overwhelmed by the same punishment as those wicked men who are more savage than any beast.

[4] To return to our subject: at that time S. Agrippinus, the thirteenth Bishop, presided over the Church of Comum, before whom the holy sisters pronounced their vow of perpetual virginity, The holy Virgins build ^a monastery and received the habit and rule of the then still recent Benedictine family; and with their father providing the funds, they established an oratory in the name of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, which was later dedicated to S. Ambrose and is situated at the very walls of the city.

[5] Another new one When very many pious companions were gathering to them, they moved to another place outside the city, where they built an excellent monastery whose church, consecrated to S. John the Baptist, is today called S. Margaret's. Here, after the holy Virgins had lived ^a most holy and most austere life for many years, also renowned for miracles, They die they at last attained the longed-for end of their labors: and Faustina, the younger by birth, departed this life on January 15, three days later Liberata, around the year 580; both were entombed in the same church of S. Margaret.

[6] But during the war between the Milanese and the people of Comum, their holy bodies were brought into the city and placed in the cathedral basilica of S. Mary, Their relics are transferred under Guido who governed that Church, around the year 1096. The day was not recorded, because that translation was made without any public celebration. Then, 221 years having elapsed, they were solemnly placed under the high altar of the same temple, when Leo Lambertengus was Bishop, in the year 1317, on May 13. Again The Church celebrates their feast on January 18.

ON S. LEOBARDUS, RECLUSE IN MARMOUTIER NEAR TOURS.

AROUND THE YEAR 583.

Leobardus, Recluse in Gaul (S.)

From various sources.

[1] The monastery of S. Martin, commonly called Marmoutier (in French, Marmoustier), two miles distant from the city of Tours, produced many ascetics renowned for religious virtue. Among these was S. Leobardus, about whom the Roman Martyrology says on January 18: "In the same place (Tours), S. Leobardus the recluse, The birthday of S. Leobardus who shone with wonderful abstinence and humility." He is also mentioned by Galesinius, Saussaius, Molanus in the Additions to Usuardus, Wion, Menardus, Dorganius, Canisius, and others. Maurolycus and the Cologne Martyrology call him Leobaldus; the Cologne Carthusians in their supplement to Usuardus, Leopardus. Hence the Florarium: "At Tours, Leopardus, Confessor." And with some intervening: "At Marmoutier, S. Leobaldus, Confessor." Felicius calls him Leobardus or Leobaldus; Ferrarius calls him Leonardus and places him on January 17.

[2] S. Gregory of Tours wrote the life of S. Leobardus in the last chapter of his book On the Lives of the Fathers. We have collated this, previously edited by Surius, with the manuscript of S. Mary de Ripatorio and several printed exemplars. Life The same, though somewhat abridged, is recited by Benedict Gononus in Book 2 of the Lives of the Western Fathers, Zacharias Lippelous, and others. In the life of S. Gregory of Tours on November 17, the following is found about Leobardus: "Nor was he less solicitous with similar virtue for the blessed Leobardus, whom an evil spirit so agitated with sinister thoughts that, on account of ^a certain verbal insult, he had resolved to leave the cell in which he had long secluded himself. But neither could this man fall into ruin who merited having Gregory to sustain him. For when he went as usual to Marmoutier, as if to kiss the sacred footsteps of Martin, the solicitous shepherd turned aside to his hut to see how the sheep bound by the love of Christ was faring. To him the man at once revealed the secrets of his heart, which the devil had contrived as though they were reasonable. Gregory immediately, with the most keen intelligence that was his, detected the devil's schemes, and sighing with no little grief, began to rebuke the man and to lay bare the diabolic cunning with fitting words; and returning home, sent him with pious solicitude books suited to the purpose of monks." [Age] From this the age of S. Leobardus can be inferred, since Gregory was elevated to the episcopate in the year 572.

[3] Joannes Savaro in his Origins of Clermont writes that the relics of S. Leobardus the Abbot are preserved in the church of S. Paul at Arvernum, Relics which he learned from Booklet 2 on the Saints, Churches, and Monasteries of Clermont, where the following is found, number 14: "In the church of S. Paul, there rests S. Leonardus." To which he himself comments: "A native of the territory of Arvernum, ^a contemporary of S. Gregory of Tours, ^a recluse in ^a cell near Marmoutier, who in the utmost austerity, having well run the course of his life, was laid in the tomb which he himself had hewn with ^a mattock in his cell. Gregory of Tours, On the Lives of the Fathers, last chapter; whom I believe Arvernum afterward claimed as its own and placed in this church of S. Paul." So he writes. But the evidence is slender, since he is called Leonardus, ^a name borne by many Saints who lived in Gaul.

LIFE

BY S. GREGORY, BISHOP OF TOURS.

Leobardus, Recluse in Gaul (S.)

BHL Number: 4846

By S. Gregory of Tours.

[1] The faithful Church is built up whenever the deeds of the Saints are most devoutly recounted; and although it holds the greatest joy concerning those who led ^a religious life from the beginning of their years and merited to arrive at the port of perfection, yet it also rejoices, by the Lord's command, concerning those who, converted from the world, were able to bring the work they had begun to its effect, with divine mercy assisting.

[2] Therefore the most blessed Leobardus was ^a native of the territory of Arvernum, not indeed of Senatorial rank, yet of freeborn status; who, holding God in his heart from the beginning, though he did not flourish with distinguished birth, nevertheless shone in merits. S. Leobardus learns his letters He was sent at the proper time with the other boys to school, where he committed some portion of the Psalms to memory; and not knowing that he was to become ^a cleric, he was already being prepared, innocent as he was, for the service of the Lord.

[3] But when he had reached the lawful age, his parents, compelling him according to human custom, drove him to give ^a pledge to ^a girl, as though he were about to take ^a wife. He contracts ^a betrothal with ^a girl When he refused, his father said: "Why, dearest son, do you spurn the paternal will and refuse to be joined in marriage, that you might raise up offspring from our family for the benefit of future generations? For we toil to no purpose if there will be no possessor to enjoy the fruits. Why do we fill our house with riches if no one from our family shall arise to use them? Why do we subject slaves purchased at our expense to our rule, if they must again be subject to the dominion of strangers? The divine Scriptures testify that children ought to obey the voice of their parents; and you, being proved disobedient to your parents, take care lest you cannot extricate yourself from offenses against heaven." With the father thus speaking, although he had other sons, he easily persuaded one of so tender an age not to resist his will. And so, having given the betrothed ^a ring, he offers ^a kiss, presents ^a shoe, and celebrates the festive day of the betrothal.

[4] Meanwhile his father and mother, lulled by the sleep of death, departed from the world, the course of their present life now complete. He, with one brother, when the time of mourning was finished, laden with wedding gifts, set out for the house of another brother; whom he found so drenched in wine that he neither recognized him nor was willing to receive his own brother in his house. He, however, sighing and weeping, withdrew to one side and came to ^a shed in which hay had been gathered; and there, tying up his horse and providing it fodder, he lay down upon the hay to rest. Awakened at midnight, he rose from his bed and, with hands raised to heaven, began to give thanks to Almighty God He deliberates about leaving the world -- that he existed, that he lived, that he was nourished by God's gifts -- and many other things of this kind he pursued. And as he drew out long sighs and copiously bathed his cheeks with frequent tears, Almighty God, who foreknew and predestined those who were to be conformed to the image of his Son, pierced his heart, that he might leave the world and devote himself to divine worship. Then, as though already ^a priest and guardian of his own soul, he began to preach to himself, saying: "What are you doing, my soul? Why are you held suspended in doubt? For the world is vain, vain are its desires, vain is the glory of the world, and all things in it are vanity. It is better, therefore, to leave it and follow the Lord than to give consent to its works."

[5] He visits Marmoutier Having said these things, when the daylight began to restore the day to the earth, he mounted his horse and set out to return to his lodging. And as he now went cheerfully along the road, he began to turn over in his mind what he should do and where he should go; and he said: "I shall seek the tomb of B. Martin, whence the life-giving power proceeds upon the sick; for I believe that his prayer will also open the way to God for me, since having prayed to the Lord himself, he brought the dead back from hell." And thus pursuing his way, with prayer as his companion, he entered the basilica of S. Martin; and after spending ^a few days in the vicinity, crossing the river, he devoutly approached ^a cell near Marmoutier, from which ^a certain Alaricus had departed. And there he set himself to writing, making parchment with his own hands; there he

trained himself to understand the Holy Scriptures and to retain in memory the Psalms of David's song, which had previously escaped him. And thus instructed by the readings of the divine Scriptures, he recognized that what the Lord had earlier inspired in his heart was true. But lest these things we have related seem to anyone like fables, I call God to witness, for I learned these things from the mouth of that blessed man himself.

[6] There he lives holily After ^a brief interval of time, he showed himself to be of such quality and greatness that he was honored by all. And taking up ^a mattock, he enlarged the cell which he had entered by cutting into the rock. In that cell he delighted in fasting, prayer, psalmody, and reading; and he never ceased from divine offices and prayer. He would write from time to time, to dispel harmful thoughts.

[7] Meanwhile, so that the tempter might reveal himself as ever the enemy and rival of the servants of God, when ^a certain one of the holy monks had had ^a quarrel with neighboring brethren, he put into Leobardus's mind the thought that he should leave that cell and move to another. Tempted, he is confirmed by S. Gregory of Tours When we had come there for prayer as usual, he revealed to us the deceit of the spreading poison. I, however, sighing with no little grief, began to rebuke the man, asserting that it was the cunning of the devil; and withdrawing from him, I sent him books: the Lives of the Fathers, the institutes of monks, and what manner those who seclude themselves ought to be, and with what caution monks ought to live. When these were read, he not only drove away the evil thought from himself but also so sharpened the keenness of his understanding that we marveled at the eloquence of his speech. For he was sweet in discourse, gentle in exhortation; and he had ^a solicitude for the people, an inquiry for kings, and an assiduous prayer for all God-fearing ecclesiastics. Yet he did not, as some do, take pride in the flowing locks of his hair or the length of his beard, but at ^a set time he trimmed his hair and beard.

[8] In that cell, spending twenty-two years in this work, he was so strengthened by the Lord's grace that by anointing malignant pustules with the saliva of his mouth, He miraculously heals pustules and fevers he suppressed the force of raging poison. For those with fever, through ^a cup of wine sanctified by the sign of the blessed Cross, the approaching chill and burning heat were quenched -- not unworthily dispelling troublesome fevers from others, he who had extinguished in himself the incentives of harmful sin.

[9] At ^a certain time ^a blind man came to him, humbly lamenting the miseries of his affliction, imploring and beseeching the Saint to touch with his right hand his closed eyes. Though he long refused, at length overcome by the man's tears and moved by compassion, after he had poured out prayer for him to the Lord for three days, on the fourth day he laid his hand upon his eyes and said: "Almighty Lord, only-begotten Son of God the Father, who with him and the Holy Spirit reigns forever, who restored light to the man born blind by the spittle of your blessed mouth, restore also to this your servant the sight of light, that he may know that you are the Almighty Lord." He restores sight to ^a blind man And saying this, as he made the sign of the Cross over the blind man's eyes, immediately the darkness was driven away, and the Lord restored light to him at his prayers. The Abbot Eustachius stands as ^a corroborating witness of this miracle.

[10] He foretells his own death At length, broken by the labor of cutting the underground rock which he continually hewed, worn out by the austerity of fasting, weakened by unceasing prayer, he began gradually to be deprived of bodily strength. On ^a certain day, when he was exceedingly weary, he ordered us to be summoned to him. When we came to him, after he had bewailed the necessity of his funeral, he asked for eulogias from us sinners. Having received them and having drunk wine, he said: "My time is now being fulfilled, that the Lord may command me to be released from the bonds of this body; but there will yet be ^a space of ^a few days. Nevertheless, before the holy day of Easter I am to be called." O blessed man, who so served the Creator of all that he knew his own death by divine revelation! For it was the tenth month when he spoke these things.

[11] In the twelfth month he began again to be gravely ill. The Lord's Day came; He dies he called his servant and said: "Prepare some food for me to take, for I feel very weary." When the servant answered, "It is ready," the master said to him: "Go outside and see whether the people are already coming out from Mass, the services having been celebrated." He said this not because he wished to take food, but so that no witness would be present at his passing. The servant, therefore, went out, and afterward returning, when he had entered the cell, he found the man of God stretched out in body, his eyes closed, having breathed out his spirit. Whence it was made manifest that he was received by Angels, he who did not wish ^a man to be present at his departure, that sacred Hero. He shines with miracles Seeing this, that servant raised his voice in weeping, and when the remaining Brothers came running, the body was washed and clothed in worthy garments and placed in the tomb which he himself had hewn for himself in the aforesaid cell. That he has been received into the company of the Saints, as frequent miracles reveal, I think no one of the faithful can hold uncertain.

ON S. DEICOLUS, OR DEICOLA, ABBOT OF LUTRA IN BURGUNDY.

Beginning of the Seventh Century.

Deicolus or Deicola, Abbot of Lutra in Burgundy (S.)

From various sources.

[1] Lutra is ^a noble monastery in the County of Burgundy, not far from Luxeuil, commonly called Lure in French. S. Deicolus founded it, who in many recent authors is called Deicola, and is erroneously attributed to Britain and to ^a Sutrense monastery (which nowhere exists). The monastery of Lutra His birthday is observed on the 15th before the Kalends of February, on which day Hugo Menardus in the Benedictine Martyrology: "In Burgundy, S. Deicolus, Abbot, disciple of S. Columban." The Cologne Carthusians in their Additions to Usuardus: The birthday of S. Deicolus "On the same day, B. Deicolus, Abbot, disciple of S. Columban, about whom among other notable works of faith and deeds it is read that, once fatigued from ^a journey, he hung his cloak on the rays of the sun as though on ^a pole." The manuscript Florarium: "On the same day, S. Deicolus, Abbot and Confessor. He was the spiritual father of S. Columban" -- that is, of the younger Columban, or Columbinus. Andreas Saussaius in the Gallican Martyrology: "On the same day, in the territory of Besancon, at the monastery of Lutra, the deposition of S. Deicolus, disciple of S. Columban, and first Abbot of that monastery, ^a man illustrious for celestial contemplation, the manifold glory of virtues, and the splendor of remarkable miracles. Having established this arena of religion according to God's good pleasure, he deposited its governance into the care of B. Columban. He himself shut himself up in ^a more remote cell, to devote himself solely to the contemplation of heavenly things, so that intent upon God he might breathe out the last breath of life; which he also happily transmitted to heaven while praying; and after his blessed end he was distinguished by magnificent tokens of the glory received with Christ."

[2] The Roman Martyrology: "In Britain, S. Deicolus, Abbot, disciple of B. Columban." Galesinius says the same, as do Felicius and Maurolycus, who correctly call him Deicolus. Molanus in the Additions to Usuardus, and from him Wion: "On the same day, S. Deicolus, Abbot of Sutrense, disciple of B. Columban." A manuscript Calendar of the Saints of the Order of S. Benedict: "S. Deicolus, Abbot of Lutherium, disciple of S. Columban in the monastery of Luxeuil." Dorganius, Canisius, Camerarius, and

the English Martyrology also mention him on this day.

[3] In the manuscript Florarium he is again listed on February 15 in these words: "In Francia, S. Deicolus, Abbot, disciple of S. Columban." Translation The same Florarium on November 21: "Likewise, Translation of SS. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Brendan and Deicolus, Abbots, and Theonestus, Bishop."

[4] An anonymous author wrote the life of S. Deicolus about 700 years ago. The life written around the year of Christ 965 He indicates his own era when he writes that the monastery of Lutra was committed to Count Eberhard by Waldrada, the concubine of Lothair, King of Lotharingia, son of the Emperor Lothair and grandson of Louis the Pious; that it was handed over by her son Hugo to B. Balthrannus, and confirmed by Otto I, not yet Emperor, after the same Balthrannus had elsewhere led an eremitical life for 50 years. He says that Werdolf, ^a nephew, succeeded Balthrannus after his death, "who still survives," he says, "and himself lives ^a celibate life, and shines as ^a lamp to all who wish to live rightly." He dedicates the life to him. Whether the author calls himself ^a monk, or merely ^a friend and imitator of monks, is not entirely clear from the Prologue.

[5] Whence transcribed here This life, copied from the Lutra parchments, was excerpted by our Petrus Franciscus Chiffletius from his as yet unpublished Luxovium. We also read the same, though abridged in various places, in the manuscript collections of Nicolas Belfortius. Hugo Menardus in Book 1 of his Observations testifies that he found ^a copy of the same life, but mutilated, in the monastery of SS. Cornelius and Cyprian near Compiegne. Vincent of Beauvais treats of S. Deicolus at length in Book 23, chapters 2 and the three following. Petrus de Natalibus, Book 2, chapter 98. Others who have written about him Trithemius, Book 3 on the Illustrious Men of the Order of S. Benedict, chapter 61, where he is called Abbot of Luttensis, by ^a copyist's error for Lutrensis. More erroneously in the English Martyrology he is said to have been Abbot at Sutri in Tuscany. Sutrium is indeed ^a town not far from Rome, but Deicolus has nothing to do with it. David Camerarius cites Bede, who is said to have mentioned him in Book 3, chapter 19. But another Dicullus is mentioned there, ^a disciple of S. Fursey, as we said on January 16 in connection with his life.

[6] The age of S. Deicolus Trithemius writes that S. Deicolus flourished in the year 600 -- namely, then under the discipline of S. Columban in the monastery of Luxeuil. Less precisely, Wion says he flourished in the times of Clotaire II, King of Gaul, around the year 590; for although Clotaire was then King, ^a boy of about 6 years, he did not become King of all Gaul until 23 years later. The German Martyrology goes further, with the year 580 noted in the margin. But the English Martyrology most erroneously of all says he died around the year 591. He came to Gaul as ^a young man with Columban in the time of King Sigebert, before the year 575. Around the year 610, when Columban was expelled, he began the monastery of Lutra; he perhaps imposed its care upon Columbinus around 620; nor does he himself seem to have survived much longer, since at the departure of Columban he is said to have been already of advanced age.

LIFE BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR,

copied from the Lutra parchments by Petrus Franciscus Chiffletius of the Society of Jesus, in his as yet unpublished Luxovium.

Deicolus or Deicola, Abbot of Lutra in Burgundy (S.)

BHL Number: 2120

By an Anonymous Author, from manuscripts.

PROLOGUE OF THE AUTHOR.

[1] He who is recognized as being of sound mind and is proved by deliberation to regard the world as of no account, ought in every district to augment the growth of the heavenly school with ^a sufficiently happy commerce, and moreover to taste with an inextricable pledge of sweetness, having fundamentally removed every delay of fluctuating impediment -- as one not walking in the flesh but in the spirit, giving untiring effort in all the fruits of the Spirit. Moved by which pious, yet would that it were whole, suspicion of immoderate veneration -- not undeservedly, Werdolf -- bearing upon your unwearied shoulders, guarded by the company of watchers through so many returns of the sun in the Zodiac, with your celibacy proceeding without stumbling, you command, ask, and supplicate that out of obedience, no differently than any follower of the monks, though such as I am, I ought to attempt ^a spiritual work with spiritual initiation. To which I say: "Without delay I obey; but through the defect of ignorance I scarcely can, being one who has hitherto fixed no step in any pursuit of divine worship." But on the other hand, you will say: "If good will does not fail you, charity, through which all good things find their efficacy, will without doubt bring the pious undertaking to its effect."

CHAPTER I.

Patrons of various cities of Gaul.

[2] Since the blessed Mother Church, spread far and wide through the whole world, rightly and deservedly venerates and adorns the merits of all the Saints with spiritual rejoicing, she nevertheless especially and individually is glad that she possesses in certain places individual, and as it were proper, patrons -- so that, protected both at home and abroad, gladdened by that protection, she may merit to await unharmed the joys of the eternal festivity that have been promised. Although the inhabitants of Europe, like good farmers cultivating the vineyard of the Lord, rejoice that they overflow with the richest fertility and feel themselves abundantly enriched almost beyond all workers with the fruit of the evangelical sowing; yet especially the nobles of the Gauls, Saints who are venerated in various places in Gaul as though not idle inhabitants of paradise, with ^a joyful heap of roses and lilies -- that is, of Christ's white-robed Martyrs and of blessed Abbots departing in peace -- give thanks to the Divinity that they are not poor. For they glory not only in possessing leaders of the Lord's flock in walled cities, At Paris and episcopal archmonasteries, and in castles fortified with towers; but also in the cells of the most vast wilderness, and in the poor little huts that are ^a hundredfold richer than imperial halls, they exult with proud devotion in having barred within them the most brilliant remains of Saints crucified to this wicked world, green with blessed hope and knitted together by the irrigation of the Holy Spirit. And not undeservedly, for it is written: "All things work together for good for those who love the Lord." And elsewhere: "I love those who love me." Rom. 8:28; Prov. 8:17

[3] Shall I not recall without the greatest accumulation of joy the Apostle of all Gaul, the precious Dionysius, and his companions Rusticus and Eleutherius, who, first reddened in the blood of the Lamb for the foundation of the true faith, consecrated the Western borders with their own blood, and possess the Parisian buskin? At Paris And to pass over many rams of the Lord's sheep for the sake of their dignity, what of joy and exultation does the populous city of Tours not possess in Martin, At Tours whose fragrance of virtue, indeed the excellence of miracles, is known to have surpassed without equal all the regions of the world long ago? What of the fact that the towered see of Poitiers merited the magnificent man Hilarius as Bishop? At Poitiers With no less joy do the citizens of Limoges rejoice, At Limoges who hold immured the most sacred son of Christ, Martial the Bishop, and kinsman of the most blessed Prince of the Apostles. Does Bourges, the Metropolis of Aquitaine, not boast, extol, At Bourges indeed exalt itself (though not unjustly) concerning the blessed presence of the most distinguished Pontiff Sulpitius? Not unjustly indeed. Truly Orleans, the Augustan city, ^a special Capitol of the Lord's Cross, At Orleans is seen to raise its joyful head above neighboring cities on account of the guardianship of the relics of the blessed Fathers Anianus and Euvurtius. Now it comes to mind more joyfully than all else that in the parish of the aforesaid city there is ^a most noble place, Fleury, At Fleury equally venerable for its situation, which even now at the very evening of the world has been inestimably supported by the wondrous condescension of the Almighty. For lately,

by divine command and angelic warning, it merited ^a celestial treasure -- that is, the most blessed Father and Monarch Benedict, who is blessed in heaven and on earth -- and likewise his sister, holy Scholastica. There indeed is found ^a spiritual gymnasium of monks, and an impregnable asylum ever open to the wretched, and to those who after many crimes renounce the world and its desires, continually exercising themselves there in the arena of paternal discipline, and always marching armed on account of the terrors of the night, they manfully break the battle lines of the devil in wedge formation; nor, as is commonly the case, do they cease to fight after victory, but while it is today, they fight unceasingly, they triumph unceasingly.

[4] At Lyon Does not the most lofty fortification of the Lyonnais, whose summit touches the stars, apart from its thousands of Martyrs, exult with justified rejoicing over its first Father and Teacher, Irenaeus? But rightly. For it pleases me to pass over in mention the distinguished excellence of Reims, At Reims whose people, as old men keeping watch, cherish the most longed-for remains of S. Remigius, that wonder-working Bishop and Apostle of the Franks: who, if he is not the Apostle of others, is certainly theirs, because it is ascribed to his merits that their Church is fertilized with daily offspring. At Soissons And what of the pleasantness of the city of Soissons? I pass over (what is nonetheless its greatest glory) that it was able to possess Sebastian, the Lord's discus-bearer, an almost incomparable Martyr; and also the distinguished martyrs Crispin and Crispinian. It is so distinguished by the merits and the sublimity of the miracles of B. Medardus the Bishop that it seems to be second to none. Now I think the city of the Leuci should by no means be passed over with forgetful step, At Toul upon which it fell to be ennobled by the eminence of such great Fathers: namely, Mansuetus, its first Bishop and beloved disciple of B. Peter the Apostle; and also the most sacred Bishop Aper, both of whom are there frequented with worthy veneration. At Metz Following the order of locations, I see the most opulent city of Metz not moderately adorned, upon which the Divinity deigned to bestow such care that the names of all its Apostles gleam there in golden letters, undoubtedly traced by an angelic hand. That happy city merited these eminent Fathers: Clement, Felix, Auctor, Caelestis, Adelphus, Arnulf -- besides those whom the Lord alone knows are to be rewarded.

[5] At Trier In due geographical order I behold the eminence of Trier, which, as befitted ^a most strong matron, merited three equally strong men as masters of sound doctrine to destroy the greatness of her error; for as the Lyric poet sings, "Small things befit the small," so in this harmony, as is already widely known, great Trier, as ^a second Rome, necessarily had to have great Teachers: Eucharius, namely, Valerius, and Maternus, who, directed from the Roman dominion by the Prince of the Apostles himself to Trier, made the assembly of the devil into ^a church of Christ. Moreover, according to the progress of time, she was blessed in the election of Patrons with Maximinus, an incomparable man, whose monastery is regarded as ^a mirror for monks all around; Paulinus, Agricius, Nicetius, Luitwinus, and many others, whose merits and names both the book of heavenly life holds recorded and their memory flourishes perpetually in that same city. Nor does it seem right to pass carelessly over the trans-Vosagian regions of Alsace, whose head and entire glory is recognized to be the city of Strasbourg, At Strasbourg which in the vernacular is called Strazburch; which, apart from its principal relics, rejoices in possessing its own Patrons, whom it received from the Lord as founders of the true faith and lavish sowers of the divine word: namely, Amandus, Justinus, Arbogastus, Florentius, and several others, whose names that supernal court holds inscribed in the roll of the blessed order without end. Now, however, to pass over many necessary Fathers for the sake of avoiding tedium and prolixity, it is pleasant to come to the submontane Burgundians, and if the divine clemency has wrought anything there worthy of writing and memory, to probe it with the two-edged chisel and publish it to devout ears. For there is ^a most ancient city there, and once quite fitting for imperial distinction, which on account of the splendor of its situation and the circuit of its most celebrated fortification, At Besancon was for many revolutions of time called Chrysopolis by ^a Phrygian word, whose etymological meaning in Roman speech signifies "Golden City"; which afterward by ^a certain chance came to be called Bisuntia. This city, as one looked upon by the Lord, merited twin olive trees gleaming with ^a most rich lamp: namely, Ferreolus and Ferrutius, the most courageous witnesses of Christ, whom it now rejoices to have as its palm-bearing Patrons and most faithful champions, washed white in the blood of the Lamb.

p. S. Medardus on June 8.

q. S. Mansuetus, Bishop of Toul, on September 3.

r. S. Aper on September 15.

s. S. Clement of Metz on November 23.

t. S. Felix on February 21.

v. S. Auctor on August 10.

x. S. Caelestis, or Caelestius, on October 14.

y. S. Adelphius on August 29.

z. S. Arnulphus on July 18.

aa. S. Eucharius on December 8.

bb. S. Valerius on January 29.

cc. S. Maternus on September 14.

dd. S. Maximinus on May 29.

ee. S. Paulinus on August 31.

ff. S. Agricius on January 13.

gg. S. Nicetius on December 5.

hh. S. Luitwinus on September 29.

ii. The Vosges were mentioned on January 8 in the life of S. Erard by Paulus, chapter 2. Here it seems one should read "trans-Vosagian," since Strasbourg is trans-Vosagian from the perspective of Burgundy and Lutra.

kk. S. Amandus of Strasbourg is said to be venerated on November 15. What is reported about him, however, shows he is the same one who was Bishop of Traiectum and is venerated in Belgium on February 6.

ll. There are many Saints of this name. Which one this is, we have not yet discovered.

mm. On S. Arbogastus, July 21.

nn. On S. Florentius, November 7.

oo. That is, written. So Papias. More correctly charaxata, from the Greek charassō, "I engrave."

pp. Phrygian is put for Greek. On the name Chrysopolis, see Joan. Jacobus Chiffletius, part 1, chapter 12, of his Vesontio.

qq. What was that chance? This seems to have been the first and principal name of the city; the other was given as an honor and not consistently received.

rr. SS. Ferreolus and Ferrutius are venerated on June 16.

CHAPTER II.

S. Columban expelled from Luxeuil.

[6] Now indeed time and natural order require that we who have thus far been roaming through the gardens of the Gauls, seeking roses and lilies to spread before the treasury of the Lord, should explain whither in due course we are directed to arrive. The monastery of Luxeuil For in the territory of the aforesaid city there is ^a thoroughly spiritual place, situated on the very edge of the Vosges forest, to which, on account of the proof of very many virtues, ^a most fitting name was given; for it is spiritually called Lux Ovium Light of the Sheep; and why, I do not refuse to explain briefly.

[7] For in the age of King Sigebert of the Franks, throughout almost all Gaul and Germany, the fervor of divine religion was growing sluggish, due to increasing negligence, not only among the secular clergy but (what is more lamentable) within the enclosures of monks, where previously, according to Jeremiah, "the stars gave light in their watches"; and inasmuch as iniquity abounded everywhere, the charity of many was growing cold, to such an extent that, with vain custom prevailing, it was extremely rare to find

one fervent in spirit. Baruch 3:34 The Redeemer of the world, God and our Lord Jesus Christ, long grieving that his Church was neglected and, so to speak, almost extinguished through the idleness and ignorance of priests and pontiffs, commanded ^a most splendid ray to emerge from the western parts of Ireland into the Gallic territories, to repel the manifold darkness of sloth: The homeland of S. Columban namely, the blessed Columban, the distinguished fellow-countryman of all the Scots. He, with keen zeal, like ^a youth of good character, began to drink in with thirsty heart the subtleties of the liberal arts, so that although at that time the exercises of philosophy flourished in whatever places they most especially did, in all the schools across the sea he was second to none. And because even then, in his slender youth, he sought true wisdom through the skill of secular letters, His learning his tender age could not easily be bent toward the inclination to sin, for his whole intention was to learn without delay. Why should I delay further? Thoroughly imbued with all disciplines, as we have said, having become ^a worthy vessel of the Lord's election by many prerogatives of merits, he stored the armory of both testaments in the archive of his mental treasury, according to the operation of the Holy Spirit.

[8] Many of the nobles of those same regions, educated under his instruction and having emerged into the strength of mature intellect, with grace raining down from on high, Disciples all began to embrace him with such paternal affection and such an insoluble glue of divine love, that through the charity of the Holy Spirit, which abounded in them, they deliberated together in holy conspiracy throughout the districts, that whatever the divine will should determine to do concerning their Teacher, they, having become inseparable companions according to one heart and one soul, would act as one at home and abroad, in peace and war, and that no dissolution could occur except through death alone. The names of some of them the book published about his most holy life sufficiently reveals, and the places that merited to have them as overseers frequent them with divine veneration. The chief ones, however, and those most familiar to him beyond the rest, we know to be these: Columban, his namesake, and the twin brothers Gallus and Deicolus.

[9] When the man of the Lord, Columban, had freely obtained by royal munificence the choice of remaining and living in the kingdom of the Burgundians, for some time desiring the contemplative life, enclosed with ^a few companions in the vastness of the wilderness; not long afterward, admonished by divine direction, The monastery he preferred to choose the communal monastic life rather than to obey his own will, in the manner of the primitive Church. And being more eager to augment the Lord's flock than content to provide for his own salvation alone, like ^a not unwarlike soldier of Christ, he gave every effort to construct the Lord's sheepfold in the place which from then on took the name Luxeuil, girded with ^a cowl, not ^a hood. And when the venerable Father, wholly suspended in the will of God, after completing the work of the divine school, daily poured spiritual rain from heaven into the hearts of the brothers with his words -- being abundantly filled with the divine shower, since nothing of spiritual grace was lacking to him -- he gathered no small harvest of the Lord's sowing into the heavenly granaries by regular discipline; and the heap of spiritual sheaves grew to such an extent that within ^a short time three hundred or more monks, armed with faith, helmeted with hope, shielded with charity, waged the divine war at the aforesaid monastery, as though ^a certain angelic wedge arrayed against the most wicked spirits of this air.

[10] The ancient enemy, not lightly bearing the novelty of this angelic way of life, who always works the mystery of iniquity through his own, just as once Ahab and Jezebel persecuted Elijah, so he kindled King Theodoric and Queen Brunhild with the fire of intolerable envy to persecute the servant of Almighty God, Departure for Italy and caused him to be banished (alas!) from the kingdom of the Burgundians. But when so great ^a man, for whom the whole world lies prostrate, had resolved to give way to envy (for the book of his life truthfully attests the cause of his departure), he handed over the place and office of the paternal name to Eustasius, ^a most proven man, and substituted him as his vicar to tend the Lord's flock; he himself, however, with the few who had undertaken pilgrimage with him for Christ, his face streaming with tears, with Christ as his guide, set out for other places.

[11] The departure of S. Gallus from him Among these were also the venerable Brothers Gallus and Deicolus, whose names we have also inscribed above, following in the footsteps of their Father, each of them willingly and unwillingly suffering the hindrance of their proposed journey by divine judgment. Of these, Gallus -- to make an inversion of the narrative for the sake of what follows -- following his master all the way to the Apennine ridges that encircle Italy with ^a swift course, was suddenly seized with fever for the salvation of many, as this day proves, and was so constrained by excessive weakness that he could not even take one step forward. Then with what little strength he had, having prostrated himself at his Father's feet, he humbly excused himself from completing the task. But the man of the Lord, Columban, as he was of exceedingly vigorous spirit, sternly moved with zeal against his disciple, struck him with ^a rather harsh rebuke and bound him with this obedience: "Stay," he said, "lie down, weary one. Why do you desert your Father, dearest son? Is this the charity with which I nurtured you with loving care from the very cradle, instructed you to perfection in the subtlety of the liberal arts, and moreover formed you in the perfection of the angelic life? But now, because you make me very sad by your departure and leave me almost destitute of human solace, see to it that as long as I enjoy the turning sun, you never presume to approach the celebration of the sacred mysteries." With this said, they rushed into embraces, tears flowed most abundantly on both sides, and thus between joy and sorrow they at last bade each other ^a final farewell; His apostolate among the Suevi the pious Master proceeding briskly to Italy, the sick disciple left behind. Within ^a brief interval he was restored to his former strength. Nor should that illness be believed to have occurred by mere chance; but the Divinity, disposer of all things, retained him on the occasion of his infirmity for the healing of many others' sicknesses. And because he had no small knowledge of the barbarian tongue, he was appointed by the Lord as ^a mighty physician for the obstinacy of the Alemanni and Suevi. If anyone wishes to investigate the efficacy of his outstanding teaching and way of life, and also of the remarkable miracles which the Lord wrought through him more than abundantly, the book composed about his life with brilliant elegance is readily available, in which it easily shines in all things pertaining to God that he is inferior to none of the Fathers who preceded him after the Apostles. And add what the truth itself testifies: that as long as the standard-bearer revolves, his illustrious merits flourish laudably not only among the Alemanni, to whom he was delegated by God as patron, but (what is greater) wherever the merit of Columban is weighed, that of Gallus is no less esteemed.

CHAPTER III.

The arrival of S. Deicolus at Lutra.

[12] But since thus far, with propriety urging, we have wandered through many things to declare what we are striving for; now the order of reason and the reason of order precisely demand that we should also elucidate with whatever style (as our ability requires), with Christ's help, some things which the Lord did through B. Deicolus. When the most blessed monarch and charioteer of the Lord, Columban, had been driven out of the monastery of Luxeuil, S. Deicolus, disciple of S. Columban he made haste to augment by the pilgrimage which he had undertaken in evangelical obedience the divine work, fearing nothing of the enemy's cunning, hastening to Italy. And because ^a city set upon ^a hill cannot be hidden, so that the lamp of the Lord might shine openly to all churches throughout the world, leading with him certain of his disciples whom he knew to be more perfect, with divine clemency going before, accompanying, and following, they set out joyfully.

[13] When they had proceeded about two miles and had come to the place which is called Veprae, B. Deicolus, ^a monk of the holy Father, being now of more advanced age, began to be severely weakened in his feet; and without delay, prostrating himself at the knees of his Father, he devoutly begged leave to remain behind. But the Father, with most gentle affection sympathizing with the weakness of his brother, did not deny the permission, and commended him to divine mercy with ^a paternal voice, saying: "May Almighty God, for whose love you left your native soil and in all things were always obedient to me, grant that we may rejoice together in the presence of his majesty." And when they had long embraced one another out of the greatness of their love, Since he cannot follow on account of weakness and were copiously shedding pious tears, at last the devoted Father wished this blessing upon his disciple with these words: "May the Lord bless you from Zion, that you may see the good things that are in Jerusalem all the days of your life." With these words, the great Father quickly took up his journey again; the disciple, however, as the Divinity had disposed before the ages, remained among the Burgundians for the salvation of many.

[14] After B. Deicolus knew that he was left alone before God alone, he gave every effort to devotion of every kind and diligence to his prayers, that whatever might please the divine will concerning him, He miraculously draws forth ^a spring it might reveal itself to him soon. Traversing here and there the uncertain byways of the forests, earnestly seeking and investigating places suitable for human habitation, he at length came to ^a certain arid place, greatly oppressed by the anguish of thirst. When he had long supplicated the Inventor of all things there on bended knees, gradually digging the earth with the staff he used, God suddenly bestowed upon his faithful servant an abundant stream of ^a little spring, which, flowing in ^a most limpid rivulet, thenceforth irrigates the neighboring places, and as long as the earth is trodden, it is both called and beloved by all the inhabitants by the name of that same Father, and is cultivated as useful. Consoled therefore by so great ^a gift, the man of God gave thanks to the Divinity, and himself was abundantly refreshed, and clearly left the blessing of his memory to all ages after him. And this is the first miracle of power which the Lord performed through B. Deicolus. Truly God is wonderful in his Saints and faithful in all his words. He who says in the Gospel: "Amen I say to you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be done for you" Mark 11:24 -- he did what he promised and enriched the faith of his servant with distinguished honor. And he who once brought forth water from the rock for the people of Israel, at the prayer of his servant commanded that most arid place to abound with streams of water.

[15] When the holy man was seeking through the wilderness, like ^a wandering traveler, suitable places to dwell (for his Father had enjoined upon him under the title of obedience not to enter the monastery of Luxeuil again), it unexpectedly happened that he encountered ^a herd of swine. The swineherd, seeing ^a man of such tall stature, clothed in ^a garment of an appearance hitherto unseen, was struck with amazement and began to inquire who he was, or whence he had come, or what his intention was, Led by ^a swineherd he comes to Lutra that he had wished to travel in so vast ^a wilderness without ^a guide or companion. To him the man of God replied with gentle speech: "Do not be afraid, brother; I am ^a pilgrim and I follow the monastic calling. I would wish, if it were agreeable to your mind, that you should quickly show me, out of charity, whether in this vicinity there is any place beneficial for human habitation." The swineherd said: "I know of no inhabitable place in this area, except not far from here ^a certain marshy one, called Lutra, irrigated by very abundant springs, situated on the estate of ^a certain powerful vassal named Weifharius." The holy man said to him: "Can you, my brother, serve as ^a guide so that I may see that place?" He replied: "I could indeed in some way, but I do not presume to leave my herd here without ^a guardian." He guards his pigs with ^a planted staff B. Deicolus said: "Do not, my son, stubbornly refuse so small ^a space of time. Know in truth that if you resolve to go with me, you will not lose even the smallest pig in the meanwhile. And if you have any doubt, I set my staff as ^a substitute guardian for you, so that on your return you may know how much my faith avails with your charity." With this said, he firmly fixed the staff he carried in his hand deep into the ground, and with the guide leading the way he set out for the named place. When after ^a long space of time the swineherd returned by the same path, anxious to see his herd, he found, according to the holy man's promise, his herd circled around the staff, having lain down sated, and not one of them missing. O truly the merit of this blessed man, whom even brute animals obey while he rationally seeks God! For he himself raises his faithful ones above men, who, though he was God above all things, willed to become man among all things.

c. Vincent: Neptas.

CHAPTER IV.

An injury done to Deicolus, avenged.

[16] The venerable man Deicolus, arriving at the desired place, always tireless in his dedication to the divine work -- as one who was crucified to the world and had offered his entire self to God -- The doors of the chapel open of their own accord for Deicolus found ^a small church situated on the slope of ^a certain hill, consecrated in honor of S. Martin, in which the aforesaid vassal with his household performed the divine office at set times. That little place, however, where his most sacred remains now rest in peace, had not yet offered entrance to anyone, but was everywhere fortified by the density of forests and the abundance of springs. But the man of the Lord, not unmindful of the evangelical precept, took care not to practice his righteousness before men, lest he be seen by them; but he waited for ^a private hour when he might prostrate himself alone before God alone. Wonderful to relate, and beyond human investigation! Whenever he came alone to the doors of that church at the hour for fulfilling the divine office, without delay, with no one opening them, they divinely gave him ample entrance.

[17] When this matter was discovered by the Priest, he began to complain publicly in these words:

"Woe is me! On account of one foreign monk, I can no longer live here." When ^a considerable crowd that had gathered at the church asked what these complaints meant, the Priest added: "Indeed there lurks in this little wood ^a certain foreign monk, who I know not what enchantments he uses, The Priest threatens him with harm and coming here frequently in the middle of the night for the purpose of prayer, he opens the doors, though carefully barred, in less time than it takes to say, and devotes himself to prayers within. I call God of heaven and earth to witness that if hereafter I find him in our church, I shall cast him out beaten with fitting blows." The bystanders wisely said to him: "Have patience in the meantime until our lord comes and investigates the truth himself. And if such power is from God, we cannot prevent him; but if it is otherwise, as befits an impostor, let us banish him from our territory." Behold how those who devoutly cling to Almighty God command the elements, which do not resist. He who after his resurrection entered through closed doors to his disciples, he himself caused the closed doors to be opened for his servant Deicolus.

[18] B. Deicolus, praying earnestly to the divine presence day and night, fearing the threats of men not at all (since he was always surrounded by angelic guardianship), entered the church in his usual manner, The malevolent ones block them with thorns until the Priest with his officials pursued him sharply. But when Almighty God kept his servant safe and unharmed from the hands of the impious, they, driven again by fraudulent malice, opened the windows of the church; but the opened doors In vain they blocked up with ^a huge pile of briars, thorns, and thistles, including the posts and thresholds, to the very top, saying: "Perhaps if that monk now tries to enter, he will not escape without ^a mark of misfortune." But because neither wisdom, nor prudence, nor counsel can prevail against God, that malevolence did no harm to the man of God; but as often as he found it convenient, he entered with power.

[19] Whereupon those most foolish men, enraged beyond measure, sent ^a message of complaint to their lord, who at that time was staying on his estate, in the place called Villa Callonis, saying: "Does it please you, lord, that ^a certain monk should claim your little chapel as his oratory, and no one is able to cast him out?" Hearing this, Waifarius, seized with headlong fury, passed ^a most cruel sentence against the man of God, saying: "Go with haste, and if any of my faithful can seize him, Waifarius orders him to be castrated let him be castrated without ^a hearing." Scarcely had he given the command when, in one and the same hour, the wretch miserably fell into the snare which he had unjustly prepared for the servant of God, by the just judgment of God. For the very member which he ordered to be cut off from the servant of God immediately swelled up in him, so that all his viscera violently settled into that same place and brought death near. When he was seen to be tormented with violent pain, his wife, named Bertildis, mindful of the sentence he had rashly imposed upon the man of God, He is divinely punished admonished him with great lamentation, saying: "I certainly believe that on account of that stranger whom you ordered to be castrated without cause, the pain itself has been turned back upon you. I shall send quickly and summon him, in case through his prayers such great pain may be driven from you." But because nothing happens on earth without cause, before the messengers reached the man of God, that same Waifarius, overcome by death, came to the end of his life.

[20] When B. Deicolus heard these things, looking not at the injury of the irreligious vassal but at the faith of the devout woman, he set out slowly on his way. When he had come to the place, the religious woman, now ^a widow, received him with the greatest honor, as befitted so great ^a Father. He himself, being weary from the journey, before sitting down wished to remove his cloak, which the Greeks call an amphiballum, for the sake of refreshment. When very many servants who were present saw this, they ran from all sides to put the man of God's garment safely away. To whom he said: Deicolus hangs his garment on ^a sunbeam "It shall not be so, little children; for I shall find ^a servant who will faithfully keep my garment for me. I am ^a pilgrim for Christ; let him do with his servant whatever pleases him." A wondrous and astonishing thing! The venerable man, seeing ^a ray of the sun entering clearly through the window of the house like ^a beam (which is nothing other, according to the definition of philosophers, than the thickness of the air and the illumination of the sun), he approached and placed his garment upon it. There indeed it hung for ^a space of about two or three hours without any earthly support, and waited for the man of God when he wished to put it on again. At this miracle, those who were present were astounded and gave glory to God, who deigned to honor his servant in so unheard-of ^a manner.

CHAPTER V.

The monastery of Lutra built and endowed.

[21] The venerable woman, seeing so evident ^a miracle performed through the servant of God, prostrated at his feet, began to redouble her lamentation and to call upon the man of God with loud cries, saying: "Servant of the most high God, have mercy on your servant, my lord, for he sinned against you in ignorance, and thus divine vengeance did not permit him to live longer. But now I grieve more for his sin, lest he be tormented in hell, than for his temporal death, by which I have been unhappily bereaved. Wherefore, Father and my lord, I supplicate your Paternity on the ground, that you may deign to intercede with Almighty God, whose true servant you are proved to be, with ^a pious prayer for the absolution of his soul, lest he be deprived of eternal life. And whatever estate we have at Vivarium, He receives Lutra from Bertildis and that place itself where the church of S. Martin is built, with all its appurtenances, moreover this village with all its belongings, I freely hand over to your Paternity, to be possessed in perpetual right." He replied: "Do not fear; I trust in my God that on account of your faith not only will his soul be freed from the hand of hell, but he will also soon enjoy the joy of Paradise, because in you I see the Apostle's statement truly fulfilled, which says: 'The unbelieving husband is saved through the believing wife.'" 1 Cor. 7:14 And thus the man, full of God, through the remarkable miracle he performed, converted the minds of many to the love of religion.

[22] When the holy man, foreseeing the future through the spirit, received the named estates by his own authority in the presence of many, He surveys it he returned with ^a great crowd of the faithful to Lutra. And when he had for ^a very long time surveyed the place alone, at last he entered the spot where he now rests. There he gave himself to prayer and gave thanks to the giver of gifts; and after this he said: "This is my resting place forever and ever; here I will dwell, for I have chosen it." When the faithful round about heard this, they came to visit the servant of God,

and enriched him with abundant offerings. He builds ^a church He himself, with the greatest zeal, gave every effort to make that place fit for the use of the sacred religion. And the divine generosity bestowed such prosperity upon him that within ^a short interval he completed two oratories of handsome workmanship: one in honor of the most blessed Prince of the Apostles, the other in honor of the Doctor of the nations.

[23] When these were accomplished, religious men began to flock from all sides to the instruction of so great ^a Father, and devoutly to submit their necks to the sweet yoke of the Lord. He gathers monks And that place became, according to the will of the Lord, ^a paradise of monks, which had hitherto been open to the lairs of wild beasts. And to say it all, you could see there the prophecy of Isaiah evidently fulfilled, which says: "In the dens where dragons formerly dwelt, there shall spring up the green of the reed and the rush." Isa. 35:7 But because the Prophet spoke by metonymy, putting the reed for that which is done by the reed -- that is, writing -- by the reed sacred writing is understood; and by the rush, the hope and joy of the hearers is signified. What did the holy man do together with his brothers and disciples, except fulfill the sacred words by meditating, reading, and preaching? Therefore, according to the perfection of the Lord's discipline, to which that blessed man had thoroughly attained, there was established ^a school of divine service, so that, according to the Acts of the Apostles, all had one heart and one soul, nor did any of them have anything of his own, but all things were common to them. Acts 4:32

[24] On ^a certain day, while the blessed man was devoting himself with watchful zeal to the divine work together with the Brothers, it happened that the illustrious King Clotaire (who, according to what Father Columban, full of the spirit of prophecy, had predicted, was already strengthened by the solidity of three kingdoms) came to the vicinity of the same monastery for the purpose of hunting; for he had ^a royal court and estate near the monastery, A wild boar comes to him, tame which as yet did not pertain to the man of God. On ^a certain occasion, when many nobles were pursuing ^a single great boar in ^a noble hunt, the beast, fleeing the savage men, took refuge at the dwellings of the spiritual men, and entered meekly the cell of the man of God. The holy man, who was always wholly suspended in God, seeing the ferocity of the beast turned to meekness, mercifully extended his hand to it and said: "Believe me, because you have taken refuge in the charity of the Brothers, today you shall not be deprived of life."

[25] And behold, hunters from all sides, following the tracks of the beast, arrived all the way at the cell of the man of God. But those who were of more perfect understanding, when they had entered the oratory of the man of God and found the beast lying before the altar, its ferocity set aside, almost could not breathe for astonishment; and they sent messengers with the greatest speed King Clotaire gives him many gifts to invite the magnificent King to the spectacle of so great ^a miracle. When he had come in regal fashion, after having prayed, with the greatest humility he eagerly inquired of the man of God whence he was, or what his purpose was there. When the holy man had narrated the truth, the King added: "And from where, venerable Father, do you live, you and those who are with you?" The man of the Lord replied: "It is written that those who fear God lack nothing. But let this not be hidden from you, that we lead ^a poor life, but it suffices for us if we fear God." And when the King recognized that he was ^a disciple of B. Columban, he said: "Certainly, my Father, only stay with us and do not abandon us; I shall amply provide for how this place may be established for the future without want, on account of your Paternity. All that has hitherto pertained to my jurisdiction in this vicinity, whether in forests, or royal fisheries, meadows also, or pastures, from this day forward I hand over to you in trust, and to this sacred place to be possessed in perpetuity. Moreover, at the estate called Bredanas, with the church and all that belongs to it, I firmly assign. And because vineyards are lacking here, all that are said to be of my right near S. Antonius, I generously hand over by free transfer, as to ^a most worthy Father." When these things had been confirmed, in the sight of the King and all who were present, by the command of the man of God the boar, without injury to anyone, sought its accustomed lair with its usual impetuosity. And so the devout King, having devoutly received the Father's blessing, returned home with joy.

CHAPTER VI.

The death of Deicolus. The devastation of Lutra.

[26] When these things had been accomplished, the man of the Lord began anxiously to deliberate within himself how he might protect the place which Almighty God had deigned to grant him in his pilgrimage under princely defense, so that after his happy death it would not lie open to wicked plunderers and perpetual enemies of peace. S. Deicolus goes to Rome At last, by heavenly inspiration, using wise counsel, having assembled his community of Brothers and servants, he set out for the eminence of Rome. When he had been received quite honorably by the Roman Pontiff, after he had visited the thresholds of the Apostles and completed his prayer, the Pope with subtle inquiry asked what cause had induced so great ^a Father to undertake so great ^a labor of travel. The man of the Lord replied: "I am ^a brother of Scottish birth and ^a pilgrim for Christ. It happened, however, that I settled, according to the will of the Lord, in the parts of the Gauls among the Burgundians, in ^a place called Lutra, where with divine help I built two oratories to the Princes of the Apostles who hold this Roman citadel. And now the Lord has enriched that place through the princes of that land with excellent estates and royal properties, and in almost all things that can suffice for the use of our Brothers. But that people is fierce and exceedingly given to rapacity. Wherefore, chief Pontiff, it pleases me to assign that place itself and all that is subject to it to the Prince of the Apostles by firm transfer, He subjects his monastery to the Pope under the attestation of perpetual memory -- on this condition, that all my successors who henceforth shall govern that place with discipline shall bring here each year to the Apostolic presence ten silver solidi as tribute." And when all things had been accomplished for which he had gone, according to the terms of his firm petition, he received ^a charter sealed with Apostolic authority, He obtains Privileges so that as long as the world shall stand, the Abbot of that place, who shall have been appointed according to the election of the Brothers dwelling there, shall have in all things the free authority to dispose what pertains to God, without anyone's contradiction. Moreover, by ^a key-bearing hand, under the bond of anathema, he gave ^a precept that no kings or nobles should ever be permitted to cause trouble to the aforesaid place by force or power, but that whoever holds the Roman Empire and has the advocacy of the Apostolic See should always faithfully protect the same place with his defense. And Relics of Saints B. Deicolus, greatly gladdened by the Apostolic donation, turning his back on the walls of Rome, retraced his steps swiftly to Gaul, laden with heavenly gifts -- that is, with the precious remains of Martyrs and ecclesiastical ornaments, together with his privilege, confirmed by the Apostolic seal.

[27] After he had joyfully received himself at home, with his labor happily completed, and had most religiously ordered all things pertaining to God in the monastery, he appointed as Abbot in his place ^a certain disciple of his named Columbinus, whom he had also raised from the sacred font and had himself instructed -- ^a man of whose life and character he was very confident -- He appoints Columbinus as Abbot with the election of the Brothers, and committed to him the governance of souls. When he was appointed, Deicolus himself, aspiring to ^a more secluded and stricter life, built for himself apart ^a small oratory and had it consecrated in the name of the most holy Trinity;

and he who had hitherto been busy with Martha about the frequent ministry of the Lord, now resolved henceforth to sit with Mary at the Lord's feet and attentively hear his word. And thus the holy man, because he had faithfully labored in the practical, that is, the active life, for the Lord, rose by gradual steps worthily to the theoretical, that is, the contemplative life -- no longer solicitous about many things as before, but seeking the one thing needful with the Psalmist, saying: "One thing I have asked of the Lord, this I will seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." And because he chose the best part for himself, it shall not be taken from him forever. Ps. 27:4

[28] After the venerable man, now advanced in years, full of manifold merits, had completed his celibate life on earth, joyfully going forth from the prison of the flesh, surrounded by the throngs of celestial citizens, he was placed in the heavenly mansions. The distinguished Father died on the fifteenth day before the Kalends of February, Having received the Eucharist, he dies piously on which day Phoebus is accustomed to leave the tropic of Capricorn and pass through the first part of Aquarius in the zodiacal circle. But at the hour when his happy departure drew near, he summoned Abbot Columbinus with the Brothers, and admonishing them about all things pertaining to God, that they should keep peace and charity among one another. And when he had received the viaticum of our redemption, he gave the Brothers ^a kiss; and saying farewell to all, amid the very words of prayer and praise, he rendered his most joyful soul to heaven. He was buried in the oratory which he himself had built and in which he had lived an angelic life for many years. There his sacred remains are entombed in peace and there they await the glory of the resurrection, until the Lord returns from the wedding feast and death is swallowed up in victory, so that in the assembly of all the elect he may appear with Christ in glory.

[29] After the venerable Father Deicolus departed from the world and happily entered the pastures of eternal life, The monastery of Lutra flourishes B. Columbinus gave every effort to follow in his paternal footsteps steadfastly together with his Brothers. And the Lord, through the merits of his servant Deicolus, bestowed such advancement upon that place that many nobles and powerful men, having abandoned the giddy spirit of the world, with all they could possess, chose the monastic discipline and richly endowed the monastery; they themselves also submitted to the sacred rule.

[30] When the spiritual school had flourished there for many cycles of years, suddenly ^a lamentable tempest arose, whose enormity was felt by almost the entire world. For the most ferocious race of the Hungarians, whose rage is proclaimed throughout the ages by the destroyed walls of cities, The Hungarians ravage the Gauls the burned edifices of churches -- by divine vengeance to afflict the Church, which was overflowing with false Christians and had therefore provoked the Lord in many things -- burst forth with numerous troops of warriors; and like ^a most loathsome beast, whatever it invaded it ground with its teeth, and the rest it trampled with its feet. When ^a vast army invaded the kingdom of the Burgundians and all the inhabitants from least to greatest had hidden, seeking survival, on the ridges of mountains, through the winding valleys, along the precipitous cliffs, it happened that the diabolical men entered the monastery of B. Deicolus. When they had diligently searched it and found no one, resolving to consign everything to fire according to their usual madness, divine clemency, apart from the two oratories of the Apostles, annihilated their profane designs. When they furiously attempted to approach the sepulchre of S. Deicolus, they were so struck with divine terror They cannot burn the sepulchre of S. Deicolus that they thought they would be endangered immediately. At last, going out and striving to burn the resting place of so great ^a Father, with heavenly power opposing them, they could not even singe ^a single tile. Then, adding frenzy to their natural insanity, they filled the oratory with straw to the very top and set ^a mighty fire beneath it, to satiate their malicious will. Wondrous power! The more they tried, the more the straw repelled the fire. Seeing this, the wicked men, terrified, fled outside and set out to devastate other places. Behold how the Lord's clemency fought against the senseless and kept the tomb of his servant inviolate. Then it became clearly evident what manner of man he was who had merited that place as an inheritance from the Lord.

CHAPTER VII.

Invaders of the Church's goods punished.

[31] When the barbarian men, crueler than any wild beast, had consumed almost all Gaul and Germany partly by the sword, partly by fire, and there was no Christian who would confront them The monastery of Lutra is desolated; Eberhard invades it or threaten them with ^a lance, the wretches, delighted with their impunity, returned to their own land, laden with many spoils. Lamentable to say! You could see in the holy places, where the religion of monks had formerly flourished and the devotion of clerics had stood guard, nettles, brambles, and trees of every kind growing up as if in ^a wilderness; and because few inhabitants remained, the fields everywhere were reduced to wilderness. When the place of B. Deicolus also had suffered the loss of so great ^a misfortune, and now neither monk nor cleric was there, ^a certain warlike Count from the region of Alsace, named Eberhard, who was accustomed to frequent the kingdom of the Burgundians, powerfully seized that place and wickedly claimed it as his inheritance. And because there was no one found to oppose him, for all the time he lived afterward he held it with tyrannical hand against all right. Alas, what grief! The blessed Confessor of the Lord, Deicolus, never thought to have Counts as heirs of his place, but monks beloved of God; nor did he ever strive to feed horses or hunting dogs, but to gather the poor and pilgrims. O the wondrous patience of God! "So be it; but shall I, being silent, always keep silent?" says the Lord. By no means.

[32] When that same Count died in such obstinacy of mind, his son, named Hugo, Then his son Hugo who had himself also become ^a Count, seized by force everything that seemed to have belonged to his father, whether by right or wrong, and tenaciously grasped it for himself; among all these things, the place of the holy Father Deicolus as well. Since he was famous in almost all kingdoms for his strength as ^a male heir, and was invincible in many affairs, as though ^a seasoned soldier, he enjoyed the estate of S. Deicolus with impunity for some time. When the sacred place was daily being occupied by worldly filth, on ^a certain occasion when his three sons, weary and arriving at evening, had come to that same place, and having completed everything needful had carelessly placed themselves near the sepulchre of the blessed Father, safe and sound; and because they gave glory neither to God nor honor to his Saint Deicolus, it did not go unpunished for them (thanks be to God). Hugo's three sons are punished with contraction of the sinews Whom shall I spare further? But because truth begets hatred, and it is my purpose not to be ^a respecter of persons -- he who finds it pleasing, let him be pleased; he who finds it displeasing, let him be displeased -- I, holding to the royal road, neither seeking the favor of the people nor hoping for the small reward of some little gift, pressing forward on the right and on the left according to the Apostle, 2 Cor. 6:7 judge it best not to keep silent about the truth. Were not all who are called Martyrs prostrated in death for the truth? Since moreover the truth is Christ, I call him to witness and all his followers. On that same night, his three sons -- the firstborn was Eberhard, the second Hugo, the third Guntramnus -- when they had awakened after the sweetness of sleep for the exercise of hunting, found themselves unlike their former selves. You could certainly see men of consular rank so contracted and feeble that you would think them naturally powerless in all their limbs and drained of all health; and to say nearly everything to the praise of Jesus Christ and his Saint, except that their tongues alone were quivering with repentance and confession of guilt, all other members were utterly useless: hands not at all, feet nothing; about the rest there is no doubt.

[33] When the distinguished soldiers were long held captive in the bonds of their sin, the father, now of mature age, came summoned, not slowly, to the spectacle of his own damnation, full of tears, while various people in the district charged that they were guilty of such misfortunes, testifying that they had sinned in many things. Hugo acknowledges his own and his father's crime At length the old father, compelled by the intolerable pain of his sons, broke forth into the truth with these words: "Hear me, my sons, attend to the words of your father. Know for certain that this misfortune has not befallen you by any chance, but by the just judgment of God and by the Lord's vengeance. For my father used to tell me many times how he possessed the place and that this place had been the sacred property of the Lord's Saint, Deicolus. But (as I see) that iniquity has now come upon your heads, because Almighty God does not allow the injury done to his elect to go unavenged; but he repays the iniquity of the fathers upon their children, to the fourth and fifth generation. Yet I believe that his mercy in fatherly fashion chastises us, lest he deliver us to death in perpetuity, because he wills no one to perish but all to be saved. Wherefore, with pure confession and worthy laments of penance, let us flee to the Lord and to his Saint, against whom we have sinned; and perhaps not only will you be restored to your former condition, but also, what is greater, we shall perfectly merit the remedy of our souls." To this the sons said with one voice: "You have found the best counsel, father; we are prepared with ^a perfect heart to give ourselves as servants to S. Deicolus. Let us therefore repent of our deeds; if one repents, error does not harm. Let us strive by all means to exchange the nobility of the flesh for the nobility of the mind. Let us renounce the world, which is set in wickedness; let us give effort to how henceforth we may be free to serve God alone. Let us embrace the monastic profession. Let us vow to God and fulfill our vows. Let us walk while we have the light of this life, lest the darkness of eternal death overtake us."

[34] With these words spoken, the attendants ran up in agitation, raising ^a grievous wail and raving in funeral fashion. Pitiable to tell! You could see Prefectorial Barons, who shortly before had been swifter than eagles and stronger than lions, using the assistance of others; He resolves to become ^a monk, with his sons, healed by the aid of S. Deicolus and as though bound with iron, being carried before the sepulchre of the blessed Father. When they had there for ^a very long time supplicated the divine clemency, tearfully crying out that they had erred and deservedly fallen into this misery, at length through the intercession of the holy Father they were regarded from heaven and restored to their former wholeness. What more should they do? The father with his sons, arising, by common vow and common consent, gave themselves over to God and to his Saint Deicolus, not for military service but for monastic service. Having done so, they bound themselves unanimously by an oath of sacred pledge over the sepulchre of so great ^a Father, that none of them would withdraw from their resolution, but would shortly renounce the world utterly and submit themselves to the rule of the most blessed Father Benedict in tonsure, habit, profession, and obedience, and would preserve stability in that same place to the end. When this pact was made, again and again they made confirmation with ^a terrible oath over the holy Father, that from that day forward, as long as the heavens revolve, neither they themselves would seek to possess that place and all subject to it as an inheritance, nor would anyone ever of the succession of their kindred possess even so much as ^a foot's space by hereditary right. And when the stipulation was made in the presence of many, they returned to their homes with no small joy.

CHAPTER VIII.

Lutra assigned to the royal concubine; by her to others.

[35] But since there are still some who wonder and are eager to know how the place of the holy Father came into the wicked hand of Count Eberhard and his son, it is not unwelcome to set forth the truth in whatever style. But while I attempt this, I seem to impose ^a reverse order upon the times, which the Greeks call Anastrophe, while to reason and to the page which serves reason, it is an anticipation or preoccupation, which the Greeks call Prolepsis. After B. Columbinus, having completed the course of his labor, sought the heavenly kingdoms, Abbot Icho in his place the venerable Abbot Icho succeeded, who, while he governed the same place strenuously for many years and watched over the flock committed to him with great vigilance, you could suddenly see, on account of the fraud of ^a new Herodias, the Abbot with his monks expelled and all the arms of the divine school (alas) being lost. The cause of this was as follows: at the time when King Lothair was residing in the province of Alsace, in his noble royal estate called Marellogia (whose dignity the lofty walls of wondrous workmanship still attest), he was suddenly burned by the brand of the ancient enemy, Lutra given to Waldrada, Lothair's concubine and was driven to such madness of ^a headlong mind that he dismissed his religious Queen Beresinda and took ^a certain she-wolf named Waldrada. Since she was ^a most noted enchantress, she so bewitched the King's mind with manifold sorceries that she easily obtained whatever she asked of him. And when such ^a crime increased and there was no one who would speak out, as if with license the wretched man employed such incest. Yet, since shame demanded that she could not stay with him in the palace, he handed over to her the Abbey of S. Deicolus and enriched her with an infernal dowry. Then the harlot, made most joyful, usurped the sacred place for herself and settled in the place called S. Quintinus, and there she ravaged in funeral fashion everything that belonged to the holy Father; she injured the Abbot and expelled all the monks. Therefore, without doubt, her soul shall be in bitterness forever.

[36] The venerable Queen, after she perceived the divorce and discovered the King's mistress, was unwilling to publicly expose him but to correct him with salutary correction. Lothair is reconciled to his legitimate wife Having consulted with her close associates, she immediately went to Rome for the sake of appeal. When she had been received with extraordinary veneration by the entire Roman assembly, she secretly approached the Apostolic Pontiff and revealed with tears the estrangement between herself and her lord. When the Pastor of the Church learned of this, he summoned the King by Apostolic letters as quickly as possible, that he might put an end to so great ^a crime and henceforth amend. When the King, having been summoned, came, he was received honorably as befitted ^a King. After prayer, the Pope held ^a conversation with the King in the Lateran consistory and reprimanded him with worthy reproach. Then the King, pierced in heart, prostrated himself on the ground, begged pardon, and acknowledged himself guilty. Having received his penance, the Pope summoned the Queen into the King's presence and reconciled them in Christ, and placed the Queen's right hand in the King's right hand, and bound him with ^a terrible anathema that, according to the Apostle, as Christ loved the Church, so he too should henceforth love his wife. Eph. 5:25

[37] When this was done, the King returned to Gaul; but the Queen, as ^a woman's journey requires, took the road more slowly, so that the King preceded her sometimes by two days, sometimes by one. But the aforesaid sorceress, hearing that the King had been reconciled to the Queen by ecclesiastical procedure, attacked the absent King anew with serpentine hissing.

When, having already crossed the Mountain of Pardons, the King was lodging one night at the Castrum of S. Domninus, the messengers of the aforesaid she-wolf, swifter than the South wind, arrived, bringing before the King's eyes her whorish garments. Upon seeing them, he was so immediately inflamed with the fires of fury and envy against the Queen Returning to his vomit, he is divinely punished that he deliberated with irrevocable resolve not to return home before he had seen her beheaded. But divine severity anticipated his will, along with the most just equity of his disposition; for when the next day he left his lodging in good health, before he touched any food, he and all his men were so suddenly infected and stricken by ^a plague in the air that of so great ^a multitude not one was found who retained skin or hair. At last recognizing their guilt, they entered the city of Piacenza half-dead. There the wretched King ended his life with all his men, without the viaticum of redemption, except for ^a certain cleric and ^a sickly servant who barely escaped to report the truth of the matter. Who, constituted within himself, does not see that this evident vengeance was exerted through the merits of S. Deicolus? When the devout Queen reached the said city and beheld with tears so great ^a carnage of the dead, she had the Lord's anointed, her lord, entombed; the rest, however (as means allowed), she ordered to be buried; and afterward she returned home in peace.

[38] But Waldrada, the most wicked woman, hearing all that had happened on the Roman road, more terrified by fear of the venerable Queen Eberhard claims Lutra for himself than pierced by the guilt of her own crime (for she had nothing of Christianity beyond the name alone), pretending rather by flight than by will to seek God, she entered as ^a hypocrite the monastery of S. Romaricus. When she had lived there for some time under the veil rather than from the heart, looking back behind her she grieved that the place of S. Deicolus was being entirely taken from her, and as is the way of women she began to complain that she had been disinherited. Summoning Count Eberhard on the pretext of kinship, she still presumed an enormous crime: she committed the holy place to him under the guardianship of advocacy. He, being covetous and an invader of sacred places, seized the place of S. Deicolus on such ^a pretext; and after the death of the abominable woman, he claimed it for himself as an inheritance with grasping hand. And he did so; for neither did it go unpunished for him: for according to the Prophet, he added blood to blood -- that is, crime to crime. Hosea 4:2 He dismissed his legitimate wife Adallinda and gave her ^a bill of divorce; and he gave himself over to brothels. He repudiates his wife and takes ^a nun For he attached to himself ^a certain nun from the monastery of Erestein and prolonged that iniquity until death. What Adallinda did after this, propriety does not permit to be inserted in the page. But it is not distasteful to declare, for the sake of example, by what death the Count himself ended his life. I boldly say what I happen to know more clearly than daylight, with faithful persons asserting it: you would think him struck for nearly three years by the Herodian plague, who, according to the Acts of the Apostles, being struck by an Angel, expired swarming with worms. Acts 12:23 For worms so seethed upon him from the crown of his head to his ankles He perishes miserably that his frequent visitors endured the greatest stench from it. And so he miserably ended his miserable life with Herod. Nor should it be doubted that he receives an equal punishment in torments, whose life he imitated in every crime; and because he unjustly took away the inheritance of B. Deicolus on earth, he in ^a manner deprived himself of the eternal inheritance in heaven.

CHAPTER IX.

The relics of SS. Deicolus and Columbinus.

[39] But since in the preceding chapter we have sufficiently recounted how Count Hugo the wicked became the heir of S. Deicolus, it now remains for us to set forth with the pen more eagerly some wondrous works of the holy Father. The Countess is deterred by ^a portent from seizing the Saint's relics For Hildegardis, Countess and wife of the same Hugo, on ^a certain occasion, drawn by curiosity, rashly entered the oratory of the holy Father with her priests and ^a retinue of the faithful, in order to carry off some part of so great ^a Father's remains to Alsace as the greatest of gifts. When they were sweating with great effort to raise the cover of the sacred sarcophagus, ^a sudden earthquake so shook all the buildings, followed by the most tremendous thunderclaps and terrors of lightning, that all were driven senseless and shaken by the densest blindness, to such an extent that for almost two hours scarcely anyone could see his neighbor. Then the Countess, pierced in heart, learned in ^a short time how greatly the glorious merits of his beloved Deicolus avail with God.

[40] But since she proved unable to accomplish anything at the tomb of the holy Father, she boldly approached the sepulchre of B. Columbinus to investigate, She seizes ^a tooth of S. Columbinus and does not venerate it worthily enough hoping to obtain at least something of the disciple, since the master had been divinely denied to her. O wondrous judgments of God! She approached with ^a few, easily opened the tomb, and with great haste snatched for herself only one tooth; and closed the tomb again. But after she examined the tooth, in feminine fashion she began to doubt whether she ought to venerate it as ^a relic, since she had obtained it so easily and without resistance. And in order that some miracle shown might give her faith, she ordered burning coals to be heaped up in the oratory and threw the tooth into the midst of them. What more? More quickly than can be told, the tooth gave ^a tremendous crack; it leaped as far as the material opposed it, victorious and unscathed. At last, having been made ^a believer, she took care to collect the precious relic and placed it with her with great diligence. From that hour, and as long as she lived among the living, pain of the teeth never departed from her even for an hour. Then, led by belated repentance, She is punished with toothache she restored the tooth to the tomb; the pain, however, remained immovable. And why the Saint of the Lord would permit his tomb to be opened yet not wish himself to be carried off, let whoever wishes say. To me it is not clear. One thing only is plain: that since monks are accustomed to avoid the society of women, what the perfect Father strove to observe in his life, this he was unwilling to have violated even after death. Then it became plainly known to all how great the merits of the Master are, if such are those of the disciple.

CHAPTER X.

Lutra restored by B. Balthrannus.

[41] I do not think the page should be silent about something which nearly all the inhabitants of Europe have had occasion to experience. After Count Hugo and his sons, whom we have titled above,

whether willingly or unwillingly, had restored the holy place to S. Deicolus as they had vowed to God, they began to search eagerly through monasteries and through many cells of the wilderness to see if they could find anywhere ^a friend of Christ and an instructor in true monastic life who might support the place in fatherly fashion and in monastic order, and under whose command they might bear the standard of sacred obedience. Now at that time there was ^a certain intimate friend of Almighty God, named Balthrannus, The sanctity of B. Balthrannus the hermit praiseworthy in every way of life, who was acknowledged by all to have then led an eremitical life irreproachably for fifty years. And the Lord Almighty had already wrought such great miracles through him that not even the Adriatic Sea could contain his name, but even among the Greeks his renown was celebrated -- indeed for the greatness of his celibacy. I pass over the kings of the earth and the nobles. That most famous Prince Otto himself, who was then reigning, was accustomed to visit him frequently and richly endowed his place with the greatest gifts, to such an extent that the venerable Father, on account of the frequency of guests, built himself ^a secret little hut where he could be alone with himself; but the place which he first approved, having gathered ^a not inconsiderable company of monks, he devoutly fitted for monastic discipline.

[42] When the holy man had watched for some years over the gaining of souls, the ancient enemy through his agents began to trouble him with many injuries, grieving that damage was being done to him daily on account of the souls which the man of the Lord was snatching from his teeth and striving to render to God. Two Bishops covet his possessions Having taken an opportunity, two Bishops, goaded by the pest of avarice, with gaping jaws began to invade the same place -- not out of concern for the place, but so that the resources which the generosity of the faithful had granted to the place for establishing the service of the divine school, they might, suspense about his sacred death, seize entirely for themselves by rapacious zeal. One of them was the administrator of the Church of Metz, the other was the steward of the flock of Strasbourg. When such rams of the Churches had long quarreled over the goods of the blessed poor man of Christ, accumulated from heaven (for one of them, on the pretext of the parish, the other, on the ground of the place's subjection, contended that it should come under his jurisdiction), on ^a certain occasion the servant of Almighty God was seized with ^a very severe illness and brought near to his end. When the report of his infirmity had spread through the neighboring provinces, the vultures of both Bishops, with hungry beaks, invaded the cell of the man of God and waited suspiciously for his happy passing. When he discovered this, he suddenly began, by the healing mercy of heaven, to be strengthened and to improve; and summoning to him some of the personal representatives of the wicked men, he carefully inquired the reason for their waiting. When they had narrated the situation as it stood, He divinely understands this and that he will recover from his illness the man of the Lord replied: "But I too am not ignorant of the aim of your will and the machination of the enemy of the human race. Depart immediately, for I am not dying now; and believe me, it will not happen to you as you desire -- that the offerings of the faithful, which it has befallen me to possess, you should uproot after my death." At such ^a rebuke the entire assembly departed quite confused.

[43] The man of the Lord, desiring more to have the Lord himself, who had given them, as the heir of his possessions rather than the world, began with generous hand to spend lavishly everything he had upon the poor and clerics, wishing to divest himself utterly and, now an old man, to accept pilgrimage for Christ's sake and to spend his remaining days in sacred leisure as ^a doorkeeper and private person at Rome, at the shrine of the most blessed Prince of the Apostles. When this had been noised about and had reached Hugo and his sons, He is invited to Lutra by Hugo and his sons with tearful entreaty they not sluggishly petitioned the man of the Lord not to desert them as though orphans and bereaved. To whom the blessed man replied that he would by no means remain there any longer, but wished to give way to envy, and that this had been thus appointed for him by the Lord. But they, with eyes streaming, began to press the man of God more urgently, saying: "O special friend of Christ, and immovable pillar of the holy Church, hear your servants and do not leave us desolate. Let your Paternity know that we have long been desirous of the monastic life and its ways, but have been unable to find ^a leader and Father until now. Wherefore, holy Father, may it please you to go with us nearby to ^a certain holy place, most suitable for monastic life, which is called Lutra." To whom the man of the Lord replied: "What has that place to do with you?" They said: "It pertains in no way to us; but ^a certain most blessed man, named Deicolus, who was also ^a disciple of S. Columban, merited it from the Lord as his inheritance. He himself built the place and subjected it to monastic discipline, and by his holy presence he daily shines there with miracles. It happened, however, on ^a certain occasion, that our parents seized that place not many years ago and possessed it as their own. But now we have been so divinely terrified there that in the presence of so great ^a Father, by horrific oaths we have most recently bound ourselves shortly to embrace the monastic profession and to preserve stability there in perpetuity."

[44] To this the pious man replied: "It is written: 'Do everything with counsel, and after the deed you will not repent.'" Ecclus. 32:24 "If it pleases divine Providence that I should move from this place and yield to your exhortation, make such ^a guarantee to me, in the sight of our Brothers and the other faithful, that you will carry all the furnishings of the divine office that I have in my possession safe and intact to that place, and there restore them to me inviolate -- He sends someone to first explore the place on this condition, that I first send there one of our Brothers, ^a reliable man, who may carefully test the place in forests, fields, meadows, fisheries, and in all things that the needs of monks require; for I shall not come alone, but shall bring my Brothers and servants with me." To this they said: "Let it be done according to your will, Father." And having taken an oath in the assembly of many, as was pleasing to the holy man, he sent with them his nephew, named Werdolf, whom he himself had trained and in whom, after God, lay all his hope. When Werdolf had tested the truth of the matter with all diligence, he returned to the man of God and brought joyful news; and after he had privately revealed the place to him, he added: "We must take care," he said, "that we do not give easy credence to those men. The place itself, as all the natives attest, is subject to the Roman dominion and lies under ^a prescribed tribute to the Supreme Pontiff. Wherefore, if they are willing, in the presence of Prince Otto, to restore the place and return it to its former liberty, let us receive it from the very Imperial hand -- with such certainty that for all time to come no one may violate what the scepter-bearing majesty decrees to remain inviolate."

[45] The man of the Lord said to this: "May your counsel be acceptable to Almighty God. Now, therefore, gird yourself, take the road of obedience, and hasten to make all these things known to the Emperor on my behalf." Werdolf immediately, eager to obey the Father's command, mounting his horses, with ^a prosperous journey reached the Emperor and made known what was at issue. And if anyone objects to me with ^a jaundiced eye that the same Prince was not yet Emperor at that time, I can easily refute him through that crafty syllogism: that the additional honor is an accident, but the essence persists in identity; and because what was accomplished could be accomplished, the power was always present in him, though the act came at its appointed time. But these are by way of digression; for let us pursue what we have begun. When the most pious Prince had learned all these things, he gave thanks to the Inventor of all things, and after this said: "Hear, all you counselors of equity and faithful friends. I have often considered sublimating that Father of ours, the blessed man Balthrannus, with the Pontifical honor, since I love him with all my heart; but now, as I see, he prefers to persist as ^a poor man of Christ in the arena of the sacred contest than to prosper in the trappings of this world. And behold, his most reliable messenger, through whom he faithfully sends me word that he wishes to die in pilgrimage for Christ and to leave the place he has inhabited until now to envy. Now there is ^a place in the region of Burgundy, quite suited for the sacred life, which Count Hugo and his sons have hitherto possessed by usurpation; the holy man asks that it be generously delegated to him from our dominion, and that all things which Almighty God has granted him for the establishment of his service be perpetually assigned to the same place by the authority of our empire. For that place itself is subject to the Apostolic See, under the advocacy of our empire." By the authority of Emperor Otto, he receives possession of Lutra The courtiers and counselors of the Emperor responded: "If it please your majesty, Prince of all the earth, let those men who have hitherto claimed the place against all right and law be summoned before you, and let them publicly restore it by public law, and by ^a most firm oath make such ^a guarantee before all your faithful, both military and civilian, that from this time forward, now and forever, neither they themselves nor anyone of their succession should presume to renew that iniquity or dare to disturb the same place by force or power; but firmly and inviolably (as it was from the beginning of the place's foundation) the free authority of electing an Abbot according to God, who may preside powerfully over the place, shall remain with the Brothers serving God and S. Deicolus there, without any contradiction. Moreover, let the Imperial Majesty take care to notify the Apostolic Bishop, that by the authority of the heavenly keys he may compose ^a precept of privilege, make it insoluble by the seal of anathema, and confirm it with the seal of the Apostolic name." Why is it necessary to delay so long on individual points? All things, according as it pleased the Divinity, the devout Emperor fulfilled according to the counsel of the faithful: he declared the sacrilegious invaders of the place wicked; he received the place by universal law and delivered it with authority to the blessed man, under ^a thousand witnesses, as has been said above; and he also committed it to Duke Rudolph and the aforesaid Counts to be guarded under the condition of their fidelity, together with the possessions divinely gathered for the holy man.

[46] On such terms, therefore, the man of the Lord was installed in the destroyed place of B. Deicolus, with his monks and servants and all that the divine generosity had granted him. He restores it And it was very necessary that he bring with him ^a supply of provisions, because he found the place lamentably destitute of all the necessities of human life. Then he gave every effort to how he might spiritually renew the same place. The monastery of the ever-Virgin Mary, which had been there before in ^a very small state, he honorably enlarged, elevated, and brought to completion. He built workshops as best he could in ^a short time, so that the monastic discipline which had always flourished under him could be observed inviolably by the monks. After death he shines with miracles The venerable Father entered that same place on the vigil of the Apostles Simon and Jude; and in the same year, on the day of the Assumption of the perpetual Virgin Mary, as had been divinely foretold to him many years before, full of the Holy Spirit, he died; and was buried to the right of the altar of the monastery Werdolf succeeds which he himself had renewed for the better. There, quite frequently, when the faith of those who petition demands it, he shines with miracles. When he himself sought the heavenly kingdoms, his nephew Werdolf succeeded him in the governance of the monastery, who still survives, and himself lives ^a celibate life, and shines as ^a lamp to all who wish to live rightly.

ON S. ULFRIDUS, OR WOLFREDUS, MARTYR IN SWEDEN.

Year 1028.

Ulfridus or Wolfredus, Martyr in Sweden (S.)

[1] Among the Apostles of the Swedes, Ulfridus, or Wolfredus, is counted, whose birthday the English Martyrology fixes on January 18, and from it Ferrarius. His martyrdom is thus narrated by Adam of Bremen in his Ecclesiastical History, Book 2, chapter 44: The birthday of S. Ulfridus "Around the same time, ^a certain man from England named Wolfredus, entering Sweden by the impulse of divine love, preached the word of God to the Pagans with great confidence. When he had converted many to the Christian faith by his preaching, His zeal he began in the assembly of the Pagans to anathematize the idol of the nation, named Thorstan; and at the same time, seizing an axe, he hacked it to pieces. For such daring he was immediately pierced with ^a thousand wounds, His martyrdom and his soul, worthy of the laurel of martyrdom, was sent to heaven. His body, after the Barbarians had mangled it and subjected it to much mockery, they plunged into ^a swamp. I have committed these truly ascertained things to memory, although there are other things still worthy of being written." So he writes, who became ^a Canon of Bremen 49 years after the death of Wolfredus.

[2] The same is related from him by Albert, Abbot of Stade, in his Chronicle under the year 1028; Albert Krantzius, Book 4, Metropolis, chapter 8; Baronius, volume 11, year 1028, number 10; Joannes Vastovius in his Vite Aquilonia, who interprets Thorstan as the statue of Jupiter, as though Thore steen -- from Thorus or Thoro, ^a god of the Swedes. Thorus, god of the Swedes And Thorus is indeed said by Joannes Magnus, History of the Swedes, Book 2, chapter 9, to have been considered by those peoples as similar to Jupiter: presider over air, thunder, lightning, clouds, and storms; bestower of fertility; prince of the other gods. Thursday and the month of January were dedicated to him. Krantzius writes that Ulfridus proclaimed in his preaching: "If your god Thorstan is powerful, let him avenge himself."

ON B. FACIUS, CONFESSOR, AT CREMONA IN ITALY.

Year 1272.

Facius, Confessor at Cremona in Italy (B.)

[1] At Cremona in Cisalpine Gaul, on January 18, the birthday of B. Facius, Confessor, is observed; who, although not solemnly enrolled among the Saints, The birthday of B. Facius Philippus Ferrarius writes in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy that the Apostolic See has granted to the Church of Cremona and Verona that the ecclesiastical office may be recited there in his honor. The same Ferrarius in his General Catalogue of Saints: "At Cremona in Cisalpine Gaul, S. Facius, Confessor."

[2] Life The same writes that his life was published at Cremona in the year 1604. This is perhaps the one which Peregrinus Merula reports was published in the Italian language by Leonardo Gregorio, Master of Ceremonies of the Cathedral Church of Cremona. We have not yet obtained it. We give what Ferrarius compiled from it. A brief Italian account was published by Merula in the Sanctuary of Cremona, who reports that the following is read on his tomb: Epitaph "B. Facius, ^a man of life, virtue, and piety, whom Verona claims as its own because it gave him birth, and Cremona as its own because it adopted him as ^a citizen while he lived and received him when he died. The bones were brought here by the superintendents of the church in the year of the Lord 1540." At that time the Bishop of Cremona was Benedictus de Acoltis.

[3] There is ^a chapel at Cremona which some think was built by Facius himself and dedicated to S. Prisca, Chapel for her image is visible in the choir. Shortly after his death it began to be called the chapel of B. Facius. The superintendents of the larger hospice, Restored when it was already crumbling with age, restored it, adding above the doors this epigraph for ^a memorial: "This sacred edifice of B. Facius, unsightly with age, the prefects of the great hospital, to their notable piety and to the public honor, adorned in the year 1600." And they provide

every year that the deeds of B. Facius are recounted in ^a public discourse in the cathedral basilica on his feast day.

[4] Then in the year 1614, on June 8, the bodies of B. Facius and other Saints were solemnly translated. Inscribed on the chest: The body translated "In the year of the birth of Christ 1614, on the seventh day of June, the body of B. Facius, Confessor and citizen of Cremona, with the solemn ceremony of the city, was entrusted to this casket by the Most Illustrious and Most Reverend Lord, Joannes Baptista Brivius, Bishop of Cremona." The sacred body is enclosed in ^a cypress box, covered with ^a white linen cloth of Damascene workmanship adorned with golden borders; and above it is painted the image of the same Blessed, which was prepared at the expense of the superintendents of the hospice. With ^a solemn procession In the public procession, this casket was carried around by four priests under ^a most elegant canopy of white Damascene linen cloth, which six priests sustained, wearing the white tunicels, as they call them.

[5] The road leading from the church of S. Helena to that of S. Nicholas had ^a triumphal arch erected, with this inscription: "The people of Cremona, With an arch and emblems to the Saints Homobonus, long their own and now ^a citizen of heaven, Himerius, Bishop of Ameria, whose patronage they have long implored, and Blessed Facius, who blazes in heaven with the torches of all virtues -- with pious and chaste benefactions, in the triumph of the sacred bones, in ^a spirit of gratitude they erected this." Among the columns of the arch ^a statue of B. Facius was visible, with the added emblem of ^a door of Doric workmanship, with two lions at the base, and the motto: "They who guard are vigilant." Above the crowns of the same arch, another emblem was placed: namely, ^a wheel or small grinder of ^a gem-cutter, with the epigraph: "In removing, it adds."

[6] So far Merula. We shall treat S. Homobonus, who is here mentioned, on November 13, and S. Himerius on October 19.

LIFE FROM PHILIPPUS FERRARIUS.

Facius, Confessor at Cremona in Italy (B.)

From various sources.

[1] Facius, born at Verona, after the persecutions which he endured in his homeland for ^a space of 30 years, departing thence came to Cremona around the year of salvation 1226, B. Facius, ^a goldsmith where, practicing the art of the goldsmith, whatever he earned he spent on churches and the poor. When his goodness became known, he was placed by the citizens in charge of the alms customarily given by the city for the poor and sick.

[2] Having returned to his homeland to be reconciled with his enemies, he was denounced by calumny by those, the Scaligers, who held dominion over Verona, He is cast into prison at Verona and was committed to prison. There, when he had freed many sick persons who were brought to him on account of the man's known sanctity (among whom were ^a noble woman's infant who, having been eight days without milk or food, was at the point of death, He is freed after performing miracles and ^a woman possessed by ^a demon for eighteen years), he was released along with other captives through the intercession of the Cremonese, who had come to the aid of the Veronese in war. He returned to Cremona, where, having built an oratory, he established ^a society of men who would visit the sick and imprisoned, He establishes the Order of the Holy Spirit clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and exercise other works of piety -- which was called the Order of the Holy Spirit.

[3] When he occasionally had time to practice his art, he worked only on sacred objects, and those without charge. He works for free He was much given to prayer, frequently visited churches; he undertook many pilgrimages, having made ^a pilgrimage to Rome and to Spain to visit the body of the Apostle S. James. He gave as ^a gift to the cathedral church certain works made of silver which are still shown, among which is ^a chalice that, What he made was miraculously preserved when more valuable items were consumed by ^a fire that broke out in the sacristy, was divinely preserved; and what is more wonderful, it was found unharmed in the church at the altar of B. Mary the Virgin.

[4] Called to ^a certain nobleman who, his health being despaired of by physicians and having already received the Sacraments, was about to give up his soul, he predicted that the man would recover his health He predicts health to ^a sick man if he vowed to go to S. James; and having made the vow, he immediately rose from his bed to the astonishment of all. Facius also accompanied him to fulfill his vow, and brought him back to his homeland after overcoming many dangers on land and sea.

[5] He is appointed Visitor of monasteries The Bishop of Cremona, convinced by so many signs and virtues, appointed him General Visitor of the monasteries of both women and men. At length, having undergone so many labors, he was seized with fever and, fortified with the sacraments, rendered his soul to God in the year of salvation 1272. His body, which shone with many miracles, was honorably buried by the entire clergy and people. He shines with miracles after death