ON B. JOHN RAYNUTIUS,
BENEDICTINE MONK, OF TODI IN UMBRIA.
YEAR 1330.
Relics found; cult approved.
Joannes Raynutius, of the Benedictine Order of Todi (B.)
C. J.
The memory of this B. John, who from his father is called Raynutius, from his country Tudertinus, from mercy toward the poor the Almoner, has been made more celebrated from the year 1568; The Relics of B. John, in which his sacred remains, indicated by malign spirits, sought by the Todians and found, were translated by their Bishop Angelus Cesius, and placed in a marble shrine. These things briefly Joannes Baptista Possevinus narrates, in the book on the Saints and Blessed of Todi, printed at Perugia in the year 1597, and dedicated to the abovesaid Bishop, writing in Italian almost thus on pages 116 and 117. Priests were wont to drive out by ecclesiastical adjurations the wicked guests from the bodies of demoniacs, in a little Chapel (unless you prefer to call it a crypt) under the principal altar of the church of S. Margaret, which is situated not far outside the walls of the city of Todi. indicated through a demon, are found in the year 1568, Now there was a memory, or rather a certain tradition, transmitted from the elders to posterity, that in that place rested the Body of some Saint: yet so that nothing about that Saint was definitely known, except that the malign Spirit through the mouth of an energumen had declared; that the Body of B. John the Almoner rested there. On this account they began to dig there, and found on day 3 September of the year 1568, a marble shrine, and in it the bones of B. John, with the title of Blessed, most clearly, indicated by an adjoined leaden plate, inscribed with these very words: This is the Body of Blessed John Raynutius of Todi, buried in the monastery of S. Margaret of Todi, who passed from this world to the Father in the year of the Lord 1330, on day 8 of June.
[2] It is credible, that the aforesaid plate was placed on the sarcophagus together with the sacred Body, probably given immediately after death; immediately after the death of John, with the fame of his virtues and miracles so suggesting and persuading, of which very many are narrated about him, the cited Possevinus testifies, although he himself relates none. For I observe, at the time when John died, whole cities were wont without any scruple to ascribe to their own countrymen, who had lived with the praise of sanctity, immediately after death the title of Blessed or Saint; nay even to leave to posterity some monument with such a title, lest their memory should fail with the lapse of time. Nor is an example to be sought further from Todi, as was given to B. Raynerius of Borgo, than is Borgo San Sepolcro from there; where in the temple of the Franciscan Fathers rests still whole, and clothed with flesh and skin, B. Raynerius; whom likewise at the very time when he died his fellow citizens honored with the title of sanctity and a monument; which I myself in the year 1685 inspected and examined in person. The monument however is a great altar, and over it an extended stone solid, very ample, around whose outermost margin in majuscules of ancient form incised this inscription is read: In the year of the Lord 1304, on the feast of All Saints, Saint Raynerius migrated to the Lord, in which year the Commune of Borgo had this altar made to the honor of God and the said Saint Raynerius.
[3] But let us return to John, and bring forth other indications of his sanctity from Possevinus. B. John formerly painted with rays; In the abovementioned church of S. Margaret, there is to be seen an image of him, in the manner of a Monk painted without a diadem, but with certain rays in the head; in the way Blessed ones are wont to be painted, who have not yet been transferred to Saints by solemn canonization. Besides he carries seven purses placed on his shoulders, with the gesture of one distributing alms to the poor painted around; that you may know why he was called the Almoner. And at the same time you may understand that that painting is later than the finding foretold: wherefore we have not taken care to express it here, as otherwise we would have taken care. His bones exposed to veneration; Moreover the Most Illustrious Lord Angelus Cesius, Bishop of Todi, subscribed to his sanctity, when in the year 1568 on 3 September, as we have said, the sacred Relics of John found in a most beautifully made marble shrine, he publicly showed to the people to be venerated; and again placed in the same shrine he hid under the altar, whence they had been extracted. Finally Iacobillus brings forth from an old MS. Missal which is preserved in the church of S. John of Todi (so he calls it), the words, title of Blessed appended in the Missal, abundantly proving the antiquity of the veneration once bestowed on B. John: On day 8 June 1330 died B. John of Todi at the monastery of S. Margaret, outside the gate of Todi, and there he was buried.
[4] Iacobillus moreover notes some things about the monastery of S. Margaret, and its various changes. Namely that, and another sacred to S. Bartholomew, were formerly members of the celebrated monastery of S. Paul, situated outside the walls of Rome; as he himself testifies he read in some Brief of Pope Innocent III, in the year 1204 directed to the Abbot and monastery of the same S. Paul. But because the monastery of S. Margaret, situated outside the city, was endangered in time of war, The monastery of S. Margaret is united to others it was united with the monastery of S. George within the walls; and then both, together with the monasteries of S. Bartholomew and S. Catharine, came together into one, with the monastery of S. Benignius Presbyter and Martyr of Todi; which had been long ago built by B. John himself under the rule of his Order. Now it happened that these five monasteries coalesced into one of S. Benignius in the year 1410: which however itself did not long hold, but overturned also sent its Nuns into the city; where with some buildings procured, they built up a new monastery, and in it enclosed a place, which commonly was called: Militaris; whence also the new monastery drew its name, and is called Militare, with its coping placed in the year 1480; and it serves God under the Rule of S. Benedict.
[5] With the monasteries which we have said destroyed, their churches also were destroyed, if you except one of S. Margaret; & is destroyed except for the temple. which can seem by his presence and protection to have preserved from ruin B. John, the Relics of him alone there remained: for all the others, which the same Blessed (as is read in an old codex of the Militaris monastery) brought very many from Palestine, whither for the cause of religion he had crossed, and had hidden in the same church, the Nuns transferred with them, and even today they are venerated in their Militaris monastery. From these, I believe, principles Iacobillus gathers, that B. John from the monastery of S. Paul near Rome (where he says he had first professed the monastic life) passed into the Holy Land; and having visited the sacred places there, returned to Italy, and being made head over the monastery of S. Margaret by his Moderators, gave to the same the Relics he had brought together: about which if we are taught anything more, we shall be able to treat on the day of each Saint.
Acta Sanctorum: June II: 9 June