ON SAINT OLIVA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR AT PALERMO.
PERHAPS IN THE 9TH CENTURY.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
On the more recent authors of the Acts, but the ancient cult: and on the age by conjecture.
Oliva, Virgin and Martyr at Palermo (S.)
BY THE AUTHORS G. H. & D. P.
[1] Two virgins occur this month of June,
called Oliva; one of these is preserved at Anagni, buried in the Cathedral Church, whose Acts twofold, but imperfect, we gave on the day III June, Sacred Cult at Palermo. on which day she is also inscribed in the Roman Martyrology, where in the Notes Baronius indicates, that there is another Oliva: of whom in these words mentions Thomas Fazellus, On the Sicilian Affairs decade 1 book 8. Palermo, says he, especially became notable by the birth of the Virgins Oliva and Nympha, whose illustrious deeds are had. These there. Of these S. Nympha, Martyr under Aurelian her father, has there veneration on November XII with the Octave, on which day her Acts will be elucidated. But the other, S. Oliva, also Martyr, is venerated on this X June with the Octave; and is solemnly venerated as Patroness, indicates Ferrarius in the General Catalogue: who in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, from her Life printed at Palermo edited a compendium, which is of this kind.
[2] Oliva the Virgin at Palermo, in Sicily sprung from noble stock, born thirteen years old, Sent into exile, is accused before the Governor of Sicily, that she was a Christian: and captured, when she could not be drawn from the purpose of faith, on account of the nobility of her stock she is sent into exile: in which she wrought many things divinely. For a lame man, She heals a lame and blind man, who was also blind, who promised that he would believe in Christ if he were healed, by prayer she healed: who soon began to cry, that there was no other God, except whom Oliva worshipped. But his companion, whom he tried to persuade to believe in Christ, when he despised Christ, saying that he was crucified by the Jews as a doer of evil, suddenly was made blind: but repentant and believing, by Oliva's intercession recovered his sight: and both shortly after constantly underwent martyrdom for Christ. Oliva, because she was a girl, only beaten with scourges, was sent away into the woods: in which then with the wild beasts, tamed by her, for seven years she dwelt. But when certain nobles while hunting had penetrated into that place, seven years she dwells among wild beasts: and captured by the beauty of the virgin tempted her; Beware, said she, lest, He who has defended me from the wild beasts for the space of seven years, strike and destroy you. By which words terrified, asking pardon from her, they ask her what they ought to do. But she counsels, that they should believe in Christ, and be expiated with the saving waters: which when they had done, they came to the palm of martyrdom. These things being reported to the Governor, Oliva is ordered to be apprehended, and thrust into prison, unharmed by various torments, and macerated with hunger; with the ministers, whom she herself had converted, killed for the faith. Led out after some days, when she had had a long disputation with the Governor about the faith, she is ordered to be beaten with scourges for so long, and suspended on the rack to be lacerated with combs, until her ribs were laid bare; then to be cast into a cask of boiling oil, she is beheaded. and soaked with oil to be burned: from all which freed, at length beheaded, she passed to heaven. These things Ferrarius, who wonders, that in her Life no mention is made of the time, in which she lived; nor even of the place, in which she suffered exile, the Martyr died.
[3] Octavius Cajetanus, in volume 2 on the Lives of the Sicilian Saints, Life from the Lectionary, emended by Cajetanus. says he edited her Life from the Ms. codex of the Palermo Church, and in the Animadversions adds, that he transcribed the history of S. Oliva from the Lectionary book of parchment Ms. of the Palermo Church: in which the Life is distributed through nine Lections, which the Palermo Church in ancient times used. But that, he says, the Lectionary is wont to transcribe word for word the ancient Acts of the Saints: there was necessity to polish too rude and humble a style of the history… It is obscure and uncertain from these Acts, under what tyrants Oliva, in what age was killed for the Christian faith, and in what place at Palermo she was buried.
[4] Thus far Henschenius, preparing for the press the Life, indeed, as it is edited by Cajetanus, yet not despairing that the original Acts could be obtained from the Palermo Legendary; as more conformable to the institute of our work, which is to give all things in the primigenial phrase of the writers, and to leave the care of style to others; never to find certain credence, unless the original monuments of the Acts pre-exist, by them more elegantly described. I wrote therefore to Palermo, but received the response, that what I sought was not found. Meanwhile the doubt remains, as Cajetanus confesses, in what age Oliva was killed for the Christian faith, in what place at Palermo she was buried. She seems to have suffered under the Saracens, at Tunis, He himself, at the beginning of the Life edited by him, noted in the margin the year 915, because the paper book, not recent, perhaps found at Termini Imerese, in which the Life of S. Oliva is described in the vulgar Sicilian idiom, says the Saint was killed under the Saracens at Tunis, to which not to seem altogether to oppose, says he, I placed her martyrdom under the Saracens, until truth might emerge from the well. This favors the kind of punishment and mockery, which the Saracens in Africa used against Christians. For the Acts mention, that Oliva was ordered to run through the whole city with ignominy, and beaten with scourges. The same is handed down in the contest of the holy John, Anthony, and Peter, Martyrs of Syracuse, who suffered Martyrdom in Africa, under Abrachen, King of the Saracens: for they were placed on a little ass, and bound were led around through the middle of the city, with a great crowd of people accompanying. But this is a slight conjecture. Nor would I seek a firm argument from it; meanwhile finding it made by typographical error, from the year 698 they ruled Africa. that in either Alphabetical index of the Saints the day 12 is noted, for 10 June, which in the context and in the Index is noted; finding also Annot. 3 that the Saracens, after many battles, possessed Africa entire around the year of Christ 698; I am forced to doubt, whether by the mind of Cajetanus the number 915 was printed.
[5] But the Life says, that by the Pagans she was sentenced to exile, and Oliva ejected to Tunis in exile, with regard to her nobility. Hence Cajetanus also inclines into the opinion of Bernardus Riera, juris consult of Palermo, rather than under the Vandals, whose Ms. book on the Religion of Sicily is kept in the Library of our College of Palermo; where he judges, that the Vandals, applying themselves to Sicily, raided Palermo, and thence took the virgin Oliva to Africa; who although were not Pagans, but Arians; yet Cajetanus notes, that it is not unusual for writers (I add, born long after, such as was the author of the Palermo Legend) to extend the name of Pagans to all enemies of the Catholic faith. But why under the name of Pagans cannot be understood the Saracens, who after the occupation of Africa took possession of Palermo, from the year 827 to 1070? Do not all the writers of the middle age generally consider the Mahomet ans Pagans, even though they believe in one God, because they do not believe in Christ? I therefore also incline, when they held Sicily between the years 827 and 1070; that by the Saracens, holding Palermo, and not daring to kill Oliva there for publicly cursing their Mahomet because of the nobility of her stock, she was ejected into Africa; where at length recognized, and having professed the faith, she made Martyrdom: which known, the body (as has often been done in such cases) was secretly carried back into Sicily, [where the body was secretly carried back, after they themselves were ejected revealed] and buried near Palermo; and at length, the Saracens expelled from the island, in the 11th or 12th century, with miracles manifesting it, was revealed; and again with affairs disturbed there, or by some other accident, it was lost, nor uncovered until now. Thus the Termini writer did not depart much from the Latin Lections; following perhaps Acts more ancient than these Lections are, or even earlier than them himself: yet rightly to be hissed off, if he brought onto the scene a Vicar of the Roman Emperor and Gentile, at so great a time after Gentilism had been exterminated from Sicily, who should have driven Oliva into Africa.
[6] Now as for the holy Body; that at some time it was publicly and openly honored, and a part of the arm translated to Pithinaeum, persuades me Rocchus Pirrus, Sacred Sicily volume 3, where on page 392, treating of Pithinaeum, a town of the Cephaledine diocese, says, that the relics of the Town's Patroness S. Oliva Virgin and Martyr from the arm, on May 11, which is the day of the Translation, are venerated with great solemnity for eight days; where she is venerated on May 2. and her image elegantly sculpted is carried around. And that in the Parochial church of D. Mary of Grace, there is a Society of S. Oliva. Hence indeed it follows, that at least the Arm of the Saint was held in public veneration and openly visible, when that translation was made, probably not many centuries ago; otherwise that religion of the Pithinaeans would have been so easily abolished, as now is unknown the position of the rest of the bones. Concerning this meanwhile it will be worth the effort to read Cajetanus conjecturing, not without foundation. Therefore after the Life, such as it was collected by Cajetanus, will be given from the same Cajetanus's Annotations an Appendix, worthy to be read, even after it shall have pleased God, long-hidden treasure to be drawn into light, as it seems to have been promised to be drawn out.
LIFE
From the edition of Octavius Cajetanus.
Oliva, Virgin and Martyr at Palermo (S.)
BHL Number: 6329
FROM OCT. CAJET.
[1] Cast into exile, Blessed Oliva, illustrious by the birth of most noble parents, sprang up in Sicily: whose Pagan parents, when they had some account of nobility, having found their daughter Oliva imbued with Christian religion, sentenced her to exile, rejected her to Tunis the city of Africa. In that city when for some time she was living among the poor and needy, she heals a lame man, perchance pitying a certain lame man gravely ill, she approached him more closely, and addressed him; If you should believe in Christ, and his doctrine, without doubt you would recover the health both of soul and of body. To whom he: I will indeed gladly believe in him, if he restores health. Then the Virgin, with her hand placed on the head of the sick man, suddenly made him healthy and strong.
[2] And he did not at all keep these things suppressed within himself with silence; on the contrary by crying out to divulge, that truly there was no other God, except whom Oliva believed and adored. And meeting a companion; If you wish, he renders a blasphemer blind, he said, to become healthy, believe in Jesus Christ; and I will lead you to the girl, who by her merit, and the power and virtue of Christ Jesus, made me strong. To whom he mockingly answered; that these things could thus be done by that girl, whom he named, through the virtue of that Crucified one, by whom he himself in like manner being seized in his eyes at that moment would be: and Is not he, said he, for his evil deeds, driven onto the cross by the Jews, and indeed justly? But you ascribe such great power to him, that those believing in him he can restore to health, if they are sick? Scarcely had he vomited these things forth, when he felt that he had suffered loss of light: wherefore compelled by example and his own punishment, he began with groans on the spot to recant, what he had cast forth with mockery: and, Brother, he said, but illumines the penitent. I have sinned gravely, having denied credit to your words; I ask and beseech you, lead me to that girl, that she may place her right hand on my head, and call back the light
of my eyes: for I believe in Christ Jesus. Led before her, Oliva touched him with raised hand, and from a weak and blind man, made him whole and seeing. Which things accomplished, both companions began publicly with proclamations to extol Christ the Lord, and his doctrine, to celebrate B. Oliva courageously. This indeed was the cause, that having been apprehended, and tortured by various kinds of torments they were killed, having obtained the palm of most glorious martyrdom.
[3] But Oliva, because she was of girlish age, they ordered to run through the whole city with ignominy, and while running to be beaten with scourges, Beaten with scourges, she is led around through the city. then to be driven into exile: and so in a rough and bristling wood, far from human company thrust forth, within the lairs of lions, serpents, and dragons she dwelt for some years, with beasts and wild animals more peacefully and pleasantly, than if she had lived in populous cities: for those living things revered her, just as they would a mistress.
[4] Hunters, petulant toward her, she restrains, It happened, that some Magnates of Tunis, by the zeal of hunting, were carried into those places, which Oliva occupied: therefore catching sight of her form, and beauty, they were already daring to lay hands on her. But she, with the sign of the Cross made: In the virtue, she said, of my Saviour Jesus Christ, I warn you, that in no way you touch me, nor inflict any violence: which if you dare, behold the Angel of God is with me, who both has defended me unharmed from the wild animals in this desolation for seven years, and will kill and overwhelm you seized by the sword of the divine sentence. When they themselves had received this, prone on the earth they adored the Virgin and besought; she should command, what she wished, they would be present for all things; For we believe, they say, that no other God is found, except him, who in such a desolate and squalid solitude, among so many incursions of wild beasts, has preserved you free of danger; nor sustained by the help of any human food, but, as is fair to believe, fed by Angelic banquets, has enriched you with such form and grace, that you seem heavenly rather, than one of mortals.
[5] in the faith she instructs, and baptizes: Oliva noticed from this discourse, that a ray of divine light had insinuated itself into the breasts of those men; which she with the spirit of preaching and doctrine confirmed and vehemently increased, until having led them into the most ample light of the Christian faith with the fountain of baptism she purified, and sent them back to the city, with this mind and counsel, that they should disseminate the doctrine of Christ throughout the city; for so it would be, that they would be gifted with the palm of martyrdom; which indeed gloriously they attained.
[6] Meanwhile the fame of Oliva had spread, wherefore she was ordered to be sought out through satellites by the Prefect of Tunis. she converts the satellites, But indeed these when they had found Oliva, found also light and faith: for having taught them all about the true religion, she made them Christians; and with the same companions in the city before the Prefect gave herself: and first from him with constant mind she sought, why he had summoned her: for he should understand this, that she had come to him neither dragged by any fear, nor mollified by love, because those whom he had sent for her tracking, with the tyrant with them she offers herself willingly: them she herself had bound by the faith of Christ; and had them ready for the same to undergo the extreme examples of life. To whom he: I cannot be brought, to believe, that those men have been made perverse by your work, and turned aside. Oliva answered: They have not been perverted by me, but from the state of condemnation converted into the state of salvation. But if I should understand, said he, that what you assert is true, both you, and your disciples I will kill with whippings and torments. The Virgin replied; Neither do they, nor indeed do I fear your torments or threats: because so in his Gospel our Lord teaches us: Do not fear those who kill the body, but the soul cannot kill; but rather fear him, who can destroy body and soul in the gehenna of fire.
[7] Admiring the girl's constancy and freedom the Prefect, cast into prison she is refreshed by an Angel: ordered her to be dragged into a foul and obscure prison, and there to be left without any food or drink. But the divine helped her abandoned by human aids: for an Angel of God refreshed with addresses and banquets. But those, whom she had now long ago imbued with the religion of Christ, when they bore themselves constantly in torments, obtained the crown of Martyrs.
[8] After a few days brought out of custody, Oliva is set before the tyrant. subjected to questioning, In which place she suffered many questions and insults: all of which she either courageously contemned, or with most prudent responses broke down, and so reduced some of those present to the true faith. The tyrant overcome by disputations resorts to whippings: she is beaten with scourges: and ordered her to be beaten with scourges so long, until her ribs and bones, with her flesh torn apart and dissipated, were laid bare: which when all had been done, nonetheless Oliva did not cease from preaching the faith. And as the Prefect noticed that nothing was being accomplished by these things from himself, hung up she is healed, he went to other preparations: he orders the rack to be prepared, and the girl to be suspended, and suspended to be torn apart on every side with iron combs; but he accomplishes nothing. Wherefore taken down from the rack he immerses her in a cask of boiling oil. from boiling oil she came out unharmed: In which cask, Oliva was singing praises to God, intact and cheerful; nor did she draw anything from that torment, except that she came forth anointed with oil.
[9] Which when the tyrant beheld, he seized as fresh material for his fury; and again bound to the rack ordered her to be burned around with kindled torches: for he thought it would more easily yield to his fires having been anointed with oil. she is struck with a sword. But the flames did nothing to harm; on the contrary, if any scar from the previous tortures had stood out, they again covered her tightly bound and medicated: but the ministers themselves, with their torches cast away, suddenly converted to Christ, were crowned with martyrdom. Her disciples Oliva followed at once: for the sentence having been spoken by the tyrant, there she was struck with the sword. Her soul, in the form of a white dove, going out of the body, with all looking on, by the hand of the Angels, with hymns and songs, was received into heaven. But the body itself by the work of the Christians, The Body is carried to Palermo, who survived having been converted by Oliva's preaching, snatched from Tunis, and transferred into Sicily, in the very city of Palermo or near the walls they buried; by whose Virgin's martyrdom and merits may Christ the Lord lead us to eternal joys, who lives for ever and ever. Amen.
APPENDIX
On the Body of the Saint still lying hidden.
From the Annotations of Octavius Cajetanus.
Oliva, Virgin and Martyr at Palermo (S.)
[11] Often sought in vain the body, Long is sought, what was that place, within or outside the city, in which the body of S. Oliva was deposited. Often the affection of the Palermo citizens for Oliva, in very many places within the city, has dug for finding the body: but with vain endeavor. A few years ago the church of S. Michael was dug down, with a certain energumen revealing; and there was found the head of I know not what Rosana, and the ring of S. Oliva, and these were shown as true: but vain, and with no credit, as proceeding from him who was a liar from the beginning. Nor much after the rumor cast among the common people, that the body of S. Oliva had been found, sewn into a camel's hide, and secretly carried away to Spain, was pure unmixed lie. Before I expound my opinion about the burial place of S. Oliva, let me admonish you, my reader, that in the church of S. Oliva (which today the Fathers of the family of S. Francis of Paula have, in his own church she is thought to lie: from whom also the temple has its recent name) there is a chapel, which is the third on the left of those entering. There near the altar, on the Epistle side, a well is shown, in which, the rumor is, the body of S. Oliva is buried: and that it is not abhorrent from truth, many things persuade: I, the temple itself, the well, the history of S. Oliva; II, Prodigies; III, the veneration and miracles of the place; IV, Visions; V, Old opinion and tradition.
[12] because there is the well of the Saint, The first persuades the Temple, which it is probable was built by our ancestors, in the place where the body was buried. And the very well makes the matter probable, in which the body could safely be buried. Nor does the place oppose the history here: for it is near the walls of the city, as is said in it; and is distant from it almost a hundred paces.
[13] Second, Prodigies. For although in the mouth no wind or breath is felt, yet when you have descended into the well, about six palms above the water, a cavern is extended within, in which the body of S. Oliva is believed to be: and at the entrance of that cavern's mouth, such a breath of the earth and wind is rendered, that it extinguishes a light, though great, and well enclosed in any lantern. Indeed also a divinity is in the place: for those meditating to enter it terrifies, and inside it a cavern, by none until now safely approached: and those daring to enter has made breathless. But indeed two men from the family of S. Francis of Paula, inflamed with desire of finding the body of S. Oliva, spent some days with bread and water and macerations of the body and prayers; at length one of them when he descended into the well, and came to the doors of the cavern, began to cry out, that he was dying, therefore they should pull him up. Nor did the other desist from his undertaking, but preferred to risk the matter. When he descended to the cavern, he was in greater danger, drawn out from there almost lifeless. It must be believed, that the time has not yet come, in which God should reveal this treasure to us.
[13] while meanwhile from it diseases are cured; Third. The same things persuade the veneration of the place and miracles: for very many, after drawing water from the well and drinking it, especially those laboring with quartan fever, recover: also to energumens it is given to be drunk, although they can scarcely be brought to drink it up, and drink it with fear, and cry out, that they fear her, dreading Oliva's name; and some, by drinking the water, are snatched from demons.
[14] and because she has appeared there several times. Fourth I add, visions, almost in our memory, within a hundred years. And first about the year of Christ 1518 (in which the temple of S. Oliva was handed over to the family of S. Francis of Paula from the College of Tailors) on a certain day, Father Antoninus of Palermo of the same family, when he was intent on collecting peas from the nearby garden; a profane man saw a woman following him, and together with him collecting peas: at the sight of whom offended, and kindled with desire of knowing, he followed her: but the woman receding step by step under the nearby trees of the gardens, where she vanished. The man stood astonished and confused, in the garden helping the Religious, and repenting of the opinion conceived about those Religious, having asked pardon withdrew. The next night, to him sleeping the Virgin offered herself, professing herself to be Oliva, whom he had seen, helping those poor Brothers; and to be the tutelar of that place, in which her body was buried: soon she offered him a little cloth, and on it bread, which he should bear to that religious family. The antiquity of tradition proves the truth of this matter, both among the Fathers of that cenobium, and among the old men of Palermo: and besides the little chapel, which
was built, in the place where D. Oliva vanished; and still remains.
[15] But more truly, what I have said about the bread and napkin, happened separately, and almost about the year of Christ 1556. or at the gate furnishing necessary bread, For the elders of the cenobium hand down, who are credible; when on a certain day, bread was lacking to the religious family, and the signal for dinner was being delayed; a girl, of excellent form and becoming dress, stood at the doors of the cenobium, who brought a cloth with fresh bread. But the Janitor asked the Virgin, who indeed she was: and she answered, Oliva. But the Janitor thinking about all other things, carried the gift inside: and soon returning, to give back the cloth, found no one. Thereafter the Fathers thinking that Virgin was D. Oliva, held the cloth in honor: which long kept in that cenobium, and was wont to be carried to the sick. What was done with it, I do not know; but I hear, that it perished, while it was carried about hither and thither: which the memory of the deed itself would die out, unless by my writings it should be handed down.
[16] In the same gardens of the cenobium, and in the same place where the little chapel was dedicated to D. Oliva, to a certain Ethiopian, responding that her body was not yet to be found, of the third Order of S. Francis of Paula, a man of singular religion, often praying there, D. Oliva appeared. Who being asked by him, why she did not wish her body to be uncovered; she was wont to answer, that the time had not yet come; which both the fame of the vision approves, and the probity of the man. But now in the year of Christ 1586 certain Hungarians were captured by our galleys, whom the sacred Inquisitors, reconciled to the Church, distributed through religious families, that they might be instructed in the mysteries of our faith. From these two were committed to the cenobites of S. Francis of Paula: of whom one, whose name was Raduano, guarding the cloak of one of the religious with pious affection toward D. Oliva, often went to her little chapel, in the secret gardens of the cenobium, to greet the Martyr: but into those gardens Father Pacificus of Palermo was accustomed to enter, and delighted to sow plants. He therefore on a certain day when he was tending the gardens, had left his cloak under a tree. Then by chance Raduano, while he proceeds to the sacred chapel, sees the Virgin uncovered with notable beauty sitting on the cloak: at the sight of whom offended, and with suspicion of evil cast into his mind, he heads toward P. Pacificus. While going, turning back, he did not see the Virgin. When he had brought the deed to the assembly of the Fathers, that the Virgin had stood, they judged it to be D. Oliva.
[17] On another day, when Raduano was going to the same gardens, in the same place he beholds the Virgin, with face and beautiful adornment of body. He asks of her, who she might be, and by what way she had entered into the gardens. The Virgin answered: I am Oliva. Raduano, glad with the vision and words, again asks; Are you holy Oliva? Yes indeed, she answered. Which heard, when Raduano was attempting access to the Virgin, and always saying herself to be S. Oliva. she receding from him vanished, and the memory of the matter is still fresh. These I thought it agreeable to consign to letters, lest the monuments of S. Oliva's benefits be abolished: and that from these visions we might understand, that not without some great cause, she displays herself as tutelary of that place, and is wont often to offer herself there to be seen, by an almost certain argument that D. Oliva's body rests there.
[18] To the same accedes the old tradition. Fifth. The same also confirms the old opinion, handed down to us by ancestors through hands, that the body of the most holy Virgin and Martyr Oliva, was buried in the chapel of the temple dedicated to her; and in that cavern, to which the entrance lies open near the altar. All these however do not so prove the matter, but that another opinion could perhaps later be confirmed by more certain indications. Such as, for the church of S. Michael: for for Spain, to which Ferrarius assigns her in the General Catalogue on II May, not even Tamayus himself contends, recognizing on no other foundation it is placed by Ferrarius, than because he found her inscribed on such a day in the Calendar and Breviary of the Order of S. Mary of Mercy, with those Religious themselves ignorant of the cause. This indeed seems to me to be no other, than because they had learned that she was led to Tunis from captive Sicilians, and some translation of her on such a day is most solemnly celebrated; or also because some singular benefit obtained through her concerning captives in Africa (which however has now gone from memory) some of the chief ones in that Order wished to be testified by their whole Order.