ON ST. BERNARD OF CALENO IN CAMPANIA FELIX,
YEAR 1109
Preliminary Commentary.
Bernard, Bishop of Caleno in Campania Felix (Saint)
[1] Calinum or Calenum, to others Carinulum or Calinulum, is an episcopal city of Campania Felix under the Metropolis of Capua, from which it is distant about eight Roman miles. The Bishopric of Caleno was established by St. Bernard, A twofold Episcopal See: the See having been transferred from the nearby half-ruined city of Forum Claudii, whose Bishop John, the predecessor of St. Bernard, was present at the consecration of the Church of Monte Cassino in the year 1071 by Pope Alexander II, and subscribed as "John, Bishop of Forum Claudii." St. Bernard succeeded him in the year 1087, The period of the See: as he who in the eighth year of his Episcopate, the year of Christ 1094, translated the body of St. Martin (otherwise called Marcius) the solitary from Monte Marsico. He presided in all for twenty-three years, dying on March 12 of the year 1109, buried in the Cathedral church built by him, where he rests in a marble sarcophagus and a chapel dedicated to his name, having been made Patron of the city and diocese of Caleno; at whose tomb it is reported that those possessed by demons are still freed daily — Sacred cult: as Ferdinand Ughelli reports in his Italia Sacra, volume 6, page 588, and Ferrarius in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, at this date, March 12.
[2] Some of his Acts have been published by Michele Monaco in his Sanctuario Capuano from page 423, and by the already cited Ughelli, both of whom cite an old Ecclesiastical Office customarily recited. We obtained the same, somewhat more fully, sent to us both from Naples by Nicolaus Beatillus, a priest of our Society, and from Capua by Silvester Ayossa, nephew on his sister's side of the said Michele Monaco; and they are in both copies distributed into Lessons to be recited at Matins. Various Responsories and Antiphons, a double Hymn with a proper Collect are added in the Neapolitan copy. All of these are drawn from the Life to be given and are omitted by us, lest the volume grow.
[3] Whether there is another: St. Bernard, Bishop of Capua. In the Roman Martyrology, the following is read at this date: At Capua, St. Bernard, Bishop and Confessor. The Capuans believe he was a noble Capuan or at least acquired the citizenship of Capua through long residence. So Michele Monaco, who adds that the name of Bishop Bernard is found inscribed in the Capuan Calendar in black letters and by a more recent hand. However, Cardinal Bellarmine observes that Bernard cannot be counted among the Bishops of Capua, nor celebrated with a double Office, as other holy Bishops of this city are venerated. Which things the said Michele narrates at greater length.
LIFE
From manuscript codices of Capua and Naples
Bernard, Bishop of Caleno in Campania Felix (Saint)
BHL Number: 1205
CHAPTER I
Deeds in life up to his death.
[1] The rational creature, formed in the image of God and ^b distinguished by a certain ^c participation in the divine nature, ought always to investigate its own origin and fix the desire of its devotion there, where it may attain an increase of religion: for from the very beginnings of the world, when our first parents consumed what was forbidden against the will of the Creator, all of corrupted posterity labors and is unable to attain the dignity of pristine purity, unless the judgment of the heart conquers lust and the abstinence of the flesh conquers pleasure. ^d Considering this cause, the orthodox faith of the ancient Fathers entered into a perpetual conflict with the flesh, Devoted to the mortification of the body: making the body serve the spirit and compelling the law of the members to be subject to the law of the mind. From this company the very venerable man Bernard, distinguished himself, devoting himself to good works in his life to such a degree that the whole world could openly recognize how much his soul was irradiated by the brightness of the heavenly light; for the heart of man is known from the quality of his works, and the character of deeds reveals the forms of minds. For Blessed Bernard, knowing that the unfruitful tree is not safe from the axe but is to be cut down by the hands of ^e the angry farmer, took the greatest care to abound in the fertility of fruits, lest he be said to occupy the earth, like a sterile tree, in vain. Moreover, it is not within our power to unfold his carnal origin, because his lineage has not been brought down to ^f our
knowledge; but no inquiry into bodily nobility need be made, since we see the nobles themselves lose the value of their nobility if they do not maintain their nobility by the integrity of their character. For before the Lord, generosity is weighed by virtue, because there can be no greater height of liberty than to offer God the gift and service of servitude.
[2] For this reason, concerning the progenitors of Blessed Bernard, whom we plainly do not know, He becomes Chaplain and Counselor to the Prince of Capua; we ought to be silent. But this we magnanimously affirm: that the same Saint was the more glorious in that, setting aside earthly dignity, he sought only the glory of heaven. Although neither did earthly honor, which with such diverse efforts deceptive humanity pursues, fail him. For the man of magnificent name, ^g Richard, son of Jordan, Prince of Capua, at that time took him into his company, so that he might have his counsel and that Bernard might offer on the Prince's behalf the sacrifice of that victim which, when immolated, took away the sin of the whole world. For at that time Blessed Bernard was exercising the priestly office, and the aforesaid Prince wished to have him as Chaplain because he was fully aware of his celibacy. The Prince showed such reverence to the man of God according to his merits that he would undertake or do nothing without first having the Saint's counsel. But Blessed Bernard, gifted with such intimacy with so great a man, was not puffed up with human glory; but resting on the foundation of true humility, he strove to humble himself all the more, the greater the grace he received from the heavenly Giver.
[3] While these things were happening, it came about that the city of Caleno, over which Jonathan, ^h son of the aforesaid Prince, presided in secular government, He is ordained Bishop of Caleno: having been deprived of its Pastor, sought a suitable Bishop under whom it might receive the welfare of spiritual grace. By the provision of divine grace, therefore, which does not allow a city set upon a mountain to be hidden, the clergy of the said city elected Blessed Bernard, concerning whom so celebrated a fame was held, as their Bishop; and having solemnly enthroned him, they elevated him with the dignity of the pastoral miter by canonical rite ^i. Having been elevated and placed in the pastoral office, as the Apostle says, not lording it over the clergy but being made an example to the flock, he appeared to his subjects as a solar radiance, shining with a twofold virtue, 1 Pet. 5:3. namely the light of knowledge and the fervent desire of charity. Moreover, he strove to administer his preaching according to Apostolic doctrine, He leads his flock by the example of virtues: sowing the word of God with a timely voice; with admirable sagacity, as befitted him, gathering the meek and correcting the disorderly; and what he knew to be harmful to his subjects, he showed by his own actions was not to be done, knowing that the common people are accustomed to change with the prince, and the clergy to change with the pastor, and that the crowd following would be drawn along whatever paths the leader walked.
[4] At that time, therefore, the episcopal mansion was at the place called Forum Claudii, The See from Forum Claudii, namely on the public road for those going to Rome and Naples, which to this day shows a level approach. This place is about two miles distant from the city of Caleno. Seeing, however, that his people, far removed from him, did not have frequent access to his consoling counsel, the holy man of God transfers to Caleno: began to deliberate within himself with great care whether he could transfer the Bishopric to the aforesaid precincts of the city. Considering it necessary for this purpose to secure the consent of the Prince, he went to the most noble Jonathan, whom we mentioned above, and gently revealed to his ears what he had conceived in his holy purpose. Hearing this, the illustrious man He builds a church and episcopal residence: was greatly delighted, and, illuminated by the grace of divine inspiration, generously granted a site for the construction of a church and church buildings, freely promising that he would always lend his assistance to the Bishop and provide privileges of liberty for the Church itself. The Bishop, strengthened by both the gift and the promise of the Prince, built a church and suitable dwellings in honor of the holy and immaculate Virgin Mary and of Blessed John the Baptist, in which the Bishop with his clergy might dwell, so that they might more fittingly attend to the divine service at the time of the Morning Office. St. Bernard, solicitous about the completion of the work begun, like a busy bee that gathers different flowers from different meadows, traveled on a small donkey to various places, and whatever was given to him for the love of God, he brought to the nest of his own little dwelling.
[5] When the buildings were completed, the man of God, proceeding from virtue to virtue, The body of St. Martin of Marsico, ascending day by day to the pinnacle of sanctity, according to the Apostle, forgetting the things that were behind, he always looked forward, not seeking the world and the desire of the world, but crucifying his flesh with its vices and concupiscences. Whence it pleased the heavenly Creator that he who sanctified his flesh on earth should possess the body of one whose spirit, having laid down the burden of the flesh, was rejoicing in heaven. For he translated the body of the most holy man ^k Martin, whom the blessed Pope Gregory mentions in the Dialogue, from Monte Marsico to his Church, performing the pious duty of religion, with the help of the divine gift, despite the protests and resistance of the Suessans. This matter happened as follows. Which could not be carried to Benevento, Having heard the fame of Blessed Martin, ^l Arachis, Prince of Benevento, a man of outstanding integrity, together with his wife and servants, coming with great pomp, sought Monte Marsico, where he had learned that the precious treasure of the most holy body lay hidden, intending to seize the venerable body and carry it with the greatest honor to place it within the walls of Benevento. But when he had ascended the brow of the mountain and, after celebrating the solemnities of Mass, was praying with his people before the body of the Saint, suddenly the earth was shaken with such tremors that the Prince who was present was greatly terrified and expected death as if it were at the gates. Recognizing, therefore, that it was not the divine will for the holy body to be carried to another territory, when the earthquake ceased he returned home. Then Bishop Bernard, having taken with him the Bishops of Teano and Calvi and the entire clergy, He transfers it to his church: ascended the mountain with psalms and hymns, and brought the treasure of the most holy body to the Church and placed it within the altar; and he solemnly dedicated the altar itself in honor of the Virgin Mother and of St. Martin himself.
[6] O happy city of Caleno, which has been endowed with so great a Patron, which in Martin has the defense of singular protection against the assault of diabolical temptation and of all spiritual wickedness; but the Lord added to his glory, so that according to the custom of his household you should be adorned with double and two-colored garments; for you excel in a twofold honor; therefore Bernard was given to you as your defender together with Martin. He yearns for heaven: Bernard, therefore, inflamed with heavenly desires, considered the present life as exile; and regarding his body as a prison, he more vehemently desired to be raised from this pilgrimage. For knowing that, as long as he was in this body, he was a stranger from the Lord, he desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ. The Searcher of hearts and minds, beholding his desire, after many labors in which the Saint had not sweated in vain, raised him from the valley of tears to the mountain of joy and caused him to depart from this light — or rather from this darkness — to the light. For in the twenty-third year of his Pontificate, full of the Holy Spirit, he departed from the world, stripped of the hair shirt of the flesh, He dies a holy death: clothed with the garment of eternity, snatched from the dung heap to the throne, from the dust to the pavement, from the sea to the harbor, from exile to the kingdom, from the mire to heaven.
Annotations^a Neapolitan MS: "in the beginning."
^b Ughelli: "of the name."
^c Capuan MS: "marked."
^d Neapolitan MS: "which thing." Capuan MS: "of which matter, caused."
^e Ughelli: "of the knowing farmer, to be subjected."
^f From this Ughelli concludes that these Acts seem to have been written many centuries after his death. But even a single century suffices, or even less time.
^g Richard II was taken into partnership in the Principate by his father Jordan in the year 1080. But after his father died, he administered the Principate alone from the year 1090 to 1106, when he departed this life. Consult Michele Monaco and Camillus Pellegrinus on the Abbots of Monte Cassino.
^h The other son of Prince Jordan, and brother of Richard, as the Cassinese Chronicle clearly states.
^i In the year 1087.
^k But by St. Gregory, book 3 of the Dialogues, chapter 16, he is called Marcius the Solitary; he is venerated on October 24.
^l Arachis received the Principate of Benevento in the year 758. That he was most zealous in translating the bodies of Saints to the church of St. Sophia at Benevento is clear from Heremperto in the Cassinese Chronicle.
CHAPTER II
Miracles performed after death.
[7] A miracle in connection with his passing appeared clearly at the very beginning of his departure, A man deprived of the use of his limbs is healed: for when, according to custom, the most blessed body was being washed, a certain sick man, deprived of the use of his limbs, was present; who, among others whom the Saint mercifully sustained during his life, was bewailing the death of his Father and benefactor. He was suddenly, by the visitation of divine mercy, raised up and his limbs strengthened, so that he took the basin in which the water was contained — he who had hitherto been unable to move hand or foot. O the charity of the Saint, burning with wondrous ardor, which did not utterly abandon in death those upon whom it had bestowed benefits in life, and did not cease to help when dead those whom it had helped when alive.
[8] A certain Deacon, whom the Saint had often corrected for his own good, For an injury inflicted on the holy body, was present to bury Bernard when the Saint's body was being placed in the coffin; and seizing the head of the holy man, he let it drop so harshly into the tomb that he dashed it against the marble, and blood flowed profusely from the head. Adding another insult, he took a good ring placed on the finger and substituted a certain leaden one. This deed was followed by fitting retribution, for the aforesaid Deacon was struck with the disease of elephantiasis leprosy is inflicted and became leprous in his flesh — he who had not fled the leprosy of his mind at the Saint's admonition, and bore a most bitter penalty for having despised the Saint in life and treated him dishonorably in death.
[9] On the third day, therefore, after the burial of Blessed Bernard, a certain woman, the dependent of a certain Priest, A disease of the throat is cured: detained by a severe infirmity of the throat, had almost lost the use of her voice; coming before the holy body, she poured out a prayer to the Lord, and by the merits of the Bishop escaped the danger of her illness and carried away a full result of health.
[10] A certain illustrious matron, Beatrice by name, of immense lineage and integrity and of exceptional beauty, Lost sight is restored. sadly lost the function of those luminaries which the Creator of nature had placed in the front of the body as though in a certain firmament, and for some time suffered the absence of the sun, the deprivation of light, and the darkness of bereavement. This matter had brought great distress of desolation to all her friends, because she was greatly esteemed for her modesty, praiseworthy for her chastity, and surpassed all in the probity of her character. But one day, together with the other matrons of Caleno, she was led to Bernard, the worker of cures; and as soon as she crossed the threshold of the church, she merited to receive her sight before she had even sought the aid of the Saint
in prayer. O venerable Bishop, who knows how to anticipate his servants with benefits, who offers both magnificent and munificent aids of holiness, so that he may anticipate the wishes of the sick with the zeal of piety and exceed their merits by the gift of generosity.
[11] A certain woman named Gaudia a blind demoniac is healed, was tormented by a spirit of possession; brought to the holy tomb, she was immediately healed. And so, according to her own name, Gaudia ("Joy") found joy when she escaped the demon that possessed her, and by the merits of the Saint recovered the sight she had long lost on account of the residence of that execrable guest. ^a
[12] A certain mute man named John, deprived of the gift of speech from his birth, approached the most blessed body, and sought the merits of Bernard for the loosing of the bonds of his tongue more with his mind than with his speech. A mute man, Immediately visited by the Lord, he who had not known the origin of speech received, with his throat loosened, the ability to form words fully, and first praised his healer with his own voice.
[13] A certain man named Stabilis ^b Ceratus, afflicted with the disease of dropsy and full of many calamities, a man with dropsy, had, as that infirmity causes, swollen in his belly and all his limbs; leading a miserable life without any shortcut to health, failing under the ordained plague, and ending his days in sorrow. He was brought to Blessed Bernard, and after lingering for a little while at his tomb, was fully healed — so that afterward he appeared strong instead of weak, slender instead of swollen, vigorous instead of infirm, and joyful instead of mourning and wretched.
[14] A certain woman a demoniac, called Martha, tormented by a demon for a long time, had lost the peace of temporal life and contained within herself the author of death. She was led to the tomb of the most holy Bishop and restored to the full state of mental health; and with the inhabitant of damnation expelled, she merited to receive within the hall of her breast him whom Martha of old frequently served with diligent ministry.
[15] A certain man named John, the son of a certain widow, a leper, struck with the infirmity of leprosy and covered with many ulcers in his limbs, had poured out all his substance on doctors and medicines; to such a degree that, having consumed all movable goods, he devoured the estates of his patrimony; and having no sustenance for life, he begged daily bread at the doors of his neighbors. Distraught with unheard-of wailings and constant cries, the wretched man poured out a mournful prayer to the Lord and besought the Father of mercies with a contrite spirit in this manner: O God, omnipotent will, most benevolent power, eternal light, unchangeable reason, highest blessedness, who set the humble on high and restore sorrowful hearts to health — deliver me from the evils I suffer; or if you have decreed to scourge a wretch, I desire rather not so much a span of life as the occasion of a swift death; for I deem it better to reach the goal of a single death than to perish daily with incurable punishments. His miserable mother, hearing this with her ear, was torn in heart and bowels, and, suffering with her suffering son, said: My son, pain of your mother, burden of your parent, torture of your caretaker, sorrow of your bearer — do not waste away with tears, do not languish with sighs, do not pant with groans; but let us go to Bernard the Bishop, the healer of ailments, because he will not deny to you what he grants to all; but will show us his aid, he who is kind to others and not slow to lend his assistance. Therefore, having admonished her son with saving counsels and instructed him in maternal teaching, his mother placed him on a donkey and, having brought him to Caleno, placed him before the tomb of Bishop Bernard. After lingering there for a little while, he was fully cleansed, and at the tomb of the most blessed Bishop he also received the grace of healing which Naaman the Syrian once found at the waters of the Jordan.
[16] A certain man named Raynaldus, who was from the Sangro region, a paralytic, struck on one side by the disease of paralysis, had lost bodily strength in despair, and, deprived of the benefit of all action, tended his sickbed in his infirmity, because he had no functional comfort of the ability to stand, sit, or walk. Admonished in dreams to go to the tomb of the venerable Bishop, he arrived there; and after lingering for a little while, he perceived that a certain bloodletting had been performed from his legs, and received full health, with the merits of the Bishop interceding.
[17] Afterward a certain woman of Benevento, a paralytic woman, named Calandra, had completely lost the use of her body from the chest down through paralysis. She was told three times in a vision to come to the place where the holy body of Blessed Bernard rested; and on a certain Saturday she came to that place and was restored to the health she had formerly possessed.
[18] When famine struck at various times, and devouring many regions for lack of food, necessity pressing them to seek sustenance for their stomachs, a hungry multitude of poor wandered about on all sides; among whom a certain poor woman, coming to Caleno, sought daily bread at the doors of the citizens. When she was pregnant and had completed the time of delivery, a woman in childbirth is aided. she was tormented by the discomfort of natural pain and was paying for the pleasure of conception with the difficulty of giving birth, and suffering the ancient curse which Eve had merited. The wretched woman did not know what to do, since neither the resources of medicines nor the assistance of midwives availed for delivering the child. Admonished in dreams to visit Bernard the Bishop, the healer of the sick, she was brought there, and when she had poured out her prayer to the Lord, the Lord granting it, she also delivered her child — by the intercession of the Bishop's devotion she obtained salvation when relieved of her burden, lest like Rachel she die in the birth of Benjamin.
[19] A certain man, his limbs relaxed in peaceful slumber, While he lies and sleeps, received a serpent in his mouth. The slippery creature, plunging in, glides down into his belly, Not allowing the man to live unharmed, tormenting him: With so harsh a guest the wretch weeps and sheds tears, He seeks everywhere — the physician who might heal him is absent: He seeks the aid of the Saint, the wretch prays, A serpent is vomited up. That he may overcome the plague by which he labors unto death. While he rolls before the tomb of the holy Bishop, The deed displayed a result beautiful enough in fair order: Groaning with open mouth over the Saint's monument, He vomits from his mouth the serpent, blood-stained, by which he was harmed. Thus rest after all the detriments of his labors He received, who sought the summit of his vows: And he returned healthy through the intercession of the holy Pastor, He who had been wretched and miserable before.
[20] But now let all ingenuity run its course here, Epilogue, and let the pen be refreshed with a more relaxed eloquence, so that the wondrous life of the most holy Father may be concluded with the luminous majesty of words, and the sweetness of eternal delight may be imprinted upon the minds of the hearers, for the sake of having a perpetual memory of Bernard. Amen.
Annotations^a The poem related below in number 19 is inserted here in Ughelli and in the Neapolitan MS.
^b Neapolitan MS: Cerratus; this surname is omitted in Ughelli.
ACCOUNT OF THE TRANSLATION OF THE BODY OF ST. MARTIN.
Published from the Ecclesiastical Office by Michele Monaco.
Bernard, Bishop of Caleno in Campania Felix (Saint)
[1] In the year from the Incarnation of the Lord one thousand and ninety-four, in the fourteenth year of the Principate of Richard, son of Prince Jordan, the venerable Bishop Bernard governing Forum Claudii, in the eighth year of his Pontificate, Indiction two, the same venerable Bishop began to repeat what he had long purposed in his mind: for he had decreed to take counsel from the Lord through ^a Guimand, Bishop of the See of Aversa, a man of great authority, through his Archpriest John, so that the body of St. Martin, to which, through the growing wickedness of the Provosts, the customary service was no longer being rendered, might be translated to the church of St. Mary and St. John, over which he presided. For he knew that more frequent services would be rendered there by both clergy and people to the holy remains. Therefore, having summoned Jonathan, ^b son of Prince Richard, who at that time presided over Caleno, a most prudent knight, he sought counsel from him as to how this might be accomplished. Jonathan, a man of great prudence among laymen, advised him to invite the neighboring Bishops to participate with him in this undertaking. And he effectively promised to give whatever better counsel and assistance he could in this matter. Having therefore convoked the Bishops of Teano and Calvi, on the appointed day — namely, when the feast of the holy Martyrs John and Paul was to be celebrated — he ascended the mountain, approaching the tomb of the holy body with the greatest reverence and devotion. Bishop Bernard therefore, first among them, inflamed with love for so noble a treasure, having completed his prayer, struck a blow upon the marble that covered the venerable body. And the revelation of the holy body, which had previously been difficult for many, was made so easy for the aforesaid venerable Bishop and his companions that the consenting will of the Saint himself for the accomplishment of his revelation could most easily be recognized. All who were present were filled with so great a fragrance of delightful sweetness that they did not doubt that they were attending the body of a citizen and inhabitant of Paradise. Having therefore extracted the long-desired relics of the holy man, Bishop Bernard, giving thanks to the Lord and overjoyed beyond words, with all who had gone with him likewise praising the Lord with joyful voice, carefully placed the venerable bones in a clean linen cloth. And as those who obtain victory are wont to return blessed, all descended joyful at so unexpected a discovery of so great a treasure. When the people of the city learned of the arrival of the sacred body, all men and women, little ones, youths and elders, came forth to meet it; Jonathan also, with his wife and knights, giving thanks to God, came with bare feet, and thus with the greatest honor the holy relics were brought to the basilica of the Bishopric, in which very many benefits are granted through the same Saint to those who ask. ^c
Annotations^a Guimund or Guitmund, or Guismund, wrote on the Body and Blood of the Lord in the Eucharist, and other works, which can be read in the Library of the Fathers.
^b By others, Brother, as stated above.
^c The remainder will be given on October 24, the day on which St. Martin or Marcius is venerated.