ON SAINT GURVALLUS
BISHOP OF ALETH IN ARMORICA.
7TH CENTURY.
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
On his cult, acts, age, and rule.
Gurvaltus, Bishop of Aleth, in Brittany of Gaul, in Armorica (St.)
BY THE AUTHORS G. H. & D. P.
Maclovium Saint-Malo, the Episcopal city of Armorican Brittany, built on the island of Aaron, The Bishopric of Aleth on account of the convenient station of ships became a celebrated emporium, commonly Saint-Malo: so called from S. Maclovius, the first Bishop of Aleth. But the ruins of Aleth itself are seen at the first milestone from Saint-Malo, which grew up after its destruction: and John, the 40th Bishop, around the year 1150 transferred the Episcopal See of Aleth to the island of Aaron, where the holy Maclovius himself, as a tutelary Patron, under the rite of the first class with an Octave, is venerated on the 15th of November. His successor, The feast of S. Gurvallus, 6th of June, designated by himself, was S. Gurvallus, the second Bishop of Aleth: whose feast in the city and diocese of Saint-Malo is kept on this 6th day of June, and in the Proper of the Saints of this Church are recited the Lessons of the second Nocturn concerning his Life, taken from the old Legendary of Saint-Malo. his Life, After those lessons, to be given in this place, until someone communicates to us the text itself of the ancient Legend, the Collect there is set forth the Collect: "O God, who didst adorn blessed Gurvallus, thy Confessor and Pontiff, on earth with a praiseworthy life, and didst exalt him in heaven with eternal glory, grant that, by the support of his merits, our life may be commended with thee." Albert le Grand, among the Lives of the Saints of Armorican Brittany published in French, also inserted, on this day the 6th of June, the Life of S. Gurvallus, from the Proper of the Saints and the Manuscript Legendary of the Church of Saint-Malo: nor did he write anything which is not contained in the Lessons: which was the reason why we were less solicitous about seeking the Legendary which he alleges.
[2] elsewhere wrongly referred to the 6th of January, Augustinus de Paz, in his Chronological History of the Bishops of Armorican Brittany, also makes S. Gurvallus the second Bishop of Saint-Malo, and asserts that he died on the 6th day of January; which, the name of the month not being entirely written, he took for the 6th of June: and him presently followed John Chenu, Claude Robert, and the Sammarthani in the Bishops of Saint-Malo; and—what is more to be wondered at—even Andrew Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology, more than once solicited to consult the people of Saint-Malo themselves or their Breviaries; he could even have consulted Albert le Grand, if he knew that he, already from the year 1628, by the mandate of his Provincial, was applying himself to the Lives of the Armorican Saints: but as he could without fault have been ignorant of this, so much more of the book of Albert, first published in the year 1636, when almost the whole Martyrology was already in print, and is ascribed to the Benedictines. published in the next year following. But how shall we excuse the fact that, first and alone hitherto, in the eulogy of S. Gurvallus, devised by himself, he says that he entered the Order of S. Benedict in the first flower of his age? unless you say that, using a very improper expression, he wished to express; that the Saint in the first flower of his age was placed among the Benedictines, that, in the manner customary for other boys in ancient times, he might be piously educated and instructed. Bucelinus certainly, everywhere inclined to follow Saussay, here did not dare. But Mabillon did not even judge that Gurvallus should be named by him in the Index of Those Omitted, as not found in the Benedictine calendar, otherwise abounding with many such who have nothing to do with the Order.
[3] The age of the Saint, repugnant to that Saussayan fiction, ought to be gathered from the Acts of S. Maclovius his predecessor and of S. Brandanus, The time of his life the Irish Abbot: under whom both he and S. Maclovius were Monks, and S. Gurvallus also was constituted Abbot. But there were two illustrious Saints Brandanus or Brendanus. The one, founder and Abbot of the monastery of Birr in Munster, is venerated on the 29th of November; the other, founder and Abbot of the monastery of Clonfert in Connaught, whose Acts we illustrated on the 16th of May, and that S. Maclovius was instructed by this one Sigebert writes in his Life: which same was to be said of S. Gurvallus. But that the said S. Brandanus of Clonfert departed from this life in the year 577, we said at his Life. But S. Maclovius is reported to have presided over the Bishopric of Aleth for forty years, his Bishopric and death in the 7th century: afterward driven out by malevolent citizens, received by Leontius, Bishop of Saintes, and at last, pardon being given to the people of Aleth who sought it, with his blessing, having ended his life among the people of Saintes, by the said Leontius he was honorably buried. The said Leontius took part in the Council of Reims, which was held under Sonnatius the Bishop in the year 624 or the beginning of the following, as has often been proved by us.
D. P.
[4] Hence we best gather that S. Gurvallus was made a Monk in Ireland, in the 6th century of Christ verging toward the middle, when by the Irish who had made pilgrimage to Rome some notice of the Cassinese monastery and of the Benedictine Rule could indeed have been brought; but to those, who were also called Scots, most tenacious of their native institutions even to obstinacy (as in the schismatic celebration of Easter to be kept stubbornly it was evident), who would believe that in that age a Rule brought from abroad pleased in their own region; when not even in a foreign one could they quickly be persuaded to undertake the same, although it was already everywhere held by other Monks? It is also clear from what has been said, that S. Gurvallus, in the seventh century of Christ, was Bishop of Aleth; and, that See being left, presently departed from life. Albert le Grand assigns the year six hundred and twenty-three, in which he says, on the sixth day of June, in the monastery of Guernio, indicated below, he died; and was honorably buried beneath the high altar, and shone with very many miracles.
[5] That monastery, although it afterward undertook the Benedictine Rule, his Monastic profession; it is nevertheless probable was first instituted after the manner of the Scots by S. Maclovius: who however, in so long a Pontificate, could not altogether have been ignorant of the institution of the monastery of Glanfeuil, widely celebrated, under the same Metropolitan of Tours to whom also the Armorican Bishops were subject: but that, the Rule being acknowledged, he presently prescribed it to his own, ought not to be believed without a witness, and so not even old Gurvallus can be drawn to it. When questioned, the Canons who now hold the church of Saint-Malo, after the Benedictine Monks, from the year 1100, whether among them there still survives the old Legendary of the aforesaid church, from which the Lessons were taken; they answered, that nothing manuscript is extant with them; and that all the trust concerning their Saints rests on the printed books, which printed books, however, must have been taken from Codices still extant in the previous century; so that it cannot be believed that the Benedictines carried them off with them. Meanwhile, what alone we can, we give this, namely the Lessons of present use, which are such.
[6] Gurvallus, born in greater Britain, having become a boy, desiring to live justly and prudently, In the proper lessons diligently exercised the scholastic life, in which he might learn the rules of Ecclesiastical institution. Thence chastising his body with fastings, almsgivings, vigils, and prayers, he was wont every day, the Clerics being called together, to give one sermon, by which he called many from the tumults of the world to the heavenly life. Proposing, moreover, to constitute Christ his heir, he is said to be a disciple of S. Brandanus, the most ample patrimony which fell to him he left for building a monastery. Which being built, under Brandanus, a man of great name, he remained a Monk: and by the same, over the Monks living there and worthily serving God, he was constituted Abbot.
[7] At length blessed Maclovius, Pontiff of Aleth, being sick in the parts of Saintes, grieving with the people of his diocese, designated successor by the dying S. Maclovius, and thinking of a successor in the Bishopric, exhorts the Brethren; that, as soon as he should die, they should take care to summon blessed Gurvallus, powerful in signs and virtues, who should undertake the Church of Aleth to be ruled: for he had been divinely admonished that he should be raised to such honor. Blessed Maclovius therefore being called by Angels to celestial glory, the disciples, executing his commands, proceed to Aleth, and admonish the inhabitants to send legates to S. Gurvallus.
[8] He therefore, inclined by the supplications of the legates of Aleth, together with them plowing the waters, and ordained. came to the desired port. Then indeed by the unanimous consent of the Pontiffs of the neighboring cities he is invested with the sacred insignia, and is consecrated by the Metropolitan's authority, and is placed in the See of Aleth. Furthermore, when for a year and some months he had ruled the Episcopal Cathedra, Coalfinith the Archdeacon being elected, and he being placed in the Pontifical See, that he might more freely be at leisure for God, he sought a certain monastery of his diocese built in the district of Guernio, with several Priests led with him: who for the love of God had left their resources. But there, not being able to bear the throng of peoples concurring on account of his holy conversation, and desiring to abandon the notice of his Bishopric; he left twelve of the aforesaid Priests, and migrated elsewhere with others, and finally betook himself to a certain cave, where, conspicuous also for signs and miracles, and full of days, he rested in peace.