ON SAINT ITHAMAR,
BISHOP OF ROCHESTER IN ENGLAND.
THE YEAR 656.
On his ordination, age, cult.
Ithamar, Bishop of Rochester in England (S.)
G. H.
[1] Rochester, commonly Rochester, a city of England in Kent, almost midway between Canterbury and London, was made Episcopal by S. Augustine the Apostle of the English, with S. Justus constituted there, to be referred on the day X November. To him, summoned to the Canterbury See, succeeded Romanus, Testimony of Bede: who going to the Pontiff perished by shipwreck, and then S. Paulinus expelled from the See of York was set over the same as the third Bishop; and there he closed his last day, in the year 644 on the day X October. In whose place, says Bede, in book 3 of the History of the English nation chapter 14, Honorius the Archbishop ordained Ithamar, sprung indeed from the people of the Kentish, but in life and erudition to be equated with his predecessors. This certainly was the first of the Anglo-Saxon stock, whom that nation deserved to have as Bishop. There venerable Bede, in chapter 20 of the same book 3, writes, that there was elected the sixth Archbishop of the Dorovernan Cathedra Deusdedit, of the people of the Western Saxons. Whom to be ordained came there Ithamar, Prelate of the Church of Rochester. Which was done in the year 655, and S. Ithamar seems not to have survived long, but in the following year 656 to have passed to Christ, yielding nothing to his predecessors in sanctity and doctrine, says Harpsfeld century 7 chapter 11, and adds these things: After many years from his death, his body was translated into a more honored place, translation of the body: on account of the frequent miracles wrought through him. Which translation was made on the fourth of the Ides of January (rather of June) on which day in the Church of Rochester his annual memory is celebrated with set solemnity.
[2] Among the more illustrious Roman Libraries of manuscript codices, Memory in the Fasti. after the Vatican before this could be reckoned, that which was kept in the houses of Duke Altempsius, as long as he lived. In it we found one ancient Martyrology, brought from England: where on this X June, these are read. Of S. Ythamar, Bishop and Confessor, Deposition in the city of Rochester. Likewise also of Ithamar, Bishop and Confessor, the memory is celebrated in the Ms. Florarium of Saints, and with greater elogium in the English Martyrology of Wilson, and the General Catalogue of Ferrarius. Menardus, and following him Bucelinus, on account of the error of Harpsfeld refer him to the day X January; and ascribe him to their Benedictines. But Mabillon in the second century, does not even put him among the Passed Over. Acts edited. John Capgrave, in the Legend of the Saints of England, printed some Acts of virtues and miracles, which seem made in the 11th and 12th century, of which some the Author testifies he himself saw, and from this it is clear that he then lived. Those Acts, as they were written in that age, Capgrave seems, nothing added, to have inserted in his Legend: where once you will find written in a more recent form Edmar, for Ithamar.
LIFE
From the Legend of the Saints of England
by John Capgrave.
Ithamar, Bishop of Rochester in England (S.)
BHL Number: 4502
BY THE AUTHOR G. H.
[1] We have taken care to commit to letters a few things about the miracles of B. Ithamar the venerable Bishop, which either we ourselves have seen, or have received from others by faithful report; that coming into knowledge through devotion, it may profit the salvation of souls, what by exterior signs concerning the merits of the blessed man supernal piety declares. Bede confirms his sanctity and the miracles. Indeed, of the series of his temporal life, the diligence of the ancients has handed down nothing to us, except this, that the venerable Presbyter Bede, in his history of the Anglians, briefly, indeed sufficiently briefly, rendered testimony of his sanctity, in these words. In the Church, he says, of Rochester B. Paulinus dying, left the Pallium, which he had received from the Roman Pope. In whose place Honorius the Archbishop ordained Ithamar, sprung indeed from the people of the Kentish, but in life and erudition to be equated with his predecessors. But for imitating the merits of this Saint, what need is there of many words? when both the frequent working of virtues conciliates faith with words, and now with fame divulging his sweet-flowing name, the faithful people everywhere celebrate with wondrous devotion.
[2] In the time of the venerable a Gundulph the Bishop, with the Rochester church renewed B. Ithamar, from the place where he had been earlier buried, into a certain lofty vault to the North was transferred. A blind man is illumined. But there was in that church a certain Monk, an old man and of excellent sanctity, struck with blindness: who at the tomb of S. Ithamar with tears and groan pouring out prayers, was heard. For at night in sleep a man in white habit, and with excellent splendor of countenance, stood by him, saying, that he was present, summoned to his cry, to heal him: and touching the eyes with his hand, restored to perfect health. The Body is translated, Which heard the Bishop commanded the Relics of Ithamar to be carried back into the Presbytery, and in a more becoming place the case of the inestimable treasure, where to all it might be accessible, to be placed. In which place to those faithfully asking, with God bestowing, many signs of virtues have been made and shown.
[3] Two spouses are healed of languor, A certain woman in the city was ill, and the languor was most strong, so that scarcely breath remained in her. And when she invoked B. Ithamar, he appeared to her in sleep, saying: Go, said he, to the place where I rest, that you may obtain salvation there. To whom when she had answered, that she could not do this on account of infirmity; she was admonished a second and third time with the same words. Which when she had done, gifted with the gift of health, she glorified God in His Saint. The husband of the same woman after these things fell into languor: and when he had poured prayers to B. Ithamar, on a certain night caught up in ecstasy, he thought himself to stand before the doors of a most splendid dwelling, where a multitude of Priestly habit and order had gathered. From their assembly a clear man rising, came to him; and with a light stroke of a verdant rod touched his breast, and said: What is this that you are pressed by languor? Go henceforth, and be well. Then aroused the man felt himself restored to health. By a certain sick Presbyter S. Ithamar invoked appeared through a vision, and with hand stretched out, a Presbyter from infirmity, as if performing the office of a physician, touched him and said: See that you tell this vision to no one, until you come to the place of my memorial. Nor was that vision empty, because swift health followed. The Bishop of Rochester b John, by S. Ithamar from most acute pain of the eyes cured, from the prior case the precious Relics of S. Ithamar, into a new and more becoming one, the Bishop from pain of the eyes. through the hands of religious Brothers, on the fourth of the Ides of June, with hymns and joy he translated; and on the same day c his annual solemnity, both on the occasion of others and of this miracle especially, was decreed to be festively celebrated.
[4] Fevers removed: Very many vexed by the burning of fevers, or afflicted in the eyes, and laboring with various infirmities, by the merits of S. Ithamar obtain the benefit of health. A certain Brother, oppressed with strong infirmity, when he had invoked S. Ithamar with devout prayers; in sleep saw a man with unknown face come into him, having a rod in his hand; and carrying it about through the spaces of the house here and there, casting out the multitude of demons, in various forms, with threatening face and grim aspect, looking at the sick man: and thus freed from that hour he began to be lighter. But again returning that hostile multitude rushed in, filled the spaces of the house, with grin and aspect terrible making a horrendous assault. With S. Ithamar's name invoked, not with the same face as before, the infestation of demons driven away. but presenting a Pontifical person in habit he returned, clothed in white, and with a shining Pall above covering him: with excellent gleam of eyes, with shining face: and whatever the sick man looked at, was of inestimable grace. At whose presence soon the unclean spirits timidly flee. But he after them brandishing his staff, three times went around the inside of the dwelling, and purging from all filth of demons disappeared. Not much later for the third time, the terrible multitude of demons, infesting the sick man, came: and behold a certain one, whose face nor habit he could see, nor discern, bearing a cross, all put to flight with tumultuous force compelled to go out headlong. From that day the sick man, having obtained full health, suffered no further inconvenience from the deceivers.
[5] A certain boy, incurring debility, made mute and deaf, Mute and deaf are healed, led to the tomb of S. Ithamar, was restored to perfect health. A certain man vexed with strong sickness, with S. Ithamar invoked, in excess of mind saw him, commanding him, that he should proceed to the church of B. Andrew the Apostle, where for him both a seat of honor and a place of quiet has been provided by God. Where when he had come, he saw four persons of excellent beauty, namely Peter and Andrew, another sick man. Paulinus and Ithamar, of whom one Pontifically robed, before the altar came, as if for the obtaining of his salvation with bent knees supplicated. Then aroused, and restored to health, he was rendering thanks to God.