CONCERNING SAINT BONIFACE
BISHOP OF FERENTUM IN ETRURIA.
VI CENTURY
PrefaceBonifacius, Bishop of Ferentum in Etruria (S.)
G. H.
Ferentum, or Ferentium or Ferrentio, was a city of Etruria formerly Episcopal, to which Viterbo, distant 5 miles, The Acts from S. Gregory: succeeded in the Episcopal Chair, and which at length by the Viterbians on account of heresy in the year 1074 was overthrown. Among the Bishops of this city was S. Boniface, some of whose virtues S. Gregory the Great commended to the memory of posterity in book 1 of the Dialogues chapter 9. Memory 14 May. But on this 14 May is venerated S. Boniface the Roman, crowned with martyrdom at Tarsus under Diocletian, whose Acts when Peter de Natalibus in book 4 of the Catalogue chapter 165 had published contracted after his manner, he subjoined chapter 166 this title, Concerning Saint Boniface the Bishop, and transcribed his Acts from the Dialogue of S. Gregory, and toward the end thus concluded: And thus the man of the Lord full of virtues rested in peace. There followed Peter Grevenus in the Auctary of Usuard, printed in the year 1515 and 1521, Canisius in the Martyrology published in German, and Molanus in his Additions also to Usuard printed in the year 1568, but he in the following editions omitted all things concerning this Boniface. But Galesinius in his Martyrology, which was published in the year 1578, on this 14 May adorns him with this elogium: At Ferentum S. Boniface Bishop: whose holiness from his very early age shone bright, by things piously and wondrously done by him, of which many B. Gregory the Pontiff handed down to posterity in writing. Galesinius then annotates that these things are handed down from the tables of the Church of Ferentum and a MS. codex. But since this city more than six hundred years ago was destroyed, this Galesinius is suspected by us, often elsewhere caught citing both tables and MSS. which he nowhere saw. There is another Episcopal city Ferentinum among the Hernici, of whose Church the Bishop was S. Redemptus reported by us on the 8th day of April. But that those cities were not distinguished by Galesinius I scarcely dare to suspect. Baronius in the Notes of the Roman Martyrology on this day asserts these names to be sometimes found confused among themselves: and concerning S. Boniface prescribes these things to be read in the same place: At Ferentum in Tuscany S. Boniface Bishop, who, as B. Gregory the Pope reports, from boyhood was illustrious by sanctity and miracles. Some elogium from S. Gregory Ferrarius wove in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, and annotates that the Body rests and is venerated at Viterbo, whither with the Episcopal See it was translated, as he heard. The Body whether at Viterbo, or rather among the Hernici. We have the Order of the office of the proper Saints of the Cathedral Church of S. Lawrence of Viterbo, published by the mandate of Cardinal Brancacius the Bishop, but without mention of S. Boniface. Whether however his body is preserved in some other Church, we know not. In a very ancient MS. Martyrology of the Church of S. Peter at Rome to the genuine text of Bede these things are read added: On the same day S. Boniface in the Apennine, which seem to be understood concerning this Saint, and would claim him for the Hernici situated near the mountains. The time of his life. That S. Boniface was illustrious about the times of the Emperor Justin Baronius teaches: and Ferrarius says, that he lived nearly in the time of S. Gregory the Pope: for he writes that he heard the deeds of Boniface from Gaudentius the Presbyter his nurturer. Nay his alumnus, as one nurtured by him in food, morals and doctrine.
ELOGIUM OF HIS LIFE
From book 1 of the Dialogues of S. Gregory the Pope.
Bonifacius, Bishop of Ferentum in Etruria (S.)
BHL Number: 1394
FROM S. GREGORY.
[1] There was a man of venerable life, Boniface by name, who in that city, which is called Ferentum, held the office of the Episcopate and fulfilled it in morals. His many miracles he, who still survives, Gaudentius the Presbyter narrated. Who being nurtured in his service, is so much the more able to say everything more truly concerning him, as it befell him also to be present at these. This Church had a very grave poverty: A vineyard devastated by hail, which to good minds is wont to be the guardian of humility, and had nothing else for all its stipend, except one only vineyard: which on a certain day was so devastated by hail rushing upon it, that in it on a few vines scarcely small and rare clusters remained. Which when the aforesaid most reverend man of God Bishop Boniface had entered, he rendered great thanks to almighty God, because he knew himself to be straitened still in his very want. But when now the time required, that those very clusters which had remained could ripen, he set a keeper of the vineyard according to custom, and ordered it to be guarded with diligent vigilance. But on a certain day he commanded Constantine the Presbyter his nephew, that all the little vessels of wine in the Episcopal house, and all the casks, just as he had been wont before, he should prepare overlaid with pitch. Which when his nephew the Presbyter had heard, he greatly wondered, that he commanded as if insane, that he caused the vessels of wine to be prepared, who had no wine at all: nor however did he presume to inquire why he ordered such things: but he obeyed the commands, and prepared all things according to custom. Then the man of God entering the vineyard gathered the clusters, brought them to the wine-press, and ordered all to go out thence, and alone there remained with one little boy: whom he set in the same wine-press, and made him tread those very few. And when from those same clusters a little wine flowed; the man of God began to receive this with his own hands in a small vessel, and through all the casks and all the vessels, which had been prepared, to divide for a blessing: so that from that wine all the little vessels seemed scarcely sprinkled. from a few clusters he fills very many casks: But when from the liquor of wine he had put a little into all the vessels, he forthwith called the Presbyter, and ordered the poor to be present. Then the wine began to grow in the wine-press, so that it filled all the little vessels of the poor which had been brought. With which when he saw himself to have satisfied them sufficiently; he ordered the boy to depart from the wine-press: he shut the storehouse, and left it fortified with his own seal impressed, soon he returned to the church. But on the third day he called the aforesaid Constantine the Presbyter, and prayer being made he opened the storehouse: and the vessels into which he had poured the thinnest liquor, he found abundantly pouring forth wine: so that the growing wines would have invaded the whole pavement, if the Bishop had entered to these more tardily. Then terribly he commanded the Presbyter, that, as long as he himself lived in the body, he should indicate this miracle to no one; fearing namely lest by the virtue of the deed struck with human favor, he should inwardly grow empty, whence outwardly he appeared great to men; following the example of the Master, who that he might lead us to the way of humility, concerning himself commanded the disciples, saying: That the things which they had seen they should tell to no one, until the son of man should rise from the dead… Matt. 17, 9
[2] Let us still pursue a few other things, which remain concerning the work of Bishop Boniface, since we have made his memory. For at another time the birthday of B. Proculus the Martyr was approaching, on whose day in a place a noble man, Fortunatus by name, stayed: who with great prayers demanded of that same venerable man, that when he should celebrate the solemnities of the Masses at the blessed Martyr's, he should turn aside into his house to give a blessing. But the man of God could not deny, what the charity from the mind of Fortunatus demanded of him. he foretells the death of an importunate jester: The solemnities of the Masses therefore being performed, when he had come to the table of the aforesaid Fortunatus, before he said a hymn to God, just as certain men by the art of playing are wont to seek food, suddenly before the door a man with an ape stood, and struck the cymbals. Whom the holy man disdaining, hearing the sound said: Alas, alas, this wretch is dead, this wretch is dead. I came to the table of refection, I have not yet opened my mouth to the praise of God; and he coming with an ape struck the cymbals. He subjoined also and said: Go and for charity's sake give him food and drink: yet know that he is dead. Which unhappy man, when he had received bread and wine from that same house, wished to go out the door: but a huge stone suddenly fell from the roof, and came upon his crown. From which stroke prostrated, in their hands now half-alive he was lifted: but on the next day, according to the sentence of the man of God, he wholly finished his life. In which matter it is to be weighed how great a fear is to be exhibited to holy men: for they are temples of God. And when a holy man is drawn to wrath, who else is roused to be angry except the inhabitant of that same temple? The wrath therefore of the just is so much to be feared, as it is also evident, that in their
hearts is present he, who is not weak to inflict whatever vengeance he wishes.
[3] At another time also the aforesaid Constantius the Presbyter his nephew sold his horse for twelve gold pieces: which placing in his own chest, he departed to do some work. Then suddenly poor men came to the Bishop, who importunately prayed, that the holy man Bishop Boniface should bestow something on them for the consolation of their want. But the man of God because he had not what he might give, he distributes to the poor the 12 gold pieces of his nephew, began to be in a ferment in thought, lest the poor should go out from him empty. To whom suddenly it came to memory, that Constantius the Presbyter his nephew had sold the horse which he had been wont to ride, and had this very price in his chest. Therefore that nephew of his being absent he went to the chest, and piously violent broke open the bars of the chest, took the twelve gold pieces, and divided them among the needy, as it pleased him. So Constantius the Presbyter returning from his work, found the chest broken, and the price of his horse, which he had put in it, he found not. He began therefore to make a great uproar with a loud voice, and with too great fury to cry out: All here live, I alone in this house cannot live. At which voice of course came the Bishop, and all who were in the same Episcopal house. And when the man of God wished to temper him with bland speech, and by praying he restores them recovered to the raging one: he began to answer with quarreling, saying: All live with you, but I alone here cannot live before you: render to me my solidi. Moved by which words the Bishop, entered the church of the B. Virgin Mary: and his hands raised, his garment stretched out, standing he began to pray, that he would render to him whence the madness of the raging Presbyter could be mitigated. And when suddenly he brought his eyes back to his garment between his stretched arms, suddenly in his bosom he found twelve gold pieces, so shining, as if they had at that very hour been brought out of fire. Who soon going out of the church, threw them into the bosom of the raging Presbyter, saying: Behold you have the solidi which you sought: but be this known to you, that after my death you will not be chosen as Bishop of this Church on account of your avarice. From which sentence of truth it is gathered, that the Presbyter was preparing those same solidi for obtaining the Episcopate. But the word of the man of God prevailed: for the same Constantius finished his life in the office of the Presbyterate.
[4] At another time also two Goths came to him for the sake of hospitality, who professed that they were hastening to Ravenna. wine he gives to guests not failing through many days: To whom he himself with his own hand gave a small wooden vessel full of wine, which perhaps they could have for the meal of the journey: from which they drank until they came to Ravenna. But the Goths stayed some days in that same city: and the wine, which they had received from the holy man, they had daily in use. And thus they returned even to that same venerable Father, so that on no day did they cease to drink, and yet the wine never failed them from that little vessel, as if in that wooden vessel, which the Bishop had given them, the wine were not increased, but born.
[5] Lately also from the parts of that same place a certain old Clergyman came, and the things which he himself narrates concerning him are not to be passed over in silence. For he says that on a certain day having entered the garden, he found it covered with a great multitude of caterpillars: who seeing all the vegetable in it perishing, turned to those same caterpillars said: in the name of Jesus he drives the caterpillars from the garden: I adjure you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, depart hence, and do not eat these vegetables. Which at once at the word of the man of God all so went out, that not even one remained within the space of the garden. But what wonder, that we narrate these things concerning the time of his Episcopate, when now with almighty God he had grown together both in order and in morals; while those things are more to be wondered at, which this old Clergyman testifies him to have done while still a little boy. who while still a boy had given his garments to the poor, For he says that at the time, in which the boy dwelt with his mother, having gone out from his lodging, he sometimes returned without his linen garment, often even without his tunic: because as soon as he found anyone naked he clothed him, despoiling himself of this, that he might clothe himself before the eyes of God by his reward. Whom his mother had been wont frequently to chide, saying that it was not just, that he himself needy should bestow garments on the poor. Who on a certain day having entered the granary, found almost all the wheat, which she had prepared for herself as a stipend for the whole year, given out by her son to the poor. And when she beat herself with slaps and fists, that she had as it were lost the supports of the year; came up Boniface the boy of God, and began to console her with words, with which he wished. Who when she admitted no consolation, he had filled the granary empty of wheat by praying, he asked her, that she should go out from the granary, in which from all their wheat a little was found to have remained. But the boy of God forthwith there gave himself to prayer: who after a little going out from the granary, brought back his mother: which was found so full of wheat, as it had not been full before, when his mother rejoiced to have gathered the supplies of the whole year. Which miracle being seen the mother compunct, now herself began to exhort that he should give, who could so quickly receive the things which he had asked.
[6] She therefore had been wont to nourish hens in the vestibule of her lodging, and he had recovered a hen taken away by a fox. but a fox coming from the neighboring countryside carried them off. But on a certain day while in that same vestibule the boy Boniface stood, the fox according to custom came and carried off a hen. But he, hurried, entered the church, and prostrating himself in prayer, said with open voice: Does it please you, Lord, that I cannot eat of the nourishment of my mother; for behold the hens, which she nourishes, the fox devours. Who rising from prayer, went out of the church. But soon the fox returned, let go the hen which it held in its mouth, and itself dying before his eyes fell to the earth.
[7] These things S. Gregory, by whom the S. Proculus the Martyr called above at num. 2, by the judgment of Baronius is the Martyr of Bologna, The cult of S. Proculus the Martyr. whose feast is celebrated on the Kalends of June, as then more at length will be said.