ON ST. LITHARDUS, CONFESSOR,
AT CORNETO ON THE TYRRHENIAN SEA IN ITALY.
From Ferrarius.
CommentaryLithardus, Confessor, at Corneto on the Tyrrhenian Sea in Italy (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.
Corneto, a city formerly episcopal, now a slender town, called by the Italians Corneto, on the maritime coast of the Patrimony of St. Peter, on almost the very threshold of the duchy of Castro, venerates as its Patron St. Lithardus or Lituardus, The whole notice also of this one concerning whom we treated briefly among the Passed-Over on the IX of July, on which day Castellanus placed him, referring him here on the stronger opinion of Ferrarius, who most expressly testifies that his festivity is accustomed to be honored there on this day, relating concerning him only those things which we here describe from him to the letter. Lithardus, he says, or Lithuardus, a German by nation, when he had wholly devoted himself to the divine service, desirous of making a pilgrimage and visiting sacred places, his fatherland being left, came into Italy, and, the chief churches having been devoutly visited, when he had halted at the city of Corneto, there, illustrious in sanctity of life and miracles, he departed from life on the IV Ides of July. His body, honorably kept there, is especially venerated by the people of Corneto on this day. There exist verses engraved concerning him:
O Lithuardus, thy paternal Lares of Germany being left, who brought thee to the dear shores of Corinth? By chance, or rather, deigning to proceed to our shores, holy father, wast thou moved by pious love? Not by chance; God, having pitied your unjust chances, brought me to the dear shores of Corithus: coming a stranger from very remote shores, that I might protect the shores, meadows, and homes of Corithus.
[2] In his annotations Ferrarius observes that the Acts and the time in which he lived or died are lacking, received from the same Ferrarius. that nevertheless some miracles wrought by him after death are reported, but of which he could obtain no special memory. That he was a foreigner and a German or Frank by nation is in some measure gathered from the name, and it is a most received tradition of the natives; to whom we also gave another neighboring holy pilgrim German, by name Peter, called "of the Cross," at Viterbo (it is about seven leagues distant from Corneto) in the preceding volume, the VI of July, himself also of unknown origin, but whose day and year of death we found marked, whereas concerning Lithardus of Corneto, besides the constant cult, all things are uncertain. Already for forty years and more our Elders were asked to deign to suggest, if they had anything conducing to greater notice: for the rest, Papebroch noted that it had been answered, that a certain Lietphard indeed is celebrated in the Acts on the IV of February; that treatment is to be made of Liphardus on the III of June, but that the present Lithardus is plainly different from them, concerning whom nothing was established for us, except only those things which we have already related from Ferrarius: nor from that time do we know that anything to the purpose has come to light.