ON S. PAPOLENUS, BISHOP AND ABBOT
OF STAVELOT AND MALMEDY IN BELGIUM.
ABOUT DCC.
A collection of notices and acts of him, with a Royal diploma.
Papolenus, Bishop and Abbot in Belgium (S.)
BY G. H.
We have already treated of S. Babolenus, first Abbot of the monastery of Fossé in the territory of Paris, and have shown him to be other than S. Papulenus, by others called Bapolenus and Babolenus, second Abbot of the monasteries of Stavelot and Malmedy: whose deeds were so intermingled that their veneration is celebrated on this same XXVI of June among the people of Fossé and of Stavelot and of Malmedy; and it can with difficulty be set forth, in the silence of Usuard, Ado, Notker and the other ancient Martyrologists, with whom this kind of observance was earlier and more ancient, which chiefly subsisted in the monasteries themselves. John Molanus, in his Additions to Usuard, at the end also with the day repeated, Sacred cult. writes thus: On the sixth of the Kalends of July, S. Babolenus, Abbot and Confessor. The same then, in the Little Index of the Saints of Belgium, explains himself in these words: S. Babolenus, Abbot and Confessor, succeeded at Stavelot immediately to S. Remaclus, by resignation of the Abbey. There rest his Relics, and he has an altar consecrated in his honor, and a double major feast on the sixth of the Kalends of July. He is in his native land and the diocese of Liège. The same has the same things on the same day in the Births of the Saints of Belgium: and because he asserts that he has not seen any History, he produces the testimony of Nodger in the Life of S. Remaclus, to be illustrated at the third day of September, which is of this kind.
[2] Ordained Abbot of Malmedy by S. Remaclus, The Lord and Father Bapolenus came indeed to Remaclus for the sake of visiting him, but chose rather to cleave to his teaching than to return home. Received most courteously by the Blessed Remaclus, he lived with him without offense: and he who had come to be instructed, stirred up many by his examples to the pursuit of virtue. The Blessed Remaclus, perceiving this, and thinking within himself that perhaps for that cause he had been sent by the Lord, begged him not to depart. Moreover, for the sake of keeping the Brethren in discipline, he set him over the monastery of Malmedy, his own authority being in all things preserved. So far there. Then, says Molanus, at the end of the book he has that S. Papolenus, an Apostolic man, succeeded the Blessed Remaclus, of whom he made mention above. he succeeded the same at Stavelot: Aubert Le Mire, in his Belgian and Burgundian Annals, confirms these things thus: S. Babolenus the Abbot first presided as Abbot over Malmedy, afterward over Stavelot, S. Remaclus having been called above. His body rests at Stavelot, where it has an altar dedicated to his name. Bartholomew Fisen also heaps up many things in the Flowers of the Church of Liège. This succession, and the time at which S. Papolenus presided, is indicated by the genuine diploma of Clovis the third, under this title. A copy of the precept of King Clovis, given to Papolanus the Abbot, concerning a certain exchange.
[3] He is called Bishop by King Clovis III, Clovis, King of the Franks, to the illustrious Aëricus, Duke, and Charievius, Count. As often as between the Highness of former Kings and the holy congregation of Monks an exchange has been made of any matter through the instruments of charters, it behooves the series of writings between the parties to be confirmed by our precept. Therefore the Apostolic man, our Lord and Father Papolenus the Bishop, suggested to the Clemency of our reign, that our Lord and uncle Childeric, formerly King, together with his predecessor Remaclus, formerly Bishop, or his Monks, where he himself is seen to be Custos of the monasteries of Malmedy and Stavelot, had exchanged certain little places. Whence the party of our Lord and uncle Childeric, formerly King, received a little place named Athetasis, with the men dwelling there and all their peculiar property, or the lands which they are seen to cultivate, by these names, Radefrid with his nephews, Berthramnus, Aganulf, likewise Radefrid, Sigofrid. For that matter, in exchange the same Pontiff received from our son a little place which is called Maipa, with the men dwelling there, by these names, Adolinus, Alto and Winsgarius, with the lands which they are seen to cultivate, and all their peculiar property; that this part may belong to the same Pontiff and his Monks forever. Whence also the exchange of that same Prince, confirmed also by his own hands, he showed to us at present to be re-read. Which, for firmness, we have endeavored that their petitions be more fully confirmed by precept concerning those same monasteries and the holy congregation. Know that we have bestowed this benefit upon him, and confirmed it, and granted it in all things. For we command that whatsoever, by inspection of that same exchange of that Prince, was justly and reasonably exchanged or interchanged between him and the glorious Lord Remaclus the aforesaid Pontiff, both as to lands, courts, houses, fields, woods, waters, and watercourses, bondmen, buildings, and the remaining things and chattels, our Lord and Father Papolenus the Bishop shall, to the part of the aforesaid monasteries of Malmedy and Stavelot, by our Precept more fully confirmed, hold confirmed and granted for perpetual times. And that this Precept may obtain a firmer force in our and in future times, we have decreed to affirm it beneath with the seal of our hand. The mark of Clovis the glorious King. Given when the month of June makes the XXV day, in the second year of our reign. I, Namuchus, have recognized it.
[4] The seal was fashioned out of the letters of the Royal name, after the manner of that age. after S. Remaclus, not Godwin, The year of this signed diploma is DCXCIV, or the one next following. He succeeded S. Remaclus, between whom and S. Papolenus there was not Godwin, as I had once written from the subscriptions, but adulterated ones. But, as Benedict delle Rive, Priest of the monastery of Stavelot, Prefect of the library and the archive, taught us, after S. Papolenus the Abbots were Sigolinus and then Godwin in the time of Theoderic, son of Dagobert II, and nephew of S. Sigebert, who reigned from the year DCCXX to the year DCCXXXVII. Moreover, what others have not observed, Papolenus, in the Precept already given, is twice called Bishop, namely as the word Apostolic is prefixed, affixed to no certain See: and he seems to have come from Rome with various Relics of the Saints, and among these to have brought the body of S. Symmetrius, Priest and Martyr, and to have deposited it in the parish of Lædernacus, where as principal Patron he is venerated on the XXVI of May, he seems to have brought the Relics of S. Symmetrius. on which day the name of Symmetrius is inscribed in the Roman Martyrology: as we have set forth at the said day.
[5] Arnold Wion, in the Benedictine monastic Martyrology, also reports S. Babolenus the Abbot, and from Molanus and the Life of S. Remaclus confirms his statements, and that he succeeded S. Remaclus in the rule of the monastery of Stavelot: but from his own he adds, in the year DCCXVIII, elsewhere many things are confounded. and that he was afterward also Abbot of Luxeuil, and founder of the monastery of Fossé. Similar or even more things, with no greater fitness, are heaped up by Menard and Bucelin, and with them Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology. Which things in Charles Le Cointe
and John Mabillon are better corrected. Consult what we have already related concerning S. Bobolenus, Abbot of Fossé, on this very day XXVI of June, distinguishing some things among the homonyms.