Felix

CONCERNING ST. FELIX, ARCHBISHOP OF TRIER.

ABOUT THE YEAR 400.

Felix, Archbishop of Trier (St.)

[1] Felix, the second of this name, the 32nd Bishop and 6th Archbishop of Trier, was created in the year 386 at the time of the Synod of Trier, under the Emperor Maximus, or rather the usurper of the Empire. He presided for twelve years, and then, namely in the year 398, having resigned the Episcopate, out of love for a quieter life he withdrew into a monastery (which he had founded with a church in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the holy Theban Martyrs, now called St. Paulinus), Time of his See and death, and spent the remainder of his life in penance, far removed from the society of men and the image of mortal things, called to eternal salvation around the year 400 on the 7th before the Kalends of April. On which day his memory is celebrated in the ancient manuscript Trier Breviary, sacred cultus. which is preserved in our possession: and in the Trier Lectionary printed in the year 1645, a Commemoration is prescribed. The manuscript Martyrologies of the Collegiate Church of St. Paulinus in Trier, in which his sacred body is kept for public veneration, agree, as well as the manuscript of the Trier Monastery of St. Maximin, the manuscript of the Carmelites of Cologne, which formerly belonged to the Franciscans of Frankfurt, and the manuscript Florarium of the Saints. There are added the Martyrologies printed at Cologne and Lubeck in the year 1490, and with them Greven and Molanus in the Supplement to Usuard, Canisius, Galesinius, Ghinius, and others, and above all the tables of the Roman Martyrology with these words: At Trier, St. Felix the Bishop: others add everywhere, and Confessor.

[2] Acts given from various manuscripts. The ancient Acts of this and many other Saints of Trier are reported to have perished in the devastation brought upon the city by the Normans in the year 882: whose loss some afterwards tried to repair, and the Life which we now give they compiled from the monuments cited in it. We obtained it from sufficiently ancient codices of the Trier Churches of St. Paulinus, St. Martin, and St. Maximin, also from a codex of the Regular Canons of Busdorf near Paderborn. We have another Life from a codex of the Trier Monastery of St. Matthias with this beginning: The holy Church venerates many Felixes in the order of the Pontificate,

illustrious not only by this name but also by the merit of their lives, another more concise, of whom one, inferior to none of the rest in signs of virtues, is celebrated at Trier, the metropolis of Gaul, as the third Bishop of that city after Blessed Paulinus... Some things from these Acts we note at chapter 3 of the Life; the rest are related in largely the same words, but with many omissions contracted into a compendium. But from both this codex and the remaining manuscripts is gathered the antiquity of the ecclesiastical veneration of this St. Felix.

[3] In the Acts of St. Agricius, Bishop of Trier, published by us on January 13, these words are read on page 775, number 12: In the veneration of these Saints and also in honor of the holy Mother of God, memorial in the Acts of St. Agricius. with the Christian religion restored through Blessed Agricius, Blessed Felix, Bishop of the same metropolis, a man of such great dignity before God that he enjoyed frequent conversations with Angels of God, and God magnified him even while he was still in the flesh with the working of miracles, built a monastery of the most exalted workmanship and distinguished dignity. These things are also found below in the Acts.

[4] Felix indicated in the Synod of Turin, Against a certain Felix is constituted the fifth canon of the Synod of Turin in these words: The holy Synod has decreed this, that, since the Bishops of Gaul who do not communicate with Felix have sent Legates, if anyone wishes to separate himself from his communion, he shall be received into the fellowship of our holy peace, in accordance with the letters of Bishop Ambrose of venerable memory and of the Priest of the Roman Church, issued some time ago, which were read at the Council in the presence of the Legates. In the same Synod the primacy of Proculus of Marseilles and the disputes of the Churches of Arles and Vienne are discussed. he seems to be another person. This controversy was afterwards decided under Pope Zosimus in the year 417, when the sentence of this Synod was indicated, so that the Synod does not seem to have been held long before, since Felix the Bishop of Trier had long since died in holiness, and the Felix mentioned there still seems to have persevered in his obstinate will.

[5] Some Relics of St. Felix, Bishop of Trier, are reported to be preserved at Bologna in the church of St. Francis by Masini in his Survey of Bologna: Relics at Bologna. but these more probably belong to some other person.

LIFE

From five manuscript codices.

Felix, Archbishop of Trier (St.)

BHL Number: 2892

CHAPTER I.

The Episcopal Ordination of St. Felix, and his familiarity with St. Martin.

[1] Since the most abundant operation of divine mercy teaches us how much every creature ought to rise up in praise of his predestination, this also is not the least evidence of this grace of God, that divine providence is accustomed to fit names befitting their future merits to the Saints. For thus John was divinely called the grace of God, thus Stephen the crowned, Felix called by a good omen: thus Eucharius good grace: thus innumerable names of both things and men were pre-ordained by Him who makes all things work together for good to those who love Him, and in those very names, as we said, the merits of their future sanctity through God were prefigured. Hence it is therefore that the Archbishop of Trier of wondrous happiness and sanctity was called Felix, who in the third place after blessed Paulinus happily possessed the Chair of the same Pontificate. In the mention of this thrice blessed Saint, as in the remembrance of almost all the Saints of Trier, we are compelled to bewail the repeated devastation of this city, through which it is established that the great volumes of the lives of our holy Fathers were so utterly consumed that (unless from a very few drops, so to speak, on account of the devastation by the Normans, little known: of so great a sea, somewhat restored in the most ancient records of other places, or also in leaden and marble tablets deeply buried in the earth) our organs, as if suspended upon the rivers of our Babylon, would long since have fallen silent in the praise of these Saints. About this Felix, Archbishop of Trier, therefore, let us briefly compile the few things that we have found scattered about, sufficient for the excellence of so great a man.

[2] About the holiness of this man and the time of his ordination, Sulpicius Severus, the writer of the deeds of St. Martin, Bishop of Tours, reports certain things, who, at the time when the Emperor Maximus had convoked a large Council of Bishops to Trier, and relates that Martin also came there, says: On the following day, He is created Bishop in the year 386, the ordination of Bishop Felix was being prepared, certainly a most holy man, and one plainly worthy to have been made a Priest in better times. This Sulpicius seems to have said because the Catholic people were being harassed in those times by a very severe persecution of heretics; yet to those who consider the outcome of events, it is clearer than daylight that those times were truly happy which received Blessed Felix as Bishop with the certainly happy auspice of his Episcopate, while through him so great a tempest of heretics was calmed; and to the Catholic people a perpetual jubilee of peace and thanksgiving to God was granted. For the whole storm of heretical fury, puffed up excessively by the windy and malicious conspiracy of the aforesaid Emperor and the Bishops gathered in the city of Trier for this purpose, at the Synod of Trier he acts with St. Martin, threatened present death to many religious and holy men, but when it crashed against Blessed Martin and this thrice and more than Felix, as against the obstacles of most firm rocks, it was broken by the hardest repercussion of the words of God through them: and that shipwreck, which was aimed without discrimination at both true and false worshippers of God, was by no means accomplished. For forgetting the command of the Lord, which forbids judging according to the appearance of men, John 7:24 they had decreed that all should be commonly condemned, whom for whatever reason or for contempt of their appearance or emaciation of body it had happened to be humiliated. And the fuel of this tyranny had so prevailed that, for the indiscriminate execution of this edict, Tribunes sent by the Emperor had set out from the city of Trier toward Spain; and prevents the Tribunes from being sent to Spain: when Blessed Martin and this truly Felix the Bishop went to the palace of the Emperor, and vigorously prevailed that the legates should be recalled from the journey they had undertaken. Wherefore those times were certainly happy, in which both the happiness of so great a Father was to be promoted, and the wickedness of so many and such great heretics was to be restrained through him.

[3] To this is added that Blessed Martin, who is read to have previously visited Trier frequently, and is known to have been renowned for miracles there, after the happy ordination of this most brave comrade and fellow Bishop, at which he himself was present, he watches over his diocese and the kingdom, and his own departure from this city, is known to have made no return here: making thereby an open attestation to all of how great a perfection of holiness he knew to be in this Felix, Bishop by merit and by name: to whom he entrusted the protection not only of one place but of the entire kingdom, and the more securely, the more freely, he afterwards devoted himself entirely to the contemplation of heavenly joys. For Martin survived sixteen years after the ordination of Blessed Felix, yet he attended no Synod, removed himself from all gatherings of Bishops, and as if having completed the campaigns of Christian warfare, already then, though placed in corruptible flesh, he began to enjoy the incorruptible and unfailing rewards of veterans, St. Martin happily remaining at Tours until his death. suspended in continual contemplation. For he so familiarly enjoyed frequent visions of the Angels of God, that in conversations exchanged with them, he discussed whatever matters were necessary. He also often had the evil spirits so visible before him, that whatever forms of spiritual wickedness they assumed in his presence, they could not deceive his sight under any guise. With these and similar unspeakable virtues of Angelic life, Blessed Martin so wonderfully and so laudably completed the course of the present life, that in his praise alone it is rightly said: He who neither feared to die nor refused to live.

CHAPTER II.

The Church constructed. The Bodies of the Saints elevated.

[4] Felix the Bishop, the most holy fellow Bishop of the most holy Martin, to use the words of Sulpicius about him, like a most noble recruit, newly engaged in the sacraments of the faith, endeavored in every way to order his life with fitting He devotes himself to pious works: and orderly progression, that he might strive for the proposed crown of true blessedness by the course of a legitimate contest, and having first exercised his mind with industrious devotion to good works in the active life, might more securely afterwards transfer it to the quiet of contemplation. Whence, more expeditious at the end of his calling, he might ascend, as it were from close by, to the very sight of God. Finally, he spent all his contact with earthly wealth on the needs of Christ's poor or on churches to be both constructed and repaired: generous in almsgiving: but he displayed the spiritual grace of healings for the salvation of both souls and bodies to all who believed. Of the former, the ample and magnificent church in the same city, and in the construction of a church. built at great expense by him in honor of the holy Mother of God and the Martyrs of the Theban Legion, bears testimony: of the latter, the many workings of signs which the Lord willed to be done through him, still in the flesh, renowned for miracles. for the confirmation of the faith he preached.

[5] About the construction of the monastery carried out by him, we have learned both from what was written, and also from the account of our predecessors handed down to us;

but the reason for the necessity undertaken, namely of such wonderful workmanship, which we had perceived from many writings or sayings of the ancients, we were not without admiration ignorant of. However, because all times have their time, and because it is evident from the indications of Sacred Scripture that nothing in the condition of things is accustomed to be done by the Creator and Provider of all things, God, except at its own proper times; God, blessed through all things, looking down from on high, who for the salvation of sinners entered the world from the bosom of the Father through the womb of his mother, also visited the times of our misery through his mercy, in the church he magnificently built and above all spices revealed a precious treasure in the monastery built by this man of God. Eccl. 3:1 In the discovery of which treasure he adorned with no small glory and honor this Saint of whom we began to speak, Felix the Bishop: while we find that that seemingly superfluous expense of the monastery built by him had the greatest necessity in his view, or rather in ours. he deposited the bodies of the Saints, For a leaden tablet found in the crypt of the same monastery, not without regard for the divine will and mercy, clearly teaches us for how just and honorable a reason this church was built by him, so great: for he made it four hundred and ten feet in length, but one hundred and twenty in width. The copy of this tablet it does not seem beside the point to insert, which is known to contain this order of words.

[6] In this crypt lie the bodies of Saints, most noble according to the dignity of the world, but most precious Martyrs according to the will of God: for Rictiovarus, Prefect of the Emperor Maximian, having pursued the Theban Legion by his command everywhere, also entered this city on their account. Having killed innumerable ones here, he also killed these Princes of this city, Confessors of the Christian faith, with them: whose bodies are placed round about here. in the midst, St. Paulinus's body brought from Phrygia: In the center of them the body of St. Paulinus, most illustrious Archbishop of Trier, is suspended with iron chains, which St. Felix, Bishop of this See, having been brought from Phrygia by the resources of the whole kingdom, honorably suspended on the 3rd of the Ides of May: who also built this monastery in honor of the holy Mother of God, and also of those same Martyrs. For besides the bodies of these Princes, and of many others in this monastery are contained: whose names, like those of an innumerable populace and of strangers, could not be discovered, except for the name of one commander, who was called Thyrsus. The names therefore of this one and of those Martyrs, both of Martyrs killed there, whose sarcophagi can be seen here, were written in golden letters on the wall of this crypt: which devout Christians who were then alive transferred from there, when they foresaw that the Normans would devastate this city, as they did other cities everywhere. He therefore who is placed at the right side of St. Paulinus of Palmatius the Consul, was called Palmatius, who as Consul and Patrician was the chief of this whole city: and he who lies on the left side was called Thyrsus: whose name alone out of so great a multitude was recorded, because he held the command of that same Legion. of Thyrsus, Commander of the Thebans, At the head of St. Paulinus lay seven most noble Senators of this city, of the 7 Senators, Maxentius, crowned with martyrdom along with the Thebans: of whom the middle one was called Maxentius, next to whom on the right lies Constantius, Constantius, Crescentius, Justinus, after whom is Crescentius, then Justinus. On the left side of Maxentius those who lie were three brothers of the same blood: of whom the eldest, closest to Maxentius, is Leander, next to whom is Alexander, then Soter. Leander, Alexander, and Soter. At the feet of St. Paulinus, placed on both sides, are four men, most illustrious in birth and virtue: who although in time of peace they secretly worshipped Christ, yet in time of persecution so openly and constantly defended the faith of the Christians, and so resisted Rictiovarus to his face, that having afflicted them greatly with various kinds of torments, as if for an example to others, he finally had them beheaded in his presence. The inner one therefore of the two placed toward the South is called Hormisda, the outer Patricius: also Hormisda, Patricius, the inner one of those whose sides face the North is likewise Constans, the outer Jovinianus. of Constans and Jovinianus, killed on October 4, 5, and 6. Rictiovarus entered Trier on the fourth of the Nones of October, and on the same day killed Thyrsus with his companions: on the following day, Palmatius with the other Princes of the city: on the third day he carried out a massacre among the common people of both sexes.

[7] By what occasion moreover and by what ordinance of divine predestination, and by how great a working of signs, we were divinely gladdened by this discovery, from which he obtained celebrated glory, we would likewise introduce here, were it not that we would too much interrupt the discourse about St. Felix which we have begun. Wherefore let it suffice that only this be noted here, which specially pertains to the praise of this Saint. This is, in the eulogy of this writing, to be celebrated with the perpetual praise of St. Felix, that to merit the patronage of the holy Mother of God and the fellowship of the Theban Martyrs, he built a monastery of such great capacity in their honor, where both Christ born of the Virgin might be perpetually praised by a great multitude of the faithful, and where a very large army of both the Theban and the Treveran legion, which had suffered in this place for the name of Christ, but up to his times was negligently and without the reverence due to so many and such great Martyrs, cast out in the field which was then called the Campus Martius, might be reverently placed and preserved until the day of resurrection and just retribution for all, together with the most happy builder of the same monastery, to be honored with the Martyrs. and the most holy collection of other Bishops of the See of Trier. On which account it is not to be doubted that this Felix, Confessor and Bishop of whom we speak, merited the fellowship of the Martyrs: for since the Truth says, He who receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive the reward of a Prophet; how, I ask, did he not merit the reward of a Martyr, who received so many thousands of bodies of Martyrs with such great honor, Matt. 10:41 that in their magnificent burial, I mean the laborious structure of the monastery, he expended infinite and immense sums, so that through the devoted labor bestowed on the holy Martyrs, he not undeservedly ascended also to the degree of their sanctity: and thus in praise of his most holy soul (derogating nothing in this from your most pious soul, Confessor of Christ, Martin) we can not unfittingly sing: O most holy soul, whom although the sword of the persecutor did not take away, yet it did not lose the palm of martyrdom. Nor is it less magnificent or less to be ascribed to the perpetual happiness of this Saint, that in the inscription of that leaden sheet it is most clearly noted that he brought back the body of his predecessor Paulinus by the resources of the whole kingdom. For from this it is undoubtedly shown how great was the esteem of the whole kingdom in which this man was then held, at whose counsel, or rather command, the fatigue of so long a pilgrimage was borne by all with equanimity. And how effective and happy the labor of this journey was, is proved by the treasure of St. Paulinus's body, more precious than any pearl, honorably suspended in the midst of the holy Martyrs by Blessed Felix with iron chains, as the inscription testifies.

CHAPTER III.

Miracles: death, burial.

[8] And these signs of his sanctity alone would suffice, if no others were available to increase the measure of happiness and sanctity for this truly Felix Bishop. Of which indeed innumerable ones, Among the miracles whose history perished. which were once committed to written monuments, but afterwards perished by fire in the repeated devastation of the city, as aforesaid, together with the city itself, we thought it fitting to insert one particular example found in a copy of a book of the Comes. At a certain time, while he was going around his parishes preaching the word of life, and, as was fitting, confirming his words by the working of signs, among other things, which, as is read in the Acts of the Apostles, he worked many signs and wonders among the people, Acts 4:30 it happened that while he approached the estate of a certain noble and powerful man, the wife of the same man, with the increasing severity of a long illness, was approaching the end of life. Meanwhile the man, learning of the arrival of this holy Bishop from those who reported it, he heals a dying woman with blessed water: immediately conceiving hope of recovering his wife's health, gave many thanks to God for his arrival: and hospitably invited the Saint, whom he himself greatly loved, he officiously ministered to him. And when, having washed his hands and kissed the feet of the Bishop, he had tearfully described to the pious Father the desperate and nearly dying condition of his wife; the holy Felix, as he was most prompt for all works of piety, immediately blessed water: which when she had barely tasted it, poured with difficulty into her scarcely opened mouth, with all the strength she had lost now restored, she arose healed: and blessed God, who had destined such guests for her salvation: and to whom, following the example of the mother-in-law of Peter healed by the Lord, she herself, now healed, humbly ministered.

[9] This man therefore, after the twelfth year of his Episcopate, wearied with disgust for secular affairs, having laid down the Episcopal burden and taught by prophetic spirit of the approaching end of his life, entirely renounced the Pontifical administration; and with his body languid from a continual infirmity, he lives as a solitary: but with his spirit stronger from frequent conversation with Angels, he remained solitary

within the aforesaid church of the Blessed Virgin Mary until the end of his life. At the very moment of his passing, he summoned to himself according to custom both the Clergy and whatever faithful he had taught, and confirmed them with these exhortations: Do not deceive those subject to you, he said, but instruct them as sons with the word of God. Do not worship mute idols either, on his deathbed he exhorts his people: deceived by diabolical error, which can bring upon you damnation rather than salvation. But believe in God, the maker of heaven and earth and of all creatures, and in Jesus Christ his Son, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, assumed human nature, and after many proofs of his divinity, for our sins, himself without sin, underwent death. Scarcely was this sermon completed, when by the effect of divine mercy the minds of all were so moved to compunction that, as if from one speech, all said that they ought rather to give themselves to such a God, who inhabits the heavens rather than stones or man-made images.

[10] The most blessed Pontiff, when he now recognized that the talent entrusted to him by the Lord had been sufficiently increased in his disciples, stretching out his hands to God, said: Invited by a heavenly voice I give you thanks, O God, who have instilled such constancy of faith in your people; now also receive my spirit in peace. And behold, with all hearing, this voice sounded from heaven: Come, Felix, you have acted happily: enter into the joy and the promises of your Lord. You have finished the course well, you have kept the faith. Receive therefore now the fruit of your labor, because to the one who conquers I will give the palm, and to those who for my name abandon the world, an eternal inheritance. When these things were spoken from heaven in the hearing of men, in the form of a golden dove he flies to heaven: the holy Confessor gently reclined his head and the eyes of his mind from the people: then in the sight of all, something like a golden dove was seen to go forth from his mouth and penetrate heaven itself. The people, amazed at the wonder of so great an event, and persevering in deep mourning at the funeral of their Shepherd, were given this divine consolation: He is given as Patron to the people of Trier. Do not fail, dearest ones, take courage and act manfully, because the Lord has heard your cry. Know that your Shepherd, whom you cherished while he dwelt on earth with the utmost embrace of love, will be before me a perpetual intercessor for your offenses and transgressions.

[11] Strengthened finally by these promises of God, the whole assembly of the faithful at once, with a very great attendance of Priests and Clergy of every Order, He is buried and becomes renowned for miracles. buried the sacred body with due honor in the basilica which we said was built in honor of the holy Mother of God. He was deposited on the 7th before the Kalends of April, on the right side, that is, of the same church, where his inexplicable merits shine forth with no small evidence of miracles. For no one will be able to measure his benefits by worthy estimation, except He who is conscious of all secrets, who always operates in this fatherly indulgence, that upon us even this itself, by which we believe the blood of our God was redeemed, is conferred by Him who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.