ON ST. JOHN THE LAMB, BISHOP OF MAASTRICHT, CONFESSOR,
AT HUY IN BELGIUM.
In the year 646.
HISTORICAL SYLLOGE.
Of his cult, age, and deeds.
St. John the Lamb, bishop of Maastricht, confessor, at Huy in Belgium.
BHL Number: 4332
BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.
I here name St. John, surnamed the Lamb, the 25th bishop of Maastricht, in that series, order, and title in which I find both all his predecessors and successors, up to St. Floribert, the 31st prelate of that church, called from all time; Of the acknowledged holiness of John even as our Elders too formerly spoke, especially Henschen, both in the historical Exegesis on the bishops of that city, and in the most laborious Commentary on the Acts of St. Amandus at the 6th of February, from which the age of St. John will presently be defined. Hariger in Chapeauville, from chapter 37, never fails to adorn John with the title of holy or blessed; but Giles of Orval, in an addition to Hariger, chapter 39, expressly says that his festivity is kept by some on the 8th of the Kalends of August, although Chapeauville observes that it is now not celebrated with peculiar solemnity, because the people of Maastricht make the memory of all their bishops on the 6th of February. The same proceeds: "There is preserved the Legend of this John the Lamb, written in the French tongue, in the castle of Huy, a copy of which I have, extracted by Don John Stassoul, then chaplain of that castle, under the date of the year 1585, the 23rd of August, which in all things accords with these writings of Hariger and Giles"; so that accordingly of it we need here be nothing greatly concerned.
[2] Moreover, of the legitimate cult a testimony beyond all exception the praised Giles bears, in the already said addition, page 72, the monuments of Liège do not suffer to be doubted when he thus writes: "But the relics of this John, in our times (namely the 13th century), the lord John, the second of this name, bishop of Liège, raised from the earth, and honorably laid up in the altar of the holy martyrs Cosmas and Damian in the castle of Huy." The year the following words indicate: "This altar, therefore, was again consecrated by the aforesaid bishop John in honor of the aforesaid Martyrs in the year of grace one thousand two hundred and thirty. An old altar too, which had been built there by the ancients, stood about two cubits from the wall of the round hall, and there, between the wall of the round hall and the altar, was buried blessed John the Lamb, holding his head under the aforesaid altar, but his feet up to the wall of the oft-mentioned hall." The last addition, whether written or dictated by Giles, thus expressly enunciates: "But his tomb we saw in our times, when the aforesaid John raised him from the earth, and placed the altar beside the wall of the aforesaid round hall."
[3] and various Martyrologies With Giles agree the Belgian martyrologists, the manuscript Florary of the Saints leading, whose author, thus beginning: "At the castle of Huy, the deposition of St. John, surnamed the Lamb, bishop and confessor," comprises in his following eulogy almost whatever we have received narrated of St. John the Lamb by Hariger, a writer of the tenth century. The same on this day announce Molanus, Miraeus, Fisen, Willot, the Sacrarium of Liège, and as many as have professedly recounted the Saints of Belgium, at least of that city; and them Ferrari followed in the general Catalogue of the Saints who are not in the Roman Martyrology, in these words: "At Huy in Belgium, of blessed John the Lamb, bishop of Liège." Saussay, more scrupulous than usual in his Gallican one, dared to place him only among the pious; Castellanus among the venerable, perhaps because they observed that in the proper Offices of Liège no peculiar solemnity is designated for St. John: but that here proves absolutely nothing, since several bishops of the same church,
although certainly endowed with the honors of the Saints, are celebrated only with that common festivity with St. Amandus on the 6th of February.
[4] with Molanus. Molanus deserves to be heard, thus in few words recording of him on this day: "Huy, the death of blessed John, bishop of the church of Maastricht. He, in fact and surname the Lamb, predecessor of blessed Amandus, left his inheritance to the oratory of the holy martyrs Cosmas and Damian, which is in the castle of Huy: in which place too his relics were raised by John, the second of his name, bishop of Liège, in the year one thousand two hundred and thirty, and laid them up in the altar of the aforesaid martyrs. The Martyrologies of certain churches place his birthday on the 8th of the Kalends of August, which, however, is not celebrated in the castle of Huy. But the people of Maastricht make the memory of all their bishops on the sixth day of February." Libert Houthem too notes that the apples which are commonly called St. John's have their name from this Bishop: which he signified to me by letters that he had received from a certain most ancient manuscript codex. Chapeauville, concerning the Saint's staff, of which below it is treated, notes the same from a very ancient codex of the castle of Huy, namely that the wood which grew green, flowered, and brought forth fruit, produced apples of most sweet odor, which from that time were called the apples of St. John, namely from this John. And thus far concerning the cult.
[5] In fixing the age of St. John and the duration of his episcopate, the writers of Liège all — Hariger, Giles, Fisen, and, from them, several others — seem to have altogether erred, whom Henschen, a most diligent searcher of these matters, His age, against what the people of Liège think seems to have corrected in this manner, §11, no. 83: "In which same year (namely 646) died St. John the Lamb, bishop of Maastricht, on the 25th of July, which day is dedicated to his sacred cult." Of his election Hariger thus writes, chapter 39: "The kingdom of Austrasian France Dagobert, a youth, administered: Chlothar his father alone governed the monarchy of four kingdoms. But royal precepts are proclaimed; that blessed John shall be bishop of Maastricht is acclaimed by all; all consent, all rejoice, he is seized, enthroned." Which was done before the 42nd year of Chlothar, of Christ 625, in which Dagobert, a youth, not yet having taken a wife, governed only northern Austrasia, in which was Maastricht. That John administered that church at least twenty years, the old age at which he died, indicated by Hariger, persuades: "Blessed John," he says, "completing the course of the present life, died in a good old age." All which will be clearly understood below from the continued text of Hariger himself.
[6] Henschen proceeds: "The times of this St. John the Lamb are hinted by Sigebert of Gembloux in the Life of St. Theodard, of whom we shall treat below, where he says that then, before St. Amandus undertook that episcopate, Henschen seems to have rightly defined. the church of Maastricht had been mutilated of a great quantity of its possessions; namely in that old age of the Bishop." In the common chronology of Bucherius, Fisen, and others, St. John the Lamb is said to have been bishop only six years, and that from the year 631 to the year 637, but no reason being added. But the following will confirm our epoch. John the Lamb therefore having died on the 25th of July of the year 646, St. Amandus, compelled by the king and the priests to govern the church of Maastricht, undertook the pontifical see, and for three years, going about the villages and castles, etc. But that three years in which St. Amandus governed the church of Maastricht Henschen terminates with the years of Christ 647 and the two following, as you will find there proved at more length against the received opinion of the people of Liège. What? that Le Cointe, at the year 649, defers to another whole three years the death of St. John, and so the beginnings of St. Amandus; but to discuss these things at more length in this place I do not think worthwhile: the year of the Saint's death, with Henschen, we have for a while removed to the said year 646. Now have what Hariger handed down of his deeds, from chapter 37, concerning holy John.
[7] These therefore being translated by succession to the things above, Practicing agriculture John the twenty-fifth succeeds, a man of all holiness, whose life and deeds we shall try to narrate. Nor ought it to be esteemed difficult for God, what he wills to work marvelously, who, marvelous in his works, magnifies his Saints too ineffably. For he himself, who by wondrous and ineffable signs becomes known to all peoples, himself most excellently magnified blessed John, for the conversion of the unbelievers of his time, so that he who was most well known to him alone who knows all things, for the merit of his holiness, might marvelously become known also to the men of his time. This blessed John, therefore, whose name at that time was "the Lamb," answered to so great an appellation of simplicity by his merit and chaste works: for he applied himself to agriculture, which alone almost of the arts can be practiced without the stain of crime. Which work he pursued, not compelled by the necessity of want (for he was a noble man, and abounding in the revenues of great possessions), but lest, growing sluggish with leisure, he should be held unworthy of daily food and clothing. That he himself was most wealthy the estates of our church conferred by him attest, hitherto possessed by our predecessors and by us, whose tithe the church of St. Cosmas retains in the castle of Huy, for the burial of that same holy Man.
[8] is admonished from heaven of his promotion to the episcopate; While therefore he applied himself to such labors, a certain pilgrim came upon him from the parts beyond the sea, who had been admonished by an angelic vision to cross the sea, and to come to the city Benefacta, built by Antoninus Augustus, and to instruct a man of God, designated by name, concerning the great works of God. He therefore, surveying many lands round about, had sought the city Benefacta: at last he came to Huy, and found the city by the name shown. Going farther to the East, he rejoiced that he had found blessed John, according to the angelic agreement, applying himself to rural work on his estate, called Tutantia. And, lest any scruple should remain in his mind, he tried whether the rest of the token agreed with the name. "Hail," he said, "excellent man Lamb." To whom, when he assented, and, being greeted, returned the greeting, that man from beyond the sea, now made more certain, said: "You apply yourself to a good work, and you yourself are acknowledged good by God. I have been sent to you as a good messenger, unless perhaps, which God forbid, you shall be incredulous of my words. Your works and alms have pleased the Most High, your frequent prayer too has penetrated the heavens, and to him to whom all things are known, the intention which remains in secret has been pleasing. And because you serve the Lord magnificently, you shall be magnificently honored by him. A wondrous spectacle of your service you have exhibited to the angelic spirits, a marvelous example of you shall be furnished to men. The town of Maastricht is widowed of its shepherd; the Lord has determined that you shall be exalted with the honor of that office."
[9] to which, when he refused belief, At these things the holy Man first was amazed, and, his hair standing up, his voice stuck in his throat, and, astonished at the novelty of the matter: "Marvelous are the things," he said, "good man, which you speak; I am not wholly incredulous of your words: that the town of Maastricht lacks a pontiff is not unknown to me, but that I should be substituted seems incredible: for me, bound by the marriage bond, burdened with the solicitude of children, it is necessary to think of the things which are of the world; the holy canons do not admit such a one even into the lot of the clericate, and, to pass over other things, that I am irreprehensible, as the Apostle admonishes, I do not suppose; I consider myself entangled with many vices. I have not stood by those laboring, I have not had compassion on the mourning, with Martha I have not ministered to the poor in spirit, with Mary I have not attended to the divine word. Therefore I confess that I dissent much from the active life, but of the contemplative I have never at least tasted the beginnings: letters I have not learned, I have never studied, I have not been present in the schools. And how ought he to ascend to the pontificate so unexpectedly, to whom it has not fallen to have administered the several grades severally? How at last will he be able to preside, who never knew how to be subject?"
[10] by the new miracle of the flowering staff To these the elder: "He who can do all things as he wills, for him too it is not impossible to accomplish this: and he who created all things from nothing, whose power no one resists, who once opened for speaking the mute mouth of the ass, himself can fill your mouth with knowledge. Only do you esteem nothing difficult to his Majesty, but, believing, open a faithful tongue in the praises of the Creator. Do not, I pray, doubt, but diligently review the histories of the ancients, for perhaps you have perceived some of them at least by hearing. What else do the ancient miracles in them sound, than that, commanded by the Almighty, nature marvelously changed its innate state?" To these blessed John answered: "Of these things indeed nothing is doubtful to me, but in comparison with those through whom these tokens were done, I am too far inferior." Which word being finished, fixing in the ground the staff which he held in his hand: "As," he said, "it is impossible for this dry wood to adhere to the earth by roots, to flower likewise and bear fruit, so know it impossible that the words which you say can be fulfilled in me." Presently, wonderful to say, the wood changed its surface, adhered to the earth, put on bark, grew green, flowered, brought forth fruit.
[11] O marvelous power of the Founder! O ineffable grace of the Creator! he is compelled to believe, Happy they who deserved to see these things. Happy we too, if we do not dissemble to believe. Happy the clergy under such a Pontiff, and happy the peoples under so great a shepherd. This famous thing was divulged into the ears of all, brought forth to very many of the nobles of the whole kingdom. This fame did not lie hid from the King, and occupied the people gathered at Maastricht. Straightway they hasten, an embassy is directed to Huy. Blessed John is found with that man from beyond the sea, and both are led to Maastricht, not without the wonder of all. The kingdom of Austrasian France Dagobert, a youth, administered. Chlothar his father alone governed the monarchy of four kingdoms: but royal precepts are proclaimed; that blessed John shall be bishop of Maastricht is acclaimed by all.
[12] and is truly raised to the see of Maastricht. All consent, all rejoice, he is seized, enthroned. The holy man, although he still wished to resist, yet, because he saw himself favorably received by all, rejoiced that he was overcome by a disposition of God so marvelous and evident. What manner and how great a one, after his enthronement, he showed himself in holy works, the premises declare, since it is established that he, endowed with all honesty of morals, had very many perfect disciples: of whom we have received one, namely blessed Mono, applying himself to the ecclesiastical responses under him, to have shown himself a perfect martyr. But blessed John himself, completing the course of the present life, died in a good old age, received the prize of the perennial crown, buried in the church of St. Cosmas, situated on the hill at Huy.