CONCERNING S. JOHN OF OPORTO,
A HERMIT AT TUY IN GALICIA.
BEFORE THE 10TH CENTURY.
A notice from the Lusitanian Hagiology of Georgius Cardosus.
John of Oporto, Hermit at Tuy in Galicia (S.)
G. H.
Where the river Minho bounds Galicia from Lusitania, five leagues from its mouth lies the ancient Episcopal city Tude or Tyde, commonly called Tuy. The Body of S. John in the church of the Fathers Preachers, In this, in the year 1282, the Friars Preachers founded a Convent, having bought for that end the site which a certain Parish church had hitherto occupied, venerable to the Spaniards and Lusitanians chiefly by this title, that there was kept the body of S. John Teizonius, Terzonius, or Izonius, commonly called of Oporto, by birth as is believed of Oporto, which for love of the solitary life he forsook. Hence Georgius Cardosus inserted him into his Lusitanian Hagiology, much more diligent than Tamayus in the Spanish, whom this Saint escaped. The latter adds in his Commentary, that being asked about the aforesaid servant of God, the Licentiate Gregorius de Louvarinas Feijo, Pastor of S. Crescens, and Chronologist of the Saints of Galicia (who must have published nothing hitherto on that subject, received from the old Parish there, since Nicolaus Antonius does not mention it in his Spanish Library) replied by letters given to him in the year 1637, that he seemed to have been a Benedictine Monk, named Tresonius, who subscribed to several donations made in the time of the Moors. But subscriptions of that kind seem rather to have been of some Abbot, than of a simple Monk; and such a surname, not indeed a first name, belonged to S. John: concerning whom this only we can say, that his age preceded all the memory of men, whether now or in the thirteenth century living at Tuy: since the Dominican Fathers, not undiligent writers of their own affairs, and venerably preserving the body of the Saint himself, handed down nothing concerning his age or deeds to their posterity.
[2] Friar John Lopez of the same Order, the Bishopric of Monopoli being laid down about the eighth year of this century, having returned to Spain over sixty years of age, where he spent the rest of his age up to the hundred and eighth year in writing books, where he is invoked against fevers, in part 3 of the General History of the Preachers, edited in the year 1613, book 1 chapter 38, thus writes in Spanish in Cardosus: The Convent of S. Dominic of Tuy possesses, in the right wing of its cruciform church, the body or the greater part of the body of the Saint, as they call him, John Terzonius, under whose patronage formerly was held the parish church, joined to the ground which the convent bought for itself. This Saint is held in great veneration by the aforesaid city and the whole surrounding region: and the Lusitanians are peculiarly attached to him: because God works for them, at his intercession, very many graces, and frees many from fevers. Thus he: but Friar Ludovicus Cacegas, having begun to write, also in his native tongue, a particular history of his Province, which afterward Ludovicus de Sousa continued, describing the aforesaid Convent asserts, that being born almost in the city of Oporto he is commonly named S. John of Oporto, and he is surnamed from Oporto, and that this surname is found in some old monuments: with which I think one may stand; Cardosus too is to be believed, asserting, that his body today stands elevated in a stone chest, and has an altar. on the right side of the church near the wall; and that there he has a proper altar, in which his feast is celebrated.
[3] We know nothing more to add; except a slight suspicion, that the holy Head belongs to this John, Perhaps his is the holy Head in the Parish of Gandra, concerning which the above-praised Cardosus thus writes: In the church of S. Salvador of Gandra (which is a parish of the territory of Peñafiel of the diocese of Oporto, distant from its metropolis six leagues to the East, founded by the Lady Mafalda the Queen, wife of Alfonso Henriquez, the first King of Lusitania in the twelfth century) there is greatly celebrated and honored from time immemorial, a holy Head: which is kept there in the sacristy of the collateral altar at the right hand, on account of the miracles which God works through it, for the grace of those who have recourse to it in their infirmities. What name the Saint had, time had blotted out, but recently through one possessed the demon made it manifest, when that sacred pledge was applied to him as if it were the Head of the Baptist. For Satan answered: You err greatly: it is not his head but another's, also a holy man, who had the same name. famous for miracles; Although no faith is generally to be had in him who is the father of lies; yet it often happens, that in similar cases he is divinely compelled to manifest the truth.
[4] In the Commentary it is added, that the ancient Fathers, seeing many miracles of the aforesaid Head, took from it one jawbone, whence the jawbone being taken, and carried it to the monastery of Oporto; where it is kept within a reliquary, elegantly formed in the manner of a head, visible through glass upon an altar, which is on the side of the Gospel, with other precious Relics. The same altar is therefore called, of the Holy Head; as appears from the title, which is read there thus: This chapel of the Holy Head is founded by the Captain Gonzalvo Rodericii Marques, it is honored among the Fathers of S. Eligius in the city of Oporto. a citizen of Oporto, etc. There it is especially honored on the feast of S. John, and is exposed upon the altar with many lights shining around throughout the whole day; a religious Priest assisting there until late evening, clothed in what they call a cope; who sprinkles with holy water the faithful approaching to the kiss of his holy Relic. The aforesaid monastery, whose church is sacred to the Mother of God the Consoler, is held by the Fathers of S. Eligius, by the testimony of Roderick da Cunha Bishop of Oporto, and they possess the aforesaid parish of S. Salvador; but of what Order or Institute they are, neither he nor Cardosus explains.