ON ST. BOBINUS, BISHOP OF TROYES IN GAUL.
Around the year 800.
CommentaryBobinus, Bishop of Troyes in Gaul (St.)
From various sources.
[1] Troyes — the Augustobona of Celtic Champagne, an illustrious city — publicly venerates with sacred rites very many of the heavenly company, either as its former citizens or as those whose relics have been deposited there as inhabitants. We have given the Acts of some of them this month: of Abbot Frodebert on the eighth, St. Bobinus, Bishop of Troyes of Patroclus on the twenty-first, of Sabinian and Sabina on the twenty-ninth. On this day the solemn memorial of St. Bobinus, the twenty-ninth Bishop of that city, is observed, though outside the city itself. Nicolas Camuzat writes that celestial honors are decreed to him, as one enrolled among the Saints, in the monastery of Celles, where he had first been a monk, and that the relics of his body are preserved there. Nicolas Des-Guerrois testifies that he is reckoned among the patron Saints of that monastery.
[2] A double celebration is recorded for him: his feast on January 31 and the translation on April 22. The former was unknown to Camuzat, who writes: His birthday is not commemorated, because it is unknown. Deceived by this testimony, we wrote the same above, in chapter 3 of the Life of St. Frodebert, number 13, letter f. Afterward there came into our hands a French book published by Nicolas Des-Guerrois on the Saints of Troyes, in which we found that at the monastery of Beaulieu, of the Premonstratensian Order, feast day, in the diocese of Troyes, where certain of his relics are preserved, it is celebrated on this day with solemn devotion; and that in a very ancient manuscript Martyrology entitled with the name of Usuard, the following is found: On the day before the Kalends of February, at Troyes, the deposition of St. Bobinus, Bishop and Confessor.
[3] But the translation of the relics of both him and St. Melanius the Bishop is celebrated at the monastery of Celles with solemn rite on April 22, as the same Camuzat and Des-Guerrois report. translation, The latter cites the Calendar of that same monastery, in which these words are found: The Translation of Saints Melanius and Bobinus, Bishops. Of St. Melanius, since we do not yet know his feast day, we shall treat of him there. Saussay also mentions this translation of both in the Supplement to the Gallican Martyrology in these words: At Troyes, of the holy Bishops and Confessors Melanius and Bobinus, honored there at the monastery of Celles, where the relics of both are preserved. But Hugh Menard, under April 21: At Troyes, the deposition of St. Bodinus, Bishop and Confessor. In book 2 of his Observations he admits that the translation is observed on that day — indeed, it is observed on the following day, as has been said. He calls him Bodinus; some call him Robinus; most, and correctly, Bobinus.
[4] Little is known of the life of St. Bobinus. The author of the Life of St. Frodebert writes the following in chapter 3, number 13: Nor should it be passed over that from the monks of that same place who followed the life and training of Blessed Frodebert, very many afterward became Bishops in the city of Troyes: his profession, among whom were Aldebertus, a man of the highest talent and outstanding sanctity; and likewise Bobinus, an Aquitanian by birth. Both of these conferred great benefits upon that place, enlarging it within and without by whatever means they could; and thus, ending their last day in the fullness of good works, they obtained a noble burial within the precincts of the basilica of that same monastery.
[5] Des-Guerrois writes that Bobinus, drawn by the fame of the most holy discipline that flourished in the monastery of Celles, public works, came from Aquitaine to Troyes; and since he lived most holily in the monastery of Celles, he was elevated to the episcopal office and administered it with singular zeal. Among other notable works he undertook, he restored the basilica of Celles, as may be gathered from a certain metrical prologue — which we have not seen — to the Life of St. Frodebert, in these verses, which the same author cites:
Under your leadership, holy Bobinus, this work grew, Bishop, to be magnified for your merits. Through your counsels now the blessed Frodebert, rejoicing, Maintains the lofty summits of his church.
Hence the monastery itself came to be called the Cell of St. Bobinus.
[6] date; Hugh Menard writes that Bobinus lived around the times of Charles Martel. Des-Guerrois supposes he flourished around the year of Christ 790. His relics are preserved in the same monastery of St. Frodebert. Abbot Peter is said to have discovered them in the year 1154; relics at Troyes, whether this is the translation celebrated on April 22, we do not know. An ancient parchment exists in the Priory of St. George at Gannay, in which the following is read: Three arm-bones, one rib, two hip-bones of St. Bobinus, or Melanius — at Gannay, for I found their bodies together — by me, Peter, Abbot. Des-Guerrois writes that Abbot Peter gave these relics to the people of Gannay, not well remembering what he had written before. Bishop Philip, in the instrument of donation of one prebend of the Church of Troyes made to the monastery of St. Quentin at Beauvais, dated in the year 1090, which Camuzat cites and Des-Guerrois himself renders in French, says of that church of St. George: which the Lord has deigned to glorify with very many miracles, to the praise of the glorious Martyr. Des-Guerrois asserts that these miracles happened there because relics of St. George and others — such as Saints Melanius and Bobinus, Bishops of Troyes — were kept there. But how could relics have been there and have become famous for miracles before the year 1090, when he himself claims they were not brought there until sixty-four years later? Nothing of them now exists there, except the head of St. Clare, Virgin and Martyr, one of the companions of St. Ursula, which he writes he himself inspected and venerated in person.
[7] at Beaulieu: The same author reports that certain bones of St. Bobinus exist in the monastery of Beaulieu, and that they were examined by James Raguier, Bishop of Troyes, on April 6, 1490, at the request of the Abbot; and the following year, on May 4, by Hubert, Abbot of the Premonstratensians.
[8] It does not seem to be omitted what the same author testifies, whether about himself or some other Priest: that when on April 22 — the day on which the translation of Saints Bobinus and Melanius is celebrated — sanctity attested by a sweet fragrance. he went to the church of Celles to offer the sacrifice of the Mass to God in their honor, from the Preface, as they call it, all the way through the completed Communion, he was suffused with an incredible sweetness of fragrance. And therefore, after the second sacrifice, he inquired of the Sacristan whether any incense had been applied; when the Sacristan denied it, he learned that this was attributed to the honor of the Saints by God, or to his own consolation by the Saints.