ON ST. Adegrinus
Tenth Century.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY. On the title of sanctity, the Acts, and the age.
Adegrinus, monk, at Baume among the Sequani (S.)
J. B. S.
Baume, an old monastery of the sacred Benedictine Order, Bolland described in a few words on the 13th of January, page 822, treating of St. Euticius the abbot, mentioned in the Acts of St. Odo (whom Mabillon afterward judged to have been no other than St. Benedict of Aniane), Once famous was the ascetery of Baume, and in the life next following there of St. Berno, abbot of the aforesaid monastery of Baume, which were explained a little more fully by the aforesaid Mabillon, century V, in the historical elogium of the praised St. Berno, throughout chapter 2, from page 68. Those things I do not judge it worth the trouble to relate here at length, lest we do a thing already done, nay, lest we be forced to prefix a long commentary to the very brief Acts of this holy Adegrinus, which will more opportunely find a place elsewhere. Let it suffice to have said, that that ascetery of Baume, at the beginning of the tenth century, so flourished under the regular discipline of St. Berno in the religious institutes of a truly monastic life, that the holy Odo and Adegrinus found none in all France more fitting, into which they both should betake themselves, about to set the novitiate of a holier life under so illustrious a moderator, as the writers of the life of St. Odo testify, John the Italian, book 1, from number 21, and Nalgod from number 15, who on the 18th of November will be to be illustrated more laboriously.
[2] From the longer Acts of the former is taken the life which our Elders once had transmitted to them by the indefatigable helper of the work Peter Francis Chifflet, to which the Saint turned aside so often praised by us elsewhere. It is noted at the head that it is from a Baume manuscript, from which it was copied, the order of the Odonian life being somewhat changed, but nearly the same substance of matters preserved. Mabillon treats the matter in summary in the preliminary historical elogium to that very life of St. Odo, chapter 3, page 128, in these words: When in his retreat at the basilica of St. Martin Odo spent his labor in the reading and meditation of the Fathers, he fell upon the Rule of St. Benedict, by whose prescription for three years he lay naked, and not yet a monk, bore the light yoke of the monks, John being witness, number 15. He had perhaps invited Fulk to his side, when he, alleging that it was not yet time, designated and conciliated to Odo a certain Adhegrin, a soldier vigorous in arms. Both therefore, content with a very small hut, day by day panted after the monastic vows. But there did not occur to them a place in which that discipline flourished. Adhegrin, sent to Rome to explore some place, on the journey turned aside to Baume.
[3] The kindness of the abbot pleased him, and the religion of the monks: and there shone with distinguished virtues, and he drew Odo thither with him, who, taking with him a hundred volumes of books, migrated to that monastery. Now he was thirty years of age, when the year of Christ nearly 909 was running out. These things piecemeal from John, from number 21. Concerning Baume it has been said in the elogium of Berno. Odo, his probation being made, took upon himself the care and education of the boys or novices, whom John designates by the name of the school, as among the ancients not rarely. Adhegrin, the companion of Odo, confined himself to one little cell, and, abbot Berno permitting, remained in it for three years. Afterward he sought the desert, and there was confined in a small cave. There, after many anguishes deemed worthy of divine consolation, and freed from the temptations of demons by the help of St. Martin, he was even refreshed by his address, in John from number 23, who now, from 28, proceeds to write of him; which things we have judged should rather be added at the last number of the Acts. To which Mabillon thus subjoins: Altogether distinguished things concerning Adhegrin, whom du Chesne in his notes testifies to have been reckoned in the register of the Saints. I do not deny the merit: I ask for the authority. For I find nothing concerning Adhegrin in the Martyrologies or Breviaries, no memory of his feast or relics among our Cluniacs.
[4] marked in the Martyrology of Château-Charles. So judges the most learned man, here more scrupulous than is just, because he had seen no Martyrology in which the memory of St. Adegrinus was kept; for to demand at once Breviaries or relics is somewhat rigid, although similar things are not altogether lacking. But a Martyrology suggested to us, if I am not mistaken, a Usuardine one, the praised Chifflet, in his collection of the most ancient monuments of this kind, which we used in editing our Usuard, among which one distinguished by the name of Château-Charles thus expressly reads on this day: On the same day, of the holy confessor Adegrinus. Whether the marked place be Charolles, a town of Burgundy, capital of the Charolais tract, on the river Reconce, or perhaps Charlieu not far from Senlis, or some other named after a Charles, I forbear to inquire at length; the text is most express for the ancient cult of St. Adegrinus, of whatever sort, which is enough for us, that his life should find a place in this work. That he was reckoned in the register of the Saints, as du Chesne said, that, interpreting it in the modern manner, cannot be admitted; but those canonizations are to be understood in the ancient manner, by which reasoning innumerable Saints obtain a cult today, and of which the Benedictine Acts themselves are full. But that with such a cult St. Adegrinus was either once honored, or is now honored, I hold persuaded, since the most skillful Chifflet in exploring Burgundian matters was not wont to suggest to us fictitious Saints. Here the cited Martyrology will be to us as a surety, to which Bucelinus would accede, had he not badly noted the day of the month in his index, which hitherto it has not been possible to find.
[5] But whatever may be the case concerning Bucelinus or other more recent writers, Chifflet transmitted a brief manuscript Life. that Adegrinus was long ago honored with the title of Saint is easily proved from the same old Baume codex, since in it the Saint is expressly called so. Whether his relics are there noted, or exposed to veneration, or whether a solemn commemoration is made of him, is not ascertained by me; I have followed the codex of Château-Charles cited above, in placing him on this day. Chifflet added also the Mass, which is from the common of a Confessor not a Bishop, "The mouth of the just." Collect: Be propitious, O Lord, we beseech thee, to us thy servants, through the glorious merits of this thy holy confessor Adriginus, who rests in the present church, that by his pious intercession we may always be defended from all adversities. Through the Lord. The Epistle and the rest from the common, as we have said, so that it may sufficiently manifestly appear that nothing is lacking to the most true cult of St. Adegrinus.
[9] Concerning his origin I have nothing to say beyond what the Acts express, His age is to be gathered from the Acts of Berno and Odo. that he was a soldier or noble, illustrious, vigorous in arms, provident in counsel. Nor is it possible to define his age otherwise than from the times of SS. Berno and Odo. Now Mabillon states above, number 3, and in the elogium of Berno, chapter 1, page 67, that Odo and Adegrinus turned aside to the monastery of Baume in the year 909. He was still living at the time of the coronation of Louis d'Outremer in the year 936, as in the Annotations with Mabillon we shall observe; nay, John so speaks, number 28, as if at the time when he wrote the Life of St. Odo, St. Adegrinus still survived, in his hermitage at Cluny, surviving Odo, snatched from mortals in the year 942: for how long? I do not divine; perhaps he reached to the middle of that century. Now I subjoin the Chiffletian Acts entire, about to assign from the Life of St. Odo, composed by John the Italian, where a little more, or at least otherwise expressed, may be found.
LIFE From a Baume manuscript collated with the life of St. Odo.
Adegrinus, monk, at Baume among the Sequani (S.)
BHL Number: 0070
FROM A MANUSCRIPT.
There was indeed at that time a certain illustrious soldier, by name Adegrinus a, vigorous in arms b, provident in counsel. He, hearing the fame of the blessed man Odo, Coming to St. Odo, went to him. Our father, therefore, beholding his devotion, ventured to instruct him with words and examples. Who soon, compunctuous in heart, all that he possessed being disposed of, quickly returned to him.
[2] And so, the hair of his head being laid aside, and secular soldiery, with him he seeks solitude; from then on he was made an athlete of Christ. Father Odo therefore, taking all that he himself had brought for temporal use, bestowed it in the bosoms of the poor, as he had before done with his own: and they remained together, palace soldiers content with a small hut. Seeing, finally, the world set in wickedness, and its lovers tending to a ruinous life full of enticements, daily they hastened to ascend the heights of the monastic life. Meanwhile, traversing absolutely all the monasteries of the borders of France, either by themselves or by their own messengers, and not finding in them a place of religion, and going to Rome in which they could rest, they returned to the aforesaid hut with great grief. For this cause it pleased Adegrinus to travel to Rome, the journey being undertaken: and coming into the borders of Burgundy, he came into a certain valley, which is called Baume by name: for in it was a monastery, in which Berno the abbot was seen to hold the governance.
[3] The aforesaid Adegrinus therefore turned aside into the monastery of Baume, he turns aside to Baume, whither he draws Odo. and was most officiously received by the blessed Berno, according to the rule of blessed Benedict, within the house of guests: and there after the manner of a guest he wished to dwell for some time; yet not that he should be in need of them in anything, but that he might be able to recognize the manners of the inhabitants and the customs of the place c. Instructed by which, he deserted the journey which he had begun, and whatever he had heard or seen he took care to announce as quickly as possible to his most dear Odo: and soon the man of God Odo, taking with him a hundred volumes of books, migrated to that same monastery.
[4] Odo is terrified by false brethren, Now there were in that same monastery certain d brethren, whose life and manners you will find in the following narration. These, hearing that Lord Odo had come thither for the sake of conversion, approach him feignedly, and pretend to ask for what cause he had come there. And so, when they had received from him this answer which they inquired, they say: We all seek to flee this congregation, that we may be able to make our souls safe, and you on the contrary wish here to lose yours: to whom when he had answered, why they said this, again they add: You know the custom of abbot Berno; but he, By no means: And they: Alas, alas, if you knew how harshly he knows to treat a monk; for his rebuke is followed by blows; and whom he has scourged, he afflicts with fasts, tames with prison, binds with fetters: And having endured all these things, not even so can the wretch now obtain his favor.
[5] but is confirmed by Adegrinus, who encloses himself in a cell. Hearing these things, Lord Odo began to waver about entering. Whom the aforesaid Adegrinus, beholding, leaping into the midst, said: Brother Odo, do not tremble, these words are not of one speaking truth, but of one plotting: observe, and see that through their mouths the devil speaks. Soon they, confounded, return backward; but father Odo with Adegrinus submit their necks to the most sweet yoke of Christ. Now he was already thirty years old. But Lord e Adegrinus confined himself to one cell; and, abbot Berno permitting, remained in it for three years: but on the days of the Sabbaths he returned to the monastery; and returning thence carried very small victuals for the sustenance of nature f.
[6] But after some time an anxiety began to be generated in him, because by no revelation from God, after he had entered this place, had he been favored; namely for whom he had bound himself with the bond of so great abstinence. To whom suddenly on a certain day, as he himself afterward related to father Odo, blessed Martin stood by; what do you, he said, brother Adegrinus? But he with a querulous voice: How, he said, can I do well, whom, after I came hither, no consolation of the divinity has gladdened: whether my works please God or not, I know not; what displeases him in me I do not recognize. But the blessed Man; your works, he said, are fragrant with the grace of God; and know that for them you have a full reward: and having consoled him, he departed g.
[7] On another day likewise, he praying h, the same holy Man appeared to him. To whom, marveling greatly, and asking whence he had come thither; From Rome, said the holy Man, I come, and set out for France; to you, placed near the road, I have turned aside for the sake of a visitation. Then, asked by Adegrinus, that he would deign to tarry there a little, he said, today is made the ordination of Louis i, king of the Franks, at whose election it is necessary for me to be present. And when Adegrinus prayed that he might at least merit to be blessed by him, he heard; you do not need my blessing; for he who blessed me, blessed you also. But if you await it from me, first do you bless me, that afterward you may receive in turn. And when Adegrinus perceived that he would not otherwise obtain what he asked, he first bestowed the blessing, and grieved that the holy Man had vanished from his eyes without blessing him. At another time too the tempter, finding him outside his cave, led him to the summit of a certain most monstrous rock, wishing to hurl him down thence. And when, full of trembling, he wavered there, so that now there was no hope for him, save in God; the blessed Man Martin appeared, saying: What is it, brother Adegrinus; follow me. And he, as if along a most level path following him, was straightway led in by him into his cell. Let all these things, heard from Adegrinus himself, and described by us, suffice: but on father Odo, because he was a scholarly man, they imposed the laborious mastership of the school k.
[8] More than thirty years have hitherto rolled by (unless I am mistaken), The rigid abstinence of the Saint. since he dwelt within that same hermitage, being accustomed to descend only on the Lord's days or the chief festivities to the monastery of St. Peter, which is called Cluny, because it is nearly two miles near: namely, a little flour being taken, from which he is wont to make bread for himself, and a few grains of bean, he soon returns to the hermitage. Wine he never used: but with fat or oil his food is not seasoned. He suffers at all times cold and heat: heat between the shoulders, cold between the hands and arms.