Geminianus

CONCERNING ST. GEMINIANUS, BISHOP OF MODENA IN ITALY.

Geminianus, Bishop of Modena in Italy (Saint)

[1] Modena, a city of Cisalpine Gaul on the Aemilian Way, once famous and recently adorned with the title of Duchy, venerates as its Patron among the heavenly citizens, with especial devotion, Bishop Geminianus, The feast of St. Geminianus, Bishop of Modena on the day before the Kalends of January. On this day Bellinus of Padua in his Martyrology, Molanus in the additions to Usuard, the manuscript of the Church of St. Lambert at Liege, and the manuscript Florarium have the following: "Likewise at Modena, of St. Geminianus the Confessor." The Roman Martyrology: "At Modena, of St. Geminianus the Bishop, illustrious for the glory of his miracles." The Carthusians of Cologne in the additions to Usuard: "Of Geminianus, Bishop and Confessor of Modena, at whose funeral St. Severus of Ravenna, rapt in spirit during the solemnities of Mass, said he had been present." Maurolycus: "Likewise at Modena, of St. Geminianus the Bishop, in the time of the Emperor Jovian." Ghinius, Canisius, and Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy also record him on this day. But Galesinnius places him on the preceding day, namely January 30: "At Modena, of St. Geminianus, Bishop and Confessor, at whose tomb many miracles are reported to have been performed by the gift of God."

[2] Another celebration of the same Saint is held, as Ferrarius attests in his General Catalogue of Saints, on January 26, also publicly enjoined upon the people by an ecclesiastical decree, commemoration of the victory which is commonly called the "Victory of St. Geminianus," in perpetual memory of the benefit which that city obtained from heaven, when, through the merits of its most devout Bishop, it was liberated from the fury and destruction of Attila. The same Ferrarius testifies that another commemoration of him is celebrated on February 18, in these words: "At Modena, the commemoration of St. Geminianus the Bishop, on account of a miracle performed by him on this day." of the miracle He cites in his Notes the records of the Church of Modena and a printed Life, in which he says this miracle is described most copiously. In the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy he writes that this is the miracle of the waters heaped up around his temple, concerning which see below at number 17. Finally, he reports from the records of the same Church on April 30 the translation of St. Geminianus, translation of which we have no information.

[3] Galesinnius writes in his Notes that the life of St. Geminianus, lived with the praise of holiness, was committed to writing by Theodore, his successor, Life a disciple of St. Ambrose of Milan; also that the monk Hilary, Mombritius, and Equilinus briefly set forth his deeds. Baronius in his Notes to the Martyrology judges that these are of such a kind as to stand in great need of emendation; which recently, he says, John Varesanius seems to have accomplished, adding some miracles performed by the virtue of the same Saint. We have not seen Varesanius or Hilary; we give the Life which was published by Mombritius, written by an unknown author after the times of King Liutprand, who ruled the Lombards in Italy at the beginning of the eighth Christian century. For Leander Albertus, following Blondus, reports that this king captured and plundered the town of Classe by a nocturnal betrayal, and that from then it gradually perished. The author declares that he wrote this Life after those times, since at number 15 he says: "But woe to you, wretched Ravenna, neighbor of destroyed Classe." Peter de Natalibus, Book 3, Chapter 57, and Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, touch upon the deeds of St. Geminianus somewhat more briefly.

[4] If the things contained in that Life are true, to which the celebration of the feast customarily held by the Church of Modena lends no slight credibility, There seem to have been two Geminiani it is altogether necessary to posit two Geminiani, whose deeds were later, as often happens in other cases, heaped together and fused into one on account of the similarity of names: the earlier, who was a contemporary of the holy Bishops Severus of Ravenna and Ambrose of Milan, and of the Emperor Jovian, and who had Theodore as his successor; and the later, who lived in the times of Attila, a full century afterward. The first seems to be the first in the time of St. Ambrose the one who is found to have subscribed through a Presbyter to the letter of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Bassianus of Lodi, and other Bishops gathered at Milan in synod, against Jovinian and his heretical followers, to Pope Siricius (which is Epistle 7 of Book 1 of the Epistles of St. Ambrose), as follows: "By the command of the Lord Bishop Geminianus, in his presence, I, Aper the Presbyter, have subscribed." And St. Severus of Ravenna could have attended this man's funeral, as is reported both here and in the Life of Severus himself on February 1. Hieronymus Rubeus, Book 2 of the History of Ravenna, at the year 347, considers this altogether false of that Geminianus of whom all assert it, and who eluded the coming and assault of Attila by a great miracle. Rubeus judges rightly about that Geminianus, that he was not a contemporary of St. Severus who attended the Council of Sardica, although we do not approve what he writes about the age of Severus himself and the beginnings of his episcopate, as we shall say in its place.

[5] the second in the time of St. Leo The other Geminianus, who is recorded as having restrained the fury of Attila, seems to be the one whom St. Pope Leo mentions in Epistle 100, to Gennadius, Bishop of Constantinople, dated the fifteenth before the Kalends of July, in the consulship of Magnus and Apollonius, which was the year of Christ 460 -- although he does not specify of which See he was Bishop. For he writes thus: "I have learned from the letters of your beloved self and from the speech of our brothers and fellow bishops Domitian and Geminianus." From this it can be inferred that they had been sent as Legates to Constantinople, to the Emperor Leo and the Patriarch Gennadius, in the case of Timothy Aelurus, who, having murdered St. Proterius, had seized the See of Alexandria by the greatest crime.

[6] Mention is made of Geminianus, Bishop of Modena, in Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy on August 1, in the life of St. Peregrinus, who is said to have lived between Modena and Lucca and to have died on that day. When Peter Medicus of Modena, admonished in a dream, had found him and reported the matter to Geminianus, Bishop of Modena, whether one of these buried St. Peregrinus the hermit? and to Severus, Bishop of Ravenna, they, with twenty-seven Bishops, among whom Alexius, Bishop of Pisa, with his Bishops of Tuscany, etc. Ferrarius cites a printed Life from Modena and notes: "Although the time at which St. Peregrinus died is by no means expressed in his Life, it seems nevertheless to be indicated that he died in the time of Saints Severus of Ravenna and Geminianus of Modena." And indeed in the catalogue of the Bishops of Ravenna in Rubeus, no Severus is found besides the Saint mentioned above; we have not seen the records of the Bishops of Modena. But that Peregrinus cannot be referred to the age of either St. Severus or St. Geminianus, even the younger, since he is said to have been dragged by the Saracens in Egypt to a Mohammedan temple and to have disputed before the Sultan against the priests of that superstition. Whence it may be concluded that the names of Geminianus and Severus were inserted into that narrative either by an unskilled writer or by some inept copyist.

[7] That St. Geminianus was venerated among the Lombard people may be conjectured from the fact The town of San Gimignano in Etruria that Desiderius, their King, called a town he founded in Tuscany "San Gimignano," as Leander attests, writing thus: "On the right side of the river Elsa, toward San Miniato, is the very handsome town of San Gimignano, formerly under the dominion of the Sienese but now of the Florentines, founded by Desiderius, King of the Lombards, as an alabaster tablet at Viterbo, inscribed with Lombard characters, teaches. Here is also produced the wine called Trebbian, among the noblest of all Italy. The place was adorned by the birth of John and Vincent of the Order of Preachers, most learned men, of whom the former wrote a book on the similarity of things, the latter, conducting the affairs of his order at the Roman court, composed a Life of St. Anthony and other works. He was an elegant writer and died in the year after the birth of Christ 1527, at Rome, when the City was captured and plundered by the legions of the Emperor Charles V. Dominic also distinguished this native soil of his, having written not a few things on pontifical law."

LIFE

By an anonymous author, from Mombritius.

Geminianus, Bishop of Modena in Italy (Saint)

BHL Number: 3297

From Mombritius.

CHAPTER I.

The Virtues and Episcopate of St. Geminianus.

[1] After the glorious and invincible triumphs of the Apostles and Martyrs, the exalted merits of the Confessors shine forth brightly. Among these, the renowned Confessor of Christ Geminianus thundered with sacred oracles and flourished with divine miracles. He was a native of the territory of Modena, Geminianus, piously educated born of the most distinguished lineage according to worldly dignity. By these parents he was also most elegantly raised and not inconsiderably educated in the knowledge of the liberal arts, and while still in infancy he subjected the temple of his body in every way to the service of Christ, later to be raised by him to the consolation of the pontificate. He becomes a cleric. For having obtained the clerical office, he so thoroughly subjected himself to the service of God that, having left behind almost all his patrimony, he chose to be lowly in the house of God rather than to dwell in the company of sinners.

[2] Imbued with ecclesiastical training and raised by the grace of Christ, as he was now entering upon the path of more mature age, girded with the belt of faith and enriched by the gift of spiritual frugality, pleasing to the hearts of all, the joy of his presence was most welcome to everyone's mind. And through this he had bound to himself with the honor of charity all the inhabitants and all the suburban folk, so that they embraced him with fatherly love, dear to all rejoiced in his presence, and were not a little troubled by his absence. He was indeed a father to the poor and a consoler of orphans, beneficent to all providing garments to the naked, bestowing hospitality upon strangers, and constantly devoting himself to all works pleasing to God. What crosses and torments of his body he willingly undertook for the love of Christ is not within our ability to unfold. Distinguished, as we have said, by these virtues, he was advanced step by step all the way to the office of the diaconate, he becomes a Deacon receiving participation in the table of Christ. Attached to the most glorious Antoninus, at that time Bishop of Modena, as an only son to his father, he served as another Lawrence ministering the spiritual Eucharist to another Sixtus. O how beloved are your tabernacles, Lord of hosts, in which St. Geminianus, advancing from virtue to virtue, was worthy to contemplate you, the God of Gods, without ceasing!

[3] Therefore, when the time drew near in which the Lord, having loosed the venerable Bishop Antoninus from the bonds of the world, made him an heir of heaven, a council was held and it was decreed that the glorious Levite Geminianus should become Bishop, he is elected Bishop, unwillingly all attesting that absolutely no one was found so worthy who, with him passed over, could receive the headship of the widowed Church. But since he resisted with all his strength and proclaimed himself in every way unworthy of such an office, with the grace of humility, seizing the darkness of night, he fled and wandered alone for some time through the vast wilderness, and therefore hiding by no means intending to dwell there longer. For, found by a certain person, he was compelled, unwilling and groaning, to return to the city; upon his return, he made all the citizens happier by the joy of his coming. And when they unanimously begged him not to refuse the priestly insignia, and proclaimed him guilty in the eyes of all if, while he yet lived, he should permit any hireling and devourer of Christ's sheep to enter in, found at last, he consents to the election he finally assented -- not presuming upon the hat of the priesthood, but truly taking precaution against the harm that would befall the citizens if they were subjected to the rule of strangers.

[4] When his consent was learned, the citizens immediately sent a delegation to the Supreme Pontiff, requesting that Geminianus be given to them as their Bishop. with the assent of the Roman Pontiff Most willingly granting assent to their petition, the Pope sent letters sealed with his ring to the Archbishop of Ravenna, in which he advised that Geminianus, a man worthy of God and requested by the people of Modena, be granted as Bishop to that Church. When this report was received, the most excellent Primate of Ravenna, with the people acclaiming him worthy of such honor, appointed Geminianus as Bishop of the Church of Modena, he is consecrated admonishing him to arrange with pastoral care the flock committed to him by God and to protect it with vigilant guardianship from the attacks of invisible wolves. to the great joy of all When all things had therefore been duly completed and ecclesiastical affairs committed to him according to custom, the citizens of Modena returned to their city with their appointed Bishop, exulting with the greatest joy. When they arrived, the whole city was crowned with joy; all burst forth in voices of praise; young men and maidens, the old with the young, praised the name of the Lord, by whose gift they received, clothed in the robe of glory, him whom they had long desired.

[5] And when, sitting in the pontifical chair, he shone with an angelic manner of life, the devout people gave thanks to God that the Church of Modena, which shortly before had been left desolate by the death of its Bishop, had received such a Priest. Spending the night, therefore, in prayers and constant vigils, at night he prays in the church he would make the rounds of the oratories of the holy places, preferring to devote himself to secret prayers in the silence of the night rather than to be surrounded by throngs of the people during the sacred rites in the sight of all. He most frequently visited the Church of the blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, which is pointed out to this day. While one night, as was his custom, he was singularly chanting the prophetic words of psalmody there, compelled by a bodily need he went outside, he puts a demon to flight and immediately the devil strove to assault him with the dart of his temptation. But the man of God, taught by the Holy Spirit, opposed salutary weapons to him, fortifying himself with the sign of the cross and saying: "Depart from the servants of Christ, devil, and do not endeavor to inflict the assaults of your madness." At these words the demon, terrified and confounded, withdrew, finding nothing of his own in him; and ascending to higher places, he said to the blessed man: "Why do you confound me, Geminianus? I shall certainly find a way to cause you trouble." To whom he replied, relying on divine help: "The Lord is with me; he scorns his threats I do not fear your threats, since our Lord has given his servants power to tread upon all the strength of the enemy; but for you and your satellites an eternal chain and unquenchable flame are being prepared."

CHAPTER II.

The Demon Defeated and Put to Flight.

[6] At that same time also the Emperor Jovian was ruling the monarchy of the Roman world. So that the truthful assertion of the demon might be shown, by which he had promised to trouble the holy man in some way, unable to bear either the words or the presence of so great a Bishop, The Emperor's daughter is possessed by a demon he fled from the territory of Modena and, seeking overseas lands, at last betook himself to the palace of the aforementioned Emperor. Now the Emperor had an only daughter, a maiden of great beauty, most dear beyond measure to both father and mother, and most glorious in the eyes of all the nobles. The demon, seizing her, began to torment her most grievously, making her appear to all as raving and horrible. By her most wretched torment the Emperor was not a little saddened, and he perceived that the Queen too, with all the nobles and all the courtiers of the Palace, was exceedingly troubled along with him. And when a remedy was sought by all with the most burning zeal, if one could possibly be found, the demon began to cry out through the mouth of the girl: "Whatever art you oppose to me, you labor in vain. Geminianus is named by him For I shall not go out from this body unless in the presence of Geminianus, the Bishop of God." By frequently repeating this cry, he made this known to nearly everyone. Amazement and terror arose among the people; who Geminianus was, was inquired. Whence it came about he is sought everywhere that the Emperor, having learned of the fame of the man of God through the demon, conducted a search and sent to all parts of his kingdom to find the aforementioned servant of God. When a troop of soldiers had sailed across the Adriatic Sea on this business, diligently seeking the Bishop, not far from the shore they learned from certain people about the holy man's virtues and recognized that he was not far away. "There is a town called Modena," they said, "where the inhabitants venerate St. Geminianus. If you seek him, you will find him there, a man endowed with holiness, a person of angelic countenance, distinguished by heavenly wisdom, resplendent with virtues." When the soldiers learned this, they were so overjoyed, as though they already appeared in his presence, hoping that truly no other man could be of such great merit as this Geminianus, so devoutly proclaimed to them by the inhabitants.

[7] The soldiers, therefore, as we said, rejoicing about the Priest made known to them, set forth on the road toward the city of Modena. He is found near Modena. And when they asked those they met about the presence of the man of God, they heard that not far from the city he was hiding secretly for the sake of prayer. Going there immediately, they found the long-sought Pastor and Bishop. Drawing nearer, they humbly asked whether he knew the Bishop of God, Geminianus. But he answered with gentle speech, saying: "There are many consecrated by God who are called Bishops by this name. I, the last of all the servants of God, am called Geminianus. If you please, he is asked to visit the Emperor tell from whom you have been sent." Then the soldiers, overjoyed, and desiring to prostrate themselves at his feet but kept standing by him for a very long time, said to one another: "Let us declare to the man of God the business of our embassy." From their commission they said: "The most sacred Lord Emperor Augustus asks you to come to him as quickly as possible, across the sea, because his only daughter is most grievously tormented by a demon; and it professes that it will by no means go out unless at the command of your presence." When this embassy was revealed, the man of God understood that this was the very same venomous enemy who had marked him for harm; and fortifying himself entirely with the sign of Christ, he answered the soldiers thus: "Because of the difficulty of the long journey, rest a while, brothers; and afterward, God willing, wherever the Lord calls, let us go without fear."

[8] the soldiers having been sent ahead for a time The messengers, however, brooking no delays, urged the Saint of God to set forth. But the Priest said to the soldiers: "Since necessity so presses, go and precede me; and in the name of the Lord I too shall quickly follow you." Having therefore received the blessing of the Pastor, they returned eagerly, awaiting the Bishop at the appointed place. Coming at last to the city of Modena, so that the spiritual Pastor might exhort the sheep committed to him not to be troubled by his absence, he bids farewell to his people and promising that with God's help he would return, then the entire people burst into tears, every age ran wailing through the streets, fearing that their nurturer would be swallowed up in the waves of the sea or surely imperiled by the difficulty of the journey. Having most affectionately consoled them all and refreshed them with the food of spiritual exhortations, and having settled and established all the churches, after prayer, giving peace to all and taking with him certain religious clerics and laymen, he began to journey to the sea.

[9] Having found the soldiers waiting for the venerable servant of God at the seashore, he calms a tempest by his prayers invoking the power of Christ, they boarded the ship and committed their oars to the deep sea. And behold, already far from shore, in the middle of the sea, the force of demons appeared, desiring to overturn the ship, and a violent tempest was churning the turbid sea with stormy waves. But the holy Father was sleeping, oppressed by a heavy drowsiness. The soldiers rushed together, rousing the Bishop, since the vessel was being carried by prayer, not by strength. But the distinguished Bishop, moved by the enormity of the danger, immediately invoked Christ and rebuked the sea. The divine presence was at hand: the enemies were put to flight, serene calm followed, and, at Christ's command, the port of the desired shore was reached.

[10] When the Priest had disembarked from the ship, after a brief journey they arrived at the Palace in which the Emperor's daughter was tormented by a demon. The Emperor, receiving him honorably and graciously greeting him together with his wife and nobles, humbly asked that he deign to lay his hand upon the raging daughter. When he entered the inner passage of the Palace, where the frenzied girl lay, the demon began to cry out and say: "Why do you pursue us in remote parts of the earth, Geminianus? Let it suffice you that you have expelled us from Italy. Be at rest, so that we may be at rest." he expels the demon, vainly complaining and wailing, from the girl And so, prostrating himself on the ground, invoking the Trinity, he held the girl's hand; he moistened the ground with tears and invoked Christ with lamentations. What more? With the help of Christ he drove away the troop of demons, and by a celebrated miracle restored the daughter to the Emperor her father, sound and whole. Meanwhile a popular shout arose, mourning was turned to joy. The Emperor and the Empress exulted over their rescued daughter, the whole court was crowned with gladness. While the Priest of God was struggling with the demon in prayer, the demon at last cried out in a pitiful voice: "Since you have driven me out from here in confusion, I shall come again to your city of Modena, since I have left my vessels there, into which I shall enter again, that I may remain without fear."

[11] The peoples therefore thronged the holy man in great numbers, whom various afflictions tormented; he heals other sick persons: who, invoking the Author of all, laid hands upon them all and obtained the most abundant generosity of divine restoration. The Emperor, approaching the Bishop, humbly said: "Most holy Pastor, heavenly physician, for the safety of my only daughter I can offer nothing worthy in return; but if it please you, do not despise the small gifts I offer." There was brought before the Bishop a text of the Gospels, nobly adorned; he is honored with sacred gifts by the Emperor. also a chalice with a golden chain, adorned with many gems; also a very large and excellent pallium; and other gifts besides, suitable for ecclesiastical worship. He also conferred upon the Priest himself a privilege from the royal estates, with all their appurtenances and dependencies (of which one b is called Gavellum, the other Solaria), of broad land filled with fruitful vines. Moreover, many he converts many Gentiles who were still entangled in pagan error believed in Christ at his preaching, rejecting the vain worship of idols.

[12] After these things the most holy Bishop sought leave from the Emperor to return. The Emperor, saddened by his departure, sent the Queen with the liberated daughter and certain nobles to him, asking if it were possible he returns to Modena: that he might remain a little while longer; but he humbly refused, asserting that it would be a great peril for the children entrusted to him if, in his absence, they suffered any deception of the enemy. When the Emperor had received this defense, he finally consented, ordering a ship furnished with all necessities to be prepared, and, having received a salutary blessing, dismissed him in peace. When he had boarded the ship, by Christ's favor, with favorable winds he came to the shore and shortly afterward reached Modena. A crowd of faithful people came out to meet him, rejoicing inexpressibly at the return of their Pastor. Having entered the aforesaid city with them, he offered the word of the Lord to all, he overthrows the temples of idols. setting forth salutary admonitions to the faithful and the unfaithful; demolishing any shrines that were still found, and building a church in the name of Christ.

CHAPTER III.

Modena Miraculously Defended.

[13] Meanwhile, by the permission of divine judgment, the execrable a nation of the Huns, which once, as the Annals record, had been shut up among the Caucasus mountains by Alexander the Great of Macedon, erupted from Pannonia with their most impious King Attila; and having devastated nearly all of Gaul and Germany, at length arrived in Italy. When he had devastated all things, as had been permitted him by the Lord on account of the sins of the peoples, and had subjugated them to his tyranny, and was overturning, destroying, and capturing all cities and everything; Against Attila besieging Modena, after the slaughter of many and unheard-of massacres of the wretched, he at last came to the city of the Modenese, where the citizens, as we have said, venerated Bishop Geminianus. When with the customary atrocity of his perfidy he was preparing every contrivance for the destruction of the city, the blessed Confessor of Christ, solicitous with pastoral care, walking along the walls, began as a loving Father to exhort his children and to give them confidence in the defense of Christ. But the impious Attila, when he drew near and beheld the man of reverend old age, began to ask who he was and what office he held. The holy Father professed himself to be a servant of God. [and to him who professes himself the scourge of God for chastising wicked servants,] To him Attila responded from outside: "If you are a servant of God," he said, "I am the scourge of God: and servants who are disobedient and who despise the commands of their Lord are rightly beaten and scourged." Having heard this, the servant of God humbly answered the King: "All power is in the hand of God; and therefore, since you call yourself the scourge of God, I do not resist, nor do I oppose the scourge of Him whose servant I acknowledge myself to be." he opens the gates; Confident therefore of martyrdom for Christ, he again said to the King: "Let the gates of the city be opened to you; enter, and whatever the Lord has permitted you to do for our destruction, we are humbly prepared to receive; not unmindful of that word of the Psalmist: 'Though war should arise against me, in this I will be confident.'" Psalm 26:3. In a wondrous manner, therefore, who passes through the city with his army without harm. by the providence of God, it was brought about that, with the gates opened, the army with its King passed through the middle of the city, raging hither and thither and groping about as if blind, and without the injury of anyone, empty-handed and confounded, they departed from the city. These are the works of Him who struck down the enemies of the prophet Elisha with His mighty power: He also struck them with such blindness that they could in no way touch even the wall of his house.

CHAPTER IV.

The Death and Miracles of Geminianus.

[14] Meanwhile, shining with very many signs of miracles, the now white-haired and elderly man was distinguished by a wondrous power. Wherefore an innumerable throng of people, refreshed by the constant admonition of the blessed man, came to his cell, Many flock to Geminianus: some desiring to cure their souls, others their bodies; all indeed seeking a blessing and requesting his touch; and all, anointed with a singular antidote, illuminated with a spiritual eye-salve, cast off the pestilential poisons of the venomous serpent and received the salutary standards of Christ. longing to die, One night, while the aforesaid most blessed man was keeping vigil and amid the most sacred mysteries of his prayers was beseeching the Lord to take his soul from his body and lead it to the mercy of His rest, he is summoned by Christ, and as he repeatedly made this same prayer, he was worthy to hear Christ saying: "Come to me, good and faithful servant; for you have labored and been burdened until now, and I will cause you to enter into the joy of your Lord." And not many days later, that blessed soul, freed from the flesh, arrived at the heavenly kingdoms among the choirs of Angels, and he dies. obtaining with the Saints the palm of eternal glory; at whose passing the peoples grieve, the Archangels rejoice, the city is troubled, heaven is gladdened.

[15] At the holy obsequies of his funeral there rushed together not only the multitude of the Modenese, but also the entire crowd of the neighboring cities; and with hymns and canticles, all the way to the place of burial, At his funeral St. Severus, Bishop of Ravenna, is present, the sorrowful multitude of the people bore the bier, pressing around it. Among these was also seen the Most Blessed Severus, a the eleventh Bishop of the holy Church of Ravenna, whose priesthood was so predestined by Almighty God that at his election the Holy Spirit was sent in the form of a dove, which the whole people saw with their bodily eyes and which rested upon his head; whence the proverb about him is spoken to this day by all peoples: "Blessed is that land where, in the election of its Bishop, the Holy Spirit descends in the likeness of a dove, and he is ordained upon whose head it rests." But woe to you, wretched Ravenna, neighbor of destroyed b Classe, because now with excessive quarreling and controversy a Bishop is ordained in you. In the c Council of Sardica the holy man Severus was present, together with the legates of the holy Roman Church. The said Blessed Severus, while Mass was being celebrated, when his Deacon had ascended the pulpit and was reading the Epistle of the Blessed Apostle Paul, in order to refresh the assembled people with spiritual words, suddenly the holy man was caught up in ecstasy, as though he were held by sleep, neither fully sleeping nor waking. rapt in ecstasy during Mass. His attendants, thinking he had been seized by sleep, began to prod his sides; but he raised himself up as though from a deep sleep and with a sorrowful spirit said to them: "What have you done? Why have you disturbed me? Although I seemed to you to be here, I was in another place." But they persisted in questioning him: "Tell us, Father, where were you?" To whom he said: "May Almighty God pardon you, most beloved, for having awakened me: ... d and there I commended to the Almighty Lord the soul of my brother and fellow Bishop, the man Geminianus, the Bishop of that Church; and I stood there until the aforesaid holy body was placed in the tomb." For this reason therefore, so that the truth might be confirmed, the citizens of Ravenna and of Classe sent horsemen to the above-mentioned city of Modena, to verify the words of the holy man; and when they had ascertained the day and hour at which the holy soul of Blessed Geminianus had departed to the Lord, they said: "Did not your Bishop, the Lord Severus, commend his soul and stand here as long as the body was being enclosed in the tomb? When the tomb was closed, he suddenly vanished from our sight." Those men, having returned, reported in order to their citizens what had been told them. From that day forward they began to venerate his holiness all the more.

[16] In the place, therefore, where Blessed Geminianus was buried, his body, with Christ's favor, is venerated and honored by daily miracles The tomb of St. Geminianus is distinguished by miracles: and is assiduously frequented by the faithful. For from his mausoleum

Oil flows forth in abundance; There the sick are healed From every affliction; Fitting prayers are answered, The chains of the guilty fall, Demons are put to flight, Judgments are made manifest. By his prayers Protect us in all things, You who are the Lord Most High, Son of the Eternal Father.

At the most precious body of our holy Father, as we have said, innumerable signs of miracles are performed. Of these we have thought it fitting to insert some in this little work, in praise of so great a Bishop and for the memory of future generations. For we read that the Lord promised to his faithful disciples, saying: "He who believes in me, the works that I do he also shall do." John 14:12. This is not to be understood as though the Saints could perform any sign of power without His will; since the same Lord says: "Without me you can do nothing"; but whatever works of power are performed through the Saints of God ought to be ascribed to the praise of the Creator. John 15:5. For whatever they labored for in the present life for Christ, they offered the fruit of their good labors to God, from whom they ineffably brought forth the rewards of eternal blessedness. But lest a lengthy discourse weary those who listen, what we have promised, with Christ's aid, we shall demonstrate.

[17] After the venerable passing of the holy and oft-named Pastor Geminianus, Blessed e Theodore, by God's will, obtained the See of the Church of Modena. He had been a disciple of the most holy Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, a man of almost singular learning, a church is built there from whom, enriched by the gift of every goodness, he shone forth. And so, having received the chair of Modena, as we have said, over the most sacred tomb of the Father Geminianus who must be named, with the citizens' support, he built from the foundations an honorable basilica, whose consecration being celebrated according to custom, the townspeople and country folk, delighted by daily miracles, flocked most eagerly to his sepulcher with all devotion. Meanwhile, as the cycle of the year came round to the anniversary day of his holy funeral, an infinite throng of people gathered at the church. While the harmonies of the nocturnal office were being sung by the Clergy, the assembly of the sick experienced healing. And when the people, bursting forth in praises, were awaiting the daytime solemnities of the Masses from the lips of the aforesaid Bishop, f a river flowing not far away swelled so unusually water surrounding it on all sides does not enter, that it even reached up to the windows of the aforementioned church, and standing at the very doors like a wall, it denied to all the ability to go out; and in a wondrous and almost unheard-of manner, the water, extended around the basilica all the way to its upper parts, so served the holy body that not even the slightest drop ran inside. The citizens, astonished together with their Bishop at the novelty of so great a miracle, called upon the Lord with mournful voice and besought his holy servant Geminianus. Without delay the intercession of the holy Confessor was at hand: and soon it returns to its own channel. and the water, receding from the church, gently flowed back into its own channel and afforded a dry path to the people; and how great Geminianus was became easily apparent. He who transported the Israelite multitude across the Red Sea on dry ground granted this through the prayers of his servant. His venerable and memorable feast is celebrated on the day before the Kalends of February, in honor of him to whom is honor and glory through infinite ages of ages.