CONCERNING SAINT QUIRIACUS, PRESBYTER OF AUGUSTA TREVERORUM,
IN THE FOURTH CENTURY
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
Quiriacus, Presbyter of Augusta Treverorum (Saint)
[1] Rabanus Maurus, Archbishop of Mainz, who died in the year 856, whose Life we gave on February 4, left to posterity among the illustrious monuments of his learning a Martyrology, in which at the sixth day of March he mentions only Quiriacus in these words: "On the second day before the Nones of March, the deposition of Saint Quiriacus the Presbyter." The same is read in the printed Bede. Celebrated veneration in the ancient Martyrologies. The ancient manuscript Martyrology of Trier has: "At Trier, of Blessed Cyriacus the Presbyter." The manuscript of Queen Christina of Sweden: "The Birthday of Saint Quiriacus the Presbyter." Similar entries are found in the manuscripts of the monasteries of Saint Maximin and of the Carmelites of Cologne. The manuscript Florarium, and the Martyrology printed at Cologne in the year 1490; likewise Hermann Greven and Molanus in the additions to Usuard, as also Maurolycus, Felicius, Galesin, Canisius, and others. In some the word "and Confessor" is added. In place of this, in the Richeberg manuscript the erroneous reading "Martyr" is written, just as in the Roman manuscripts of Cardinal Barberini and the Bavarian one of the monastery of Suben, "Bishop" is read instead of "Presbyter." Ghinius in the Birthdays of Canons Regular has: "At Trier, of Saint Quiriacus, Presbyter and Confessor, who after the labors of this age migrated to the joys of life." The veneration and devotion to Saint Quiriacus, Presbyter and Confessor, is celebrated among the people of Trier themselves, as is evident from the ancient manuscript Breviaries and the Lectionary printed in the year 1645, And in the Breviaries. as well as from the Breviary according to the usage of the monasteries of Saints Maximin, Willibrord, and Nabor, printed in the year 1600, in which eight Lessons about his Life are recited.
[2] Our Christophorus Browerus, in book 4 of the Annals of Trier, under Bishop Maximinus II, having treated of Saint Castor the Presbyter, whose Life we gave on February 13, adds the following: "From this company of priests, Quiriacus the Presbyter (whose memory exists in the basilica of Saint Maximin and at Taben on the Saar) must by no means be separated, And in the poet of Trier. and he bears in the public Fasti the title of holiness. Concerning him the Trier Poet wrote for March 6:
'The sixth day increases the name of Quiriacus at the altars: He left the Pictavian lands, kin to the strong, A follower of Maximin, great in outstanding gifts. He, learned in the events of things, rising fates A Pictavian, companion of Saint Maximin. Foreknowing, remembered, and said they were not far off: For indeed experience, the arbiter, gave proof of the things.'"
[3] Saint Quiriacus was therefore of the same homeland as Saint Maximin; and Saint Maximin, as Lupus writes in his Life under May 29, was a native of the Aquitanian city of Poitiers, who, leaving his native soil by divine inspiration and migrating to Belgian Gaul, settled in the city of Trier and submitted himself to be trained under the guidance of the distinguished Bishop Agricius. In another manuscript Life found by us at Paris, Maximin is said to have derived his origin from the province of Aquitaine and, born in the province of Poitiers itself, to have proceeded to Gaul Taught by an angel, he foretells to Maximin his episcopate: because he had heard of the reputation of Blessed Agricius the Bishop, in order to receive there the burden of the clerical state, which was indeed accomplished. Afterward Saint Quiriacus went on a nocturnal vigil to Saint Eucharius, keeping the watches of the night, and there an angel of the Lord came to him and announced to him, saying: "Go and tell Maximin: he himself shall be Bishop after the death of Blessed Agricius." And he went, as the angel had commanded him, and announced it to him. In other manuscript Acts these things are expressed thus: "When with Saint Maximin the growth of virtues was producing increases in consequent dignities, a certain Quiriacus, endowed with marvelous holiness, having entered the church of Blessed Eucharius at nighttime to pray, as was his custom, merited to behold -- not in sleep but while awake -- an angel presenting himself before him, and received with his bodily ears the angel's voice commanding him to inform Maximin by divine order that, when Bishop Agricius had been admitted to the heavenly joys, he himself was soon to undertake the pastoral ministry. When Quiriacus had promptly carried this out, Blessed Maximin declared himself in every way unequal to this honor."
[4] Other deeds of Saint Quiriacus, from other Acts of the same Saint Maximin, are reported in the aforementioned Breviary of the three monasteries in these words: "In the time when Blessed Maximin lived in the body, there also lived the holy Quiriacus, a man distinguished for faith and virtues, wholly devoted to pious and upright deeds. Among his other good practices, since it was also his custom to visit most frequently all the monasteries and oratories of this city and to win divine favor for himself by constant prayer, He visits the oratories of the city, even by night. the holy man, shunning ostentation and fleeing human praise, nevertheless chose with such great zeal to perform these exercises at night rather than by day. Meanwhile, certain of the clergy, envying the virtues of the saint -- who desired only the name and fame of holiness but not the works -- began to murmur among themselves and secretly to defile the man's reputation with the infamy of baseness; and gradually raising themselves to more open vices, they began to attribute those nocturnal labors no longer to virtue but to vice. Nor did they hesitate
to rush forward at last with reckless temerity to trouble Bishop Maximinus himself with sinister suspicions; Falsely accused of shameful conduct, they accused the innocent Quiriacus of the crime of fornication. When the holy Bishop heard these things (since, however, he placed no reliance upon the accusers), he is said to have given no full credence to the informers; yet with the greatest modesty he excluded Quiriacus for a time from his communion and familiar fellowship, and meanwhile deliberated within himself so that by praying he might be able to learn from God the truth of so great an uncertainty. Now Quiriacus had before this been accustomed to bring the daily offerings to the sacred hands of the Bishop, He is barred from the altar: from which the Bishop, confecting the Sacraments of Christ, continually strengthened both his own spirit and that of Quiriacus with spiritual nourishment toward sacred and heavenly things. On a certain day, Maximin proceeded as was his custom to celebrate the solemnities of Mass; Quiriacus also attended the divine offices, trembling and anxious at the grave offense, as he thought it, of so great a Father, and wholly consumed with sorrow. And because out of humility and reverence he had avoided the very sight of the holy Bishop, withdrawing himself bashfully at a distance near the very doors of the church, he stood hidden in the recess of a certain corner. When behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared, gently consoling the holy man concerning the anxiety he had conceived, He is ordered by an angel to approach Saint Maximin, and at the same time admonishing him to prepare for offering the customary oblations of the hosts: that the Bishop was thinking nothing less than any suspicion of evil against him; that the offense had been almost feigned, and had now been entirely changed into favor.
[5] Another account of the deeds and miracles of Saint Quiriacus is contained in a booklet concerning the sacred relics of the monastery of Saint Maximin, formerly printed at the beginning of the sixteenth century, and is as follows: "Quiriacus, precious Confessor of the Lord, has in this present temple of God a repository for his limbs. We have described above how he migrated to Trier together with Blessed Maximin and Paulinus, under the guidance of the fame of Blessed Agricius. It was very familiar to him to visit the dwellings of the saints frequently for the sake of prayer; for which reason he won for himself the friendly conversation of angels. While praying one night in the oratory of Saint Eucharius, an angel of the Lord appeared, saying that he should inform Maximin that he was to be appointed as successor to Blessed Agricius; which the devout man promptly fulfilled. When Maximin, therefore, had been consecrated as Bishop by the neighboring prelates, Quiriacus became daily more and more fervent in his prayers, which he was accustomed to practice at night rather than by day, fleeing ostentation. For this reason certain of the clergy envied Quiriacus, whence they fabricated that he was going about at night not out of zeal for prayer but in order to indulge in vices more freely. Although Maximin gave no full credence to the complainers, he nevertheless reluctantly expelled Quiriacus from communion. It happened, however, that on one occasion Blessed Maximin was hastening to the altar to celebrate the solemnities of Mass, and Quiriacus was hiding in a corner of the church, when behold, an angel of the Lord stood present And is reconciled with him by the angel's warning: and said that his prayers had been heard and that the Bishop was reconciled. The angel also appeared to Maximin, attesting that Quiriacus had been unjustly accused and admonishing him at the same time: let Quiriacus bear the hosts to the altar as was his custom. Then Maximin, making known to all the angelic oracle, ordered Quiriacus, who was hiding in a corner of the church, to be summoned and to prepare the hosts. The accusers, then confounded, confessed that they had accused the blessed man not from zeal for God but being driven by envy. When Mass was finished, Maximin and Quiriacus fell into each other's embrace; they wept for joy, restoring their former friendship. At last Quiriacus, on the day before the Nones of March, having put off the garment of the flesh, After death, renowned for miracles: was buried in the present basilica, illustrious and resplendent with virtues and miracles. And as miracles multiplied, the doors of this church could not be closed at night -- not to mention during the day -- but always the sick, not only adults but also infants, were brought here to be healed. Because of the clamor of the former and the wailing of the latter, the Brothers, impeded in the performance of the divine offices, decided in common that Quiriacus should be transferred to a certain estate of their own jurisdiction, He is transferred to Taben: situated on the river Saar, called Taben, so that they might thus be freed from such disturbance. Blessed Quiriacus was then translated from this place -- although some relics were retained here -- to Taben on the twelfth day before the Kalends of October, where, powerful in virtues, he added miracles to miracles. Moreover, Quiriacus, the most prompt healer of ailing infants, He heals ailing infants especially. receives their unknowing cries with a merciful ear, and the little ones who do not know how to speak importune the Saint of God by their wailing for a remedy. The tomb of Saint Quiriacus, where formerly his body and now his sacred relics are enclosed, is situated on the right side of the choir of this church." So much for that, and with approximately one page intervening, this new heading is placed: "Relics of the Patrons of our church," and among other things the following is read: "Of Saint Quiriacus, Confessor, Chaplain of Saint Maximin, many relics."
[6] There exists an epitome or Medulla of the Deeds of Trier, by Johann Enen, translated from the German by Johann Scheckmann, in book 3 of which, in the treatise on the Church of the Imperial Monastery of Saint Maximin, under the second title, treating of the Saints who rest in the basilica of this monastery, we transcribe the following: "On the right side of the choir is seen a tomb, Memorial of the Translation, September 20. in which was buried Saint Quiriacus, chaplain and disciple of Saint Maximin, who was thence translated to Taben, although some relics were left in the same tomb." The memorial of this translation, made on the twelfth day before the Kalends of September, is inscribed in the manuscript Florarium, the ancient Martyrology printed at Cologne in the year 1490, and in the supplement to Usuard by Hermann Greven in these words: "On the same day, the Translation of Saint Quiriacus, Presbyter and Confessor." The name of Saint Quiriacus the Confessor is also inscribed in the Brussels manuscript Martyrology of the church of Saint Gudula, which we judge to be understood of the same saint. A commemoration is likewise celebrated in the ancient manuscript Breviary of Trier, and in the said Breviary of the monasteries of Saints Maximin, Willibrord, and Nabor, in which for this day the following prayer is read: "Look favorably, O Lord, upon the people subject to Your name, and by the intercession of Blessed Quiriacus Your Confessor, graciously work Your consolations continually through heavenly grace. Through our Lord, etc."
Note*Variant reading: "observing."