Germerius

ON SAINT GERMERIUS

BISHOP OF TOULOUSE IN GAUL.

ABOUT 560.

Germerius, Bishop of Toulouse in Gaul (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR D. P.

Of the Frankish Kings after receiving baptism in propagating empire most fortunate Chlodovaeus, in year 25 of his Reign, of Christ 604, having defeated in the Vouillé battle the Goths, from all Aquitaine from the Loire to the Rhone he expelled them, Toulouse recently captured by the Franks, with the very Toulouse captured under the beginning of the following spring, their royal city in Narbonensian Gaul, together with the treasures of King Alaric, just as S. Gregory of Tours describes: with the rest still of the province held by the Goths, until this also to the Franks should yield. King Theodatus after the death of Chlodovaeus. Meanwhile had departed from the living Heraclianus, in the year 506 the Council of Agde subscribing: wherefore no account had of the Provincial Bishops, still obeying the Goths, from the neighboring Bourges Province nearer Bishops met in the city Arisita, & in the place of the deceased consecrated Germerius, to the people of Toulouse formerly known & dear, Bishop consecrated, & then from a certain town of the Saintes country, where in the Diaconal order he ministered, divinely directed thither to himself; with Clodovaeus still living, & not far thence having camp & palace, while in exterminating the Goths he is vigilant: as is gathered from the life, which found among the schedules of Odo Gisseus, once for us from Toulouse sent Petrus Possinus, now at Rome continuing the Annals of the Society most worthily.

[2] Who that Life in the X or XI century transcribed, & augmented with a miracle of his time, of his own to have added seems that Pretiosus, of the Most Holy Confessor Germerius the life or Acts long after to have written is reported. For not long after he could have lived, who to his Bishop, surviving to about the eightieth year of his age, was companion already from his adolescence. For in his thirties was Germerius, when he was ordained; & for thirty-six years he had lived in the Episcopate, when by the loss of all goods he was tested; he died not before the year 560, & these after many years recovered, for another seven years he lived: that for at least fifty years he must have stood in that rank. There is nothing certainly which compels to believe him dead before the year 560; since the first who after him is known to have ruled the church of Toulouse, was Magnulfus, through his envoy to the Mâcon Synod subscribed in the year 585, with Toulouse not yet restored to the order of Metropolitan Sees, but to the Aquitanian Bishoprics still subordinated. Furthermore whoever was the author of the life, Old life in the 13 & 14 century transcribed, he was ancient & quite accurate: but he who afterwards transcribed it augmented with miracles about the year 1245 in a book, displaying this age, which Guilielmus Catel saw and alleges in the History of Occitania page 836, & which Bernardus Guidonis, Bishop of Lodève who died in the year 1331 transcribed with a few words changed; most badly transcribed the proper names of places, & disturbed the whole history.

[3] For the city, in which the Bishop was ordained the Saint, he called Parisitanam; which to the author of new lessons about S. Germerius, & then to Carolus Cointius imposed, that they should believe that at Paris the matter was done; & that more easily, not without topographical errors. because it was established that Chlodovaeus toward the end of his life had constituted the See of his kingdom at Paris. Of Arisita, the Episcopal See on the borders of Narbonensian Gaul, of whose Bishops some we proposed on I February before the Life of S. Sigebert King no. 24, thought no one; because of it neither vestiges any nor memory survived. Then from Engoulême, written more obscurely, made the librarian Jerusalem, & that the Saint himself was born at Jerusalem to the same authors he persuaded, not attending to his name, manifestly showing Frankish origin. Similarly for Bourges Archbishop, was written the name Astaricensis, unknown to the entire Christianity. Which all differences seem to have had origin from the obscurity of capital initials. But whether Yconium, in Saintes country, where with the title of Deacon the Saint presided, ought not to be written Yonsium, I strongly doubt: scarcely however do I doubt that itself is that, which by composite name now is called Yonssack. With these things thus corrected clear all things will seem, nor will you easily find in the whole Legend of S. Germerius anything, which would render its faith & antiquity suspect. It remains therefore only that about the cult we ask, which once he had & today he has.

[4] MS. Martyrology of the monastery of S. Sabinus de Levitania in the country of Tarbes, on this XVI April, has these things: In the village, Name in the Fasti, which is called Dux, of the territory of Toulouse of S. Geremaris. Bernardus Guidonis in MS. of Prague, of which we have a copy, exhibiting the old Legend, in a few things as to only order & some phrases changed, thus concludes: But his body is reported to rest in a certain church near Murellus, body at Muret, although his sepulchre there is not at all shown. Catellus calls it Muretum: & it is placed by chronographic tables five leagues above today's Toulouse, in the middle about way, but to Muret nearer, old Toulouse. But Muretum or Murellum is at the confluences of Longa & Garonne. translated thither from a church of his proper name, Meanwhile S. Germerius (as in the supplement of the Gallican Martyrology writes Saussay) has a Prioral church of his name (namely in the place of Dux, in the time of Bernardus Guidonis called Roviniacum) depending from the Lesatensian monastery: from which already for many years (namely before three or four centuries) he was translated to the Parochial Church of S. James, within the predesignated town of Muret primary. The cult indeed the same Saint has through the entire Toulouse diocese, in which by ecclesiastical Office he is venerated, as is found in the Propers of that Church, by command of Carolus de Montchal Archbishop re-printed in the year 1647, with Lessons containing the epitome of the life, Office through the diocese. but as to the place of nativity & ordination, according to the things just said to be corrected: perhaps also in this that they say, besides S. Germerius's, also the Companions' (namely Dulcidius's & Pretiosus's) relics to be religiously venerated: for this seems received from the conjecture of Saussay, around the year 1637 first published, without any older author or more recent faithful testimony. If however anyone more distinctly shall teach truly to be had, & as Saints' relics to be venerated of them, also to themselves willingly we shall give place among Saints.

LIFE

From an old MS. of Toulouse.

Germerius, Bishop of Toulouse in Gaul (S.)

BHL Number: 3484

FROM A MS.

In the times of the most glorious Chlodovaeus ^a the Prince, the boy ^b Germerius with such care of his own, that is religious people, was nourished from the beginning, that within the spaces of three years & two months, Under King Chlodovaeus, all notice of the divine scriptures he is said to have seized. For there was being perfected in him from boyhood the solid foundation, upon which no one can lay another beyond that which has been laid, which is Christ Jesus: & was growing in him the sevenfold grace of the Holy Spirit, that both by God & by all men he was loved. And when now to youthful age he had come, prevented by the love of God, country & parents leaving, the sea crossed ^c to the parts of Toulouse he came, to obtain the centuple remuneration of the Lord, Tested at Toulouse, with those who for Christ have left all their things; with two youthful Clerics joined to himself, of whom one Placidius the Saint took up from the sacred fonts, the other Set Over his property as creditor ^e: [of whom one Pretiosus of the most holy Confessor Germerius's life or acts long after to have written is reported ^f.]

[2] And when the blessed man in the city of Toulouse with good morals abounded, in Saintes country ordained Deacon, as a youth of good nature he was loved by all, so that with highest charity, those things which were necessary in food & clothing they provided. The Saint of all things which were offered to him a third part to the poor distributed, with two retained for himself; thanks to God & to all imparting good things to him to render desiring. But when to legitimate age he had come, by Lord ^g Gregorius, formerly the most holy Prelate, in the city of Saintes to the Subdiaconate he was admitted to ministry: but afterwards a few yet times having passed, in the Presbyterate ^h at Yconium by the Provincial Bishop ⁱ he was ordained Deacon, persevering continually in God's service, in vigils, fasts, alms, & prayers always intent, & with the flower of all virtues adorned. So much moreover was familiar to him the virtue of charity, that often to the aforesaid companions Dulcidius & Pretiosus ^k in admonishing he busied himself to say: My little sons & brothers, it behooves us to have solicitude for the needy, & those things which to us the Lord has bestowed to distribute to the poor; since thus is written, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Many

things however God in the order of Deacon, afterwards to be discussed, through him worked miracles.

[3] After three years' time of Diaconate, appeared to him an Angel of the Lord, lying in prayer, & after three years to Arisita directed by an Angel, more splendid than the sun. And when he, in human manner, was struck by fear; Do not fear, he said: but know that you must soon take the journey ^l to Arisita: for there the honor of Priesthood you are about to assume, & by Bishop Tornoaldus the Episcopal benediction you are about to receive. Then the holy of God in prayer fixing his knees, said: Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory & of virtues, hear the prayer of your servant, because in you is my hope & my thought: fill my mouth with the honey of your sweetness & praise, because you are the invisible Lord, of great counsel, sitting upon the Cherubim, governing the world, & reigning in ages of ages. Amen. And when he had completed the prayer the house being arranged, the procurator to have care of the poor ordering, executing the Angelic commands, he undertakes the journey to Arisita; leading with him the Clerics fosterers of his faith, namely Dulcidius & Pretiosus. Who when they took the journey, wherever a place of turning aside came forth, whether in cities or even in forests, there they remained, without any disturbance of demons or phantasms. And so traversing to the city, they came to the church where the Episcopal See was: there they found three Bishops, namely Lord Tornoaldus & Gregorius & ^m Hermoaldus.

[4] Seeing him moreover they rejoiced with great joy, & fixing their knees glorified the Lord, he is consecrated Bishop of Toulouse saying: We must magnify the Lord & exalt his name in turn. But he prohibited saying; Men of so great person should not subject themselves to a man so feeble. Responded therefore the Pontiffs & said: Lord Father, we must venerate you: because you are great with the Lord & elect, & after ⁿ S. Saturninus you shall be Bishop, that you may remain & your most high Father may govern you to the end. The place however at his entrance was filled with most sweet odor: & they gave him according to the custom of those entering benediction. Then the servant of God taking hold of the hair (for this was an ancient custom) offered himself to the holy altar & to the Relics of the same church, with the same Bishops present: & on the same night he stayed in the city. On the following day therefore entering the Church, him to pray they invited: & immediately after the prayer they brought forth two stoles & Pontifical garments, with ring & staff. Then the Pontiffs consecrated him Bishop. He was consecrated moreover the blessed Confessor with the Priesthood & Pontifical dignity by the Most Reverend Tornoaldus according to the Angelic edict, by Bishop Tornoaldus: with Gregorius & Hermoaldus Coepiscopals present. Then they returned thanks to God, that so great moreover offered Mass in honor of the most holy & individual Trinity, distributing to all the Eucharistic portion, with thanksgiving. With the Mass performed Tornoaldus the Bishop received him honorably into his house, & they ate, to God always giving thanks for the benefits conferred: for the said all Pontiffs were asking him, that before departure with them to remain he should deign: which also he did.

[5] With the days of sacred eulogies finished he returned with the Episcopal benediction to the parts of Toulouse, where he had left house & faculties. It was made moreover that as he was passing through the ^o royal of the Franks, invited by the King, his fame reached even to the palace of King Chlodovaeus. And the King sent inquirers that they should solicitously seek him, & if they found him honorably to himself they should lead. It happened moreover that, while he was passing through the city, it was announced to him, that the King wished to see him. He went therefore to the King & humbly saluted him. Seeing him moreover the King rejoiced, that he had been worthy to see so great a Priest, of whom such things he had heard: but he was thirty years old when he was initiated into the Priesthood. Asked moreover the King: Who are you? whence? & what name have you? Then he responded: Germerius from baptism I am called, born in the city [p] of Engoulême, into the territory of Toulouse for learning letters in childhood sent, in the city of Saintes made Subdeacon, in the boundary Yconium ordained Deacon, & in the city of Arisita with Episcopal office anointed, although unworthy: nevertheless in God I trust. Then responded the King, every one who exalts himself, shall be humbled; & who humbles himself, shall be exalted. Good are you, & the Spirit of God speaks in you.

[6] He invited him moreover that they should lie down at the table. And with all the foods blessed by S. Germerius they sat at the table: also at table, & while they reclined he gave to the King & the Princes blessings: & although they were of the same kind of which other foods: nevertheless these by heavenly nourishments were believed to have been made blessings. And they gave thanks to God & to the King that he had called the servant of God: & confirmed [q] in faith, & by the Saint signed they confessed to him their sins. He said therefore to those believing: Little sons, do penance & what to God you have promised, take care to do, lest you perish in the last judgment. And the King knew that he was Holy, & asked him that for his soul he would pray; & said: Ask what you wish from my faculties, & my servants shall walk with you. Said however S. Germerius; I ask nothing, Lord King, of your faculties; but only that you give me in the territory of Toulouse as much as my cloak can shadow with our Lord B. Saturninus, is given a great estate, that under his wing my little body may rest: him indeed after the heavenly Lord I desire to have as helper & defender in the County of Toulouse. And the King said to him: Have power around the place which is called Dux [r] for six miles, & for the burial of the dead as much as in a day seven yokes of oxen are accustomed to plow.

[7] He stayed however with the King for twenty days: & gave him the King a great sum, & precious gifts. of gold and silver five hundred shekels, & golden crosses & silver chalices with patens, & three staves wrought with silver & gold, & three gilded crowns & as many palls for altars of fine linen. About the conceded possessions a written charter he ordered to be made, which with his ring & of his Optimates he signed: & that free from all human right & undivided it might remain, he handed it over to him. Said the King to those standing around: What you shall see me do, do. And he approached, & commended himself by the hair [s] of his head to S. Germerius: & similarly all did. And the King kissed him & said farewell. The blessed Germerius the journey recently undertaken proceeded, having given the King benediction: there accompanied indeed him a multitude of people no less than four [t] thousand, with great joy. Then the Saint with tears said to them, Peace be with you, Brothers, & persevere in the faith which you have begun, & return to your homes, & the Lord be always with you: & they returned with joy.

[8] But S. Germerius migrated to the parts of Toulouse, & the work of his office ministering entered into the city. The people knew him, & followed him through all prayers of the churches. Received at Toulouse He came moreover to the church of S. Saturninus, all those things which were committed to his care going around: & returned to his home, in which he had left all things: & came the servants saying: Already long have you abandoned us, but now that you remain with us we have wished: but he rejoicing announced to them in some manner about the goods which he had brought with him. Dulcidius indeed & Pretiosus showed him all the treasures & furniture which to them he had entrusted, & recognized again brought back into his treasures. Was rejoicing moreover the people having heard the arrival of S. Germerius, & he announcing the words of salvation incited them to Confession, & all the sick at once he healed. And going into the possession of the Ducors, which the King had given him, he overturned the statues of the idols which he found there, he builds the church of S. Saturninus, & built a church in honor of the holy Martyr Saturninus, with three altars & consecrated it. In the cult moreover of the Dedication were lit three hundred thirty lights of waxes or candles: & God on that night did many miracles through His Saint Germerius, in the lame, blind & paralytics, & especially seven lepers: & his fame grew in the city of Toulouse.

[9] Were rejoicing moreover his parents, that God had deigned to give them such a son: his promotion is revealed to his parents. & when to old age they had come, with great solicitude they were pressed & poured forth prayers for the son. And when they were disturbed, appeared to them an Angel of the Lord, the soundness of their son's confidence promising: they however rejoicing, gave to God thanks for the son & for the Angel's address. Prayed moreover Lord Germerius & said: Lord God of my salvation, I beseech you through your clemency to confirm me with your principal Spirit: deliver me from blood &c. Afterwards when he was in the place of the Ducors he there constructed a monastery, & consecrated an altar in honor of S. Martin Confessor & Pontiff. All therefore his servants & the entire family from other places he gathered to himself [u], & all things which he had acquired from other places into the Ducors' quarters he placed: Famous for miracles before the Episcopate, & he established over his house men making alms. But to return to the things omitted, when he was still a Deacon, many through him God did miracles: through his prayer indeed God caused a most abundant fountain to flow, & a dry laurel to grow green: in his simplicity also two lepers he healed, from three men by the sign of the Cross he cast out demons, & in the name of the Lord a kindled house he extinguished.

[10] He himself however the Pontiff lived by fasting, praying, giving alms for thirty-six years, having many male and female servants. The devil indeed, in him is tested by pestilence, extinguishing his flocks & family, wishing to tempt him, sent pestilence into the flocks: & it was made that in a single night all perished. Came moreover the shepherds with tears to announce: he however joyful said to them: Are you weeping for sins? or what do you weep for? Do you not know, that we are not now of the world, & he who has life, shall not taste death? Therefore we must not have secular riches: because he who hates the world, loves the Lord: because he himself said: Do not love the world nor those things which are in the world: for such temptation is from the devil, & these for our sins have perished: because the Lord gave, the Lord took away, blessed be the name of the Lord. And again that plague effected that all servants & maidservants were extinguished: & the Saint was saddened over the dead unto the soul. Then he said to Pretiosus & Dulcidius: Brothers, let us seek the church of S. Polycarp [x] the Presbyter, & let us pray to God constantly, that he may show his clemency.

And entering the church he put on haircloth, & sprinkled himself with ash; & persevered through three days neither eating nor drinking, with weeping & tears in prayer, groaning & trembling, & beseeching God, that himself from the supervened tribulation he would free; & that He would give rest to the deceased, he offered the Sacrifice. And when he prayed, appeared to him an Angel, & again enriched he piously dies. saying: Know your own led into Paradise. And he gave thanks to God, that He had deigned to console him, saying: I ask that you enroll me with your Saints. His disciples however said to him weeping: Master, why do you not eat, & so much afflict yourself? We will bring you food. And he responded, Neither do I hunger nor thirst: for on account of the devil the tempter we must persevere in prayers & in fasts: & God will crush him under our feet, & all things will succeed prosperously for us. And were restored to him all things, which he had lost, with usury after many [y] years: & after seven years most holily he died. Here many miracles after death seem to be desired.

[11] It happened moreover also in our times, namely when a Soldier, by name Godefridus, having gone out from the Murat [aa] castle, for the cause of the business of Magnates to the Bourges [bb] County had come, Soldier suddenly made mute, anxious for his fame: who by the Archbishop was honorably received. On the following night, when he had given himself to sleep & was awake, he was made mute. And when he was asked; how this had happened, or what had appeared to him: by signs he responded that he did not know. Which when his Comrades had known, they reported to the man of God [cc] aforesaid: he however such virtue had of healing, that very many by the sign of the Cross he restored to health. Which when it was announced to him, with the long cloak covered, & separated from the throng of the people, he was led: for he was afflicted by those standing around, so that if he wished to speak more eminent & safer places he sought. Approaching therefore he joined himself to the Soldier, with all his strength compelling him to speak: & as he saw nothing to profit, he opposed the sign of the Cross, with sanctification's water sprinkling him, thinking him through fraud of those occupying him to be silenced. And when still he saw nothing to profit, he understood this not of his own merit to be the virtue: & said to those standing by, that he did not merit health, asserting him to be the chief of every disgrace. Go, he said, & to a Patron [dd] another present yourself, & there you shall be healed: but his fellow-travelers hearing these things returned to their own.

[12] Hearing moreover these things his castle people, & all neighbors of the land of those Lords & Princes, immediately with weeping went to meet him: & to all asking he responded with hand for voice. And when to his measure had been made [ee] paper, he set out to S. Germerius: he is led to his sepulchre, there that night persisting in vigils & beseeching, not eating nor drinking, from the preceding day Friday, on which he had lost his voice, until the following Wednesday, on which he began to speak. With the day shining moreover the Clerics present novenarial sacrifices for him offered: & when he had been sprinkled with the water of exorcism, which the Clerics had made; when a little he rested, he began by the prayers of S. Germerius with tongue to speak & to magnify the Lord. Approaching moreover to the most blessed relic, the offered stole with highest reverence on his neck wearing, with knee bent he said: Lord, myself to you, & he receives speech. before your altar & body of S. Germerius, I offer guilty: have mercy on me. And he himself with two standing around, three times set out to the altars: besides he asked food to be brought to himself: & was placed to him bread & vessel full of water, & he ate, since for five days he had not eaten: & he returned to his paternal soil, with all applauding for such a deed. Of his furniture indeed to two hospitalers single coverings of beds he gave: to the aforesaid B. Germerius's body of sutorial work & wonderful curtains of great price he conferred. Then indeed the monks [ff] & procurators of the place all signs to ring began, into the praise breaking forth of God, who such things through his servant Germerius deigned to work miracles.

Annotations

p. Mss. most ineptly Jerusalem.

q. There were since the Franks, especially the nobles, for the greater part still neophytes.

r. Bernardus Guidonis: in the place Ducorum, which now Roviniacum is called: Catellus says it is now called Rovimatus.

s. So what was of superstitious vanity, to the veneration of the Bishop the King's piety turned, by that reason professing himself a spiritual son of him: of which thing other examples also are suggested by the history of the Franks.

t. Not of men, but of paces, or four Italic miles.

u. Perhaps also with the parents dead, the inheritance left to him by them, is signified to have been transferred there.

x. Saussay in the Supplement mentions on 26 February the monastery of S. Polycarp in the Narbonne country, which he thinks to be of the Bishop Martyr: I rather here named to be of the Presbyter would believe, whose memory is now obscured, & cult with that of the other, known to the whole church, gradually confused: whence neither his day is now known. Unless perhaps it is Polycarp the Roman Presbyter, on 23 February, known from the Acts of S. Sebastian; whose Relics, as brought into Altumvillare monastery of the diocese of Reims, established his cult there; thus another part of the body, brought into the Narbonensian province, the same to the Toulouse people and others rendered venerable.

y. These years it pleases to presume to have been seven, that to the time of calamity might respond the time of restored felicity, & thus he was Bishop for full 50 years.

aa. Mauratum in upper Auvergne, on the Alagnon stream, is at least 30 leagues distant from Toulouse.

bb. Our copy corruptly Astaracensem: but would that here it were named, for thus the time of the transcribed life & added appendix, which Bernardus Guidonis omitted entirely, would be known.

cc. If of the Archbishop the discussion is, that Metropolis had S. Agiulfus or Aigulfus, in the year 820 & 835 known from public Acts & to be venerated 11 June; S. Rodulfus, formerly Abbot of Fleury, in the year 841 illustrious & in 866 dead, whose feast 21 July is held; & finally S. Guilielmus, in the year 1199 ordained & 1209 deceased on day 10 January, when his Life we illustrated. If however it is another from those whom that city had & among the saints venerates, running through the entire Martyrology of Saussay, of none do I find a fitting time, unless perhaps that of Marianus the Younger Hermit Spinolaus 19 August, of Silvinus the Confessor 23 September, of Opinion the Presbyter 12 October, age, unknown to us, allow some of them here to be understood: which for the cause of learning rather than teaching I have wished to propose, that fuller notice of them someone may deign to suggest. But in this last manner, more evidently would be lacking some things, in which such a servant of God would have been by name designated.

dd. Our copy proper present yourself to the altar: but it is clear by the whole series that the man was of another province, & ordered to seek another patronage, to the body of S. Germerius to have been brought.

ee. So in the Miracles of S. Isidore the Farmer, on the preceding day no. 20 letter c, a woman of the Madrid suburb, in the year 1265 imploring help of the saint for her paralytic husband, with Paper she measured his limbs, which by clothing in wax she adorned, namely making a candle from it.

ff. Hence you will understand, that there was then a monastery there.