ON SAINT ILLUMINATUS
OF SEPTEMPEDA IN PICENUM.
CommentaryIlluminatus, of Septempeda in Picenum (S.)
G. H.
The tables of the Roman Martyrology conclude this day XI of May with these words: In Picenum among the Septempedani S. Illuminatus Confessor: The sacred cult, where Baronius annotates, that his sacred body religiously is kept, and venerated among the people of San-Severino, who once Septempedani were called, in the monastery of S. Marianus. Which thence describes Philip Cluverius in book 2 of ancient Italy chapter 11, and confirms the ancient Septempeda now to be called San-Severino, which was built from the ruins of Septempeda, which the Goths or Lombards are said to have overturned. The said moreover monastery of S. Marianus, The body in the altar, which once pertained to the Benedictine monks, now is called the monastery of S. Catharine, and serves nuns also of the Order of S. Benedict, where the said body of S. Illuminatus under the high altar still entire is kept religiously in a wooden ark, partly gilded partly with various colors adorned; his cloak very often to be carried to the sick, at whose contact many are put to flight infirmities and his feast there solemnly to be venerated on the V of the Ides of May; hands down Luke Wadding in the Additions to the first volume of the Minorite Annals no. 3. But John Baptist Cancellottus, a man of San-Severino himself, in book 4 of the Life of S. Severinus Bishop of Septempeda chapter 11, treats of S. Illuminatus, and asserts in the body of S. Illuminatus to be esteemed a thing of a miracle and mystery worthy, that namely above the high altar placed his head he has turned toward the right side, that he might look toward the choir of the nuns, nor could he in any way into another position be transferred: whence they gather a sign of affection, by which his glorious soul from heaven looks at the nuns there dwelling, in that very manner, by which the body although lifeless benignly to them turned its face. These things Cancellottus. For the rest no Life of him is extant, and as certain they affirm him there to have died, so many contend also he was born, but of this nothing certain is known. A tradition some there is that he there served the monks, whether of the Order of S. Benedict? and as a monk Benedictine anciently he is shown to have been painted and this by Cancellottus from MSS. is brought forth an inscription, Illuminatus, of D. Benedict a monk, a man was of celebrated sanctity, and buried in the church of S. Marianus, which was his monastery. Meanwhile, what we marvel at, is not celebrated his memory in the Benedictine fasti.
[2] Philip Ferrarius some of him eulogy wrote, but not without error, while he hands down this S. Illuminatus, another from him a companion of S. Francis. of S. Francis of Assisi a companion and nursling to have been: to whom he now about to die not only the stigmata, to no one yet of mortals revealed, but also other secrets very many revealed. Ferrarius followed Brautius in the Poetic Martyrology. But that this man at Assisi died and was buried is an ancient of the Minorites tradition: and him at the V of May relates in the Franciscan Martyrology Arthur. A similar controversy was moved at Rome in the year MDCXLIII, between the citizens of S. Severino and James Laurus: because he in the History of the city of Interamna wrote S. Illuminatus to have been of Interamna, and of the family de Castellis, and that his body rests in the church of S. Francis of the Conventual Minorites of the said city of S. Severino. But a relation being made besides of the aforesaid history, and maturely discussed, the most Eminent and most Reverend Lords Cardinals decreed the same history to be suspended, until it be corrected. Which more widely by the said Cancellottus are expounded.