ON SAINT CONUS,
MONK OF THE ORDER OF S. BENEDICT IN ITALY.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
Places of cult, Acts, Miracles.
Conus, Monk of the Order of S. Benedict, at Diano in Italy (S.)
BY THE AUTHORS G. H. & D. P.
[1] The native place of S. Conus, is the land of Diano, or the valley Diania, in Lucania, a province of the Kingdom of Naples, now called the Hither Principate, among the most pleasant hills of the Apennines and the river Tanager popularly Negro. That valley begins after the town Pola, and contains both the towns of Saints Arsenius, The valley of Diano, and Rufus: whose Patrons are who and on what days they are venerated (for I think they are indigenous) I shall gladly learn. Then Diano, from which the whole valley its name. Then follow the Castle of S. James, Satianum and Bonum-habitaculum, in which the Saint was born; in the right part of the valley of Diano last. But on the left are Atena,
Sala, Padula and Montesunum. In this valley therefore S. Conus was born, which is called in the Acts the land of Diano; not a diocese, after the Ecclesiastical manner, because it lacks Episcopal dignity. The second place named in the Acts of S. Conus is the cenobium of S. Mary of Cardossa, in which made a Monk he ended his life. That is situated under the town of Montesano, not far from Padula, places already cited. But this monastery, on account of military incursions abandoned by the Monks, remains utterly cut down: but since the lands belonging to it together with the revenues had been with the permission of the Apostolic See translated to the right of the monastery of S. Lawrence of Padula of the Cistercian order, the cenobium of S. Mary of Cardossa, in which he died. the Prior of its house John Bapt. Manduccius (as is written to us) in the year 1600 had a chapel built there, next to that oven in which his parents are said to have hidden burning; and which even now is shown clean and whole. With the monastery desolate the people of Padula tried to dig up again the sacred body, and to bring it back to themselves: but in vain wearied for three days seeking it in it, at length were put to flight by the people of Diano: who received him, and translated him to Diano, and honorably deposited him in the temple of S. Mary Major in the year 1261; but how many years after his death this was done, is not known. But Diano is in the Episcopate of Capaccio, from the ruins of Paestum, the ancient city there, translated to the said city when it had been built.
[2] We have a Brief of Pope Sixtus V, together with the Life of S. Conus, printed at Cosenza in the year 1595; from which we know that the city of Capaccio was rendered plainly uninhabitable, and it was conceded to the Bishops, that, if they wish, they may in perpetual future times reside in the same town of Diano, on account of the nobility of its inhabitants and the frequency of the Clerics, the great number of provisions and necessary things, Diano a celebrated town and because it is situated in a safe and fortified and salubrious place, much also taking into account the situation of the rest of the diocese, convenient and opportune for the Episcopal residence … An ecclesiastical Seminary also, by the authority of the Council of Trent, and with the permission of the Apostolic See erected, the Archive of the Episcopal Curia accustomed to be preserved, and besides several monasteries or houses of Regular persons in the same town five Parochial Churches situated; where the body. and among those a very distinguished church, called of S. Mary Major: in which lies the Body of Blessed Conus, which is celebrated with great concourse and devotion even of neighboring peoples. Thus there.
[3] There was sent to us in the year 1638 from Naples some Life of S. Conus, Acts, in more cultivated style published in 1595, formed in a more elegant style, by our Antonio Beatillo; and he added, that he had been at Diano, and had celebrated Mass over the body of S. Conus, and that his arm is preserved outside the sepulchre, and that he had brought his nostrils up to it, and had perceived the greatest fragrance of odor exhaling from it. The editor of that more polished Life was Fabius de Bono-homine V. I. D. Abbot of S. Mary of Diano, Apostolic Protonotary, Vicar General of Cosenza, who writing salutation to the very Reverend Clergy and Lords of Diano, in the year 1595 prefaces that not only his own choice, but the stirring of very many, that he should take care to have published in print the Life of B. Conus, which from most ancient tradition the country has held most faithfully; and most recently, after other Prelates, the most illustrious and most Reverend D. Lelius Morellus, together with various Epigrams, most vigilant Prelate of Capaccio, in his general visitation in the year 1586 (when he himself also, Fabius, was Vicar general before so great a Father), for accustomed solicitude ordered to be diligently inquired, and held and faithfully amended, to be described. To this edition, made at Cosenza by Leonard Angrisanus, were added the Epigrams of Paul de Amico, Curtius Morellus, Peleus Dactylus, Horatius Morellus, Camillus Passalaqua, Prosper Romanus, Antonius Ricciardus, Camillus de Bono-homine, D. Poetius, of whom this one was Dean, those others were either Canons or all citizens of Cosenza: the Epigrams are followed by this old Antiphon: O Light of Diano, most blessed Conus, pour forth prayers to the Lord for us sinners, who freed you from the burning oven; to which also most of the verses allude.
[4] Another, in the genuine and older style, but in substance nearly the same, while we were at Naples in the year 1661, Scipio Paulutius gave us, also Priest of our Society, and no less devoted to our work than Beatillus, and as well as he in the new Library of the Society of Jesus, augmented by Nathael Sotuell, praised for books and virtues. This Life, are given here in genuine style, taken from an old parchment of the church of S. Mary of Diano, we fitted to the press, rather than that more recent one; because it has been proposed by us, to vindicate from destruction in this work the older monuments of the Saints. Yet here, not as nearly elsewhere, will we be able to give to the press unchanged what transcript we received. For it has happened, either by the defect of the codex here and there corroded, or of the evanescent character, or finally by the inexperience of the librarian, transcribing many things more faultily than they truly were, that often it has been necessary to use conjecture, or with certain words added between parts to interpolate the context, with the benefit of [ ] brackets of this kind: with the changes of principal moment reported in the Annotations, as also with those, which with the style changed by the editor seemed here to have added for the cause of explanation or from elsewhere.
[5] To the same Life thus to be published by us, were appended in the transcript the Annotations of R. P. Luke Mandellus the Augustinian, Master of Sacred Theology: from which we know, that his solemn feast on the III Nones of June is celebrated with great concourse of peoples; feast June 3 that Indulgences are granted to those visiting the Chapel, where his sacred body is deposited; that in the diocese of Capaccio many chapels are held dedicated under his name; in the town Camereta of the diocese of Policastro, exists the celebrated monastery of S. Conus, and concerning it with himself exists memory in a certain Bull of Innocent VI under these words: Innocent Bishop servant of the servants of God to the beloved sons …Abbot of the monastery of S. Conus of Camerata of the diocese of Policastro …Given at Avignon on the 4th of the Ides of October, chapels and monastery, of our Pontificate in the second year. Besides he adds, that very many miracles of S. Conus are recorded, and especially, while by Frederick of Aragon King of Naples Diano was besieged, and the walls were being shaken by warlike engines, S. Conus was seen by the enemies running around upon the walls, and turning back the fiery globes against the enemy: miracles, that the bell-tower falling was held up by him, was visibly found: but especially his virtue in driving away unclean spirits shines, as he remembers having seen on the tablets of the church of S. Mary, where his body is deposited. Thus Mandellus, from whose Annotations we have above more securely reported some things: and for knowing the valley of Diano Leander Alberti in Lucania, and Paul Merula in part 2 of Cosmographia book 4 chapter 26 have brought light.
[6] That S. Conus was a Monk of the Order of S. Benedict, the triple Acts which we have said attest: meanwhile no mention of him is found in Wion, Dorganius, Menard, Bucelinus in the Benedictine Fasti, and other writers of this Order. They have on the 29th of May Conon Abbot of the Island of Lerins, from this others, Cono Abbot of Lerins, and venerate him as a Saint, whom we, following Vincent Barralus Monk of Lerins, were compelled to send to the Praetermissi: in whose place we now give that S. Conus. But Philip Ferrari, by some, as it seems, rumor of the people understanding that on this day S. Conus is venerated, reported Conus or Conon monk of the Order of S. Basil at Nesum in Sicily, whose Acts we gave some on March 28, when also Ferrari treated of him. Other longer ones on account of various Saints of this name ill joined to the Acts of S. Conus of Diano, and S. Conus the monk in Sicily. and therefore then not observed by us, we shall give in the Supplement of this month. The same Ferrari, in the General Catalogue, on this III Nones, celebrates S. Conus Abbot of Palermo in Sicily, but in the Notes doubts whether he is the Conus of the Order of S. Basil who is venerated at Nesum: which we plainly judge, because him as the only one Octavius Cajetanus names, in the Idea and Lives of the Sicilian Saints.
LIFE
From an old parchment of Diano.
Conus, Monk of the Order of S. Benedict, at Diano in Italy (S.)
BHL Number: 1943
FROM MS.
[1] Conus, of the Order of S. Benedict, sprung from a famous tribe from the land of Diano, before he was conceived in the womb a of his mother, on a certain night was seen by his parents in dreams, that the womb of his parent gave forth a huge torch of voluminous brightness. At length with the sunrise vibrating light, the mother understanding the enigma of the boy, to her husband, very tremulously, said; My strenuous husband, Known beforehand by a presage, tonight in dreams a huge torch my womb seemed to set forth: to whom the husband likewise tremulously related a like conception of his wife. For this vision of sleep concordant to each other, with counsel entered, they took care to consult their godfather b. Finally with the vision of sleep weighed, with their godfather truly explaining, they heard: To you offspring will be brought forth, who will be named Conus by the common people in the city, and will be the column of your genealogy, totally c growing. On the next night coming, this Conus by his parents, with divine grace working, was conceived; truly and sincerely called Conus: for with the offspring born, with his parents and kinsmen with excessive joy, more ornately he grew.
[2] and from boyhood given to penance, Scarcely was he eight years old, with supreme grace flowing in, when he tried to eat only once on Saturday: and sprinkling his foods with ashes d wet by his tearful eyes, very often he recalled them in his mouth. By night indeed, with his bed and tapestry coverlets spurned, secretly from his parents, on the bare ground, with a stone pillow placed under, lying he slept; with the matutinal hour rising, with the bed-clothes rolled up, lest by his parents he be impeded.
[3] When with excessive desire he was instinct with the divine of consigning himself to obedience, with the Order of Acolyte gladly attained, with his parents ignorant, to the cenobium of the church of S. Mary of Cardossa he came, cheerfully and sincerely. Where indeed with the haircloth put on, is handed to the Monks of Cardossa to be instructed: and his cell constituted, with Modest as pedagogue assigned, he soon attained Grammar and Logic: on account of which matter assiduous, by Costa, constituted Abbot of this monastery, with immense love jealously bound he was held. At length with his prudence inspected, with the keys of the sacristy, storehouse, kneading-trough e, and Prior conferred upon him from here and there, all things to all he sagaciously disposed.
[4] he enters the burning oven On a certain day while he was studying in his cell, and was visited by his parents, who had carried wood, knocking with difficulty; with the cell left, on account of fear of his parents, into the burning oven swiftly hiding he hid; but he in no way felt the coals, and, f what would seem wondrous, was cold. At length therefore with his parents somehow separated; the Abbot Costa also, through hidden and shady places, vehemently cried out, that he might avoid the address of his parents:
and sought him with a lighted lamp. And when he had directed his eyes into the furnace, he saw him, sprinkled here and there with biting coal: at whose call, he himself continually proclaimed his response; and at his command shaking off the coals, the burning oven he went out altogether unharmed.
[5] On a certain day, with the Monks and Abbot dining, with a certain voice from above thundering, warned by a celestial voice he dies: it was said Conus, Conus, this night you will be called by God: to whom indeed Conus with most humble voice sang, Be it done to me according to thy word. The night nonetheless having passed, surrounded by an Angelic ring, he breathed forth his spirit in the Lord: since to those gazing from outside the cell seemed lighted with a lamp. There were there very many clothed in linen and purple, who sweet melody over his coffin g were offering to the Lord. With day shining the Monks honorably entombed his body, paying the Office to the Lord over his cadaver. h At length with the Italian kingdom disturbed by profane rivals, with the cenobium left the Monks timidly fled to safe places.
[6] the monastery desolated, Then with counsel previously prepared, the Paduan cohort explored the body of B. Conus, wishing to carry it off clandestinely to Padula, with the interval of time being repelled: at length with the i tectorium removed and the pavement broken away below, by continual investigation assiduous for three days, that most blessed body they were not at all able to find. The Paduans in vain strive to take away the body, Then the cohort of Diano circumspect, with offensive arms received, hastily went there, with more pomp rushing upon the Paduan people. Soon the Paduans, with backs turned wherever bent here and there, scarcely were able to flee to Padula. But with the people of Diano entering the church of Cardossa, with the sepulchre shaken of its own accord, such a fragrance resounded, that utterly without material nourishment it could nourish men. which freely offers itself to the people of Diano. With the cadaver thence drawn out, and found fleshy without any diminution, as if on that day only it had been returned to the Lord; with untamed k cattle yoked, and the cadaver itself placed well-ornamented upon a wagon, with the Presbyters vested, with a banner tied to a pole, with crosses carried here and there, they nimbly brought it to Diano, and happily entombed it in the major church, in the year 1261. Amen.