Aldemar

CONCERNING SAINT ALDEMAR, PRIEST AND CASSINESE MONK, AT BUCCIANO IN THE HITHER ABRUZZI.

ELEVENTH CENTURY

Aldemar, Priest and Cassinese Monk, at Bucciano in the Hither Abruzzi (S.)

[1] Among the illustrious writers of the sacred archmonastery of Monte Cassino is Peter the Deacon, Chartulary, Scriniarius, and Librarian of Monte Cassino, who died not long after the year 1140, leaving behind very many monuments of his genius: the index of which he himself wove together and inserted into book 4 of the Cassinese Chronicle, which he wrote in its entirety, and a supplement to book 3, beginning from the year 1086, where Leo of Ostia had left off, which he continued up to the year 1138. Life written by Peter the Deacon of Monte Cassino, In that book 4, chapter 48, therefore, he mentions a book composed by himself on the Origin and Life of the Just Men of the sacred monastery of Monte Cassino, which is kept in that monastery under the strictest guard, written in ancient Lombard letters. Of which we have a copy, and in it the Life and death of S. Aldemar, Priest of Monte Cassino. Which same Life Cardinal Baronius had received from Constantine Caietanus, a Benedictine Abbot, published from manuscripts: and we copied it at Rome from the volume lettered O, preserved in the Vallicella library of the Fathers of the Congregation of the Oratory. The same, but with altered phrasing and here and there a few things inserted or omitted, we found at Naples among the Clerks Regular, in volume 2 of the Lives of Confessor Saints, which Antonio Caracciolo, a man known for his published books, had there collected: who had communicated this Life of S. Aldemar to Michael Monachus, Canon of Capua; compared with another edition published in the Capuan Sanctuary. and he published it in the Capuan Sanctuary from page 166, omitting the Prologue, which is not worth appending to the other Prologue: but a few things from the rest of the Life we observe in the Notes to the former Life.

[2] The day of death is not indicated in the Life. Gaspar Bucelin inscribed him in his Benedictine Menologion for this March 24, citing besides Peter the Deacon, Name in the Benedictine Menologion, Constantine Caietanus, and Mauro Marchesi, his assistant and successor, and cites a long eulogy from the Life with this beginning: At Monte Cassino, of S. Aldemar, monk and Confessor. He, in that most sacred and most fruitful mountain of Saints, raising himself like a cedar in Lebanon to the height of perfection, shone with the outstanding example and merits of his life, etc. He was buried at Bucchianico in a monastery built by himself. Ferrarius in his Appendix to the Topography in the Roman Martyrology asserts that it is a town of the Marrucini in the Abruzzi near the city of Chieti, and Ferrarius's Topography. distant from it five miles to the south, as the topographic maps show it between the rivers Lenta and Foro. Ferrarius adds that Aldemar, a monk of S. Benedict, is venerated there, citing the records of the monastery of Monte Cassino, which we give here. Concerning the other places traversed by him, we treat below in the Life.

[3] The only marker of the time in which he lived is the construction near the Capuans of the monastery of S. Lawrence, over which he first presided as Rector, granted by the Cassinese Abbot to the wife of the Prince of Capua. Time of his life. Concerning which Michael Monachus observes the following in relation to this Life: The church with the monastery of S. Lawrence was built by the Princess Aloara, the widow of Prince Pandulf, surnamed Iron-Head, while she held the Principate with her third-born son Landenolf, namely from the year 982. She then in the year 986 obtained from Adenolf, the Archbishop of Capua, a privilege of exemption for the aforesaid church and monastery: the diploma is preserved today in the monastery of S. Lawrence in the city of Aversa, to which this church of S. Lawrence of Capua was long since annexed. He therefore governed the monastery built before the year 986 by Aloara, who did not survive to the year 992. The beginning of the said diploma is exhibited by Ughelli in volume 6 of Sacred Italy, page 361, under Adenulf, Bishop of Capua: where he also mentions S. Aldemar, whom he calls Aldemarrus. Michael Monachus rightly corrects from this the beginning of the Life of S. Aldemar published by him, which begins thus: In the year of the Incarnation of the Lord approximately the one thousand and seventieth, the most holy Aldemar himself, an outstanding worker of miracles, distinguished for the merits of his virtues, shone upon the world. Which things are absent from the genuine Life composed by Peter the Deacon, and were absurdly inserted, since he was not even alive then, having died from a wound received in a fall, not from old age. For the rest, from the Life of S. Nilus the Abbot in the same Michael Monachus, page 340, we add: After the death of Pandulf, who was Prince of Capua, his wife, called Aloara, presided over and ruled the entire region no less than if her husband were alive.

LIFE

By Peter the Deacon of Monte Cassino.

From manuscript codices and Michael Monachus.

Aldemar, Priest and Cassinese Monk, at Bucciano in the Hither Abruzzi (S.)

BHL Number: 0251

BY PETER THE DEACON

PROLOGUE.

[1] To write the deeds of the Saints stands as the greatest adornment of the Church, and to propagate the lives of those who, enjoying kinship of the flesh, flourished with diverse miracles, to our successors: He is to be praised among other Saints, so that they may strive more diligently to serve the Lord, having heard those things which He deigned to work through His faithful ones. Having no ambiguity that they would receive from Christ a recompense for their service, they who, spurning luxuries, subdued the body with constant abstinence, and setting aside the allurements of all perishable things, which entice vain minds, strove to serve the Creator of every creature, the most certain Rewarder of good works; whence they obtained the gift of perpetual blessedness, enriched with the rewards of eternal life, and placed in the mansions of heaven, giving thanks to our Creator, the Giver of such happiness to those who love Him. Among whom the most blessed Confessor of Christ, Aldemar, rejoices that he has been appointed by the Lord, both by the merit of his works and by the grace of heavenly gifts. For he, Aldemar illustrious for all virtues. while he suffered in the time of the flesh, excelled in holy works, and beyond what it is in the power of our ability to elucidate, was free from the contagion of all vices. For he was chaste in body, endowed with piety, generous to the poor, always needy for himself, filled with charity, and moreover replete with the possession of all virtues. Wherefore he so pleased the Lover of sanctity that he merited to become a companion of the heavenly citizens, and enrolled in heaven. and was appointed heir of the flower-bearing seats. Let us therefore attempt to compose the life of so great a man, as is within our ability, and to arrive at his miracles, which, with the Lord providing aid, we may be able to fittingly explain.

CHAPTER I.

Education, Cassinese monastic life, habitation at Capua and Boviano. Miracles.

[2] In that time, therefore, there lived a certain man of most venerable memory, Obtained by the prayers of his parents, he is born: a perfect cultivator of the Christian religion, born of a middling family. Dwelling at Capua, who was called by the name John, he enjoyed a chaste and religious wife, who was not undeservedly called Mira, for she shone with wonderful deeds: of whom the supreme Possessor of the heavens, earnestly besieged by frequent prayers (for they had heard Him saying in the Gospel, Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you), conferred on them the reward of most blessed offspring, who afterward, having utterly spurned all things pleasing to the enemy of the human race, lived most constantly in the service of Him by whom she had been granted to her parents: to whom, immediately reborn in the water of baptism, the parents gave the name Aldemar. Whom they took care from the time of his boyhood to hand over to the study of letters, he devotes himself to both learning and virtues: in which he began so quickly to excel that he thoroughly surpassed all his peers in learning. For when the teacher was absent, his companions playing among themselves, as is the custom of boys, he was accustomed to go to a secret place, so that no one would provide him with any impediment. Whence he was rightly given the name of the Wise One by the students of that place: for he sought wisdom by frequent studies. His parents therefore rendered gifts of praise to the Lord for the gift of so great an offspring, which in tender age flourished with the maturity of virtues: for humility had founded a home in his breast, which rejoiced to have the fellowship of virtues. free from all impurity, His breast, therefore, protected by such defenders, remained immaculate throughout all the time of his life, and free from all impurities: which, endowed with such purity, merited to be filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, which always shuns a contaminated dwelling.

[3] And so the most holy and most pleasing to God Aldemar, not yet having passed through boyhood, but strengthened in the service of Christ like an old man, he becomes a monk at Monte Cassino: was eager to seek the monastery of Benedict, beloved of God, which is established on the mountain called Cassino; despising parents and friends, not unmindful of the Lord's command, which thus speaks in the reading of the Gospel: If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow me. Where, joyfully clothed in the monastic garment by the Abbot of the above-mentioned monastery, he was eager to please the King of Kings with vigils and prayers. Wherefore, by the disposition of God, whose dominion rules over all, he merited to receive the grade of the Levitical honor: concerning whom the fame of sanctity began to fly, he is ordained Deacon, for the lamp could not be hidden under a bushel. When this was heard, a most noble woman, namely the wife of the Prince of Capua, went to the Abbot, under whose governance the most blessed Aldemar was living, and began to ask that Aldemar be given to her. When he was granted to her request, she appointed him Rector of a certain monastery of hers, which she had built in honor of S. Lawrence: where, having been established, he began more earnestly to devote himself to the service of the Savior. For he wore down his flesh by the constancy of fasts, he is made Rector of a monastery at Capua, by the perseverance of vigils, by the poverty of garments. For he bestowed new garments on the poor, retaining for himself the torn and inferior ones, by which the cold could in no way be warded off. Wherefore he so pleased the Almighty that he merited to be powerful with various miracles. Seeing which, the Cassinese Abbot wished to bring S. Aldemar back to the Monte Cassino monastery entrusted to him, in which he had received the habit of holy life: he shines with miracles, but the aforesaid Princess began to contend with an obstinate spirit.

[4] While they were quarreling among themselves about this for a very long time, the most holy Aldemar had it in his heart to leave the boundaries of that place, so that no further disputes would be held on his account: he flees to Boviano, and going out, with all who remained with him unaware, he sought the city which is called Boviano, where, with divine grace bestowing it, he shone with twofold miracles. For three brothers lived within the walls of that city, among whom there was an enormous dispute about a certain church: one of whom gave his part of that church to Aldemar, Confessor of Christ, with the others unwilling and opposed: who frequently threatened to kill him with blows of their hands, unless he hastened to depart from there as quickly as possible. But he, trusting in Him whom he served, disdaining all their threats, counted them as nothing: wherefore they were more inflamed with anger. On a certain night, therefore, while the man of God went to sing psalms in the church in the usual manner, they did not hesitate to enter there with weapons, the arm of one trying to kill him stiffens: although it would be an abomination. The morning praises having been begun, one of them, with weapon raised, wished to strike the friend of God, but by divine Providence his arm stiffened so that he could in no way bend it. Seeing, therefore, that he who directed the weapon was seized with present punishment, he strove to kiss the feet of the man of God, falling to the ground, imploring him to deign to have mercy on him. But holy Aldemar, engaging in acts of charity rather than hatred, brought salvation to him who had wished to bring him death.

[5] It happened, moreover, in those days in which the servant of God Aldemar was residing there, that a Canon of that same city fell ill, whom, an incurable disease cured by the sprinkling of water blessed by him: weakened by a great illness and deserted of the use of all his limbs, no physician could cure. It was revealed to him in a vision that, if he wished to send to the servant of God Aldemar to bless water for him, he would immediately be made well by its sprinkling. He quickly found a messenger and directed him to the servant of God, to bless for him the creature of water. Hearing which, the most holy Levite Aldemar began to reply to the one who had brought the message: It is by no means within my right, brother, to confer a blessing upon the creature of water, because I do not possess the dignity of the Priesthood: therefore cease to importune me further in this matter. But the messenger in no way acquiesced to him, but, as he had been instructed, began to pray more insistently that he would not disdain to do what he had been asked. Seeing, therefore, the most chaste Levite his most ardent faith toward him, he did not delay longer to bless the water: which, carried to the aforesaid sick man with swift speed, conferred on him such a gift of health that no traces of illness remained upon him. Aldemar, therefore, being celebrated for such deeds, was honored by all the citizens: he is ordained Priest. but he was compelled by the prayers of their clergy to deign to accept the holy Priesthood. He, believing that the prayers of his own supplications availed more with God, accepted the grade of the Presbyterate.

CHAPTER II.

Life spent in the Hither Abruzzi. Death.

[6] Not long after having remained there, he went to the monastery of the most holy Liberator, which is situated at the foot of a certain mountain, which was called Magellus for its size: For the monks of S. Liberator he writes an Antiphonary: where he found certain monks utterly ignorant of the art of music, and lacking the books by which the service of God would be performed. Residing there for a time, therefore, he undertook to write a certain antiphonary: which having been written, it came to mind of the Blessed Aldemar not to remain there any longer, but to return to his own monastery of Monte Cassino, where he had been ordained a monk. When a certain man named Adam, who greatly loved his presence, learned of this, he took away his horse, so that he would not have the means to go where he desired. From there, however, the man of God was directed to another place, where he built the monastery of S. Euphemia, and accepted the grade of Abbot at the supplication of all. he builds the monastery of S. Euphemia: Whose tongue now would have such power of eloquence as to be able to narrate all the places of the monasteries which the man of God afterward strove to build, and which would not fail in the expression of speech? For having left the monastery of Blessed Euphemia, he directed his journey through many towns of the provinces of Chieti and Piceno, and others, where he never ceased from the construction of monasteries. Finally, with divine Providence leading him, he arrived at a certain town called Bucchianico: in which place, having found a small church, he conceived that he could build a monastery there. Placing, as he was accustomed, his trust in the Lord, he began to lay the foundation of a not inconsiderable monastery, which he completed with the help of a certain most noble man named Tresidius, then at Bucchianico, who held the primacy of those parts in the town, and who had tried to retain him on many occasions when he wished to go elsewhere. And so he gathered there a multitude of many monks, of whom, compelled by the aforesaid friend of God Tresidius, he accepted the pastoral office of governance.

[7] It happened, moreover, that on a certain day, as the fame of his sanctity spread, a poor woman came to him who had lost the use of her hands through an onset of illness. She therefore began to importune the most holy servant of God with continual prayers, the lost use of a hand that he would deign to seek the indulgence of the Almighty on her behalf, so that He might restore the weak part of her

body to its former health. He, moved by pity for her tears, which he most certainly always bore in the depths of his heart, did not refuse to acquiesce to her petition, but immediately, having offered the sacrifice of the Mass clothed in priestly vestments, he hastened to offer the gift of sacrifice for her health, truly heard by God at once, as the outcome afterward declared. The Mass having therefore been celebrated and thanksgiving rendered to the Redeemer, the man of God, raising his eyes upward and gazing at heaven while pouring forth tears, and prayers having been offered and holding the hand of the aforesaid woman, uttered these prayers: O eternal God, whom all creatures serve, both heavenly and earthly, and all elements obey, created by Your most excellent word, from whom all good things proceed; may the clemency of Your piety deign to come to the aid of this woman detained by illness, so that all the faithful may now recognize that You do not despise the prayers of those who invoke You with a devout mind. he restores it: And when the most blessed Aldemar brought this prayer to an end, the hand was restored to its former health.

[8] It happened in those same days that he set out for a certain monastery, he falls ill in the monastery of S. Mary: which is entitled in honor of the holy Mother of God, where, a grave illness detaining him, he stayed with the Brothers of that same monastery for a very long time. But after a very long time, when the gift of health had been restored to him, he returned to the monastery over which he presided, and left behind there a certain chest of his own, which innumerable bees, entering through the hole where the key was usually inserted, with the greatest swarm, composed no small amount of honey and enormous honeycombs inside. he takes care not even to disturb the bees: But when the manly Confessor returned there not many days later, he opened the chest which I mentioned above, now sealed, and recognized what lay hidden within. But the most pious servant of God, not wishing to bring disturbance to the bees, took care to depart quickly from there, lest through him they be deprived of the domicile they had chosen. O admirable piety of so great a man! O praiseworthy example to be imitated by all the faithful! How great a charity do you think he displayed toward men, who took care not to bring disturbance even to brute creatures?

[9] Returning again from here, the most steadfast soldier of Christ to the monastery which is situated on the banks, driven by charity, arrived to visiting his relatives, visit his kinsmen brothers. Where, at the space of midnight, as he was accustomed, rising from his bed, so that he might be found watchful in the service of the Lord, and might seem to devote himself to prayer for God alone; with the enemy of the human race impeding, he fell to the ground so severely that he even lost all the strength of his thigh, and incurred the punishment of a most grave illness. injured from a fall, he falls ill: As this illness grew worse, he ordered himself to be carried to the walls of a certain town, which is called by the name of S. Martin. By divine disposition, seized there by the battalions of fevers, he dies in the town of S. Martin, he suddenly returned his most precious soul in a glorious end: and He whom he had rendered most frequent service on earth, placed him, with the choirs of Angels rejoicing, in the palaces of heaven, where, joined to the assemblies of the Saints, he will rejoice in the long-suffering of everlasting happiness forever. The inhabitants of the aforesaid town, desiring to bury him, took innumerable mattocks, where the inhabitants strive to retain the body. eagerly competing to dig the earth. But immediately, as they were digging, as the Lord's will had decreed, a certain small stone was found there: which they striving to extract, and laboring in vain for the whole space of the day, fruitlessly consumed enormous labor upon it.

CHAPTER III.

The body of S. Aldemar translated to Bucchianico. Miracles.

[10] After long quarrels the body Hearing therefore that their Pastor had departed from the flesh, the monks over whose governance he had presided hastened to go there, in order to convey the Confessor of Christ to the monastery whose pastoral governance he had held. But the inhabitants of the above-mentioned town, attempting to forbid them from doing this, began to raise the quarrel of sedition, saying that they would in no way allow the most holy body to be removed from there. Moreover, they even wished to wound the servants of God with blows of their mattocks, who had come for this purpose, to carry away with them the most glorious gem of the deceased body. is carried to Bucchianico: But with the inhabitants of that town resisting, they sought the lord who presided over that land, and scarcely able to speak, with the sobs of sighs and tears permitting, they began to ask him to cause the body of their Pastor to be returned to them. And he, acquiescing to their prayers, returned the body to them, which they received with the crowd rejoicing amid innumerable praises, and rendering ineffable thanksgiving to the Redeemer of all, they placed it on the comely bier which they had brought with them: and carried it to the monastery over which, as was already said above, he had presided, with wonderful honor: with all the surrounding inhabitants, men and women alike, giving praises to God on high, who deigned to bestow upon them such and so great a Patron.

[11] When, therefore, the gem of the precious body had been brought back, and placed in the oft-mentioned monastery with hymns resounding on both sides, so that it might be given a most reverend burial, and a woman freed from leprosy and other diseases, and worthy obsequies might be rendered to it; behold, it was thus revealed in dreams to a certain poor woman, coming from other regions and imperiled by leprosy and the affliction of other diseases, in that same town: Rise up as quickly as possible and go with swift course, as fast as you can, to the monastery where the funeral rites are being prepared: for by his prayers you are to be restored to health, whose immaculate body rests there. She, hearing these things and not knowing what body lay in the church, immediately took care to make known to her host how she had been admonished in her dreams: who, revolving in his heart from what body these things could be commanded, immediately recollected that the Blessed Aldemar lay in the church. Therefore, setting aside all doubt (for through him, while he was still living in the flesh, he had considered diverse miracles to be done), he directed his hostess to the monastery, and admonished her with these words: Go quickly, and as you were admonished in your dreams, earnestly beseech the servant of God Aldemar; for he is the one whom the Lord deigned to reveal to himself this night: so that, when you shall have been restored to health through his intercessions, it may without doubt be manifest to all nations how great the grace by which he is exalted and enriched before God, the Lover of virtue. The woman, however, as she was eager for health, ran to the monastery without any delay as best she could; and with the prayers of the Blessed Aldemar intervening, she was so restored to her former health that no signs even of scars seemed to remain. Seeing which, all those standing around rendered very many thanks to the Lord in hymn-singing voices, who deigns to reveal His faithful ones through such miracles. When, therefore, such a miracle had been performed at his funeral rites, with the reverence of the most devoted honor, with the choir of monks joyfully singing psalms, he is buried. and the organ sounding sweet melody, with the jubilation of both great and small, the man of the Lord was placed in a new sarcophagus, outside the walls of the oft-mentioned church.

[12] It happened, moreover, that on the fourth day after the deposition of the aforesaid Father, one of the Brothers of the monastery fell into illness, A fever patient is healed who on a certain day, greatly wearied by fever, went to the tomb of Blessed Aldemar, where a most placid sleep overcame him, and he slept there for a little while: who, afterward awakened, was immediately found to be as well as if he had never been wearied by any kind of disease. When this fame was spread throughout that whole province, all the disabled suffering from various illnesses hastened to flock to the blessed Aldemar: and other sick persons, by whose merits and intercessions they were immediately freed from whatever illnesses held them.

[13] Meanwhile a certain man, a native of the province of Piceno, had a daughter whose feet were contracted, who, having passed three years, gave no signs of walking; whom the father took with him and coming to the tomb of the man of God, a daughter with contracted feet and there persisting in tears and prayer, did not cease to beseech the servant of God Aldemar with earnest and frequent vows, that he would deign to bring the remedy of health to his contracted daughter. But after two days, now almost despairing of his daughter's health, he decided to return, sad and mourning, to his own home: and he, sorrowful and with grief and a flood of tears, returned home and placed his daughter on a seat, as he was accustomed. She, sitting, addressed her mother thus, saying: Give me a staff, mother, by which I may be able to support my journey. Her mother, hearing this, hastened to provide her with a staff immediately. Having received the staff from her mother, she immediately began to walk with a steady step, as if she had used it for many years as a matter of course. In which matter it is assuredly to be understood that the blessed Confessor of Christ, Aldemar, was moved by such tears: who, as long as he dwelt in the lodging of the flesh, is most clearly known to have been refreshed above all by the zeal of piety. The daughter being therefore well, the aforesaid father did not delay to seek the man of God: but placed his recently cured daughter before him on the neck of the horse, with whom he hastened to arrive at the tomb of the aforesaid Confessor of Christ: where he so devoted her that, as long as she lived in the flesh, she would not cease to offer there each year the gift that his means could afford.

[14] A certain leper, a native of the town called Ripa, from the earliest time of his life, was so covered with ulcers a leper over his whole body that no empty space was found in all his members; he came to the tomb of the servant of God, by whose assisting merits he was so cleansed from leprosy that he could scarcely be recognized by his parents. Afterward he stayed there for a time with the Brothers of the monastery: but because he was his father's only son, he declared that he could in no way remain there any longer. and again on account of departure On a certain day, however, he set out on a journey and revisited his father, who was staying in the aforesaid town: who was suddenly seized by so great a leprosy that he seemed to have lost the entire form of his body: seized, he is healed. but in a nocturnal vision these words were spoken to him: Rise quickly, and seek again the man who first restored you to health; for unless you return there, you will never be freed from this infestation by which you are held: and on whatever day you attempt to depart from there, you will immediately be subject to such chastisement. Admonished by these words, the leper did not delay his return: who, having returned, was found entirely cured of the afflictions of all ulcers. But whenever, as had been predicted to him, he tried to depart from there, he was immediately seized by the same infestation. By these and other wonderful signs the tomb of the most holy Aldemar is continually adorned, to the praise

and glory of almighty God, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.