ON S. WALDRADA THE ABBESS
AT METZ IN BELGIC GAUL.
ABOUT DCXX.
PrefaceWaldrada the Abbess, at Metz in Belgic Gaul (S.)
G. H.
The Life of S. Waldrada we give from the MS. codex of the Corsendoncan monastery, of the Order of Canons Regular in Brabant, near the town of Turnhout: and we collated it with another MS. of Utrecht of the Cathedral Church sacred to S. Martin, but in this the Life was somewhat contracted. Life from MSS. We prefix the Prologue from the MS. codex of the monastery of Rouge-Cloître, also of Canons Regular near Brussels, where it was contained in the first part of the Brabantine Hagiology, that they once together lived in the kingdom of the Austrasians the people of Metz with the Brabants. Perhaps the author of this Prologue judged that S. Waldrada lived later, as the Author of the MS. Florarium of Saints judged: in which on this fifth day of May these things are read: In France the deposition of S. Waldrada the Virgin and Abbess, Time of the Life not in the 9th but the 7th century. of the kindred of the Carolids, who foreknew her death by divine revelation. She died in the year of salvation DCCCLXII. Thus there, not without various errors: since, not in the ninth century, but about the six-hundredth year she flourished, a whole century before the times of Charles Martel or Charles the Great the Emperor. Some compendium of the Life Meurissius edited, Bishop of Madauros, in the History of the Bishops of the Metz Church, in Pappolus the XXVIII Bishop, testament made in the year 612 where these things are added at the end: She did this in the second year of Theodoric King of the Franks, with a testament by the same King and all his Princes, and the Pontiffs of the Gauls, most well confirmed, and so confirmed by decree, that if any of the heirs or relatives of S. Waldrada, led by cupidity, should attempt to take away things given to God, by legal decree should lose his own, and what he attempted, in no way be able to fulfill. Thus there: which are lacking in the Life and from the testament itself seem to have been added. With King Childebert dead in the year DXCVI his sons began to reign, Theodoric in Burgundy, and Theodebert among the Austrasians. But this one being defeated and killed by his brother in the year DCXII, both kingdoms Theodoric obtained, who in the following year, when the second year among the Austrasians he had inaugurated, at Metz from a flux of the belly died: at which time S. Waldrada could have made the aforesaid testament. Celebrated likewise on this fifth day of May the memory of S. Waldrada the Virgin by Grevenus in the Auctary of Usuard, Canisius in the German Martyrology, memory in calendars Ferrarius in the General Catalog, and Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology: of which these are the words: At Metz the deposition of S. Waldrada, Virgin and Abbess, famous for miracles. Which plainly the same before had written in the Benedictine Martyrology Menardus, and Dorganius and Mabillon agree, also Benedictines. who in the 2nd Benedictine century brings forth some encomium of her. But against them is the Benedictine monk Dervensian, who wrote the miracles of S. Bercharius in the X century, and asserted, that the Rule of the most holy Benedict was still unheard among the men of the Frankish Empire. We do not wish to stir these things: Mabillon in the 2nd century page 847 responds, that the author here foully hallucinates. Let it be so indeed: but since among his ancients he finds those who believed it, let him not wonder that proofs are required, that whoever holy monk lived after S. Benedict, be said to have been Benedictine.
PROLOGUE OF THE LIFE
From the MS. codex of Rouge-Cloître.
Waldrada the Abbess, at Metz in Belgic Gaul (S.)
BHL Number: 8788
Not a little fits our purpose, to attach the life of the most noble Virgin of Christ S. Waldrada the Abbess, on account of the consanguinity or affinity contracted with the Brabantine or Frankish Princes. For she in her days, as a mirror and exemplar of all sanctity, very much shone forth. For poverty with the Apostles leaving all things, as we shall make known under few words, The life of the Saints to be imitated. she most fully embraced. With works of mercy also so clearly she shone, that she herself frequently being needy, ministered to the poor things necessary: on which our inertia is blamed, who do not strive to imitate the virtues of the virtuous. The virtuous deeds the Saints have left to us in memory to be imitated; we however slothful and lazy languish in idleness. Let us be inflamed therefore to fervor, and to amendment let us gird ourselves, and the spiritual contests of Holy Waldrada. As devastating coals, by which we may be heated in the love of God and neighbor, for edification let us turn over.
LIFE
From the MSS. Corsendoncan and Utrecht.
Waldrada the Abbess, at Metz in Belgic Gaul (S.)
BHL Number: 8787
FROM MSS.
[1] In the times of Theodoric and Theodebert Kings of Gaul, B. Waldrada most noble, Noble and holy, as one being connected by affinity to the said, with very great sanctity shone. For with all things sold which she had, and disbursed to the poor, under the vow of perpetual chastity she gave herself over to the service of Christ. Furthermore so holily, chastely, soberly, and piously she lived, that the fame of her virtues ran everywhere. At which time Eleutherius, Duke of the Franks, kinsman of S. Waldrada, built a monastery of nuns within the walls of the Mediomatrici, she becomes Abbess: and endowed it with ample possessions. In which B. Waldrada he set as Abbess over the handmaids of Christ. Who marvelously her subjects by word and example to the love of God continually strove to invite and contended to incite. Insisting moreover on the works of mercy, she never pretermitted, that to coming poor either food or clothing with most liberal heart she gave. Her own estates indeed, which most ample from the succession of her parents she had received, she gives possessions to the monastery: to her monastery, of which in office she presided as Abbess, which in honor of Blessed Peter the Prince of the Apostles had been constructed and dedicated, most munificently and most largely she conferred.
[2] Meanwhile it happened, that the aforesaid Duke Eleutherius, when in the building of the said monastery and large and skillful provision of the handmaids of Christ, grieves at the slaying of Eleutherius founder of her monastery. who there were to serve God, he was expending his patrimony and riches; by his own kinsmen, bearing this very ill (for they complained that it was taken from them, that which by a devout man had been deputed to divine service, because in the said goods to him after his decease they had hoped to succeed) was cruelly killed, and so by his own blood for a virtuous work crowned with laurel he was made a Martyr of Christ. On which matter the most blessed Waldrada exceedingly grieving, indeed who saw such a faithful procurator and necessary provider taken from her by such great expiation. For the rest she placed her whole hope in God, the protector and eternal provider; by whose help and mercy, and by merit and number the Convent of the aforesaid monastery in all prosperity was increased and enlarged.
[3] Time proceeding indeed, when there the handmaids of Christ in every virtue and spiritual exercise had completed the course of the present life; there occurred a marvelous portent unheard from the ages in the same place. For when one of these holy nuns happened to migrate from this light to eternal rest, a certain right hand in the window, which the greatest among the great in the apse of the monastery appeared and was placed in the middle, manifested itself only to the one about to die. and to many Sisters with the indication of an appearing hand promised heaven Which seen, immediately that one about to die took care to prepare for herself the worthy provisions necessary for her, of confessing and communicating: and after these things with the benediction of B. Peter the Apostle sought, with the most holy Waldrada accompanying with the whole congregation of her Sisters, even to the place of burial, even to the monastery of S. Symphorian was led (for indeed the monastery of those Ladies lacked a dedicated cemetery, but at that time was at the named place) and there she went on her own feet: and there a mausoleum being prepared, as if about to sleep she placed herself; and with limbs composed rendered her spirit to God the giver.
[4] Blessed Waldrada indeed, when she had sent ahead very many of the handmaids of Christ in the foresaid manner to eternal life; she also forewarned dies, at length she herself, the Holy Spirit revealing, foreknew her death to be at hand: which also she took care to reveal to her surviving Sisters. And finally, with the hour of her transit coming, after very many insignia of virtues, after innumerable obediences exhibited to God, and benefits afforded to the neighbor, she ascended the heavens to live perpetually. Her body however in the same monastery, of which she had been the first Abbess, and is venerated on May 5. before the altar of B. Agatha the Virgin is buried: whose festivity is recalled on the third Nones of the month of May.