Gertrude Virgin Martyr

ON ST. GERTRUDE VIRGIN MARTYR

OF VAUXDIEULET IN LORRAINE.

A historical Sylloge on her cult, and Life not sufficiently certain.

Gertrude, Virgin Martyr, of Vauxdieulet in Lorraine: venerated on the day after the Lord's Ascension (S.)

D. P.

Venerated on the day after the Ascension, The festivity of the Lord's Ascension, howsoever the Paschal Cycles may stand, cannot be celebrated earlier than April 30, nor later than June 3; whence it comes, that the day following that feast is always some day of May, unless Easter be celebrated on April 22, or some of the three following; which since not so happens frequently, deservedly this Saint, who on the day after the aforesaid feast is venerated, we refer to the month of May, no day of the month being assigned, that it may be known, according to the reckoning of movable feasts, through that whole month and the first three days of the following month to wander her veneration, and therefore this one to the whole month, under the title of Corollary we subjoin at the end of the last day. The first notice of her came to us, Of Vauxdieulet St. Gertrude from the Rev. Lord Peter de Waghenaer the Premonstratensian, of pious memory once Prior of the Abbey of St. Nicholas at Furnes in Flanders: who from the most ample formerly Lord Nicholas Lede, of the same Premonstratensian Order, Abbot of St. Andrew in the wood near Hesdin, had received the Life from the History of the monastery of Belval, by a certain Religious of that place more recently composed. But Vauxdieulet, where the Saint is venerated, commonly Vauxdieulet, to the aforesaid Belval Abbey in spirituals as well as temporals is subject. That notice thus has it.

[2] That Virgin and Martyr Gertrude, by some is thought to have been the niece of the holy Virgin Gertrude, Abbess of Nivelles, the daughter of the elder Pippin: but the common fame among the parishioners of the Vauxdieulet church has it, that St. Gertrude herself, Virgin and Martyr, was the daughter of a certain King or Duke of Brabant as another St. Barbara; and that she received baptism, and her virginity to the heavenly Spouse with a most devout mind consecrated; and therefore the marriage, to her by her father with a great earthly Prince offered, constantly refused. Which when he saw, and the reason knew the impious and heathen father; he wished, with anger and fury stirred, who fleeing the marriage offered by her father, her to slay; but the holy girl for herself by flight provided: whom long sought by two of that Duke's or King's sons, of the paternal fury and wrath emulators, and found in a certain place of Argonne which Dieulet is called; first they her with harder words upbraided, then with gentler ones soothed, and there beside a certain fountain (which she herself from God a little before had obtained for the ardor of thirst to extinguish, when from the journey she was wearied, which fountain even today famous for miracles, the fountain of St. Gertrude is called) to sit they bade, again partly with threats partly with blandishments they tempted, that at last to her father she should yield, and the faith of Christ desert, and the offered marriage enter. But she refused, and her heathen brothers' impious attempts overcame: for the love of Christ within in her breast vehemently burned, whence by no threats nor any blandishments or promises shaken could she be. Foreseeing therefore the blessed girl that to her martyrdom was imminent, she asks and obtains from God a little of time, by her pursuing brothers be transfixed with weapons. in which by prayer she might dispose herself for death. Then suddenly her brothers being by slumber vehemently seized, Gertrude into a neighboring mountain ascended, where for some time she devotes herself to prayer; and to the heavenly Spouse, whose nuptials she awaited, her soul sacrifices; and to Him with the oil of grace, and the fire of charity, the lamp of her heart kindled, she runs to meet. But meanwhile her brothers awakened, when their sister they see not with them, indignant the mountain ascend, and her beside a certain tree praying transfix with arrows; in the place where even today a stone Cross is seen: and there, with the double crown of virginity and martyrdom her noble soul, Gertrude to her Spouse Christ rendered.

[3] Not far from that Cross is a certain stone, having the form of a sepulcher, about two feet from the earth raised: under which they say was found the holy body of this Virgin, At her sepulcher a blind man being illuminated, by a certain blind man from the city of Stenay, about four miles from Vauxdieulet distant. Who by a divine revelation of that sepulcher the place when he had learned, thither himself led he caused; and before a copious multitude of people, the earth of that sepulcher to dig out he began. And when a certain particle of that earth into his eyes had leaped, suddenly his sight he received, and to God and the Blessed Gertrude thanks humbly and devoutly rendered; the people acclaiming, that wonderful is God in His Saints; by which miracle they began those sacred relics of the Virgin in honor and veneration to have. But when that holy body into the church of Vauxdieulet they translated, the body is translated: and it with great honor and joy they accompanied, on the slope of the mountain so it stuck, that thence by no force could it be moved further; wherefore in that place a chapel in honor of that same holy Gertrude Virgin and Martyr was built, where now is the parish church: in which that sacred body is venerated, in an ancient chest of bronze enclosed, with various paintings adorned, and the head separated in a little coffer of bronze, in which is written: Here stands the head of holy Gertrude brighter than gold. In this Vauxdieulet temple are seen still various paintings, the history is painted: the history of the martyrdom of St. Gertrude representing: of which the chief and older is in the window behind the altar, at whose foot of the painting written is read in the French idiom: How St. Gertrude by her brothers to death was delivered. In the same church, on the right side of the high altar, is a chapel to St. Gertrude sacred: in which are also various paintings, the history of this Saint representing. But on account of the manifold and well-nigh continual, which are done at this holy Virgin and Martyr's body, miracles, a great is had on every side concourse of people to her sacred remains to venerate: of whom most, after their prayers to God through this holy Virgin's both merits and intercessions they have poured, and from her fountain have drunk, whole and from their sicknesses freed home return. Her solemnity yearly is celebrated on the day after the feast of the Ascension by ancient custom, to which thousands of men for devotion's sake flow together. In the procession her Head is carried about by the Parish priest of this church; but the rest of her Relics are carried by two girl virgins. Her Office both in the Mass, and in Matins, and Hours, and Vespers, is done from the common of one Virgin and Martyr. The church of the Belval monastery has about the middle part of one rib of this sacred body, which Fr. Peter Gaucher, the Parish priest of Vauxdieulet, an annual feast is instituted, gave to it in the year 1632 on March 19: who attests also, that no part at all is wanting to this sacred body, except this part of the rib, and the joint of one finger: which her cruel brothers, in testimony of their slain sister, cut off, to the impious father dwelling at Nivigella, with the same Virgin's ring brought back.

[4] Thus from there. The situation of the Places agrees with itself: for four from Stenay or Stenay leagues toward Rethel to the West, in the typographical map of Rethel, Certain circumstances seem taken from St. Gertrude of Nivelles are noted Valdulay and Belval Abbey, only by a half league's interval separated: but how that region above

is called Argonne I have not yet learned. As to the holy Virgin's lineage; we do not at all doubt, but that the maker of that Passion the names of Pippin and Nivigella and Brabant received from the Legends of the celebrated Gertrude of Nivelles; of whom we treated on March 17: and, after her Acts explained, we asked, whether another Virgin of the same name, in Franconia known (to whom likewise, Pippin, as father; as the cause of flight, the refusal of marriage is said to have been) could be believed the sister of Charlemagne, and so the niece of the Great Gertrude whom I mentioned, just as of the Vauxdieulet one some opine; nor were we bold for the affirmative to bear a sentence. But whether that flight was true history in the Franconian Gertrude, and fabulously to the Nivelles one was transferred; or (which more truly I would believe) to the Nivelles one originally was affixed by those, who a cause invented desired of so celebrated her in Franconia cult; credible plainly it is, confused with the Franconian Gertrude. that from one or the other she was drawn to Vauxdieulet so much the more easily, because the Vauxdieulet one was believed on account of her love of chastity, by her brothers, to her father to draw her back desiring, to have been slain: which tradition if true it is, and she truly had a father and brothers gentile, I would say of the Salian Franks, not yet Christians, them to have been. But how obscure these things are, so certain is the cult; with which content from further conjecture we abstain. Only we add, that the day, to the cult assigned, seems from the time of the elevation or translation rather to have been taken, than that on such a day her either martyrdom or death befell. If anyone however thinks probable it can seem, that the same who in Franconia dwelt, through Lorraine fleeing across the Moselle and the Meuse came to Vauxdieulet, and there died; he will not be able of falsity to be convicted from the presence of the Body among the Franconians. For these at the most pretend a little particle of her to have, and this very one they could have received at Nivelles, whither they believed their Gertrude at last to have returned, whence her also on March 17 they venerate.

ON THE THIRD WEEKDAY OF PENTECOST ON B. BERTERAGMUS OR BERTRAM PRESBYTER OF THE ORDER OF HERMITS OF ST. AUGUSTINE.

AT FERMO IN THE PROVINCE OF PICENO IN ITALY.

IN THE YEAR 1490

A Sylloge from Augustinian Authors, especially from Thomas de Herrera.

Berteragmus or Bertram Presbyter of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine, at Fermo in Piceno: venerated on the third weekday of Pentecost (B.)

D. P.

By the same right, by which to the end of the whole month of May we referred St. Gertrude aforesaid, Why he is referred here, we can refer hither also B. Berteragmus, from the first formation of the name to be called perhaps Bertegramus: which by a softer dialect to the Spaniards now Beltramus, to the Italians Bertramus is pronounced. For he is venerated on the third weekday of Pentecost, often wont to fall in May, although also not infrequently in June; of which it first the day occupied in the very year in which the Blessed is said to have died in the year 1490, because Easter then was celebrated April 11. But such a weekday rather seems chosen, because either then to burial his body was given, or (which more I would believe) was elevated from the earth, although now it is unknown where it is; or finally for the greater convenience of the devout people, abolished what proper originally it seems to have had Natal or Elevation feast. Tamayus, in his Spanish Martyrology, who in the Spanish Martyrology is placed on May 14? no Spanish Saint finding, with which to adorn the day May 19, this one for Bertram chose by his own judgment: but nothing could he add to the things said by Thomas Herrera, who his ancient Cult proves by signal and proper Hymns, formerly wont in his feast to be recited; which to us for a history of his life can be, while lies hidden that which written was, he testifies, but hitherto not to be found complains Herrera.

[2] Crusenius in the Augustinian Monastic p. 3 c. 31, first of him thus made mention: Crusenius first mentioned him; Still running the year 1490, at Fermo in Piceno, from this vale of miseries, with many signs of the divine majesty, was called away B. Bertram, from a generous family in Spain sprung; after for many years the eremitic life he had led, under the obedience of the Prior of Fermo: in which time he never either his lineage or family had disclosed; but disclosed his virtues, under the eremitic little cloak hiding, God: for when his body to burial was committed, an Angelic harmony was heard. Crusenius's words into his ecclesiastical Annals inserted Abraham Bzovius, at the year prenoted no. 30. The phrase slightly changed, John Naevius, in the Augustinian Hermitage p. 309: all of whom alleges the latest collector of the Augustinian Encomiastic Philip Elssius, from Herrera adding p. 128, that the Blessed illuminated the blind, those dashed by a demon healed, to the sick health, to the deaf hearing restored, paralysis and the disease by the name of wolf took away. Each receives its proof from the Hymns above praised: which before we transcribe, it is better the fuller of Herrera narration, p. 1 p. 98 expressed, here to give.

[3] B. Bertram, by nation a Spaniard, by lineage to us unknown, by merits to heaven known, when from Spain, in metals of gold and silver rich, [Herrera adds that in the year 1452 he came to Fermo and ministered to the Hospital,] but with so many of Saints the inestimable pearls richer, into Italy a secular Presbyter had come, and for many years in the Hospital of Fermo most devoutly and most holily had ministered, from the year 1452; that to God more closely and more fortunately he might cleave, in the convent of the Augustinians of the same city, to the Augustinian militia his name he gave. There after many years of penance and a most perfect life, with great opinion of sanctity, his Life written by a coeval; from the desert of this world to the heavenly Jerusalem, in the year 1490 famous for miracles he migrated. His life wrote a coeval author Thomas of Fermo, Lecturer of sacred Theology: but time, of things and codices devouring and tenacious, either consumed the little treatise or hides it. There remains however of the blessed man a celebrated memory: and by his merits God many benefits on those imploring help confers. On the third weekday of Pentecost his body to the devout peoples yearly solemnly is shown: and still are extant ecclesiastical Hymns in his honor: which not lightly indicate, Bertram, before the reformation of the Breviary, and proper hymns for his feast it exhibits. with the public cult of the divine Office by the Brothers to have been honored. I add also and with a proper feast; but I know not for what day of the year; certainly not on any weekday of Pentecost, when there would not be place for a proper Vigil of a Saint or Blessed; and yet the first Hymn is inscribed, On the Vigil of B. Bertegramus at Vespers. Those Hymns also Ludovicus Torelli reported in Volume 7 of the Augustinian centuries: beyond which nothing could he say except what wrote Herrera. With these therefore content, the same let us exhibit.

HYMNS.

Berteragmus or Bertram Presbyter of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine, at Fermo in Piceno: venerated on the third weekday of Pentecost (B.)

ON THE VIGIL AT VESPERS.

Land of Fermo, rejoice, which by Spain's gift art enriched; driving away the clouds, now that the star of light has risen.

A glittering star sacred gain renders Berteragmus: in life, in word famous, he opens to us blessed joys.

Here rejoice, throng of the poor, under Augustine's little mark: wholly are driven away of crimes the night, and darkness, and clouds.

For the clouded things the prodigal of this one's ray illumines: to the oppressed He is present with suffrages the winged herald of day.

This herald in the water in the cave the Godhead's having professed, psalming feeds him mystically the splendor of the Paternal light.

A light shining again to the Order of the Father the provident Doctor, is now exalted in the company to the supper of the provident Lamb.

Through You Father with the Son, and the Comforter Spirit, from the contagion of crime may He here cleanse us utterly.

Amen.

AT NOCTURN.

Let to the King of the Heavenly Ones the choir sing a melody of gladness, who to Berteragmus the reward of the supernal militia gives.

While he for Christ serves as soldier, by conquering himself he is not conquered: thus against the enemies he fights, who by war is not shaken.

A new husbandman is placed in Augustine's vineyard: which cultivated, while it is tended again, rises an abundance sweeter.

To those oppressed by languors sacred zeal he expends: to the blind, prayers being poured, the pious one grants suffrages.

Those dashed by demons by a vow of salvation he shakes free: thus, by deed, by vow, by zeals he confers, when virtue suffices.

To the Father, the Son, the Paraclete, honor, glory, and praise, be by Berteragmus's merit to us eternal joys.

Amen.

AT LAUDS.

The athlete of Christ is venerated, Berteragmus, in the Churches: who by many now is advanced rays of miracles.

Limbs grow green again that were dry, the use of nature is restored: by the intent of an eager vow the deadly poison is driven away.

For the disease by the name of Wolf from the gnawed neck he casts off; and frenzy, in the sacred Breath, at the vow he casts down.

Let us add therefore to prayers prayers: he who now in the height of the poles rejoices in his seats, may help us in exile.

To the Father, the Son, etc.

Acta Sanctorum: Appendix May VII