Terentius

ON ST. TERENTIUS, CONFESSOR,

AT FAENZA IN ÆMILIA OF ITALY.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

The cult of the Saint proved, the Acts more uncertain.

Terentius, Confessor, at Faenza in Æmilia (St.)

BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.

Faenza we have mentioned elsewhere more than once, and indeed most recently on the twenty-seventh of this month, where we had to treat of Blessed Nevolonus. That same city venerates among its chief patrons and protectors a Saint scarcely known elsewhere even by name, namely Terentius, under the title of deacon, He is venerated at Faenza concerning whom, among the sacred ecclesiastical memorials, that is the most ancient which Ferrarius suggested to us in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, from the manuscript monuments, as he says, of that church, of no great authority indeed, except in that one point alone, concerning which it is not permitted to doubt, namely that St. Terentius was there venerated with immemorial veneration, on the testimony of Julius Cæsar Tondutius, the historian of that very city, praised above by us also, when on page 16, enumerating the parochial churches of Faenza, he names among the three particular ones that of St. Terentius, as protector, and cites a diocesan synod, held under Ugolino, taken from the Order of Minors in the year 1311, in which the birthdays singularly to be celebrated are prescribed: of the blessed confessors Æmilianus the pontiff, and Rentius (he means to say Terentius) the levite, in the city and boroughs, at whose venerable bodies, residing in their own proper churches, the Lord daily deigns to show wonders.

[2] Nor less illustrious, in the same Faentine writer, among the chief patrons, is the argument of the perpetual veneration of the inhabitants toward St. Terentius, exposed to the eyes of all in the cathedral temple, where, among the chief Saints and indeed protectors of that city, he is commanded to be festively celebrated with an annual solemnity by this memorable inscription, expressed by the praised Tondutius, after the narration of the famous Ravenna disaster of that time, in these very terms on page 601:

While there threatened THE CITY, FROM the Gauls, A PERIL OF SLAUGHTER, DESTRUCTION, AND FLAME, THE WHOLE Faentine PEOPLE Vowed TO KEEP NO LESS SOLEMNLY ON THE FEAST DAYS* OF STS. Savinus, Æmilianus, Terentius, and Peter Damian, THAN IT IS WONT AND OWED TO BE KEPT ON THE LORD'S DAYS, IF ONLY ALMIGHTY God WOULD TURN AWAY THE RUIN. 1512.

[3] And these things have been adduced in order that the constant cult of the Saint—unknown to all the sacred records except the Ferrarian—though he be elsewhere unknown. may be altogether established, before I institute a discourse concerning his life or deeds. These, moreover, seem so simple and meager—let us say candidly—so uncertain, that I am compelled to confess that they will scarcely anywhere find faith among somewhat more accurate historians. The reason is at hand: that they are utterly destitute of the usual characters which conciliate authority. Both the family or origin of the Saint, and even the very century in which he lived, are altogether unknown, nor is anything more established concerning the compiler of the Acts, his age, or his fidelity. For what Ferrarius says in his annotation—They say his Life was written by St. Peter Damian—is gratuitously asserted and savors only of popular tradition, just as the whole series of the Life itself, such as it is, which, consisting chiefly of three miracles, namely of a blind man, a paralytic, and a dropsical man, deserves a known writer of known probity, before it be so easily admitted as sincere; besides that all the rest, except the beginning, equally doubtful, seem to be nothing but a perpetual mere concatenation of several miracles.

[4] Whence that Legend came to us, nowhere

do I find observed or indicated by our elders: The Legend rather wretchedly patched together the somewhat more intricate character argues an Italian hand, so that I easily suspect it was transmitted to us from the manuscript monuments of the church of Faenza, which Ferrarius himself alleges. Whether, and what, the same Ferrarius received concerning St. Terentius from Imola, or Forum Cornelii, besides the cult of him as a popular Saint, which he could cite in the other Catalogue, he himself neither indicates, nor is it ready for me to conjecture; to the Life, of which we have already spoken, and which we shall soon subjoin, doubtless all things are to be referred. But indeed another testimony of the singular cult of St. Terentius among the Faentines is not to be passed over, in the peculiar collect which is subjoined to the aforesaid Life in this manner: O God, who hast made this day celebrated for thy Faentine people in the solemnity of blessed Terentius thy confessor; grant, we beseech thee, that we may merit to have him as an intercessor with thee in heaven, whom, by thy inspiration, we have chosen as protector on earth. Through the Lord, etc. For the rest, in Papebroch's manuscript Roman Itinerary I found it noted that only of St. Savinus is a double office of the first class made, of the rest of the patrons, Æmilianus, Terentius, Peter Damian, a double of the second class only.

[5] an epitome a little more polished In the praised Ferrarius, in the greater Catalogue, he is expressly called Protector of the city of Faenza, and there is subjoined an epitome of the Life, which merits its place here, to be preferred by most, unless I am greatly mistaken, to the whole history itself from which it is abridged. It runs thus: Terentius, born at Forum Cornelii, from boyhood simple and humble, frequented the churches, desirous of serving God. Enrolled in the number of the clergy and imbued with sacred letters, made a deacon, coming to Faenza, he began to serve the church of the Holy Cross, in which a notable hospice is erected, given to prayers, vigils, and other pious exercises. Whose holiness of life was in a short time made manifest: for a certain beggar named Androgeus, blind from birth, leading an immaculate life at Forum Cornelii, admonished in sleep to betake himself to Faenza to Terentius the levite, led thither, and prostrate before the feet of Terentius, sets forth what had been commanded him by an angel in sleep. And when Terentius said that he was a sinner, at last, entreated by the prayers of the beggar, he orders water to be brought, and, having washed his hands with it, bathed the eyes of the blind man; and he (wondrous to tell!) suddenly received the light of his eyes.

[6] Ferrarius relates. These things are set forth much more fully in the Life, as also those which follow, here touched upon in very few words. Thus he continues: This miracle being spread abroad through the city, many brought their sick to the holy Levite, whom he healed with the sign of the cross and by imposing his hand. Terentius, lest he be tempted by the demon of vainglory, secretly fleeing, built a little hut near the church of St. Peter, among the densest trees. But when he had been detected, very many oppressed with various diseases flocked to him day by day, whom, the name of Christ being invoked, he healed. At last, foreseeing, by the revelation of an angel, that the time was at hand for him to depart hence, well fortified with the sacraments, he happily fell asleep in the Lord on the third day before the Kalends of August. Whose body, first laid in the church of St. Mary, afterward, when it shone with many miracles day by day, was translated into the church of the Holy Cross, which he had served. The Faentines venerate him as their Patron. Thus far Ferrarius, whose sufficiently polished epitome now compare with the Legend which we here subjoin from our manuscript.

* Or FESTIV. ("of the feasts")?

THE LIFE

From a Manuscript, probably of Faenza

Terentius, Confessor, at Faenza in Æmilia (St.)

FROM A MANUSCRIPT.

The age uncertain, as also the origin; Blessed Terentius has for his fatherland Forum Cornelii, which city later ages have called Imola. But at what time he was born, or what parents he had, is not clear. That he was born in a humble place is no small conjecture from those things which follow: but, as the Apostle says, God is no respecter of persons, who, since he is the Creator and Father of all, regards not the clarity of race and birth, but the goods and merits of anyone's soul, and who makes the illustrious out of the ignoble; such as, by a divine gift, this Levite was made, as will afterward be established. For God is wont, in his Saints, for the most part from the very beginnings of their rising age, to foreshow, by certain wondrous manners, what those will be, by whose splendor he has decreed to illustrate his Church. A wondrous simplicity therefore and humility in the boy, and a burning desire for holy letters, at once shone forth.

[2] Therefore he frequented the church of Imola, where, after he had given himself to prayer and adolescence holily formed. and contemplation, subject to its ministers, he learned letters with incredible zeal, in which in a short space of time he so profited that he could now be promoted to the sacred orders, to which he was promoted through his grades, yet so that he did not pass beyond the diaconate: distinguished with which grade, he began more vehemently to frequent the church and prayer, to which he unceasingly gave himself day and night. But after a certain time, by the impulse of the Holy Spirit, leaving his fatherland, he betook himself to Faenza, in which there was then a famous hospice of the Holy Cross, which is a public lodging of newcomers, but especially of the poor; whom afterward a widow woman, fearing God, kindly received into her house, in which he stayed for no small time. Now he frequented the church of the Holy Cross, where he unceasingly applied himself to prayers and meditation. Wherefore, thus giving himself to the spirit, he took the least care of the body, and no other indeed than what human necessity demanded; therefore he used the slenderest food and drink.

[3] By these grades the holy Levite was gradually raised before the eyes of the divine majesty, Androgeus the blind man and day by day became more eminent, yet was not yet known: eagerly desiring to lie hidden, as is the custom of the true servants of God, in whom is the peculiar good of humility, the chief foundation of holy religion. But God, who had chosen him and wished him to shine in his Church like a lamp upon a candlestick, did not suffer him to lie hidden longer. There was at Imola a certain man blind from his very birth, whose name was Androgeus, begging his living, a man otherwise good and pleasing to God, whom [God] at last, having pity on his blindness, sent an angel to him, who might say to him: Androgeus, I am a messenger of God sent to you, to teach you by what means you may recover your sight. He rejoiced wondrously, and said: I give thanks to my God, who has had pity on his servant. Then the angel says: Betake yourself quickly to Faenza, to the holy levite Terentius. And how shall I find him, or whom shall I inquire of? said the blind man. When you have come to Faenza, says the angel, seek the church of the Holy Cross, where is the infirmary of that city; in it you will find him unceasingly intent on prayer and the divine praises: and, having found him, you will thus address him: Terentius, servant of God, a heavenly messenger has sent me to you, that you may open my eyes, and I may see. But you will say that the manner which he ought to observe is this: let him wash his hands with water; from that which is left of the water, let him bathe your eyes in the name of Christ, and this done, you will experience the mercy of God.

[4] These things said, the angel vanished. After it grew light, Androgeus, full of joy and hope, took up the journey. When he came to Faenza, in a wondrous manner he recovers his sight, he was led to the church of the Holy Cross. There he found the blessed Levite, at whose knees falling down, he executed the commands of the heavenly messenger. When that man heard this, as he was humble and shunning every tinder of vainglory, he answered that he was a sinner, and needed light, far from being able to impart it to others; that this was to be sought from those on whom God had more abundantly conferred his grace. But the blind man, relying on the divine admonition, said that he would not depart from his feet before he had obtained what he did not doubt he could obtain from him: that he knew he had not been sent to him in vain. What should the holy Levite do? On the one side an ingenuous modesty drew him back, on the other the divine command urged him; for he did not believe it done without reason that to himself, still unknown, an unknown man had come, and demanded so great a thing of him, and so persistently. Overcome therefore by his prayers and constancy, he ordered water to be brought to him; he washed his hands, and bathed the eyes of the blind man, saying: May he make you to see the light, who opened the eyes of the man born blind, the Lord Jesus. Wondrous is God in his Saints! A wondrous thing straightway, and worthy of all astonishment, followed. He began at once to see, who had never before seen.

[5] Immediately the fame of so great a matter spread through the whole city, and many other sick are healed. and a huge concourse of people, astonished at the miracle, was straightway made to him. Thus the power of the holy Levite, which hitherto had lain hidden, began to become known, so that thenceforth he began to be a burning lamp upon the candlestick, and by his aid to help many that labored. But Androgeus, a most abundant witness of so great a miracle, and desirous to give what thanks he could to God, in the very church in which he had merited to see the light, long performed the office of a faithful ministry, and served its priests. The fame of the miracle being spread abroad, an innumerable multitude of sick of every kind began from every side to flock to him, whom, by the imposition of his hand, in the name of Christ, he healed all. And when day by day his name became more celebrated, offended by the throng of the city and by the celebrity of his name, he began to think of retreat, fearing lest by some fraud of the ancient enemy he be polluted. For he knew that he sought nothing more greedily, nothing more studiously, than how he might draw back the true servants of God from their appointed course.

[6] He recalled that there had been an innumerable multitude of anchorites, Vainly desiring to lie hidden who had inhabited the deserts of Egypt, for no other reason indeed than to flee the throng and applauses of men, and at the same time to serve God more abundantly and attentively. With these therefore he wished to be numbered. Wherefore, retreat being resolved on, with great grief of the city of Faenza, which saw itself deprived of a precious treasure, he chose for himself a place at the church of St. Peter in Lacuna, where then was a forest very dense with trees, in whose more remote part he built for himself a narrow hut in a place to which the inhabitants had given the name Santureto, where by prayers and fastings, and other manifold maceration of the flesh, with a certain greater effort he began to serve God. But there too he could not long lie hidden: for to him from every side were brought the sick afflicted with various diseases, all of whom, the name of Christ being invoked, he healed: among whom was brought a certain most wretched man, whose body had now for ten years been vexed with intolerable paralysis, whom, when his relatives had set before the Saint's hut, they said: Servant of God, impelled by the fame of your holiness, from distant parts we have brought to you this unhappy man; but with what hope, the thing itself indicates. To him do not deny the aid which you are wont kindly to furnish to others. These things said, they left the sick man there and departed.

[7] But that unhappy man, when he saw himself abandoned by his own, said: Alas! wretched me, I have been brought hither for the sake of health, but, as I see, I am to be food for the beasts in this solitude. Hearing this, Terentius, that

he was pious toward all and ever ready to relieve those who labored, moved by compassion, said: What do you wish, and what do you seek, son? He says: What I seek, and what I wish, you can indeed see well enough. For ten whole years I have labored in this manner: in hope of recovering health my relatives brought me hither; but, as you see, they soon abandoned me, so that, since I cannot be a help to myself, nor protect myself, I shall straightway become food for the beasts; unless you bring me that aid which, as fame has brought to us, you have furnished to so many others. Here, turned to prayers, weeping and groaning, he began to beg that he would not desert him thus abandoned by men. But the holy Man, persisting in his humility, and asserting that he was a sinner, and not worthy to dare to insert himself into divine works, utterly refused to attempt what was asked.

[8] But the paralytic pressed much more, and urged with prayers the one refusing. whom too he heals, At last, overcome by compassion for him, he made a brief prayer to God. From which, when he rose, turning to the paralytic he said: By what name are you called? Leo, he says. Then Terentius, wishing to test his faith, says: Do you believe the Father, etc., to be three in persons, but in substance one? I have believed and I believe, and I shall always believe. Then the holy Man: Do you believe that he can free you from that disease with which you labor? I believe indeed. He says: In the name therefore of him who said to the paralytic: Take up your bed and walk; I command you to rise; and so indeed that no traces of that sickness remain thereafter in you. Scarcely had he finished the words: he rose straightway whole, and with steps so firm, and with the strength of his whole body, as if he had never labored under any disease; and, giving to God and to the holy Man the thanks that were just, glad and exulting he returned on his own feet to his fatherland. No less wondrous is what I am about to relate.

[9] There was at Bologna a certain man laboring under a dire dropsy, which had so swollen his limbs, as also a dropsical man. and so distended them, that the form of a man in him could scarcely be discerned. He, having heard of the man's holiness and the fame of his miracles, full of faith and hope, coming to him by creeping rather than by walking, and imploring his aid after the manner of suppliants, asserted that he could by no means doubt that he would be freed from the deadly disease by his prayers to God. To whom the holy [man]: God, he says, is the Father of mercies and of all consolation, who can and is wont to hear those who flee to him with sincere faith: to him you must flee, who said: Ask and you shall receive; knock and it shall be opened to you. I know, said he, and I do not doubt, that God can, and is wont to grant to those who ask what you say; but this too is not hidden from me, that he works such things also through his Saints, in whose number if you were not, by no means would so great a multitude of the sick, which has flocked to you, and does not cease to flock, have departed from you, freed from their sicknesses and healed. Accordingly, that which by your aid, as fame reports, very many have obtained from God, I, a suppliant, beg that you grant to me also, through him who through you does not cease to work so many wonders. Terentius, marveling at so great a faith and constancy of the man, thought it was not to be deferred longer. And a brief prayer to God being made, as was his custom in such cases, turning to the dropsical man he says: In the name of Christ I command you that you return to your own, whole and rejoicing. At the command of his voice he so recovered that no sign of the dire sickness remained in him. Thus, praising God and his Saint, and extolling him with proclamations, he returned glad to his own fatherland.

[10] Forewarned of his death, he prepares for it. But when now the time had come in which God would pay to him the reward promised to his servants, he sent a heavenly messenger to him, who might make him certain of the day of his departure. Hearing which, he rejoiced wondrously, desiring straightway to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Therefore, the religious men of that place, his neighbors, being summoned to him, he announced to them that the day of his death had come; among whom he held a holy and very salutary discourse, earnestly exhorting them to the love of God and of their neighbor, to the works of charity and mercy. But imploring the mercy of God for himself and for them, and, if ever he had offended in anything, praying pardon, he commended himself wholly to him, and, his eyes and hands raised to heaven, with great veneration of the bystanders, amid hymns and psalms, delivered his happy soul to heaven. But the holy corpse of that Man, received with great reverence by the very many who had assembled, they carried out with hymns and songs to the neighboring church of the Most Blessed Virgin, which is near the temple of blessed Peter, which we mentioned above, to which, the death of the holy Man being heard, a huge multitude flocked, and there, the funeral rites being solemnly performed, he was buried with great honor. But with how many and how great miracles he shone there, it would be long to describe fully, so that the opinion which had been conceived in the hearts of men concerning the holiness of the young man, being confirmed after his death, grew, and became more venerable to them day by day. But divine providence did not suffer its Servant to lie hidden longer in a less celebrated place, and as it were in concealment: for after some years it inspired the Faentine people with a huge desire to translate him into the city. Therefore the city, poured out at such an impulse, translated so great a treasure from the church of the Most Blessed Virgin, which we have mentioned, into the city with the highest veneration and applause; and placed it honorably in the church of the Holy Cross, in which he had long lived, and at last had been made known, where God willed him to be made illustrious by innumerable miracles.