ON CHARLES VIII, ABBOT OF VILLERS IN BRABANT.
At the beginning of the thirteenth century.
PrefaceCharles, Abbot of Villers, of the Cistercian Order in Belgium
[5] The same author adds concerning the effigy and relics of S. Aquilinus: "There exists to this day at Milan, in a most ancient church sacred to Lawrence the Martyr and Levite, a chapel of equal antiquity, dedicated to the same S. Aquilinus, relics elevated, in which his body was first placed and has been preserved down to our times: for a few years ago it was elevated and placed in a more honorable location, where it is now seen. In the vault of that same chapel there are about twenty-four images, or icons, painted, representing the entire life, martyrdom, burial, and miracles at the tomb of the Blessed Aquilinus himself. Nor can it be doubted that the images themselves are most ancient, dating from about six hundred years ago or more, as the images of Christ and the Apostles in the upper apse, painted in mosaic image or tessellated work, demonstrate. These images represent both Aquilinus himself and the Canons of Cologne and the Canons of S. Lawrence, with whom he dwelt at Milan both while living and after death, all in the same regular and customary habit which to this day the Lateran Canons Regular in Italy, the Victorines in Gaul, and the Canons of Neuss or Windesheim at Cologne and throughout Lower and Upper Germany wear; with precisely the same clerical tonsure and shaving on the upper and lower part of the head, in the manner of a crown, which the Regulars commonly wear; with this one exception, that in place of the white tunic which we Laterans and our Windesheimers wear, they wore a grey one; which was also the custom in Gaul and in other places in Italy, as in the monastery of S. Andrew at Vercelli, of S. Bernard on Mont Joux, of S. James of Cellevolan in the diocese of Comacchio."
LIFE, from the Offices of the Lateran Canons Regular.
Aquilinus, Priest and Martyr at Milan (S.)
From various sources.
[1] Aquilinus, born at Wurzburg in Franconia of distinguished parents, when as a boy he found that certain of his schoolfellows, sons of noblemen, S. Aquilinus as a boy rebukes heretics, were infected with heretical depravity, asserting that Christ was propagated from Mary by human seed, he took this so gravely that he did not fear to inveigh against that error. Whence it happened that when the matter was afterward discovered by the Bishop, through his diligence nearly all who were infected with that error returned to the Catholic truth. He becomes a Canon at Cologne. When he had grown up, he resolved to serve his Creator with his whole heart. Therefore, sent by his parents to Cologne for the sake of his studies, attaching himself to the Bishop of Cologne, he was deemed worthy to be admitted into the number of the Canons of that Church, who then lived according to a rule with the same Bishop.
[2] After some years, having returned to his homeland and finding that his parents had departed this life, he immediately sold his paternal inheritance and distributed the price to the poor, and returned to the Church of Cologne, where, then Provost, on account of the splendor of his blameless life, he was elected Provost. When the Bishop then died, he was unanimously chosen by all to succeed him; but lest he be compelled to assume the episcopal dignity, he flees the episcopate, he fled to Paris. Finding that city suffering from a grievous plague, by many labors, vigils, he frees Paris from the plague, and especially by constant prayers, he merited in a short time to free it from the disease. When the Bishop there also died and he was similarly chosen to fill his place, taking flight once again, he came to Pavia in Italy, where, devoting himself to the study of sacred letters, again he flees honors, he learned the common Italian tongue.
[3] Then, setting out for Milan to venerate the relics of the Blessed Ambrose, whom he honored with a special devotion, staying with the Canons of S. Lawrence, who were then likewise regular, he began so vehemently to rise up against the Arian heresy, which in that city was gradually regaining strength, with declamations and disputations, at Milan he rebukes the heretics, that through his efforts not a few were recalled from that error to the Catholic faith. The Arians, taking this grievously, attacked Aquilinus as he came to the Ambrosian church at first light for prayer, as was his custom, and having beaten him severely, left him half dead. And when they could in no way divert him from assailing their errors, he is killed by them, on another occasion, driving a sword into his throat, they immolated a most pleasing victim to God. They then attempted to hide his holy body, lest so great a crime be divulged, but were prevented by the intervention of a very dense fog. Wherefore the faithful, approaching and finding his body bathed in its own blood, carried it with hymns and canticles to the church of S. Lawrence, he is honorably buried, and honorably buried it in a chapel afterward dedicated to his name, where he shines with miracles.
Annotations