ON SAINT EUSTADIOLA,
ABBESS OF BOURGES IN GAUL.
CENT. VII.
Previous Little Commentary, on her cult and life.
Eustadiola, Abbess at Bourges, in Gaul (S.)
G. H.
This most holy Abbess flourished in the seventh century of Christ, especially in the times of S. Sulpitius Pius, Archbishop of Bourges, who died about the year 647, on 17 January (on which day we illustrated his Acts and of Wlfeodus his successor: in his eulogy however, which is inserted into the History of the Archbishops of Bourges by the author monk Sansulpitius, Eulogy from the Patriarchy of Bourges. in volume one of the New Library of Labbe page 55 these things are related: With Blessed Wlfeod governing the Church of Bourges with eximious praise, S. Eustadiola, formerly a most noble matron, was held celebrated at Bourges on account of the opinion of her exceptional sanctity. For this memorable woman, with the most glorious Patriarch Sulpitius still acting in human affairs, and now Dagobert the Great reigning, had built a Church of the Middle-Monastery, conspicuous in amplitude and appearance, within the walls of the same city of Bourges; and there she herself, with her son Thetradius consenting, a man conspicuous for much probity, instituted a monastery of devout Virgins. To whom showing herself Abbess and Mother, she continually led them to contempt of the world, to fear of the punishments of the damned, to aim at the rewards of eternal life, finally to love Christ uniquely, by admonitions and examples. For the same venerable matron, like that most holy Anna, who (as Luke the Evangelist relates) did not depart from the temple, serving God with fasts and prayers night and day; with fasts, vigils, sacred meditations, prayers, and other spiritual exercises spending the whole time of her life, at length happily having consummated the contest of this mortal life, Death on 8 June on the sixth Ides of June was led by Angels to the reward of eternal beatitude. Whose holy body the pious devotion of the faithful led to be buried at the Church of the Priory of divine Paul the Apostle, near and outside the walls of the city of Bourges: where until this day awaiting the glory of the general resurrection, in the praise of our Lord Jesus Christ shines with many miracles. Thus there. In the ancient Martyrology of the Abbey of S. Laurence of Bourges, with Philip Labbe in the Hagiology of Franco-Gaul especially of Aquitaine, at the said sixth Ides of June these things are read: At Bourges, of S. Stadiola the Virgin,
that is, says Labbe, of the nun: and so Scariola the Virgin is called in some Martyrologies on 6 June. Saussay, in the Gallican Martyrology, transferred her memory from the sixth Ides of June to the sixth Ides of May; where he writes these things: At Bourges, of S. Eustadia, a Virgin consecrated to God, foundress of the Middle-Monastery and first Abbess of the same: who shining with dovelike purity, leaving to her Virgins the examples of perfect sanctity, returned her immaculate soul to God, and with honorific funeral by Rocco Archbishop of Bourges, was buried in the building of S. Paul, paranymph of the Virgins of Christ. Thus Saussay, who if he had seen the Acts of S. Eustadiola, would have brought forth another eulogy, nor would have called Eustadia a Virgin, but a Widow consecrated to God; nor would have referred the same to day 10 May: yet he can excuse himself by the example of Hugo Menardus, whom he followed in the day, yet not in inscribing her to the Saints of the Benedictine Order, what however he did in his Menology. But if Eustadiola lived to the Archbishopric of Rochus or Rocho, which he undertook here in the year 696; she must have come to the end of about the seventh century, and then with her ninety years of life completed migrated to the heavenly fatherland. Life from a MS. The same also seems under the name of Scuriola to be inscribed to Martyrologies of Cologne and Lübeck printed anciently, and to the MS. Florarium, and that on day 6, as has been said among the Passed-over. The Life exists in a MS. codex of the Church now Collegiate of Canons, formerly of Holy Women, commonly called of the Middle-Monastery in the city of Bourges, which thence taken Philip Labbe published in volume 2 of the New Library page 576 and following, such as we here give.
LIFE
From the edition of Philip Labbe S. J.
Eustadiola, Abbess at Bourges, in Gaul (S.)
BHL Number: 2772
FROM THE EDIT. OF F. LABBE.
[1] Born of Senatorial stock, There was in the city of the Biturigenses a certain most illustrious woman, by name Eustadiola, at the time when the venerable Pontiff Sulpitius was most excellently governing the Church of Bourges. This woman, however, even still in secular habit, led a religious life; born of most illustrious parents, and according to the dignity of the world, flourishing in Senatorial nobility, and, what is more noble than these, she so excelled in Catholic doctrine, that no heretic could seduce her. She was noble in faith, and more noble in work; clear in worldly dignity among her fellow citizens, and precious in the grace of divine gifts.
[2] So when from the flower of her infancy she was instituted in sacred letters by the exercise of disciplines, she was educated in religious manners, and was in all things subject to her parents. With age and the grace of prudence increasing, the affection of all toward her was increasing. So her parents, given in marriage she bears Tetradius fearing lest perchance with them withdrawing from the world, an outside heir would succeed; began to exhort her and command her, that to propagate their race she should marry, urging upon her that saying of the Apostle: If a virgin marries, she does not sin. Cor. 7:28 For they were very greatly dilated with most opulent possessions, and with faculties throughout the borders of the Gauls and Aquitaine. So they persuaded their daughter for so long, until she permitted herself to be associated to a lawful husband. And when according to her birth she had obtained an honorable marriage and an immaculate bed, and had borne only one son, by name Tetradius; her husband, making an end of the present life, migrated from the world.
[3] But the noble girl, when she had been widowed by the death of her husband, and with the desire of the world burning to repeat the bridal chamber, both wealth and age called her; chose rather to be coupled to God in spiritual nuptials (in which it begins from mourning, but one comes to eternal joys) than to be subjected to carnal nuptials, which always begin from joy, and reach the end with mourning. For freed from the law of the husband, she preferred to follow the counsel of the Apostle, saying; but with her husband dead a widow, She will be more blessed if she so remains, according to my counsel. Inspired therefore by the Holy Spirit, that she might be without the solicitude of the world and might wholly serve as soldier for Christ, with secular habit cast off, she so in all things subjected herself to the service of omnipotent God, that for the Gospel she might leave all her things, as the Lord says: If you wish to be perfect; go and sell all that you have; and give to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven, and come follow me. 1 Cor. 7:40, Matt. 19:21 For to the poor on account of the Savior's precept she gave her things; but especially to the poor serving God. For first the houses, she constructs and adorns churches, which she possessed within the walls of the city of Bourges, in honor of S. Mary ever Virgin, or of blessed Martyr Eugenia, she had Basilicas dedicated; and from the abundance of her treasures, with golden and silver vessels; choice pearls, and various kinds of gems she adorned the churches, by making crosses, candelabra, chalices, and other vessels suitable for sacred mystery; and also books and towers constructing. Sacred vestments also she made; and the altars with precious palls, with a cenobium of Virgins. which by her own hand with her girls with most elegant work she polished, with golden fringes, and procinctoria, and the walls with curtains she adorned. And also a monastery and worthy cenobium she built for herself and her girls; and from the female sex, prepared to live according to the norm of the Rule, a great band she enclosed there; who to the example of B. Eustadiola leaving all their own, and vowing themselves to God with most full will, were eager to keep the proposal of chastity, and to be adorned with the other virtues.
[4] So when S. Eustadiola had completed the mentioned monastery; she so handed over all her villas and faculties by testament, for 70 years she abstains from eating meat: according to the law of the world and the canonical institution, there, and dedicated them, that they should never afterward be possessed by hereditary right by herself or anyone else, but that she should be one of those who by her example vowed themselves to Christ. But very many girls, panting by their example to the celestial fatherland, refused carnal spouses, that they might merit to find a heavenly and immortal spouse. The Mother of the monastery Eustadiola rejoiced over the holy zeal of her daughters. But who can say, with how great humility she humbled herself, or with how great abstinence she macerated herself, she enlightens a blind man: or of how great charity and how great goodness she was? Through the spaces of seventy years, she took into food no flesh of quadrupeds or of birds. If among the powerful of the world or others an altercation or hatred had arisen, she so by her speeches, if they were near; or by letters, if they were far, pacified them, that they never returned afterward to the former scandals. And also very many healings the Lord worked through her prayer, so that even from water, with which she washed her hands or face, the blind received sight, and from other various languors very many were healed.
[5] At a certain time so great was the dryness, that the heaven seemed as if brazen, and the earth as if iron: but Eustadiola the maidservant of God, while according to wonted manner for the grace of prayers to the Basilica of B. Paul the Apostle, near the outer gate of the mutes, in highest dryness she impetrates rain in which she delighted night and day to meditate in prayer and reading, was proceeding one day; with the Holy Spirit suggesting to her, with bland speeches she admonished the holy Sisters, whom she had in her service saying; Most beloved daughters, let us entreat the mercy of the most pious Lord and pardon for sins; and as suppliants and with tears let us pour out prayers, that He may deign to give us rain. With the prayer completed, while she was returning to her cenobium, and had gone forth from the abovesaid basilica of B. Paul with procession; immediately thunders began to sound, lightnings to flash, and most dense clouds to cover the earth of Bourges: and soon there came such inundation of rains, that the venerable Mother, with her Holy Sisters, with flight seized, with swift course, with the highest haste came to her monastery. But their clothes were so soaked, as if they had been submerged in a great whirlpool.
[6] But she, among other works of piety, washed the feet of guests and wiped them with her hair; and poured out so great prayers unceasingly day and night with tears to the Lord, that rightly with the Prophet she could say, My tears were my bread day and night. Ps. 41:4 she excels in every virtue: She was full of faith, kindled with charity; affable in address, lovable in look; endowed with prudence, clear in temperance, firm in internal fortitude, stable in the censure of justice, large in longanimity, robust in patience, meek in humility; and so with the gems of all these virtues the beauty of wisdom adorned her, that according to the Apostle her speech was always seasoned with salt. Col. 4:2 Consoler of many poor, kindly receiver of pilgrims with humility, refreshing the hungry, clothing the naked, succouring orphans and widows; but no human mouth can recount all her goodness individually.
[7] And now the time was that she should leave the dwelling of her flesh (for she was ninety years old and more) and migrate to the celestial fatherland. So hastening thither through good works, when she was old and full of days, and had illustrated the times of her age with the consummated splendor of her merits; she knew the hour of her exit to draw near: and with a good conscience cheering her, she dies as a nonagenarian. she was prepared at once to open to the knocking Lord; and giving thanks to God from her mind, and like a new guest leaving an alien dwelling, and going to her own, with the very action of thanks breathed out her blessed spirit: which associated to the choirs of Angels sought the celestial realms, where among the fiery stones it glitters in the ornament of the celestial King.
[8] with great mourning she is buried: So from every side of the city flowed together from every side a throng of innumerable peoples; and when there was infinite mourning of mind of all, the lamentation of the Clerics interrupted by sobs scarcely allowed the wearied to sing spiritual hymns. Meanwhile they came to the basilica of S. Paul, which she had long ago constructed with the highest effort: where buried with wondrous beauty, with glorious triumph she awaits the time of resurrection. But the religious Pontiff of the city of Bourges, by name Rocco, who had been nourished in the King's court, and was present in the service of the funeral of B. Eustadiola; testified, that he had never seen such immense weeping, either at the death of any religious in the church, or at the end of any Royal power. Whence it is plain how useful, how beneficent this maidservant of God was always to all, who was so loved and lamented by all. They mourned the absent, whom they had not lost, but sent before; but suddenly by restoring health to various infirmities she showed herself to be present, when by God's grace she frequently at her venerable sepulcher shone with many virtues of miracles, like a sun: of which we wish briefly to recall a few, that from these the innumerable abundance of similar deeds may be understood.
[9] There was a Presbyter, by name Leodebodus, struck with blindness; in whom was such faith, that he did not doubt, Are enlightened: blind by the oil of the lamp; that if a few of the dust, which on the tomb of B. Eustadiola he could find, mixed with oil from the lamp, which was before her sepulcher, he had placed over his eyes, as in the night by an Angel it had been announced to him, he would obtain a celestial medicine.
Which when he had done, the shadows being overcome he received the light of his eyes. And also a certain man from the city of Poitiers, by name Praetextatus, when he had approached the sacred tomb, pouring forth prayer to the Lord, and had been anointed with the holy liquor, with the name of Christ and B. Eustadiola invoked, immediately received light.
[10] the same number of contracted persons are healed, And also a certain man, by name Theoderamnus, when contracted in his feet, and with his soles clinging to his buttocks, had been carried by his neighbors in a wagon to the venerable tomb; with the name of the Savior and B. Eustadiola invoked, so he obtained the restoration of his steps, that sound and unharmed he returned to his dwelling. A certain woman also, by name Leonichildis, when with lame feet and contracted arms, she had been carried before her sepulcher, and another blind woman. soon with health received marvelously she returned to her own. Another woman also, by name Bona, when she was struck with blindness, was led to her tomb; and when by the Presbyter, to whom was the office, she had been anointed with the oil of her lamp, she recovered light, and rejoicing returned to her home.
[11] But the multiplicity of such signs exceeded number: for so many and such great benefits of healings of this kind were done, that if they were written individually, they could fill great volumes. And also until today so many sick are frequently healed there, She is invoked by the writer. that with evident signs B. Eustadiola demonstrates, that she lives with Christ and is able to do very much with Him. May she also for us by her wonted piety deign to intercede, that we also, snatched from the present evil age, may merit to be present in the joy of the just with her. Which may He mercifully grant us, Jesus Christ our Lord, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns God, through all the ages of ages. Amen.