CONCERNING B. GEMMA THE VIRGIN
A RECLUSE NEAR SULMONA IN ITALY.
A.D. 1429.
PrefaceGemma, Virgin of Sulmona, in Italy (B.)
D. P.
Sulmo a city of Samnium by almost all Writers mentioned, Ovid's country, of the Peligni peoples the head, between Aquila and Venafro, thence about 30, hence to 45 miles distant, commonly still Sulmona. Of this Sulmona diocese is Castrum-Gorianum from Aquila 10 miles distant. In this great has veneration B. Gemma the Virgin, so that the temple to St. John the Baptist dedicated, in which her body is laid, now from her is named. So Ferrarius in the general Catalogue from monuments of that place, Memory of the feast in Ferrarius. and her Life in manuscript, and this her calls by this title. In the Sulmona territory of B. Gemma the Virgin. Ferrarius describes Arthur du Monstier in the Sacred Gynaeceum. Makes mention of the same Louis Jacobilli at the day the 24th of April, in the elogium of another B. Gemma a widow, whom, he says, on account of reverence of St. Gemma the Virgin of Sulmona, because she was of the same country, he willed to be called Gemma, since before Elisabeth she was called. But that St. Gemma the Virgin's body in veneration is held in the church to her name dedicated in Goriano-castello, where her feast is celebrated the 12th of May. There is moreover among the Peligni a Gorianum double, The cult at Goriano, the one from the valleys named, at the river Aterno's bank Southern, midway between Aquila and Sulmona on the way; the other surnamed Sicolo from the same way to the West declining: This last nearer Sulmona is, only 10 miles distant, and of this Saint's patronage rejoices; just as we learn from the Italian Life (for neither is a Latin any there any more extant) and that recent enough phrase adorned in this our century; which to us in the very place to be described caused Reverend Father Francis Jordan, at Naples in our College of higher studies Prefect, of this work to be promoted most desirous.
Italian Life MS. This, although in words more than in abundance of things to be narrated diffuse, from the Italian however into Latin to make it pleases the luxuriating chastened of the style's prolixity: from it meanwhile forewarning, the Saint's death to be referred seems to the year of Christ 1429 and the day the 13th of May, since Ferrarius constantly the 12th marks, by no means about to have us in this followers, unless later brought had been this writing, after the printed already little list of the Saints on this day to be referred: which therefore in another of this, if any be made, work's edition could be changed.
LIFE
From a MS. Italian of Goriano.
Gemma, Virgin of Sulmona, in Italy (B.)
[1] Of rustic but pious parents born, Where in the Marsi valley gush clear and cold waters, from which beginning takes the river Inventus, by more common use called Invengelus, which the same valley irrigating at length into the Fucine lake glides; at the mountain's root is situated a small castle, which from St. Sebastian the Martyr its name has. Of this place a dweller a certain of fortune slender, of virtue rich from his wife a daughter received, to whom in sacred baptism the name of Gemma was set. Then with his small family, which by a few of sheep and swine pasturing was sustained, he passed over to the castle of Goriano Sicoli, five miles from his country distant, where the ridge of the Apennine declines into a small valley to the Valerian way. while she pastures the flocks, There grew in years and in Christian morals the girl, whom her parents, for the condition of their lineage and the custom of the country to flocks to be pastured applied until she should grow up, which she promptly and briskly doing all leisure used for prayers devout to God more frequently to be made, whom alone to please she studied outside the frequency of men placed. Although moreover in such a kind of life, no to her was of beauty care, it happened however that place's Lord (whom the time's circumstances make to be believed to have been Roger of Celano the Count, to whom belonged the castles of the Subequana or Subrequana valley about the year 1383) by her so to be captivated, her ravisher at twelve years old she entreats, that through his servants snatched from the pastures the girl only twelve years old to his he destined lust: in whose power she herself placed seeing, by a stronger within of divine love fire kindled, than impure was, with which burned the Lord, her unviolated to God virginity to keep purpose so aptly and graciously to him she explained, that her keeper to be he willed, who had come a ravisher; and from her vow a cell for her he built at the church of the holy Forerunner, within which a prospect should lie open through a little window with an iron grating fortified.
[2] Hither having entered Gemma and being enclosed, a solitary began life to lead, herself sustaining with the small, which the faithful's charity supplied alms, that her a recluse to live he should suffer: for which she repaid the turn of a fervent to God to be loved exhortation, and of free and Christian correction, by which she knew them to displease the supreme of human consciences Arbiter. She lived moreover under this reclusion the holy Virgin whole forty-two years, after which her age's year passing the fifty-fifth seized by a disease and death with an intrepid mind looking forward to, as the entrance to the long-desired nuptials; she asked with the last Sacraments to be fortified, and these received, her knees she bent to the earth and in such a of pious adoration act her spirit to God she rendered on the day the thirteenth of May in the year of human Redemption, as far as by conjectures we attain, one thousand four hundred and twenty-nine. where after years 42 holily dead, At whose into the heavens entrance what was of the supernal city the exultation declared on earth was, by a prodigious of the bells of that church by no one rung sound such, as for the faithful's funerals by convoking the people in use is. Assembled therefore a crowd immense to the cell of the deceased, and it then first from her entrance was unbarred, finding kneeling in the appearance of one praying the corpse. In the same place after the customary for the dead ceremonies it they buried; not without great of her sanctity estimation, which the divine goodness confirmed by the frequentation of graces at her invocation rendered.
[3] Scarcely a year from the Saint's death had passed, when the outmost wall of that little cell having fallen to the ground, by its fall the Goriano people moved, and the following year found incorrupt that of transferring into a place more open and more honorable the sacred body they should think. Called together therefore for that end the Clergy, came the Bishop, who then was of Valva Dom Guidalottus of Perugia, of rare prudence and virtue a Prelate: and when the rubble being removed they had uncovered the sepulchre and were striving it to open, suddenly arose lightnings and thunders: by which dismayed they ceased from the work noticing then of the heaven rejoicing rather than angry these signs to be, as being serene and nothing sad presenting, they returned to the begun of the stone to be removed labor which done a heavenly continually the whole place breathed-through sweet-smell; and was found the body from the of human corruption necessity so still whole, as if recently it had expired, in its breast having a silver little cross, is translated and with miracles shines. with a little purse with the Relics of the Saints filled. Then pious from all eyes flowed tears, and was adorned by the mandate of the Bishop before-named a solemn pomp, with which the sacred pledge was brought to the church, where the same more honorably laid, ceases not God, of the faithful to her suffrages to be demanded running together, to hear the prayers; by bestowing very many on mortals graces, and healths on the ailing, to His glory, who lives and reigns one and triune unto the ages of ages. Amen.