ON S. ENGELMUND PRESBYTER
OF VELSEN IN HOLLAND.
CENT. VIII.
HISTORICAL SYLLOGE.
On his cultus, life, miracles.
Engelmundus Presbyter, of Velsen in Holland (S.)
BY G. H.
Haarlem, a great city of Holland and head of Kennemaria, was made Episcopal, while the orthodox faith there still flourished: Cultus at Velsen and in the diocese of Haarlem. in whose diocese and about four thousand paces distant from it toward the North, is Velsen, a village with a citadel, recognizing as Patron S. Engelmundus, of whom we here treat. We have the proper Offices of the Archbishopric of Utrecht, and of the suffragan Bishoprics of Haarlem and others, in year MDCXL by authority of Philip Archbishop of Philippi and Vicar Apostolic printed, in which on this XXI June, for the whole diocese of Haarlem, is prescribed the Office of S. Engelmund under the double rite, and in the first Nocturn are recited Lessons from the book of Ecclesiasticus, With lessons where he is said The wisdom of all the ancients, as in the Common of Doctors. In the second Nocturn are prescribed about his deeds these proper Lessons.
[2] Engelmundus, by nation English, of Frisonic stock, born of pious parents, and from his first age applied to studies, English, with rare docility, the seeds of Christian doctrine and virtues he grasped. In the flower of youth, with his parents' home left, entering the Order of S. Benedict, eagerly following the obediences of humility, in exercises of penance and the cultivation of monastic discipline strenuous he was. To works of mercy strenuously giving himself, the chastity of soul and body through sobriety and the studies of prayer wonderfully cultivated, Priest, Abbot, that he might exhibit his members as arms of justice unto sanctification. Promoted to the Priesthood, and elected by the Brothers as Abbot, with prudent simplicity, by word and example he shone before his own. The virtues of gentleness and humility continually exercising, to all he rendered himself acceptable. In hospitality he was benign, in teaching and admonishing assiduous, and also sharp in correcting; so that with him directing, the rule of perfection greatly flourished.
[3] In the times of S. Willibrord by divine instinct Engelmundus came into the borders of Holland, to that part, which is called Kennemaria: preached in Kennemaria, where to untamed and ferocious peoples he preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And when with Angelic eloquence endowed, faithfully in the harvest of souls he had sweated, and very many souls into the Church of Christ had gathered; seized by fever, and seeing the day of his death imminent, with clergy and people called together bidding farewell, from death at Velsen deposited, he gave salutary admonitions; and fortified with the sacred Viaticum, full of days and good works, his blessed soul to the Creator he rendered; and honorably buried, he rested in the region Velsen of the diocese of Haarlem: where formerly was one of five mother Churches, built by S. Willibrord between the river Maas and the island Texal.
[4] This Saint produced water from the earth by his prayer: which even now drawn, and famous with miracles: brings health to many faithful, and especially cures pains of teeth. And it, as old tradition has, in the manner of a little stream by the buildings of his habitation is wont to flow: whose ruins in the field, near the Velsen church, still stand, body found by Bishop Balderic, and with pious devotion by the faithful are visited. His sacred body Baldericus Bishop of Utrecht is believed to have found through mystical revelation, with many bodies of other Saints, with which his diocese he honorably adorned. The head of the saint, wrapped in gold, now is kept at Haarlem. some years ago was taken away by theft: the other Relics by the Gueux through the pavement of the temple scattered, but by the custodian faithfully collected, in the Cathedral city of Haarlem in a safe place preserved.
[5] Thus far the Lessons of the second Nocturn. In the third Nocturn is read the Gospel You are the salt of the earth, with the Homily of S. John Chrysostom; and after the eighth Lesson is recited the Responsory, In the midst of the Church as is customary to be done about Doctors. Proper Antiphons The Antiphons at Vespers and Lauds are proper, of which one is brought forth at Magnificat thus. The blessed Engelmund, as an Angel of God, to a nation awaiting help of the Lord was sent into the monastery, on account of those who take the inheritance of salvation. Alleluia, and this Collect is added: Your people, we beseech O Lord, by the intercession of B. Engelmund the Abbot guard, and Collect. that whose ministry we have been taught your faith, by his merits we may obtain the rewards of eternal beatitude. These things in the said proper Offices, in which the rest are prescribed to be taken from the Common of Confessor not Pontiff: and consent these things which Molanus has in the Natales of the Saints of Belgium. We received from the schedules of D. Lindanus a certain Life of S. Engelmund, Another Life written, whence are added composed by Meilerdus Pastor of Velsen in year MDLXIV; but which besides various circumlocution and ornaments of virtues nothing singular, which cannot be applied to any Apostolic men, seems to contain, wherefore we have judged it to be omitted, and only we add what under the end about his coming to Velsen, death and the invention of his Relics are referred thus.
[6] S. Engelmund taught by the Spirit, and led around the marine parts, came where now today Velsen the Village is shown located: deeds at Velsen, and with love of God inflaming, in gaining souls he began there to preach the word of God; and ascending on a certain mount, of which today there is memory, there overcome by divine fervor, he did not fear the face of the powerful, and despised the threats of those infidel peoples, and faithfully and manfully approached to preach to them the word of salvation. And so among the ferocious and untamed peoples of Kermarii he was so long insisting on Evangelical instructions, until those who were worshippers of idols, now worshipping the true God, and entirely deserting the superstitions of idolatry, coming to true faith and saving knowledge, believed in the Lord; and men, who before were rapacious and ferocious wolves, now to the feet of the Lord as most gentle sheep he led, pious death, for he taught not so much by word as by example: and as an example in their presence he taught all, how a faithful Christian ought to exist in work and life. For it is read that in the region of Velsen so holily and devoutly he lived, that by his prayers he produced water from the earth. When however after labors the crown, which the just Judge was going to render, B. Engelmund was about to receive, and was of great age; he was seized by fever, and foreseeing, as by the Lord he had been taught, his end to approach, with Clergy and people bidding farewell, with the sacred Communion received, according to the rite of the Catholic faith, his happy soul to the Creator rendered. and translation of his body. Therefore the renowned Confessor, handed to Ecclesiastical burial, in the aforesaid village of Velsen honorably rests. Whose holy body, as by some is believed, through mystical revelation Baldericus the fifteenth Bishop of Utrecht discovered, with many bodies of companions, with which the diocese of Utrecht more gloriously he adorned, in the year of the Lord nine hundred seventy-seventh to the praise of God. These things there.
[7] John of Beka in the Chronicle of the Bishops of Utrecht enumerates seven bodies of Saints, found by Baldericus, without mention of S. Engelmund: held as Martyr by error. who however above in the Lessons and with Molanus, Miraeus and others is added. The same to the Benedictine Saints inscribed Menardus, Bucelinus, and others. John Mabillon in century 3 page 2, only among the Passed Over referred. Saussay in the Supplement of the Gallican Martyrology makes him a Martyr, and his elogium described Alford in the Annals of the Anglo-Saxon Church, at year 727 num. 13, and with the Anglican Martyrology a Martyr also writes him: which error from the published Chronicle of Holland snatched asserts Molanus. Soutmannus published in year MDCL with notable types the effigies of Saints, whom in the federated Belgium he calls Legates of his military service, most holy Captains of the sacred war, Apostles of the fatherland, and the noble lights; and among these he places S. Engelmund, with this inscription: Engelmund, not from the number of XII disciples of S. Egbert, however labored with S. Willibrord, and with S. Adelbert converted the Kennemarii to Christ: proper Patron at Velsen. Venerated XXI June. About S. Adelbert we shall treat below XXV June, and about S. Willibrord VII November. His memory at the Kalends of February is inscribed in the Ms. Florarium, and in some old Missals cited by Molanus, which day is reckoned his natalis day in the Ms. codex of the Premonstratensian cenobium of Antwerp; but is added, that his solemn memory is held with procession and concourse of people on the day XXI June, are added also some miracles done by his merits, with which these Acts we conclude, and they are these.
[8] Engelmundus Priest and gracious Martyr of the Lord, and Patron at Velsen, as there in body he rests, so also with glorious miracles shines. A certain boy, born from the parts of Geldria, Are cured a tumor of the neck with languor, in the year of the Lord MCCC and LXX, was suffering from a tumor of the neck in the throat: whose parents, compassionating their little son, were admonished at night, by true, not idle dreams, that for the salvation of their son they should visit the aforesaid Patron Engelmund the saint at Velsen, and present their son there with gifts. And when waking from sleep what they had heard they were relating to one another, they deferred the vow, until a second and third time a voice fallen from heaven they were admonished. Who although they did not know the place, as they had not lived in Holland but in Geldria; bound themselves by a vow there to bring their son, and
to honor the same Confessor of Christ. inability of swallowing, The son therefore with the vow made convalesced immediately: and the same healed the parents with gifts to the same Saint presented at Velsen with great joy. Then in the year of the Lord MCCCXC, a certain man feeling a defect of swallowing in the throat, consulted a doctor: who when he had said that for some days yet it was necessary for him to be languishing, and so after nine days he could be cured; he thinking he would not live for such a time, and languor from excessive sanies. turned to invoking his own Patron: and without delay the aforesaid defect ceased in him. In the same year MCCCXC, a certain boy was languishing from excessive sanies from his ears and nose flowing; with his parents however making a vow to his Patron for the boy, that boy convalesced immediately.