ON ST. SIMEON, MONK AND HERMIT.
IN THE MONASTERY OF ST. BENEDICT OF POLIRONE NEAR MANTUA IN ITALY.
In the year 1016.
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
Simeon, monk and hermit, in the monastery of St. Benedict of Polirone, near Mantua in Italy (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR P. B.
§ I. The canonization, cult, and relics of the Saint.
This St. Simeon is plainly different from another of the same name, the recluse of Trier, of whom we treated on the Kalends of June; although each lived at almost the same time: which it is enough to have noted in passing: for the matter is so clear that it ought not to be proved. St. Simeon is celebrated on this day according to the Martyrologies Ours died on this day, as will be evident from the Acts, chapter 6, number 58: and on the same he is celebrated by the Martyrologists; as in the Strozzi codex of Usuard, which we noted in the appendices; where he is announced in these words: In the monastery of St. Benedict, in the district of Mantua, of St. Simeon, monk and hermit, who, illustrious for many miracles, rested in a good old age. Maurolyco, Galesini, Felici, Ferrari have followed; the Benedictines, Wion, Dorgan, Menard, Bucelinus; and others everywhere after the Roman Martyrology, which uses the same words which we have now given from the Strozzi codex.
[2] St. Simeon is therefore honored in the monastery of St. Benedict in the district of Mantua, of which thus Arnold Wion, in the monastery of Polirone; a native of Douai indeed and born in Belgium, but afterward a son of the same monastery: This most ample monastery of St. Benedict was founded and constructed by duke Tedaldus, grandfather of the most illustrious duchess Matilda, not far from the city of Mantua between the rivers Po and Lirone, whence afterward it received the name of Polirone, in the year of the Lord 984: and it was afterward augmented, both with privileges and with wealth, by duke Boniface, marquis and count, the son of the same Tedaldus, and the aforesaid Matilda, his daughter; who there, dying, was buried in the year of the Lord 1116. He who wishes for more, let him consult him in the Benedictine Martyrology on this day; or rather Benedetto Bacchini, who embraced a long history of this monastery in Italian in altogether five books, to which he added a copious furniture of documents, drawn out from its archive. He teaches, however, book 1, from page 15 to 25, that the determined year of the foundation is not known, although the year of Christ 1007 is wont to be assigned from the chief charter of count Tedaldus; since it is established with sufficient certainty that it was accomplished before that year. From this author Mabillon chiefly derived the things which he related concerning this abbey in the Benedictine Annals, at the year of Christ 1007.
[3] where the feast is kept with an Octave and a proper Office; In this monastery, I say, of which for some time it can be reckoned some part, in which he finished the last period of his life, at which he willed, dying, that the deposit of his body be laid up, and obtained it, the memory of St. Simeon is chiefly celebrated today with an anniversary and solemn cult. This the Offices testify, wont formerly to be recited by the people of Polirone, both that ancient one, of which the cited Wion makes mention, and another more recent, which Simeon Bascheria, a monk of the same monastery, composed according to the rules of the newly revised Breviary, and published at Mantua in the year 1617: each is expanded through an Octave. In the last (for the other we have not seen) the antiphons, hymns, responsories are all proper, composed from the Acts of the Saint, and asserting nothing else; which accordingly we have not thought fit to transcribe here. Four Lessons on the very day in the first nocturn are assigned from the book of Wisdom: The just man, if he be forestalled by death, etc.; in the second there are four proper ones, relating the whole Life of the Saint in compendium, not without interpolation, as we shall note in their places; in the third, finally, there are three Lessons from the homily of St. Gregory on the Gospel of Luke, Let your loins be girt; but for the fourth Lesson the same whole Gospel
is recited. Within the Octave, on days not impeded by another feast, the ferial psalms are prescribed, with three Lessons, of which the first two are taken from the beginning of our Life, the third from the Fathers Jerome and Augustine. On the eighth day the Office is done, as on the feast itself, except that in the first nocturn the Lessons are drawn from the book of Ecclesiasticus: "Blessed [is] the man, etc."; in the second, from our Acts; but in the third, from the homily of St. Jerome on the Gospel of Matthew, "Behold, we have left all things."
[4] We do not doubt that peculiar Offices concerning our Saint were also formerly prescribed in certain other monasteries of the Benedictine family; although elsewhere too they seem to have been proper among the Benedictines: although it has not befallen us to see them. An argument can be the hymns at Vespers, Matins, and Lauds on the feast of St. Simeon, which are to be read on this day in the "Wood of Life," book 3, pages 235 and 236, in Wion, drawn out, as he asserts, from a very ancient Breviary of the church of the monks of St. Mary of Maguzano; which convent is of the Order of St. Benedict in the diocese of Verona. Why should not the same custom have prevailed elsewhere too? There was certainly reason why the Benedictines should follow him with a singular affection above the rest, not only because he had dwelt among them, and, buried, shone with miracles; but also, and especially, because he had in a manner given himself over to their Order; while in all things he wished to depend on the mouth and nod of the abbot of Padolirone even to his last breath; as is had from the Acts, chapter 5, num. 45.
[5] They themselves certainly promoted not slothfully, before the Roman Pontiff, the cause of his public veneration; who promoted the cause of his canonization, and obtained it since that Benedictines were sent into the City by Boniface margrave of Mantua to plead it, and among them indeed the author of our Acts, is gathered from the history of the miracles, chapter 2, num. 16: nor indeed did they accomplish this matter less happily than promptly, not indeed in the same year 1016, in which he flew away to heaven—which Florentinius had asserted in the History of Matilda the great countess, book 1, page 16, whom in that the praised Bacchini censures, book 1, page 32; nor even in the year 1017, which Donesmondus assigns in the Ecclesiastical History of Mantua, book 3, page 187, since from the history of the miracles it seems to have been done later; but yet under the same supreme Pontiff, under whom the Saint had ceased to live, Benedict VIII, who held the Chair of Peter not beyond the year of Christ 1024: for that this one decreed solemn honors to St. Simeon, Wion, Mabillon, Bacchini, and others agree, and even the earlier Life itself in the Office of Padolirone, although there, by an error, in place of Benedict VIII is expressed Boniface VIII; which it is wonderful that our Papebroch did not observe in the chronological History of the patriarchs of Jerusalem, num. 191; since Pope Boniface was distant from his chronological reckonings there by two centuries and a half and more: and Benedict, not Boniface, the very letter exhibits, which Wion long ago published, and after him Mabillon in this place after the miracles, where also in our Manuscript it is read in these words:
[6] under Pope Benedict VIII before the year 1024, The letter of Pope Benedict concerning the canonization and construction of the church of St. Simeon the monk. Benedict, Bishop, servant of the servants of God, to Boniface, by the grace of God illustrious margrave, dearest salvation with the Apostolic blessing. You have required [] our judgment, as was fitting, whether in honor of Simeon, lately sanctified—which his works prove and innumerable and diverse miracles testify—it might be lawful for you to construct a church, and to place his venerable body honorably there. Concerning which we answer: if he so coruscates with miracles, as your man has asserted to us, build the church; place in it the same Saint: beside whom ask an altar to be consecrated; in which let the relics of the ancient Saints be laid up with the most sacred Body of our Lord Jesus Christ: and so at length let the divine Mysteries be celebrated. Treat him as a Saint. The Holy of Holies will render [] to you the reward of a Saint; as He Himself said: He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet. He Himself is the inspector of reins and hearts; and may He remunerate him with a worthy compensation; and to you, for so great a desire, may He indulge His grace. Amen.
[7] who permitted a church and altar to be erected to the Saint; Observe here, in passing, the rite of canonization in use in the eleventh century. Then, that the church, of whose building here it is treated, was that very one which in the same century is found called, in the testament of Borellus, the church of St. Benedict and St. Simeon, according to Bacchini, book 1, page 34; and that it was not so different from the basilica of the monastery of Padolirone, which on the occasion of this canonization was erected anew with immense labor and expense; inasmuch as at least twenty years were spent on its fabric; which from the letter of St. Leo IX Bacchini rightly argues in the same place: for Leo is believed to have been created supreme Pontiff in the year of Christ 1049; but by his letter he orders the new church to be consecrated together with an altar in honor of St. Simeon, whose body he at the same time commands to be elevated. Bacchini published that letter in the same place, page 35, after Wion and Mabillon; it is also in our Manuscript after that which we gave above: and it has thus:
[8] [which St. Leo IX ordered to be consecrated, and at the same time the body to be elevated] The letter of Pope Leo concerning the veneration of St. Simeon the monk. Leo, Bishop, servant of the servants of God, to V.V. bishop of Modena, salutation and Apostolic benediction. God [is] wonderful in His Saints, glorious and mild, and of great mercy, and preeminent over malice, [and] has, as we have learned by the true relation of many faithful, gifted with a hundredfold remuneration the merit and labor [*] of His holy confessor Simeon to the most reverend abbot St. Benedict; to whom let honor be shown, with the associated companion Simeon, monk and hermit and deacon. The bishop of Mantua shall consecrate there the new church; to which we wish that you show honorableness: namely, we wish you to be present at this consecration, and at the elevation of this body: and let an altar be consecrated in honor of him whom God has glorified with the highest dignity of virtues. Amen.
[9] But it must be noted that no year indeed is here assigned in which the letter was given; through the bishops Wibert and Martian. since nevertheless it is by all determined to be St. Leo's, it follows that it can be reckoned neither earlier than the year 1049, nor later than the year 1054; nay, we think it was written in this very year, from a conjecture to be proposed a little below. Hence Mabillon interprets that double VV, which occurs at the beginning of the letter in the Manuscript codex which he followed, otherwise than either Wion or Bacchini, who for those letters express the word "Venerabili" (to the Venerable), which he also thought who wrote out our Manuscript copy, when he added above the double VV the syllable "li"; but Mabillon seems to expound more rightly, when he notes that VV signifies Wibert: for that was the received manner of writing at that time, that for the name itself only its first letter was expressed. But there was, St. Leo sitting at Rome, a bishop of Modena, Wibert, who is also called Vibert, created, according to Ughelli, tome 2, column 144, in the year 1038; deceased in the same year as the holy Pontiff, the year 1054; who seems to have been fatal (deadly) also to Martian or Martial, whom we think here designated, bishop of Mantua, in the same Ughelli, tome 1, column 931. Papebroch, in the place cited a little before, believed that by the same letters, unless I am mistaken, Varinus, bishop of Modena, was designated; but this one had long before departed from life before the Pontificate of St. Leo.
[10] It is clear also from this letter that that new church, But this church was the chief [church of the convent.] of whose consecration it is treated, was common to St. Benedict and St. Simeon; and that not that small oratory is understood, which Bacchini, page 34, narrates was placed within the enclosure of the monastery, distant about forty paces from the monastery itself, in the place of the hut which the Saint had inhabited; but the chief basilica of the convent, as has just been said: for this properly could be called a church, not that: and in this the Saint's body was laid up, not likewise in that; as we also learn from Wion, when he affirms concerning his own time: And now St. Simeon lies buried in the altar dedicated to his name, on the left of our church, immediately at the entrance; where until today he shines coruscating with miracles: in which place he had long before rested, as is clear from the appendix of Bacchini to the oft-mentioned history, page 24. But now the same church, in the past century, has been reduced to another form, as the same author testifies, Julio Romano, a painter and architect celebrated throughout Italy, directing the work.
[11] I was saying just now that the letter of St. Leo seems to have been written in the year of Christ 1054; The matter being deferred, Pope Alexander II again commands it. this opinion was injected by the letter of Pope Alexander II to Heliseus bishop of Mantua, which from the Padolirone Manuscript codex, likewise as the preceding, Mabillon produced, as follows: Alexander, Bishop, servant of the servants of God, to Heliseus pontiff of Mantua, salutation and Apostolic benediction. The letters being seen which our predecessor, of blessed memory, Pope Leo, had caused to be written concerning the body of Simeon the monk and hermit; trusting in his sanctity, whatever he praised, we praise. But for perfecting this we associate the bishops of Ferrara or Verona. Not yet therefore had the already-produced letter of St. Leo been committed to execution. But for what cause; unless because it was given then, when either the bishop of Mantua Martian, or the bishop of Modena Wibert, or both, could not do the things commanded, being occupied either already by disease, or by death itself, which carried off both in the year 1054? For the rest, this last letter confirms excellently that concerning the cult and public veneration of St. Simeon it had already been decreed by the former letters.
[12] Other relics of the Saint are among the people of Padolirone, Furthermore, not only the Saint's body from that time is in the highest price among the people of Padolirone; but also other things which once pertained to him; as the hair-shirt; the Psalter and New Testament, written in Armenian letters; and some others which are known to have been the Saint's, as Wion is the author, in the place already often assigned; where he says that they are preserved there for relics, and are seen laid up in a certain casket, together with the letter of Arsenius patriarch of Jerusalem, likewise written in Armenian characters; which he himself in the same place produces translated into Latin: the same also Hippolytus Donesmondus gave, Ecclesiastical History of Mantua, book 3, page 187, and Mabillon at the end of the miracles; nay even our Papebroch, tome III of May, in the History of the Patriarchs of Jerusalem, page XLIV and following, from a leaf, I know not whence received, of a strange and exotic character however, which has thus:
[13] among which the letter of Arsenius patriarch of Jerusalem, Arsenius patriarch of Jerusalem, for the commendation of St. Simeon the monk and hermit.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and of His most holy sepulcher, guarded by me His unworthy servant. I, Arsenius, not by my merits patriarch of Jerusalem, with the firm sign (seal) of the holy Sepulcher, wish salvation and peace to the whole catholic Church. But I pray those to whose parts this monk and most holy Christian and hermit Simeon shall have gone, that they do him good [], because he is good and elect. [For he went to the sepulcher of the Lord; thence he came to the church of blessed Peter the apostle; after this he proceeded to the thresholds of blessed James into Galicia: and thus, in the manner [] of the Apostles serving God and our Lord Jesus Christ, he went round the whole world: and he had no companion [*], except Jesus Christ. That you may marvel the more; he ate no bread, nor flesh, nor fat, nor cheese, nor eggs.] Whatever emperor, or king or queen, or bishop, or abbot, or margrave, or count, or whatever Christian, for the love of Christ shall have done him good, or shall have defended him, and shown him the way, because he does not know the language, let him be blessed by the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: may the Lord preserve him in every good work: may He bless and sanctify [him]; on the day of judgment may Christ place [him] at the right hand with the elect; that he may be able to hear: Come, ye blessed of my Father: may the Spirit confirm [him], and may he hold firmly and unchangeably the word of God received in his heart, that he may not be able to be torn away by the most iniquitous devil. But whoever shall have done him evil, or shall have injured him, let him perish with the damned forever. Amen. There is added in Wion and Donesmondus, in the same character: This Simeon is a monk, and a hermit, and an Armenian.
[14] concerning which some doubts are proposed. This letter, which he wrongly believed to have been Greek, Papebroch reckoned interpolated by the Latin interpreter, inasmuch as it contains as past things which, when Simeon was departing from Jerusalem into Europe, were still future and therefore unknown to Arsenius. Hence, after his example, we have enclosed those passages in brackets. Mabillon doubts whether it was rightly turned from Armenian into Latin; and if it is so, he thinks it must be reckoned different from that of which mention is made in the Acts, which will be examined below. Antonius de Yepes, in the general Chronicle of St. Benedict written in Spanish, at the year of Christ 1016, "I stuck," he says, "at this letter. And first indeed, by what reasoning does the patriarch of Jerusalem thence make faith that Simeon the hermit went to Galicia? Secondly, the Saint would seem to me to have had to be suffused with shame, if he carried about commendatory letters by which the patriarch canonized him while living, as best and most holy, by narrating the penance and austere manner of life which he kept." Then he subjoins those things, whence anyone may understand that this monument seemed to him of altogether doubtful faith. We too marvel at this, why the autograph of this letter (for we believe it to be preserved as autograph at Padolirone) was written in Armenian by Arsenius, commending the Saint to the Italians and Spaniards, to whom he was going; since he knew that tongue to be unknown in these parts: for if Simeon, who was an Armenian, could not be understood in the West, and therefore also had to be commended, because he did not know the language known there; how could an Armenian writing help him there, much more difficult to perceive than speech? Then why does the author of the Life nowhere mention this letter? Why was it not at least produced then, when Simeon, so badly treated at Rome, had found an Armenian bishop, chapter 2, num. 18? Let these things be said only that they may bring some light hither, to those whom it concerns; which the Spanish and French Benedictines themselves long ago desired. See also the things pertaining hither in the following paragraph, num. 25 and 26.
Annotations* Mabillon: "Requisistis" (You have required) * Mabillon: "ut" * elsewhere: "reddat" (may he render) * elsewhere: "gloriam" (glory) * Wion reads "benefaciant" (may they do good) * Papebroch reads "morem" (custom/manner) * others: "comparem" (an equal/companion)
§ II. The Acts of the same; two letters of Arsenius patriarch of Jerusalem; the time in which the Saint came from the East to Rome.
Concerning our Saint, now for two centuries, very many have written, some of whom we cited in the foregoing paragraph, The writers; and the Acts of the Saint, others are assigned by Wion in his Martyrology on this day, and by Simeon Bascheria in the annotation which he prefixed to the Office of the Saint reformed by himself and printed at Mantua in the year 1617. Among these Bascheria himself has assuredly merited singular praise, when he at length brought to light the most ancient Acts of St. Simeon together with the Office, which none of those whom I have been able to see had done before him; although several had them in their hands. For Hilarion, a monk of Milan, saw them; since he closely follows them in his abbreviated Legendary, which he published as a supplement to the Legend of James of Voragine at Milan in the year 1494; yet he preferred to make his own compendium out of another's work, folio 61 verso and following, than to publish it, as it was, intact. Baronius saw the same in manuscript in the Vatican library, as he noted on this day in the Martyrology; and in the Annals at the year 1016 he plucked a very few things from them. Wion saw them, as he shows book 3 on this day, written on parchments in his own monastery, accurately enumerating the 27 chapters of the Life, but 13 chapters of the Miracles; but he gave nothing of them. Folengo, praised by Wion, saw them, but was content to derive thence a brief epitome into the Office of the Saint; which indeed has not come to our hands; if however it is that which is now read in his Office—reformed by Bascheria to the new form of the Breviary—on the first day of the Octave, or the 26th of July, it is assuredly not very faithful, as will be seen below. Finally others too saw them; since both in the Mantuan codex, according to Mabillon, they lie hidden; and in that which we ourselves have happily obtained.
[16] those hitherto published are neither complete nor sufficiently sincere: Meanwhile Bascheria alone, as I was noting, made them public, and would that he had done so completely enough, and faithfully enough; for although Mabillon thought nothing to be lacking to them, nothing to be redundant; and therefore reprinted them in good faith, as he had received them printed in the Bascherian Office, in the Acts of the Saints of the Benedictine Order, century 6, part 1, from page 151; yet there is in both something sinned by the first editor: that indeed slight; yet of such a kind, that if Mabillon had detected it, we do not doubt that he would have sought other copies. They sin, I say, by defect: for besides the author's prologue, which is wholly omitted, a part of the first chapter, neither the least nor of small moment, has been cut away, as we shall note in num. 6: nowhere in them also does the name of Arsenius appear. But they sin by excess; when at the very beginning they assert that Simeon's father was called Hector, his mother Felix, his bride Stella: and in the names of the parents indeed it is wonderful that nothing of the supposition was smelt out by the otherwise sagacious Mabillon: for that these are intruded, the author himself indicated in the third following little verse in these words: His parents, indeed, we do not know, etc. Refer hither also, what we shall observe in chapter 5, num. 49, in the annotations, letter i, to be narrated quite otherwise in Bascheria and Mabillon than either in our copy, or in the compendium of Hilarion, who first of all, as we judge, contracted the genuine Acts, and much more sincerely than Folengo, or whoever is the author of the epitome which is read in the Bascherian Office at the second nocturn of this day, and which seems to have been the workshop of the chief interpolations which occur among the more recent authors.
[17] such as we bring forth from the Manuscripts, We here at length bring forth the Life whole and pure, from a little codex not indeed very ancient, as appears; but elegantly written and bound; which, besides these Acts, and two letters of the Roman Popes Benedict and Leo at the end, contained nothing. In them is preserved the order of the codex of Padolirone, as it is described by Wion: for the Life, besides the prologue, comprises altogether 27 chapters; but the history of the Miracles 13. These we have reduced, the former to six, the latter to two chapters, after our manner; the original partition, however, being noted in the margin. But this treasure was brought to us by a man most illustrious among the erudite, Claude Menestrier of the Society of Jesus, when in the year 1670, on the 4th of October, returning from Rome, he was going back through Belgium into France: but he had received it (as we found noted at the front) from one of ours at Ingolstadt; whence he in turn had it, we do not know. Concerning the faith of this codex we certainly cannot doubt: for the prologue and the first chapter of the Life up to number nine, and likewise all the miracles after death, which our Elders took care to have described only thus far, from the codex of the Vatican library num. 1222, agree most excellently with this Roman apograph; but the rest either do not differ from the Bascherian edition, or where they disagree, they agree more rightly with the most ancient Legend of Hilarion, which is both much more diffuse than the other epitomes, and far more purified.
[18] composed by an author coeval with the Saint, We have said that this Life is the first of all and the most ancient; and this we gather both from the age of the author, and from his own testimony: for he confesses that no other Acts shone before him (were available to him), when he says chapter 6, num. 57: Let it suffice to have thus far arranged these things concerning the virtues of the blessed man Simeon, which, living in the world, he wrought, which also we have found written in little papers, or which we have heard reported by truthful witnesses. He did not therefore find them arranged, since he himself arranged them from the testimonies of various persons, partly brought forth in writing and papers, partly by mouth. But among those papers, without doubt, the chief must be reckoned the letter of Arsenius, of which presently; as that which alone taught whatever had preceded the Saint's coming into Italy. He discloses his own age also in more than one place: for in the Miracles (which are of the same writer, as is asserted chapter 6, num. 57), chapter 2, num. 16, he indicates that he was one of those who, for canonizing the glorious body of the same St. Simeon, approached the holy Apostolic See; which we said was done under Benedict VIII, eight years after the death of Simeon; and so he lived with him, as Baronius, at the year 1016, and Bacchini, page 31, judge from this place.
[19] Mabillon asserts that he was coeval with the Saint, or at least nearly so (suppar); or at least nearly coeval, and a monk of Padolirone; which he seems to add, because for the same business of canonization the monks could have gone to Rome several times; for although under Benedict it had been obtained; yet, as we saw, it had not then been committed to execution; nay not even under St. Leo IX, from whom again a new decree of execution had to be obtained; but again frustrated in its effect, as appears. However that be, that he was nearly coeval no one will be able to deny: since chapter 6, num. 55, he calls as witnesses of two prodigies wrought by Simeon while surviving
several who both had seen them in person and had narrated them to him. It cannot therefore seem doubtful, but that this man first collected the Acts of Simeon; unknown indeed and anonymous; but yet a Benedictine monk; as is clear from the Miracles, chapter 1, num. 6, where he calls St. Benedict "our fostering father"; and indeed of Padolirone; since he was destined to plead the cause of our Simeon before the Roman Pontiff; which business was assuredly proper to the people of Padolirone.
[20] We know there are those who have affirmed that Arsenius patriarch of Jerusalem wrote the Acts of this Saint; of which Arsenius patriarch of Jerusalem had written only a part for so says Ughelli in Italia Sacra of the old edition, tome 1, column 930, where he treats of John the second, bishop of Mantua; and before him Donesmondus in the Ecclesiastical History of Mantua, book 3, page 387, where those Acts are said to be found in the Vatican library; but they are to be understood only of that part of the Acts which precedes the Saint's departure from the East: for the things which happened afterward, Arsenius is neither known to have written, nor could have written. But neither would I believe that even that earlier part of the Life, composed by Arsenius, is preserved in the Vatican Library; certainly of one who saw it there, we have hitherto met no witness. That it was once indeed among the people of Padolirone is established from our author, who reduced it into a compendium, as he professes in chapter 1, num. 7, where, likewise as in num. 1, it is called a letter of Arsenius the patriarch; but I would not think it now survives even there; otherwise it would have had to be enumerated among the ancient elogia of the Saint in Wion much more than those more recent hymns which he brings forth; nay even more than that other letter of the same, as is said, Arsenius, which we showed above there to be preserved with the relics: for if the one can seem more worthy of this, that the Saint is thought to have carried it about; the other, however, was of greater price on this head, that by the most weighty testimony of our author it was known to be Arsenius's; since we have seen even the Benedictine author, everywhere most celebrated for the History of his Order, which he composed in Spanish, doubting concerning that former letter.
[21] in a letter which now seems to have perished. Perhaps someone will marvel that here we determine the letter of Arsenius, which our author followed at the beginning, to be different from the published one; but he will cease to marvel who has looked into the matter more attentively: for the common (published) one is shorter; the other must have been longer; inasmuch as only a compendium of it is reported in the Acts from num. 3 to num. 8, which very compendium is much more diffuse than the printed letter. The published one is inscribed (as public testimonies are wont to be, by which those about to go abroad are commended) "To the whole catholic Church; to whatever emperor, or king or queen, or bishop, or abbot, etc." But that the other was inscribed to the monks of Padolirone, our anonymous testifies, num. 3 and 7. Besides, there are many things there which the same writer affirms from the letter of Arsenius, of which nothing at all is read in the published letter; as what is had in num. 3 concerning Simeon's boyish age, and the things done in it; concerning his adolescence and marriage: what in num. 4 and 5 concerning the bride, parents, and country left to embrace the monastic life: what in num. 6 concerning the Rule of St. Basil taken up (for in the published letter no mention is made of the Basilian Order); what is narrated in the same place concerning abstinence even from fish, and the moderate drink of only water; concerning the oil used on solemnities, concerning the hair-shirt and other garments, etc. It ought therefore to seem most certain, that one is the letter which under the name of Arsenius is even now both preserved, and read translated from the Armenian idiom into Latin; another, which supplied matter to the beginning of our Acts.
[22] The more recent compendia are interpolated, Now since this letter has hitherto nowhere appeared, in which perhaps some things had been noted a little more distinctly concerning the country of Simeon, concerning the place of the monastery and of the solitude; nay, since besides our author no one indicates that it was seen by himself, no one cites it; anyone will be able to determine with himself without difficulty how much faith is to be given to certain additions which, except from that letter, could not be affirmed; especially since they first appeared only in the sixteenth century. Certainly not even our author himself, however much he could learn—perhaps even from the Saint himself, or from those who had lived familiarly with him in the convent of Padolirone—of many of the things which he had done before his departure from the East, dared to assert anything of them, except what he had read in the letter already mentioned; if you except only Simeon's country Armenia, the grade of the diaconate in num. 3, and the miracle in the desert in num. 8 and following; although even this cannot be believed that the most humble Simeon narrated concerning himself; and so it must be thought to have become known to our author from the same letter. Whence therefore did Folengo, or whoever composed that epitome of the Life which is recited in his Office on this day, get it, when he says that his birthplace was the city of Arsamota; the name of his bride Stella; the convent of the Basilian Order, which he entered, established beside the river Euphrates; but the desert which he inhabited, at the banks of the river Araxes? I am deceived, unless he drew these from the same source whence he drew above the names of the parents—which our author ingenuously confesses were unknown to him, because Arsenius had not disclosed them. These meanwhile Donesmondus and several others have followed.
[23] But if there is room for conjectures in a matter not handed down, it seems that Baronius is rather to be adhered to, who believed the place of his solitude (why not also of his monastic life?) to have been Palestine, being augmented with unproven matters. not Armenia: for this is somehow gathered from our anonymous, who, having said in num. 3 that Simeon was born in the parts of Armenia, subjoins in num. 5: He deserted his country (namely the parts of Armenia) and his parents … and … the Lord governing, he sought a monastery. Thus also it is more easily understood by what reasoning Arsenius could be known and most familiar to him, which is affirmed in num. 3; if namely he kept the monastic and solitary institute within the borders of the patriarchate of Jerusalem, from which Armenia was far distant: for so great familiarity does not seem to have been contracted in the very city of Jerusalem, since to it the Saint had come before his departure into Europe: since he was not there for a long time then, according to num. 16. But neither does it appear verisimilar, that Arsenius—whether he was already patriarch before Simeon's departure, or created after his departure—was assumed to the see of Jerusalem rather from Armenia, subject to the patriarchate of Antioch, than from some place of the patriarchate of Jerusalem: here therefore, not there, was the place and opportunity for familiarity. But indeed there is no leisure to dwell longer on these things, which, since the author of the Life passed them over, will seem rather to be divined than asserted. Rather let us discuss this, which is indeed narrated in the Acts in the same number; yet is not taken by all in the same way.
[24] It is asked therefore at what time the Saint came from the East to Rome. The Saint came to Rome in the year 983; The Acts have thus, in the number cited: He deserted the caves of the solitude, and sought Rome as a pilgrim for the zeal of prayer. And when he visited many bodies of the Saints by going about … at length he put in at the oratory of St. John the Baptist of the Lateran church, where he found the Pontiff of the holy Roman Church, Benedict by name, with many religious bishops, orthodox men, residing in a gathered synod. This place, however plain it may seem, is very difficult. For some will have Benedict VII, others the eighth, to be signified; but both dissemble the opposed knots (difficulties) of their own opinion, at least those which vex us most. For Benedict VII stands Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy on this day; because the Life of the Saint seems to require a longer habitation of his in Italy than there is from the year of Christ 1012, in which Benedict VIII was raised to the Pontificate, until the year 1016, in which Simeon flew away to heaven. A valid argument indeed to one weighing the Acts; especially since from that four-year period no small part must be plucked, which was spent in journeys through Italy, Spain, Britain, Gaul, before he at length chose a firm and fixed domicile in Italy. More valid, however, is what Mabillon produces to prove the same opinion: namely, Simeon was already dwelling in the monastery of Padolirone, when, visiting Parma, he was honorably received by Sigefred, bishop of that city, as our Life has, chapter 6, num. 51: but Sigefred died before the Pontificate of Benedict VIII; for according to Ughelli, tome 2, column 203, Pope Sergius, the predecessor of Benedict VIII, in a certain privilege granted to the abbey of Nonantola, calls Elburgus the successor of Sigefred in the see of Parma: long therefore before Benedict VIII the Saint had come; therefore under Benedict VII: therefore in the year 983, in which alone Benedict VII is known to have celebrated a synod at Rome, concerning which Labbé or Harduin may be consulted.
[25] Indeed these are weighty considerations, by which I for my part would let myself be carried into their opinion hand and foot; although, since at that time the letter of Arsenius, published, unless something were here dissembled, which in this opinion seems inextricable: for if in the year 983 Simeon came to Rome, the letter must be supposititious (a forgery), which both we above and Mabillon himself, and others, gave as circulated under the name of Arsenius patriarch of Jerusalem, and which is preserved with the relics in the convent of Padolirone. For tell me; at what time could it have been given to Simeon by Arsenius? Before [his] departure into Italy (which the letter itself plainly requires), or after it? Whichever you say, it is false. For if you feign it given before the departure or at the very departure from Jerusalem, that is, in the year 983; the beginning of the letter is false: "I, Arsenius, not by my merits patriarch of Jerusalem, etc." for only about thirty years later could Arsenius receive the see of Jerusalem to be governed, as has been demonstrated in its place. If you would have it given, or rather sent, after Simeon's departure—nay after the year 1010, before which Arsenius could not be patriarch—into Italy, in which the Saint had long dwelt; the very scope, tenor, and whole form of the letter will contradict, and this above all will be false: "Because he does not know the language."
[26] it does not seem able conveniently to stand. These things, I confess, hold me constrained; nor would I doubt to embrace the opinion of Bacchini and others, which defers Simeon's coming into Italy until Benedict VIII, when Arsenius could already hold the patriarchate at Jerusalem; if I saw it somehow proved, and vindicated from the chronological arguments of the adversaries, which were either not read by them, or neglected. What then? Should I altogether reject the praised letter? I would not dare. Should I refute Mabillon's argument? Nothing is at hand by which I could solidly do it. I follow him therefore, even unwilling. Concerning the letter, for all of me as far as I am concerned, let its patrons determine what they can. Furthermore, the other things which in the Acts are obscure
we shall try to illustrate in the annotations to the Acts, which we subjoin.
THE LIFE
By an anonymous and coeval monk of Padolirone, from the Ingolstadt Manuscript codex, collated with another Manuscript and printed copies.
Simeon, monk and hermit, in the monastery of St. Benedict of Padolirone, near Mantua in Italy (St.)
BHL Number: 7952
FROM A MANUSCRIPT CODEX.
THE AUTHOR'S PROLOGUE.
Why the Acts of the Saints are to be written. As often, most beloved brothers, as we see the wondrous works of the Saints frequently coruscate in this world, which we faithfully believe to shine forth clearly for the utility and increase of holy Church, if, while such things are being done, sloth lording it over us, we cover them with silence, without doubt we seem to be condemned for negligence and bodily [*] cowardice. Whence the sentence of our Redeemer, exhorting, fully instructs us, saying: Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. And therefore, dearest brothers, the illustrious miracles of the Saints, which coruscate in this present life, deservedly ought to be elucidated in the world; that those whom their own merits do not excite may, at least, so many signs of virtues being seen, be somewhat afraid, and from the snares of the devil, a by which they are held captive, at some time come to their senses: that they may also see the pious works of those Saints, through which one goes to heaven; and imitate their glorious examples, and glorify God the Father almighty in heaven, who is through all things blessed unto the ages.
[2] Now therefore, very many deeds of the Saints being omitted, which occur to the mind, The faith of this author, and his selection of matters. let us faithfully approach those things which we have proposed concerning blessed Simeon, the glorious confessor of Christ; and first let us discourse of the miracles of his virtues, which through him almighty God deigned to work through intervals of times, whether he wrought them in life, or which, in that place where his glorious body was buried, were seen in our time, to the praise and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, as far as ability supplies. But because the signs of his virtues are wonderful and innumerable, which in the parts beyond the sea, and of Gaul, and also of Spain, God cooperating, he wrought; which also, for their multitude, we deem laborious to narrate; let us include in this little work only those things which we believe to be true, and which, resting on faith, have been brought forth to us by the testimony of faithful men; and then, the divine clemency favoring us, and his merits suffraging, let us execute those things which we have begun concerning the holy Man.
Annotations* perhaps "torporisque" (and of torpor) &
CHAPTER I.
St. Simeon's country; his noble birth; his education; his flight from marriage; his monastic and eremitic life.
This most blessed man therefore, Simeon by name, born in the parts of Armenia, from his early age a held regularly the purpose of monastic religion. Advanced to the office of the diaconate, St. Simeon, noble, an Armenian, afterward, manfully ascending by the steps of virtues to higher things, for very many days he was a dweller of the desert (a hermit). His parents, indeed, we do not know; but, as the most reverend Arsenius b, patriarch of Jerusalem, known and most familiar to him, reported to us by letter, proceeding from an illustrious stock of nobles, he was the son of a master of the soldiers (magister militum). This man, indeed, within his boyish years, began to do wondrous and magnificent things—to restrain the pleasure of desire by the bridle of moderation, to subdue his body by fasts, sometimes to excel in the spirit of prophecy, to sweat assiduously in the labors of prayer. And when he had now passed the time of adolescence under the zeal of a conversation of this kind, and now that time was imminent in which youthful age is wont to be entangled in carnal wedlock, his father, though Simeon was unwilling, according to the dignity of the world, joined him in the marriage of a wife.
[4] What shall I say? What shall I relate? I wish to compassionate and take counsel for the grief and sadness of God's Servant. ordered by his father to take a wife, he deserts his bride and parents, But to unfold the anxiety and mourning of his heart I am utterly ignorant. What should God's Servant do? What should he do? Anxious, trembling, he began long to excogitate in his mind how he might dissolve himself from the marriage of a wife. If he should keep her, he feared to violate the integrity of his body: if he should dismiss her, he shuddered to live basely, infamous in his country. Boiling therefore day and night with so great and such anxiety, outwardly attenuating his body, inwardly torturing his mind, at length, animated by a divine oracle, he often revolved in his mind that evangelical saying: Everyone who shall leave house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall possess eternal life: and again: He who renounces not all that he possesses, cannot be my disciple.
[5] and becomes a Basilian monk: The man of the Lord therefore, strengthened by such evangelical sayings of the Redeemer, deserted his country and parents, renouncing all the pomps of this world, and left his own wife, her integrity being preserved, and escaped naked from the shipwreck of this toilsome world, as one shaken by the tempest of a stormy sea; fortified with the shield of the catholic faith, girt with the bridle of chastity, fervently kindled with the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, the Lord governing, he sought a monastery: in which, prudently embracing the path of cenobitic life, by fasts, vigils, and prayers, day and night serving Christ indefatigably, he lived sincerely in the operation of sanctity.
[6] then in the desert he lives austerely. Several days thence, approved in the monastic cultivation by the rule of the holy father Basil, exceedingly adorned with upright manners, he went out to the field of the desert to do battle: where, frequently harassed by the snares of the ancient enemy, often entering into conflict with him, at length against his onsets he deserved to obtain the triumphal palm of victory c. In which solitude of the desert also, subduing his body by the virtue of abstinence, by the maceration of the flesh, he ate no bread; wine, nor the drink of any liquor except only water, and that with sparingness, he drank; content with only the roots of herbs or the fruits of trees, he led a celibate life. He used the food neither of flesh, nor of cheese, nor of eggs, nor of any fatness; the sustenance of pulse alone, on which he fed on the chief solemnities of the Saints, he anointed with a little oil. To his sacred limbs he offered a rough hair-shirt, and covered no part of his body with linen garments.
[7] These things from the letter of Arsenius, patriarch of Jerusalem. With such zeal therefore of a holy conversation, the glorious man of the Lord Simeon, divinely informed, several being drawn by him from the allurements of this world, offered an example of anchoritic religion; and thus, walking rightly through the paths of justice, he showed the way of the heavenly life to all thirsting for the fountain of eternal salvation. Thus far, concerning the worthy conversation of the blessed man Simeon, how first he deserted the pomp of this world, or how he sought a monastery, Arsenius, patriarch of Jerusalem, of venerable life, reporting to us by letter, we have arranged compendiously. Now let us turn our style to those signs which he wrought in his eremitic conversation, or which through diverse places of Italy, the Lord cooperating.
II.
[8] At a certain wintry time, while the man of God in the solitude of the desert was leading an angelic life with two brothers, Being in peril in the desert with his companions from snows and famine, so great a mass of snows burst forth from above, which so shut in every entrance of the little cell in which they abode, that none of them could, for seven days, some necessity compelling, go forth outside. But the servants of God, seeing themselves surrounded outwardly by a wall of snows, tortured inwardly by famine; when they cannot help themselves with human solace, began hastily to implore the divine protection. Hedged about therefore on every side by so great and so wondrous a magnitude of snow, they confidently seize the heavenly arms: their eyes raised to heaven, they lift their hands stretched upward with cries to the stars; their knees bent, they beat their breasts with their fists; pouring forth tears, they seek with a mournful voice the mercy of almighty God. By which weeping Christ's servant Simeon, vehemently moved, is reported to have poured forth tearfully to God a prayer of this kind.
[9] Almighty, eternal, and most high God of hosts (sabaoth), who didst create all things out of nothing; he beseeches God; who didst wondrously fashion man, when he was not, to the likeness of thine image, and, once fashioned, didst more wondrously reform him to obtain the joys of eternal beatitude; who didst carry the Israelite people, freed from Egyptian servitude, across the Red Sea with dry foot; and didst abundantly satiate the same, laboring with famine in the region of the desert, with heavenly bread, offered from the showers on high; and who also didst clemently give the same, wearied with the dryness of thirst, water produced from the rock to drink; succor us wretched, set in this strait of solitude, constricted by the rigor of snow and ice, afflicted by the great tribulation of famine. Relieve us, Most Clement One, by the aid of thy wonted pity; and suffer us not here to be extinguished under the peril of bitter famine.
[10] This prayer therefore being completed, forthwith a stag of wondrous magnitude and beauty appeared before the door of the little cell, cleaving to the masses of snow; who directed a stag to his cell, which, its neck bent down, humbly, with what effort it could, desiring to serve the brothers [*], offered itself to them for food of its own accord by the divine will. Who, seeing the beast, unwonted, to approach thither, believed themselves to be visited by the wonderful virtue of God; and began, long inquiring, at the same time to marvel at His magnificent clemency. Then the glorious man of God Simeon, long pondering in his mind, began diligently to search from the bottom of his heart what this unwonted visitation of the beast might thus indicate. Whose mind indeed, rolled among doubts, began, fluctuating, to discuss this way and that, whether the divine clemency, to refresh their bodies, or the fraudulent craftiness of the ancient enemy, to subvert their souls, brought that appearance of a stag before their eyes. God's Servant, discussing thence very many and diverse things, at length deliberates with sagacious mind, that the supernal pity, to expel the peril of famine, had sent the aforesaid stag to him out of His bounty; lest the pious Lord should further permit His servants to perish by the destruction of long-lasting famine, who once fed Daniel His servant in the den of lions by an angel.
[11] This stag, finally, was many times expelled from the door, lest, for the bitterness of famine, it should become to them an occasion of transgression in eating. to be killed and set before the hungry: Who, the more harshly it was expelled, the more frequently it returned. But Christ's servant Simeon, a true Israelite, in whom was no guile, whom no gluttony of the belly touched, whom no gastrimargy (gluttony) polluted, whom only the food of wild beasts usually nourished, humbly received the food divinely shown to him, as it had been commanded him from heaven, and persuaded the brothers to eat what was received. Without delay, then the anchorite men, the will of God being now known, killed the game, by no means sought on purpose by industry, sought by no labor, but conferred on them by God; and refreshed with the food of flesh their famished bodies, now wounded by long-lasting hunger, sobriety being retained. Whence refreshed, prostrate on their face, they forthwith adored the divine majesty, praising His clemency, and rendered due thanks to Him for their so great benefits.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER II.
The sudden death of a brother, and the narrative of his recall to life; the Saint's journey to Jerusalem and Rome; miracles wrought in each; his toleration of calumnies and their recompense.
III.
But one of the brothers, Stephen by name, resisted the words of the holy man Simeon, saying that this was a grave crime: he derogated from his Simeon's counsel in what he could. One of the brothers, clamoring against the Saint, perishes suddenly; The wretch, because he refused to believe the salutary counsel of the blessed Man, and despised to obey his command, quickly bore the penalty of a sudden death for vengeance. Wonderful thing; the brother, at the same moment in which he would not give faith to the words of the man of God, struck by the hidden judgment of God, perished. At whose sudden destruction Christ's servant Simeon, presently made exceedingly sad, collapsed with heavy grief, prostrated himself wholly to the ground in groaning; where he constrained himself in such great laments, and knocked at the ears of the divine pity with prayers, until the supernal clemency, moved by his cries, restored the soul of Stephen, snatched from the jaws of death, to his pitiable body.
[13] but, restored to life by his prayer, Who, restored to life, being asked whither he had gone, or how he had so suddenly migrated from this light, is reported to have given such an answer to the brothers: When, he says, by the command of almighty God (as you saw) it had befallen me to migrate from this life by a sudden onset, forthwith an angel of snowy whiteness appeared to me; who, lifting me by his conduct to the high seats of the Blessed, presented me before the tribunal of the Judge; where, several offenses being brought into the midst by the ancient enemy, only the fault of disobedience and derogation condemned me. Then the strict Judge, weighing the judgment with an even balance, because I despised to obey the precepts of my father Simeon, deservedly destined me to pay the penalties in the darkness of the nether regions.
[14] And when on this side and that several spirits of demons gaped rapaciously, he narrates what happened to him. to snatch me to the bars of hell; behold, one messenger from the heavenly militia, glittering with excessive splendor, flashed into the midst; who with a clear voice, the spirits of the Blessed standing round, said: Render the soul of Stephen to the tears of Simeon; because he incessantly compels [*] the ears of the divine majesty with the groaning of mournful weeping. Which voice being uttered, forthwith I was restored to my former life, and I am firmly admonished by God to enumerate, through all the places of the desert, how great is the virtue of obedience or of charity. And to holy Simeon he said: By thy prayers indeed, blessed Father, being raised up, I have received back my lost soul; and the commands of God, which I am bidden to disclose through me, and the seen torments of hell, which, heard, I did not believe, I will terribly disclose to the living above. These things Stephen reported, and to several, as long as he lived in the world, disclosed as it had happened to him.
IV.
[15] And when, a long time being now spent, it had pleased the supernal pity that the most blessed confessor of Christ Simeon should desert the vast solitude, Coming to Jerusalem he frees 7 possessed persons. and illustrate the diverse parts of the world by the examples of light with miracles, he deserted the desert: Christ affording him conduct, he sought Jerusalem. And well Jerusalem, which is interpreted "Vision of peace"; because the Man, a lover of peace, recalled several, discordant among themselves and from Christ, to the unity of faith a, and to the grace of peace b. When the blessed Man entered it with humble cultivation, he entered a certain house full of horror, where he found seven human bodies enslaved to seven most wicked spirits; which were so tormented by them with the fury of madness, that if anyone strove to touch them, forthwith they endeavored to tear them with lacerating bites. To whom the man of God, relying on the divine virtue, constantly commanding, forthwith by rebuking put those wicked spirits to flight from the possessed bodies.
[16] Not long after, God's servant Simeon, the warlike novitiate of eremitic conversation being now completed, At Rome he is traduced for a heretic by a certain seditious cleric, because it was divinely revealed to him, deserted the caves of the solitude, and sought Rome as a pilgrim for the zeal of prayer. And when he visited many bodies of the Saints by going about, whom scarcely ever any labor in praying overcame, at length he put in at the oratory of St. John the Baptist of the Lateran church; where he found the Pontiff of the holy Roman Church, Benedict by name, with many religious bishops, orthodox men, residing in a gathered synod c. In which, when he protracted the delay of devout prayer (as was ever his custom) long, one of the clergy, full of the fury of wickedness and pride, defamed Simeon, a holy and catholic man, as a heretic d with polluted mouth before all residing in the synod; and, that he might deliver him to death, and rouse the people to slay him, barked out such words against the man of God with polluted mouth, saying: Do you not all see, he says, in the look, in the gait, and in the gesture of his whole body, that this depraved man and impostor acts heretically e? Let us therefore rise up against him, and, that the rest may tremble, either overwhelm him with stones, or burn him alive with fire. These things he said flagitiously [*], and to his crime several were joined, unanimously conspiring, who, the devil instigating, strove with all effort to kill the holy, just, and pious Man.
[17] Concerning which matter the Roman Pontiff with the whole college of bishops was troubled, and by what indications this could be truly known, but the sedition being composed by the Pontiff, he diligently inquired. There was then present there a certain religious and reverend bishop, who, coming to Rome from the borders of Armenia as a pilgrim, endowed with counsel and wisdom, was held distinguished for the reverence of his sanctity; who, humbly approaching the lord Pope, exhorted him with these words of sweetness, saying: By thy commanding authority, blessed Father, let the fury of the people be quieted; and who that Man is, or of what profession, or how he cultivates the catholic faith, let thy Paternity recognize, I inquiring. Whose wise counsel the reverend Pope believed; and, he commanding, the sedition of the people was quieted.
[18] he is declared orthodox: Then indeed the above-mentioned bishop approaches the man of God Simeon, and in the tongue which he used thus addresses him: Who art thou? Whence art thou? Of what country [*] art thou? Say therefore, Brother monk: and if thou holdest the cultivation of the catholic faith, through me become known to all these. At this voice God's servant Simeon, who was full of God, but nowhere void of wisdom, again also prudently answering the one inquiring, so taught by confessing the perfection of the catholic and apostolic faith, as through the whole world the symbol of the Apostles, perorated in the Nicene synod, resounded with clear voice. Which when the pilgrim bishop had heard, and had truly known God's servant Simeon full of faith and sanctity; filled with great joy, for the reverence of his sanctity, he prostrated himself at his feet in the service of humility. After therefore they had conferred with each other in the Armenian tongue, at last to the pilgrim bishop was made known all concerning the Servant of God which he sought. Which forthwith he openly declared to the Pope and to all who were present, namely that the man of God Simeon [was] a professor of the true faith, just, and a holy worshipper of the eternal Trinity, an adorer of almighty God.
[19] but the cleric is seized by a demon, But because almighty God is the lord of vengeances, who suffers nothing which is unjustly blamed to go unavenged, and by avenging consumes the wickedness of the impious; the malignant spirit seized, at that same hour, the cleric who had roused the people to slay the Servant of God, and, for the contumely brought upon the Servant of God, vexed him a very long time by rolling him about. But the Roman Pontiff, and all the clergy, and the whole people, seeing so great mighty works of God and wonderful operations, with hands raised to heaven together with cries rendered praises and thanks to almighty God, who did not permit His innocent Servant to be slain under the prejudice of the wicked, nor the one who would slay him to go away without the reward of vengeance.
[20] who, freed by Simeon, asks pardon. Then Christ's servant Simeon, seeing the perverse [] cleric cruelly made mad [] by the avenging spirit, mindful of the evangelical saying, in which it is said: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you; and elsewhere: Pray for those who persecute and calumniate you; compassionates the most wretched cleric. His hand therefore raised over him, by rebuking he made the sign of the cross; and presently the malignant spirit, foully crying out through the mouth of the vexed one, vanished howling. But at that same hour the cleric, freed from the enemy, fell prostrate at the feet of the man of God Simeon; and, weeping with a huge groan a very long time, accusing himself much as guilty, much as culpable, asked pardon for the perpetrated crime. Whom Christ's servant Simeon (as he was ever full of pity and mercy), prostrate in heart, healed in body and mind; then, the cleric being led to penance, clemently forgave him the crime that was remitted.
[21] But indeed the aforesaid Pontiff, the whole clergy, and the whole people, [The Saint, after this and other miracles, secretly departs from Rome into Tuscany.] received holy Simeon, the glorious confessor, with glad heart; within the ecclesiastical walls, in an honorable place, they gave him a fit dwelling. To whom several sick, and oppressed by diverse languors, hasten in rivalry, who, health being received by the imposition of the holy Man's hand, return unharmed to their own with joy, offering him very many gifts and diverse presents; which God's Servant, distributing to needy pilgrims, widows, orphans, and the poor, transmitted through their hands, laying them up in the heavenly treasure. Fearing indeed exceedingly, lest the favorable breeze, or the rumor of the people, extolling his deeds, should spread them far and wide, deserting Rome by night, to the borders of Tuscany, advancing through every byway, he secretly withdrew.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER III.
His kindness toward the ill-deserving; various journeys through Italy, and frequent miracles in them; the conversion of the Jews.
VI.
These things finally being thus performed, and several signs of virtues declared there through his merits, blessed Simeon, departing from Rome, passing through the maritime places, He is badly maltreated by inhospitable monks, came by chance to a certain monastery; where fortune, the turn of its nature being preserved, changed the prosperous into the adverse: for the brothers, namely, who ought to have received the Brother as Christ, began cruelly to strike him, persecuting him with blows. Which crime, when it had become manifestly known to the bishop of the city, he ordered the monks who had struck the Lord's servant Simeon to be seized, and thrust back into a dark prison. But the true Disciple of Christ, following the footsteps of that Master, who did not shudder to be seized by the Jews, scourged, spit upon, pierced with a lance, at last crucified for the salvation of the world, did not spurn the reproaches of the depraved, and patiently sustained whatever scourges the wicked brothers brought upon him. Behold now with how great pity God's worshipper Simeon overflows: rising in the silence of the untimely night, he silently approached the enclosed monks; opened the bars with prayers poured to God; and, admonishing them to go out confidently, and permitting them to go away unpunished, he shut them out free.
[23] but he converts them by a prodigious benefit. Having gone out indeed, they run swiftly to the feet of the man of God, where, weeping a long time for their guilt, accusing themselves of having transgressed, of having wickedly erred, they punish with tears the sins which they had committed against the Saint of God. Whom Christ's Servant, with kindly mind (as he ever was), by arguing, beseeching, rebuking, admonished to love God and neighbor, to have charity, to receive a guest as Christ, through all things and in all things firmly to obey the precepts of the holy rule a. Admonished by which exhortation salutarily, cured of their former vices, and reformed for the better through his sweet words, what indeed they had learned by the practice of depravity, they afterward strove to change to the practice of honest morality. But the above-mentioned bishop, hearing so great constancy of humility and so great patience of the man of God, ordered him to be brought to him as quickly as possible, and, for the reverence of his sanctity, asked him with earnest prayers to remain with him as long as [*] he should live. Who, altogether refusing, directing his mind to the destined journey, as had been divinely commanded him, denying altogether that he could remain there, the blessing being received from him, departed.
VII.
[24] Then blessed Simeon, advancing thence, to the city which is called Pisa, Going to Pisa he puts the devil to flight; bending his step by a straight path, had the devil, like a roaring lion, meet him: who said to him: Whither dost thou tend, monk? To whom the Saint said: Whither Christ shall have willed to lead me. Which when the devil had heard, he vanished from his eyes like smoke: but God's Servant, without fear, held intrepid the journey which he had begun. But entering the aforesaid city, he had for lodging the little house of a certain poor man: his body, wearied with fatigue, as was ever his custom, he refreshed with apples and water.
[25] thence, a beast being wondrously offered, he is led to the city of Lucca; But morning being made, going out thence, not far from the city he found on the way a certain man with an ass, prepared for riding; who thus said to him: Mount, lord pilgrim, mount my ass, that for perfecting the begun journey it may be able to be some help to thee. Which when he had said, forthwith he placed the servant of Jesus Christ upon it; he himself also, leading the ass by the halter, came to the city of Lucca: and there, in the house of a certain Jew, the divine providence procuring it, having lodged, he rested. Christ's Servant indeed found the man, as has been said, with the little ass prepared to carry him; but by whom he had been sent to him, he was utterly unable to know b.
VIII.
[26] But as they were eating, God's servant Simeon began abundantly to diffuse the word of salvation by preaching, where the punishment of one obstinate Jew and to have a conflict with the Jews concerning the Incarnation of the only-begotten Son of God. To whom several of the Jews then came together, who, denying that Christ the Son of God had taken human flesh from the womb of the inviolate Virgin, perceived openly the same our Lord Jesus Christ the avenger of blasphemy of this kind. For one of these, while he denied by execrating that our Redeemer was born of the Virgin Mary, before all who were present gave up his spirit, howling. Then the Jews standing round there, and beholding this terrible Judgment of God, both took up that unhappy man, slain by a sudden death, and buried him secretly in the same house that very night, as their custom requires.
[27] But morning being made, whatever Hebrews there were from that whole city, gained many others for the Church, struck with fear, come together into one, and, Christ's man Simeon exhorting them, believed in Christ the Son of God, and unanimously promised that they wished to be taught the symbol of the catholic faith. No delay therefore intervening, the servant of Jesus Christ Simeon, together with the people of the Jews converted to Christ, hastily approached the bishop of that same city c, who at that time governed the rule of the church of Lucca; that those whom he faithfully knew, error being left, to believe in Christ, and to profess under the assertion of the true faith, he might besprinkle with the wave of holy baptism. The reverend pontiff, hearing these things, filled with immense joy, raised both hands to the stars, and began incessantly to praise the mighty works of the Savior Jesus Christ.
[28] But indeed, the bells being rung through all the churches of the city, the whole city applauding, he presented the baptized. forthwith the rumor of so admirable a novelty resounded. Where, an innumerable multitude of people of both sexes and diverse ages being collected, the same bishop began to render praises and thanks to almighty God for the Jewish crowd converted to Christ by the merits and intercession of St. Simeon, and to honor with the highest reverence Christ's Confessor himself, as a faithful fellow-worker, for so great a glory of God. Then the reverend prelate, the Jews drawn out from the error of infidelity, making them catechumens, besprinkling them with the sacred ablution of baptism, renewed them to the glory of eternity, and coupled them, through the grace of adoption, to the bosom of holy Church. These things therefore being performed, the bishop with the whole people of Lucca began to ask holy Simeon of God, with great prayers, that he would remain there with them: but he, not acquiescing to their voices, at the highest dawn departed thence.
IX.
[29] At the same time also blessed Simeon, passing through the borders of the city of Lucca, came for the sake of lodging into a certain hamlet, Thence, having set out to the people of Luni, he wrought many miracles, in which he cured many sick and fever-stricken, imparting to them only blessed water. Going out thence, he put in at the city of Luni d; and there, near that same city, he had lodging outside, in which he found a certain sick man languishing, now for a long time held by bodily infirmity. To whom, when the Servant of Jesus Christ had given a little portion of one apple with a blessing, his former health being received, before all the bystanders he at once leaped up healthy from his bed. Advancing thence also, together with his fellow-traveler, making his journey through Mount Bardone e, at length, turning aside by his journey to the Basilica of St. Moderamnus f, for the sake of praying and lodging, he studiously took care to keep watch there.
[30] But morning, the prayer with the matins hymns being performed, and dismisses his guide, recognized, with the ass. God's Servant went out from the church, and found the aforesaid companion, together with the ass prepared to carry him, waiting for him outside. Who said to him: Now to thee, venerable Father, I will disclose the secret of our journey; which until now, lest it should seem troublesome to thee, I feared to open. On a certain night, he says, while in the city of Pisa I lay drowsing in my little bed, by a voice divinely slipping down to me from on high it was commanded by the Lord, that I should carry thee this far on this my ass, and equally support with thee the labor of thy journey. Give me therefore now, Father, thy blessing, by which safe I may be able to return with joy to my home. Who, raising his eyes to heaven with his hands, tears being poured, glorified the Lord, and with devout mind blessed his companion. Who, increased by the blessing, strengthened by gladness, by the way by which he had come, with prosperous [*] return faithfully returned to his own; everywhere disclosing the wondrous and magnificent prodigies of Christ, which he had seen done through His Servant walking with him.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER IV.
The prosecution of his journeys and prodigies through Italy.
A few days being spent there, and several miracles of virtues declared, To him keeping watch by night before the Holy Thresholds at Piacenza blessed Simeon, having gone out from those borders, with the strength of body which he could, going little by little, approached the city of Piacenza; where the wonders which, God cooperating, he wrought, I will subjoin; and because they seem worthy of relation, let it not irk us to intimate them to the ears of the faithful. When he had entered it, and, giving himself to assiduous prayers, went about the thresholds of the bodies of the Saints for the sake of praying, before the end of midnight pressed on, he hastened, Christ leading, to the church of blessed Sixtus, Pope and martyr a. At whose doors, while he stood devout [] and sang sweet-sounding odes with modulated voices, the guards of the church, who had heard [], forthwith rose to hear the mellifluous melodies, and began to keep watch.
[32] the doors are spontaneously opened; whence a nun, venerating his sanctity, By which praises one of the handmaids of God, Maria by name, the sacristan of that same church, vehemently terrified, ran to the doors of the basilica; and because she found open the doors which she had made fast with bars and bolts, marveling, she was stupefied. But Christ's handmaid weighed, in the clear act and operation of blessed Simeon, that he was a true disciple of Christ and a faithful servant; and that no one had unlocked for him the folding-doors of the church, except the wonderful power of God. Presently, because she herself was too much tormented by the vexation of fevers, she quickly sought his feet; and, that he would pray to the Lord for her, prostrate, with tears poured, she asked him. Accordingly she thus subjoined: Sign me, she says, blessed Father, with thy right hand, and from the burning of fevers help me by thy holy prayers.
[33] Who at once, his hand raised, placed the sign of the holy
he placed the sign of the cross over her, she is freed from fevers. and freed the fever-stricken handmaid of God from the sickness of fevers. But when the clear day was restored to the lands, the handmaid of God, snatched from the fevers, weeping for joy, summoned the spiritual mother of the whole congregation and all the sisters, and disclosed to all how she had been healed by the man of God in the night. But because, according to the truthful saying of the Redeemer, a city set upon a mountain cannot be hidden, the fame of the holy Man grew frequent through all the walls of the city. Whence an innumerable multitude of people flocked to see him. But the Servant of Christ, who despised the pomp of worldly felicity in the age, that he might become rich in heaven, preferring altogether to conceal the illustrious signs of his virtues, refused in every way to be honored by men, and, fleeing the rumor of the people, secretly at twilight deserted the city, and secretly departed.
XI.
[34] Thence, associating to himself several pilgrims, he sought the river Po; where he found no vessel by which to cross the river; The Po being crossed miraculously, he chooses the lodging of a widow, but the wondrous clemency of God, wont to help him marvelously, directed to him a boat, placed beyond the river, without any human aid, without any oarage, with swift course for crossing over: which the man of God, with the pilgrims accompanying him, confidently entered, and crossed the down-flowing river with only his staff. Passing thence through a hamlet which is called Caniolus [*], he came to the monastery of St. Christina the virgin b; where he received lodging with a certain poor widow, whose son lay sick of the palsy. The virtue of the holiness of Christ's Servant being known there, she supplicated with assiduous prayers, and with tears demanded healing for her son.
[35] Then the holy Man, who ever overflowed with the bowels of mercy, whose paralytic son he heals. after, moved by pity, he touched the paralytic limbs with his sacred hand, the boy, macerated by long-lasting palsy, at that same hour rose healthy from his bed. Wonderful thing! He who until then, from too great pain, could neither turn himself to the other side, nor bring his hand to his mouth, restored to his own steps, began to run about hither and thither congratulating, and to proclaim laudably with open voices the mighty works of God. For the aforesaid widow, exceedingly glad at the health of her son, strove to exhibit whatever services she could to him: according to the measure of her means she set a little table, sedulously ministered food to him.
[36] O wondrous pity of Christ! O wondrous clemency! With what praises are his proclamations to be extolled, since He disposed the cures of virtues, which He exhibited bodily through Himself, to shine forth far and wide through His servants? Only two days being spent there, God's worshipper Simeon sought the city of Pavia, where he restored several sick persons, by the mere imposition of his hand, the name of Jesus Christ being invoked, to their former health by the divine power.
XII.
[37] When on a certain day (as he was wont), visiting the churches of the Saints and the venerable monasteries, Hiding there, he is betrayed by a demon, he went about round about for the sake of prayer, and reclined his body, wearied with fatigue, in the house of a certain religious man, with the pilgrims accompanying him; a certain woman, full of a demon, was dragged through the streets of the city by the hands of many, to the church of St. Syrus c. But when she approached the house in which Christ's disciple Simeon, unknown to men, was staying; the same demon began to fix his step, and to cry out with foul voices through the mouth of the woman, saying: Here one of the disciples of your Christ lies hidden, who binds me with fiery chains, and, lest I further tear this invaded body, the fear of him tortures me. Which they who were leading the demoniac hearing, under the violence of conjuration began diligently to inquire, by what name he was called, or in whose house he lodged. Who, constrained by conjuration, both disclosed the name of the Saint, and showed the house in which he lodged.
[38] by which he frees the possessed woman. Which being heard, the Servant of God sought the basilica of St. Syrus, and there, prostrate within the crypt beside the holy body, lay hidden in silence. Then all the men, as they had heard, began diligently to seek the Servant of God; but because he had already gone thence, they could nowhere find him. Going therefore to the church of blessed Syrus, and following the man of God at once, they entered with the same demoniac woman whom they had led with them, and found blessed Simeon, hiding and praying within the crypt, as the same malignant spirit had betrayed []. And when with all their efforts they tried to drag the vexed woman to the body of blessed Syrus, the same wicked spirit began, with a rabid and disordered [] voice, thus to disclose the holy Man: The Disciple of your Christ, who now has bound me, lies hidden here concealed: whose fear vehemently tortures me; to whom also it is granted, that he violently cast me out of this subjected body. Hearing therefore, Christ's Confessor, that by this name uttered he could in no way be covered, be concealed by no hiding, relying on the divine power (numen), manfully commands the demon, and frees the long-possessed body from the unclean spirit.
XIII.
[39] These things being duly performed, because the man of God Simeon had directed the journey begun toward the parts of Gaul by a straight path, to visit the bodies of the Saints, Crossing from Ticinum (Pavia) into Gaul, he heals an old man's beast, tarrying there a few days, departing from Pavia with the companions taken to himself, he hastened to the city of Vercelli. But on that day on which he was going out from the city, while he had passage over the bridge of the Ticino, he found there a certain old man weeping, and lying from too great grief; whose horse, having slipped on the bridge, so fell, that it crushed its haunch, broken by the pinching of two timbers. Who, seeing the old man grieving too much, and weeping for the loss of his lost horse, compassionating his grief, thus inquired, saying: Whither dost thou tend, or why weepest thou, pitiable old man? To whom he: To Rome, he says, blessed Father, I desire to go; but woe is me! because my horse lies crushed on this bridge, I can go no further. Whose horse's haunch, as soon as the man of God touched with his hand (wonderful to say!), he restored the healed horse to the weeping old man, and, the old man placed upon it, dismissed him to go with joy.
[40] and several men, Which the men and women who lay there sick, or who had received from him the gift of health, saw; and, restored safe, as they had known, reported through all the walls of the city with glorifying praise. Thence he reached Vercelli, where, while he poured several cures of virtues, which it is long to enumerate, into sick bodies, he found two boys; one of whom he healed from the burning of fevers, the other from the squalor of wounds. Who saw them, reported; and how they were cured by the blessed Man, declared to posterity.
XIV.
Hence also, blessed Simeon, making his journey through the town of Palestrina (Palæstinus burgus) e, found a certain leper, whose hut entering, by the mere touch of his hand he cleansed him from the foulness of leprosy.
XV.
Thence, seeking the borders of the people of Torno (Torniensium) f, on the bridge of the river Dura g he had a blind man meet him, to whom by the sign of the cross he restored the light of his eyes.
XVI.
[41] Going out from the city of Torno with the companions joined to him at dawn, descending through the valley of Susa (Sigusania) h, throughout the whole journey. he came, very much fatigued, to the monastery of St. Peter which is called of Novalesa (Lux nova) i; where Christ's Servant, long detained by bodily infirmity, lay weak. And when, three months being spent in infirmity, well cured by God, he strove to take up the destined journey which he had begun, he came to a certain river of running water, with only his staff supporting him, no companion accompanying him: beside which he found a certain blind man sitting with a boy, namely his guide; whom, beholding, he thus addresses, saying: Now, my dearest brother, let us wash our hands and faces; and thus let us hasten more quickly to hear Mass; that our journey, God leading, we may pursue more expeditiously [*]. To whom the blind man, obeying, to wash his hands with the man of God bent down over the little stream. Into whose face the Saint, sprinkling water with his hands, forthwith restored clear light to his eyes. Who, lifting his serene eyes to heaven with his hands, rendered celebrated praises to God, and presently, made a companion to his Illuminator, deserted him not through the space of his life.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER V.
His pilgrimage into Galicia, Britain, Gaul; his return into Italy; his austere life at the monastery of Padolirone; his mercy toward the poor, and certain miracles.
XVII.
These borders being traversed, he entered Aquitaine; thence he seeks Gascony; he penetrated Spain; From the daughter of the king of Galicia he expels the devil. he arrived in Galicia: he sought the church of St. James the apostle for the sake of prayer. In which parts the supreme and eternal artificer God wrought, through His faithful Servant, many and illustrious signs of virtues; which, because they are innumerable, and we cannot determine them under a compendium of description,
we deem it more fitting to omit them, than to wander further through diffuse spaces of narration. But as the reputation of the man of God grew famous through diverse places of Galicia, and the fame of his sanctity became known to the king a of that province, the king honored the Servant of Christ with the highest veneration. But the Saint himself freed the daughter b of that king, seized by an unclean spirit, by his prayers. For whose liberation the king offered him very many gifts of gold and silver. Of all which he received to himself nothing, except one little servant, John by name. Whom, loving not as a servant, but as a brother, as blessed Martin acted, so this one, on the contrary turn, humbly ministered to him.
XVIII.
[43] After these things indeed, blessed Christ's confessor Simeon, the bodies of the Saints being visited, Britain and Gaul being traversed, he fixes his seat near Mantua, returning thence, had passage through Britain c. He enters France; he went to Tours (Thuronim) []; there he sought the oratory of blessed Martin, a great and incomparable man: whence, now not many days being passed, he came to Italy; which, traversing round about, he at length reached the borders of Mantua (Mantuarum) []. Where, beside the river Po, he found a monastery constructed in honor of the fostering father Benedict, by Theudald the margrave, son of Otto d, and worthily adorned with the upright manners of the brothers, in which, by the conversation of sanctity, Christ leading, he chose the rest of his body. Whom the reverend abbot, Venerandus e by name, and the whole religious congregation of the brothers, received with the highest charity; and constructed for him a humble little dwelling according to his measure in the place which he himself had chosen f:
[44] living so holily among the Benedictine monks; Where, leading a celibate life, and assiduously giving himself to holy prayers, he served Christ the Lord acceptably, and pleased all through the pursuits of all morality. For he was a true worshipper of God, a lover of peace and charity, a guard of his mouth unto silence, a bountiful distributor of alms, a fit fellow-worker in the vineyard of Christ, in gait humble, in speech sweet, in faith constant, in prayer persevering, in fasting assiduous, in vigils sedulous.
[45] Who, indeed, to the lord duke Boniface, and his glorious consort, that he was held in veneration even by princes. His obedience and mercy; and all his soldiers, and also all the princes of Italy, was, for so great honesty of manners, so dear, that whatever things to be obtained he asked from them, he most easily obtained. By the love and benevolence of all of whom he was amiably beloved, and within the palatine buildings, if ever the cause required, he was honorably received. If, for establishing peace, it had sometime pleased God's Servant to go forth abroad, he first asked from the father of the monastery and from the brothers the license of a blessing; and thus he faithfully went to perfect the work of peace. The gifts or presents (xenia) g of depraved men, like dung, he abhorred, spurning them; but those which he sometimes, constrained, received from good and honest men, he spent on the necessities of the poor.
[46] Who is able to express with the tongue with what mortification of the flesh in the days of holy Lent he macerated his body? his rigor in Lent, and his alms. How many needy did he feed by the license of his spiritual father; how many naked did he cover with garments; in which days often, not except thrice, and, so to say, twice in the week, did he only refresh his dry body at evening time with a mean food. In the last week also of the same Lent, he took no food or drink at all, nor had conversation with men, except at the Supper of the Lord, which with the brothers in the refectory he most decently adorned according to the measure of his preparation, distributing to each with all veneration and charity the cooked pulse of Christ, which, preparing most diligently with his sacred [*] hands, he seasoned with the unction of oil. But on the very feria of Parasceve (Good Friday), after the example of our Redeemer, he drank most sharp vinegar after sunset, weeping. Thence, keeping vigil the whole night with the following Saturday in mourning and affliction, until the day of the holy Resurrection, he accommodated no rest to his body or sleep to his eyes.
XIX.
[47] This which I relate seems to us laudable enough, as far as it is weighed, and venerable. When on a certain day the holy Man, going out from the same aforesaid monastery in which he dwelt, To a barefoot poor man he gives the leggings drawn off from himself, the cause requiring, went out from his cell, and, hastening to the glorious duke Boniface, had his journey through the solitude of a certain wood, and so horrid a harshness of snow and ice came on [*], that scarcely anyone presumed to go out from under a roof, he met a certain poor little man almost naked, and walking with naked legs h [to whom, compassionating in pity, he straightway drew off the leggings (caligae) which he had on his legs, and, pitying, gave them to the naked poor man; and forbade him by adjuration to sell them to anyone]. Which the poor man briskly received, and blessed Simeon joyfully performed the journey which he had begun, happy imitating the happy Martin, who with part of his garment clothed a naked man in the gate of the people of Amiens, and in the night deserved to see Jesus Christ clothed with that same part with which he had covered the poor man. So also this true Disciple of Christ, fearing no deformity in himself, acted, and whence he joyfully stripped himself of his own, thence he mercifully covered the legs of the poor man.
[48] But when he had come thus with naked legs before the aforesaid duke Boniface, and refuses others offered by the prince. the duke, beholding him, said: Why dost thou walk thus ineptly without leggings and shoes, lord Father? To whom he: The leggings, he says, which I had, I gave to Jesus Christ, who said: What you have done to one of my least, you have done to me. Which the lord duke hearing, was stupefied with admiration; and forthwith ordered two goat-skins to be brought, and others to be sewn for him from them. Which he refused to receive, because he asserted that he would receive them from God, the remunerator of all goods.
XX.
[49] But the cause for which he had gone being performed, he returned to the monastery whence he had come. Where, At Mantua he heals the sick, and tames a lion. as before, daily ascending to higher things, he lived sincerely in the contemplation of the supernal life. Not long after, the time being spent, blessed Simeon, asked by the lady already mentioned, Richelda by name, the consort of lord Boniface, came to Mantua. To see whom a very great throng of peoples flocked together. Who, indeed, entering the church, and there for a long time drawing out prolonged delays of prayer, and affording benefits of health to several, at length went out i, and, a great multitude of men standing by, in the forum of the palace beheld a lion bound. To whom the holy Man approaching, touched by handling his head and all his members; then into his mouth, relying on the virtue of Christ, he pressed his holy right hand without fear. Then the lion, forgetful of his ferocity, sucked by licking the hand of the holy Man, as it were the teat of his mother, and showed himself a most gentle lamb. Which Christ's Servant performed, not that he might give effort to vainglory, but that the divine power, which is ever wonderful in His servants, might coruscate bright. Whence he made himself equal to Daniel placed in the den of lions by a like work. This wonder several beheld, and unanimously began to cry out that blessed Simeon was a true servant of Christ.
XXI.
[50] Neither do I suppress in silence what I recall proved by the relation of the faithful. He restores a long-sick man; he pours out gifts upon the poor. For at a certain time, while the man of God Simeon was making his journey to the Town of St. Domninus (Burgus S. Domnini) k, it happened that a certain sick man, who for ten years and more was held by bodily infirmity, was led to him: who gave to him three fig-fruits with a blessing; which, received, as he ate, presently, his strength being recovered, he rose healthy from his bed, and hastened quickly to render praises to God. Which the inhabitants of that place beholding, came to him with great veneration; faithfully offered him very many and diverse gifts: which, although he received unwilling, he rendered thanks to almighty God, not to his own merits: yet he distributed all to the poor and needy. From that day therefore he was held in great admiration by all the inhabitants of that place, and, the signs of his virtues being now known through the neighboring places, he was beloved by many.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER VI.
Other prodigies; the prophetic spirit; a most happy death.
XXII.
[51] Through the same time also, departing thence, when he reached the city of Parma, At Parma he is present at the translation of St. Felicula the Virgin. and the bishop of that same city, Sigefred by name, translating the body of blessed Felicula the virgin a from the place in which it rested, with glorious celebrity, and laying it up most decently in the church of St. Paul the apostle; it happened by the will of God that blessed Simeon was present at that translation. In which celebrity Christ's Servant, honorably received by the aforesaid reverend bishop, while within the solemnities of the Masses he was giving himself to prayer beside the altar of the same blessed Paul the apostle, at this feast a certain woman, born of noble birth, from a village which is called Monticulus b, whom the palsy had wholly injured, being lifted by the arms of her kinsmen, had been placed there beside the altar where the man of God was praying. Who, profuse in tears, implored the aid of the holy virgin Felicula. Thereupon, prostrate at the feet of the blessed Man, she demanded remedies for her crushed body.
[52] and there he restores her former vigor to the paralytic. But the man of God, beholding her, said: Rise, daughter; sign thyself with the seal of the holy cross. To whom she answered: To sign myself, lord Father, I am utterly unable; because, my sins exacting it, I lack all the strength of my body. Without delay, forthwith Christ's Servant, approaching, taking her right hand, raised her, and said: Rise, daughter; and be sound; confirm thyself with the seal of the cross; because Christ the Lord, through the merits of the holy virgin Felicula, has healed thee. Who straightway rose sound, as if she had before borne no injury in her body. But men and women began to run from everywhere, kissing her hands and feet in rivalry, entreating also with great prayers that she would stay with them some while. Others tried to snatch her into their homes, very many to offer her gifts or whatever little presents according to their means. All which things Christ's Soldier, when he had received them, bestowed on the poor and needy, and reserved nothing to himself for the use of his own advantage.
XXIII.
[53] After these things indeed, the prelate of the aforesaid [] city, the blessing being received, Returning home from Parma, he calms a tempest, and much people accompanying him, he came to the head of the Lorno (Lurinus) c. Where, entering a boat, he descended by the river of Parma into the Po; and thus by the channel of the Po directed his course to the monastery in which he had chosen to remain. Whence, as they were sailing, forthwith, the winds blowing, so great a tempest of a stormy whirlwind involved them on the river, that the whole boat in which he was, the wave rising, seemed almost to be submerged among the heaps of the waves. But the sailors, terrified with fear, with raised voices cried out, saying: Servant of God, pray for us; placed in the extreme, we begin to be in peril: for now all things threaten us with death. To whom he: Trust, he says, brothers, trust, and do not fear; and do you yourselves with me implore the mercy of Christ. Who at once, his right hand raised against the onset of the winds, making the sign of the cross, said: Subside [], contrary winds, recede: Jesus Christ commands you; go away. Which words being quickly said, all the crash of the winds grew quiet, and all the contrariety; and, a great tranquillity being made for them, forthwith the clear serenity returned.
[54] and he heals a girl laboring with quinsy. Sailing thence, by a straight course they came to Gonzaga d; where the one miracle which the holy Man wrought, I relate: and because it is worthy of memory, it is not to be passed over in silence. In the same place there was a certain girl, having her throat so closed by inflammation, that she could neither speak, nor swallow anything of food in any way. Who, the coming of St. Simeon being heard, came to him, entreating that of his pity he would have mercy on her; namely so, that he would deign to touch her swollen throat with his sacred hand. Which, when the holy Man delayed to do, and protracted for a long time the delay of showing mercy, the pitiable girl, wearied with sharp pain, with the voice she could, ceased not from prayers, thus saying: Most pious lord, help me. Who, moved by pity, over the inflated throat made the sign of the cross, thrice thus saying: May Jesus Christ heal thee. Who presently, the pain put to flight, was wonderfully healed, and, the inflammation withdrawn, was reformed to her former beauty.
XXIV.
[55] Of these two miracles also, which I follow, I bring forward not one witness, because in these I announce as many witnesses as I recall to have been present at the same matter, and to have reported it to me. He long preserves oil in a broken vessel. For on a certain day, while the brothers of the same monastery with the man of God Simeon, after the sweet colloquies of the heavenly life, were staying in the cell, and beheld a wooden little vessel, in which was the oil which Christ's Servant used in his food, consumed by too great age, its hoops also broken, dissolved, they said to the Saint: Why, father Simeon, dost thou neglect to let the oil, which thou usest, go to waste? Dost thou not see the little vessel, in which it is held, crushed, its joints dissolved? And why fearest thou not the oil to flow out? Now, Father, command that this little vessel be bound with hoops, or the oil which is held within be poured into another. To whom the Saint is reported to have thus answered: Let it be, he says, brothers, let it be: Christ Jesus, who gives sustenance to all who believe in Him, He Himself binds this little vessel with His own binding. Which, so left the whole winter and the coming summer, by the divine virtue alone, without hoops, remained; and never thence did even one drop of oil further go out.
XXV.
[56] At another time also, while a certain brother of the same monastery, Andrew by name, with another certain brother, A fish-bone is freed from a monk about to be choked. by name Prosper (as is the custom for the infirm), sat eating at table, by a chance happening, a fish-bone was so turned in his throat, that he could neither swallow it nor cast it forth. Who, choked by excessive constriction, showed himself dying to the beholders, and, as one dying, his eyes rolled back, believed himself to breathe out his last breath. What shall I say? Through the whole monastery the rumor resounded: to the dying monk the whole congregation of the brothers, mournful at the death of Andrew, ran together. Who, seeing the brother now almost dead, sent with speed to the man of God, who was staying in the cell. Who, when he came, and saw brother Andrew now half-dead, his eyes raised to heaven, tearfully imploring the mercy of Christ, his hand raised, placed the sign of the cross over the lacerated throat; and forthwith the revived monk vomited out the little bit (parciola) e, which had adhered to his jaws, mixed with blood. Who, made sound, rendered thanks to almighty God, and, as long as he lived, openly asserted that he had been healed through the virtue of St. Simeon.
XXVI.
[57] Because therefore the holy Man shone with the spirit of prophecy—if it is to be said that he prophesied concerning things past— He divinely knows things far distant. in these things which we follow it has not irked us to expedite. At a certain time, finally, the lady Richelda, whom we mentioned above, while she was leading with her to Rome, for the zeal of prayer, Christ's servant Simeon, whom for his holy acts she often rejoiced to have present with her, on one of the days attested that in the night which had preceded, her mother had migrated (died) for her. Which, as he knew through the spirit in which he excelled; so, weeping, he made known to the mentioned lady and to several others. On another day also he announced to the same countess that her daughter was dead to her mother; and many other things, which, as they were uttered by the same prophetic spirit, so were found true in reality: for when he had reported the appointed day to one priest, Dominic by name, and, computing, noted the certain day and hour; and so found the girl deceased at the point of the same day, on which the man of God, placed far off, announced her dead to herself and to her mother. Let it suffice to have thus far arranged these things concerning the virtues of the blessed man Simeon which, living in the world, he wrought, which also we have found written in little papers, or which we have heard reported by truthful witnesses. But now let us pass to expediting [*] those things which, in the place where the holy body rests, the love of his sanctity, or the ardor of charity, may kindle.
XXVII.
[58] After, therefore, this true Disciple of Christ had, through many circles (cycles) [*] of years, by living holily and justly, declared very many operations of virtues in the world, He died in the year 1016, on the 26th of July. the space of the present life being now run through, and the contest of carnal vices being overcome, on the seventh of the Kalends of August he closed his last day. Whose blessed soul, because, the desire of this world being set aside, it ever loved Christ the Lord, the author of life, the weight of the flesh being left, happily hastened to the palace of heaven, in the year of the Lord's Incarnation one thousand and sixteen, in the fourteenth Indiction, Henry the first f the august holding the monarchy of the Roman empire, Boniface also, the glorious duke and prince, triumphing in the principate of the duchy, our Lord Jesus Christ remunerating for him the wages of his labor, who with the co-eternal Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns through the infinite ages of ages. Amen.
ANNOTATIONS.
ON THE MIRACLES AFTER HIS DEATH.
Simeon, monk and hermit, in the monastery of St. Benedict of Padolirone, near Mantua in Italy (St.)
BHL Number: 7953
FROM A MANUSCRIPT CODEX.
A little Preface of the same author.
Through diverse intervals of times also, in the same place where the precious limbs of the same holy Man rest, very many miracles, as we have known, shone forth, which almighty God deigned to show to His faithful for the increase of faith; that the merit of his sanctity might become known to them the more certainly, the more frequently the signs of his virtues appeared.
CHAPTER I.
Miracles wrought at the tomb of St. Simeon.
For on a certain day a woman, seized by an unclean spirit, was led by her parents to his sepulcher; whom the most wicked spirit so miserably agitated, At the Saint's sepulcher the demon departs from a woman possessed. that unless they sometimes bound her with bonds, she would tear with bloody bites whomsoever she could touch. But this woman could not sleep [*]; because the most cruel enemy ceased not to buffet her day and night. When she had been led to his tomb, the demon began sharply to afflict her, to distort her cruelly in a wonderful manner with sinuous writhings, and thus through her mouth foully to cry out with mournful voices: Simeon casts me out; Simeon expels me. And, with frequent and repeated voice, being violently expelled from the possessed body, he went out. Then her kinsmen, and all who were present, this miracle being seen, lifted their hands to God with cries; thereupon, with the daughter freed from the demon and restored to health, they returned to their own homes, brisk with joy and gladness.
II.
[3] To this miracle we subjoin another; and because we have known it to be reported by true witnesses, we think it will be worthy of memory. A certain woman from a place At the same place a paralytic recovers. which is called Mulus a, because, deprived of her own gait, she could in no way walk by herself, was carried by the hands of others to the body of the holy Man; whom a pestilent paralysis had so dissolved, that in her whole body no member of hers could fulfill its own function. When she had been led there, and lay prostrate on the ground with her whole body, able to do nothing else than only move her lips; after no long interval, she felt the suffrages of St. Simeon to be present to her. Then, raised on her own steps, lifted by the help of none, she began briskly to seek all the altars of the church with praises and lights. Which all who were present beholding, joyfully rendered praises to almighty God, and, with her restored to health, returned briskly to the places whence they had come. She afterward lived several years, and often took care, out of her means, to visit the body of St. Simeon.
III.
[4] Another miracle also of the holy Man we subjoin to these foretasted. In the same village By the Saint's hair-shirt leprosy is wiped away. which lies beneath the monastery, there dwelt a certain woman, whom a sallow suffusion of leprosy had so overspread, that no place seemed to be in her body which the spotted variety of leprosy did not cover. And when, several medicines having been applied to her, she saw herself profited in none of them; this one counsel occurred to her mind, which she believed would be a remedy for her: namely, if she should wash the hair-shirt of St. Simeon in water, and pour that over her body, at once her wasted skin would recover its former beauty. But what she pondered in mind she did not delay to fulfill in deed. But presently, as she washed a little portion of the hair-shirt, and thence anointed her body, her diseased flesh was restored to its former health, and her skin, before deformed, was restored to its own beauty. Which woman, as it happened to her, and as is written, reported, and, attesting, bore testimony of her cure.
IV.
[5] About the same time a certain blind woman was led to the body of the holy Man, To two blind persons sight is restored at the sepulcher. whom a multitude of people, on account of the many signs heard of the holy Man, followed at once. And when, placed near the tomb of the holy Man, she persisted incessantly in tears and prayers, she was quickly heard by God, who despises not the prayers of the poor; and, clemently aided by St. Simeon, she quickly deserved to obtain the light of which she had long been deprived. Then another blind woman from a village, which is called Burgasium b, excited by the fame of St. Simeon, strove to hasten to him: who, God assenting, had for seven years lost the light of her eyes: but when, now consumed by too great grief, she sought from him the aid of illumination, as she had felt to be expedient for her, no small crowd from the same village accompanying her, she ran hastily to the body of the blessed Man; where for three days, with those who had come with her, she watched lamentably in vigils and prayers. Whence the Servant of Christ, moved by the bowels of pity, restored the light long denied her c. Which the woman joyfully receiving, she happily returned to the places whence she had come, with the whole company of the people, giving thanks to almighty God and to St. Simeon. And she who before had come to the Saint by the leading of another, now, her sight restored to her, returned without a guide.
[6] What we now subjoin, we have deemed it worth while to bring forth to the notice of the faithful; To a contracted man there appear and which stands so much the more true for all the faithful to believe, the more certainly we know that the same witnesses, who confess that they saw this, still survive. A certain one of the household of the same church d, Martin by name, was there at that time, whom a lingering languor had for nine years so contracted, that he could in no way walk, except leaning on two staves. For on a certain night of the holy festivity of our fostering father Benedict, while the company of the monks was solemnly celebrating the matins Office, the aforenamed sick man, with the strength by which he could sustain himself, sought the church with laborious effort. Creeping to the tomb of Christ's servant Simeon, he fell down there groaning with his whole body extended, and, pouring forth many tears there in prayer, at last, overcome by sleep, he fell asleep.
[7] with SS. Columbanus and Benedict, To him sleeping the blessed confessor of Christ Columbanus appeared in a vision with St. Simeon, between whom the glorious man of the Lord Benedict, comely with the brightness of a beautiful habit, stood in the midst. And so blessed Columbanus, turning his gaze to St. Simeon, thus reverently addresses him: Why, he says, brother Simeon, dost thou deny to this sick man the health which the divine clemency has conferred on thee to bestow on him? To this the holy Man, angelic in aspect as he ever was, thus answered blessed Columbanus, saying: Because I lie entombed in the house of the holy father Benedict, I presume not to bestow on him the gift of health without his command. To whom the man of the Lord Benedict thus subjoined to blessed Simeon, saying: The benefit of cure, which you do not doubt, Brother, to have been conferred on you by God, delay not to bestow further on this sick man, because now for a long time he implores the mercy of Christ through you.
[8] These things being said, both at once approach the sick man, touch him by laying on hands and cherishing him, at whose request he heals the wretched man. and, his bones and nerves being consolidated, restore to their former health his limbs constricted by long-lasting rigidity. He, restored to soundness, reformed in his own movements, went walking round the whole church, and, rendering hymn-singing praises to God, with what voice he could and as he knew how, set forth the glorious mighty works of St. Simeon. Then in the same church he gave himself with devout mind to serving God, and thence, running through diverse provinces, ceases not to gather all the little gifts which he can acquire round about, for constructing the utensils of the church. Who still survives, and joyfully announces how great benefits St. Simeon wrought concerning him.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER II.
Continuation of the same miracles.
VI.
[9] Another certain man, Heribert by name, still survives, and in the same village which adjoins the monastery A paralytic is there raised up, lives and dwells; whom a paralytic languor in our time grievously depressed. Who, when, macerated by long bodily sickness, he found no remedy of his cure, was at length animated by divine counsel, that he should seek the sepulcher of St. Simeon, that from him he might receive the healing of his body. And because he could not enter by himself, he had ordered himself to be carried by the hands of others to the holy body in the open. Then, with pure devotion of mind, persisting in tears and prayers, he promised gifts to almighty God and to St. Simeon; that, if he should raise him from his bodily affliction, he would without doubt render yearly the vow which he had vowed. This voice being uttered, presently the sick man (wonderful to say!) rose glad from his bed; thereupon, worthy praises being rendered to God, and his steps restored to him, he returned unharmed to the home whence he had come.
VII.
[10] In the same hamlet, which is called Viculus, there was a certain woman, and a sick woman is healed; whom a bodily sickness had altogether submerged. Who, the virtues of St. Simeon being heard, was placed in a boat, and was quickly brought to the holy body. Where, lying before the holy relics not many days, persisting unceasingly in prayers, what she sought with pure desire, she obtained with quick effect. Who, while she made some little delays among her prayers, and implored the suffrages of St. Simeon, her observances being decently exhibited there, was straightway restored to health, and, health received, returned with joy to the place whence she had come.
VIII.
[11] Not much after, from the aforesaid place a girl had then come, whose hand, by the will of God, had withered. and the hand which had withered is made vigorous. Who, as she came to the body of St. Simeon, and, with purity of mind, tearfully offered the hand which she was about to offer [a], what she faithfully asked, she deserved efficaciously to obtain. But presently, as she devoutly assisted at the celebration of Mass with her mother and parents, and, according to custom, offered a candle to the priest, the withered hand, which she stretched out to the priest with the light, its dryness suddenly extinguished, she received sound.
IX.
[12] These things therefore being done, we subjoin another memorable thing of the holy Man, A fish-bone fixed in the throat is dissolved there; which we have heard once happened to a certain monk. A certain brother in the same monastery, Wido by name,
was at a certain time there, whose life and conversation is proved to have been suitable enough. Who, while on one of the days he ate at table in common with the brothers, a fish-bone was so fixed in his throat, that from that same fixing he was believed utterly about to give up the ghost: who, choked by excessive constriction, was tormented with pain so much the sharper, the more nearly he had felt the peril of death to be imminent. What should he do, to escape death? Straightway roused, he rose from the table, and, dying, ran with great cries to the little coffer (loculum) of St. Simeon. And now sudden death had so bound him in its knots, that, his eyes rolled back, all believed him to breathe out his life. Where, having been prostrate for some while, at length the pity of St. Simeon so succored the brother, that it violently cast out with blood the fish-bone (spinaculum) which had tenaciously adhered to his throat.
[13] There had been, about the same time, a certain demoniac woman from a place which is called Ariole; and a demon is cast out of a possessed woman. whom the wicked spirit had so distorted, that by tearing he had crushed all her limbs. This woman he had sometimes so deformed, by inflating her after the manner of a bellows with unkempt gapings and manifold deformities, that he rendered the form of humanity foul, like that of some misshapen monster. Being therefore led to the body of St. Simeon, and there passing days and nights vigilantly in fasts and prayers, straightway the horrid demon, struck with terror of the holy Man, terrified went out of the possessed body, and, expelled into the empty airs, vanished.
XI.
[14] Since, among the innumerable miracles of the holy Man, the fame of his virtues excited very many from diverse parts to obtain remedies of health, Those approaching the Saint's tomb obtain a boat by a signal miracle. and the people of Padua sought that same Saint of God with the highest devotion according to custom, and rejoiced that they were now near the monastery in which his glorious limbs rest, they found a certain river, Roverina by name, so to overflow, that by no device could they cross it. This difficulty therefore being discovered, they beheld from afar a boat fastened on the further bank; which, although they necessarily desired it, yet, no one leading it, they could not have it for crossing over. And when for a long time they looked about hither and thither, and saw no one anywhere present who might hand them the boat, destitute of human solace, they unanimously began to implore the aid of St. Simeon. Wonderful thing! The boat, which was held fastened beyond the river, at that same hour loosed itself, and sought the aforesaid men with so swift a course, without an oarsman, as if someone were directing it by rowing at the rudder. The river being thence crossed, they came to the holy body, where, rendering thanks with praises to almighty God and to St. Simeon for the benefits obtained, they returned brisk by the way by which they had come.
XII.
[15] In the diocese of Parma, in a village which is called St. Eulalia, there had been, in our time, a certain man, Briccius by name, There blindness is removed, who, a trouble of the head coming on, had for three years lost the light of his eyes. Who, the light being taken away, sat assiduously in mourning and grief, and with frequent prayers implored the clemency of Christ, that he might deserve to receive the light. But, the virtues of St. Simeon being heard, he strove to hasten to his holy body, content with only a little boy as his guide; that he might obtain some solace of his blindness, as he had heard from many. Where, watching for three days in vigils and prayers, when, after the celebration of Mass, the company of monks (as is the custom) gave thanks to God; he himself, his eyes raised upward, asserted that he clearly saw whatever was set before him, and at once, his sight received, lifted himself with all his efforts into the praise of God. Some days being spent there, he returned to his country; and he who before came by the leading of another, afterward, having obtained the light, glad went before his guide.
XIII.
[16] At the time when, for canonizing the glorious body of the same St. Simeon, we approached the holy Apostolic And paralysis. See b, a certain miracle of the same holy Man shone forth, which it pleased worthily to submit to this little work for the notice of the faithful. A certain boy from the territory of the people of Cremona, seized by a grievous languor, but excited by the fame of the same holy Man, because he could not walk on his feet [*], was brought by boat to the holy body: with which, when the boat which had brought him had put in; one of those who had brought him, moved by pity, lifted him weeping from the boat on his own shoulders, and, pitiably, laid him down before the tomb of St. Simeon. And when there, his hands clinging to the ground, the upper part of his body, all bent forward, sank down, but the hinder part, crushed by the contraction of the nerves, dragged its weak legs hither and thither behind it, he lay there scarcely for the space of three hours with querulous voices; at last, creeping little by little up the steps of the altar, he clung, wailing, to the coffer in which the holy limbs rest. Where, with vows and prayers, he who had known how to ask God ceased not faithfully to implore, until, through the merit of St. Simeon, he quickly felt that healing had been divinely conferred on him. But presently, a little delay intervening, the crackling of the nerves, which the paralytic plague had contracted, is openly heard; and the weak boy, his steps of health long bound, is straightway restored. To see which, the throngs of peoples flock together in crowds, and for so great a miracle render thanks with jubilation to almighty God and to St. Simeon: and there, tarrying some while with pure devotion, but afterward restored to health, he returned to his own with joy c.