ON BLESSED WALTER OF BRUGES, OF THE ORDER OF FRIARS MINOR, BISHOP OF POITIERS IN FRANCE.
Year of Christ 1307.
CommentaryWalter of Bruges, of the Order of Friars Minor, Bishop of Poitiers (B.)
From various sources.
[1] Walter, or Galterus, or Galterius, born at Bruges in Flanders, is listed among the Blessed on this day by the Franciscan Martyrology and the Gallo-Belgian Martyrology, Molanus in the Feast Days of the Saints of Belgium, The name of Blessed Walter in the sacred Calendar. Miraeus in the Belgian and Burgundian Calendar, William Gazaeus in the Ecclesiastical History of Belgium, Antony Sanderus in the Hagiology of Flanders, and others cited by Luke Wadding in volume 2 of the Annals of the Seraphic Order at the year 1279, number 13, and by Arthur du Monstier in his Notes on the Franciscan Martyrology. Claude Robert in Gallia Christiana and John Chenu in the Chronological History of the Bishops of Poitiers record that Walter died on 21 January, that is, on the vigil of S. Vincent.
[2] S. Antoninus briefly narrates his deeds, part 3, title 24, chapter 19, section 8, in these words: "Under Bonagratia, General of the Order of Friars Minor, Brother Galterus of Bruges, Master of Theology, then Minister of Touraine, Unwillingly made Bishop: was compelled by the Lord Pope (while he resisted with all his might, to the point of the sin of disobedience) to accept the Bishopric of Poitiers. And although the General pleaded that this Father should not be taken from that province, the will of the Vicar of Christ prevailed. For he was a man adorned with every virtue, a dove appears above his head. useful in governance. He was of such great holiness that once a most white dove was seen above his head. And when he had contracted a great debt with a merchant for the clothing of the poor, a certain person, An Angel pays his debts. believed to have been an Angel of God, in the guise of a Procurator, discharged that debt and had it cancelled, without his knowledge."
[3] "This man, however, while he had long litigated as Bishop in the Archbishopric of Bordeaux for the rights of his Church, and after many years the Archbishop of Bordeaux, called Bertrand, He is deposed by Clement V. was created Pope, named Clement V, he deposed Lord Galterus from the Bishopric of Poitiers and reduced him to the cloister. Finally, Brother Galterus, coming to his last days, made a certain document in which was contained his appeal from the sentence of the Lord Pope Clement concerning his deposition from the Bishopric to the just judgment of God, he appeals to the judgment of God. and he closed this document in his right hand and wished to be buried with it. Which was done. He is renowned for many miracles, especially freeing people from quartan fever. When, however, after about two years, Pope Clement came to Poitiers with his curia and stayed there for some time; hearing that Brother Galterus had been buried with a document in his closed hand containing his appeal, he wished to see this: buried with the document of appeal, whence he ordered him to be exhumed and that document to be taken from him. Wonderful to say! His hand could not be opened, nor the document obtained, except after a promise was first made that it would afterwards be restored to him. When this was done, he immediately allowed his hand to be opened and the document to be taken. When the Pope had read it, he marveled, and ordered it to be returned to the deceased."
[4] So S. Antoninus. Bartholomew of Pisa, book 1, Conformities, fruit 8, part 2, narrates these things somewhat differently: "This Saint," he says, "coming to death, wrote a certain document, with which in his hand he died. And when the Roman Curia was at Poitiers, namely the Lord Pope Clement V (who had unjustly deposed him from the Bishopric of Poitiers), and Bishops and Cardinals and other Prelates were present at his funeral, even afterwards retained. he was unwilling to give the aforesaid document to any of them; but when the Lord Pope came, the dead man immediately surrendered it to him. The document contained how Brother Walter himself, because he had been unjustly deposed by him, within a certain number of days was citing the Lord Pope to appear before the Eternal Judge. And so it happened: for on the appointed day the Pope himself died." But this last clause is not without difficulty, since Pope Clement survived the death of Walter by seven years. For he died on 18 April 1314, while Walter died in the year 1307, on this 22nd or, as others say, 21st of January. Bzovius reports the same from Antoninus verbatim, volume 14, year 1307, number 13. John Chenu says that Walter appealed from the sentence of the Pontiff to a future council and wished the document of appeal to be buried with him, and cites S. Antoninus; it is evident with what fidelity. Raphael of Volterra in his Urban Commentaries, book 21, writes thus of Blessed Walter: "Walter of Bruges (not Burgensis), Minister of Touraine, whom they say was renowned for miracles on account of his holiness, and had contracted a great debt by generously caring for the poor. Though he was the greatest of Theologians and had written much, and was unwillingly created Bishop of Poitiers, he came into litigation for the rights of his Church with the Bishop of Bordeaux, who shortly after was created Pontiff under the name of Clement V, and cast this adversary of his from his bishopric. Wherefore Walter, having borne this injury with equanimity, dying, ordered such a document to be placed on his body: 'I appeal to the just judgment of God.' When Clement read this, he is said to have been terrified."
[5] Luke Wadding, volume 2, at the year 1279, number 13, says that in that year Walter was raised to the Bishopric of Poitiers by Nicholas III, When he was created Bishop. since that See had long been vacant, with two men elected by the Chapter contending for it. But incorrectly there — perhaps by the printer's negligence — that Bishop of Bordeaux, his adversary, is called Bernard, who is called Bertrand by Antoninus, Claude Robert, and others — the one who afterwards became Clement V, not VI, as is also said there. Wadding adds, His body found intact after 2 years. what can be inferred from S. Antoninus, that his body was found intact after two years; and that the dove of which Antoninus speaks rested above his head while he was celebrating. Finally, it is reported, as Wadding and Arthur du Monstier relate in his Notes on the Franciscan Martyrology, He is renowned for miracles. that he shone with miracles, illuminated the blind, cured people of various diseases, and always had special power over quartan fever, paralysis, and epilepsy.
[6] His tomb, His tomb is in the Franciscan convent at Poitiers, in the church near the high altar, and is piously frequented by many who implore his aid. There is also nearby the refectory a small room, or chamber, called by the title of S. Walter. So Arthur writes in the Franciscan Martyrology.
[7] James Meier, in book 11 of the Annals of Flanders, among other things he reports about Walter, says he was holy in life and renowned for miracles both before and after death. Valerius Andreas reports the same from Meier and Antoninus in the Belgian Library. James Philip of Bergamo in the Supplement to the Chronicles, book 13, writes: "Walter, a most brilliant Doctor of the Order of Friars Minor, erudition, and Bishop of Poitiers, was also at this time (about the year 1260) very distinguished both for his learning and the holiness of his life." Concerning his erudition, John Trithemius offers this testimony in his book on Ecclesiastical Writers: "Galterius, Bishop of Poitiers, of the Order of Friars Minor, a man learned in the divine scriptures and nobly instructed in the disciplines of secular philosophy, subtle in talent, scholastic in expression, was of outstanding industry in preaching sermons to the people." Concerning his writings, besides Trithemius, Valerius Andreas in the Belgian Library, James Philip of Bergamo in book 13 of the Supplement at the year 1261, Claude Robert, writings. Antony Sanderus in book 1 on those of Bruges celebrated for their fame of learning, John Chenu, Francis Sweertius in the Belgian Athens, and others treat of them.