OF SAINT GERIUS
AT MONTE SANTO IN PICENUM.
13TH CENTURY.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
On his cult, life, age.
Gerius, at Monte Santo in Picenum (St.)
G. H.
[1] Monte Santo is an ample town of Picenum, near to Loreto and Recanati at about five miles, which is thought to have been built from the ruins of the city of Potentia, mentioned by Cicero, Mela, Pliny, and others, where also a river is even now called Potentia. Cult To this town is ascribed as Protector St. Gerius, of whom Philip Ferrarius in the general Catalogue at this XXVI of May. At Monte Santo in Picenum St. Gerius the Confessor, whom he says is also called Egirius in the Index both Alphabetical and Chorographical. A Church dedicated. Then in the Notes he says, that he treats of him from the monuments of that place, which he received thence, sealed with the seal of that town; and that there is extant not far off a Church dedicated to him, which is of the Friars Servites. Those monuments are there on parchment in ancient character, which Henry Lindanus sent us from Loreto, then there and afterward at Rome a Penitentiary, afterward sent into Denmark for the cause of promoting the faith, and at Copenhagen amid Apostolic labors died. Ferrarius cited before, in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy published a compendium of these Acts, and notes that the Acts of this Saint in some things, as less probable, need censure. They are written by a certain Brother Matthew Masius, of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine, Life written and indeed from the relation of the ancients and certain Writings, but those perhaps not very old. The same are extant in the Archive of the Archbishopric of Fermo, a copy of which extracted thence was kept at Rome, in the Library of the Congregation of the Oratory of St. Mary in Vallicella. I find nothing in them which greatly merits censure, only I grieve that the Life of St. Liberius the Patron of Ancona, of whom we are to treat at the XXVII of May, is so fabulous, that from these Acts his memory ought rather to be illustrated, than that it can receive light from them. Yet as far as we attain by conjecture, Gerius lived in the 13th century, when the Holy Land was not yet wholly lost, and still frequent pilgrims passed from the West into the East: but he died about the year 1270. The name Gerius by aphaeresis of the first syllable, most usual to the Italians, I would say was taken from the name Rogerius; on the contrary his brother's name seems augmented, by the addition of an initial vowel, because instead of Fernandus it is written Effernandus or Effrendus: but each was known to Occitania both in that century which I said and is today familiar enough: certainly to the much more ancient centuries, to which some refer St. Liberius, Gerius cannot aspire to be coeval with him. Moreover the Church of St. Gerius small, is distant one mile from Monte Santo, Procession on the 25th of May. to which all the Clergy and Religious of the said town institute a solemn procession on the XXV of May. But it was, as Ferrarius writes, sometime of the Friars Servites: but their Convent on account of the Constitution of Innocent X was dissolved because it could not maintain a number congruous to monastic functions and disciplines: and so there remains there now a simple Benefice, of which he who holds it as Priest is obliged in the same little church to sacrifice for the convenience of the inhabitants on all Sundays and feast days, as lately wrote to us the Reverend Father John Maria a Turre the Rector of our Penitentiaries at Loreto, adding, that there is yearly a great concourse of people thither, fleeing there as often as they are vexed either by diseases or other inconveniences, whence very many votive offerings also are seen there, and those for the most part brought by the poor.
LIFE
By the Author Matthew Masius, of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine.
From the Manuscript codex of Monte Santo.
Gerius, at Monte Santo in Picenum (St.)
BHL Number: 3448
FROM THE MANUSCRIPTS.
[1] To the beloved son in Christ, the Venerable Man the Presbyter Martin, Prior of the church of St. Paul of Monte Santo; and to the excellent Physician, Master Peter of Monte Santo, Brother Matthew Masi, of St. Mary in Georgio, the least of the repeaters of Grammar, of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine of Monte Santo, himself with promptitude of serving. Your Charity by sedulous address has offered me little gifts, Prologue, that with the zeal, which I had committed to memory by the pen, I should relieve the Legend of Blessed Gerius the Confessor, and the inhabitant and Patron of our mountain, according to the grossness of my intellect: lest his life, which flourished with so many virtues, after it grows famous by morals and miracles, should lie hidden in concealment, and become as it were wholly alien to preachings. But because to have memory of all things, and to sin in nothing, is to be esteemed not human, but rather divine (since memory is not in the power of man) I blush to speak; it shames me to be silent. Ps. 80, 11 Let therefore he be the discloser of such things, who said, Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. And may he grant me the least pedagogue to disclose it by the grace of his most sacred Majesty: and may it be to the praise of Blessed Gerius himself; and profit you, me, and all unto salvation. For the Legend of the same Blessed Gerius, as I have recollected it from the ancients, and have found it in certain writings, in this order I have taken care to denote to you. That your devotion to him may rather be increased in affection: and posterity may take examples from their predecessors, and learn to love God wonderful in his Saints, whom I most humbly ask to be made my reward for the labor.
[2] Gerius was sprung from the noble lineage of the Frankish people, of the family of the Counts of a Lunel. This man followed his brother, by name Effrendus or Effernandus, a follower of Christ, in chastity, abstinence, fasts, and discipline both spiritual and bodily. These two brothers, since they were inflamed with the love of Christ; desired to spurn the paternal nobility and power, and most devotedly with whole heart to serve Christ. And then wishing more conveniently to fly over the desert places, in which they might be able secretly to perform the services of God, with his brother he dwells in a cave of a bridge: they came to a certain bridge of wonderful structure over a certain river, in which there were two caverns, namely one on the right side of the bridge, but the other on the left. But when the inclemency of the weather and the inundation of the waters had overtopped the bridge, so that those passing now rested, nor could they cross if any had been present with the wish of crossing; through many days the men of God struck by hunger, came as it were to the utmost end of fasting: and because now the inundation of the waters had in some measure ceased, they receive bread from serpents: they began to look out, if there were the convenience of going out to seek alms: and behold serpents of wonderful size, swimming above the water, were carrying two loaves in their mouth. And when the men of God beheld them, giving thanks to God they watched the end of the serpents' approach. And behold approaching the caverns, dividing from one another, one approaching Effernandus, and the other Gerius, offered to each a loaf: which each receiving, and bursting forth into the praise of God, took refection.
[3] But the inundation of the waters ceasing, the Saints of God came to a castle, which was distant about one league from the bridge; where a Priest being applied they made full Confession, and narrated the miracles. But the Priest, considering the justice of the men of God, divulged such a miracle to many; at whose word many secular people hastened to visit the Saints of God. they calm a storm of the sea by their prayers. But they, fearing to be stained by the vain glory of the world, after a little time withdrew thence; and a purpose being made of visiting the sepulcher of the Lord and the other thresholds overseas, they came to the parts of Italy by ship, departing from the parts of Provence. But when they were sailing the Tyrrhenian sea, it happened that from a storm the ship was almost submerged by shipwreck; so that they had now made signs of despair of safety. Then the Saints of God, Gerius and Effrendus, falling down in prayer, demanded safety from the Saviour of all. When thus they feared to perish by shipwreck, behold then in the midst of the ship a little cloud, like the footstep of a man, appeared: and there was made a healthful tranquillity in the sea, so that not even signs of any storm appeared. But approaching the shores of b Corneto the Saints of God Effrendus and Gerius, a She-bear directing the way they come to Rome: hastened toward the thresholds of the Apostles Peter and Paul: and behold wandering through a wood around Viterbo, they receive a she-bear meeting them, which always going before through pleasant places, led them up to three miles near Rome. But the men of God seeing this, were the more fervently fortified in the love of God: and entering the City, most devoutly searching out and visiting the thresholds of the Saints through many days, it happened, that from a certain man of holy life they heard, c that Blessed Liberius dwelt at Ancona, who was powerful in sanctity of life. they go to St. Liberius: To whom the men of God panting depart from the City, carrying neither purse, nor scrip, according to the Saviour's edict: and while they proceeded to the city of Spoleto, they heard that it was the will of Blessed Liberius to go to the places overseas, and to visit the bounds of the nativity and passion of our Saviour.
[4] Which heard the Saints of God began to hasten their steps more swiftly, lest they should neglect the consortium of so holy a man. And going down through d Tolentino, Blessed Gerius began to be somewhat weighed down by an infirmity of the head, St. Gerius sick which relating to his brother Effernandus or Effrendus, he was still more strongly weighed down. And coming to a place, which was called Collumbario, where there was a country place or village with somewhat of inhabitants under straw huts or cottages, the day being declined, there passing the night they remained, received in charity by the inhabitants. Behold in the middle of the night the infirmity weighs upon Gerius more than usual: who watching in prayer, commended himself wholly to the Lord. And behold a certain light from heaven upon his body, so much shone forth, he shines with celestial light, that the whole house or cottage was feared to be burned. But morning being made, the Saints of God wishing to proceed to Blessed Liberius, rose, giving thanks to God. Blessed Gerius therefore was tending his hair with a comb, and the hairs plucked out by combing he put back in a certain straw column, and so left them: and because the Saviour had predestined Gerius to close his last day, that the land of St. Peter, which is now called Monte Santo, might rejoice in the treasure of the Relics of Blessed Gerius; then approaching the river, near Monte Santo which is called Potentia, and in the place, which is commonly called la Volta di Marigniano, because thence they went to the castle of Monte Orso; Gerius oppressed and weighed down by too great an infirmity (whence neither on that day did he take food, which he would not have wished to take) lay down on the earth: from which not being able to rise, nor aided by the help of Effrendus or Effernandus his brother, was grieved at the consortium of his brother for that day, until the following morning. But when his brother Effrendus went to the castle of Orso to ask for help, he dies, the bells sounding of their own accord: and returned to his brother; he found him already migrated from the world. Wishing to lift him, they found him so immovable by the greatest heaviness, that they would attest that he had been not a man, but a great mountain. After whose passing the bells of St. Stephen of the Abbey of St. Peter, where now is the parish of Monte Santo, of themselves rang unceasingly.
[5] At the sound of those of the Castle of Orso or of Monte Orso, g the Communals of Recanati come down, wishing to carry the body of Blessed Gerius, a contention concerning the body, which made itself altogether immovable. The Clergy also and people of the land of St. Peter running up, were endeavoring to receive and carry off the holy pledge, and so there was contention between both. And while contention was thus carried on, there was made the voice of a younger boy, Let this body be put upon a chariot, and untamed and unpolluted bullocks being applied, whither they shall wish to go, let them be allowed; and let them be permitted without noise and dissension. Then all placing themselves in prayer, heard the voice of the boy: it is settled by a miracle. and the body being placed upon the chariot, the bullocks being applied, the animals direct their steps as far as the village of Columbaria. Nevertheless, as has been heard by the relation of very many, that cottage in which the holy men of God were lodged, was burned in the space of three hours, and only the column with the hairs of Blessed Gerius remained unharmed. Whence it was done, that the bullocks persisting by that column, did not go away thence: and so the holy body was placed there; but Blessed Effrendus completing his pilgrimage, ended a praiseworthy life in Christ at the Island of Rhodes.