ON ST. STEPHEN, BISHOP OF APT,
IN THE YEAR 1046
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY
Stephen, bishop of Apt. (S.)
BY C. D. S.
§ I. Of the sources of this treatment.
[1] The Life written by a companion of the saint We have the Life of St. Stephen written by a contemporary, indeed by a companion of the saint Life to be edited below, end of c. 3, middle of c. 9, end of c. 10., whom, as the writer himself affirms, he cherished with singular love Life, end of c. 16. and, close to death, called to himself and made heir of part of his goods Life, c. 18.. Nor indeed can the trustworthiness of the writer seem suspect by any indication. For whatever things are read in him agree excellently with those we know from other documents. Nor, as often occurs to our regret in the Lives of saints written in the course of the Middle Ages, does he confine himself to general praises, but he reports both express chronological notes and not a few particulars, not only about the deeds of Stephen, but also about contemporary events known from elsewhere.
[2] from a copy of an exemplar written before the year 1319 From the subscription attached to the last chapter of the Life we are taught that the exemplar from which this outstanding monument has come to us was copied by some anonymous scribe, on the authority of Raimund Boti, canon works-master of the church of Apt Compare below, annotation on Life, c. 20., before the year 1319, namely the year in which the same Raimund obtained the episcopal see [Bull of John XXII, given at Avignon on 6 May 1319, in Albanès, Gallia christiana novissima. Province d'Aix (1899), Instr., p. 143.]. The tenor of this copy, through perhaps not a few intermediate scribes, we ourselves have known from a double other recent copy, which the Very Reverend Louis Bedos and Ulysse Chevalier most courteously communicated to us, each taken from an exemplar
which Joseph Francis de Remerville, lord of Saint-Quentin (1650–1730), copied [On whom see Barjavel (C. F. H.), Dictionnaire historique… du département de Vaucluse (1841), vol. II, p. 309.]. But the codex from which he copied it seems to have perished when the archive of the city of Apt was given to the fire in the year 1793. Nor could the copy of Remerville itself be found [Which the Very Reverend Louis Bédos indicated to us in a certain letter sent to us in this year 1907.], but only that double one which we have said above was lent to us.
[3] to be edited here. According to that, then, we here edit the entire Life for the first time. The prudent reader will easily notice that in more than one place its text is somewhat corrupted, whether this came about by the fault of a scribe of the fourteenth century or of one of those to whom they afterwards committed its copying. But it has fortunately happened that those blemishes do not so affect the sense of the individual sentences that the narration of events itself is rendered perplexed and obscure by them, especially since they occur chiefly in those places in which, in oratorical style, deeds are not so much set out as the praises of the holy man celebrated.
[4] More recent aids. More recent aids to our labour have been furnished by the Life of St. Stephen written in French by the Very Reverend Louis Bédos [Vie de Saint Étienne d'Agde, évêque d'Apt, par l'abbé Louis Bédos. Montpellier, 1898, in 16, VIII–80 pp.] and what the late J. H. Albanès collected on the holy bishop Gallia christiana novissima, in the work cited, pp. 216–219..
§ II. Of the history of St. Stephen.
[5] Stephen, born at Agde in the year 975, The chief chronological notes of the life of St. Stephen the biographer has clearly reported, when he says Life, c. 18.: In the year from the mystery of the incarnation one thousand and forty-six, of his ordination the thirty-sixth, more or less thirty-five days, of his whole life the seventy-first, seized with typhus fever … he lay on his bed, soon to meet his last day. That he was by birth of Agde he also openly reports End of c. 1.. According to these things, then, Stephen was born at Agde in the year 975, ordained bishop of Apt in the month of December of the year 1010 Compare annotation on Life, c. 18., and departed this life in the year 1046.
[6] instructed from youth in sacred disciplines, From the words of the same anonymous writer, where he says Beginning of c. 1. that the saint was instructed in sacred studies from the first flower of his blossoming age, Remerville by a very probable conjecture drew out that as a young man he was devoted to the priestly warfare. It appears quite likely too that he spent time in the monastery of St. Severus at Agde, at least among the external scholars; for that as a boy he was offered to that monastery by his parents and then embraced the monastic life there Bédos, the work cited, pp. 16–17. is gratuitously affirmed. Indeed the writer of the Life expressly teaches us End of c. 1. that Stephen, having left boyhood, was led away by a certain nobleman of his kin from his native dwelling to another city; which certainly by no means suits monastic profession.
[7] afterwards he also learned the Greek language. On the sole authority of Remerville too it is narrated Bédos, pp. 19–21. that Stephen, while still living at Agde, applied himself to the study of the Greek and Hebrew languages and that before taking up the priestly dignity he once or twice undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Which certainly does not agree with the testimony of the contemporary biographer, but seems rather to oppose it. For according to him he left Agde before taking sacred orders End of c. 1, beginning of c. 2. and first went to the holy places, certainly before he was promoted to the highest charge of rule Beginning of c. 5., but not before he had been advanced to sacred orders Compare beginning of c. 2., and on that journey he is said first to have learned Greek letters C. 5., nor is it anywhere reported that he also learned the Hebrew language [This certainly cannot be gathered from the fact that he was skilled in the melody of the psalms; for this the writer of the Life records among the exercises of his other Greek studies (the same place).].
[8] He undertook the Palestinian journey first before the year 1010. In what certain year he first went to Palestine is not expressly indicated, but only that it happened before he was promoted to the highest charge of rule and when the glorious sepulchre of our redeemer had not yet been overthrown at the instigation of the pagans nor the buildings of the churches destroyed Beginning and end of c. 5.; both of which things we know to have taken place in the year 1010, namely the overthrow of the churches at Jerusalem [Rodulphus Glaber, Histories, book III, c. 7 (in Bouquet, Rec. des hist. de France, vol. X, p. 34); Ademar of Chabannes, Chronicle (ibid., p. 152).] and the promotion of Stephen to the episcopal dignity Compare above, no. 5.. We can only assert, then, that that journey was undertaken before the year 1010 [Note however, from the beginning of c. 6, that the ruin of the church of the Holy Sepulchre and of the other sacred buildings of Jerusalem was learned of by Stephen by report a long space of years after his return from the first pilgrimage, his episcopate having already been taken up. That long space of years someone might reckon, by a perhaps not improbable conjecture, to have been at least a decade, whence it would be gathered that the first journey was undertaken between the years 995 (in which the saint had reached the twentieth year of his age) and 1010.]. Nor do we know how long he stayed there out of zeal for learning the foreign language Life, middle of c. 5..
[9] [Another undertaken when already a bishop, but prevented by disease from completing it,] Nor can it be settled with much more certainty at what time he undertook the second Palestinian journey, which however, disease standing in the way, he could not complete. For little help toward defining the desired date is the mention of Gunfred, bishop of Volterra, who cared for Stephen at his house, already reduced to extremity by the force of the disease Life, c. 7.: for he sat from the year 1014 to the year 1037 Gams, Ser. epp., p. 763., that is, for about the same years as Stephen in the church of Apt.
[10] afterwards he again visited the holy places. Finally it is wholly uncertain too at what time it fell to him, immediately after he had recovered, to resume and happily complete that second journey cut off by disease Life, end of c. 9, beginning of c. 10.. As regards the other deeds of our saint narrated in his Life, these are so lucidly set out by the anonymous writer that it does not seem that one should linger in discussing them. It remains only for us to review certain things passed over by that writer and known to us through other documents. Namely:
[11] Besides the things read in his Life, a) At the very beginning of his episcopate Stephen is said, by the mandate of Sergius IV, Supreme Pontiff (the years 1009–1012), to have consecrated the church of Correnum, which had passed by donation into the ownership of the monastery of Montmajour, in the diocese of Arles [Gallia christ., vol. I (1715), Instr. p. 104 c; Gall. christ. novissima, Province d'Aix, ed. Albanès (1899), p. 217.]. But these letters of Sergius IV, which in the exemplar from which they were edited were read as given in the year 1020, are now held apocryphal [Jaffé-Kalt., Regesta RR. PP., n. 3969; Gall. christ. novissima. Province d'Arles, ed. U. Chevalier (1901), p. 138.].
[12] certain other things b) In the year 1019, he subscribed the instrument by which the common life was introduced among the canons of the cathedral church of Girona Peter de Marca, Marca Hispanica, p. 1019; España sagrada, vol. XLIII, p. 430., and in the year 1022 he was present at the consecration of the church of the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes in the diocese of Girona Marca hisp., p. 1034..
[13] done by him c) In the year 1032, on 3 October, he consecrated the chapel of St. Michael in the village of Sanio, of his diocese, if credence is to be given to the inscriptions placed in the parish house of this village, which Remerville testified that he had read Bédos, Vie de S. Ét., p. 46..
[14] from various d) He subscribed the synod of Narbonne held in the year 1032 or the preceding year [Mansi, Conc., vol. XIX, pp. 553–56; Cartulary of St. Victor (of Marseilles), ed. Guérard, II, 533, no. 1062.], he subscribed, I say, not indeed in that assembly itself, but afterwards, when he came to Narbonne [Again at another time, there being gathered in the aforesaid city in the same manner a great many bishops, those who had not yet subscribed gladly assented and with their own hands wrote their own names: Flotarius, bishop of Nîmes, Stephen, bishop of Apt… (Cartul. of St. Victor, in the place cited).].
[15] documents of that age e) In the year 1038 he consecrated the church of St. Mary the New, which a certain noblewoman Ava enriched with an ample donation Gall. christ. nov. Province d'Aix, Instr. p. 131, n. V., the same, as one may conjecture, as the wife of that name of Geilinus, count of Valence, who about the same time gave a certain church to the monastery of Saint-Theofrid or Calmeliacum in the diocese of Le Puy Mabillon, Annal., year 956, n. 103..
[16] documents f) In the year 1040 at Marseilles he was present at the consecration of the church of the monastery of St. Victor, which took place on 15 October Cartul. of St. Vict., ed. Guérard, n. 14 (vol. I, pp. 16, 187)..
[17] we know. g) Finally, in the year 1044, with not a few other bishops and laymen, he confirmed the charter of donation of the church of Saint-Promasius of Forcalquier made to the monastery of St. Victor by Bertrand, count of Provence Ibid., n. 659 (vol. II, p. 5)..
§ III. Of the cult of St. Stephen.
[18] In one martyrology of Toulon or Arles of the twelfth century, Of St. Stephen, bishop of Apt, no memory has been preserved in the ancient martyrologies or calendars, except in the martyrology of Toulon or Arles of the beginning of the twelfth century [On this martyrology Dom Germain Morin, O. S. B., has treated excellently, in Revue d'histoire et de littérature religieuses, vol. III (1898), pp. 10–24, and the distinguished Georges de Manteyer, in Mélanges d'archéologie et d'histoire de l'École française de Rome, vol. XVII (1897), pp. 467–489.]. In it is read at the VIII Ides of November: On this day too the deposition of Lord Stephen, bishop of Apt, who sat in the bishopric for XXXV years, X months, XX days Morin, in the work cited, p. 16; Manteyer, in the work cited, p. 480.. Yet, what appears very strange, no mention of him is made in the statute of the chapter of Apt issued in the year 1372, in which are reviewed the feasts to be celebrated in the course of the year, nor is his name read in the litanies of the saints which were customarily sung in the church of Apt from of old and in which are reviewed all
the saints whose relics were kept there Remerville (in Bédos, Vie de S. Ét., p. 64). But compare below, no. 22..
[19] [but nowhere in the monuments of Apt before the sixteenth century is the memory of St. Stephen found celebrated.] So the first mention of St. Stephen in the monuments of the church of Apt occurs in the breviary issued in the year 1532 by order of John de Nicolaï, bishop of Apt, in which at the VIII Ides of November there is marked a simple commemoration: of Stephen, bishop of Apt, who lies in the bishopric Bédos, the work cited, p. 64.. Afterwards, in the year 1664, among the proper offices of the church of Apt added to the Roman Breviary, the use of which Modestus de Villeneuve des Arcs, bishop of this church, prescribed in his diocese, there was inserted the office of St. Stephen with proper lessons of the second and third nocturns, under the double rite [Proper Offices of the Holy cathedral church and diocese of Apt, arranged and emended according to the form of the Roman Breviary restored by decree of the most holy Council of Trent (Aix, 1664), pp. 106–111.]. From there it passed into the proper offices and breviary of the church of Apt issued in the years 1769 and 1785 Bédos, the work cited, pp. 64, 65..
[20] His cult in the church of Agde Among the proper offices of the diocese of Agde the office of our St. Stephen seems to have been first inserted in the year 1742. Certainly it was not read in the Proper issued in the year 1616, which we have with us, nor in that issued in the year 1734 Ibid., pp. 66–67..
[21] and in that of Montpellier. St. Stephen is finally venerated also in the diocese of Montpellier. Yet we have not found his office in the Propers of this church that we have in hand, issued in the year 1736, the year 1821 and the year 1843, but only in more recent ones, issued in the years 1877 and 1880. In this diocese, as in those of Apt and Agde, his memory is marked at 6 November. In other churches it does not appear.
[22] No relics of his body are known. Stephen was buried, if we believe the announcement of the breviary of Apt issued in the year 1532, in the bishopric of Apt Compare above, no. 19., and according to other later breviaries or Propers of Apt, in the church that he had built Bédos, the work cited, p. 69, note 1., that is, of St. Mary the New. But nowhere is there found any indication of any elevation or recognition of relics, until in the month of November 1717 the Illustrious Joseph Ignatius de Foresta, bishop of Apt, ordered the old crypt of that sacred building to be dug up, fired with the hope of finding the body of his holy predecessor. But this hope deceived him: for no traces of bones or garments appeared. Nor thereafter was anything of that kind attempted, and nowhere can any relics of St. Stephen be shown Compare ibid., pp. 70–73..
LIFE OF ST. STEPHEN, BISHOP OF APT
From modern copies. Compare Preliminary Commentary, no. 2.
Stephen, bishop of Apt. (S.)
BHL Number: 7896
Life of St. Stephen, bishop of Apt.
[1] St. Stephen, by birth of Agde, after a youth piously passed, The aforesaid bishop Stephen, then, was by nation a Gaul, from the province of Narbonensis Prima and a native of the city of Agde, renowned enough in the stock of his parents. He, instructed in sacred studies from the first flower of his blossoming age Compare Preliminary Commentary, no. 6., taught all the divine law and the advantage of human providence, honoured the prudence of a shrewd talent. On account of the charm of a continent mind and the sweetness of temperate character he was made dear to acquaintances and lovable to those living with him, nor was he grievous or burdensome to anyone, as those who easily follow their heart are wont to be. Astute in sense, of abundant eloquence and bringing forth a perfect pledge, teachable in worldly business to be tried read experiendo (that is, tractando)? by uprightness and quality of character, ready to learn, skilful to retain, nimble to teach [From these last words (agilis ad docendum) some have gathered (Bédos, Vie de S. Ét., p. 20) that Stephen was at some time devoted to the office of teaching. But perhaps here there is signified only his reputed aptitude for that duty.]. The increase of his body was honoured by comeliness, and a joyful bearing showed forth a shining light. When puberty was passing him on to manly strength, greatly animated by catholic teachings, he is taken up by a certain nobleman of his kin, and, made an exile from his native dwelling, he becomes a settler elsewhere.
[2] advanced to sacred orders and elected bishop of Apt, From there he is carried up to the sacred steps of orders, and, keeping a pure affection, with ordered charity he dispensed the gifts of the sacred libation; and as is wont to happen in the hidden dispensation of God, that, when he goes before someone with his blessing, he is hindered by no one's obstacle of prostitution, just so he deigned to go before his servant with the blessing of his copy sua. sweetness. And he is carried up to the sacred office of the pontifical chair, and, being demanded to be set over the most holy see of the church of Apt, by the desires gathered into one of the chief men of that city and of the people to be subjected, he is carried up to the office of pastoral dignity, to serve the sacred altars [With the best right Albanès says (Gall. christ. nov. Prov. d'Aix, p. 213, note 5) that a certain Stephen I, who held this see in the year 979, was wrongly reckoned by the Sammarthani (Gall. christ., vol. I [1715], p. 354) among the bishops of Apt; whence ours would have to be called Stephen II. They rely for this assertion on one document, namely a bull of Benedict VII for the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, which with others Stephen, bishop of Apt, is supposed to have subscribed (Peter de Marca, Marca Hispanica, p. 922, n. CXXV). But at first sight it is clear to one considering the subscriptions of this bull (which indeed it is strange that the most learned editors of the Gallia christiana did not notice) that they were transferred here from another far later document, an instrument drawn up in the year 1022 (compare Preliminary Commentary, no. 12), in which namely are read the names of the bishops which were wrongly attached to the bull of the year 979.]. There he increased with the highest diligence the zeal of his former exercise, nor on account of the honour freely assigned to him by God did he anywhere fall through insolence, nor could the honour conferred change his former way.
[3] he excels by the virtues of a good shepherd, especially by kindness For he harmed no one there nor stood in the way so as to harm, but rather profited all. Those whom he could he turned from depravity, warning them by his kindness to use the chastened institutions of the laws, not those that do harm, and he said that no one would so the copy be liable to the laws, except a transgressor, since the rights of the laws were laid down only for the intemperate violator (v. i.) copy violator intemperantiae.. And if anyone was tormented by the cares of biting complaints, he relieved them by the solace of his words, and that no one could enjoy a safe copy tuto. station supply aiebat. under the laborious struggle of this world, the apostle witnessing that those who wish to live piously in Christ will suffer copy patiuntur. persecution: that thence he had proved firm domestic loss and particular harassment, since very often he had at table copy corrected mente. the very persons of his supplanters, foreseeing whose attacks copy infestationem. he testified that the death which they were contriving was not to be escaped. And we with our own sight drew in that this man was truly persecuted, while he survived [Of what kind of persecutions and troubles the holy bishop suffered we have found distinctly indicated neither in this Life of his nor in any other document.].
[4] and patience. When they saw that their obstinate pertinacity of malignant spirit was without its effect as they had resolved, and saw that it was betrayed openly, as if repentant copy peniti or periti. they begged pardon; which, with easy remission, the pious shepherd, providing more deeply for himself, bestowed. And he taught that no one could possess quiet nor ought to pray for it, since we know it attested that our life and redemption suffered the hatred of enemies even to death; that also copy etsi? power is made perfect in infirmity and that one ought to glory in infirmities. It was not grievous to him to accomplish what copy quae. he doubtless trusted would extend his merit read merito?. For he remembered that wisdom had said that persecutors are to be fed beyond measure, because one doing this heaps coals of fire on their head. Rom. 12, 20. For we, bearing a malevolent mind copy mentes., who are as far separated from them as we are distant from the life of the blessed, are compelled to pay our own penalties, when we heap up anger for vengeance on enemies and cannot wholly swallow them up, we think our prayers vain with God, when we cannot bring his omnipotence, as we wished, to the destruction of enemies, forgetful of that memorial: If you do not forgive others, it shall not be forgiven you, we wish death for them, we pray for their destruction. Matth. 6, 15. Not so did the pious mind of our just shepherd wish to wander from piety, if delay was at hand, nor, being asked, did he put off what he was at hand to furnish.
[5] The holy places of Palestine, which he had visited when not yet bishop, Before he was promoted to the highest charge of rule, he set out to the places of Palestine copy peregrinae. distinguished by the Lord's nativity, circumcision, baptism, fast, passion, resurrection, ascension to heaven and glorification of virtues Compare Preliminary Commentary, no. 8., and he stayed for some time out of zeal for learning the foreign language. This he drank in so purely that he knew the melody of the psalms and the volumes of the gospels and the exercises of the other Greek studies as if he had been taught from the cradle, spurred on by teachers Compare the same, no. 7.. For the glorious sepulchre of our redeemer had not yet been overthrown copy submersum. at the instigation of the pagans, nor the buildings of the churches, polished with wonderful art, destroyed.
[6] undertaking to go to them again, but from completing the journey When the pious father, advanced copy porrectus. by a long space of years, the episcopate having already been taken up, learned this, because the report of so great impiety and so great a crime, spread through the whole world, had escaped none of the faithful, nor could the savage malice so the copy of the barbarians escape the Lord's servant, he therefore prepares again to set out to see this very broken sepulchre of Christ. But, several causes of emergencies (e. m.) copy efferatam malitiam. standing in the way, suspending this journey for the time, he set out for Rome. There, because he hastened to attend the solemnities of the apostles Peter and Paul, he was so seized by the heat of excessive summer that he wholly believed that he would not go out of the city. Moreover his servants too, touched copy attracti. by the burning of a like fever, began to be fevered. And as copy ne. quickly as was possible, lest they should fall within the city by so great a calamity, trying to flee away, they set out on the road. And scarcely clearing the way as far as the church of St. Lawrence, which is on the road, wearied by failure of strength, they arrived; and there, collapsing, they are gathered within a hospice, nor was it possible for anyone to help another.
[7] prevented by disease, At length within the space of a few days the universal condition the bishop's soldierly
band the universal condition drew away from the world, he alone being left surviving, life scarcely clinging to him. Condescending to the distress of this labour and immense (i. i.) copy immensa iactura. loss, having heard the report et adds copy, the bishop of Volterra [It appears very strange that Remerville (cited in L. Bédos, Vie de Saint Étienne, p. 41, annot. 1) could have thought here of some bishop of Velitrae (Velletri), since no one by name Gunfred occurs in the series of bishops of this see (which in the middle of the twelfth century was united to Ostia), and certainly the bishop of Volterra was Gunfred at the time when Stephen held the see of Apt, and moreover for Stephen going from Rome to Gaul the road would not have been through Velletri, situated to the south of the City, but certainly through Tuscany, in which region lies the city of Volterra.], by name Gunfred, a prelate of great merit, summoning a most noble retinue, went to our suffering prelate, relieves him, destitute now in the final failure of human knowledge, to be transported, and brought him to his own city. There for the space of many days he is cared for with the highest diligence copy diligentiam., despairing copy diffusus. of being returned to his former life or of being able to be restored to health.
[8] soon wonderfully refreshed But the pious Lord, to whom it is proper to have mercy, lest he seem to pass by his servant without the help of mercy, in the shady silence of night, sleep having fled, the strength of his body wholly copy pristinis? taken away copy oblatis?, deigned to visit his servant through the Mother of God, queen of virgins, 〈and〉 Sts. Agnes and Lucy, and they took care to warn him that he should not despair of living and of returning to his country, and he is commanded by them not to delay any longer to put his hand to the building of his ancient see, overthrown by barbarian attack. For this he had once often foretold in his heart, but through scarcity of the place he had been putting it off. What then? He recovers strength and resumes his powers, he is cherished with a spiritual poultice, he is advanced in health, he is made whole for the journey with half-full vigour, he restores his retinue, he seeks provisions, he is presented by the bishop with a staff gleaming with gold, and he returns to his own see. There he lay for a long time, his stomach weakening and worn out by swelling fevers copy aestisque..
[9] and strengthened by a second admonition of the most blessed Virgin, But the most holy pious helper Mary was not reluctant to repeat again, through a certain honourable old presbyter, what she had once intimated copy intimaverant. at Tuscany through herself and her fellow-virgins as he lay ill, namely making mention of the building of the wholly overthrown house. Hearing this he, cheered with excessive gladness, with us standing by, began: “O if I shall see my desire on this! Do you think I shall fulfil my vow? Do you think I shall obey the sacred precepts? Do you think that it will be permitted 〈to fulfil〉 the vows committed? I believe that he who gave the vow will give copy redet or cedet. the effect. And although I am affected by this desire, yet another subdues my mind into the distance, namely the ardour of seeing the destruction, of which I have heard, of the Lord's sepulchre and of the churches of the holy city.”
[10] after he had happily completed the Jerusalem journey, When he had risen from his bed, with what zeal he could he secretly prepared that journey; and to few did he disclose the vow that he kept hidden, lest perhaps the service that he thought to be fulfilled should be hindered by someone's address. At length he completes the journey, no small abundance of weights of gold or silver having been heaped up; in which, although he did not forget the munificence that he always had in care of the poor, although by daily copy cotidianae? expenditure the sum copy summae? of money was exhausted and diminished copy minauraretur. on fares and on the ransom of captives, yet by our own copy cuius? experience we proved the outlay nearly doubled on the return, God giving proof of it.
[11] to restoring the building of his church From then on he applied his hands to the building of the house and, with what speed he had, brought it to effect. Meanwhile, however, to outside places, for the sake of getting the necessary expense (s. n.) copy sumptu necessario. of the building's work, cathedral, he gives effort. he often arranged to go, and from many he acquired many things in coins and gold, suited to the services and actions of sacred offices and to various uses.
[12] An extinguished candle, divinely lit in his hand once On a certain occasion coming to the city of Toulouse, about to celebrate the vigils in the house of St. Saturninus, bishop and martyr, he arranges the station of the night. About midnight, human need compelling, he prepares to go outside, certain companions with him bearing the light of a lit candle. And when they had gone a little outside, by the blast of a breath of wind the light is extinguished; and at once fixing their step, not knowing where they should go, they complain to one another that they lack light. But Stephen ordered the extinguished copy stinctum. candle to be given him; and as soon as he touched it with his hand, the candle, lit with a divine light greater than usual, furnished its due service (o. d.) copy officio debito., and the prelate paid thanks to God.
[13] and again. Another thing not unlike this is said to have happened to the servant of God, while in the season of Lent in his church he was reciting through the night the melody of the psalms. A lit candle, assigned for the night, by chance fell and the light is extinguished. But the one by whom the station (q. s.) so the copy? was carried, wishing to go to seek a light, he held back and took care to go himself. And already he was tracing the space of the house and, not finding the door, as in the dark, he said: “Help, Mother of God”; and he deserved, rejoicing, to admit to the lamp its light, and it soon put to flight all shadows from the house. And the servant of God, returning to the altar, offered copy btulit. thanks to the Most High.
[14] In a deserted place he is wonderfully fed with his companions. At another time he moved his journey to the threshold of St. Mary, whom the district of Velay Bellac (dépt Haute-Vienne)? venerates with wonderful honour, and he applied his journey as far as the roots of the snowy mountains. There, in a field of earth, turned over read contecto or cooperto? with briars, seeing a small basilica, without human comfort, very old some words seem to have fallen out here.. And already the day had for the most part flowed away, and they complained that the hour of bodily refreshment had passed, and they feared to attempt, unfed, the vast ascent of the solitude which copy quam. they had before their eyes. And prayer being made in the church, far from human habitation, they stop a little. The steward searches whether read Num al? any food was held in the post-horse's pannier copy sistartia; (v. s.) read in v. s.?, and he declares copy fateretur. that nothing had been found except that he had found a few apples. “Bear it calmly,” said the prelate, “brothers: for God almighty can feed his read suos. servants everywhere.” At which his company, hunger now pressing, leaping with deaf ear over those words of solace, gave forth complaint with a murmur. But the pious Overseer, inexhaustible to his own, did not fail his servant, giving read danti? faith. And behold, from a more remote part they descry at a distance certain men as if bearing varied and diverse burdens, and they held it uncertain whether they ought to be coming to them. And when they saw them approaching nearer, knowing that they were hastening to them, trusting they rose to meet them, they setting out the burdens of each, and they declare that they have been sent by a certain most noble man, to whom it had been reported by someone concerning his arrival. Then cheered they sat down, receiving the benefits of God in full, and with thanksgiving they continued their journey. Behold, we see fulfilled that prophetic word, that those who seek the Lord shall not be lessened in any good. Ps. 33, 11.
[15] A third time, as he prays, an extinguished light is lit. We take care to have one thing joined to be added to what has been woven, which, if by those lifted up with pompous brow it is thought not to be greatly weighed, yet by you, to whom it falls by heart to embrace small things for great, let no one think that it is to be held of no account, since certainly we should prefer, against the wish of our father himself, better narrators, conscious of his secret esse adds?, to its being veiled by a pressed body of silence. The days had arrived for the fast of the sacred Quadragesima, in which Lord Stephen had dedicated his limbs to the rigour of frugality for the need of execution. And behold, on a certain one of the nights, awakened from sleep, he goes forth to the modulation of psalmody copy psalmodiam? to be recited, with two boys of his companions. And when the doors of the basilica open, having no copy nullus? brightness of light within, they approach trembling as far as the altar. And while one at the command of his master went off to seek a light, for by chance, the light having been extinguished, he lacked light, he falls on his face to prayer. And as he said Lighten, O Lord, our darkness, his breast struck with his fist, soon a brightness flashed from on high, and, falling on a lamp, it compelled the oil to shine. Ps. 17, 29. The Author of eternal light did not permit him, cast down long before him, to suffer the darkness of deep night, him, who hated the foul, he lit copy lustravit. up with heavenly light.
[16] By many outstanding virtues Besides, there are narratives of many things, with many supporting a certain faith in the signs, which if I had undertaken to be told copy exarandam., persons compelling me to report them, I should exceed the limit copy meta. of the volume, and I have more rightly decided to keep silent on things known to God than by inept garrulity to provoke the shrewd skill of hearers. For whatever it may be that we incautiously offer, we are zealous to commend to God the Author, who does not cease to honour his servants copy servus. with discernment hidden (n. o.) copy nos occulto. from us. For we can profess the faith that we have pledged, that we have nowhere seen anyone so daily in psalms, all night in vigils, sparing in wantonness, flowing to the needy, continual in divine meditations, cautious in utterances, eager in the little assemblies of the brothers, lovable in conversation, gracious in common words, rare at relaxed banquets, despising copy aspernentem. the fellowship of the intemperate, embracing the religious community. Why to wander further I confess that talkativeness is not fit. Me, whom he cherished with singular love, whom copy quam. when I had him present I abounded in necessities, nor in displayed abundant supplies did I think that without him my need could be filled.
[17] renowned, Having followed up to now the life of our provident shepherd in the least things, we decide to impose a limit, since we are certainly not ignorant, he himself giving faith copy fide. in part by certain signs, that the things he accomplished with God alone as witness are better than those which are disclosed by our inept narration. But yet, whatever that is, quaequae. they may be, we declare that they must be committed to God the Doer, without whom nothing can be done, to whom both in things shown and in things secret thanksgiving is always to be rendered.
[18] he dies piously From here we have taken care to record how he was loosed from the prison of this miserable age and, being granted to be inserted among the courtiers of the immense palace, by vastness. In the year from the mystery of the incarnation one thousand and forty-six, of his ordination the thirty-sixth, more or less thirty-five days [In the martyrology of Toulon or Arles of the twelfth century (cited above, Preliminary Commentary, no. 18) it is said more accurately that Stephen sat in the bishopric for XXXV years, VI months, XX days. Whence the distinguished Albanès rightly gathered (Gall. christ. novissima, Province d'Aix (1899), p. 219) that he was consecrated bishop on 16 (or 15) December of the year 1010. But it is not so rightly said (ibid., p. 218) that our biographer erred where he says that Stephen died after the elapsed days
about thirty-five from the thirty-sixth of his ordination, that is, begun, not completed: for from this we are certainly brought to the middle of the month of December of the year 1010.], of his whole life the seventy-first, seized with typhus fever, from which very often in past 〈time〉 he had suffered and laboured, he lay on his bed, and, having summoned his disciples and the steps of the church, sinking into the confession of the true faith, not without inner sobbing, he lay down, and, anointed with the unction of sacred oil, as is the custom, on each of his limbs, he indicated with prophetic spirit, with us standing by, that the day of his passing was next. And arranging beforehand the expense of things exactly (ex a.) read ad a.? with light facility, because, as a provident steward, he knew that it had been exhausted by daily expenditure on the relief of the poor, gathering together his mean furniture, he assigned it to be held partly by us his little clients and partly by the building of the church, and, about to enjoy the everlasting peace which he had always loved, to us, who could be present keeping watch, he offered the kiss of peace in the highest love of charity, and, cheered with unspeakable gladness of heart, fenced with the viaticum of the body and blood of Christ and fortified with the banner of the cross, at last with entire mind and palms stretched to heaven, saying “Holy Mary, succour the wretched,” he passed to Christ by a precious death. And we, with what diligence we could, after the third day from his passing laid him in the sepulchre with honourable service.
[19] on 6 November. For the same man of God Stephen, by true profession confessor and bishop, passed on the VIII Ides of November, our Lord God Jesus Christ reigning with God the Father and the Holy Spirit for ages of ages. Amen.
[20] Life copied in the time of Raimund Boti, works-master canon of Apt. May he who wrote this book write and ever live with Jesus Christ, and may he cause his noble and honourable lord Raymund Boti, works-master of the major church of Apt, to live for a very long time and at the end of his days to reign with Christ for ever.