CONCERNING BLESSED ORLANDUS
LAY-BROTHER OF VALLOMBROSA IN ETRURIA.
HISTORICAL COLLECTION.
From the monuments and writers of Vallombrosa, rightly distinguishing him from Orlandus de Medicis.
Orlandus, Lay-Brother of Vallombrosa in Etruria (B.)
IN THE YEAR 1242.
BY THE AUTHOR D. P.
[1] The last part of the year 1661 and the beginning of the following year we so spent at Florence, that, although within the city we had much work to do, occupied among the Manuscripts of the Libraries, we did not nevertheless neglect to visit the surrounding places, illustrated with the bodies and monuments of Saints, the convenience of a winter, by no means harsh, inviting us to it. And everywhere indeed we were received with great charity and benevolence by the most religious men of various Orders, received at Vallombrosa in the year 1662 rejoicing that the time had come, in which they saw the memorials of their Patrons, hitherto subsisting within the knowledge of neighbors, to be inserted into that work, through which they might become known to the whole Christian world. Nowhere however did greater readiness of mind shine forth, than in the Archmonastery of the Vallombrosan Congregation, situated among the lofty hills of the Apennine, 18 Roman miles from the city of Florence. For when on January 15, 1662, having traversed that journey on foot, we had arrived there at the town quite weary; it cannot be explained, we saw the bodies of the Blessed of the Order, how greatly the alacrity of all poured itself forth to receive and cherish us; so eagerly did the Superiors and subjects, the elders equally as the younger, hasten to our service, when they understood the cause and purpose of our journey. There we spent the night in the same chamber, and P. Godefridus even in the same bed, in which he had once received S. Charles Borromeo as a guest: but in the morning returning from the Sacrifice of the Mass, which we had performed in the notable and beautifully adorned chapel of the Holy Relics, the Most Reverend Abbot received us with the chief of the Monks; and they brought us back to the same place, to behold the sacred Relics themselves, above the altar; under which, between twin columns supporting it, a title of this kind was read.
Here long lay hid the bodies of many Brothers, Who in Vallombrosa led a blessed life. in the year 1604 placed upon the altar: These piously buried in the time of Father Valerianus, Here the same Alfonsus Portaqua fitly laid up again.
IN THE YEAR 1604. ON THE 1st DAY OF AUGUST.
[2] That is, in the year 1600, in the time of Abbot Valerianus, they had been uncovered by Alexander Marzio Medici Bishop of Fiesole, and after a Process formed thereon approved, as truly the bones of the Blessed and of those anciently venerated as such and honorably buried; namely ten bodies, nine heads: for the head of one (I believe B. John the Hermit) remains in the oratory of the Cells. The same indeed in the fourth year after Abbot Alphonsus, in a structure raised above the altar, divided into several compartments had so distributed them, that fifteen caskets, behind as many crystals, appeared in most beautiful order; as it was permitted to see, removed, the notable panel which otherwise remains placed over the sacred Relics, bearing the image of S. John Gualbert the Founder. That Process, and whatever notice of each, we will give on the aforesaid 1st of August, among these B. Orlandus, as the common feast of all, on account of the memory of the common translation; for the reason that to most there is now no proper day, on which they may be singularly venerated. Meanwhile here we set forth, what concerning one of them, of the last grade of lay profession indeed, but by no means last in merits, we found: for this reason that this day is assigned to him by Arnoldus Wion in book 3 of the Lignum Vitæ, and from him by Hugo Menardus in the Martyrology, and Gabriel Bucelinus in the Benedictine Menology, said to have died May 20, 1242 all in these words: On the 13th of the Kalends of June S. Orlandus, Lay-Brother of Vallombrosa, of great virtue concerning the possessed: and in the Notes is added: The Tables of Vallombrosa treat of the same on this day, which report that he migrated in the year of the Lord 1242. He is called by some Ordandus. Arnoldus printed his book at Venice in the year 1595, twelve years after Eudoxius Locatelli of S. Sophia had printed in the Florentine Press the Life of the holy Founder, with the History of all the Generals, and the Blessed men and women of the Order. He in book 2 chapter 27 treats of Blessed Brother Orlandus, as one who flourished in the time of Benignus the 15th General, between the year 1205 and 1235; but makes no mention of the day or year of death. But the Table brought forward and described in the Process, containing the names of seven Blessed of the Order, has only this. B. Orlandus: on the day on which he died, a certain man seized by a demon was wondrously freed before his body. Whence it is understood that the Table, which Arnoldus cites, was composed about the year 1590, and sent to him remained with him; and it remains to be wished, but scarcely to be hoped, that both for this Blessed one and for the others the foundation may become known, relying on which the author could prescribe to Arnoldus so definitely the day and year of the death of each.
[3] Among other learned men, whom the Parent and Maecenas of learned men Lorenzo de' Medici, in the 15th century advanced beyond the middle, fostered and adorned, there was also Jerome the Vallombrosan. He in a singular little work to the same Lorenzo (which together with the miracles of S. John Gualbert, his eulogy written by Jerome the Vallombrosan, and a little book on the solitary life to the Hermits of the Cells, we found at Florence in the Laurentian Library) in few words disclosed the lives and illustrious deeds of the Blessed of the Vallombrosan Religion, imitating S. Jerome, writing on illustrious men; where concerning B. Orlandus he has thus. B. Orlandus, Lay-Brother of this Monastery of S. Mary, that is of the number of those, who though they inhabit a sacred place, yet differ a little from the Monks: for they are held by a laxer life, they use also a shorter habit: whom indeed accustomed to good arts, the most blessed Father John ordered to go to the market of saleable wares, whence they might bring into the monastery the things necessary for the use of the monks, lest the Monks be compelled to wander through penury of things or to go out even unwilling. He, I say, to return to my purpose, how grateful and dear he was to Jesus Christ, is easily shown; since on the day on which he migrated from this to the supernal life, a certain man seized by a demon, before his body was immediately restored to his former health. Hence it came to pass, as one powerful against demons, that those who for the sake of devotion or of recovering good health, betook themselves to that monastery of S. Mary, devoutly approach his sepulchre, which is shown next to the bell tower of this monastery: in which place also the bodies of certain other Blessed rest in the peace of Christ. And we living have truly with our own eyes beheld, that by their prayers incredible signs from heaven have been obtained for mortals, so that everywhere by all the neighbors they are both named and proclaimed Saints; although according to custom (as the sacred Canons will) they are not confirmed Saints.
[4] Eudoxius Locatelli indeed, in the place before cited, thus writes: In the time of the General Benignus among others there flourished in the Religion a certain Cloistral Lay-Brother, amplified by Eudoxius Locatelli. by name Brother Orlandus, who wholly devoted to divine service, as much of time free from works as he could obtain, spent in exercises of prayer; performing the other duties imposed on him by obedience, with great promptitude, humility and patience. Benign and easy toward all, he never seemed to be disturbed; but always appeared cheerful with the same countenance. He was frequent in contemplating the heavenly glory after this life, and was so caught up by it, that he sometimes passed two or three days fasting. But how acceptable he was to God, appeared in his happy death. For while his holy body was being carried out to burial, demons through the mouth of a possessed man, drawn thither by his kinsmen, that before the Relics of S. John Gualbert he might be freed, began to cry out with great howling: Was then the virtue of the Master not enough to restrain and torment us, that the disciple also rises against us? And dashing the man to the ground, The chapel itself called by his name. Have mercy, they said, on us, Servant of God: and in these words they departed, leaving the man beset by them like one dead. From this time indeed the custom obtained, that of the men to be cured by sacred exorcisms, they first try them at his sepulchre, with great efficacy proved by frequent experiments; and the chapel itself under the bell tower is called the Chapel of B. Orlandus; into which also he is said to have been wont daily to retire, to do penance and prayer on bare knees.
[5] Silvanus Razzius, in the Lives of the Tuscan Saints, published in Italian the Life of Orlandus de Medicis, with good
leave received from the Most Serene Grand Duke Ferdinand from a Latin one of the Laurentian Library, from him very different is B. Orlandus de Medicis, in which besides the name you would find nothing at all, which could give occasion to even the slightest thought concerning the Vallombrosan Orlandus. I understand however that there are some who would have it held for certain that he is one and the same, who led a solitary life first in the Piacentine territory, then lived at Vallombrosa among the Oblates. But if they refuse to give faith to Razzi, let them go to the Laurentian Library itself: there in the second Plutus they will find a small Manuscript Codex under the number 35, and in it nothing else than that Latin Life itself under this title: On the life, penance, death and miracles of B. Roland de Medicis, who closed his last day at Castro-Bargoni of the Bishopric of Parma, 1086 on the 15th day of the month of September. They will also find at the end of the life, before the miracles of Cremona described by the hand of a public Notary, expressly stated, that in the said Castle the body of the dead man, with a very great and decent retinue of Clerics and laymen, buried at Busseto near Cremona. to the church of Busseto was solemnly and devoutly carried and buried: now Busseto is a notable town of the diocese of Cremona, about eight Roman miles distant from the city, where still is preserved the body itself.