ON ST. AUREA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR,
AT CORDOVA IN SPAIN.
IN THE YEAR 856.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
The Saint's country, stock, profession of life, and cult.
Aurea, Virgin and Martyr, at Cordova in Spain (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR G. C.
An example of human weakness, and an argument of divine mercy, this holy Virgin and martyr affords, who, first terrified by the threats of the Mahometan tyrant, denied Christ at least with the mouth, St. Aurea, born in Spain of Arabic stock, but then, by an intrepid and constant confession of the Christian faith, triumphed over the tyrant, and, her blood being shed, washed away her fault. She was born in Spain, as St. Eulogius indicates in the Acts, number 1, of the chief nobility of the Arabs, and was joined by consanguinity to the very Mahometan judge. She was the sister of the holy martyrs Adulphus and John, whose feast is celebrated on the 27th of September. But from these I gather that her mother was Artemia, of whom the same St. Eulogius in the Memorial of the Saints, book 2, chapter 8, writes thus: But this holy virgin (namely Mary the martyr), devoting her to God, consigned her to the monastery of Cuteclara, which shines with the memory of the glorious and ever Virgin Mary the Mother of the Lord, placing her with a certain woman of the highest holiness, named Artemia; who herself too had once promised to heaven a twin pledge by a martyr's death, namely Adulphus and John, who at the beginning of the reign of this prince manfully triumphed over the enemy… Artemia therefore, excelling the other women dwelling in the same monastery by the grace of holiness and of advanced age, or by regard for her martyr sons, had the whole virginal community of the monastery placed under the charge of her authority. Hence therefore it is established that Artemia was the mother of St. Aurea, since she had the holy martyrs Adulphus and John as brothers, as is said at the beginning of the Acts.
[2] It might be doubted what kind of life St. Aurea professed. she is wrongly ascribed by the Carmelites to their Order: St. Eulogius says that she lived in the monastery of Cuteclara, and was… not only a Christian, but also marked with the stigma of sacred devotion. Hence a dispute arises between the Carmelites and the Benedictines, while each Order claims this monastery for itself. Giovanni Battista de Lezana in the Carmelite Annals, volume 3, page 414 and following, tries to prove at length that the monastery of Cuteclara and certain other neighboring ones belonged at that time not to the Benedictines, but to the Carmelites. Marco Antonio Alegre de Casanate in the Paradise of Carmelite
beauty, page 238, treating of certain monasteries of Spain, among other things writes thus: Cuteclara too, flourishing under the obedience of Tabennisi, and subject to the General Abbey of Carmel, like the rest, under the name of St. Mary, was seen toward the western part near Peñaflor. Over its monks presided the abbot Frugelius, as over the virgins the sacred Artemia. It shone bright with much holiness: for it had, to omit the rest, St. Peter of Astigi or Écija, Walabonsus, Sabinianus, Mary, and St. Aurea, renowned martyrs of Christ. Diego de Coria, cited in Tamayo, also ascribes St. Aurea to the Carmelite Order. But Tamayo himself, otherwise not a difficult approver of such things, in his Spanish Martyrology on the 19th of July at least here spoke opportune words: Without doubt, he says, the Reverend Father Friar Diego de Coria, in the Carmelite History, book 2, chapter 17, contracted an error, believing without historical support that St. Aurea was a nursling of the Carmelite Order, whereas against his opinion are the authorities of the whole tradition and of the writers.
[3] nor is it certain that she must be reckoned to the Order of St. Benedict. The Martyrologists and other Benedictine writers contend that St. Aurea must be numbered among the martyrs of their Order. Among others Bucelin in his Menology on this day speaks thus: Aurea, sprung of quite illustrious and most ancient birth, having left the world, professed the institute of the monastic life in the celebrated monastery of our virgins at Cuteclara, and had the holy Adulphus and John, most choice martyrs of Christ, as her own brothers. I could leave this controversy to be agitated by the litigating parties; but because the curious reader of our Work generally expects our judgment, I will say briefly what I think. First, it seems to me in no way probable that St. Aurea must be numbered in the Carmelite Order. Nor yet does it thence at once follow that she was a Benedictine: for although Eulogius says that she lived in a monastery, and was marked with the peculiar stigma or veil of sacred devotion, thence it cannot be inferred that she was a religious in the strict sense of the name, and had made the three substantial vows of religion. Thus today in Belgium the virgins whom we commonly call Beguines receive a veil, and dwell together as in a monastery, and yet we know that they are not strictly called religious. Nay, St. Augustine, sermon 23 on the words of the Lord, testifies that virgins of this kind were commonly called nuns. More of this matter see in our Bollandus on the 10th of February in the preliminary Commentary to the Life of St. Scholastica, §3, and in Christian Lupus in the notes to the book of Tertullian on Prescriptions, in the scholium of the third chapter, from page 40. If however the Benedictine writers shall have clearly shown that the monastery of Cuteclara then belonged to their Order, we shall gladly embrace their opinion.
[4] Since concerning the holiness of our Virgin and martyr enough is established, Her cult from the Martyrologies: and Acts from St. Eulogius. I marvel that Usuard did not make mention of her, especially since on the 27th of September he inserted her two brothers Adulphus and John into his Martyrology. The ancient martyrologists therefore being silent, we shall enumerate some more recent ones. Galesinius on this day has thus: At Cordova likewise of St. Aurea, virgin and martyr, who, born of noble lineage, sister of the martyrs John and Adulphus, once having fallen, afterward inwardly repenting of the crime, again accused, freely and constantly professing the faith, with willing mind giving her neck for Christ, underwent martyrdom. The Roman Martyrology announces the same Martyr more briefly in this manner: At Cordova of St. Aurea the virgin, who, once having fallen, but repenting of the deed, in a renewed contest overcame the enemy by shedding her blood. The same phrase Wion, Menard, Bucelin, and others cited by Tamayo on this day imitated. Furthermore all these drew their own from St. Eulogius, presbyter of Cordova, who three years after St. Aurea was also honored with the laurel of martyrdom, as we proved in his Life illustrated on the 11th of March. The Acts of this Virgin were so written by this holy Man, that, besides what has been already said, scarcely anything in them occurs to be noted. Behold them.
ACTS BY THE AUTHOR ST. EULOGIUS, A CONTEMPORARY.
From the Memorial of the Saints, book 3, chapter 17, which was published in volume 4 of Spain Illustrated, and collated with the Cologne Library of the Fathers, volume 9, part 1, column 679.
Aurea, Virgin and Martyr, at Cordova in Spain (S.)
BHL Number: 0807
FROM THE PRINTED EDITIONS.
At that time a certain noble virgin, named Aurea, sister of the holy martyrs Adulphus and John, St. Aurea, living in the monastery of Cuteclara, of whom we made mention in the preceding chapters, who from the time of their contest enjoyed the reward of devotion, while, her studies of sacred religion being disclosed, she dwelt in the monastery of Cuteclara, which of old is dedicated to the name of the holy and glorious Virgin Mary, for almost thirty years and more, giving to all the knowledge of her faith, and darkened by no fears, openly conducted the manner of her Christianity in a public assembly. And because she was girded by the origin of her stock, and adorned with the great pride of Arabic descent, none of the strangers dared to assail [] the Virgin's faith, until certain of her own from the province of Seville, whence she drew her lineage, stirred up, as I think, by God, so that now the crown of martyrdom due to the Virgin before the constitution of the world might be prepared for her, and she might more excellently rejoice in the heavenly places over her consummated triumph, coming to explore the report brought to them of the faith and purpose of the Virgin, craftily feigned that they were visiting their kinswoman for the sake of lodging []. Beholding her not only a Christian, but also marked with the stigma of sacred devotion a, they straightway report a question concerning her to the judge; who himself too by right of birth adhered to the same Virgin by kindred stock.
[2] [she is accused before the Mahometan judge, by whom, terrified, she denies the faith;] Stimulated therefore by such a report, bidding her stand before his eyes, he addresses her with a quite clement exhortation, why she who had been so nobly endowed had rendered herself degenerate by the service of the Christian faith, and had stained the fillet b of so lofty a lineage with a base purpose. But you can, he says, most speedily be freed from all defilements, and receive back the due brightness of your interrupted origin, if, taking counsel for yourself, you shall choose to be admitted with intimate vows to the worships of our faith, and, obeying us with the utmost affection, follow what we follow, and strive to go whither we are led []. But if you shall both despise us, and also abrogate the things which we worship, and shall determine to follow, out of regard for the faith, those whom hitherto you have emulated, after various torments of dire cruciation, after the immense sufferings of manifold pains, which as guilty of so great a crime you shall deservedly pay [], at last you shall incur the punishment of a most shameful death. They report that at the same moment the Virgin gave way under the judge's chiding, and promised to execute gladly everything commanded her. And because it is better to be silent about things [not] c known by experience, than pertly to ventilate unknown things, by what regard this very denial crept upon the future Martyr, whether from fear of the flesh, or for the sake of arranging her family affairs, being uncertain I dare not testify, unless perhaps, from the subsequent events, by which afterward, obstinately persevering in her profession, she obtained the deserved laurel—as human conjecture judges the matter—we should believe that she did not succumb from weakness of the flesh.
[3] but afterward repenting of the deed, Therefore, after the judge had heard the profession of her mouth, by which she had promised to live according to all the rites of his law: at once, liberty being conferred on her of going wherever she wished, she returns forthwith home. And, just as before serving Christ as a soldier, she in no way departed from the purpose of the holy faith, nor suffered herself to be separated from the fellowship of the faithful; nay rather, very often joining herself to the assemblies of those whom the religion of piety illumined, lamenting the slip of her tongue with worthy weeping and inward affection, she binds the true confidence of her hope to the indulgence of the Redeemer, if perhaps He should not repel a handmaid liable to the guilt of transgression, who, snatching the adulteress from the destruction of stoning, received Peter, sinking under the waves of the sea, to discharge the Apostolic primacy, and admits to his company, about to survey paradise, the thief defiled with parricide. Nor did she believe it to hinder the most bountiful and incomparable piety of the Lord, the momentary crime of a useless handmaid, with whom manifold compassion and copious redemption abound, and prevents the unworthy by the gift of grace, and, those to whom the wages of strenuous labor supply nothing, by considerate piety He justifies. The holy Virgin besides increases her compunction, multiplies her zeal for lamentation, redoubles vows upon vows, and, urging her mind with doubled grief and affection, strives with happy vows lest at the last examination she be either, condemned for her crime, delivered to eternal punishment, or thrust from the fellowship of her brothers, namely Adulphus and John, the blessed martyrs, by the fitting barriers of their merits.
[4] Thence, with a clear and intrepid course frequently going to the church, she publicly discharges the exercises of the Christian religion, now at length strengthened in the power of the Lord, withdrawn from earthly contagions, she pants to be inscribed in the heavenly court: if perhaps by anyone's renewed act of accusation she should again be brought to justice. But the crafty old deceiver, not lightly bearing that she who had recently slipped away had joined a more faithful company, understands that she now serves her Creator as a soldier more than before, and beholds that the illusion of his circumvention profited nothing at all, but, a stupor being cast upon her of I know not what condition [*], perceiving that the Virgin's tongue, turned aside from the profession of the truth, had been lightly and perfunctorily taken away by mouth, not by heart, doubtless complains to his fellow-demons of his weakened course, saying: This celibate woman, formerly honoring me by chance with her lips, now, her heart girded with heavenly power, is by a great obstacle separated from my allurements. And therefore, itching again, he compelled a certain man to the persecution of the blessed Virgin, to hunt out the recruit of his faith.
[5] Meanwhile some of the heathen, exploring her manner of life, and being again accused, she intrepidly confesses Christ, and nonetheless finding the handmaid of Christ according to her former habit, straightway lodge a complaint about her before the judge, assert a crime, and pretend deceits, and with perverse tongues contend that an avenger should meet the presumption of so great an abuse, and strike such daring by legal authority. He, forthwith moved with vehement anger, bidding her be dragged to his sight by the truculent ministry of fierce attendants, at once reproaches her, being produced, for the contempt of the worship lately adopted, threatens her for the neglect of her promised purpose, and inquires with horrid-sounding clamors why she had not reverenced the decree of so great a law [*]. Then the Virgin, who knew herself already divinely chosen for such a contest, as she was eloquent to the more prudent with facundity, now illumined by holy regard, replies to the judge: Never have I been separated from Christ my God, never have I departed from the religion of his piety, never have I clung to your profanations even for a moment, although lately before you, by a certain slip of speech, my tongue succumbed. But my heart was having confidence in the Lord, who inwardly raised me by the supports of his promises, saying: He who believes in me, even if he be dead, shall live. Hence, although in word I incurred the snare of transgression, yet with the living tenor of holy belief I bore my heart fore-armed. For immediately when I departed from you, both by vows and by tearful affections I exercised the worship which I had learned from my infancy, kept the faith, held my purpose. It remains therefore now, that according to the rite of your profanation I be either punished by the avenging sword: or if such a deed can be
passed by unavenged, henceforth leave me with all liberty to cleave to Christ the Lord.
[6] and on the 19th of July obtains the palm of martyrdom. Then the most savage arbiter, inflamed by the Virgin's assertion, about to make a report of her to the king, delivered her to prison, and confined her with a huge weight of chains; whom on another day, slaying by the decree of the prince with the sword, he at once ordered her lifeless body to be hung head downward on the gibbet of a certain homicide, who a few days before had been affixed there: whose blessed corpse, with the other limbs of the thieves who then were put to death for their crime, plunged into the whirlpools of the Baetis d, has hitherto given no trace of appearing e. But Christ our God and Lord, who is the helper of those who fight, and the crowner of martyrs, who gives strength to the weary, insinuating into her also the desire of seeking Him, confers the provident intention of knocking at the door of His mercy, by a manifold effect of things, according to the dispensation pleasing to Him, foreknown and predestined before the beginning of the world, received His handmaid in peace to the crown of martyrdom: to whom be honor and glory, power and might, world without end. Amen. This Virgin was crowned on the 14th of the Kalends of August, in the Era as above f.
ANNOTATIONS.
* Perhaps, to accuse.
* Otherwise, of saving.
* Perhaps, we lead.
* Otherwise, you shall pay.
* Otherwise, of dullness.
* Otherwise, of law.