Eustasius

CONCERNING ST. EUSTASIUS, BISHOP OF NAPLES.

IN THE SECOND OR THIRD CENTURY.

Eustasius, Bishop of Naples (Saint)

Decius Carafa, Archbishop of Naples and Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, had printed in the year 1619 a Catalogue of Saints for whom he commands the Divine Office to be celebrated by all Ecclesiastics at Naples and throughout the entire diocese; and at the 29th of March, the following is prescribed: St. Eustasius, Bishop of Naples. ecclesiastical Office Double. All from the Common of a Confessor Bishop, and the Mass is said without the Creed. Then is added for the notice of the said Saint, in a different typeface: John the Deacon in the Chronicle of the Bishops of Naples writes thus of this holy Bishop: Eustasius, the seventh Bishop of Naples, was buried at the altar of the Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, his body translated which is called Cosmedin, with the people devoutly following the procession, and was translated there. His sacred bones were most recently found and redeposited under the same altar of St. Mary Cosmedin, which by another name is called Porta-Nova; and the veneration of this holy Bishop flourishes in that church. So much for that source.

Caesar Engenio Caracciolo, in his Napoli Sacra printed in the year 1533, treating of the church of St. Mary of Porta-Nova, reports on page 50 that these sacred relics of St. Eustasius, Bishop of Naples, are preserved under the high altar in a marble tomb, deposited under the high altar found and recognized at the petition of Giovanni Simone Moccia, who was moved by great devotion toward this St. Eustasius; who for this very reason at his own expense caused to be made a certain silver head, part of the skull in a silver head skillfully wrought and adorned, and to be placed in it a part of his skull, so that he might be venerated and honored with greater reverence by the Neapolitans. So writes Caracciolo. Then Bartholomew Chioccarelli wrote about the Bishops and Archbishops of Naples, and adds that to the marble and ancient urn in which the sacred body of St. Eustasius was deposited, ancient inscription this inscription was affixed: HERE RESTS THE BODY OF ST. EUSTASIUS THE CONFESSOR. Moreover, the Acts have perished through the injury of time, and nothing concerning his life and deeds has come to our notice. Finally, Ferdinando Ughelli in volume 6 of the Italia Sacra, in the year 1659, writes that St. Eustasius succeeded Agrippinus as the seventh Bishop of Naples, around the year of Christ 180, and adorned this church with outstanding virtues; and that the sacred bones of Blessed Eustasius were found by the Clerics Regular of St. Paul, whom they call Barnabites, in the place where they had once been deposited, in the year of the Lord 1616, on the sixteenth day before the Kalends of December. But the solemn office is celebrated principally on the 29th of March, and since on account of the antiquity of the time and the dearth of writers the day of his birth is unknown, therefore on this day, veneration on 29 March on which also the birthday of St. Eustasius, Abbot of Luxeuil, is celebrated, it has been fittingly assigned here on that account of the coincidence of the name. Which Ughelli then proves by various examples, and it is everywhere evident from this work of ours: thus on the 15th of March three Saints called Matrona are presented. The successors of St. Eustasius are established as St. Euphebius and St. Marcianus, of whom the former is venerated on the 23rd of March and the latter on the 30th of October. After these succeeded Zosimus or Cosmus, who flourished under the Emperor Constantine the Great. the time of his See We have indicated these things especially so that the reader may see that nothing certain is established about the years during which St. Eustasius presided over the Church of Naples.

CONCERNING ST. EUSTASIUS, ABBOT OF LUXEUIL, OF THE ORDER OF ST. COLUMBAN.

IN THE YEAR 625.

Preliminary Commentary.

Eustasius, Abbot of Luxeuil of the Order of St. Columban (Saint)

[1] Luxeuil, the archmonastery of the Columbanian Order, on the Vosges mountain at the border of the Sequani and the Leuci, or, as we say today, in the County of Burgundy near present-day Lorraine, was begun to be built in the year 580 by St. Columban, Patriarch of the Order; who, departing thence in the year 612 toward Italy, had as his next successor Abbots St. Eustasius, of whom we treat on this day, and St. Wandelbert, who was appointed to succeed him when he died in the year 625, and presided for forty years, dying on the 2nd of May in the year 665. Luxeuil cultivated by SS. Columban, Eustasius, and others But St. Columban, having built the monastery of Bobbio in Italy, departed to a better and eternal life on the 21st of November in the year 614; he was succeeded by St. Attala, whose Life we gave on the 10th of March, then St. Bertulphus, to whom the 19th of August is sacred; afterwards Bobolenus and perhaps Jonas, the writer of the Lives, as will presently be said, of various Saints. Under these Abbots very many monasteries of this Order were established throughout Gaul, Germany, Belgium, and Italy. For, as is read in the Life of St. Frodebert the Abbot on the 8th of January, "at that time the aforementioned monastery of Luxeuil was almost unique in the regions of Gaul, both in the summit of religious life and also in the perfection of learning. For which reason very many, in whom there was a fervor for advancing in either direction, flocked there from every quarter with competing zeal, and afterwards departing thence, according to the Rule of St. Columban, they erected illustrious monasteries in various regions." and various monasteries erected after its example Certainly the monastery of Lure in the County of Burgundy had St. Deicola as its founder. The Swabians and Swiss also, cultivated by St. Gall, still boast of having his renowned monastery. Both were disciples of St. Columban, trained under him at Luxeuil together with St. Eustasius. We gave the Life of St. Deicola on the 18th of January; St. Gall is to be treated on the 16th of October. At the time when St. Eustasius presided as Abbot over Luxeuil, very many monasteries of the same Order were built, the principal of which are described in the Acts below and in the appended Notes. There were then illustrious disciples of St. Wandelbert, holy men and founders of various monasteries: among these flourished the above-named St. Frodebert among the people of Troyes in Champagne, St. Theofrid among the Corbeienses in Picardy, St. Germanus among the Rauraci in the territory of Basel, to whom the Abbey of Grand-Val, commonly called Muensterthal, owes its origin. We gave the Acts of these Saints: Frodebert on the 8th of January, Theofrid on the 26th of the same month, and St. Germanus on the 21st of February. We shall treat of many others throughout this work. The Rule of St. Columban, from the collection made by St. Benedict, Abbot of Aniane, in the time of the Emperor Louis the Pious, was published by Lucas Holstenius, from which several passages are cited below in the Life.

[2] The Acts of SS. Columban, Eustasius, Attala, and Bertulphus, Abbots, and of St. Burgundofara, about whom more is said below in the Acts, the Rule prescribed for them were written by Jonas, who lived as a monk at Bobbio under Attala, Bertulphus, and Bobolenus, and perhaps succeeded the last (because he is called Abbot); by nation not Irish but Italian, born at Segusium, commonly called Susa, at the foot of the Alps and Mount Cenis -- as is accurately proved in each detail on the 10th of March in the Life of St. Attala, and confirmed below in these Acts. That these have been wrongly attributed to St. Bede and inserted among his works was shown at the same Life of St. Attala. Surius found other texts in handwritten codices, which he published with the style altered in most places; and we give the original phrasing from the manuscripts of St. Bertin and of St. Maximin at Trier, which we also have from the manuscript of St. Savior at Utrecht, but abridged in many places. These Acts are bipartite, of which the preface or first part was collected two hundred or more years after the time of Jonas, not without various errors, or certainly drawn from the Life of St. Columban, as is clearly established from the appended Notes. The other part, or the Life proper, divided by us into three chapters, was written by Jonas himself after the Lives of SS. Columban and Attala. The editor of the last edition of Surius retained the first part that Surius himself had previously published, but in place of the Life written by Jonas, published that which was found in Bede, but which had also been long since deformed into another style. We judged this should be indicated to the reader.

[3] The body of St. Eustasius is preserved at Vergaville in Lorraine, in an Abbey of nuns of the Order of St. Benedict in the diocese of Metz, his body at Vergaville near the town of Dieuze, famous for its salt springs. There is a great concourse of visitors to the relics of St. Eustasius, because the power of this Saint shines forth in expelling demons from the bodies of the possessed and in healing the demented; and his solemn veneration, as the principal Patron, is observed there with devout worship.

[4] The name of St. Eustasius the Abbot is inscribed in various ancient manuscript Martyrologies, some of which add that he was a disciple of St. Columban. Ado, Bishop of Vienne, honors him with this eulogy and in the first place: sacred veneration "The deposition of St. Eustasius the Abbot, disciple of St. Columban, who was Father of nearly six hundred monks, and conspicuous for the holiness of his life, was also illustrious for miracles." The same is read in the printed Bede and in various manuscripts under the name of Bede, although in the genuine Bede no mention of him is made, as neither in the Usuard manuscript of St. Germain-des-Pres. Meanwhile in other, and those the most ancient, codices of Usuard, the same is found, and the same is read in the Usuard published by Grevenus, Molanus, and others. In some codices, instead of six hundred, he is called Father of two hundred monks. Both are cited under doubt in the manuscript Florarium. Notker agrees with Ado, adding the name of Burgundy, as elsewhere the name of the monastery of Luxeuil, for which Bellinus in both editions erroneously has "of the monastery of Lyon," and Peter of Natali, book 4, chapter 11, "of the monastery of Limacie." Galesinnius has the earlier version, but with slightly altered phrasing and more briefly. Maurolycus, Felicius, and Canisius add a few other things from the Acts. The words of Ado are repeated in today's Roman Martyrology. Longer encomia are given by Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology, Matthaeus Rader in volume 2 of Bavaria Sancta, Miraeus in the Belgian and Burgundian Fasti, and Vincent of Beauvais in book 23 of the Speculum Historiale, chapter 20.

[5] Because the monastery of Luxeuil, as the Sainte-Marthe brothers observe, also among the Benedictines having abandoned the Rule of St. Columban some centuries after its foundation, was transferred to the Order of St. Benedict, the Benedictines everywhere number St. Eustasius among their own, following Trithemius in book 3 of Illustrious Men of the Order of St. Benedict, chapter 70. They have also inscribed him in their monastic Martyrologies for this day: Wion, Menard, Dorganius, Bucelinus; and at the 11th of October the author of the Calendar of Saints of the Order of St. Benedict, following Peter of Natali, who again, thinking him a different person, asserts in book 9, chapter 2, that he died on the 5th of the Ides of October. Dempster in the Scottish Martyrology for this day has this: "At Luxeuil, Eustasius the Abbot, who followed St. Columban from Scotland and rested with a blessed end in Burgundy." But that St. Eustasius was a Burgundian will presently be established from the Acts. We conclude this Commentary with this distich of Wandelbert:

"Eustasius shines on the fourth with the praise of virtue, An Abbot who rightly excelled under Columban as Master."

PREFACE TO THE LIFE

By an Anonymous Author, from Manuscripts.

Eustasius, Abbot of Luxeuil of the Order of St. Columban (Saint)

BHL Number: 2774

BY JONAS THE CONTEMPORARY

[1] About to write the life of St. Eustasius, Abbot of the monastery of Luxeuil, I invoke the Holy Spirit who dwells in him, that he who bestowed virtues upon him may grant me the speech to narrate them, so that the deeds may be matched by the words. Under the Emperors Maurice and Phocas, at which time Honorius, the seventy-second Pontiff, was renowned as head of the Roman Church, and Clotaire, son of Chilperic, was vigorously governing the Franks -- at that same time there were most devout men, disciples of the nourishing Father Columban, a disciple of St. Columban Attala and Eustasius, of whom the first became successors of his monasteries of Bobbio and the second of Luxeuil, and who transmitted the institutions of their master to be observed by their pupils. At the beginning of our narrative let us take Eustasius as the example of all good things, upon whom it suffices to direct our pious and

devout minds to the summit of virtues dedicated to God, he succeeds as Abbot of Luxeuil and to rouse them to the heights of perfection. When therefore the venerable Columban had left Luxeuil in the twentieth year after his settlement in the wilderness, the venerable Father Eustasius was appointed in the aforesaid monastery in his place. After his master, this man's virtues shone brightly. He was of the Burgundian race, a Burgundian by origin noble in birth, but nobler in holiness, following in the footsteps of his Master. At his fame the people began to flock together from every quarter and to dedicate themselves to the cultivation of religion, so that having assembled no small congregation of monks, he was seen to live there in the praises of God with nearly six hundred monks, adorned with virtues moved by one spirit of the Rule, by heavenly inspiration, rendering devoted service to the praise of Almighty God. The venerable Father himself was a man of great abstinence and many vigils, whose body was wasted by daily fasting, and great was his assiduity of prayer day and night. He also had the solicitude of all the churches, and great assiduity and constancy in interceding. He was also most vigorous in fulfilling divine obligations, and solicitous for pilgrims and the poor; moderate toward the erring for he rejoiced with those who rejoiced and wept with those who wept. Indeed, whenever anyone confessed his failings to him for the purpose of receiving penance, he wept in such a way as to compel the other also to weep. The causes of the sins that they confessed to him he spoke of to no one except to the Lord alone, before whom he interceded, leaving a good example to later Priests: that they should be intercessors before God rather than accusers before men. For also, according to the Apostle, charity should be confirmed toward such a person, because he is his own accuser and does not wait for an accuser but anticipates him, so that by confessing he may wash away his offense. 2 Corinthians 2 Let him also humble his soul, as the holy David, who, after hearing from the Prophet "Your sin is forgiven," became more humble in the amendment of his sin, so that he ate ashes as bread and mingled his drink with weeping. 2 Kings 12 The aforesaid man, therefore, was temperate in all things and outstanding in discernment; love overflowed, and reverence in his subjects; his teaching was fragrant to his disciples; all passing things were beneath his mind. No one in his presence was either held by sorrow or exalted by excessive joy. He did not decline the labor of copying books with his own hand, unless his body was detained by some infirmity. His customary exhortation or preaching to his fellow disciples was he exhorts his own to virtue that they should remember the Holy Fathers, who by the mortification of the flesh and the contempt of the present life obtained the kingdoms of heaven. "Wherefore, my Brothers," he said, "you have begun an excellent contest; be more and more diligent, that by good works you may make your calling and election sure. The principal work of monks is to offer pure prayer to God, having nothing reprehensible in conscience, as the Lord said in the Gospel: 'When you stand to pray, forgive your Brothers if you have anything against them from your hearts; for unless you forgive your brothers, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive you.' Matthew 11" Meanwhile the aforesaid Clotaire, seeing that the effect of the man of God Columban's prophecy had been fulfilled in himself, he is sent by King Clotaire to St. Columban commands the venerable Eustasius, who governed the monastery of Luxeuil in his place, to come to him; and with pious address he asks him to undertake an embassy with a public retinue, and to have as companions whatever noble men he wished, who would be guarantors of his pledge, and to proceed after Blessed Columban, and wherever they should find him, to exhort him with elegant persuasion to come to him. So the venerable disciple set out, following in the footsteps of his Master. When he came to him, he conveyed the words of Clotaire. Blessed Columban, seeing Eustasius, rejoiced and congratulated him on the access of the received gift. Having kept him with himself for a while, he exhorted him to remember his labor, to train the company of Brothers with the reins of discipline, and to unite the people of Christ with the fellowship of many, and to educate them in his institutions. He then ordered him, dismissed, to return to Clotaire, and commanded him to soothe the royal ears with such answers: that he should by no means consider it fitting to retrace his steps; only let him ask that the King foster his companions who dwelt at Luxeuil with royal assistance and protection. He sent letters full of admonitory words to the King, which most welcome gift the King joyfully received as a pledge of the man of God's covenant. Nor did he set the fault of forgetfulness above his petition; he strove to fortify the aforesaid monastery with every protection, enriched it with annual revenues, extended its boundaries on every side as was the will of the venerable Eustasius, and with every effort devoted himself to the assistance of those dwelling there, out of love for the man of God.

LIFE.

By Jonas the Contemporary, from Manuscripts.

Eustasius, Abbot of Luxeuil of the Order of St. Columban (Saint)

BHL Number: 2773

BY JONAS

CHAPTER I

SS. Burgundofara, Salaberga, and Agilius Healed. The Gospel Preached to Various Peoples.

[1] Therefore the venerable Eustasius, having returned, as we said above, from Blessed Columban in Italy, St. Eustasius visits Chagnericus received with paternal affection and equal right the companies of monks subject to him. It happened that he set out to King Clotaire for a common necessity, who at that time was dwelling in the farthest borders of Gaul, near the Ocean sea. The open road of the journey was through the forest and district of Brie; and they came to a certain estate of Chagnericus, to which name the Master had long since changed the designation of the estate, since before it was called the estate of Pipinusus, distant about two miles from the city of Meaux. There at that time Chagnericus was dwelling with his wife, named Leodegunda, a Christian woman of sound mind. He had with him his son Chagnald, whom we mentioned above. and dedicates his daughter St. Burgundofara to God Seeing Eustasius, Chagnericus received him with wondrous joy; and together with the father and mother was their daughter Burgundofara, whom, as we said above, Blessed Columban had consecrated to the Lord. Her father, having now betrothed her, she was struck with pain of the eyes blind and sick because she had been betrothed against her will and inflamed with the fire of fevers, so that she was scarcely believed likely to recover from them. Seeing her placed in her final gasps, Eustasius rebuked the father, saying that it was his own fault that she was tormented by such punishments, since he wished to violate the prohibition of the man of God. But he, dissembling, said: "Would that she might be restored to health and to the divine services," saying that he should not stand in the way of such vows.

[2] Approaching therefore the bed of the girl, he inquired whether it was of her own choosing that, contrary to the prohibition of Blessed Columban, she should exchange heavenly vows again for earthly ones. The girl was present desiring to adhere to God and protested that she had never consented to such vows as to be exchanged for earthly things, but had been ready to obey the proclamation of the blessed man. She said that on the previous night she had seen a man of similar appearance to himself, who restored the light of her eyes, and at the same time heard a voice saying: "Whatever this man tells you, do, and you will be healed." "Therefore, Father," she said, "put into my ears what I must observe, and by your prayers drive away the pain inflicted by the Lord." The venerable man, therefore, prostrate on the ground with tears, besought the Lord to pour in the promised gift. he heals her Rising, he made the sign of the Cross over her eyes, and touching her eyes with his hand he implored the Lord's help to be present. Immediately the help of the Lord followed: the light was restored, the fire of the fevers was put to flight; and having restored her to health, he commended her to her mother, until, returning from King Clotaire whither he had undertaken the journey, he might clothe her in the religious habit.

[3] But when the father saw his daughter restored to health, when she is to be married again, she escapes by flight he resolved to hand her over to the betrothed according to the former promise, inflicting upon her the blind pit of forgetfulness. Learning of this, the girl sought the counsel of one companion with whom she might take flight. When she had given her assent, seizing a fortunate flight in secret, the fugitives arrived at the basilica of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles. Learning of this, the furious father sent messengers after them and ordered his servants to seize his daughter and cruelly kill her. The servants arrived and found the girl received in the embrace of the church, and having waited a little while for the father's anger to subside, they threatened the girl with danger of death. ready to die, he liberates her and has her clothed in the monastic habit But she said: "If you think I fear death, prove it on this pavement of the church. For such a cause I joyfully receive death for him who did not disdain to die for me." Without delay Eustasius returned, freed the girl from custody, rebuked the father terribly, clothed her in the religious habit through the Bishop of that city, named Gimdaaldus, and imbued the consecrated woman with salutary counsels. He built a monastery of virgins of Christ on her father's land between the rivers Marne and Aube, and appointed brothers to have charge of the building, namely the girl's brother Chagnald and Waldebert. But what was done by her afterwards, if life permits, we shall endeavor to pursue.

[4] The venerable man Eustasius therefore returned to Luxeuil and prepared to fulfill the command of his Master: that the peoples who were nearby should be nourished with the food of faith. Setting forth, therefore, he preached to the Warasci. Some of these were devoted to the worship of idolatry; others were stained with the error of Photinus or Bonosus. he proclaims Christ to the Warasci and the Bavarians Converting these to the faith, he directed his course to the Boii, who are now called the Bavarians, and having instructed them with much labor and corrected them with the pattern of the faith, he converted very many of them to the faith. When he had stayed there for some time, he left behind sagacious men to serve with zeal in the work he had begun, while he himself hastened to return to Luxeuil.

[5] When therefore he took up his journey, he came to a certain man named Gundeon, who at that time was dwelling at an estate called Mosa on account of the river flowing through the place. When this man saw Eustasius, he joyfully received him into his house as a most welcome gift. he illumines the blind St. Salaberga with sacred oil Eustasius, therefore entering the house, first gave a blessing and asked him to present whatever children he had. The man obediently presented two children of good character. "You have yet another offspring," said St. Eustasius. The man confessed that besides one daughter deprived of her sight, named Salaberga, he had no more. When he saw her, he inquired whether with youthful spirit she aspired to the worship of divine fear. She, addressed as a tender and timid young person, said that she was ready to obey the sacred precepts. He therefore gave her instruction, to weaken her body with fasting for two days and to arm her mind with faith; then she is dedicated to Christ and then he poured the oil of blessing over her eyes, and at length the blindness merited, through the intercession of St. Eustasius, to receive light. Divine mercy therefore restored through the intercession of his servant the losses of light, so that she who had received the light might, after the divine gifts, aspire more abundantly to the worship of the fear of God. She indeed still lives and, devoted to divine services, provides not only for her own benefit but also for the advantage of others.

[6] When he had proceeded from there to complete the journey he had begun, he frees Agilus from fever a vehement fire of fevers seized a certain Brother named Agilus, who is now the head of the monastery of Rebais. Eustasius touched him and healed him through the intercession of prayer, and restored him to his former sound health.

[7] Then he arrived at the aforesaid monastery, and there he strove to rouse both the people within and the neighboring populations to Christian vigor, he instructs both outsiders and monks and drew many of them to the remedies of penance. For it was his endeavor to instruct many by his eloquence. For many of them afterwards became heads of churches, many of these later became Bishops whose names are these: Chagnoald, Bishop of Laon; Acharius, Bishop of Vermand, Noyon, and Tournai; Rachanarius, Bishop of Autun and Basel; Audomar was Bishop of Boulogne in the district of Therouanne.

p. In the same Life these things are narrated, and he is called Gundoinus, a most illustrious man, rich in resources and wealth, and renowned according to worldly dignity, from the royal court; Gundoinus who at that time was dwelling at the estate called Mosa on account of the river flowing there. Is this already Mouzon? We treated of this in the Life of St. Victor the Martyr on the 9th of February.

r. Salaberga, also called Saldaberga in the manuscripts, is venerated on the 20th of September; the removal of her blindness is also found in her Life.

s. St. Agilus, or Agilius, is venerated on the 30th of August, St. Agilus the first Abbot of Rebais in the forest of Brie on the Marne river, in whose manuscript Life these things are described at length. His successor was St. Philibert, later the first Abbot of Jumieges; he is venerated on the 20th of August.

t. Lugdunum-Clavatum is called by the common name Laudunum Laon. The above-mentioned Chagnoald was present at the Council of Reims indicated above. In Surius there is only Lugdunum, whence he was erroneously believed to be Archbishop of Lyon. Laon He is venerated on the 6th of September.

u. St. Aicharius is inscribed in the sacred calendars at the 27th of November. Because the See was transferred from Vermand to Noyon, St. Aicharius and the Church of Tournai was long united to it, hence a triple See is attributed to him.

x. Rachanarius is believed to have moved from Autun to Basel.

y. St. Audomar is venerated on the 9th of September.

CHAPTER II.

Calumnies Imposed upon the Order by the Impostor Agrestinus, Refuted by St. Eustasius.

[8] And when he was now held grateful by all, so that no one who had been imbued with his teachings lamented that he had lost Blessed Columban -- pleasing to all especially since they perceived that the Master's institutions remained in the disciple -- and when he was honored by men and supported by the esteem of all the nobles of the Franks, according to its custom the envious serpent blazed forth against the fame of the Saints, and raised from the bosom of its mother a new Cain, an enemy of the brothers, who would wish to destroy him with jealousy, or even a new traitor, who would rend the words of the Master and, by dashing solid things against the fragile ears of the crowds, would accommodate a fragile mind. For it stirred up one of the subjects, he suffers the calumnies of Agrestinus named Agrestinus, who had formerly been a Notary of King Theoderic, and who, touched by a certain compunction of heart, having left all he possessed and coming to Luxeuil, had surrendered himself and all his possessions to the aforesaid Father. To recount all he had done -- whether under the appearance of religion in the monastery -- after his change of life, this man, formerly a notary of the King, became a monk he asked to be permitted to be a preacher to the nations. The holy man, rebuking him at length, told him he ought not to consider himself fit for such a task, being still a novice in the religious life; and said that the one deemed worthy of such a task should be adorned with all ecclesiastical ornaments. to become a preacher to the nations For Jeremiah, sent forth by the Lord's election, denies himself worthy, saying: "Ah, ah, ah, Lord God, behold I am a boy and I know not how to speak." Jeremiah 1 Moses, chosen by the Lord, testifies that he is slow of speech. Exodus 3 When these words availed nothing, he whom he could not retain he allowed to go. When, directing his course toward the Bavarians, he arrived there, he stayed a little while and, producing no fruit, like a tall plane tree, he departs for Bavaria he shook the chattering leaves of words upon trembling ears, while knowing nothing of an abundance of fruits.

[9] Then he passed on to Aquileia. For the people of Aquileia were breaking away from communion with the Apostolic See (of which the Lord says in the Gospel to Blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles: "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it") at Aquileia on account of the dissension over the Three Chapters, from which the growth of discord flowed on at great length -- which is not to be inserted in the present work. Matthew 16 he adheres to the schismatics And so, coming to Aquileia, he immediately became an associate of the schism, separated and divided from communion with the Roman See, condemning the communion of the entire world with whoever was joined to the Roman See, and teaching that the orthodox faith was retained in Aquileia alone. he attempts to pervert St. Attala by letter Imbued with this schism, he sent a venomous letter full of reproaches to Blessed Attala through Aureus, the Notary of Adalwald, King of the Lombards. Blessed Attala, having read through this letter and considered it ridiculous, handed it to me to be kept; I kept it hidden for many years, and afterwards lost it through my own negligence. No other person whatsoever had written it, but he himself in his own style. and St. Eustasius in conversation Having thus sent such a letter to Blessed Attala, he himself hastened to Luxeuil and tried to tempt Eustasius with the stings of schism, to see if he could corrupt a sound mind with his own madness. When the venerable man learned of this, he admonished the erring one at length with paternal addresses; but when he could not cure with salutary admonitions a mind corrupted by the plague, nor with a wholesome antidote, he separated him from his own fellowship and that of his monks.

[10] Therefore, rejected by Eustasius, he plunges himself here and there, he attacks the Rule of St. Columban to make some supporters of his flattery. But when his ignorance could accomplish nothing, he attacked the religious order of Blessed Columban, snarling with envious teeth against his Rule, and like a venomous sow grunting, through those he could who were similar to him in equality, he stirred up murmuring, with the agreement of Abbelinus, Bishop of the city of Geneva, who was closely related to him by blood. This man therefore was seen to join neighboring Bishops to himself on every side and to draw them with all zeal to the aid of Agrestinus, so that they might try King Clotaire to see whether he would be a supporter of their party. But the King, knowing and

and having by experience the known holiness of Blessed Columban and the teaching of his disciples, and the teaching of St. Eustasius he strove to refute with his responses those grunting against the holy teaching. And when nothing had been accomplished, he decreed that it should be tested by a synodal examination, not doubting the authority and teaching of Blessed Eustasius -- that with the Holy Spirit assisting, he would overcome all opponents of the holy Rule with prudence and facility. With the royal authority therefore issuing forth, many Bishops of Burgundy assembled in the suburb of the city of Macon. discussed at the Synod of Macon Among them the greatest heretic sat, who had most urgently pressed for that Synod to be held -- Warnacharius, who was an adversary of Eustasius. But the prayer of Eustasius prevailed, so that the one who wished to be the author and supporter of the wretched contention, struck down by the Lord through him, had the strength of all broken. On the predicted and appointed day, therefore, when the controversy was to arise against Eustasius, that very man, overtaken by death, perished. When therefore the forces of the Agrestinian party were broken in him, all were in turmoil and asked Agrestinus what he objected to the Rule of Blessed Columban or the venerable Eustasius. But he, with trembling lips, he raises futile objections having nothing of authority or polished eloquence, said that certain superfluous things, contrary to canonical institution, were held in their practices. And when they pressed him, he at last brought forth the cause of the charge: that it was a practice of their Rule that the spoon which they licked was frequently signed with the Cross; and that upon entering any house within the monastery, both the one entering and the one leaving sought a blessing. Since he raised nothing worthy of synodal discussions, they said: "Let him show other things, if he has any, to object." But he burst out saying that he knew Columban departed from the custom of others and celebrated the very solemnities of the Mass with a multiplication of prayers and collects, and many other superfluous things which the hearers ought to execrate as if delivered over to heresy.

[11] But when Eustasius heard that he and his monks were branded with the name of heresies along with their Master, he spoke first, saying: rejected by St. Eustasius "You, O ornament of the priesthood, ought to test who have sown disturbances of truth and justice in the churches, and who deliver alien things to truth and religion; for whatever dissents from the rule of the true path ought to be held outside the body of the Church. It is for you to discern whether the objections are alien to the series of the Scriptures." But the other said: "We wish to know from your own mouth what worthy response you give in this matter." But he, on the contrary, said: "I by no means think it is contrary to religion if the spoon which a Christian licks, teaching that it is good to be fortified by the sign of the Cross or whatever vessel or cup, is fortified by the sign of the Cross, since by the advent of the Lord's sign the plague of the opposing enemy is driven away. And that a monk entering or leaving his cell should be armed with the blessing of the Lord I consider fitting, according to the voice of the Psalmist saying: 'The Lord keep you from all evil; may the Lord keep your soul. The Lord keep your coming in and your going out, from this time forth and forevermore.' Psalm 120 Although this is referred to each and every Christian, that the grace of baptism entering the Church through faith may be preserved, and that one may be saved unto the end by the vigor of perseverance; yet concerning daily movement, whether going in or out or forth, I hold it proper and that prayers should be multiplied that each Christian should be armed with the sign of the Cross and strengthened by the blessing of his companions. The multiplication of prayers in the sacred Offices I believe to benefit all Churches. For the more the Lord is sought, the more he is found; and the more abundantly prayer knocks, the more abundantly he bestows mercy. For we ought to labor at nothing more than to devote ourselves to prayer. For thus we are exhorted by the Lord among the number of the Apostles: 'Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation.' Matthew 26 Thus also the Apostle asks us to pray without ceasing; thus the authority of all the sacred Scriptures commands us to cry out, so that he who neglects it may be neglected and cast off, cut from the members of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5 For nothing is so useful and salutary as to assail the Creator with a multiplication of petitions and the assiduity of prayers."

[12] Confounded by these and similar responses, Agrestinus the calumniator brought forth the charge of garrulity, narrating that the hair of the head was cut differently, a different character was imprinted, and their practices dissented from the custom of all. provoked to the judgment of God on account of a new calumny To the one procrastinating and reckoning trifling and frivolous matters, Eustasius, shrewd and covered as he was with the virtue of patience, answered: "In the presence of these Priests, I, his disciple and successor -- whose discipline and institutions you condemn -- invite you to divine judgment with him within the circuit of the present year, so that by the examination of the just Judge you may feel whose servant you are striving to stain with your detractions." With these words he struck the minds of some who were supporters of the Agrestinian party, and all exhorted them to join their hearts with the bond of peace, and that the one should remove the audacity of his presumptuous rashness, and the other should cherish the falling one with paternal affection and pious corrections. To which Eustasius said: "I would willingly satisfy your prayers if that wretched mind would soften the hardness of its folly, and having corrected the diseases with a cautery, or cast out the intestines with an antidote, he seeks peace falsely would strive, returning, to come back to salutary things." With all therefore compelling, Agrestinus sought a feigned peace, which he afterwards demonstrated by his actions. Eustasius, of gentle mind, whose mind was conscious of virtues, was moved by the persuasion of those asking and granted peace and extended to him the kiss of peace. Nevertheless Agrestinus restrained his manifest madness out of fear of shame, but did not thus entirely withdraw from evil.

CHAPTER III.

Other Wicked Deeds of Agrestinus. Vengeance Inflicted on Him and His Adherents. Monasteries Built. Death of St. Eustasius.

[13] He then began to tamper with monasteries and, under the guise of a disciple, to fix the price of betrayal. For coming to a certain venerable man, Romaricus, Agrestinus draws SS. Romaricus and Amatus away from the Rule of St. Columban who had been held in the highest nobility under Theudebert, and afterwards, admonished by the example of Columban and by the preaching of Eustasius, had come to Luxeuil and submitted himself to the monastic institution -- who, having long led his life under the regular observance, afterwards with the consent of Eustasius, had established a monastery of maidens on his own property and had prescribed the Rule of Columban to be observed. And when he now flourished with great religious devotion, Agrestinus went to him and pretended to be submissive and obedient, and at the same time tried to corrupt with soft insinuations Amatus, whom Eustasius had placed there to instill the Rule. For at that time both Amatus and Romaricus had been rebuked by Eustasius for certain negligences. When he perceived them wounded, he provoked them, so that he might more easily join their exasperated minds to his assertions, to receive poisoned words in their sound minds and to propagate his own madness in contempt of the Rule of Columban. O grief! That destructive vessel, furnished with lethal poison, stained sound minds with diabolical insanity. They, having cast off their former institutions, attempted to instruct the people with crude doctrines. And though the serpent had been drawn out, according to Job, by the midwifing divine hand, they did not shrink from leading it back again with the zeal of envy. Job 26:15

[14] Then he directed his journey to Burgundofara, to stain her with his provocations if he could. he is repelled by St. Burgundofara But the Virgin of Christ confounded him not in a womanly manner but with the response of a man: "Have you," she said, "you confuter of truth and introducer of novel arguments, come here for this purpose, to pour your poison over sweet honey and to exchange vital nourishment for lethal bitterness? You defame these men, whose virtues I have always recognized, whose wholesome teaching I have received, from whose instruction I have learned that many have penetrated to the heavenly realms? I would have you remember the saying of Isaiah: 'Woe to him who calls evil good and good evil,' Isaiah 5 and let him swiftly not depart from this madness." Confuted therefore by these responses of Christ's handmaid, he returned to Romaricus and Amatus, to draw together the wrinkle of reception he had begun.

[15] Nor was divine vengeance lacking to them, since all now aspired to be supporters in contempt of the former teachings. of those adhering to him For first, wolves, seized by the disease of rabies, breaking into the enclosures through the dead of night, tore two of those who were supporters of this assertion with their bites, two devoured by wolves and having left them in the aforesaid plague, miserably delivered them to death. Another, named Plareeus, who vehemently aspired to this kindling of discord, another hangs himself was seized by the fury of demons and ignobly delivered to death; for with his own hand he hanged himself with a noose. But since this vengeance was by no means the correction of the offenders, a greater one immediately followed: for suddenly a thunderbolt, fallen from heaven, struck the place with such a crash, 20 killed by lightning swept through the church, overturned its coverings, and burned the people, rendering them lifeless -- so that the present chastisement, which in its excessive simplicity, now mixed with craftiness prevailing over sloth, had given assent to the persuasion, might show that they ought to flee the wrath to come. And more than twenty died at that time, and then it gradually showed them, struck with fear, 50 die from terror so that from that vengeance, as they say, more than fifty died -- the author of the crime being reserved for penance, so that if he recognized his fault and returned, he would without doubt receive health. For the Lord desires no one to perish, but always waits for him to return through the remedies of penance, even though overwhelmed by grave offenses. Agrestinus is killed by a servant And since he had not recognized that the opportunity for penance was given to him many times, so that the sentence of Eustasius, summoning him to judgment, might prevail,

thirty days before the year's full circuit was completed, he was struck with an axe by his own slave, whom he himself had redeemed, and perished; and the occasion of the crime was said to be intercourse with his wife. Although many said this and wished to assert it as true, it is not for us to confirm. For God, according to Solomon, brings everything to judgment for every offense, whether good or evil. And the Apostle says: "The fire will prove what sort each one's work is." Ecclesiastes 12; 1 Corinthians 3 It is finally for us to say that this sentence of divine judgment did not delay in striking near him, to show his supporters to flee from the lacerations of the servants of God, and that he should expiate the deeds of his contumacy through deserved vengeance.

[16] The venerable Amatus and Romaricus, however, seeking the forbearance of Eustasius, received it and, with sloth removed, enjoyed it. Amatus and Romaricus are reconciled with St. Eustasius Abbelinus and the other Bishops of Gaul afterwards aspired to strengthen the institutions of Columban. Many of them, already in love with Columban, built monasteries according to his Rule, gathered peoples together, and assembled flocks of Christ. they build monasteries according to the Rule of St. Columban Among them was that illustrious man Eligius, who now presides as Bishop of the Church of Noyon; about whom, because he still lives, I judge it best to keep silent for now, lest I be criticized for the fault of flattery. Near the city of Limoges he built a noble monastery named Solignac, on the river Vienne, four miles distant from the aforesaid city, St. Eligius builds Solignac and many other monasteries in those same places. But he also built in Paris a monastery of maidens, which he had received from a royal gift, and another at Paris in which he placed the Virgin of Christ, Aurea, as superior. In the city of Bourges, Berthoara builds one at Bourges Berthoara, a woman noble in birth and most holy in religion, built a monastery of maidens according to the Rule of Blessed Columban. In the suburbs of the same city of Bourges, the venerable man Theudulf, surnamed Babolenus, built monasteries according to the Rule of Columban, flourishing with all religion: St. Babolenus builds four the first on an island on the river Milinandre, where he gathered a company of religious men; another named Goudiacum, not far from the little river Albet; a third of Virgins of Christ at a place called Charenton, on the aforesaid river Milinandre; and likewise another of Virgins of Christ near the town of Nevers, under the same Rule.

[17] The blessed Eustasius therefore, after these victories, strove to correct the minds of the erring St. Eustasius erects various monasteries, completed by his successor and resolved to unite in his peace those who remained. Then the multitude of monks under his obedience in the oft-mentioned monastery had grown very greatly, so that many monasteries were built throughout the neighborhood, which his successor Waldebertus strengthened and built. Now awaiting his blessed departure from this life, he labored with all his might at contemplating the precepts of mystical proclamations, and raising himself up, he poured forth prayers with his mind intent solely upon God. And when for the circuit of many years his attention was devoted to this work, the time of his calling came, and he was taught by the sentence of the just Judge he falls ill that what the circuit of years, spent in various afflictions, had not sufficiently purged, the bodily infirmity of a few days might heal. And being questioned amid the fires of punishment through a nocturnal vision, whether he wished to be cured by a lighter punishment in the space of forty days, or, purged by a more fervent burning in thirty, to pass to the blessed life and enter heaven, he answered that it was better to undergo brief though harsh scourges than to be consumed for a longer time by lighter punishments. He therefore completed the foreseen and chosen punishment of the body on the thirtieth day, bidding farewell to all, he dies piously and to those who remained sad he proclaimed the promise, announcing that his departure was that same day. And having received the viaticum, he rendered his soul to heaven and his desire to the heavenly ones; but he left to the living a paternal kingdom and an example of religion. And he himself, with his share of victory and heavenly aid, penetrated the realms, with Christ as his Leader: to whom be power and honor forever and ever. Amen.

p. St. Waldebertus is venerated on the 2nd of May.

q. In the Life of St. Salaberga it is said that he departed this life when he had exercised the care of the Brothers of Luxeuil for about three lustra fifteen years.

r. In the year 625; and his successor St. Waldebertus, having presided for 40 years, died in the year 665, on the 2nd of May.