ON ST. THEODERIC OF REIMS.
Year 533.
PREVIOUS COMMENTARY.
Theoderic, Abbot and Confessor, on Mont d'Hor, near Reims (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.
§ I. The discipleship of St. Remigius, the monastery, the cult and age.
In the history of the metropolis of Reims Volume 1, book 1, chapter 13, enumerating the disciples of St. Remigius, the distinguished man William Marlot speaks thus: As heaven sparkles with little stars, and is suffused with their light when it is clear, Among the holy disciples of St. Remigius not the last, so the province of Reims shines with the number of the disciples of St. Remigius, and is adorned with sanctity. Of these who were joined to him in intimate familiarity, and as it were domestics, several both from the clergy and from the lay order are mentioned by Frodoard, as Agricola, Aetius, Agathimerus, Ursus, Pappolus, to whom may be added Celsinus, Clodoaldus, and Leonardus, whom the Chronicon of Saint-Riquier makes the brother and kinsman of Remigius, and the maritime shore at Boulogne honors as a common patron against the naval enemy. Others, advanced to episcopates for the excellence of their erudition, illustrated their own dioceses, among whom stand out Vedast of Arras, Antimund of Thérouanne, Medard, Genebaudus, Lupus, and Agricolaus. But some, the cares of this world being spurned, keeping watch far from the cities in little cells, left to posterity examples of the ascetic life, as Theoderic, Gibrian, Helan, Berthold. Of some of these it has been treated in their proper places, here Theoderic comes to be illustrated, who whether from his earliest age he was instructed by the holy Prelate, as some more recent writers narrate, does not appear from the Acts: but that by the counsel of St. Remigius, freed from his betrothed, set over a monastery to be built, and initiated into the priesthood, is there openly handed down, which certainly is enough that he may be said to have been a true and genuine disciple of the most renowned apostle of the Franks.
[2] Nor is there anyone who takes that prerogative from St. Theoderic, he founded a monastery on Mont d'Or, nor is it doubted concerning the erection of the monastery; some other things are liable to little controversies to be explained here. For the rest, at the third milestone from the city of Reims, or two shorter French leagues thence toward the North, the aforesaid monastery of our Saint rises, set upon a pleasant mount, which with a gentle slope lets down its ridge softly toward the city, once begun to be built under the auspices of St. Remigius, afterward increased and enriched by the notable munificence of King Theoderic, then deformed by the incursions of the barbarians, transferred to the secular clergy, almost occupied by laymen, but at last in the tenth century restored to its pristine splendor by Adalbero Archbishop of Reims and granted to the Benedictine monks. The same still subsists today, restored to the ancient vigor of discipline, and by the last reformation it has been ascribed to the most celebrated congregation of St. Maur. Many things here some invent concerning the very name of the monastery, whether sufficiently rightly devised, it is not at once sufficiently plain. There are those who, in Marlot Volume 1, book 2, chapter 14, think that Mount was called Hor, from the concurrence of the deposition, on these very Kalends of July, with Aaron the Priest of the Levitical order on Mount Hor: although, says the author there, I find somewhere the Golden Mount, or the monastery called of MOUNT OR, just as the Vatican mount, where Peter the Apostle was affixed to the cross, on account of his noble triumph was called the Golden Mount in Spondanus at the year 69. Others prefer to call the Janiculum the golden mount, concerning which matter Baronius disputes more fully in the Annals at the aforesaid year 69. To our matter.
[3] concerning whose etymology There are not lacking those who, writing by the native etymology in French Mont d'or, render it simply in Latin Golden Mount; but deceived by the orthography of the written codices, says Mabillon in the Acts page 616, annotation A, for whether in the age of St. Theoderic the idiom of the Franks admitted "Or" for "gold," is altogether doubtful. Others would have the Golden Mount so called from the pleasantness of the place. For the rest, the author of the Life, as will be plain below, constantly writes Or, although according to his mind it seems must be written Hor, as is number 8: For Or is interpreted light, or wrath, or mountainous. Again Mabillon in the Annals book 3 number 21, Some wrongly interpret it Golden Mount against the tradition of the ancients, who testify that by this name is signified light or wrath or mountainous, the right interpreters of such exotic names. And therefore the praised author prefers to write the Horensian mount and consequently the monastery of the Horensian mount, as see in the Annals book 8 number 26, where he refutes those who confuse Theoderic and Theodulf of Hor with the synonymous ones of Trier, which was long since observed by Henschenius Volume 1 of May page 95. Whatever meanwhile may be of these various analogies, derivations, or interpretations, we have followed the most received reading in the title, and with the author of the Life have called it Mont Or, of whatever signification that "or" was in the age of St. Theoderic.
[4] and it is inquired into through various vicissitudes. The various fortune and vicissitudes of the monastery itself the often-to-be-praised Marlot diligently follows, Volume 2, book 1, chapter 7, thinking that regular discipline altogether ceased under the last Kings of the Franks of the first dynasty, clerics then having come in in the place of the monks, the first of whom the Council of Soissons held in the year 853 makes mention. Again mention is made of the canons of that monastery in the year 882. He narrates a Synod celebrated in the monastery itself in 953. But a little after it was devastated by the Hungarians, despoiled of its riches and sacred furniture, and utterly consumed by voracious flames. God meanwhile revealing the merit of blessed Theoderic by infinite prodigies, and gleaming signs, the prelate Adalbero, much inclined to the holy Benedictine rule, substituted Benedictines for the clerics living too freely, strongly vindicated the goods of the monastery, usurped by Count Rager, and the estates violently torn away by him and other nobles, disposed the necessary habitations; and that the aforesaid renovation, made with the clerics resisting in vain, might obtain force for the future, a royal diploma being given at Compiègne on the day VII Kal. of June, in the year of the Incarnation of the Lord 974, indiction 2, in the twentieth year of the reign of the most glorious King Lord Lothair, he took care that all things be fortified and perpetually sanctioned, as there and in our appendix from Mabillon the reader will find proved by several arguments, as also the things which the same Marlot sets out more fully in chapter 8 concerning the elevation of the body, in chapter 9 concerning the regular observance and the "gîte" there wont to be received by the kings of the Franks, and in chapter 10 concerning the Synopsis of the Abbots. Let it suffice to have touched these in a few words; we come more closely to our Saint and his cult.
[5] Among the ancient, or what we call classical, Martyrologists, The announcement of Usuard amplified by many, Usuard alone and first makes mention of St. Theoderic, from whom it passed into his whole progeny and other more recent ones, everywhere known. The original announcement in our most recent recension is: In the territory of Reims, of St. Theoderic the presbyter. But not content with these, the writer of the most ancient and most pure Hérin codex, as it once was of the province of Reims, added: The Abbot, disciple of St. Remigius, who, by the suffraging merits of the same his master, is asserted to have raised from the dead the daughter of the King of the Franks. But another, which Molanus copied in his additions, superadded from Flodoard, "of Theoderic son of Clovis." But when Theoderic the leader of the flock of God had worked many virtues (born of a robber father like a rose from thorns) and, the angels receiving him, had migrated with glory, King Theoderic, coming to the monastery, bore the holy body on his own shoulders to the tomb. I forbear more things, which can be seen in our cited edition of Usuard. In the little Martyrology of St. Maximin of Trier, which we have numbered among the lesser Hieronymian codices, it is thus read: In the city of Reims, the deposition of holy Teudericus the presbyter. But the supplement of Bede of Liessies thus has it: On the same day at Reims, of St. Theoderic the Confessor. If anyone perhaps cite Ado, you should remember that the augmented codices are alleged, such as with us are the manuscripts of St. Lawrence of Liège, and another of the Queen of Sweden.
[6] There is no need to run through all the more recent Martyrologists, Maurolycus, but not accurately enough. who for Theoderic writes Theodorus, Galesinius, Felicius, Canisius, Ghinius, or to transcribe their elogia, since they use either the Usuardine, or the words and elogia cited above for the most part, or adduce other compendia of the life, which here to heap up into a pile is neither pleasant nor worth the trouble. Such things likewise you will find in Wion, Dorganius, Menard, Bucelin, Saussay, and others, differing only in phrase, or by greater or less extension. Nor are the errors of those who here and there crept in concerning the Saint's age to be refuted one by one, such as that of Ghinius, marking the year of death 520, or of Bucelin, who asserts he migrated in the year of Christ 560; since these are detected clearly enough from the chronological disposition of the life, or rather of the death. No one ever doubted concerning the sanctity of St. Theoderic and his ancient cult in the Church, nor indeed can it be doubted, since it subsists by so ancient monuments, and the name of the Saint is inserted even into the Roman Martyrology: In the territory of Reims, of St. Theoderic the presbyter, disciple of blessed Remigius the Bishop. All these things are plain; the next thing is that we fix the epoch of his age.
[7] That our St. Theoderic flourished in the times of Clovis King of the Franks Baronius not badly asserts in his notes on the Roman Martyrology; but neither rightly enough, except in the opinion which we just now rejected, The year of death is determined. that the Saint died about the year 520. For the rest, since among the writers of the life nothing anywhere is handed down concerning the number of his years, so neither can anything be defined with certainty concerning his birth. But indeed Mabillon rightly observed, Volume 1 of the Benedictine Acts page 620 annotation A, that for designating the time of the death of St. Theoderic a double chronological note is at hand to us: the one namely taken from Theoderic or Theodoric the King, who bore the Saint's body on his own shoulders to the tomb; the other from Romanus Bishop of Reims, who, by the testimony of Adalgisus in the book of the miracles of St. Theoderic chapter 1, took care of the funeral. Romanus succeeded St. Remigius in the see of Reims not in the year 545, as Sigebert thought, but about the year 532, since Flavius, the successor of Romanus, subscribed the Council of Auvergne in the year 535. King Theoderic died in the twenty-third year of his reign, says Gregory of Tours in book 3 of the history chapter 5, that is in the year of Christ 534. The year therefore of the death of St. Theoderic must be assigned to the year of Christ 533. So also before Mabillon thought Cointe at the said year 533 number 56, and the more recent chronologists everywhere subscribe, with none, as far as I know, resisting.
§ II. The Life written by various authors, the miracles, a rhythm, the elevations of the body.
The various Acts exist in several codices; The deeds of our Saint were not undiligently followed by the celebrated writer of the affairs of the church of Reims, Flodoard, or if you so wish, Frodoard, in his history book 1 chapter 24, from which Surius published the life of St. Theoderic on this day, and it was long since most well known and everywhere received among the more recent Legendaries. Another somewhat fuller one Mabillon first published, Volume 1 of the Acts of the Order of St. Benedict, among the spurious ones from page 615; but afterward, an older one found by him, of which he had made mention Volume 5 of the Benedictine Acts page 519, he inserted into the appendix of Volume 1 of the Annals from page 681. The first, which also exists with us in manuscript and will be given below, he testifies that he copied from a codex of the monastery of St. Theoderic and of the distinguished man Du Chesne; but our apograph, taken from the manuscript of St. Mary of Bonnefont, is the very same which other manuscripts likewise of ours exhibit, the Vauclair one and the very large Legendary of the same monastery, collated by our Predecessors with another of the Queen of Sweden, etc.; among all of which scarcely any diversity of the things narrated occurs, and they differ only in this, that some of the aforesaid codices have only one miracle, which Flodoard also narrates, added at the end, others several, others subjoin all those which Mabillon separated from the life, with the title interposed: Certain miracles of St. Theoderic the Abbot, which order we too, as clearer, have followed. With this sole difference excepted, all the copies agree, the minute matters of words being perhaps neglected, which more probably are to be ascribed not to the author of the life, but to the carelessness of the various copyists.
[9] among which the briefer ones are to be preferred, The other life, briefer than that most widely known former one, the praised Mabillon records that he afterward found, in the cited century 5 of the Benedictines from page 519, which seems to be of an older author, in which Teudericus, to distinguish him from King Teudericus, is called Teuderius. But by the good leave of the distinguished man, that observation is of no moment, for nothing more is there said than in our manuscripts and in Flodoard, where the Saint distinguishes himself from the synonymous King by "Theoderius" or "Theodorius." These Acts therefore Mabillon calls the first, Volume 1 of the Annals page 64, from the Remigian codex, written almost eight hundred years ago, to which he prefixes this title from the autograph: Here begins the Life of holy and most blessed Teudericus the Abbot and Confessor, disciple of the kindly Remigius, who rests on Mont Or, in the monastery which he himself built at the showing of an angel. The discourse and style of these two Lives plainly agree, each equally pursues the elegance of its age and is adorned with oratorical numbers; but much briefer is that which is called the first and older by Mabillon, inasmuch as it omitted some things: for it makes no mention of the miracle of the daughter of Theodoric raised from the dead, nor of the donations made by the same. If I conjecture rightly, it is a homily, or rather an encomiastic sermon in praise of St. Theoderic composed by someone, which you may gather even from the very beginning: What sweeter, dearest brethren, can be heard by Christians than when, through the praise of their Saints, praise and glory is rendered to the Creator? etc.
[10] For the rest, that Flodoard read and had before his eyes this first Life which shone before Flodoard. is most certain, inasmuch as he manifestly in many places contracts it, as a little more verbose, yet often using the same words, often transcribing quite long senses, so that you may in no way doubt of the affinity of both. Nor does the conjunction and connection of two miracles in Flodoard allow doubting, as if the one were superadded to the work already complete, for thus it has it: It is also found that this magnificent herald of the Lord reformed by the breath of life the daughter of the aforesaid King (of whom the former Life had made no mention), deceased, for whom languishing the King had directed a request to holy Remigius. And some things done in the time of Hincmar are added, the knowledge of which the author of the first Life most probably could not have. So again there Flodoard connects the next following paragraph with the preceding: It is handed down that at the suggestion of this blessed man, holy Remigius changed a collection of harlots, which up to that time it is reported he had kept as brothels outside the city, the vaults being subverted, into a congregation of forty widows, etc. If you weigh these things a little, you will at once understand that that writer subjoined the things which he had gathered from elsewhere to the Life partly copied, partly contracted by him.
[11] Concerning the age of the anonymous author who set out the greater life, The fuller Life differs in phrase rather than in substance; of which we spoke at the beginning, in a fuller discourse, there is nothing that can be decided with sufficient certainty. He must be later than Flodoard (who died about the year of the Lord 971), since he reduced the 24th chapter of his history, in which the life of St. Theoderic is contained, into a more fitting series and order; superadding many things according to his own faculty of writing, amplifying many, with nonetheless everywhere quite the same substance of the deeds preserved, as anyone for himself, the comparison of both being made, indeed even at the first glance alone, will be able to perceive. So that writer more freely thrust his sickle into each former life, taking indeed more deeds from Flodoard, but mingling almost the whole older panegyric, which Flodoard had here and there contracted, into his own discourse, also encomiastic, word for word. This the manuscript beginning of both lives will teach you clearer than midday light; and by running through the rest you will easily establish in how few words all those things could be described which those orators carried, with long and far-fetched phrases, almost to nausea. See Cointe at the year 533 said above number 56, Marlot Volume 1, book 2, chapter 14, and Mabillon in the Annals Volume 1, book 3, number 21, where each has comprised the whole history of St. Theoderic in a few words.
[12] there are others more contracted. For the rest, the three lives already mentioned are the chief, of which here the first and third we give, the other in its very source, the history of Flodoard, or in Surius or others you will find. We have also a fourth, but far briefer than those former ones, extracted from the manuscript of Utrecht of St. Salvator by the care of Roswide, which should rather be called a mere epitome, comprising almost only two miracles, performed on the daughter of Theodoric and on the King himself, and which consequently it is not necessary to produce. A fifth I still find offered to our Bolland by Father Alexander Wiltheim about the year 1644, of which he there ascribes this beginning. Here begins the life of blessed Theoderic the Confessor. At that time, just as his glorious works and conversation, published in order, run through among the people, it is fitting that the glorious page of so great a man be recited to the hearing people, because it better edifies all if it be read than if by an impious order it be withdrawn into silence. But he, according to the order of the world, although his origin did not attain to the title of nobility, yet obtained the highest nobility with him who so exalted him to heaven. Yet he grew up of a Christian family, and growing to puberty without crime, while he passes through the years of youth, had indeed a betrothed, but when they had come to perfect wisdom, then by their own wills he immediately renounced the world. Then indeed the most blessed Remedius in the city of Reims discharged the office of the pontifical order, etc. Since this does not exist with us, I have nothing more to say of it: it also seems to be a compendium taken from the Life previously published, perhaps our greater one.
[13] The true author of the French life is disclosed, It remains that we also review the French life, and say something anecdotal, hitherto, unless I am mistaken, unknown. It was published at Paris in the year 1632, under the name of D. Bailly, counsellor and royal almoner of the monastery of St. Theoderic the Abbot, and dedicated by him to Queen Anne of Austria. But that the true author was not Bailly himself, but our James Vignier, formerly most well known in the republic of letters, but then still a young man, scarcely past his twenty-eighth year; Vignier, I say, the author, I gather from his own autograph letters, given to the reverend Father Dom Christian le Roy, monk of Liessies, at Reims on III Kal. of November in the year 1631, in which he writes thus: The day after we had handed over to the most reverend Abbot of this place the life of St. Theoderic, or Theodoric (who, once a pupil of St. Remigius, then the founder and first Abbot of that monastery which, built on the Golden Mount at the third milestone from the city of Reims, afterward obtained the appellation of St. Theoderic), written by us in the French idiom, your letters to the reverend Father René Ayrault, Rector of this place, were brought. Hence gather how opportunely they fell, that you might at once obtain an answer which you were not at all urging. Hence I conjecture that this very life was composed by Father Vignier, and offered to the Abbot himself; since both the times plainly agree, and I do not remember seeing any other life of St. Theoderic then published in French, but in the Library of the Writers of the Society I find no such work ascribed to Vignier.
[14] which errs in several points But whoever was the author of the aforesaid life, he did not greatly deserve well of St. Theoderic. The praised Christian le Roy once sent to Bolland a list of errors which he had observed in the aforesaid life. And certainly very many are palpable, especially in the centuries, which are always wrongly named, the fourth for the fifth, the ninth for the tenth, the twelfth for the thirteenth. So page 74 toward the end, XIII May is taken for XIII Kal. of May or XIX April, not XX, as Mabillon somewhere wrote. More shamefully he slips pages 77 and 78, when he says that the body of St. Theoderic, after the first elevation made in the year of the Lord 976 by Adalbero, remained laid in that place only 57 or 58 years, since at the beginning of the twelfth century it was translated thence. All of which are false, for the second translation, as is established from the Latin instrument found in the old chest and adduced by the author himself: In the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1071, indiction 8, this precious body of the most holy Confessor Theodoric, founder and first Abbot of this monastery, was translated into this shrine made for itself by the zeal and industry of Rambaldus, Abbot of the same place, with the authority of Lord Manasses, Archbishop of the holy see of Reims, etc. And this is the second translation, passed over by the author of the French life, which change happened in the hundredth year after the monastic order was restored here. See Marlot Volume 2, book 1, chapter 10.
[15] Not therefore for only 58 years did the body of St. Theoderic rest in the Adalberonian shrine, also in the translations, but for altogether ninety-five years. But the third translation happened in the thirteenth century (not the twelfth as the French writer perpetually hallucinates), namely in the year 1233, on the 23rd day of the month of October, as another document conceived in these words bears: In the year of the Lord 1233, X Kal. of November, on Sunday; the precious body of blessed Theoderic the Confessor, founder and first Abbot of this monastery, was translated into this silver chest, and by the authority of the venerable father Lord Henry then Archbishop of Reims, by the hands of the venerable Fathers James of Soissons, Philip of Châlons, Milo of Beauvais, Adam of Senlis, Walter of Tournai, Godfrey of Cambrai, Bishops, Giraldus being Abbot of this monastery, in the presence of William Abbot of St. Aubert of Cambrai, Euardus Abbot of St. Basolus, and many other good men: in the seventh year of the pontificate of the said Lord Henry, and the first year of Gerardus then Abbot of this monastery. But these old writings were found in the old shrine, before the said most holy body was translated. See again Marlot in the place cited above page 25 toward the end.
[16] Concerning the last translation of the century just elapsed Henschenius treats on I May in the commentary on the life of St. Theodulf, which we have restored from elsewhere to their proper times; reporting from Mabillon, but the place not assigned, that in the year 1629, Anne of Austria of happy memory, mother of the most Christian King Louis XIV, deigning to exhibit her presence, the relics of St. Theodulf were enclosed in a silver shrine. The same is to be understood of the body of St. Theoderic, since both translations, or rather transpositions into new shrines, were made on the same day. But where did Mabillon write that these happened in that year 1629? The author of the French life, published, as we have already said, in the year 1632, so addresses the Queen that he plainly hands down that at that time the translation of the sacred pledges was made. And indeed that it happened in that very same year 1632 the writer is an eyewitness in this matter, page 87 distinctly asserting: On Sunday, June XIII, in the year 1632, the most recent translation of the bodies of those Saints whose lives precede was made by the Bishop of Châlons, the Queen assisting, who out of singular piety wished to honor that solemnity with her royal presence. Marlot likewise Volume 2, book 1, page 21 toward the end: The most serene Queen of the Franks Anne of Austria being present, the same body of blessed Theoderic was translated into a new but far richer shrine in the year 1632. Nor does it rest on greater variety, what Henschenius there adds from the letters of the reverend Lord Joachim le Contadi, Prior of the San-Theoderician monastery in the year 1645, namely that Abbot Rambaldus in the year of Christ 1100 had two new caskets made, in which he laid up the sacred pledges of the same Saints: for that Rambaldus, otherwise Raimbaldus, had died on III or IV Kal. of April 1078, and he himself had already before taken care that new caskets be made, as was shown above.
[17] also the day on which it was made more famous. These things let be said cursorily concerning the various elevations and changes of the body of St. Theoderic: more things the cited document of Contadi described by Papebroch records concerning the first elevation performed by the care of Adalbero the Archbishop and Airardus the Abbot, with King Lothair standing by and helping, from the manuscripts of the aforesaid monastery; but since all these things have been diligently discussed by Mabillon in century 5 of the Benedictines from page 519, we have preferred to subjoin his little dissertation in the appendix, that the reader may be more accurately taught concerning all things. One thing from the Contadi paper I add; namely, that from that time even to this day, every year on the day XIX April, in the often-mentioned monastery of Mont Hor, with a proper office, containing the expressed history of all the things already said, the feast of the aforesaid elevation of both Saints is solemnly celebrated. Which history also is expressly had in all the most ancient choral manuscript books, as missals and breviaries. I wonder therefore that by others it is so often thrust in and thrust back, that that translation was made on XIV Kal. of May, and again in the instrument of the second translation it is repeated, XIV Kal. of May, within the great week, etc. And again: On this same day of the Kalends, the same most happy treasure many years ago by Albero, etc. Read everywhere not XIV May, nor XIV Kal., but XIII Kal. of May, which rightly concurs with the day XIX April already mentioned. It remains that we set the Lives themselves before the eyes, to which we shall first subjoin the miracles, and those things which pertain to their illustration, then the hymns of Hucbold, otherwise Hucbald, monk of Saint-Amand, who lived at the turn of the ninth century and the beginning of the tenth, hitherto unpublished, and other things pertaining to the Saint and his monastery.
LIFE. From the Remigian codex, in Mabillon Volume 1 of the Benedictine Annals page 681.
Theoderic, Abbot and Confessor, on Mont Or, near Reims (S.)
BHL Number: 8059
FROM MANUSCRIPTS.
The beginning of the writer. What sweeter, dearest brethren, can be heard by Christians than when, through the praise of their Saints, praise and glory is rendered to the Creator? For the mind of the hearers is excited to the love of the promiser, when the fulfillment of the promises is presently beheld. For most truthful is the Spirit who had promised through the Psalmist: The just shall be in everlasting memory. Whose memory indeed of any just man, from the beginning of the world, has oblivion destroyed? Nay rather, whose just man's name does not live with praises in the world, which is written in the indelible book of the divine memory? Of which thing the present is the standing indication, the memorable merit of the most blessed Teudericus: who, as much as was in him, did not seek praise from men, trampled the swelling of mortal glory. He believed more in his conscience than in the opinions of the crowd, and more in God than in himself concerning himself. But God, the exalter of the humble, and the raiser of those who lower themselves, spread his praiseworthy fame, his most famous praise, far and wide. He therefore, who, confounding all strong things, chose the weak of the world, willed that this one should not be begotten of proud blood, whom he sublimely ennobled in the generation of the just. For to some, indeed, the nobility of birth often begets the ignobility of mind. Yet he was born of Christian parents, and with great zeal of lawful conversation was praiseworthily nourished up to the years of puberty.
[2] Meanwhile the youth of good disposition, having entered his youthful years, The praise of St. Theoderic from his preserved virginity. according to the love of human propagation, persuaded by the deliberate counsel of his parents, began, in name only, as if not about to have her, to have a betrothed. But preferring to be the friend of the heavenly bridegroom and bride, secretly inflamed with love of the invisible, and soon about to triumph openly over the world and the prince of the world, he still studied to become a hidden worshiper of God. For he had near at hand, by whom he might be healed, a physician; by whom he might be helped, a patron; by whom he might be taught, a master, the most blessed Remigius: whose at that time most white fame, most famous brightness, most clear gleaming of miracles, illustrated not only the neighboring places, but even the borders of all Europe even to the edges of the Ocean. By the examples of this most glorious father therefore, holy Teudericus, continually irradiated, burning with desire of virtues, grew into a perfect man. All things which are seen become cheap, the things which are not seen are in his desire. The love of the nuptial bond grows bitter, the love of chastity grows sweet. The leisures of the solitary life please, the businesses of the flesh displease. By love it is extinguished, nothing is preferred to the love of Christ. The world is renounced, a covenant is entered with God: war is declared on the enemy, a place is sought for single combat. The bridegroom addresses the bride, exhorts the love of the heavenly bridegroom, promises a perpetual crown for virginity. As the reward of a celibate life, the Lamb is promised to be followed. But the bride, still wasting with carnal love, deriding, spurns the salutary admonitions of her bridegroom. For she wondered that she was suddenly repudiated, when she ought to have become a wife. Bearing it ill, to suffer scorn before she could be called a wife, with bitter soul she answers, when she sees herself despised. When therefore holy Teudericus saw that his persuasion had no place in the mind of the bride, he forsakes her, not consenting to him; and with peaceful words bids her farewell.
[3] Then there was in the city of Reims a certain celebrated abbess, His dealings with abbess Susanna and St. Remigius. a most holy virgin, by name Susanna, who under the providence of the supreme pontiff blessed Remigius presided over a congregation of girls, a woman of manly soul, a heroine of profound counsel, a counsellor of higher genius. To whom, as to the most gentle bosom of a most pious mother, holy Teudericus betook himself. Then virgin to virgin he unfolds the secrets of his heart, known to God alone: with bursting tears he is disturbed by groaning, shaken by sobbing, is stretched on the ground before the feet of his spiritual mother, earnestly prays for salutary counsel with the aid of prayers. At this sorrow of compunction of the most devout youth, the bowels of the most pious mother are moved: she has compassion on him weeping, consoles him mourning, gladdens him grieving, and that she may make him a partaker of his vow, she entreats the Lord of piety. So the common pious Father of both, holy Remigius, is consulted by both. By whose most wise counsel, for providing a place for the future monastery, virgin is sent with virgin, holy with holy, Susanna with Teudericus. They ascend the summit of a wooded mount, on which afterward was built, and now remains, the monastery. But while they doubted where the house of prayer should be built, where then the enclosures of the cloister, where the gate of the monastery, there is sent from on high a winged messenger, by whom for Teudericus, about to ascend heaven, the place might be marked on earth. Already then a glad omen first appeared, when the mystic bird, an eagle, circling by ranging, and flying by circling, as much as was in it, cutting the air, designated a place capable for the monastery. And to show more specially what the Lord wished, for almost the space of one hour, above where the church was to be built, it stood with slow flights.
[4] The designation of the monastery, an angel showing beforehand. It is well to consider, dearest ones, how great is the dignity of this place. It is named Mont Or; it is found by two virgins of each sex, is shown by an eagle, is consecrated by the Lord from the heavens. On Mont Or by an eagle is described a place for serving God, in which was to be renewed, like the eagle's, the youth of the old man. But lest it be believed by the incredulous to have happened by some chance, on the day of the Lord's nativity, when the night suffers diminishment and the light is increased, for four years continuously, flying over the monastery, the same eagle was seen to go round, with very many marveling. But what works of virtues, how great signs of miracles our soldier of Christ Teudericus performed there, a little discourse does not suffice for each.
[5] Ordained a priest, he makes his robber father a monk. But after the passing of not much time, when Teudericus took up the burden of the presbyteral honor, wishing to fulfill the office of a priest, he began to preach to all the precepts of salvation. Then he specially touches the soul of his most pious offspring, the care of Marcardus his dearest father; a wise son gladdens his father, and regenerates to heaven him who begot him: from a layman he made a monk, from a robber a most bountiful giver, from a slave of the devil a freedman of Christ.
[6] He heals the eye of King Theodoric. In those days therefore a holy opinion concerning holy Teudericus was spread abroad among the peoples. And that, like a lamp covered under a bushel, but shining to men in the world, as much as he was sublime in merits, so much he began to be distinguished by notable miracles. For his most blessed fame had reached even to the palaces of the King of the Franks, of whom then the King was much to be feared, Teudericus, son of Clovis, whose eye was so seized by the excessive torments of a sudden pain that by no medicines of various kinds could any physician lead it back to its former health. The lamentable sickness of one eye excited the tears of many eyes among the people; the uncertain outcomes disturb the King's soul: here the dread of death touches him, there the magnitude of the pain, here the fear of losing his sight, there the dread of impending deformity. For if the King were one-eyed, it would have been the greatest disgrace among the peoples: for either by reigning basely he would bear the reproach of deformity, or by the loss of an eye he would perhaps have lost the kingdom too. One counsel therefore remained to the King, that where human remedy had ceased, here it was necessary that divine help be present. So the King, hearing the fame of the venerable Abbot Teudericus, ordered him to be called to himself: and when he had come, he showed him the disease of his miserable eye. He shows the pain which he suffers, anticipates the dangers which he fears. As a suppliant he demands, leaning he firmly begs the health which he prays for from the Lord through his servant. Then the man of God, knowing that the virtue was not of human frailty, but of divine operation, stretches his body on the ground, raises his mind above the stars, commits himself to prayer. Then, almost the space of one hour being completed, certain that he had deserved to obtain light for the King's eye, he ended his prayer: and at last rising, his face raised to the stars, he invokes the name of the holy Trinity, pours a little holy oil on the tip of his thumb, imprints the sign of the saving cross on the ailing eye, and at the same time, with the former health, immediately restores the light. The glad King magnifies the King of kings: the people are filled with gladness, the whole senate exults with immense joy. Teudericus the servant of God is praised, God wonderful in his Saints is glorified by all. The Prince called together the chief men of the people: and accuses himself, that so late he sought and knew the man of God. He also congratulates on the magnitude of the miracle, that so quickly he felt the virtue of the spiritual medicine, so that no traces of any scar, no remnants of any darkness remained, but with clearer light and sharper vision the luminous rays gleamed from the now-healed eye. Every age exults through the whole palace, one voice of exultation and confession sounds through the whole kingdom, when Teudericus the servant of Christ restored Teudericus the King to health. For a long time the feeble hand of the physicians labored in vain: this poor man cried out for the rich one, and the Lord heard him. What the power of the exalted rich man could not avail, this the humble prayer of the just availed with God.
[7] O with what honors would the King exalt the servant of God, Therefore out of humility he changes his name. if he would! With what gifts would he fill him, if he desired! With what dignities would he reward him, if he allowed! For what is dearer than an eye, what more useful than health, what more precious can be compared with life! Or what is desired more avidly to be had than beauty? For would he not have given for his life half his kingdom, who, if he died, would have lost the whole? But a despiser of human praise and worldly recompense, he preferred to give freely what he had freely received. And the man, zealous of great humility, since he cared more that he should not be of the same name as the King; said to him, saying: Lord King, because Teudericus your name is reverently called by the people, I your servant, lest I bear a similar name, henceforth shall be called not Teudericus, but Teoderio. Then the King, gratefully admiring, and admiringly congratulating the humility of most pure simplicity, and the most humble purity of most simple humility, kissing the venerable hands of the priest, asks his blessing, and honorably ordered him to be led to his monastery. From this one thing therefore is demonstrated how great a grace of cures shone in holy Theodericus. For how great multitudes of the weak you would then see flow together to him, Many miracles. which without delay of time received continual cures! Restoring sight also to the blind, hearing to the deaf, gait to the lame, loosing dry and contracted hands, freeing those possessed by demons, he had destroyed the diabolic frauds of harming through the arts of divine medicine.
[8] The elogium of the Saint, O most happy shepherd of the flock of the Lord, to whom it was given to confer health on bodies and souls at once! O triumphant leader of the spiritual war, overcoming the world with its prince! O most pious Father of many monks! O most faithful steward in the house of the Father of the family bringing forth new things and old! O most persevering in the service of God, even to the end, the most eager procurer of his own salvation and that of his own, holy Teudericus. Who, leading an angelic life on earth, and fixing the intention of his mind on heavenly things, in his days by the merit of justice pleased God. Then he instructed many disciples, and now forms innumerable imitators by his most salutary example, who, after the works of many virtues, after the wondrous signs of the eyes, the good contest being led to victory, his happy course consummated, his monks lamenting, the Saints meeting him, the angels rejoicing and leading him, his death, on the day of the Kalends of July migrated with glory to Christ. Whose most precious death being heard, the aforesaid King Teudericus came hastily to the monastery with a great multitude, and mindful of the aforesaid benefit, and his burial procured by the King. and not unmindful of his own health, bore the body of the most blessed Abbot to the tomb on his own shoulders. Nor is it a wonder if the king of men commends to the tomb the limbs of him whose soul the King of kings received with joy in heaven. At whose venerable tomb also the divine virtue works manifold health even to the present day: by whose patronage we all demand that we may have mercy with the Lord, who lives and reigns forever and ever.
ANOTHER LIFE. From the manuscripts of St. Mary of Bonnefont, of Vauclair, of the Queen of Sweden, of Belfort, and ours; collated with the edition of Mabillon.
Theoderic, Abbot and Confessor, on Mont Or, near Reims (S.)
BHL Number: 8060
From Manuscripts.
PROLOGUE.
The Lives of the Saints are useful. When the memorable beginnings and admirable miracles of the holy Fathers, which were seen or heard by most truthful report, are handed over by the pen to the knowledge and benefit of posterity, honor is exhibited to the Saints, the faith of believers increases, the enemy of the human race, to be punished with eternal penalties, is confounded, and Christ the maker and redeemer, who is the head and crown of all the Saints, is praised in his members, daily magnified and glorified. For nothing b sweeter can be heard by Christians than when, through the praise of their Saints, praise and glory is rendered to the Creator. The mind of the hearers is then excited to the love of the promiser, when the fulfillment of the promises is presently beheld. For most truthful is the Spirit who promises through the Psalmist. Ps. 111:7. The just, he says, shall be in everlasting memory. Whose memory of any just man, from the beginning of the world, has oblivion ever destroyed, nay rather whose just man's name does not live with praises in the world? He lives indeed and reigns with Christ, whose name is written in the everlasting book of eternal happiness and heavenly life. There indeed we believe are the recorded merits of the most holy man Theodericus, whose beginnings of infancy we modestly try and undertake to commend succinctly to letters.
Annotations* In French Thierry.
LIFE.
CHAPTER I. On the birth of St. Theoderic, his instruction under St. Remigius, his virginity preserved with his wife, and the monastery built by him.
So, sprung by his father from Marcardus and from the country of Reims and the village of the court of the Alemanni, b and educated and grown up at the feet of the most blessed Remigius, The fatherland and education of St. Theoderic; as much as was in him he did not seek praise from men, and trampled the swelling of mortal glory, believing more in his conscience than in the opinions of the crowd, and more in God than in himself concerning himself. But God, the exalter of the humble and the raiser of those who lower themselves, therefore spread his praiseworthy fame and most famous praise far and wide, that by the example of so great a man the weaker c may be strengthened, and stiff-neckedness, trusting in itself on high, prostrate and crushed may be humbled, and the humility of the just through the ages may be praiseworthily exalted. d Therefore, to excite, and more and more to inflame the faith of those who love chastity, and wish to please God through purity of heart, we have judged it worth the trouble to recall the cradle of this blessed man's infancy, by which among other things what he himself was to be is declared, inserting a miracle which remained from then and now, and will always be embraced with worthy veneration by the lovers of Christ.
[3] For a fountain, from the day on which the humanity of his boyhood, or the swaddling-clothes of his cradle, began to be washed, a miracle at the fountain where his little clothes were washed. could in no way be infected, neither by the casting of filth, nor by the defilement of any uncleanness, which might give offense to the eyes of those drawing water, although the mouth of that well was always open. Whence it is plain that God, the author of virginity and chastity, through the aforesaid future servant, willed to purify the aforesaid fountain: that he who had already by his gratuitous piety sanctified the temple of his body uncorrupt by the spot of pollution, might himself also keep the well, in which the rudiments of his infancy had been washed, very pure and more fit for drinking through succeeding times.
[4] So blessed Theodericus, nourished praiseworthily with great zeal of lawful conversation up to the years of puberty, At his parents' urging he takes a wife, and now made a youth of good disposition, according to the custom of human propagation, persuaded by the deliberate counsel of his parents, began in name only to have a betrothed, as if not about to have her. But desiring to be the friend of the heavenly bridegroom and bride, secretly inflamed with love of the invisible, soon about to triumph over the world and the prince of the world, he studied to become a hidden worshiper of God. So of this Angelic purity he had near at hand, by whom he might be healed, a physician; by whom he might be helped, a patron; by whom he might be taught, a master, the most blessed Remigius, Bishop of the holy see of Reims, whose most white and most famous brightness of that time, most clear gleaming of miracles, illustrated not only the neighboring places, but even the borders of all Europe to the limits of the Ocean. By the examples of this most blessed father Remigius therefore holy Theodericus, instructed and continually irradiated, but by the example of Remigius he resolves to cherish virginity, burning with desire of virtues, grew into a perfect man, and counted as nothing the world with its concupiscences, which he saw the world of the heart always tending to destruction; assiduously ruminating that of the blessed Apostle John no less with his mouth than with his mind: All that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh, and the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life. 1 John 2:16. Therefore all things which are seen become cheap to him, but the things which are not seen are in his desire. The love of the nuptial bond grows bitter, and the love of chastity grows sweet. The leisures of the solitary and chaste life vehemently please, the businesses of the flesh nonetheless displease, the love of the flesh is overcome by the love of the spirit, desire is quenched by desire. Here grows whatever is there diminished, and nothing is preferred to the love of Christ. The holy man now renounces the world, by loving chastity; he enters a covenant with God who loves the purity of a pure heart, turning over in his breast that reward of salvation: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matt. 5. So war is declared on the enemy of all continence, and a place is sought for single combat. His face is suffused with the blush of modesty, and the secrets of the heart are opened, where the love of chastity blazed.
[5] and when he could not bring his wife to it; At length therefore holy Theodericus addresses his bride, e and exhorts her to the love of the heavenly bridegroom, and promises a perpetual crown for virginity and the reward of a celibate life, if she promise to follow him, the immaculate Lamb. But the bride, still wasting with love of carnal desire, spurns the salutary admonitions of her bridegroom; for she wondered that she was suddenly repudiated, when she ought to have become a wife; bearing it ill to suffer such things before she could be called a wife. With bitter soul she answers, when she sees herself despised. Why, she says, do you ascribe me to mockery, whom by the love of propagating dear offspring by human law you betrothed? Why do you despise a lover, whom high birth does not degenerate, nor any servitude of another lord subjugates? Who has alienated you that you should reject the marriage-bed, execrate to procreate children, not consent to be called the father of sons? Perhaps allured by another, you persuade me these vain things as one insane. And when the elect of God now perceived with his ears such and much more from the bride, and saw that his persuasion had no place in her soul; he forsakes her, not consenting to him, and bidding her farewell with peaceful words: I am not, he says, as you assert, held by insanity, but rather kindled by the love of the heavenly bride, who daily bears sons, cohabitants and coheirs of the supernal city Jerusalem. Use you an earthly bridegroom, since it sits in my soul thus to pass through the earth of this pilgrimage, that I may deserve to follow the Lamb, singing a new song with unwearied voice in the heavens.
[6] He consults Susanna the abbess, Having said this, he quickly seeks the city of Reims, and a certain Abbess leading a celibate life, by name Susanna, who was a most holy virgin, the same blessed one seeks out, sober the sober, virgin the virgin, chaste the chaste, who under the prudence of the blessed and supreme Pontiff Remigius then presided over a congregation of girls. A woman of manly soul, a virgin of profound counsel, a counsellor of higher genius. To whom, as to the most gentle bosom of a most pious mother, holy Theodericus betook himself, undoubtingly trusting that whence by anxiety he was sad, by the counsel and at once the consolation of so great a virgin, whose mind contemplated heavenly things, he would truly as quickly as possible be restored to gladness. Meanwhile, stretching himself on the ground before the feet of his spiritual mother, the same praiseworthy man, virgin to virgin, unfolds the secrets of his heart, known to God alone, and with bursting tears is disturbed by groaning, shaken by sobbing, and earnestly prays for salutary counsel with the aid of prayers. At this sorrow of compunction of the most devout youth, the bowels of the most pious mother were moved, and she has compassion on him weeping, consoles him mourning, gladdens him grieving, and that she may make him a partaker of his vow, entreats the God of piety. So the common pious father of both for this cause is consulted by both, holy Remigius, by whose erudition and assiduous service holy Theodericus had now profited in all things, by whose, and St. Remigius's exhortation that he who had long since been made by instructing a demonstrator of the heavenly life, might become to him a giver of salutary counsel. By whose most wise counsel, the request is sent for the bride, the reward of eternal recompense to those persevering in virginity is demonstrated to her by him, and because virginity is always the friend of Angelic purity, she is sufficiently instructed that the angels also of those whom they please always see the face of the Father. At length she acquiesces, nay rather embraces the addresses of the most holy Father, honeyed with the sweetness of eternal life, and promises herself, if she deserve to cleave to Christ, to remain safe, chaste, incorrupt. At last glad with the ardor of chastity, holy Theodericus embraces his bride, whom he saw snatched from the will of the raging enemy and the pleasure of the flesh and, the tender frailty being trampled, given over to God the maker, the singular love of chastity. Behold it is plainly clear how much the Saint already blazed with heavenly desire, who grieved if his bride were joined to an earthly husband, namely deprived of the fellowship of virgins following the immaculate Lamb. Rightly therefore part of that merit, together with the spiritual Father, namely holy Remigius, can be ascribed also to Theodericus; the wife too vows virginity. because if he had not cried out, perhaps the bride would not have remained a virgin. He consulted, prayed, and obtained, that the espousals released on earth might be represented to both with a hundredfold fruit in the heavens.
[7] Let us moreover follow the works of the holy man's virtues, He is sent with Susanna to build a monastery whom the Lord exalted to this, that in him and through him he might show the signs of his miracles. There is a little wood, distant three miles from the city, situated on a mount whose name is Or: on which it seemed good to the father Remigius, ever shining in divine things, that a monastery should be built, where he might gather a band of monks warring for God under the rule of blessed Theodericus, whom he saw already to flourish by the example of virtues. To this place therefore the future shepherd is sent for providing, blessed Theodericus with the holy virgin Susanna, abstinent with the abstinent, virgin with the virgin, that to those who had the devotion of chastity in heavenly things, there might likewise through them be a place of prayers to be found on earth. And ascending the summit of the wooded mount, they cast round the edge of their eyes, entreating the divine providence, that by whose instinct these things had been inspired, by his mercy they might visibly be demonstrated, in what place or in what manner the site of the monastery should be built, where the house of prayer, or of the adjacent buildings, where then the foundation of the enclosures of the cloister or of the gates should be placed. While they turned these things in their mind with suppliant vow, to whom an angel designates the place. suddenly there is sent from on high a winged one, in the likeness of an eagle, an Angel, by whom for blessed Theodericus, about to ascend heaven, the place might be marked on earth. Which mystic bird, circling by ranging, and flying by circling, not with that swiftness with which that flier is wont to be borne, but with friendly familiarity, with slow flights, cutting the air, designated the place of the monastery, as much as was in it. And to make more manifest what the Lord wished, for almost the space of one hour, above where the church was to be built, the holy virgins looking on, it stood with the oar of its wings lowered. The devout worshipers of God immediately understand that it is a divine messenger, and report the outcome of the matter to the holy father Remigius. And lest this be believed by the incredulous to have happened as if by chance, and not divinely, for four years on the very day of the Lord's nativity, when the night suffers diminishment of light, and the gleam of dawn flashes, flying over the monastery, now continuously finished, the same eagle, or rather in its likeness an Angel, was seen by very many marveling, that it might be plain to all that by divine providence, and not human, that place was shown to mortals by such a sign, and accepted by God for procreating spiritually the sons of adoption and instructing them by the doctrine of the knowledge of God. And it was fitting that he who was marked by a heavenly messenger should have such worshipers, whom an upright conversation and wondrous virtue might make coheirs of eternal life. Which place, sought out by two virgins, vessels of purity, unlike in sex but equal in soul, and demonstrated in the likeness of an eagle by an Angel, is believed to be consecrated by God the founder and creator of all, by the gift of grace.
[8] The interpretation of Mont Or. For transmitting therefore or raising souls to the pleasant places of eternal happiness, by the heavenly messenger the aforesaid mount, which is rightly called Or, f is demonstrated by most frequent apparition and illumination. For Or is interpreted light, or wrath, or mountainous. Well indeed: for from the wrath of the raging lion, who unwearied seeks of the flock of the Lord whom he may devour with black jaws, they were there to be snatched, and to be raised into the mount, namely heaven, where the Saints reign with Christ, where daily we ask help from him by suppliant prayer, and to be restored to the light of perpetual happiness and the glory of eternity, where the darkness of the earth of death is absent, but the unfailing light of tranquility with joy and long-lasting peace remains, and the rewards of merits are there recompensed to each according to their deeds, which the eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, nor has it ascended into the heart of man, prepared by God for those who love him. On the other Mount Or finally the rock was struck by Moses, which even today is shown there, and water abundantly given to the peoples; on the summit of this Mount Or saving water and a leaping fountain, namely the doctrine of the divine dogmas and the holy oracles, is daily brought forth and administered to the sons of the Church reborn by the sacred font and fed with spiritual food and drink. On that one the bodies of the rebellious were refreshed from the hardness of the rock with water, in this one hearts are assiduously filled with the liquid. On that one Aaron the Priest of the old law dies, in this one the Priest of the new testament holy Theodericus, shining with virtues, on the same day of the Kalends, which seems very wonderful, on which that one departed in the world, this one, released from the flesh on it, is venerated and honored. Well also by the heavenly index in the likeness of an eagle is shown the place of the gathering of the holy souls, namely of the sons of the eternal Jerusalem situated on high, that there in the vessels of mercy, the old man with his works being cast off, the youth of the faithful may be renewed like the eagle's.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER II. On the deeds after the priesthood in the conversion of his father, the ejection of the harlots, and various miracles in his life and after his death.
In this place therefore the soldier of Christ Theodericus, made the spiritual father of very many monks, what works of virtues he did, Ordained a priest he converts many, and signs of miracles, the page of our little book does not suffice to narrate one by one. Now the honor of the priestly ministry being taken up from the angelic spiritual father Remigius, wishing to fulfill the office of the name, he began to minister to all the words of salvation, converting those who had strayed through the windings of slippery error, and recalling and leading them back to the way of the pasture of the ever-flourishing paradise; where roses are fragrant, and the leaves of lilies, and the plains of aromatics bloom with every pleasantness and beauty of little flowers. a Because therefore the Saint now presided over and profited very many, whom the action of the contemplative life inflamed, and whose garments were white, and the oil did not fail from his head, who in the morning sowed, nor in the evening ceased: the care of Marcardus his dearest father touches his soul, also his father Marquardus, desiring to draw him, entangled in secular snares, away, and to form him in heavenly doctrines and sacraments. And as it is written, a wise son gladdens his father, and regenerates to heaven him who begot him, having become master of his desire, from a layman he made a monk, from a wolf a sheep, from a robber a most bountiful giver, and from a slave of the devil a freedman of Christ.
[10] St. Remigius, by his counsel, In those days therefore the illustrious opinion of the Saint was spread abroad among the peoples, and lest the lamp should remain covered under the bushel, but should shine to all in the world, he began to grow famous far and wide by glorious miracles. For cleaving by special service to the most blessed Remigius, he followed his footsteps in many things by imitating him, knowing that of the Psalmographer, that with the holy you shall be holy, and with the innocent man you shall be innocent. For the same spiritual father, whose custom it was skilfully to bestow the care of visitation on the flock committed to him, while on a certain day, as he was wont, with blessed Theodericus singing the praises of psalmody, he sought the aforesaid monastery for the sake of visiting it, it happened that, passing by the place which is commonly called Cedrius, where the brothels of harlots were, the voice of blessed Theoderic, in the little verse of the psalm which he was singing, stuck in his throat; and the matter for which they went being finished, in returning, in the same place, and at the same little verse, with his breath suddenly cut off as usual, he stopped. Psalm 17:26 To whom holy Remigius: I wonder, he said, brother, why in the place repeated, or at the same verse as before, against custom your mind running anywhere has again stumbled in the praises of God. Not, Father, he said, excellent one, is my mind caught by thinking some evil through byways, but, alas for grief! since your sanctity is always present to the divine sight in heaven, and the favor of earthly Kings obeys your commands, the lairs of the harlots he turns into a [community then of Virgins] why do you suffer souls entangled in the nets and fraud of the devil to perish in your presence and to be drawn away from your reward, and to be plunged into the depth of the abyss with the seducing serpent? For I know, if you wish, and for certain you wish, that you can by a single intermediary obtain this by the munificence of the King, and restore to their creator the sheep beset, and snatched from the jaws of the enemy. For your suggestion is a command, and the obedience of Kings. For this cause the excellent Father, exalting his disciple with praise, gladdened, supplicates the King, and obtains, as he desired, the muddy place where the works of the devil were exercised. And all things heaped up for the deception of souls being expelled, even to the ground he subverted the lairs of the harlots, which were caverns of demons, as is now beheld. And because that place of filth was set outside the city, receptacles of houses being arranged within the walls, equal in number to forty nuns, b which was the number even of those harlots, he there by the counsel of blessed Theodericus his faithful disciple placed them, and obtained from the bounty of the King whence they might have the daily food of the body. He also instituted that the same number should always remain, and as those, performing the work of pandering, and accomplishing the will of the demons, paid the income of their own body to an earthly lord, so these, keeping for the heavenly King the purity of body and heart, might represent themselves with the fruit of good works. Therefore, because the spirit breathes where it wills, and makes those whom it inflames burn with charity, he willed to intimate from heaven to the mind of his servant, that he might cause his spiritual master to be admonished by the love of charity, that he might restore to their creator the souls which the enemy rejoiced to have acquired, and the execrable portion of the devil might remain diminished. The holy man also, full of God, might understand, although by his merits he had raised the dead, that part of his spirit shone forth also in the disciple. It was divinely inspired to the disciple to suggest such things to his master, that both might be able to receive the gift of recompense from God. Great the master, great also the disciple, and after the master and with the master to be praised in this work.
[11] But the great King Clovis being dead, whom the most blessed Remigius had converted from the rite of paganism to the faith of Christ, By the same Saint he is sent to heal the King's daughter, and received from the sacred font of baptism, his son Theodericus took up the government of the kingdom, c a man keen and agile in mind, powerful in war and astute in genius. By the whole world also ever to be venerated, flourishing in age, and gleaming with miracles, holy Remigius still governed the church of Reims. So this King, having experienced his virtues by the report of very many, about to ask for his daughter, whom he loved with sole love, and who was held by a grave ailment, directs messengers to him, earnestly entreating that he would come to him, and lay his hand, with the aid of prayer, on her sick with a most violent languor. But holy Remigius, detained by some trouble of the body, commends the cause of the business for which he was sought to blessed Theodericus, whom he had piously and chastely nourished, and instructed in divine doctrines, and whom he saw in the spirit filled with the grace of cures, as a divine father to a spiritual son. Who, desiring skilfully to fulfill the commands received of his master, takes up the journey, and seeks the palace of the King in haste, about to visit the girl, believing the divine clemency would be present to him. Going along, in the middle of the journey, he receives the sad messengers of the King, who assert that she had sought the way of all flesh, and that he should not be burdened with further labor, they persuade with many words. But he, not desisting from the begun business, tries in every way to obey the command of his master: and coming to the palace of the King, he found the father sad, the mother mourning for the daughter, the household lamenting for the lady, the nobles grieving for their lords' cause, for the girl dear to all, and so quickly deprived of the light of this life. The Saint himself, moved to tears by their tears: Withdraw, he says, a little, and let the funeral rites be prepared: I will altogether procure to fulfill the services for which I came. And when none had remained in the house except those whom holy Theodericus had ordered, whom dead he raises. his eyes raised to heaven together with his hands, he paid devout prayers to God in the chamber of his mind, his face suffused with tears and his heart compunct: and soon, knowing himself heard, he approached the lifeless body, and with holy oil, in the manner of one reconciling, anointed the five senses of the body with the touch of his thumb. In a wonderful way suddenly the dead members return into reviving form, the eyes are opened, the voice unbarred, and that she is restored to life together with health, the girl proclaims to all by the obtaining of blessed Theodericus. The King runs up with the mother, astonished at the miracle, the whole palace exults, the household joyfully dances, while they see restored again to mortal life her whom a little before they lamented withdrawn from human sights. Then the Saint is venerated by the King and nobles, glorified by all the courtiers, and exalted with praise by the common throngs. Whose mind did the joy of jubilation not suffuse? Whose of the bystanders did the tears of gladness not water? Who could cease from the gratuitous piety of God, who deigned so to honor his servant placed among sinners? Behold the lamp now fully kindled illustrates very many through the neighboring places, but also those set far off, with the light of its brightness, and effectively forms them by exhorting to the love of God, the vanities of the world being cast off.
[12] The King's gratitude for the benefit. So the King, desiring to exalt by the gift of munificence not only the disciple, namely holy Theodericus, but also blessed Remigius, conferred Vendières on the river Marne on the reverend Father Remigius, but the village Gaugiacum, The matron situated in the country of Reims, strengthened by the decree of his authority, on holy Theodericus, saying: This little gift, illustrious servant of God, we confer with a prompt soul on you and on those desiring to live under your governance and your doctrine; admonishing and beseeching that, while you grow in these bodily increases, for us and the remedy of the souls of our parents, and for the offspring granted, and the stability of the kingdom to be preserved, you do not be slow to offer prayers to God on the altar of your heart, and as often as you approach the altar, so often, that whence bodily strength may grow to you, thence the soul may be filled with spiritual food.
[13] The aforesaid miracle is confirmed. Moreover it must be intimated, especially to confute the most foolish madness of those who in the aforewritten miracle either waver, or believe otherwise than it is, although the matter was done a long time after his venerable death, to bring forward at present into the midst, that the miracle of the aforesaid resurrection was found by the testimony of charters in the archive of the holy church of Reims, and recited in the presence of the King and his nobles, and what perhaps had been doubted by the envious and incredulous, should be continually recalled by the diligent and believing. So while the most pious cultivator of God and the Saints, King Charles, son of the Emperor Louis, nobly governed the scepters of the kingdom of the Franks, a certain one of his nobles, by name Agilramnus, sought his munificence, that he would deign to exalt him by the gift of the honor of some village. The name of the country and the name of the village is sought out, to which the royal honor might grant to his faithful one at his request. The ignorant petitioner, the King also the giver unaware, it was the village Vendières situated on the Marne, which a long time now elapsed had been attributed to the most blessed Remigius Bishop of Reims with the testament of charters, that is asked to be given from the bounty of the King. The venerable Bishop Hincmar then governed the see of Reims; he, hearing that they wished to seize by right of property a village which was known to be subject to his Church by royal gift, immediately transmits to the King the decree of the grant through Gerardus, a chosen knight of the same church, demonstrating to him by clearer indications that it would be done against the canonical law if he should tear away things given to the Church, and hand them over to the right of another's property. In which decree was seen inserted how King Theodericus, for the resurrection of his daughter made by holy Theodericus, the disciple of the most holy Remigius, not only preferred the same Theodericus the servant of God with honor, but had also handed over the village Vendières out of honor and magnificence to the most excellent master, holy Remigius, on whom the Lord had conferred so great a grace that he had such a disciple, who by the gift of the Holy Spirit, like the master, raised the dead. As the royal power perceived these things, it desisted from the grant, and conceded to the church its own harvest. Therefore this was interposed, that the incredulous may come to his senses, and the believer rejoice more.
[14] The disposition therefore of the divinity of God, who had preferred his faithful servant blessed Theodericus by so admirable a deed, He cures the eye of the king himself. and had declared him by exalting him, joining miracle to miracle, willed that the same should be the healer of the sick and ailing: that as he fed the souls of the hungry with spiritual food, so also he should have the cures of bodies to be healed, and refresh the minds of the thirsty with the spiritual cup, but the languishing with the medicine of health. So it happened that the eye of the aforesaid King, whose daughter he had raised, was so seized by the force of excessive pain and immense torment that by no art of the physicians was the pain assuaged even a little. For there was intolerable anguish, and the hope of recovering a cure was utterly taken away by the physicians, and the lamentable sickness of one eye had excited the tears of many eyes among the people. The uncertain outcomes disturbed the King's mind, and the army of the Franks feared lest disfigurement should come to him. Here the dread of death touched him, there the magnitude of pain, here the fear of losing his sight, there the dread of incurring deformity. For if the King had not equal light of the eyes, he would exhibit the greatest disgrace to the peoples. For either by reigning basely he would bear the reproach of deformity, or with the loss of an eye he would perhaps have lost the kingdom too. One counsel therefore remained to the King, that where human remedy did not avail, divine help should be sought. So he transmits suppliant messengers to the venerable Abbot Theodericus, that he who had been the restorer of his daughter's life might become the most benign as well as the swiftest healer of his eye. The same reverend Priest at once arrived, the wound of the miserable eye is shown to him, the pain which he suffers is pointed out, the dangers which they fear are laid bare. As a suppliant therefore the King demands, leaning he begs, firmly hopes for the health which he prays to be conferred on him by the Lord through his servant. Then the man of the Lord, knowing that the virtue was of divine operation, not of human frailty, stretches his body on the ground, raises his mind above the stars, and commits himself wholly to prayer for the King's eye, watering his face with a pure heart, seeks the mercy of the Lord from the fountain of tears, and rising a little after from prayer, raises the placid countenance of his eyes wholly to heaven, where he had placed his mind, and invoking the name of the holy Trinity, pours a little holy oil on the tip of his thumb, and imprints the sign of the saving cross on the ailing eye, and restores the former light to the King swiftly with the touch in a moment. The glad King magnifies the King of Kings, the people are filled with gladness, the whole Senate exults with immense joy, Theodericus the servant of God is praised, God wonderful in his Saints is glorified by all, as is just. The chief men of the people are called together by the King, they congratulate on the magnitude of the miracle, while the King rejoices in himself that the virtue was renewed through his servant Theodericus, which he had before experienced in his daughter raised. For to such a degree was the operation of the spiritual medicine suddenly infused into the eye that no traces of any scar, no spot of any darkness or glaucoma remained: but, wonderful to say! it was so radiant with clear light, as if the eye had never been touched by any injury or dimming. One voice of exultation and confession sounds through the whole kingdom, when Theodericus the servant of Christ restored Theodericus the King to health. What the feeble hand of the physicians for a long time did not avail, this poor man to the world, and rich in God, cried out for the rich one, and what he demanded without doubt he obtained. What the power of the earthly rich one did not prevail, this the humility of the just obtained with God. For what among the members is dearer than an eye? What more desirable than life? What more precious can be compared with the health of life? Or what is desired more avidly to be had than beauty? Would he not have given half his kingdom for his life, who, if he died, would have lost the whole?
[15] by whom he is endowed with a new estate, So the King would exalt the servant of God Theodericus with the greatest honors for the health conferred on him, if he would; would fill him with many gifts, if he desired; would reward him with very many dignities, if he allowed. But a despiser of human praise and worldly recompense, what he had freely received he preferred to give freely, nor would he ever in any way have consented to receive anything earthly, had he not foreseen this to be very fitting for the necessity of posterity. Rewarded therefore long since for the daughter raised with the village Gaugiacum, he is now rewarded with Germiniacum d for the health of the eye restored, desiring in this gift as in the former to provide for his sons in Christ both future and present. For he himself, as was said a little before, would never have acquiesced to receive any earthly reward for such great benefits, unless these were the cause. The man of the Lord was also endowed with so great a grace of humility or simplicity that, when from the King's presence, the aforesaid gift being received and the kiss of peace taken, he departed, he is reported to have said: Lord King, since you for the honor of your power are reverently called King Theodericus by the people, I your servant, lest I bear a similar name, henceforth shall be called not Theodericus but Theodorius. and out of humility he changes his name. The King admires gratefully the humility of the most pure simplicity of the holy man, and the most humble purity of most simple humility, and kissing his venerable hands, asks the Priest's blessing, and honorably ordered him to be led to his monastery.
[16] Illustrious for many miracles From these therefore and in these so notable miracles holy Theodericus of the Lord, fame running round about, was foreknown, and began to be venerated with special concourse by all dwelling in the kingdom of King Theodericus. How great multitudes of the weak you would then see flow together to him, which without delay of time received their desired cures. Restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, gait to the lame, loosing dry and contracted hands, freeing those possessed by demons; he destroyed the thousand frauds of harming of the devil through the arts of divine medicine. O most happy shepherd of the flock of Christ, triumphant leader of war, to whom it was given to confer health on bodies and souls at once! O bearer of the trophy of the spiritual battle, and overcomer of the world with its prince! O most pious father of monks, and leader of many to the kingdoms of heaven! O most prudent shepherd in the house of the father of the family, and most faithful renderer of the talent entrusted by the Lord! For he persevered in the service of God to the end; and whatever he taught by mouth, he demonstrated by most evident examples. And he so despised the falling things of the world that he might always possess the heavenly with Christ. Who indeed, Theodericus the confessor of the Lord, after the works of many virtues, after the signs of miracles, the good contest being led to victory, he dies, and his happy course consummated, leading an angelic life on earth, and fixing the intention of his mind in heavenly things, the Saints meeting him, the Angels rejoicing and leading him, on the Kalends of July migrated with glory to the Lord.
[17] Hence in his days he pleased God by the merit of justice, and is borne to the tomb on the shoulders of King Theodericus. and therefore enjoys with the fruit of good works the crown of glory. Here he instructed many disciples with conspicuous doctrines, who, formed by his salutary example and endowed with virtues, were made imitators of their master. Hearing his most holy passing, the aforesaid King Theodericus hastily came to the monastery, where the venerable body lay buried, with a very great cavalry, mindful of the former benefit, but also not unmindful of his own health, and bore the body of the same, with the suffrage of the venerable priests of Christ joined, on his own shoulders to the tomb which the same most blessed Confessor of Christ Theodericus living had prepared for himself. There follows the blessed funeral a throng of lamenting monks, the assemblies of the peoples gave laments through the air, while they see the treasure withdrawn into the hidden places of the earth to be hidden, namely the body of blessed Theodericus, by whose solace and doctrine they had hitherto been most abundantly sustained. The King confesses that with excessive grief of soul he is deprived of the presence of so great a patron, by whose benefit in adversities he had deserved to be healed. It is no wonder if the King, compassionating human things, commends to the tomb the limbs of him whose soul the King of Kings received with joy in heaven. At whose venerable tomb the divine virtue even to the present day, to the praise of him, works manifold power; whose most blessed patronage may we demand, that we may have mercy with God, to whom is honor and majesty, dominion and power, with the Father and the Holy Spirit through the infinite ages of ages. Amen.
ANNOTATIONS.
* Vendières
* the Marne
* Gueux.
* Germigny
MIRACLES. From the edition of Mabillon, collated with our manuscripts.
Theoderic, Abbot and Confessor, on Mont Or, near Reims (S.)
BHL Number: 8064
From the edition of Mabillon.
A woman working on the evening of Saturday is punished, By the sloth therefore of very many, or the scarcity of writers, the miracles of the most blessed Confessor of Christ Theoderic, hitherto neglected though shown by very many manifestations, this gift which through him the divine disposition deigned to work in our times, we have studied to commend to letters, for the recognition of those posterity who are to come. So on one of the Sabbaths, namely on the evening of the first Sabbath, after which every Christian ought to cease from his own work, a it happened that a certain woman of Saint-Denis, by name Gislaidis, while she turned a millstone with her hand, for the cause of necessity, grinding her grain, in the upper court of the village of the same most blessed Martyr of Christ, where she had been born and raised, the handle which she held, by which she turned the millstone, immediately stuck to her hand, so that it could be torn away by no one, but the handle being cut off on each side of the hand, she returned home with the loss of so great confusion. And learning that Saint Denis was in the city of Reims, to which at that time the precious Martyr of Christ himself had been brought for fear of the pagans, the journey being immediately taken up, she came with swift course even to the most precious relic of the aforesaid Martyr of Christ: approaching which with fear and reverence, and prostrating herself on the ground with great confidence and devotion, she entreats that by his obtaining she might be freed from so great an intolerable suffering.
[2] But when she had asked this day and night, and now thenceforth supposed a remedy, there appeared to her in sleep, as she afterward related, to the tomb of St. Theoderic the cure a certain one clothed in clerical habit, namely in a white garment, with a cheerful face, with hair quite white, a countenance somewhat lean, saying to her: Rise hence and go to holy Theodericus, because on the second day, which is the day after tomorrow, his festivity is to be celebrated, and see that you appear not empty in his house: but take rather wax, as present opportunity supplies to you, and so proceed to his cell, and by his intervention you will obtain what you implore. Awakened and astonished and marveling at the vision, she says: Would that this vision were from the will of God! and at once rising for joy, she did not otherwise than as commanded. She came therefore to the church of the Saint on the venerable solemnity, namely of the same blessed Theodericus, having three weeks from when this had happened to her: and before his mausoleum she gave herself prostrate with her whole body tearfully, and poured out prayers for her health, and persevering there in prayer all night, she humbly and confidently sought pardon for her offenses. Meanwhile, while she lay before the tomb of the often-mentioned Confessor of Christ, by the working of divine grace through the merit and intercession of this Saint, the hand of that woman began gradually to be disjoined from the staff, and without the injury of any pain little by little to be opened; and so again the whole hand is spread out, and in the moment of a single joint, quicker than said, the staff slips onto the pavement, as if it had never stuck to her hand. But many who were present, beholding this miracle of divine power, which was shown on that day through the merit of the most blessed Confessor of Christ Theodericus, glorified the Lord in their hearts, who is always wonderful in all his works.
[3] b Let us report another thing worthy of memory, that it may be made plain He obtains a good death for Otbert the monk how our most blessed Father and Patron St. Theodericus aids his servants. There was a brother in this monastery, by name Otbertus, who, before Gaul was handed over to the swords of the Hungarians for the enormity of [its] crimes, was led to the end of life. And while he suffered the contests of the demons fighting for him and trying to snatch him to destruction, he at length saw himself snatched away by the merits of his kindly patron St. Theodericus, but the demons, by the invocation of the name of Christ and his Saints, withdrawing from him with great noise and indignation. He saw also a certain brother, named Bertricus, who had died not long before, frequently visiting him, and also by consoling admonishing him not to desire to remain here in the world longer, but rather to rejoice to go to him as quickly as possible, that he might be able to see the things which he could never think; since, if he should tarry in the world longer, he would by no means at any time have seen so great an evil as he was about to see soon. The proof of the truth of his saying followed: for this one, touched by a light pain of body, hastening to the church, commending his departure to the Lord by prayers, calls the brethren, and makes them repeat the mass, which they celebrate more hastily than due; he narrates what he had seen, and admonishes them about acting more zealously in the service of God, and about the psalmody to be sung with devotion: and now as if secure and cheerful he departs. After whose death the nation of the Hungarians, c having entered Gaul, devastated almost all things with slaughters, burnings, and plunderings, and burned the monastery itself with flames, and trampled almost all the nearest of the surrounding villages with ruins. And we now plainly behold how true were the things which he had heard by revelation.
On the fountain lately newly arisen.
[4] In the little wood adjoining this monastery, a fountain d lately newly arose, to which a certain feverish man, coming by chance, saw above that fountain a certain old man in clerical habit bent down, holding a golden staff in his hand, who, moved as it were by the sound of the comer, seemed to raise himself from the fountain; this one was struck with so great a fear that, astonished, he fell on the earth; and after a little, returning to himself, he rose, and saw a great splendor, by which the old man had departed toward the monastery; and so, saved from his infirmity, he departed glad. The blind at that time were given light in this place, some lame were raised up, the mute spoke, and the deaf received hearing.
Likewise of the miracles done there.
[5] Lately also, Hugh being ordained Bishop at Reims, a certain paralytic woman, who lay in the city at the doors of the church of St. Mary, by name Magenildis, admonished by a vision, asked to be carried there, and, as she was sprinkled with the water of that fountain, received soundness. A certain one by name Adelwidis, withered in her arms; as she was washed with the same water, departed having obtained safety. A certain blind man of the castle of Mouzon, then coming, as soon as he entered the church of St. Theodericus, received light. A certain poor little woman of that place, as she washed her eyes with this fountain, received the light which she had lost for sixteen years. A certain Fulbertus, bearing a withered arm, as he sprinkled himself with this water, received health and the usefulness of his arm. Then also a certain blind man, by name Ammalricus, there received sight, as soon as he washed himself with this fountain. And very many other miracles are proved to have shone there now, and from various sicknesses various remedies have been conferred.
ANNOTATIONS.
* the Normans.
* Mouzon.
OTHER MIRACLES. Written by Adalgisus, a monk of St. Theodericus, in the twelfth century. From a manuscript codex of the same monastery, by the care of the reverend Father Dom Julian Nerman the Prior, dug out by John Gele, in which miracles some less useful things have been passed over. From the edition of Mabillon.
Theoderic, Abbot and Confessor, on Mont Or, near Reims (S.)
BHL Number: 8066
From the edition of Mabillon.
PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR
To the most beloved Lords and venerable fathers established in the Monastery of St. Theodericus on Mont Or, the least of the servants of God, Adalgisus, perpetual salvation in the Lord. Desiring to be the executor of your command, most loving Fathers, the volume of the miracles of the glorious Confessor of Christ Theodericus, though slow and distracted to other businesses, I have read through again; and what seemed to be lacking, as the opportunity of time suggested, I have studied to adorn with words in order, and prefixing now the chapter-headings of the titles, that each one of them might appear more manifestly from its very heading, I have assigned, and thought it should be offered to you at your request. Therefore let your love, by the zeal of a friend, receive this work published which it obtained, and let it first itself communicate and read it, to be communicated to others: where, if it shall have recognized that I have spoken anything amiss, anything less providently, less cautiously, less honorably, let it, I beg, correct it for itself, and pardon me. For I, as it sometimes happens to be done at feasts of various courses, where very many things of different kinds being born are set forth, so in this work among my other little works and those of my own I kept watch, where, when I had left very many, this for the command of your charity I resumed: but if any greater things drew me elsewhere, they compelled me to forsake the business begun. Wherefore I have seemed to change the tenor of my style as often as it was permitted to return to those things which were to be dictated. But if the words seem cheap, yet the matter is not cheap: for the virtue of God and the merit of his Saint is praised in it. Whence I ask your paternity to receive this kindly, and to pour out prayers to the Lord for me.
I. How and by whom the body of holy and most blessed Theodericus our Patron was buried.
So, blessed Confessor Theodericus being called from this world to the glory of supernal beatitude, the venerable Archbishop of Reims, Romanus, who at that time nobly governed the church committed to him by God, asked the renowned King of the Franks Theodericus with the priests and the most noble and courtly men to be present for the obsequies of the holy body. But the King, rejoicing for the glory of the blessed man, but grieving much because he had heard that he was withdrawn from himself and the world, came, and, the priests and a not small multitude of the clergy and people, which had devoutly assembled, being gathered, they venerably celebrated the obsequies of that sacred body in the territory of Reims on a conspicuous mount, which by the ancients was called Or.
[3] But lest the merits of so great a man should long be concealed, miracles of virtues in the sick immediately followed, not only in the church which he himself, while he yet lived in this light, had built at the showing of an Angel, but also in that little wood which is situated on the side of the mount toward the North near the monastery. For there once a fountain burst forth for amplifying the honor of the Saint among the peoples: to which when the sick came and faithfully drew water from it, the name of the Lord and of the holy Confessor being invoked, they were immediately healed. So that fountain, as faithful men and those who saw both testify, seems to retain the color and taste of the river Jordan, in which our Lord and Savior sanctioned baptism. Nor is it a wonder if virtues are done in it by divine virtue, when it has these innate qualities also from him from whom all good things proceed.
II. Of a certain feverish man, who coming by chance to the fountain of the Saint, was healed at his vision.
But on a certain day a certain feverish man walked beside the same fountain, who however turned nothing of it over in his thought. But there was in him a deadly cold and heat, by turns fighting in his inmost bones and marrows, so that, the cold fleeing, the same was desired. For an immense heat vaporized his weak limbs beyond measure. O how often he plucked the grasses from the turf, how often he broke the foliage from the tree, and when he was burned with excessive heat, joined them to his limbs, and not even thus did he mitigate the burning. But often, stripped of his garment, he clung to the ground, but the earth, which seems cold by nature, touched by his body grew warm. O misery! Often when he was cold, he was burdened with fuller coverings, and drank little potions which stir up heat, and when he was brought to the fire, he was cold even before the embers. In this anguish therefore of mind and body, he came walking to the already-mentioned fountain: but when he was still far off, he beholds the holy Confessor of God Theodericus in clerical habit, old in age, holding a golden rod in his hand and bent over the fountain. Who, when at the approach of the coming sick man he as if moved recalled himself from the fountain, that sick man, struck with excessive fear, fell to the earth, closed his eyes, and remained as if astonished for a little. But afterward, returned to himself, he felt what he had suffered, and raising his head, looked toward the monastery of the Saint, where he beheld a line of light and as it were a ray of excessive brightness, by which the Saint had gone. So at last the man, healed, no longer felt that fever in his body. The blind, lame, mute, and deaf healed. The blind at that time were given light in that place, some lame were raised up, the mute received speech and the deaf hearing. For through these the most benign God, lover of men, intimated to mortals the glory of his Saint Theodericus, whence also he himself was glorified in his Saint, who is glorious in his Saints, wonderful in his majesty.
III. A paralytic woman, coming from the city of Reims, was healed.
The time, place, and person make the order of our narration more notable. So, Louis the Fourth, most noble King of the Franks, reigning, and he assenting to the votes of the clergy and people, Hugh, a an episcopal man, deserved the summit of the Archiepiscopate in the city of Reims. At that time the harvest of miracles had grown up on Mont Or at the memorial of blessed Theoderic the Abbot, as in a field which the Omnipotent blessed, by whose fruit fame flying in various directions refreshed the weak and sick everywhere. For to all those both the report was welcome, and the concourse to the Saint desirable. For the longer anyone had languished, the more hastily he desired to be healed. Thence they rushed in troops, and desired to see so great a praise of God, the merit of the Saint. But there were also certain ones to whom it was shown in a vision in what place they would be granted the desired health. Of these a certain paralytic woman, whose name was Magenildis, lay in the city of Reims at the threshold of the most blessed Mother of God, that she might ask from those entering the church an alms of bodily aid; but neither was there faith, even when she desired health, that she might pray to be healed.
[6] But the divine goodness, which therefore allows some to be stricken, that the works of God may be manifested in them, deigned to show to the sick woman, lulled in sleep, in a vision. Which vision, not deceptively knotting up a matter of vanity, but openly declaring, commands that she cause herself, sick as she was, to be carried by her friends to Mont Or, to the presence of holy Theodericus, to the fountain of his name, where, touched by the cold liquid, she would receive health. The woman, awakened and returned to herself, began silently to meditate on the vision: and although at first, reckoning it an empty dream, she hesitated, yet afterward, even with doubtful hope, she rejoices. The wretched woman seemed therefore to be glad: and those present who were there ask whence she, worn by long languor, rejoices. But she relates the things which she had conceived from the vision, by which she is immediately admonished that she should believe, by no means doubtful, that what was shown to her divinely was true. There are narrated to her also kinds of various sicknesses without number lately to have fled at the touch of the water on the mount of the Saint, and to have utterly flowed off from possessed bodies. Then she, now not doubtful of health, but believing with firm faith that she would be healed, says: Lead me away hence, friends, as quickly as possible, and what the divine mercy has dictated to me, offer me to the sight of the Saint.
[7] So they, soon carrying the sick woman by vehicle, and hastening the journey with what gait they could (for they desired to see how health would glide into the sick limbs), came to the desired place. The wave of the fountain, seen at once, kindled the desire of soundness, and the flame of desire growing, the faith of believing of those approaching was strengthened, the matter being taken up. For on both sides joyful bands ran about, and they rejoiced, having obtained, as each had demanded, the health now received: to those who had not yet obtained, they pointed out the saving gift. But those, stripping the sick woman, and giving her to drink that she might be healed inwardly, sprinkle her outwardly with the cold fountain. O wondrous virtue of God! she who, with weary limbs and her whole body lost, had needed another's aid to come hither, growing warm from the cold dew, stood firm, and with the visible element was endowed with invisible grace. Then, feeling the divine gifts in herself, she loosed her tongue to glorify the Lord living forever. Glorious, she said, are you, Lord, in your Saints, who through the merits of your most blessed Confessor Theodericus have put my sickness to flight and restored me to perfect health. Be therefore your name blessed forever and in all ages of ages. And when the woman, dancing for the health received, had rendered many-sounding praises to God, she returned to her own with her whole company, and all who had before known her a paralytic were moved to the love of the holy Confessor.
IV. Of a certain blind man, suddenly given light before the multitude of the people.
And the people, the beholder indeed of the holy miracle, returning to their dwellings, filled the roads, towns, fields, castles with the most honorable fame of the virtue lately shown on Mont Or, and whoever heard these things done by God through his holy Theodericus, themselves thought to go to see something similar: that what, receiving by hearing, they had recognized, beholding with their eyes, they might hold more credible. The sick indeed, both those who suffered less and those who suffered more, the latter perhaps, because they thought lesser sicknesses could be more easily healed, leaned on greater hope; but the former, thinking that graver diseases could be more difficultly or not at all healed, sometimes despaired. Yet each one of their multitude sought an opportunity of approaching the Saint; but he whose fuller will adhered to his ability, having taken up the journey, came more quickly to the place. But old men, old women, and boys, from whom either old age had taken strength, or the coming order of age had not yet fully conferred it, hearing the miracles of the Saint, rejoiced and desired to hasten to his presence. But since strength was lacking to all in their weak limbs, they grieved that such things had not happened in their own time. Whence also they often recalled their lost youth, imprecating with vows, but the boys poured out complaints that they were not yet of such possibility and of their own freedom, and desired to grow young more swiftly, that they might hasten to the Saint together in one, and see the kinds of healings which were believed to be done through him.
[9] So, flowing in from every province and even from distant parts, the peoples felt the benefits of God, and praised, glorifying him who deigns to work wonders through his Saints. When therefore many of them, who had recognized that nothing new, except by hearing, had happened there, burned with desire to behold either some fever rush away, the feverish rise, the sick recover: a certain memorable man, by name Amalricus, was brought (for he was blind), and behold great joy arises among the people that out of darkness there would immediately come the greater [joy] of light to be received. They said therefore: Now, thanks be to God, we see a man on whom the propitiation of God through the merits of holy Theodericus will be conferred, and hence today we shall report the benefits seen rather than heard. So the blind man is led to the often-mentioned fountain, and a crowd gathering on all sides, he is placed near the water to be seen. Who, asking for a vessel full of the saving liquid, tasted it, bedewed his eyes, wiped them, saw, and seeing himself who saw, the light received, he himself recognized. Glory to you, almighty God, the gladdened people acclaim, who have today gladdened us desiring, seeking, loving to see such things, by your Saint with this miracle, and have rewarded us with present good. And the man indeed, seeing clearly, himself desired to give praises to God: but his single voice, overcome by the multitude of voices, and not heard, rested. Who however, if he thought anything well of God, of the Saint, this surely, as we believe, was acceptable to God the Creator himself.
[10] So there were a few in that multitude of the crowd, who, because they were held more prudent than the rest, sought by diligent investigation to what they might best compare that saving fountain. For much diversity of waters is recorded, some indeed barrenness, some fecundity, some drunkenness, but some sobriety, some innumerable diseases, and others health are reported to beget. For the creator of all things implanted in each one of them, even in inanimate bodies, that each one of them should work that for which it was created, by a certain or hidden reason, but to all fountains something of the said things is innate. Whence, although the Lord of the Angels, made man, could have healed the man blind from birth by his word alone, he preferred, having anointed him with clay made of spittle, to send him beforehand to the waters of Siloam, that, washed thence, he might lose his blindness, receive light. Wherefore this fountain seems to suit no water more than that one which, by the grace of the Creator, put darkness to flight, restored lights. Therefore let this fountain be compared to the water of Siloam. But that man of Siloam recognized the Lord healing, illuminating; he believed God the Son of God and followed him: but this one who, blessed from a boy by the Christian name, had believed his author, now, his eyes received, praised, glorified, venerated him with heart and mouth, and whatever he could with his voice, and returned to his own: but also all who had been beholders of so great a miracle, blessing the Lord God, returned to their dwellings.
V. Of a woman who, by the intervention of the most blessed Theodericus, received her son, vexed by a fever, happily healed at the fountain.
So, God being the author, after the merits of the most blessed Confessor of Christ Theodericus were made illustrious to the unbelieving people by miracles most openly revealing them, and that he now glories with Christ in supernal happiness, none doubting; the people coming sought happily both the health of the soul and of the body; the face of virtues withdrew hidden, which before, appearing most effectively in the miracles mentioned above, had dilated itself. For to this end the miracles had grown famous, because they were signs, that it might be plain to all through external gifts how great things the Saint, crowned with eternal glory, could work invisibly in the health of souls: and this being inserted into the mind of believers, because miracles were no longer needful, they ceased usefully enough. And the fountain indeed was hidden in the inmost bowels of the earth, nor did its former benefits any longer shine in it, but the Saint never ceased from mercy or from conferring benefit: for invisibly he always works. But because the carnal difficultly or never grasp spiritual things, for forming the minds of the crowd that they may believe, sometimes visible miracles are needful.
[12] So, the visible works of the Saint ceasing for a long time, the generation which then was passed away by dying, and we have come even to our times. So the Lord, wishing to manifest the beatitude of his Saint to a fresh people, and to excite torpid hearts to seeking him, in these our days deigned mercifully to show new miracles through the same Saint, which the peoples of the faithful might see, and more devoutly glorify the King of the Saints. So in the village which is called Chaneia, when there were several women, there was also one who had a son whom she had borne, nourishing him in her own house: but to have him seemed as if not to have him, while the boy was incredibly vexed by a violent fever. For he was vexed in a wonderful way, so that cold and heat by turns, claiming the one wretched body, seemed now to make him tremble, now to throb, now to drip cold sweat from his exhausted limbs, and when he was increased by so great a weight of miseries, he seemed at every moment to announce death to his mother. But she, suffused with tears, wept, and if she believed she could bring any help to her son, she sought it with all effort from friends, from neighbors, from kinsmen, and often asked even from passersby what could expel the fever: and when she had spent all their opinions and even the cures of medicine found out by the wise, she found nothing of health in him. Often indeed she poured cold water over his limbs hot with deadly heat; often, as he cried out, now I freeze, now I grow icy, now indeed I die, she prepared fire, that she might satisfy the boy miserably alternating in this fever.
[13] When therefore none of these had availed, and his frequent panting, interrupted by long sighs, threatened utter destruction (for now the body lay stretched on the earth half-alive, as if soon to be a corpse), it came into the mother's mind by divine inspiration that she should carry him to the presence of holy Theodericus, and from his saving fountain, which lately, the veins of the earth gushing from the depths, seeking again its ancient source, had flowed back by divine mercy, sprinkle the weak limbs of her son. And taking him she carried him, but worn out by long weeping and continual grief, she sat down a little, wearied by the short journey, and breathing again and hastening, she came to the place; what she there prayed, or what she imprecated, since above the riches of the world she desired the health of her offspring, is not to be asked. But she prayed, and descending to the fountain with faith, drew water, and pouring it over the limbs of her sick son, suddenly saw the visible miracle of health. For quicker than said the pain fled, the rosy color received the pale limbs, into the marrows, sinews, and bones the boyish vigor glided, and the boy at last standing and walking could not, nor would, conceal the gladness of the health received. And the mother, beholding these things, rejoiced most amply, and desiring to praise so great wonders of God, for the excessive alacrity of her mind failed in the very applause: but to this worthy dancing suddenly a certain repentance of past things thrust itself, namely that she had recognized the virtue of the Saint late, had lost very much in vain, had believed late that he was to be healed whom she now saw, touched by the fountain's liquid, leap up most holily. And so this woman, following her son who went before, entered the church of the holy Confessor of Christ Theodericus, where both blessed the name of the Lord Savior for the health received, and vowing vows to the Saint, returned to their dwellings. But the neighbors and those who had known the sick boy before he was healed, seeing him now whole and retaining no trace of the fever, themselves also blessed God, and were animated to hold, honor, and frequent the memory of the Saint.
VI. A certain man whom an airy humor had blinded, whom the Saint illuminated.
Teracia is the name of a certain most renowned wood, in which it is established there is a monastery built long ago by the ancients in the name of St. Michael the Archangel, on account of which a certain village is seen situated, which is commonly called Aneïa. In this therefore a certain man at one time, by name Hostrebaldus, who on one of the days for the sake of working entered that wood, but suddenly, the sky gradually growing dark with the situation of the shadows and a dense fog beclouding all the empty [air] from above, a thicker humor seemed to the man to have flowed down from on high, and to have infected his mouth and the pupils of his eyes. And when he often tried with his hands and his garment to dry them, that he might see more clearly, he lost his sight, and with his eyes open, while he still imputed that blindness of his to the shadows of dawn, he was found by certain ones: and being asked by them why he was there alone, why he varied his ways, why with his staff stretched out he felt for the path, who was not blind, who saw the day clearly, as if to all, as to himself the blindness lately thrust upon him were known, with rancor of soul and excessive weeping he answered: O senseless and perverse men, heavier than beasts and wild creatures? those indeed, while I weep, while I cry out, flee, and by fleeing afford consolation to one deprived of light: but you, rational and known men, strive to increase sorrows with sorrows, while you thus speak with heaped-up question under reproach, and, while I weep, impel me to richer weeping. We, they say, see what you do, but what you suffer, we know not: but you, if anything is hidden, manifest it; if anything harmful, narrate it to those desiring to know. But he said, the morning fog overflowing my head closed my eyes, denied light, brought in darkness, and behold I see nothing. We, they say, are able to bring you no consolation, to afford no benefit in this crisis: only we will lead you back to your own house, and report you to your own, blind as you are. So they compensate words with deeds. So the man, led back, suffered that blindness for nearly the courses of two years.
[15] But as the above-said miracles had grown famous on Mont Or at the presence of blessed Theodericus, fame filled both the provinces round about and also the village named above. And the blind man, hearing that the eyes of others had lately received light by the merit of the Saint, began to rejoice as one who hopes and distrusts. But many persuading him to go, to believe, to ask to be healed by the Saint, he proceeded to go, and coming to the fountain supplicated those present (for a very great crowd lay round about) that that liquid be bestowed on him, by which, the Saint suffraging, pains are put to flight, health is shown. The prayer of the petitioner obtained its effect, and at length the blind man devoutly took the drawn liquid, tastes it, pours it into his eyes, and immediately proceeds to the temple to commend his devotion to God by supplications. After therefore he had satisfied himself by praying, and perhaps God, he returned again to the fountain: where, when a second time he had bathed his eyes with the wave of the cold fountain, the darkness soon fled, light filled the man: who, when he saw the fountain, saw the world, saw also the crowd flowing together on all sides, did not know what to do, except what was suggested to him by those whom he saw. But all who were present go with him to the monastery, and assign to the brethren there serving God the display of the glory of so great a virtue, and together with them pay out to the Lord God the heralding of praises. And the man indeed, who had come blind, vowed vows and, seeing and glad, returned to his own: but all the fellow-villagers and whoever at that time saw and heard these things, became more devout toward the worship of God and the honoring of the Saint's memory.
VII. Another blind man, touched by the fountain, coming into the monastery, was given light.
So on the same day on which this one had deserved health, when now the evening assembly was being dissolved by the brethren, the divine power declared another miracle of great virtue through the merit of this Saint. Nisiacus indeed is a royal estate, near which a village, by the name Diseia, is situated. So in this a boy, by name Hagano, begotten of his parents by human law, an sudden pain coming on, when, still untaught, he could not utter what he had, incurred blindness of the eyes. But his parents knew not what to do for him, what to provide for his health by prayer and price, since they had now applied very much grace of cure, for often the matron, milk being pressed from her breast, instilled it into the infant's eyes, often licking with her tongue, applied the juices of herbs, often also murmured charms of the good kind: but the care which seemed to have relieved others profited the little infant nothing, and all friends, kinsmen, and neighbors also condoled with the parents. But hearing that lately three blind men, and before very many, had been healed by the Saint, and also others without number relieved of other infirmities, the parents appoint a day on which the little infant should be carried to the memorial of this most blessed Confessor. But the day coming, without delay they carry the little one to Mont Or and to the fountain of the most devout Saint, with all veneration and faith: and vowing vows for him and asking the suffrages of the Saint, they pour the fountain's wave over the little one's whole face. But he wept, and, altogether ignorant of what the parents' devotion asked to be done for him, and what the virtue of the Omnipotent disposed to grant, wailed with excessive screaming. At last they carry him to the monastery, and from the relics of the patronizing Saint ask the character of the most victorious cross of Christ to be drawn over the still blind face: which done, all blindness was put to flight, and full light infused into the infant's eyes. Whence the parents, congratulating, but also all who then together heard, rendered praises to the Omnipotent Lord.
VIII. Of a deaf man who, by coming to the holy Man, received hearing.
And the opulence of the Saint's virtues breathed fame with a manifold fragrance both to distant nations and also to the near parts of the province of Reims. Whence it happened that it reached the village which is commonly called Fraximus, and is in the territory of Vermandois beside the river Somme. But there was a certain man in it, deaf long before, who, when he saw the mixed crowd rejoicing and attentive to receiving the report of the miracles of St. Theodericus, asks with words (because he who could not hear could speak) why they look up to heaven, why they beat their breasts, why they pour out tears, why finally they rejoice. But they, because the deaf man could not grasp the sounding words, by nods of signs and by voice, although he did not hear, assign that the deaf, blind, lame, and a company of the sick had been healed by God on Mont Or and at the fountain of Theodericus. And he, taught to grasp such signs, takes his staff, takes the way, turns over in his mind very many volumes of thoughts, and by going and hastening draws near to the mount. It was the hour at which the brethren, gathered for the praise of the supreme Trinity, marked its beginning with the accustomed clang of the bell. And when that sound filled the air in the circuit of the mount, all felt it whose hearing was sound in the head, and he too felt it for whom a little before it had been not at all sound. O, thanks be to God, he said, O most holy Confessor of the Lord, Theodericus, how true are the things which are preached of you! O would that I now plainly knew those things which my fellow-villagers reported to me three days ago in our village, and which they conferred among themselves, which they designated by uncomposed signs. And certainly my mind brought forth to me that they wished me to come to these parts, demonstrated by nods that I should come, and intimated by fingers arranged in number that the deaf and blind and others were recalled from many infirmities. But why do I speak much with myself, I came and felt the virtue of God and the merit of the Saint: whence, O would that I had now returned to them, and now plainly knew what they admonished me! I would also narrate to them the benefit of God conferred on me. But certainly first I will come to the Saint, I will report to the inhabitants of this land the wonders of God the Savior, and that through the entreaty of St. Theodericus I may deserve both to hear and believe myself heard. At last therefore the man, either conceiving these things in his heart or pouring them forth with his mouth, came to the monastery, and, announcing these things to the throng of monks, which still stood for the praise of God, by the new effect gave matter for glorifying the Creator. For these things heard, they both strike the bells and with their mouth sound aloud praises to God the creator, who is blessed forever.
IX. A girl, paralytic in her whole body, by the prayer and merits of the blessed Man departed whole.
It is pious to think of the Lord in goodness, and in simplicity of heart to seek him, of whom the Psalmist says, your ear has heard the preparation of their heart. From the village of Avenay there was a girl who, paralytic in her whole body, had lain in bed for eight years, in the space of which she was never able to put her hand to her mouth, never to turn herself to the other side. She had long since been brought to Hautvillers, that by the patronage of the Saints she might be relieved of the weight of her infirmity: but she returned from them without effect, because she was reserved to be cured by the merits of another. But after her return she asked her mother instantly and opportunely that she would hire her a vehicle, or prepare any litter, by which she might be able to approach the oratory of the man of God, the often-mentioned and more often to be mentioned Theodericus. A wondrous thing! Want pressed the mother, and she complained against her daughter, that she had not, nor knew the means of having or finding [one], when behold the girl, the native vigor poured back into her limbs, crying out that she was whole, rejoices, and rejoicing, rising unexpectedly, attests to her soundness. You would see her who a little before was asking for a vehicle now unexpectedly run before her astonished mother, by running before her mother seek the fountain of Mont Or, by seeking reach it, by reaching it pour the saving water over each of her limbs. It was a pious thing to hear and see them paying out to the Lord and the holy father at the doors of his oratory vows of praises, the faithful marveling at the immense clemency of God, who before he is invoked, says, Behold I am here, and frequently to one not even hoping grants eternal benefits.
X. A woman blind for three years departed happily healed.
In the diocese of Trier there is a castle which is called Longuyon, which indeed is situated on the river Chiers, and is surrounded on all sides by a wood. Near this is a village named Romaüs, from which was a woman, by name Dodo, deprived of the light of her eyes for three years: for recovering which her husband had led her round through several places of the Saints, but from none could she obtain the remedy which she sought. Being altogether despairing about this, certain travelers happen to meet them, who, having saluted them and learned their affairs, first admonish them not to make light of their counsels, then, On Mont Or, they say, a fountain of waters has lately been found, saving against diseases and pests, not only of men, but also of beasts. If, acting diligently, you add a journey thither to your past labors, who would doubt or be ignorant that you can find there the special bounty of God who has mercy on all; since the Saint, who by the excellence of his merits obtained that a stream gush forth there, will obtain that it profit unto the health of the seekers in their needs. Secure therefore of his merits, nay rather of the bounty of God, attempt the journey, as we admonish, not slothful.
[20] These things being briefly set forth, the husband is compelled by his partner, who was compelled by the loss of her light, and both hasten to the fountain, that together they might hastily obtain the remedy of soundness. But when they came, both draw water leaping unto health, the woman washes, and wearied indeed by the journey, but impatient of delay, washes her head and eyes diligently, and so falls asleep beside the flowing water. But, he who neither sleeps nor slumbers having mercy, waking from sleep, she felt that the light which she had long desired had returned to her, and cries out to her husband standing not far off: Glory, praise, and honor to the true light, God, above the light of heaven, which by my wish I see. How great gladness thence suddenly arose to both, any hearer can conjecture from himself or from a similar conjunction of things. Both, shaken from the earth, rise, and each takes up his own, and they hasten to enter the thresholds of the temple, and rejoice to recompense thanks to the supreme giver and the most munificent Confessor for the benefits received. Nor was there lacking at once, fame of the deed being roused, a very great gathering of the people, who, harmonious with the throng of the brethren, sounded fittingly with them hymns and concerts of praises.
XI. On the same day a little boy lame from his mother's womb was raised up between the hands of his father.
To this divine munificence another deed must be added. There was a little boy by name Hugo of Laon, whom his mother's womb had brought forth into the light lame. Him his father, grieving for a long time, excited by the report of the virtues of our memorial Saint, rejoicing in hope, places on his shoulders, and at the fountain, the vicar of health, sprinkled with much sweat for the long journey, at length sets him down, and first indeed pours over the whole body of the boy the healing water, then bears him into the sacred building, distinguished by humility, piety, devotion, faith the most faithful leader to these three handmaids, which, joining four, for the fifth, namely the paternal petition, summoned the merits of the blessed man to a most swift assistance. For suddenly the father, the bearer of his borne son, is terrified by the cry and unusual prayer of the boy, who professes that he is henceforth raised up to walk, and will no longer be carried. Some bystanders with the father are astonished that he, whom they had known lame from his mother's womb hitherto, stands on his feet, totters, trembles, walks; and they gird themselves to proclaim the wonders of God and to render the gifts of praises.
XII. A contracted woman was healed by the sprinkling of the Saint's fountain.
Several things of this kind were frequently done at the same fountain, which on account of their plurality and the scarcity of writers have been handed over to the blasts of the winds and to oblivion. But we are unwilling to neglect those things which we have seen, lest oblivion, as it does very many, should hasten to absorb them. In the city of Reims there was a woman, called Rothildis, debilitated for the space of sixteen years by stupor of the nerves and contraction of the limbs. She was daily carried by the hands of her household into the porch of the greater church, where she was nourished by the alms of the passersby and especially by the alms of the canons of the glorious Mother of God, as has been said of several. At length she was animated by the report of the virtues of the glorious father, and carried by vehicle to the fountain of the healing water: whose keepers she sought with firm faith that her weak limbs might be sprinkled with the saving water. When this was done, a twofold vigor was suddenly poured back into her marrows and, made sound, the cart being neglected, she returned on foot whence she had come. The author a witness. But we standing by both saw these things and praised the Lord, who works in his Saints, with the jubilation of heart and voice.
XIII. A woman blinded, coming from Britain of the Ocean, received sight by the merits of the blessed man.
A woman sprung from the island of the Britons, but a native of the English nation, deprived of the sight of her eyes for a long time, is roused by the fame of the fountain and of these virtues, and, a guide of the journey being taken, crosses the sea, and enters the memorial of the Saint. She spends three days at the monastery and the fountain, confesses, prays for pardon: but during the day she cannot obtain indulgence for her affliction. Then now as if despairing and having suffered weariness she resolves to go back, and the business unfinished though anxious, retracing the long journey by which she had resolved to be wearied, she hastens to restore herself to her own borders. Yet she takes some of the fountain's water, and carries it with her, until she enters the village which they call Culmissiacum: which having entered she is assailed by a violent thirst, which she could easily have driven off with the saving water with which she was laden, which also was done. But, alas for grief, there remained an inner thirst sharper than the outer, which would that she might equally drive off with the singular fountain, saving indeed outwardly, but more saving inwardly. That this might be done, it seemed to her moreover to bedew the surfaces of the places of her eyes lacking light from the same water, faith leading the way, which compels the mind which it illustrates, and to attempt impossible things. Without delay, sight is admitted, the obstacle of blindness is removed, she suddenly turns her step backward, lest the benefits of one ungrateful lie hidden, and becomes a witness and herald of the sign: who, even if she had been silent, was yet an indication to those seeing the clear and pure ray of her pupil and her gaze, seeing the things which were present. So, gifts of thanks rendered for the health obtained, brisk and ignorant of weariness, she remeasures the long journey, and seeks again her lodging, not led by hand by others, but supported by her own lights.
XIV. How the clerics of Laon wished to steal the body of blessed Theodericus.
The merits of the most blessed Theodericus suffraging, God bestowed innumerable benefits on the faithful of every kind, the highest and lowest, those remaining far off and near: which partly are written down in books, partly are blotted out by negligence and oblivion, partly indeed commended to the memory of some, but, lest they be unknown, not yet bound by the aid of letters. Of these we have arranged a few, lest they be altogether removed from memory, as dust by the wind, to fortify them by writing, relying on the authority and faith of those who either saw them, or could hear from those seeing. Certain of our elders narrated to us a thing altogether divine and demonstrative of the piety patronizing us. The man of pious and praiseworthy memory, father of this monastery, Raimbaldus, was eminently revered by those dwelling round about for the fame and work of religion. He had composed caskets apt for laying up the bodies of the blessed Confessors Theodericus and Theodulf, and that he might show the benevolence of devotion which he had had toward the Saints, he had decorated them with gold and silver, whose limbs first a pall spread over covered, with only the front and back panels wonderfully decorated.
[15] Meanwhile between the people of Laon and the aforesaid Abbot there was an altercation of a suit over a certain estate, for the ending of which an offered occasion admonished that the body of blessed Theodericus should be carried to Laon. So it was brought into the city and, by the clergy and people of the same, fittingly and honorably, as was right, received, was diligently kept in the greater church by the clerics of the same church, all of ours being removed: and that they should remove ours, the device of unexpected fraud admonished them, which not much after manifestly appeared. For two of them by night with the iron tools necessary for the work of their fraud break into the sacred building, breaking in with sacrilegious hand they break open the casket of the man of God; broken open they open it, opened they thrust in their hands; but their hands thrust in, incomprehensibly, God cooperating, the body which was present, because they strove to steal and carry it off, they neither feel nor find. Over which not a little dismayed in mind, that they might escape the mark of confusion, they re-cover the broken locks opportunely and diligently; lest in any way, lest by any occasion, lest by any suspicion anyone should search, and by searching recognize what they had done fraudulently. So great was their caution and diligence that the cause of this fraud long lay hidden from the household of the Saint, who had preserved himself for his own, had hidden himself from those not his own.
[26] And not much after the aforesaid venerable Abbot, the caskets being adorned, obtained from the Metropolitan of Reims that he would appoint a day of assembling and announce to those dwelling round about, on which the pious Confessor would both be exposed from his casket to be seen and embraced by the religious, and in it, as in a perennial rest, be laid up by them. Hearing the day of which appointed assembly, those two, whom the wonderful operation of God, which cannot be comprehended by reason, had unwillingly turned away from their fraud, approach the Abbot, fearing lest he be clothed with the shame of confusion, when at the appointed time he wished to show the Saint to whatever religious, and he should not be found. Indeed, measuring others by themselves, whom God had deservedly deprived of his Elect both as to finding and as to seeing and seizing. They confess therefore to the reverence of so great a Father the snares of their clandestine fraud, nor are they ashamed, either insulting their treasure deprived, or consulting their own fame and the detriment of praise. By their confession the Abbot is first disturbed, but by the piety of a father is more quickly relieved from his disturbance. For, fastings being continued for three days, and with prayers and sighs the same standing by, the casket is opened. The Saint is found whole, is seen with eyes, is touched with hands: there arises to those two the confusion of new admiration and to the household of the Saint the amplification of ancient devotion, for they consider the commiseration of their patron toward themselves from his presence and manifestation, and his indignation toward those from his absence and concealment. May almighty God be blessed over all the things which he wonderfully works in his Saint. Amen.
XV. The miracle of Egardus the priest healed.
[Robert count of Flanders with the queen of the Danes is received at St. Theodericus.] The renowned great king of the Danes having entered the way of all flesh, his consort the Queen was sought to be joined in a second marriage to the Duke of Sicily: whom her brother Robert count of the Flemish, leading to Sicily for the sake of this matter, passed through France and sought Mont Or for lodging. Hearing which, Rodulph the venerable Abbot of the same place, the assembly of his monks being collected with banners and ecclesiastical apparatus, fittingly went forth to meet them, and honorably received both, namely the Count and the Queen: and the received he leads into the cell; nay rather into a royal house. For you would have seen on the walls, a little before uncultivated, and on the ceilings, formerly horrid with squalor, palls of imperial dignity, spread over with elaborate curtains, gleam, and nonetheless you would have been astonished at the couches notable for engravings, sculptures, and the lathe. The bedding also propped with the softness of feathers, and overlaid with purple covers, and the chief men entering reclining on these and being refreshed on these. Further, the seats were each adorned with tapestries precious both for artificial subtlety and for variety of colors, and the surfaces of the pavement, wiped of their dust and sprinkled with whatever green and odoriferous flowers, gave a sweet fragrance to those entering and sitting. Above the rest the diligence of the boys would have pleased you very much, wisely arranged for the offices of the house by the wise, who with honesty and order provided skilfully for their attendants, lest anything be lacking to the invited and reclining, and lest anything perish by carelessness of the substance, furniture, and utensils assigned to them.
[28] When therefore, all things being duly ordered, the father with inimitable industry had ministered the royal (so to say) apparatus to the reclining, no less did he also refresh their spirit with his food. For the life of the most blessed Theodericus beloved of God, illustrious with virtues, read and expounded before them by the brethren, he set before them as a most salutary dish of the soul, which above the other expenses and outlays both made much of. So, counsel being shared, they chose to be henceforth the companions of the excellent father, that, more familiarly known by him, they might enjoy his patronage. Which he indeed, as an imitator of the divinity, would bestow thanks on all. But, made the heir and possessor of his own things by himself, would now render it back to himself as to his buyers. With benevolence therefore and concord of both, such deliberation being held, and the kindness of each promising mutually to themselves, saying whatever gift it is, from me it shall profit you: the Count humbly attributed to the man of God an estate of his own right, The Count grants an estate to St. Theodericus. which is near the village of Harelbeke. Which done, he kindly and prudently advised that, as quickly as possible, for the obtaining of the same for himself and possessing it by perennial right, the Saint should be conveyed in his casket.
[29] The body of the Saint is carried into Flanders. After the departure of him and his retinue, the aforesaid father did not delay to assent to the counsel of the munificent Count, and to try the outcome of this business. Concerning which, seeking the assent of Lord Rainald the first Archbishop of Reims, nay rather being chiefly sought by him concerning this, his letters with seal being received, by whose indication the Saint, wherever among the nations he was conveyed, might be honored as was fitting. With no small apparatus, conveying his patron with him, he took up the journey, and coming to the aforesaid place, obtained whatever had been offered to the Saint by the Count and Queen, no delay of contradiction intervening. But concerning the piety of the holy man what shall we say above all, what worthy of his merits of praise shall we be able to ascribe? Wherever they went, wherever the holy man was carried, he bestowed help on the wretched. For truly the executor of heavenly medicine brought forth from the wallet of mercy a saving antidote for whatever poisons of diseases, and checked whatever pustules of troubles with the scalpel of divine cautery.
[30] At that time the sacred fire, which the Greeks call erysipelas, Miracles and cures. the index of divine punishment, had fallen upon the parts of Flanders, a very great multitude of Christians, the scourge of so horrible a calamity raging, partly prostrate, partly groaning and gnashing their teeth for the immensity of the pain, partly now punished with death. Further, at the village of Courtrai a certain cleric, whose name was Egardus, the same calamity had so invaded that, from the calf below the knee the nerves gathered into the manner of a ball connected the heel of the right foot to the thigh, and from the calf to the bases of the same foot, the bare and white bone appeared, the flesh being eaten away by the sacred fire, nor was the foot itself now felt, being dead, inasmuch as it now exhibited no function. He, the coming of the man of God being known from the letters of the Metropolitan, which were carried before, at once began to presage the obtaining of his cure: and, like the seer Jeremiah, he felt a fire seethe in his bones; that is, a sudden presumption born in his heart from devotion. At length, the desired coming of the man of God and his companions, the procession advances, and he is most officiously received by the faithful. For from the profusion of piety some weep, vows and sighs of devotion are uttered, in the jubilation of heart and voice praises are paid out. You would have seen Egardus holding staffs wrapped in cloths, and supported by these, and scarcely advancing, but yet swift through hope going before. You would have seen him meanwhile sit down weary, and by sitting down await the coming Saint, but in mind run before to the Saint. You would have seen each beat their breasts, confess their sins, ask pardon for their sins, but you would marvel that the eyes of our patron, as if turned away from the rest, looked upon Egardus alone: nor less would you have been astonished that his mind, as if the rest being then dismissed, had mercy on Egardus alone: and he who fleeing lay hidden in a corner of the church, because he, powerless and weak, feared to be oppressed by the powerful and strong, set in the middle of the church, was brought forth from his hiding-corner.
[31] But why do I linger with many words, the casket is set under the altar and Egardus leaning on staffs follows in his footsteps, presaging, arranges his lights, and before the casket, rejoicing in hope, kindles them. Meanwhile all of ours, except a few keepers of the altar, are girded for caring for and refreshing their bodies, when behold the weak nerves of Egardus from the callosity which, as we said, had coalesced under the right knee into the manner of a ball, began to be loosed: and their noise indeed was heard through the whole church, but he himself was vexed by no pain. And not much after, set before the keepers and them astonished, he is prostrated on the pavement as if lifeless, and thence the nerves being loosened for the use of walking, admonished by the bystanders, the sick man tries himself by a threefold walking round the altar: by which walking, the truth of the cure of the same sick man being ascertained, those dining are summoned with great joy and praises are rendered to God for the wondrous operation of his Saint. And lest a scruple should be in anyone about the dispelled weakness, the sick man, raised, is led into the midst, the loosening of the nerves is shown to all, The author a witness. is seen and touched. The bone also, which the flesh eaten by fire had left bare, was, at the reviving petition, covered in a small interval of time, as we ourselves saw, led by no curiosity, but for the certainty of so great a miracle to be intimated to posterity. After these things Egardus, fully restored to soundness, not unmindful of the benefit conferred, his seats being left, sought the sacred building of this mount: where, having stayed some time, he was exalted with the priestly dignity, and made a minister of the church of blessed Hilary situated on Mont Or, and devoutly served God for fifteen years and more. Thence, as if now an inspector of contemplation alone, in the year of the Word made man for us 1123, he was clothed in the habit of a monk, and imitated its purpose. So by the intervention of his healer, he escaped the shipwreck of this world, and, as we believe, obtained the refuge of a solid port, our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit is always honor and dominion.
XVI. The miracle of the lame man cured.
The carrying of the relics in the year 1102. In the year of the Lord's incarnation 1102, we resolved in mind to build a porch necessary for us before the doors of this church: which, although for the most part it rose by our expenses, but its completion was neglected, our sacristan privately deliberated that a casket should be fitted for the precious relics of the Saints, which might be carried round about, that by the devout offering of the faithful the begun work might be finished. Which, fittingly composed, was carried about everywhere for the memory of some Saints under the name of the most blessed Theodericus, nor however did it contain his body: inasmuch as that, most whole, that is without any diminution of itself, laid up in his casket, is kept with us. So it came to Châlons, and by the reverence and devotion of the whole city he is received, beloved by men as well as by God. He is received indeed, since he who receives a just man in the name of a just man shall receive the reward of a just man. For neither can truth deceive, nor ought a faithful host be without the promise of truth: and as Gregory, the herald of truth itself, testifies, the holy Martyrs, where they are not corporeally, there for the most part work greater things. Meanwhile a certain youth by name Tebaldus, lame from his mother's womb, who in the monastery of the prince of the Apostles was nourished by ecclesiastical alms, heard of the coming and presence of our patron, and did not delay to crawl and convey himself on stools, until, crawling, he strove to fall down before his casket. Which done, he is suddenly raised up by divine virtue and is borne by his aid, whom the present bier does not bear. For seizing it with his hands, he held it for stools, and thenceforth followed it and its bearers with the gait which, new to walking, he could, nor renounced his own, but accompanying ours, sought the sacred building of this mount, and stayed with us nearly two years: which completed, he sought his own, and even while we write these things of him, he lives. O blessed man, who cleaves to God and is one spirit with him, and O too happy those whose patron he is, if they follow him whom he followed! For although, as star differs from star in brightness, he may differ from his own, both in the other virtues and especially in the glory of virginity, yet now he is united to his own by charity, and his own shall be united to his brightness without envy.
XVII. The miracle of the pestilence extinguished.
On the river Marne a village is situated which they call Chalon. In it, in the year of the Lord's incarnation 1111, so great a pestilence of mortality boiled up that, the inhabitants being taken away, several houses remained empty, only solitude and sadness dwelling there. For some, safe in the evening, The pestilence of the year 1111. in the morning were carried out to be buried: and frequently, sound in the morning, in the evening they were absorbed by the jaws of death. Grief everywhere, since the face of the living and the dead was the same, at last one remedy was found for the survivors against the justice of the raging pest. It was known to very many of them by the swiftness of fame and the impatience of being silent that a pestilence of this kind was put to flight by the merits and presence of our Father. Whence they consult their calamity, although they doubt on both sides, here about the escape of danger, here about the obtaining of their vow. Yet they approach the memorable father of Mont Or, Radulph; sobbingly they set forth the cause of their pestilence, not unlike the Roman groin-plague, although he was not ignorant of it: for which, that the holy man, conveyed thither, might succor those near death, they tearfully ask. But he first hesitated a little, fearing for himself and his own, while he has mercy on them; but soon he consults his own, and unexpectedly promises them the things sought.
[34] So, the caskets of the aforesaid father and of his companion Theodulf being taken up, an innumerable people of the adjacent province accompanying, they enter the village in which the hostile pestilence raged. Unfold, unfold the wonder, nor be silent, truthful page. Here the luminous fathers enter the village, with peace the saving leader, there the parent of darkness consults flight, with pestilence the pestiferous companion. Here enters with his companion the father, the count of truth, there consults flight also death with him, the parent of falsehood, the lying and black spirit. There is no interval between this one entering and that one going out: since the cause was unlike for the one putting death to flight, and the one extinguishing life. How great then was the joyfulness, light having arisen in the hearts a little before sad, dark with grief, to whom it will be unfolded clearly, except (which be far) to those who suffered the same.
[35] So, the prince of the raging pest being put to flight and his malice prostrated, our leader and standard-bearer obtained the desired victory, and was returning with the applause indeed of praise sounding on this side and that, when behold he beholds as it were a trace of the prostrate enemy remaining for the victor. To driving away which the divine combatant is girded. For the village Chanadium, contiguous to the upper one formerly sick, but cured, while he passes through, a certain Litaldus of the inhabitants, carrying in his arms a daughter contracted from her mother's womb, set [her] under the casket of the man of God. Without delay, the little girl is raised up, the father rejoices and runs up, helps her leaning, and that she may walk, sustaining her hand with his own hand, gently exhorts her. But, unknowing how to walk, now she totters, now she falls, now she is raised up, and the glad father attested that in these ways the divine virtue worked in her. Whence the bystanders cry out: she is raised up, God must be praised for this. But the household of the Saint, lest it should reckon anything frivolous, was unwilling to acquiesce in clamors of this kind. Why more, the beloved of God are reported back from theirs to their own with joy, and over the pestilence of death extinguished everywhere praised the Lord, and congratulated on the deliverance of their neighbors. When behold, eight days being passed, the aforesaid father of the little girl, leading her by the hand, enters the doors of this church, and pouring out first devout prayers, then approaches the greater altar with his daughter, paying out offerings and praises to the divine munificence. By whose indication, present and standing by, the father of the monastery and the assembly of the brethren diligently learns what God worked through the merits of his holy most blessed Theodericus our patron in his daughter, and then at last, brisk, they lay aside all hesitation, and sing together praises to God and proclaim his wonders, to whom is praise and honor, virtue and dominion in the perfect Trinity through the immortal ages of ages. Amen.
ANNOTATIONS.
* Chagny, in the country of Rethel.
* he treats of a man deprived of one eye: which miracle was omitted by Mabillon.
* Read "character" (the sign/mark).
* Fraine
* La Somme.
* Avenay, diocese of Reims.
* Hautvillers, monastery O.S.B. of the diocese of Reims, where St. Helena is honored.
* Cormicy, diocese of Reims.
* That is, a bier or casket.
* La Vesle, flowing past Reims.
* Chenay.
MIRACLE OF ST. THEODERICUS. From the manuscript of the Queen of Sweden, in quarto, number 1456.
Theoderic, Abbot and Confessor, on Mont Or, near Reims (S.)
BHL Number: 8067
From Manuscripts.
A noble Fleming on pilgrimage to Rome, There was a certain soldier by name Theodericus, of Flemish fatherland indeed, sprung according to the rank of the world, and he, as many of us know, rich in the abundance of goods, who at a certain time, led by love of pilgrimage, his apparatus being taken up, undertakes the way to Rome, to see the thresholds of the Apostles, and to beg from them pardon of his sins. In making the journey, he came to this place, and because then it flourished with the grace of hospitality, he disposed to stay there that night, and the religion of the place being heard, it pleased him much. His limbs being refreshed that night with the sweetness of sleep, the journey being resumed at first dawn, in his own days he reached Rome, and prayer being made, had now begun thence to return: but while, the miles of the ways being traversed, he was returning through this place, his companions entering the temple for the sake of prayer, seized by the vengeance of I know not what judgment, he was made powerless for the journey. So, the rest being ignorant, he stayed behind, showing at once by acts of raving outwardly [him] who suffered a frenzy of mind inwardly. on his return he becomes frenzied, You would see him run through whatever byways, utter incomposite words, with great effort pursue certain emptinesses of the winds, as if they could be caught by hand. While with so great a wandering of mind, through the diversities of the ways, he came even to Reims and, irreverently entering the temple of blessed Remigius, no less raved there: but his companions, prayer at last being made, perceiving that Theodericus was absent from the company, when they learned the signs of his raving from the inhabitants of the place, certain brethren of the monastery being taken with them, whither they hear he had more certainly turned aside, without delay hastened the journey. So at last, drawn out from the temple, he is led back to this place, where he stayed nearly five weeks continuously, that the heralding of praise for the expulsion of the enemy might be ascribed to blessed Theodericus. Meanwhile his companions, servile custody being applied to him, hasten to revisit their own. But those who had been his familiars, nay rather more faithful, that they might see his end, within a few days returned to him with certain others. But under this interval of time, it happened that on that night on which the solemnity of blessed Theodulf was celebrated, about the first watch, led into ecstasy, he saw the sign of the holy Cross in the likeness of flames stretched before him, then also there followed a certain old man, white beyond the common aspect of men, and is cured by St. Theodericus appearing to him. comely of countenance, and as we learned, the same energumen relating the signs, it was Lord Theodericus himself. So approaching nearer, he touched him with a most gentle touch; but certain intervals being interposed, at length he vanished and appeared to him no more anywhere. Why more? Theodericus, awaking, felt by the touch of the man of God that he had been restored to himself, and immediately, eager, entering the church, prostrated himself on the ground before his bier, giving thanks to God and the holy Confessor for the health recovered. But rising a little after, he explained in order to certain brethren what he had seen in the night, and they greatly congratulated him. These things thus held, more brisk he returned to his own, and most salutary counsel being taken from his own, in recompense for the benefit conferred, much money being given, as he was rich, within this neighborhood from certain noble men, namely from Tebaldus father of Fulcridus, Tecelinus de Cantamerla, Rodulphus and Joanna de Ham, Rainerus de Geldum, he bought a certain estate which is called the village of the Franks, which he handed over to the blessed Confessor of Christ Theodericus for the temporal comforts of the Brethren. He survived many years thereafter, but in modern times he entered the way of all flesh.
Hymns concerning St. TheodericusTheoderic, Abbot and Confessor, on Mont Or, near Reims (S.)
FROM MANUSCRIPTS.
TO THE HYMNS OF ST. THEODERICUS THE ABBOT. The dedication by Hucbold. From the already-cited manuscript of the Queen of Sweden.
The writer, who at the request of the Brethren To the beloved in Christ Fathers and Brethren of the congregation of the kindly Confessor of Christ Theodericus, Hucbold, a humble priest, though unworthy of the office, a monk by habit, wishes all the joyfulness of a happy life. Your pious religion and most ardent devotion to God and his holy Theodericus, and at the same time the intention of good zeal, came to our mediocrity, requesting that, in imitation of our elders, who in praise of God and his Saints, with a most prompt mind, composed melodious tunes apt for each time, we too should fit for you nocturnal chants concerning the memorable deeds of the aforesaid worshiper of God and our special Patron Lord Theodericus, sweetened with melodies, composed hymns for St. Theodericus, with antiphons we should fit responsories, to be sung on his sacred festivity. Which to be executed our mind undertook with as great alacrity as your devotion asked it to be done. And behold, the divine grace favoring, through the suffrages of the same blessed man of God, what your charity suggested, the humility of our littleness obediently fulfilled; but because, the evangelical voice attesting, the workman is worthy of his hire, me humbly seeking, and your goodness favorably assenting, in recompense of this very little service, you promised me, with the promise of your faith, that you would make memory of me in your sacred prayers every year, this very nocturnal office being completed; not only while in this course of the present age I seem to enjoy the rolling sun, but much more, when, God disposing, it shall happen that I depart from the present life. And you added the benevolence of this example toward me, that you would leave it through the successions of times, as if by a law of good custom, he asks for the things promised to him, as a reward, the aid of prayers. to the love of posterity. May therefore the firmness of this promise between us be inviolate, may the truth of your faith be always open before God, who promises that he shall dwell in his tabernacle, and shall have rest in his holy mount, who speaks truth in his heart and who has done no guile in his tongue. And lest I seem to demand great things for small, let your love know that he will receive with himself the rewards of the charity bestowed on me, who for the least things faithfully done is wont to repay the greatest. So, the gratifying promise and command of your sweetness being received, that, persevering in this, by God's mercy the memory of us may remain with you, these aforesaid, as also those which follow, chapters are noted on this page. For the living, the Psalm De profundis. Our Father. Versicles. Save your servant. Turn, O Lord, how long. Send him, Lord, help from the sanctuary. Let the enemy prevail nothing in him. Be to him, Lord, a tower of strength. Lord hear my prayer. God who justify the impious and do not wish the death of the sinner. For the deceased, the Psalm De profundis. Our Father. Eternal rest grant to him, Lord. Do not hand over, Lord, to the beasts the soul confessing to you. May his soul dwell in good things. From the gate of hell. Grant us, Lord, that the soul of your servant Hucbold may deserve to receive the remission of sins which he always desired, through the Lord.
HYMN OF ST. THEODERICUS.
Let the throng of brethren now sing together festive songs to Christ, who is ever in his Saints wondrous and praiseworthy. Christ who made Theodericus despise earthly things and the delights of the flesh in his heart, and fix his mind on himself. He therefore, spurning the world, and joining a bride to Christ, seeks for himself Remigius, the reward of the heavenly hall; by whom, when he had been most excellently taught in saving doctrine, he is given as Father to the monastery which he founds at the messenger of heaven. Illustrious here in doctrine, and loftier in deeds, he prepared for many the narrow path of the heavens, going before. Soon the divine clemency makes him radiant with miracles, that, sowing the words of life, he might also confer health. For he raised the only daughter of Theodericus, and afterward restores to the King himself the troubled light. Let us therefore pray as suppliants that by his prayers Christ may wash us from vices, and illustrate us with virtues. Be praise, glory, virtue, honor, to the Father, the Son, the Paraclete, be glory to the Trinity, one God, through the ages. Amen.
ANOTHER.
Let our assembly exult to the Lord with serene mind, paying out praises and jubilations to the soul-nourishing and venerable feasts of the excellent Theodericus. He, touched by the rays of the kindly Spirit, while he sees the joys of the world pass away, spurned them, fixing the bright lights of his mind where the sure gifts of Christ call us. For he, following the doctrine of his master Remigius, set behind him the noxious things of the age: to whom soon the order of the monastery is entrusted, which he worthily cultivated with bright doctrine. In whom the heavenly virtue, shining with wonders, relieved the sick from various calamity, and by a wondrous order, by praying, recalls the King's offspring from the cave of death. You therefore, pious Christ Redeemer, by his merits loose us, we pray, from all crimes, and join us to the blessed throngs in the light of the kingdom. Be praise and glory to the unbegotten Father, virtue and honor to the Begotten, like majesty to the Paraclete, who is one God in the time of the age. Amen.
ON THE ELEVATION OF THE BODY OF ST. THEODERICUS, ABBOT OF REIMS. From Volume 5 of the Acts of the Order of St. Benedict from page 519.
Theoderic, Abbot and Confessor, on Mont Or, near Reims (S.)
BHL Number: 0000
From the edition of Mabillon.
We reported the life of St. Theodericus the Abbot in century 1, by an anonymous author: Why the elevation was delayed. another briefer one we afterward found, which seems of an older author, in which Teudericus, to distinguish him from King Teudericus, is called Teuderius. Of his elevation it must here be treated, which it will perhaps seem wonderful was so long delayed: since the body of St. Theodulf, his disciple, was raised from the tomb before this time, and carried to Reims. But that happened thence, that his pupils preferred to lay up the body of St. Theodericus in a secret place with themselves for fear of the Normans, than, carried to Reims, to expose it to the danger of losing it. But the occasion of this elevation arose from the restoration of the monks in the monastery of St. Theodericus, which we have said elsewhere is situated on Mont Or two leagues from the city of Reims.
[2] When that place was almost worn away by the injuries of wars and times, the regular discipline being relaxed, Canons substituted in the place of monks. the monks from regulars became seculars. Marlot thinks this happened under the last Kings of the first stock. Indeed six canons of St. Theodericus are named in the year 882 in the supplicatory libel of the clergy of Reims, for the election of Fulco. There was added to the heap of miseries that the Hungarians burned the same monastery with flames in the tenth century, by the testimony of Frodoard in the history book 1 chapter 25. In the year 953, from his Chronicle, a synod of five Bishops is celebrated at St. Theodericus in the territory of Reims, Artold the Archbishop presiding. To which Count Regenold, called for the ecclesiastical things invaded by him, was unwilling to come: but he entreated the King, lest he be excommunicated, that he would send to the synod. Whose excommunication then, at the King's request, was suspended. Yet afterward, that is in the year 966, Archbishop Odelric excommunicated Count Ragenold, for the villages of the church of Reims which he pertinaciously detained. And the count himself, invading certain places of the same Bishop with his own, devastates them with plunderings and burnings. That Ragenold was the first count of Roucy, who had invaded many goods of the Church, even of St. Theodericus, buried in the church of St. Remigius at Reims, near Queen Gerberga.
[3] In the year 970, Adalbero succeeded Odalric as Prelate of Reims, The order of monks restored in 972, to whom nothing was of greater concern than to reform into a better state the monasteries entrusted to his care: which he carried out concerning that of Mouzon and that of St. Theodericus. The words of the Chronicle of Mouzon we reported above, where the translation of St. Arnulf was treated, from which it is well to repeat these for the consequence of what has been said. Already then Bishop Adalbero set his mind to "decuss," that is to adorn, this place with a regular institution, just as afterward he did at Reims, the place of St. Theodericus, which he drew back from the hands of Rotger count of Roucy, unjustly holding it, by force and sagacity: and, the twelve prebendaries being removed, serving not God and his Saints, but himself and the count, an Abbot, Airard by name, being received from the monastery of St. Remigius, with monks faithfully warring for God, he religiously instituting ordained. To these pious works Adalbero was moved, both because he had been instituted from a boy in the monastery of Gorze, and because in those times St. Theodericus gleamed with miracles, Frodoard testifying. This restoration of the monks happened in the year 972. For thus we read in the brief Chronicle of Reims in Labbe: In the year 972, the order of monks was restored on Mont Or. The matter is narrated more fully by an anonymous author in an unpublished little book on the elevation of St. Theodericus, from which little book we taste some things here, where Adalbero Archbishop of Reims is said to have been joined to Adalbero Bishop of Metz by a nearer line of consanguinity.
[4] He who was first set over the place as Abbot was called Airardus by name, Airardus being set as Abbot: from the monastery of St. Remigius, where then the zeal of religion flourished. He, once made a monk from a cleric, now also excelled many by his exceptional conversation of life and by sanctity. There, while he lived, both in the repair of the place and in the spiritual edification of the brethren he labored more attentively. Further, several of his monks, animated by zeal for living blessedly, the world being renounced, flowed together hither in those days. Frequently also, for the sake of visiting, Lord Adalbero came hither, and gave them admonitions of salvation.
[5] Nor content with this, Adalbero took care that his deed be confirmed by royal letters, Which Adalbero takes care to confirm by a royal diploma. letters being obtained from King Lothair, which Marlot reported in Volume 2. In those letters the King declares that his faithful Adalbero the Archbishop, the request of Queen Emma being added, had supplicated him to bestow a diploma over a certain abbey of a monastery, three miles distant from the city, in honor of blessed Bartholomew, by the disposing of blessed Remigius, constituted under a divine revelation, in which the venerable Confessor Theodericus rests, instituted the first Abbot of monks of the same place by the same holy pontiff of God: which place, when it had fallen from the monastic order into the canonical, the same Adalbero procuring, was brought back to the dignity of its pristine order. King Lothair approves the matter, confirming the restoration of goods which was made to the same monastery by the same. To the diploma there subscribe, besides Adalbero of Reims, Adalbero of Laon, Wido of Soissons, Theobald of Amiens, Gillebert, Manasses, Albert, and Rotger the counts. Done at the palace of Compiègne, on the day VII Kal. of June, in the year of the Incarnation 974, indiction 2, in the twentieth year of the reign of the most glorious king Lord Lothair.
[6] The body of St. Theodericus is elevated, Things being thus ordered and confirmed, counsel was taken concerning the body of St. Theodericus to be carried out of the earth. That was done in the year 976, and indeed on XIII Kal. of May, on which day it is thus read in the Martyrology of the place: The finding of the body of blessed Theodericus by Lord Adalbero the Archbishop, who by the ordination of blessed Remigius was the first Abbot on Mont Or, where he rested incorrupt almost more than three hundred and fifty years: and the translation of him and of St. Theodulf into a silver chest. The year the brief Chronicle of Reims in Labbe assigns at the year 976, St. Theodericus raised. The prolix history of this elevation the Anonymous writes, of which this is the sum: The earth being dug up, there appeared suddenly a certain sarcophagus, in which nothing else was found except earth, which, the joints of the sides being rotted, had fallen much within. And this indeed had been done by the provident industry of men, who had interposed an empty sarcophagus within the tomb, lest anyone should secretly carry off the sacred pledge. The earth being dug deeper, at length was found the body of the blessed Confessor, wrapped in silk garments, namely a stole drawn round about with pliant gold; and several precious garments were likewise found.
[7] King Lothair assisting; Meanwhile the Bishop, thinking the matter should be referred to King Lothair, ordered the body to be left in the earth, a pall being thrown over it. But these things were done in the year of the Lord's Incarnation 976, in the month of April; namely XIII Kal. of May, amid the very solemnities of Lent: nor yet until the month of December were the pledges of the blessed man removed from the place of burial. The Bishop meanwhile sought industriously an opportunity, by which King Lothair, who in those times presided over the kingdom, could be more expeditiously summoned to the very elevation, which did not come to effect according to his wish, because for almost the whole course of that time the King stayed for certain affairs of the commonwealth about the farthest parts of the kingdom. At last it happened that in the aforesaid month, within those very days in which the observance of the Lord's Advent is kept, the King approached the borders of Reims, about to hold a palace with his nobles at the Metropolis. The King, invited by the Bishop to the celebrity, did not refuse to be present, but soon with his wife Emma and a copious army hastened his journey thither. Adalbero, an embassy being sent, meanwhile convoked the neighboring Bishops and Abbots. All being gathered, the Archbishop tried to carry the sacred body from the tomb, but in vain: he beseeches the King to lend his hand: saying that Theodericus, raised into the tomb by royal shoulders, was unwilling to be carried out from it without the king's hands. The King's hand being applied, the sacred body was drawn out with easy effort, on the third Ides of December, and laid in a fitting casket. On that day the King with the Queen offered precious ornaments to the blessed Confessor.
[8] and the body of St. Theodulf is added. Moreover the Bishop of blessed memory, desiring to illustrate the place more, took care that the body of blessed Theodulf, which then rested at Reims in the greater church, be carried back to its pristine seat: that namely, from these two patrons, in one place of fellowship, the divine virtue might arise more copiously, which might more effectively excite the neighbors to piety. The citizens protesting, a day was nonetheless appointed. Adalbero carried the sacred burden with his companions as far as the place which is called Mont Reims: from which the monks, rejoicing, bore the same on their shoulders to their church. These things in a few words from that anonymous author, after whose little book various miracles of the Saint, both of Theodericus and of Theodulf, are reported, which are partly subjoined to the Acts of St. Theodericus in century 1.
[9] The author of all these things was, with Adalbero, Airard the Abbot, The age of Abbot Airard. who first presided over the place after the discipline of monastic life was restored there. He died before the year 983, as is gathered from the index of the monks who died under each Abbot of St. Remigius. For under Rodulf the third Abbot is placed the death of Airard the Abbot and of Christian his successor. But Rodulf did not pass the year 983, since he presided over the chief monastery only 14 years, after Hugh, who was Abbot only two years, after Hincmar who died in the year 967, as we said above in his elogium. In the Necrology of St. Remigius, Airard Abbot of St. Theodericus is noted on V Kal. of June: Christian on XIII Kal. of February.
Annotation* Of Roucy
APPENDIX. To the Miracles of St. Theodericus.
Theoderic, Abbot and Confessor, on Mont Or, near Reims (S.)
From Manuscripts.
The promised diplomas are added. Here now nothing further seems to be desired for the completion of the whole treatise, except the diplomas of Adela Queen of Denmark and of her brother Robert Count of Flanders, which were promised by us above, from the copies of Vignier, transmitted to Christian le Roy, and from him to Bolland. The first Marlot published in Volume 2 page 182, but so that in more than one place it can be emended from this edition; although neither in ours are blemishes lacking, which to sift more laboriously is plainly not of this place. Thus also in the grant of Count Robert, besides the lacunae, some things occur which we refer to the more exact balance of the learned whom it concerns; for the present design it will be enough, for their sake, to set forth both instruments such as we received. To the diploma of Adela Marlot prefixed this title, of his own, unless I am mistaken.
The Grant of Adela, Queen of the Danes; by which through a glove the donation of the wood of Harelbeke, made to the monks, is confirmed.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. I Adela by the grace of God Queen of the Danes. Be it known to all the faithful sons of holy mother Church that I gave one part of the wood which lies in the territory of Harelbeke to St. Theodericus the most glorious Confessor of Christ, knowing the most famous praise of whose virtues from many, for the remedy of the soul of my lord the King, and of all our predecessors, both of those who, released from the debt of death, await the day of the Lord in peace, and of those who still placed in the flesh live. And that this might remain more firm, by the counsel of Lord Rainald the venerable Archbishop of Reims, and also of the excellent congregation of St. Mary of Reims and of the Brethren serving the Lord and the aforesaid Confessor of Christ Theodericus, Abbot Rodulf, who then by the grace of God presided over them as pastor, certain brethren being chosen by him, brought hither into our presence the holy body, which the divine piety, which while he lived was always the dwelling of chastity and angelic purity, preserved whole. Learning of whose coming, we went forth to meet it with our clerics and nobles, with praises and hymns leading it into our church, and received it with worthy honor. But all things being duly performed, the aforesaid Abbot R. Rodulf with his brethren entreated our clemency that the gift which I had transmitted to him through his brethren, the Saint being placed there in the present before us, I would solemnly confirm by giving it back. I, the fellowship of his benefice and of the whole congregation, both corporally and spiritually, being received from him, our nobles standing there, fulfilled his petition through one glove. This was done at Harelbeke, in the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1090, indiction 13, epact 17, in the 31st year of the reign of Philip the most glorious King of the Franks; in the 7th year of the archiepiscopate of Lord R. Rainald; Rabodo happily governing the church of Noyon; in the 3rd year of R. Rodulf the Abbot.
✠ The mark of Queen Adela. The mark of Abbot Rodulf ✠ The mark of Tabold. Of Hugh. Of Richer. Of Lanfred. Of Roger. Of Tebo. Of Dodin, monks. The mark of Hermann the Provost. Of Leduin. Of Lambert. Of Albald. Of Haimo. Of Lyebert. Of Helmicin, clerics. The mark of Canno the lay Provost. Of Gummar. Of Derulf. Of Godescalc. Of Ribod. Of Dodelin. Of Benro. Of Heribert. Of Leudo. Of Beringar, laymen.
On the new land which is called le Reste, and the restitution of Harelbeke.
In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Be it known both to the present and to the future faithful of holy mother Church that I, Robert Count of the Flemish, by the inspiring grace of God, was going to Jerusalem, my very great army accompanying. But I turned aside with certain of my nobles to the abbey consecrated in honor of the holy Apostle Bartholomew and blessed Theodericus the Confessor, where the Abbot and monks reverently received us, coming to meet us with an ecclesiastical procession. Which being finished, they led us into their cloister ……………. they granted us a participation of their prayers and alms ………. for the remission of my sins and the safety of myself and my wife Clementia, namely to the above-written both Abbot and monks I restored what my sister Adela had before given, but with my favor: but I had afterward taken it from them at the suggestion of certain ones; I restored, I say, a part of the land and water in my wood of Harelbeke, that the Abbot and his monks may there restore the mills and two houses and one chapel. But this I did with the favor of my aforesaid wife Clementia, to whom over this I directed letters corroborated by my seal, that she should prohibit the foresters, namely lest either to them or to their servants they should further bring any injustice or violence. But if anyone shall diminish or break the gift of our benevolence ……….. he shall incur his wrath, but the grace of our friendship he shall lose forever. Finally, to the benefice granted by me to the monks themselves, I added, and granted them one bonuarium of meadow near the mills.
✠ The mark of Count Robert. ✠ The mark of count Tbalus perhaps Teobalus or Tetbalus. ✠ The mark of Baldwin of Ghent. ✠ The mark of Roger Castellan of Lille. ✠ The mark of ……. the Count. ✠ The mark of Eustace, the Count's cupbearer. ✠ The mark of Arnulf of …….. The mark of Cono and Rainer the clerics, the Count's chaplains.
Done on Mont Or, namely at St. Theodericus, in the year of the incarnate Word 1096, indiction 3, epact 4, concurrent 2.