ON S. ALDEGUNDIS VIRGIN,
OF TRUNCHIN, AMONG THE GHENTERS IN FLANDERS.
On her Relics and cultus, together with S. Basinus the father.
CENT. VII.
CommentaryAldegundis, Virgin of Trunchin, near Ghent in Flanders (S.)
G. H.
Antonius Sanderus, book 4 of Ghent affairs chapter 6, describes Trunchinium, Trunchin with a monastery erected through S. Amandus commonly Drongene, now a monastery of the Premonstratensian Order, and concerning its origin from the monuments Mss. of the same monastery sets forth these things: The first church of this place in the region Mempiscus, upon the river Lys, sacred to the Virgin Mother of God, built and dowered by S. Basinus the Regulus and Martyr, B. Amandus, Bishop of Maastricht and Apostle of the Ghenters, decorated about the year DCXXXXIII with a College of Canons, or (as the old ones spoke) a monastery of Clerics living in common… It was in the year MCXXXVIII handed to the Premonstratensian Order, and to it has hitherto remained. At the Life of S. Amandus February VI § V we treated of the Ghenters converted by him, and three monasteries built there; of which the third is the said Trunchinium: in which S. Basinus with solemn office under the triple rite, as they call it,
is venerated with the Octave on the day XIV of July. Of this S. Basinus the daughter was S. Aldegundis the Virgin, whose feast likewise, cultus of S. Aldegundis, also under the triple rite with the Octave in the said monastery is celebrated on this XX of June: on which day Molanus, in his Natales of the Saints of Belgium, from the monuments of Trunchin, writes these things: At Trunchin of S. Aldegundis the Virgin, daughter of B. Basinus the King and Martyr. She in the time of B. Amandus served God at Trunchin near Ghent: where also she rests with her father in the Abbatial Church of B. Mary of the Premonstratensian Order, in a peculiar shrine. She has one feast on the day XX of June. Thus Molanus, memory in the Fasti, who mentioned the same in the first edition of his Additions to Usuardus; and in this were followed by Sanderus in the Hagiologium of Flanders, Miraeus in the Belgian Fasti, Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology, Canisius in the German Martyrology, Ghinius in the Natales of the Sainted Canons, Wion, Dorgan, Menardus, Bucelinus in the Benedictine Martyrologies, and finally Ferrari in the general Catalogue. We have the proper Offices of the monastery of Trunchin printed: in which on this XX of June is prescribed this Antiphon: Antiphon. This is she who knew not the bed in offense: she shall have fruit in the recompense of souls: and is added the Collect: O God, who makest us glad with the annual solemnity of Blessed Aldegundis thy Virgin; grant propitious, that we may be helped by her merits, Collect. by whose examples of chastity we are irradiated. The rest are taken from the Common of Virgins. In the Ms. Florarium of Saints, on the day XIII of November, these things are read: Translation of S. Gengulphus the Soldier and Martyr. Likewise of Aldegundis the Virgin daughter of Basinus the King. Likewise 13 November. At the Father's natalis XIV July, of the birth and arrival of each shall be treated more amply. Finally on the sixth feria through the year in the small Office of B. Mary is made Commemoration of S. Aldegundis the Virgin through the Antiphon "This is she who knew not" as above, and is added the Versicle "In thy beauty," and the Collect "May B. Aldegundis the Virgin implore for us, we beseech O Lord, indulgence, who has always been pleasing to thee both by the merit of chastity, and by the profession of thy virtue."