ON ST. GUNDULPHUS THE BISHOP
WHO IS VENERATED IN THE BOURGES REGION
>PERHAPS 6TH CENTURY.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
On the cult, Translation, and miracles, and on his Milanese Episcopate by conjecture.
Gundulphus the Bishop, honored in the Bourges region (St.)
AUTH. G. H. & D. P.
Celebrated is the cult of St. Gundulphus the Bishop, both in the sacred Fasti and in the Breviary of Bourges. A double manuscript Martyrology of Usuard, which, written by him at Paris in the monastery of St. Germain, is there preserved, after the 262 Roman Martyrs related, The sacred cult from the Fasti, immediately subjoins these: "In the territory of Bourges, of St. Gundulf Bishop and Confessor," and soon adds "St. Avitus the Presbyter at Orléans." In another manuscript Martyrology of Usuard, also very ancient, which Molanus used, and which is now ours, after the said Roman Martyrs, St. Gundulphus being omitted, is inserted the memory of St. Vulmar Confessor, whose memory is otherwise made on the day 20 July, on which he is venerated in the prior Parisian manuscripts of St. Germain, omitted in the other Ms. Besides the prior autographs of Usuard, eight or more other manuscript transcripts of the same Usuard, to be read in our possession, similarly relate St. Gundulphus. In the Martyrology of Bellinus at Paris, more amply edited in the year 1521, after St. Avitus related is added: "In the district of Bourges, of St. Gundulf." Which same words Molanus, in the first edition, added alone, but in the later ones adjoined "Bishop and Confessor": and so they are related in today's Roman Martyrology, Molanus in the Additions to Usuard and Galesinius being cited. Which last one moreover adds that elogium: "Whose piety shone wondrously both in the other offices of religion, and in redeeming captives": and in the Notations he alleges the records of the Church of Bourges, from which the cult is had. Ferrari in the general Catalogue of Saints who are not in the Martyrology, and in the Breviary. related the same, although he is had in the said Roman Martyrology. The same Maurolycus commemorates, and calls him a Bishop. In the proper feasts of the diocese of Bourges and in the Breviary of Bourges, by the authority of Roland Hebert printed in the year 1625, there is prescribed today the Office of Gundolphus Bishop and Confessor under the rite of three Lections: and then on 20 June the Office of St. Genulphus Bishop and Confessor, also under the rite of three Lections: and this is he whose Acts were illustrated on the day 17 January, where these two, Genulphus and Gundulphus, were not sufficiently distinguished, which will have to be corrected in the Supplement.
[2] Most celebrated, moreover, is the cult of this Saint in his own Parish and Priory commonly le Bourg S. Gondon, The Burg of St. Gundulphus. in the Archpresbyterate of Dam-Gillon on the left bank of the river Loire, below the town of Gien, on the border of the Orléans region, namely four leagues from the monastery of Fleury St. Benedict, on whose Abbot the Priory of St. Gundulphus depends, and the Prior of this appoints the Parish priest in the said Burg of St. Gundulphus, which below is called Nobiliacum and Nobilis villa. Philip Labbe in vol. 2 of the New Library, among the Lives and elogia of the Saints of Bourges, edited from a manuscript codex of the Church of St. Austregisilus de Castro, The Translation and Miracles. the Translation and Miracles of St. Gundulphus the Prelate: in which relation the Author omits the Acts of St. Gundulphus, since "they," he says, "have written who merited to be present at his pious acts; and saw the works of justice which through him the Lord deigned to work." Would that those Acts could be obtained, that from them something more certain about his Episcopate might be known. For that in the said relation he is called Archbishop of Milan, stands with difficulty, because in the Catalogues of the Archbishops of Milan, Of what place he was Bishop is unknown. so often now discussed and edited, no Bishop Gundulphus is known to have existed, much less such a one who (which it was worthy and opportune to note) having left the Episcopate had gone to the Bourges parts, and there, taking up the eremitic life, had died, and now resting had given his name to the Burg. There was a Gundulphus Bishop of Metz, but who is said to have ruled his Church five years, eight months, seven days, and to have died there in the year 824, and to rest in the Abbey of Gorze, which things will have to be discussed on the day 7 September, on which by some he is held among the Saints. There was also a St. Gundulphus Bishop of Maastricht, who ruled that Church for seven years, and there, buried in the midst of the Church of St. Servatius with St. Monulphus, is venerated on 16 July, and the feast of the elevation falls on 10 August. So there can be several other Gundulphus Bishops, who do not now occur to memory; and especially some one who, having left the Episcopate, came into the said Bourges parts. The Episcopate of St. Gundulf is therefore unknown, whom nevertheless with Usuard, the Roman Martyrology, and the Breviary of Bourges we call Bishop, although some Martyrologies withdraw him from that title. In a Catalogue received from Poland, it is indicated that St. Gundulphus Martyr is venerated on 16 May at Cracow, and that he is a Bishop in the district of Bourges, which we judge was added from conjecture.
[3] Thus far Henschenius, who being dead, I completed the Exegesis on the Bishops of Milan long ago begun, and proposed it before vol. 7 of May: where, when I had come to Vitalis the Prelate of that church from the year 552 to 555, Perhaps for Vitalis of Milan the schismatic, ordained at Rome in the year 555. who (as the marginal Synopsis has it), opposed to the condemnation of the three Chapters, had as successor of the same opinion a schismatic, hitherto anonymous up to the year 566; here, I say, when I had come, I subjoined what the aforesaid author of the Translation and miracles has about St. Gundulf, as Archbishop of Milan, who, says he, "on account of the evils of his city, which through him God's justice had not yet disposed to allay, departing from that city … the Alps being crossed, went to the Bourges parts," etc.; and these things being there related, I said that they, if they merit any faith in the silence of all the Italian writers, recent and more ancient; could hardly be found otherwise, but never received, except by devising some probable cause of that silence. And such a one (as I further suggest) perhaps will be had, if it be conceived that this St. Gundulphus (the schism being now manifested, and the sentence of excommunication passed against the Bishops tenacious of it, with the Imperial mandate about moving them from their rank) was designated, or even ordained, Bishop of the Milanese; yet, the faction of the schismatics prevailing, never received, passed into Gaul, where the empty title of Archbishop of Milan clung to him.
[4] But there seems to oppose that conjecture Venantius Fortunatus, him whom in the year 544 St. Radegund the Queen had visited, in this same age Bishop of Poitiers, in the Life of St. Radegund the Queen, to be illustrated on 13 August, saying that the Saint, soon after her Diaconal consecration (this she received around the year 544), among other oratories or cells of pious men, which she visited and adorned with offered gifts, "having likewise advanced to the receptacle of St. Gundulf (afterward Bishop of Metz), ennobled with no less labor the working-place (synergium), or fabric of the monastery." Nevertheless, the people of Metz as well as the Milanese being ignorant of such a Bishop, so far is the prior conjecture not overturned, that rather from that very obscurity it can receive something of light and strength. For first it is understood that this St. Gundulf, before his promotion of whatever kind, dwelt by the river Loire (for hence the Queen, coming from Noyon, is said to have landed at Tours by a happy voyage) and to that extent the prior relation is corrected: then it is necessary to recognize some error in the name "of Metz," since the people of Metz between the year 535 and 598 name in all seven Bishops, without any appearance of any gap. Why therefore do we not seek a name near to the name Mediomatrici (Metz), and let it be permitted to substitute Mediolanum (Milan)? elsewhere wrongly called Bishop of Metz. for which either to Venantius himself, or rather to the Nuns transcribing him (for the Life is found transcribed very variously and quite faultily by women), "Mettae," an Episcopal city of Gaul, crept in; they perhaps not grasping how a man a Gaul could have been Bishop elsewhere than in Gaul. But this one either his own devotion, or some other cause, may have brought to Rome, at that very time in which Pelagius the pontiff was anxious how he might succor the laboring Church of Milan; he indeed may have judged Gundulf fit to attempt, if any occasion offered itself, to purge that See, the schismatic Bishop being excluded, with the help of the Imperial ministers: which, however, did not succeed for them, Narses acting more remissly, and proceeding with difficulty to violent counsels against the Schismatics.
HISTORY OF THE TRANSLATION AND MIRACLES.
From the New Library of Philip Labbe.
Gundulphus the Bishop, honored in the Bourges region (St.)
BHL Number: 3704
AUTH. G. H.
Just as those seem to bring forth the highest remedies of eternal felicity, who faithfully relate those things which they have seen, or heard from others, about the miracles of Christ and the Saints; so those are to be esteemed to offend against God and the Saints, who, seeing and hearing the same miracles, neglect to hand them over to writings and to eternal memory, and do not fear to conceal them under silence, as far as in them lies. For to what end would the divine power deign, The miracles of the Saints are to be published. either by itself or through its servants, to work wonders in the world, if it had wished them to be covered by silence? or why would they be called miracles, if no one saw who might wonder at them? The omnipotent God therefore wills miracles, that is, the accustomed works of His benefits, to be shown to the world; that those who do not believe words may be drawn to faith by miracles; and those who have already believed may adhere more tenaciously to the Divinity. It is not therefore reasonable to be silent in such things, since it is reasonable and pleasing to God to relate what is true. What
therefore we have seen or heard from others who have spoken in Christ about the miracles of Christ or of His Saints, relating true things, must be handed down by the points of letters for the utility of posterity.
[2] We believe that God intimated to the faithful peoples that they should translate the body of the blessed and most pious Gundulphus, Archbishop of Milan, Deeds in his life are omitted, written elsewhere; to an honorable place of burial. For this one, on account of the evils of his city, which through him God's justice had not yet disposed to allay, departing from that city, with a flock of his disciples and companions accompanying, the Alps being crossed, went to the Bourges parts; and finding there a forest, very remote by the vastness of a desert from the frequency and access of human intercourse, he strove to give himself to the eremitic life and to contemplation. How many crosses, how many torments he inflicted on his body, how great a war he stirred up against himself, how long he remained in this desert and in this life, it is not now our intention to repeat: especially since they have written who merited to be present at his pious acts, and saw the works of justice which through him the Lord deigned to work.
[3] Having therefore completed the warfare of this laborious life, full of God and virtues, the body translated to Nobiliacum, after long maceration of the flesh and crucifixion, he rendered his body to the earth, his spirit to heaven, God calling. Whose body, by the hands of his companions, was buried with pious devotion in the same forest. But indeed, the service of the holy Church increasing, the Christians of that time, carrying the body of the most pious Confessor thence, translated it to Nobiliacum; and in a church dedicated in honor of the Mother of mercies, in the middle choir of the church, committed it to the earth, where his sacred bones rested for a long time.
[4] and, elevated, fragrant with a wondrous odor. But because whoever passed through that choir, and proceeded to the altar to fulfill their vows, set their footsteps irreverently upon it; again, by the inspiration of Divine goodness, the Christians judged that he should be raised from that humble place, and entombed above the ground; and in that church where this might worthily be done, namely between the glass of the head of the church and the altar, they chose an honorable place. But when they raised that most holy body from the earth, so dense a cloud, like night, filled the whole church, that those present could scarcely behold one another. But so great an abundance of wondrous odor followed that cloud, that all were suffused as if with the sweetness of paradise. But also a rose of so red a color and so green was found in the sarcophagus with him, as if it had recently been plucked from its tree.
[5] By chance, while all were occupied with this office, a certain Archpresbyter of the Church of Bourges, whom we well know, Goscellinus by name, serving a pious theft, Carrying off a bone by theft, he becomes blind, took up one of the bones, and, placing it in his sleeve, wished to go away: but Divine justice so struck this man, wishing to depart, with blindness, that he could not see. Now he seeks a guide by whose leading he may return, because he by no means sees the way by which he ought to go: yet he does not yet confess himself guilty of the theft. The unhappy man waits, without confession of the theft, to obtain the return of his sight. A multitude of the people runs together; they see become so suddenly blind one whom they had just seen rejoicing in the brightness of light; they seek the cause of so sudden a blindness, how it had befallen him, what he had done, whence this privation of light had followed. Compelled by Divine power and touched by the fear of St. Gundulf, he confesses the theft: "I wished," he said, "to have with me the memorial of this most pious Confessor in my church, which being restored, he recovers his sight: and to place it among the other Relics which it has and to venerate it; but since I cannot have the effect of this my vow, behold the bone which I had stolen"; and he restored the bone which he had hidden in his sleeve, and in a moment recovered his sight.
[6] In the district of Bourges a certain castle is situated, which by the ancients on account of its greatness was called Nobilis-villa, in which there is a church, in honor of the Blessed and glorious Mary and of St. Gundulf Bishop of Milan, whose most holy body there rests venerably buried. A certain matron, therefore, according to the reverence of the world well noble, Aqualeia by name, dwelt in the same villa; who, after her husband, departing from her, received the habit of holy religion and of a monk, by no means contained herself; but, inflamed with the ardors of carnal concupiscence, an adulteress seized by the holy fire, is said to have repelled scarcely anyone who wished to approach her. Her the Divine condescension, teaching her to the laments of penance, disposed to chastise with a paternal scourge, as the outcome of the matter proved. For the disease which is called the holy fire by physicians, so swiftly seized her feet, first turned to swelling and blackness, that on the first day of its kindling, the flame of that burning soon entirely took from her the function of walking. There had come the celebrated day of the vigil of the Mother of mercies, on which the multitude of the faithful is wont to convene to the evening Office with the bells ringing. Which she hearing, because she could not walk by herself, ordered herself to be carried to the church; in which, keeping vigil through the whole night, she let no one who remained in the church either pray or rest, so did the flame of the deadly burning vex her.
[7] She lay supine, and, beating the walls of the church with her neck, and striking the ground with her palms, penitent she is suddenly healed: defiled the pavement of the church with flowing blood, the skin of her hands being broken. But after the rising of the light, the Gospel being read at the morning Mass, when, as is the custom, the faithful brought to the altar the offerings of their gifts; she, because she could not on her feet, creeping on her knees and hands along the ground, with no one helping, came to the altar with great labor and pain; and with as much devotion as she could offered the offering to the Priest. Then, throwing herself before the altar of the glorious Mother of mercies and of St. Gundulf, she lay prostrate; until suddenly leaping up, she began to cry with a great outcry: "I am healed"; and to repeat, "I am healed: come therefore all you peoples and with me praise the Lord for so swift a salvation." The peoples weep for joy, the woman exults for the salvation granted to her by God: the monks rejoice for the miracle, and singing most loudly, "We praise thee, O God," made the bells to be rung solemnly. But the woman who had been healed, on the third day after receiving health, on her own feet without shoes, sought the basilica of B. Mary of Chartres, which is reported to be distant a three days' journey from her home, to give thanks. There, throwing herself before the altar and giving thanks to the Mother of mercies, she offered an offering; and the vow being accomplished, returned unharmed to her own.
[8] On the solemnity of the Holy Innocents the people had convened to the church of St. Gundulphus according to custom; and were present at the solemnities of the holy Masses, which on that day are festively performed. When behold a vehement fire, in a certain large house, a fire is extinguished. full of much hay and straw, seemed to be kindled in the middle of the villa. The peoples run together to extinguish the flames of that fire; but in vain: for the force of the winds and the flying fire had so prevailed, that they were already seizing the other dwellings, before and behind, backward and to the left. The cry of those fleeing and the tumult of those lamenting came to the monks, who had already received the rumor of the fire; and feared for themselves, lest the flame should likewise envelop their things. Taking therefore the corporals of the church, upon which the consecration of the Lord's Body is made, and the arm of St. Gundulphus the most pious Confessor (which, outside his sepulchre, at the time of the translation of his body, had been reserved for relieving afflicted things), a multitude of the people accompanying them, they carry it against the fire, and cast it before the fervent flames; not without the cry of the multitude and grief, who saw their things miserably lying subject to be devastated by the fire. Which being done, so did the fury of the fire and burning grow quiet and fall, as if, rebuked by a divine voice, it dared no more to lift up its head. The burning indeed appeared outwardly in the houses, but the flame had consumed none of them within, except that one in which the fire first raged.
Annotation* otherwise: unaccustomed