CONCERNING ST. LEO LUCAS OF CORLEONE, ABBOT OF MULES IN CALABRIA,
ABOUT THE YEAR 900.
Preliminary Commentary.
St. Leo Lucas of Corleone, Abbot of Mules in Calabria.
[1] Leo Lucas is venerated with ecclesiastical worship on the Kalends of March by both the Sicilians and the Calabrians: the former because he was born and piously raised at Corleone, and began a certain commencement of the monastic life at Agira; the latter because in the monastery of Mules, The worship of St. Leo Lucas in Calabria having spent many years both in the monastic life and having presided as Abbot, he died a holy death; afterward he was translated to Monteleone. Monteleone is in the diocese of Mileto in Further Calabria,
† Francesco Datello, Captain.
† Matteo Sermatura, Juror.
† Pietro Russo, Juror.
† Lord Simone Maringo, Juror.
† Giovanni Coppola, Juror.
† Andrea a Kussa, Doctor of Both Laws, and Criminal Judge.
† Andrea Sermatura, Doctor of Both Laws, Judge of Civil Cases.
† Valerio de Assalis, Praetor.
In place of † the Seal, which is a Leo in a heart. Registered at folio 377.
LIFE
From the manuscript Roman codex of Lord Giuseppe a Costa, formerly of Cardinal Sanseverino.
St. Leo Lucas of Corleone, Abbot of Mules in Calabria.
BHL Number: 4842
From manuscripts.
CHAPTER I.
Birth, pious youth: pilgrimage to Calabria and Rome.
[1] The blessed(a) therefore and worthy Confessor of Christ, Lucas, who is also called Leo, Lucas born at Corleone, was from Sicily, from the town called Corleone; his parents were most devout Christians,
a monastery of wonderful beauty and delightful pleasantness: he builds with the Abbot two new monasteries: in which they dwelt together for nearly ten years — who could adequately describe with what untiring labor and equal harmony they advanced toward holy growth, to such an extent that now mature sanctity, useful for the benefits of souls, could be perceived by certain indications of presages, not only by the Masters but also by the disciples.
[10] Hence the miracle: when one day Blessed Lucas was performing some service in the affairs of the monastery, suddenly a serpent leaped out unharmed by a serpent's bite, and attacked his hand with a venomous bite. He, shaking it off, threw it from his hand, and long wavering between fear of the venom and hope of divine aid, when he felt no pain remaining, he was raised up in divine thanksgiving, saying: Glory to You, Lord, who have given Your servants the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.
[11] In the same monastery there was a beast of burden most necessary to the Brothers for carrying loads: this, therefore, struck with illness, he heals a beast of burden by the sign of the Cross: was panting only for death, which the man of God, touching it three times with the sign of the Cross, suddenly made rise up healthy,
seized him in an embrace, and for a long time poured out prayer in silence. Then approaching the wretched man, he stripped him of his garments, and with confidence anointed his whole body with oil from the lamp of the said Mother of God in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: and immediately, as if flayed in minute scales, he was made so healthy that no trace of that disease remained. The Brothers, rejoicing in the power of so great a man, glorified God.
[22] Now indeed the fame of the Saint could not be hidden, but from all around a concourse of men and women was made to him, and whatever infirmities they were suffering from, they were made whole by his merits and prayers. A certain monk from the city of Mercurio, who had long been possessed by a demon, he frees a demoniac: was brought to the monastery of the man of God, and after being maddened the whole night by the vexation of the demon, in the morning he was cleansed by the prayers of the just man, with the emission of a most foul smoke.
[23] Furthermore, when the most holy servant of God, Lucas, surpassing the eightieth year of his monastic life,
having professed there, wrote it in ancient characters. That this was very different from that other one which Master Ordonius composed, and which was recently sent by order of the Most Reverend Father General, Master Fr. Rudesind de Murica, Royal Preacher, from the University of Salamanca. Nevertheless, the above-mentioned Abbot of Celanova wished this one also to be sent, so that if perhaps either one should be lost on the journey, at least the other of them might reach our hands. He adds that this one is far more ancient than that other, and exists on a very old parchment. That there are in it some things unpolished according to the standard of that time, which nevertheless display a venerable antiquity. So far that letter. In the title this more ancient Life is said to have been written by the Reverend Father Master Fr. Stephen; written by Master Stephen, a monk at the same place, but the later one, previously sent to us, by the Reverend Fathers Masters Friars Ordonius and Stephen, monks of the same monastery. Moved by this title, some have judged Ordonius to be much more ancient than Stephen. Tamayo Salazar, although he saw no Acts, nevertheless makes Ordonius a writer nearly contemporary with the holy Abbot.
was dedicated, according to Sampirus, Bishop of Astorga: at which solemnity were present Hermenegild, called by others Ermenild, Count of Tui and Portugal, and Arias his son, Count in Minho, or at the river Minho: in which territory Celanova was built by St. Rudesind and his mother. The time is indicated in the Privilege of Consecration given by the same Alfonso thus: The Era, they attend the dedication of the Church of Compostela in the year 899, namely the Spanish Era, equals nine times a hundred, plus six times six and one more added. And in the Privilege of Donation, the charter of Donation is said to have been made on the day of the consecration of the temple, on the Nones of May, in the 36th year of the reign of the devout Prince Alfonso, in the Era 937, which corresponds to the year of Christ 899, when with Solar Cycle 12 and Dominical Letter G, the Nones of May fell on the second day of the week, both in Sampirus and in the Privilege of Consecration indicated. The same Dedication on the Nones of May was inscribed in the Spanish Martyrology by Tamayo Salazar, who adds the Acts of the consecration from Sampirus and the Privileges of the King already indicated. Ambrosio de Morales, book 15, chapter 25, and following him Baronius, refer the said Dedication to the year 900, whether by the authority of Pope John VIII, believing meanwhile, along with other writers commonly,
the See be restored, as entrusted. Not long after, Savaricus was given as Bishop to the people of Britonia, who on account of the Saracen persecution departed from his See and founded it in the place called Mondoñedo, with the permission of Alfonso III. they migrate to Mondoñedo: The charter concerning this matter is found in Tamayo under October 16, signed on the 10th before the Kalends of September, in the Era 902, or the year of Christ 864. various bishops there: Pope Nicholas I then presided over the Church, having died in the year 867, under whom Sandoval notes in his work on Alfonso III that that See was translated from Britonia to Mondoñedo; but by Gonzalo, whom we judge to be the successor of Savaricus, for whom the Pontiff approved the Translation of the See granted to his predecessor by the King. That Gonzalo was still living in the 22nd year of Alfonso, the year of Christ 888, the same Sandoval teaches. Theodorindus succeeded, and was present at the dedication of the Church of Compostela in the year 899, as was proved above, and is called Bishop of Britonia by Sampirus: whom we judge to be the same one who, according to Tamayo, is said to have still been living in the year 909. At these times, that the elder Rudesind was Bishop of Dumio, and was present at the consecration of the church of the monastery of Valdediós near Oviedo,
will be of great value and of great merit with God. She, waking up, gave thanks to God, and immediately sent a messenger to her husband to come to her: who, informed of the revelation, also gave thanks to God with great joy. he is conceived; born on November 26. After some days Ilduara conceived, completed the months of pregnancy without difficulty, and on the twenty-sixth day of the month of November bore a son, whom she called Rudesind. The parents, out of reverence for his birth, distributed great alms to the poor and gave freedom to their slaves: and that day, which was the vigil of the holy Martyrs Facundus and Primitivus,(f) was joyful and festive for them throughout their whole life. Indeed Rudesind himself in his testament(g) commanded the monks of Celanova whence annual alms were thereafter distributed: that in all future times they should celebrate that day each year with special alms.
[2] Ilduara remembered that she had received the good news from an Angel: therefore, from the day of the conception of her son, she began to build a church near Salas: in the church of St. Michael built by his mother, then she summoned Bishops for the consecration, and dedicated it to the holy Archangel
who invites you in the near future to the kingdom — who not long afterward, as the Bishop had said, he predicts his death: closed the span of his life with a glorious end. After his obsequies were performed, the holy Bishop Rudesind was elected Abbot by the monks; he is made Abbot: possessing the functions of Abbot without losing those of Bishop. Moreover, how great his holiness was, how pious and how kind he showed himself toward all, charity did not keep silent. he holily instructs his subjects, When someone was just, he instructed him with the gentleness of the sacred word so that he might profit more; and when someone was agitated or proud, he softened him with the sweetness of the law and the terror of hell so that he might be corrected, according to that saying of the Apostle: Argue, beseech, rebuke with all patience and teaching. 2 Tim. 4:2 To his wonderful example, on one hand Bishops came, scorning the dignities of the episcopate; on the other, Abbots, having cast aside the honors of their abbey; on yet another, crowds of people, even Bishops, Abbots, etc. both noble and ignoble, having relinquished riches of this kind, came, giving all their possessions and themselves: and indeed several monasteries of monks and nuns were submitted under his most sweet rule, he governs other monasteries which appeared to have been built in the province of Limia and Galicia or Portugal: by whose honeyed teaching
was honorably buried near the church of St. Peter in a stone sarcophagus, he is buried. where the benefits of God are bestowed upon those who seek them, to the honor and praise of His name: who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for endless ages of ages, Amen.(k)
Notes:
(a) Sampirus in his account of Ordoño II, having related his victory over the Saracens, adds: From there returning with great triumph to Zamora, he found Queen Lady Nunna, that is, Geloira, deceased: from whom he had begotten Alfonso and Ramiro, afterward Kings. Queen Aragonta. He also took another wife from the parts of Galicia, named Aragonta, who was afterward rejected by him because she was not pleasing to him, and afterward she maintained a worthy confession from that... Then he obtained as his wife the daughter of King García, named Sanctia, suited to him. Sandoval says that Aragonta was married and repudiated in the Era 960, the year of Christ 922.
(b) In Tamayo she is called the aunt of St. Rudesind.
(c) Near the town of Sandín?
(d) In the other manuscript: "goods." Concerning which see below, number 30.
(e) There is an error here to be corrected from the Spanish Acts: where it reads "seventy years after his birth." In the seventieth year from his birth, with no mention made of a profession made in the monastery of Córdoba: which words were badly inserted, or certainly another year must be placed before. He was born, moreover, in the year 907.
(f) These numbers seem confused, since for ten, in another Latin and Spanish manuscript, thirty-two is read, and perhaps (because in the last years of King Sancho he presided over the Church of Compostela,
from the words of those reciting who said they had seen the people to whom this miracle had happened, I learned the following: two men, in order to enter upon their intended journey, to cross a river when after sunset, with night approaching, they had come to the shore of the Cadam and had seen a boat across the bed of the river and had seen no house or anything of the sort anywhere for lodging, inwardly moved by sorrow and outwardly terrified by fear, sat down upon the banks of the stream. When they had long deliberated between themselves what to do, it happened a boat comes of its own accord: that they began a conversation about the miracles of St. Rudesind. When they had narrated many miracles which God had worked through him, they cried out with one voice: St. Rudesind, if the things which we are accustomed to hear about you are true, come to our aid and take care of us so that we may cross safely. After they had said this (which is wonderful to tell), they saw a boat coming: and when it reached the shore, with God as helmsman, they hastened to enter, and so, with St. Rudesind as their navigator, they crossed safely and unharmed.
[9] A woman vexed by an unclean spirit and tortured for a long space of time — many who still
that in the past five years a certain little boy, named John, in my absence, was seized by a demon: and when he had suffered such vexation for a long time, they are freed he was brought by his mother to the church and placed before the altars while Mass was being celebrated. At last, when he obtained no health, the boy's mother was admonished by certain monks a boy, a demoniac, to have the boy brought before the tomb of St. Rudesind. Immediately obeying their instruction, she was cast down before the tomb and spoke these words: O St. Rudesind, this one indeed is my son, but he is your servant: from now on I give him over to you and leave him, and do whatever shall please you. And saying these things, she began to depart. A wonderful thing! The demon immediately withdrew with a great noise: the boy rose to himself and called his mother. The mother, hearing his voice, returning with quickened step, received her son healed, giving thanks to God.
[19] I learned from the provost of the monastery. A certain woman was being vexed by a demon, and since she was a native of the same country, and two sisters who were demoniacs: she sought the benefits of St. Rudesind because of so great a grief. The demon indeed was such that when it
by chance, already ill, entered Celanova: where he was also so severely pressed by illness that he was by no means thought able to recover any further. Nevertheless, by many prayers the Abbot of the monastery was entreated by him that he might deserve to be presented before the tomb of St. Rudesind: and immediately, at the Abbot's command, supported by the hands of certain men, he was carried by the sacristan of the church before the blessed man; and soon he was prostrated before his sepulcher, and from such great pain he embraced the monument with his arms, his belly clinging to it at the same time, until by sobbing and prolonged prayer, after vigils, through the drowsiness of sleep, he obtained health from St. Rudesind — as I learned from those who had heard these things from him.
[24] It is by no means necessary to pass over in total silence what recently happened to the Archdeacon of Celanova, Pelagius, which is evident to all. For when a certain infirmity in his nostrils, which is commonly called "spunlia," was growing, pustular sores are healed, he was troubled by the deformity of so great a plague and was excessively embarrassed. On this account he came twice to Celanova: and the place of the plague, at the sepulcher of St. Rudesind,
and persevering in vigils, he obtained the health he had long desired through the merits of the glorious Rudesind: and so, with Christ working, he returned home unharmed.
[33] At another time also, when a crowd gathered, as customary, for the feast of St. Rudesind, which is usually held on the Kalends of March, a certain boy in the crowd outside the oratory was violently seized and tormented by an unclean spirit. By divine direction, likewise another demoniac: to the amazement of all, running swiftly to the church, he threw himself hastily upon the tomb of the blessed Bishop: and soon, pressed by a sweet drowsiness, he fell sweetly asleep. When the assembly of monks, which was then outside in a procession singing praises to God in honor of the glorious Bishop, had already returned to the church, having compassion on the same boy, those standing by devoutly began to chant unanimously before the sepulcher that Responsory, "Holy Rudesind." When the Responsory and prayer were finished, by the merits and intercession of the Saint, he arose from the unclean spirit and from sleep, joyful and cheerful: and henceforth free from that affliction, he lived many years afterward.
is the glory of the father. Prov. 13:1 Therefore it is very venerable and wonderfully glorious, in so wise a son, namely the blessed Rudesind, to praise together the wisdom of God the Father and to exalt His glory forever: whose son's wisdom appeared manifest when he most wisely dedicated himself as a temple to God, according to what the Apostle says: The temple of the living God, which you are. 2 Cor. 6:16 The wisdom of which temple, illustrated by sanctity, virtue, miracles, signs, and prodigies, completely restored to health many limbs of the languishing, afflicted with various diseases (not as one is healed in the Evangelical pool). Of which let us bring forth one small one in comparison to the magnitude of the others, to the glory and honor of God the Father. In the region of Limia, in the place commonly called Ginizo, a certain woman, deprived of the light of her eyes because of the greatness of her infirmity, remained blind for a long time. When she had quite frequently traveled through many holy places of the Saints, and sight to a blind woman: and had visited the thresholds of churches, she was at last admonished by the sacristan of Celanova, who had been born in that land, that she should visit the sepulcher of St. Rudesind with
Brother Claude de Tenorio, professed son of St. Claudius in the city of León — there lived, therefore, in the place A deaf and mute person is healed: commonly called Froyme, in the house of a certain woman called Leonor Suaria, a certain boy who had been deaf and mute from his birth. When he came to this monastery and poured out prayers from the depths of his heart before Blessed Rudesind, after the fifth day, which he had spent in vigil, he obtained health, and before all began to speak and hear, giving thanks to God and the blessed Confessor Rudesind, through whose merits he was able to attain it: and lest this should seem incredible to future ages, it was established by the clear and authentic testimony of the Abbot's order.(a)
Note:
This is related near the end of the later Life. But Lord Joseph Sáinz de Aguirre, in the above-cited letter, adds: Many new miracles could be added, which St. Father Rudesind works in these latest centuries, and more of them would be sent to Antwerp, except that after so long a narration they would seem superfluous. One thing, however, I did not wish to pass over: namely, a description of sorts of the most flourishing garden, The Chapel of St. Michael and the Garden of St. Rudesind. which St. Rosendo consecrated with the frequent imprints of his venerable feet, and
into another reliquary, he had approached, nor had he departed from the mandate by even a nail's breadth in the entire manner of conducting the affair. For by what counsel and piety he was impelled to do this, great reverence toward the Supreme Pontiff, he afterward signifies thus: For we, having weighed the merits of this holy Confessor, which devoutly led and drew us to his elevation, desiring with all our strength to exercise the increase of praise and honor of the same, so that he might be adorned and also venerated with fitting honors and praises by the faithful of Christ; and also so that the aforementioned church might be more willingly visited and also frequented by the same faithful of Christ for the sake of devotion, etc. piety toward the Saint himself: Given... on the 21st day of June, in the year of the Lord 1345. We gave the complete diploma after the Life of St. Odilo on January 1, page 77.
[9] Claude Robert also writes that Blessed Roger was present at the elevation of the body of St. Maiolus, and from him the Sammarthani: whether also of St. Maiolus? of which fact neither Jean Chenut of Bourges nor Charles Saussay, who diligently examined the records of Bourges, made mention. There do exist indeed in the Cluniac Library two Bulls in which mention is made of the translation of St. Maiolus the Abbot,
very many Bishops would contend, on whom especially depends the discipline of the whole commonwealth! If that were done indeed, Christ would reign in us, and under His banners the world would enjoy a happy tranquility.
[9] But the most holy Pontiff Roger, since he was one of the best and chosen pastors, Having been made Archbishop, he strives to root out vices: concerning whom the Lord says through the Prophet Jeremiah: I will give you Pastors after my own heart, and they shall feed you with knowledge and doctrine; no less by doctrine than by example, he strove most vigilantly to cleanse the Church of Bourges from all the tares of vices or heresies (which were corrupting the most joyful harvest of sincere piety). Jer. 3:15 Nevertheless, there were not lacking some sons of darkness who, whereas they should have composed their lives according to the most brilliant model of the holy conduct of so great a Bishop, not only made little account of his salutary admonitions; the wicked spurn his admonitions: but even (which is the height of madness), more inflamed against one another by contentions, jealousy, envy, pride, enmities, and hatreds, they greatly afflicted the holy man himself.
commemorates in the same words in the Historia Seraphica, page 146. his relics are honored.
[6] Wadding presents another epitome of his Life under the year 1375, shorter indeed, but explaining some things more distinctly. Another epitome of his life, Thus he writes in number 42: In this year, on the Kalends of March, at the town of Lugo, in the diocese of Imola in Romagna, Blessed Bonavita died, born there of humble origin; who, addicted from his earliest age to works of virtue and penance, assumed the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis. No one was more continent than he, no one more humble, no one more generous to the needy according to his condition. He at last reached such perfection of life containing his virtues, that by the sign of the holy Cross he healed very many sick, put to flight evil spirits from the possessed, crossed the river flowing by Lugo, divided into two parts by the sign of the Cross, on dry foot, together with the oxen which he was driving, and miracles: exhibited food divinely provided for the poor, and gave other things in abundance without detriment to his prior substance. he divinely obtains food for the poor: He extinguished by the sign of the Cross a fire that was devouring the town of Lugo and the village of Caudalunga; and he performed many other miracles, through which he obtained a great name of piety and sanctity. He died in the thirty-seventh year of his age, honorably buried under the altar of the chapel of St. Anthony, His relics are made illustrious by miracles, which afterward more frequently received its name from him, where he shines with many miracles. His head is preserved in the sacristy in a beautiful gilded reliquary, and is exposed for public veneration on feast days, and was accustomed to be carried about in the processions of the Rogation Days and of Corpus Christi. and publicly honored.
[7] So says Wadding. The river which he writes was divided by the sign of the Cross by the blessed man and crossed on dry foot by himself and the oxen he was driving — others relate that the wide and deep gulf of the river Senio was divided by the sign of the Cross, providing a path for certain men, just as once the Red Sea for the Hebrews. Certain matters discussed concerning this latter synopsis of his Life. As for the fire that the holy man extinguished, it had broken out in the village called Caudalunga, in Italian Codalunga, not, as the same Wadding has, Laudalunga. The altar of St. Anthony of Padua, under which Blessed Bonavita was buried, is the second one that presents itself to the right to those entering the church of the Friars Minor at Lugo. The reliquary in which his sacred head is enclosed and preserved in the inner sanctuary of the sacristy, we have learned is silver-plated, not, as Wadding writes, gilded — unless perhaps some part of it is overlaid with gold. It was indeed accustomed to be carried about in the public procession instituted on the feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, April 25, and called the Greater Litanies, and in those held on the Rogation Days and the solemn feast of Corpus Christi. But that devotion has now fallen into disuse; whether because he was not solemnly enrolled in the registers of the Saints, it has been provisionally abrogated by the authority of the leaders of the Church, or because the piety of many has grown cold and been voluntarily discontinued, we have not yet ascertained.