ON SS. MARCIAN AND JOHN, MARTYRS, IN THE PAPAL STATES,
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
John, martyr at Civita Castellana in Italy (S.)
Marcian, martyr at Civita Castellana in Italy (S.)
V. D. B.
Sole §. The threefold translation of the Holy Martyrs; the authority and usefulness of the history of the third translation.
SS. Marcian and John, who are venerated on the 16th day of September, At the 16th day of September our predecessor Urban Sticker wrote of SS. Abundius, presbyter, Abundantius, deacon, Marcian and John, martyrs who suffered at Rome under Diocletian. Of these Marcian and John are the same whom we bring forward here again, since to the present day is referred their second or third translation, or rather finding, of which not a word was said there; either because the hagiographer, prevented by death, could not put the last hand to his Commentary; or because the history of this translation escaped him, being placed among the manuscript collections at the 20th day of October. For whatever cause in the end this happened, I have no doubt that our predecessors would have supplied this omission in this place, since surely no fitter one could occur than the anniversary day of this translation.
[2] first they were translated from Rome to Rignano, then to Civita Castellana, As their Passion has it, good enough, though not contemporary, the four Holy Martyrs were beheaded at Rome on the fifth of the Kalends of September Acta SS., vol. V of September, p. 301., or, as another Passion has it Ibid., p. 302., on the sixteenth day before the Kalends of October. But on the same night the matron Theodora came with her servants, and put them in her chamber (rather, her carriage) and carried them away to her little estate at the twenty-eighth milestone from the city of Rome Ibid., p. 301., namely on the Via Flaminia near Mount Soracte, most probably at the place where the town of Rignano or Arinianum now is, and where in the time of St. Gregory the Great a church had already been erected Ibid., p. 298.. And when the emperor Otto III had erected a basilica under the patronage of St. Adalbert, bishop of Prague, on the Tiber island Ibid., p. 303., and had laid up there the relics of this Saint Ibid., p. 306., he began to search out the bodies of holy Martyrs, and commanded that, wherever they had been found, they should be carried to the church of Blessed Adalbert Ibid., p. 305.. Then were found in one tomb the bodies of SS. Abundius and Abundantius, and in another that of St. Theodora Ibid., in the place cited; and by the emperor's order they were brought to Rome in the year 1000 Ibid., p. 303 and following.. Hearing this, Crescentianus, bishop of Civita Castellana, ordered digging to be done again, and the bodies of SS. Marcian and of his son John were found; which the pious prelate laid up with much solemnity in the church of St. Mary the virgin of Civita Castellana on the Ides, that is, the 13th, of January of the year 1001, which was at the same time the octave of the Epiphany of the Lord and a Sunday Ibid., p. 305 and following..
[3] [where they are laid up under the altar in the year 1001, and in the year 1230 are found again and translated;] And so that certain things which occur in the History of the second finding or third translation may be more easily understood, it will help to have noted these few things also from the Narrative of the second translation Ibid., p. 306.: There had been found in the tombs of the holy Martyrs marble slabs, adorned with snowy whiteness, of such weight and size that they could not have been drawn by four pairs of oxen… Bishop Crescentianus, having assembled the clergy, caused the altar of the Blessed Mother of God to be constructed anew from these marble slabs: and the one which he found over the body of blessed Abundius and Abundantius he placed in the upper part of the altar; and the other, which he found over the body of blessed Theodora, he set on that side where the celebrating priest stands. The others too he joined to other parts of the same altar; and so he built the altar from the foundation through its four corners. There were found also in their tombs structures of iron, which contained their sepulchres; with the iron of which the same Lord bishop caused a certain wooden casket, newly made, to be surrounded and bound: and there he laid up the holy relics, and put it into the same altar. These sacred pledges, enclosed in marble with such great care, gradually passed into oblivion among the people of Civita Castellana; until in the year 1230 they were found. And this is the finding, and the translation that then followed, whose history we now present.
[4] the history of which translation, written by an eyewitness, This Papebroch, while he was staying at Rome, had copied from a manuscript codex which he found in the collection of the Cardinal of Santa Severina (Lucio, if I am not mistaken); and he himself collated the copy with the manuscript codex, as may be seen from the corrections added in his hand. The author of this history reveals himself at number 5, writing: I too, who wrote these things, Indie of Piacenza, being present. But that name Indie or Indies seems so unusual that a slip seems to lie hidden here. By country, as is clear, he was a Piacentine; although no mention of him occurs to me in the Ecclesiastical History of Piacenza of Pietro Maria Campi Historia Ecclesiastica di Piacenza.. He had, however, become a citizen of Civita Castellana, since everywhere he calls it our city, our town. That he was a jurisconsult is sufficiently evident from the proem, and perhaps the corrupt word Indies was written in place of the word Judex, in the sense of an Advocate or one learned in the Law, or even a Notary Compare Du Cange's Glossary, under Judex.. Further, about the solemnity of the translation he composed another writing also, or second diadem, written in verse; which he often mentions here and which therefore, although it is second to him, must be earlier in time. But this is lacking to us, perhaps because Papebroch did not think it worth the trouble to have these poems copied. After the first diadem there comes a small appendix, consisting of some miracles and added by the author himself after the little work was finished. But since it is altogether truncated, it is not worth the trouble to print it.
[5] it is here published for the first time for the use of many. This diadem is certainly prolix and has a panegyrical rather than a historical character. But whatever form in the end it has, it is nevertheless not of negligible importance. For from it the people of Civita Castellana have the means to augment the catalogue of their bishops with a new name; the people of Sutri too have the means to embellish theirs; some honour also will accrue from it to the Friars Minor, and several notices can be drawn pertaining to the history of Civita Castellana and to antiquarian and ecclesiastical matters. Since, moreover, titles had been prefixed to the chapters of this history, and our predecessors made it their custom to publish these in advance, this has been done here too; for the rest, in placing the numbers below we have followed the same division, because nothing greatly urged us to depart from it.
THE FINDING OF THE BODIES OF SS. JOHN AND MARCIAN, MARTYRS, OR THE DIADEM ON THE FEAST OF THE BRINGING FORTH OR REVELATION OF THE RELICS OF THE SAINTS JOHN AND MARCIAN.
By Indie of Piacenza: from the collection of the Cardinal of Santa Severina.
John, martyr at Civita Castellana in Italy (S.)
Marcian, martyr at Civita Castellana in Italy (S.)
BHL Number: 4432
BY INDIE OF PIACENZA.
[When the bodies of SS. Marcian and John lay in oblivion, and yet the place was established by many indications,] The almighty Lord, from whose heart the faces of the saints by no means slip away, since they have already been written in eternal memory by the very hands of the Lord Jesus Christ before His eyes (for as a pious mother remembers her children, so the Lord remembers His saints: for those whom in the heavenly court He has made glorious in His sight, He does not suffer to remain at times inglorious on earth); He therefore does not allow them to be defrauded of the devotion of men, so that thence due honour may be rendered to them as they reign in the church triumphant, and by their prayers crimes may be mercifully remitted to the faithful in the church militant; and these, spurred on, may also be led from virtue to virtue, until one arrives at the fellowship of the Blessed. And so, since the glorious bodies of the saints John and Marcian rest in Civita Castellana a, and among all the citizens of that city their memory was as though already buried, the Lord would no longer endure the loss of so great an oblivion. In the minds of the said city, however, little sparks of the truth were shining. Even among them it was held most certainly that the said relics rested in the cathedral church under the high altar; because they testified that they had heard from their predecessors that they had been laid up there in their sight. A little book b also in the same church indicated thoroughly that in the time of bishop Crescentianus c the venerable bodies of the said Martyrs had been brought into the aforesaid city, and that in their bringing they had shone forth with very many miracles. But although by these things the truth of the matter was sufficiently manifest, yet the whole body of the people itself did not know it, and so through ignorance was withdrawing due service from its patrons. For this reason the people sinned for no small time, nor could they be excused by ignorance from deserving to be visited with a fitting penalty. For if due service is to be rendered by freedmen to their carnal patrons according to the institutes of the civil law d, which in this respect does not differ from natural reason, no ignorance thus far withdrawing them from penalties, since in this matter no pardon is granted to rusticity, since by natural reason honour is due to persons of this kind; much more strongly are spiritual patrons, who are already honoured in the heavenly seats, to be honoured on earth by their freedmen with all rights; and so much less will ignorance afford patronage to freedmen if they do not honour such patrons with due services. For error and ignorance about things which knowledge naturally holds do not excuse; for according to the word of the Apostle, he who is ignorant shall rightly be ignored; for men ought not to be in any degree negligently slothful about their own salvation, about the service of the saints and especially of their own patrons; but it is very fitting that they should be careful about them; they ought to reconsider often and to turn over diligently in their mind whether the place of their country has been assigned to the patronage of any of the saints: for the Lord has distributed the whole world to the Saints, and to each of the Saints the lines have fallen in goodly places: for just as Rome, the head, fell as his portion to the prince of the Apostles, so very many of the Saints have been borne to their portion of the world in the world; so it is fitting that we treat in a few words of how the Martyrs enumerated obtained the City of Castellana. Lest, therefore, as we have said before, the obligation (oblivion?) of the Saints should any longer bring forth the losses of damages, namely that it should withdraw honour from the Saints and, an occasion of sinning being offered, inflict upon the said citizens the penalty of the crime, and lest a treasure so very precious should lie hidden any longer, the Lord inspired in the mind of Peter e, then presiding over the church of Castellana, and in the heart also of the canons and of very many other faithful, both clerics and laymen, that a search should be diligently made for finding the bodies of the same Martyrs. This same thing both predecessors and many fathers in the same city had long wished to do, but no one dared to bring it to effect; for to all prudent men an excessive labour seemed to impend in that business, and it seemed that it could in no way be brought to effect without damage to the precious altar and its ciborium f, unless perhaps with the greatest difficulty and the greatest slowness; whence for this reason very many drew back from this work.
[2] [Peter, bishop of Civita Castellana, ordered digging; after a week they are found,] The aforesaid prelate, therefore, ordered digging and searching to be done for finding the aforesaid relics; but from where the digging might more suitably be done, even skilled masons were in doubt. But, what is wonderful to hear, he to whom this work was enjoined, although, even after labouring through a whole week, no hope of finding them remained in their hearts, digging behind the high altar, in a brief little hour, the Lord bringing it about, found them. And so it can rightly be said that it was the will of God that what he wished should so quickly meet him; for this reason also we in the second diadem g were moved in mind to relate:
These you hoped were long far off, but swiftly to you God made them be present as though at hand.
To those seeking their bodies the Martyrs as it were offered themselves, lest the labour of seeking should breed mistrust.
[3] breathing a most pleasing odour, When the little casket of relics had been found and looked into as through a small chink, and the searcher meanwhile halting in his digging, until afterwards it was solemnly and humbly brought out in the presence of many, the whole church was at once wonderfully filled with the wonderful odour of the holy bodies h. To what so precious an odour might be compared was unknown; for it surpassed musk, it excelled nard and the most precious spices. I relate what I heard, I recount what I perceived, for those staying in the said church far from the spices perceived more of the odour than those who stood nearer. The little chink was closed with diligent care, and the digging was filled up with mortar, and a suitable day was sought for celebrating the solemn feast of the revelation or bringing out of the holy relics. That so most sweet an odour emanated from the relics of the Saints, the closing of the chink showed; for after it the gracious odour vanished.
[4] in the year 1230, on the 18th day of September; In the year of the nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ one thousand two hundred and thirty, and the eighteenth day of the month of September was then running, when the above-mentioned finding was made, in the pontificate of the Lord Pope Gregory the Ninth, Frederick reigning as emperor of the Romans, in the fourth indiction i.
[5] [they are drawn out on the 18th day of October, in the presence of John Parenti, General of the Order of Friars Minor, of the Podestà of the city, of the author, and of many others;] After this, in the same year, on the eighteenth day of the month of October, bishop Peter, a native indeed of Todi, who had formerly been abbot of Falleri k, convoked for this together with his canons, and in the presence of brother John Parenti l, general minister of the church of the Order of Friars Minor, and of another of his brothers, and of two monks, and of John Sforza, archpriest of St. Mary of the Arch m, and of several chaplains of the city, and also of Matthew, viscount of the city on behalf of the lord Matthew Rosso, podestà n, and of several councillors of this city, of me also who wrote these things, Indie of Piacenza o, and in the presence also of many other faithful of Christ, both clerics and laymen, fasting, caused digging to be done more widely on that side of the altar where the search had previously been made, as seemed necessary for the extraction of the casket.
[6] germinating grains appear in the sepulchre; While digging was thus going on, while these things were being devoutly and humbly done with the celebration of the divine office, with crosses and censers, a divine miracle, as very many judged, appeared in the eyes of each one: for under the structure of the pavement near the oft-mentioned casket [p], within the driest mortar, grains of wheat and of barley were seen to have sprouted, as they are wont to sprout in rich and carefully tilled fields. On this account the prelate then, mindful of another miracle which the Lord had worked when the bodies of the said martyrs were translated into our city, because of the likeness of the miracle, very wisely related: Behold, now flower those lilies which long ago flowered at the coming of the Saints [q].
[7] the bishop brings forth the casket into the sight of all, What more? why do we hold eager minds longer in suspense? Now the kings are seen, now the precious bodies seen; the prelate bows himself, and the whole crowd standing by humbly prostrates itself. The Te Deum is said with loud voice, and the Kyrie eleison [r] resounds in the throats of the clerics. Then the peoples came forward, going to meet our princes from beneath the altar, meeting our kings and patrons wishing to visit their people: they ran most devoutly to meet our fathers coming with power, with miracles, with triumph. They see them girt about with rose-coloured vestments, they behold them ruddy like a rose flower; the prelate reverently takes up the casket and, bringing it forth from the little chamber of the altar into the hall of the temple, leads it out for all to behold. This indeed had felt no detriment from age, except that the iron bars by which the lid was so joined had already been almost consumed by rust [s].
[8] on whose lid gems appear, On the lid of the aforesaid casket certain little gems were seen set, which in wonderful manner adorned the lid with their beauty and with the adornment of their density. When very many of the men had beheld these, and strove to discern of what kind the gems were, no one could recognize pearls of this wonderful kind; but when afterwards they were felt with the fingers and vanished at the touch, it was at once manifest to all alike that the Lord had miraculously made such little bubbles appear like little gems in honour of the Saints.
[9] and which, guarded by six men, The casket of the relics of the Saints is made public; now brought out, it is committed to six guardians to be guarded, of whom three were canons, and the rest laymen of commendable life. These were bound by oath to guard the bodies and relics of the Saints most diligently, and that they would take nothing away from them and suffer nothing to be diminished.
[10] is exposed on a throne. Behold, now thrones are set, now faldstools placed, on which the martyr kings may sit; through the showings of their relics they gave all access to themselves.
[11] An invitation to the people. Go forth, therefore, daughters of the city, and hasten to meet and see your patrons, to behold your most loving fathers and sublime kings; regard them crowned with the diadem of precious stone with which God crowned them on the day of their martyrdom; keep a festal day for such great Lords, and what you have long sinned through ignorance or negligence, labour now with all your strength to amend by celebrating solemnities for them; for the memory and honour of such great ones, establish for us an anniversary solemn day, and for all the coming generations of your sons: for in a manner face to face, as to us, so to every generation that is to come the aforesaid will appear. Behold, let the men confer with one another and the matrons converse, that the martyr kings have come into the hall of the Supreme Virgin [t], that is, that the casket of relics is now manifest to all.
[12] A sick man grows well; Meanwhile, while such things are reported to a certain sick man who was tortured with anguish in the kidneys, at the report of the relics of our martyrs he grew well; who at once with his whole mind, amid the pressures of his anguish, submitted himself to the patronage of the same martyrs, devoutly asking to be helped by their merits. After this, while he was enjoying for a little the rest of a dreamlike sleep, there stood by him one of placid countenance, saying reverently: Rise, for you have received the gifts of health. Whereupon, at once awaking and relating to those standing by that he had now received the most welcome gifts of health, because good to him
a good messenger had announced, he disclosed in order all that he had thus seen; and so after the so health-giving words of the venerable man addressing the sick man in a dream, the effect of the matter likewise followed.
[13] The hands of a physician and the eyes of a certain woman are healed. There was also then a certain man of the medical art, to whom it could be said: Physician, heal yourself; who, on account of a fall, his hand broken, had for no small time carried a useless weight on his arm, the hand being as it were withered, or rather utterly destitute of the office assigned to hands. This man, as he hastened devoutly to the relics of the saints, not by the boldness of presumption but at the inmost prompting of devotion of heart, put his arm with the useless hand under the altar from which the relics had been brought out, and at once began to feel a certain warmth, as of warm water poured over his arm, which seemed to him to have descended even to his hand; and so he began to move the joints of his hand, a warmth of this kind supplying strength to the hand; from a warmth of this kind little drops of sweat flowed through the arm and the hand, and so the hand of the said man was restored to its former health. Whence it came about that the physician did not heal himself, but was healed by the merits of the Saints with the mercy of the redeemer. A certain old woman, who was not entirely bereft of light, but differed little from those lacking light (for, as we learned from her own account, she could not discern any of the shining stars, and could not walk without a guide, especially at sunset; and her darkening eyes denied her the strength to perceive many things necessary to her life), at once humbly prostrated herself before the relics of the Saints, at once touched the casket of relics with her eyes, and, having made the venerable sign of the cross, received the clearness of light, so that she discerned all things needful and, by her shadow (let us relate it), was even able by sight to put thread into a needle; and all the things which before she could not see, she now sees.
[14] The feast of the translation is proclaimed for the 20th of October; These things having been thus done, it is impressed upon the ears of each one, and the herald cries at the head of the ways, that for the service of our fathers all should make themselves ready to celebrate their sacred solemnities on the twentieth day of the month of October; let the whole people assemble with harps and organs, with timbrels and choirs, with canticles and hymns. Peter, bishop of Sutri [u], summoned hither, came, and a venerable and blessed band of Friars Minor, a good two hundred [x] in number, over whom brother John Parenti presided, reverently came hither, and an innumerable people flowed together from all sides in throngs.
[15] which is begun on the day before The solemn day is anticipated, and as Saturday was dawning, at the evening hours the Friars Minor whom we have mentioned came from the church of St. Mary of the Commune to the temple of the Supreme Virgin, to the relics of the Saints, carrying olive branches in their hands, in lettered order. These, with a multitude of the people standing by near the pulpits, celebrated the vesper offices before the relics of the Saints, three candles (among which one was more prominent, which the same brother John had caused to be made) shining graciously in honour of the martyrs. The vesper offices being finished, the said candles are left before our martyrs and patrons, and the said friars returned to the church from which they had come forth.
[16] in a temple adorned as much as possible; The endowments of the cathedral temple, gleaming enough in its own mirror, are augmented with widely shining hangings and purple and not a few gilded silver crosses, and several silver thuribles set round about for adornment; thyme is strewn with laurel, and the adornment of the temple is studiously sought: illustrious is the house in which the bodies of the said martyrs merited to be placed, of whose beauty, because we speak of it in verse, we keep silence in prose at present.
[17] after sunset the vigils are celebrated, As the sun was setting, the devout clergy of the whole city assembled in the oft-mentioned church, and a multitude of other clerics coming from abroad, and they kept watch in celebrating the offices of the vigils, resounding a sweet-sounding melody with honey-flowing throat.
[18] during which a priest is freed from a quartan fever; There was present then a certain priest, whom a quartan fever had long wearied, and had brought down to a quartan, or had woven a quartan, as it were furrowing a Falcidian. This man, because in the hour of the feverish onset he felt, as he had long perceived, the attendants of an approaching enemy, as it were, hurling their breathings (darts?), about to fight with him, proposed to return to his sick bed, abandoning the offices; and he who a little before had resounded sonorous measures in honour of the martyrs was compelled to turn those very measures into weeping, and, the song now finished, to lead a lament instead of a chant and pitiably to resound pitiable elegies. But exhorted by someone to remain for the offices to be celebrated in honour of the Saints, who told him that the Lord would for His saints bestow on him the gifts of health, he devoutly remained, and celebrated the divine offices with the other clerics. I relate wonderful things, because the Lord has worked wonderful things for His saints and grants consolation after sorrow: the aforesaid presbyter received at once from the hand of the Lord health in honour of the Saints, the attendants of the hostile fever being driven far away; and, the Lord so bringing it about by the merits of the Saints, he no longer felt the distemper of the quartan fever.
[19] the night is spent in vigil in the temple; the weather becomes serene; The whole time of the night both the clergy and the multitude of the people spent in keeping vigil in the service of the Saints; and the night being put to flight, the sun brought back the twentieth day of the month of October, a day desired by us, a joyful day, a splendid and festive day; that day the Lord made; that day He assigned to the festivities of His Saints at the instance of the blessed Martyrs; then the days smiled, as though they were running in the joyful time of spring; then the winter passed, the rain went away and withdrew; the elements themselves then paid to the Saints the debts of service, the rainy showers being driven off; for in the preceding days there had been such an inundation of rains that to the wise it seemed so great a feast must be deferred to later, because by human sense it could not be thought that so festive a day could be kept solemnly (as was fitting). But the almighty Lord, who can turn the darkness of the night into the clearness of bright day, and who can change the seasons of hoarfrost into summer heats, lest they should grow slothful only for themselves, lest according to the wise they should grow slothful on this account, or take occasion from this to put off the festal day to later, and so that all might know manifestly that the Lord has care for His saints and does not wish them to remain inglorious among mortals, brought serenity over the face of the earth, making His sun shine forth in flowering wise, as it is wont in the flowering part of the year.
[20] the year of this solemnity was most abundant; That year which brought forth the said day, to be remembered in all times to come, was so fertile and fruitful in all things that it had no equal found in the times then. For there was abundance of bread, the winepresses overflowed with wine, the oil superabounded, not failing in the cruse [y]; even barren shrubs and any little trees whatever produced most welcome fruits. Whence what the eminent poet related could rightly be said:
Now every field, now every tree is in labour. Now the woods are in leaf, now the year is at its loveliest. The plain will little by little grow golden with the soft ear, And the reddening grape will hang on the untended brambles, And the hard oaks will sweat dewy honey.
[21] a huge multitude attends the solemnity, For the day of so great a festivity the rich Lord poured out abundance from a full horn, and bestowed all things needful; He lavished riches and granted kindly seasons; He made not a few little flowers, the Friars Minor, appear in our land; and so, all things concurring opportunely, a people of no small size came together in honour of the Saints, bringing solemn vows.
[22] to whom the relics of the Martyrs are shown; Then the relics of the Saints, placed in the casket, were venerably shown to the people standing round; then for this reason our princes and patrons, as though seated on their thrones or faldstools, looked again upon this people with joyful face; then too, devoutly, as was fitting, their people approached them with unspeakable desire, with bent knees and bowed heads; such as sleep is to the weary on the grass, such as it is to quench thirst for the thirsty in summer heat from a leaping stream of sweet water, and such as are good messengers coming from afar, such were our martyrs to their fellow citizens; young men and maidens, old men with the younger, clapping their hands in honour of the martyrs, praised the Lord, their brows crowned with leaves; the organ of the clerics resounded a jubilee to the Saints, and out of the mouth of infants and sucklings the Lord then perfected the praise of His Saints.
[23] Peter, bishop of Sutri, celebrates Mass; In so solemn a care, in so glorious an assembly of the people, in so festive a gathering, in which it was very fitting that our martyrs should be as it were the preachers, the solemnities of the masses (as was fitting) were celebrated by Peter, prelate of Sutri.
[24] two hundred Friars Minor are present with candles; But although in so celebrated a feast all things concurred exquisitely, yet the venerable choir of two hundred Friars Minor whom we have mentioned hastened * of the Saints especially; each of whom, until the offices of the masses were finished, held candles gleaming with light. These gathered into one, and alone, other men being excluded, filled the place which is to the right of the high altar at the entrance of the temple before the altar of St. Andrew. How wonderfully and how gloriously their choir appeared to all can be perceived by sense rather than expressed in words or narration. For it seemed like a white choir of Angels and like the white-robed army of the Saints, and like men dwelling in the paradise of the Lord.
[25] the bishop of Sutri preaches a sermon, and two years of indulgence are granted; During the sacred solemnities of the masses the martyrs addressed the assembly by the showing of their bodies, as by a kind of speech, and in their stead, as their proper logothete or even dragoman [z], the oft-mentioned bishop of Sutri, preaching, addressed the people, calling them together. At the end of his discourse he threw spiritual largesse, as kings and princes are wont to throw it to the crowd. He lavished gifts on the peoples who had reverently assembled for the natal day of the Saints, and bestowed bountiful presents. For on the part of God almighty and of blessed Mary ever Virgin, and of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, in honour of the aforesaid Martyrs, both he himself and the aforesaid prelate of our city relaxed two years [aa] of the penance enjoined on them to all who had come and to those who would come within eight days, and thenceforth they bestowed on those who would always come on the anniversary the gift of a doubled forty days of remission of sins.
[26] the people go on hastening through the octave for the indulgence; The offices being finished, and the services of so distinguished a solemnity celebrated with due devotion, presented with no small gift, having received their leave from the martyrs, the peoples returned to their homes with joy, rendering thanksgivings. After this too, until the eighth day had slipped by, no small multitude of men ran together to obtain the gifts of remission, and the eighth day itself was celebrated and festive for the Saints.
[27] [part of the relics is laid up again under the altar, another part is reserved for annual exposition;] All things having been duly performed, as the honour due to devotion required, the greater part of the relics was venerably placed in a little casket under the altar (from which they had first been brought out), all the boards of the first casket of relics being put in likewise; and in the cleft which had been made for the sake of bringing out the relics, a structure firmer than the former was brought in, there being thrown in
millstone and living rocks, of those which are harder than flints. But a certain small part was faithfully reserved in a little casket closed to hand; and the bones of the head and certain others of the larger ones, so that through their annual showing the memory of the Saints might be ever revived, closed in a faithful little casket, were humbly and most devoutly placed in a window newly made between two tribunes.
[28] a candle burns and is little consumed, Then before that window, secured with a bolt, the more prominent candle which we mentioned before was brought; and there likewise it was left burning; burning there continuously for several days, what is wonderful, it consumed itself but little; but what is more wonderful I shall now describe.
[29] and, extinguished, is kindled from heaven; When, after many days, a strong wind was blowing strongly over the earth, and with its blasts, which it poured forth from its red mouth, it was shaking not only the tops of trees but beating and moving the trees themselves, although the candle defended itself for no small hour, although it also struggled sufficiently against its breathings, yet at last the wind extinguished the said candle. So it stood, mourning and grieving with darkened brow, before the relics of the Saints; but at once a miracle arose from heaven: for a wonderful hand, a hand exceedingly beautiful, a hand adorned with a heavenly prodigy, came forth from the closed window, and putting forth a lighted taper and lighting the said candle, illumined it with heavenly light and rendered it gleaming for the service of the Saints.
[30] an extinguished lamp is likewise wonderfully kindled, But why do I delay to relate a miracle which very many beheld, which was manifest in the eyes of very many? On a certain Sunday, when the divine mysteries of the masses were being celebrated, the sacristan lit the hanging lamp [bb] which was wont to shine continually in honour of the martyrs before the said window, the rope being let out, by which, hanging, it is now drawn on high, now (as is fitting) let down to the lowest point; and while, intent on several things, he was hastening to other matters, he drew up the rope with violent force, and so, about the middle part of the course the lamp had to make upward, he extinguished the light that was already gleaming; and yet, unaware of this, he did not cease to draw the lamp, though extinguished, higher to the place where its limit was for it, hanging in the usual manner; and, the rope being tied, hurrying elsewhere, he had left the lamp thus extinguished. When very many both of the canons and of the laymen had beheld this deed, and, chiding him not a little, cried out unanimously after him that he should return to light the lamp, other things being set aside; but when he neglected this, scarcely hearing the voices of those crying out, another ran ahead twice to do this; and while he was striving to bring the lamp down to the lower part, at about the same place where it had been extinguished, it was seen by all to gleam again by a heavenly miracle, fire being sent from heaven.
[31] a youth fallen from a tree is healed. Before this, moreover, there was a certain youth who, roaming in youthful fashion with his companions and peers, did not climb into the palm tree to gather its fruits, but climbed into a tree to fall. While he was stretching out his hands to the harmful apples, the higher he seemed in climbing to take all the outermost apples, the more, slipping down to the lowest, did he sustain the injury of a greater fall: the stakes and stocks of the tree wounded him gravely as he fell; so, both by the wounds and by the most grievous fall, he lay half alive, prostrate on the ground and utterly out of his mind. After this, however, while he was palpitating a little and a little spark of mind gleamed very faintly in him, he began somewhat to remember our martyrs, and commending himself to them with all the strivings of his heart he most devoutly besought them to deign to succour him. This being asked with prayers within the secret places of his mind (he could not break out into words), strength to return was at once restored to him; and so he who could scarcely be carried by the hands of very many, leaning on his own feet, returned home by the merits of the Saints, and after this received health of mind and body.
[32] Epilogue. These things which we have written with faithful pen, and very many other miracles which we know and do not know, our martyrs have worked in the place which God gave them that they might do wonders in it, and in their honour God works daily: but we have written these very few that you may believe, and that with pious minds you may ask the patronage of our martyrs at the opportune time. But what wonder if the Lord works such things for such men, since they found singular grace and benevolence in His eyes? Which of the Saints ever obtained such things in the eyes of the Creator that, having enjoyed the life of the body, he should take it up again while at rest, and should in a moment of time exchange the life so taken up, momentary and perishable, for the eternal, dying for the faith of Christ? Who ever longed that an extinct son should live, in order at once to deliver him to die for the name of Christ? These two mirrors we read in our flowers, and in the twinkling of an eye the Lord brought them into His chamber and carried them into the heavenly palace, to reign with Him eternally in glory. Let us rejoice, therefore, let us rejoice in the Lord that we have offered to the glory and honour of our princes. You also, holy father and reverend prelate, together with the venerable assembly of the canons, rejoice, found worthy of so great an honour and so great a felicity that you should handle the bodies of the holy Martyrs, and that in your times old feasts, as it were consumed by time, should be renewed, and through our doing should become revived in unfailing memory for all generations to come. No less do you also, people of Civita Castellana, rejoice together, since your glorious fathers, who in a manner had until now been dead to you, have lived again; they had perished and now have been found more gloriously; now you have seen again your patrons, strong, glorious, exalted in power, from whose devotion and service a damaging oblivion, brought in by the lapse of time, had withdrawn you. Redeeming, therefore, the negligence of past time, let us bestow on them pleasing services watchfully; here let us run to meet them with flowers and palms, our temples bound with crowns; these let us follow with praises in festive dances, these always in canticles and hymns, these with timbrel and choir; let us always beseech to be helped by their patronage, let us always run together under their protection, let us flee to them at opportune times confidently, as to men holding the helm of our ship; let us trust in their guardianship above all transitory things, and with respect to their defence and strength let us count those things as dung. For although our city is famous enough for its own defences, although by the defence of its banks it surpasses almost any, and sits beautiful enough on its own seat [cc], although too it is endowed with the dowries of many advantages; yet it is more fully fortified by the power of these martyrs; illumined by their splendours, it shines forth more brightly, and by their abundance it abounds more in the dowries of any advantages whatever. Running to meet these men, I humbly offer these two diadems which I could, as two minitta [dd], interwoven with prose and metrical flowers and jewelled with the most precious pearls of miracles. These, holy and venerable father, Peter, prelate, have been joined together in honour and glory of the Saints; receive them kindly from the hand of the little servant of the Saints and of your goodness, present them to the martyrs, and keep them perpetually on their feast days for their adornment and glory; and moreover place me too, with the whole people committed to you, by your merits and prayers under the protection of the same blessed martyrs; that, helped by their patronage, we may be freed from present dangers in this life, and in the future may likewise be led to eternal life, by the grant of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God blessed for ages of ages. Amen.
ANNOTATIONS.
supported by columns Compare Du Cange, under Ciborium.; probably the same ones which had been found in the church of Rignano [Compare the Preliminary Commentary, no. 3, and the Acts of SS. Abundius etc., vol. V of September, p. 306, no. 19.].
p. Cassula and palmentum occur quite often in this writing. Cassula is the same as capsula, as has been noted from our work in the supplement to Du Cange. But what is palmentum? In Du Cange and in his supplement it comes for a winepress, from the Italian palmento. But a winepress has nothing to do with the matter here. Graevius, however, has collected several ancient inscriptions Antiquitates Romanae, vol. XI, preface, p. IV and following in which palmentum comes for pavement; so that the grains of wheat and barley must have lain beneath the pavement of the altar, and germinated through the cracks so that the stalks appeared around the casket. Compare the Preliminary Commentary, number 3.
q. The prodigy alluded to here is related in the history of the earlier translation Acta SS., vol. V of September, p. 306.. Namely, when the relics were resting in the church of St. Hippolytus, dry lilies which were kept there are reported to have flowered again in winter time.
r. A similar rite is observed in the Dedication of churches; in which solemnity Kyrie eleison is cried out by the clergy and people as long as the relics of the saints are carried around the church. For the rest, most other things were taken from the rite observed in carrying relics to a temple to be consecrated.
s. Compare the Preliminary Commentary, number 3.
t. The cathedral church of Castellana was dedicated to the B. V. M.; it was called the Supreme Virgin because another church was called St. Mary of the Commune; compare number 15.
u. The people of Sutri will be able to adorn the catalogue of their bishops with this testimony too, rather uncertain for these times. Here are the few things that are known: first, it is an undoubted fact that in the year 1200 or the following the prelate of Sutri was deposed because he had badly discharged a legation in Germany [Compare Ughelli, Italia Sacra, vol. I, col. 1275; Raynaldus, Annales ecclesiastici at the year 1198, no. 63 and following; Hurter, Histoire d'Innocent III, book II, vol. I, p. 162 and following, Brussels, 1839.]. In the Corpus of Canon Law Book II, title XII, chapter III, De Causa possessionis. is reported a letter of Innocent III to the people of Sutri about a controversy over the election of a bishop recently elected; since the year 1206 is inscribed on this letter, the election must have been put off until the death of the deposed prelate. Whence I do not understand how Ughelli Italia Sacra, vol. I, col. 1275. could refer to the year 1202 the beginnings of the episcopate of Peter Hismael, an intimate of Innocent III. Now whether this Peter was still living in the year 1230, when the translation of the Holy Martyrs was carried out, I am not in a position to say. For Ughelli relates nothing else of his deeds than that he consecrated an altar in the church of St. Caesarius near Orte; to which he adds no chronological note, either here or among the bishops of Orte Ibid., col. 737.; and Fontanini indeed [Compare book II, chapter VII, Antiquitates Hortae, vol. VIII, part III of Burmann's Thesaurus Antiquitatum Italiae, col. 108 and following], recording several other consecrations, was entirely ignorant of this one. After Peter no other appears in Ughelli or Coleti before the year 1253, when Mencus of Spello was sitting, known from the Life of Blessed Andrew of Spello Acta SS., vol. I of June, vol. 365..
x. Assisi is not so very far from Civita Castellana; so that these two hundred Friars, who in the same year had translated the body of their most blessed Father Francis and had held a general chapter, may perhaps have come from there. In Wadding I do not find chronological notes on the beginning and end of this chapter; but it seems to have lasted rather long, from the business treated, so that in the middle of the month of October the capitulars could still be staying in these parts.
y. Lechytus, or rather Lecythus, occurs in III Kings 17, 12, for a little vessel of oil. See the sacred commentators on this place.
z. Logotheta, drugumanus, dragumanus, for interpreter. See on this Greek word Du Cange, under Dragumanus.
aa. A very great indulgence for that age: on which matter see Papebroch Propylaeum Maji, p. 49 and 173.; and indeed by canon LVII of the Fourth Lateran Council Labbe, Councils, vol. XI, part I, col. 115 it was permitted to grant only 40 days in similar circumstances.
bb. Sphera or spera, for a hanging lamp, so called from its round form.
cc. Compare annotation a.
dd. From the context it appears that minittum in this place signifies a flowery garland. That word is absent from Du Cange and his supplement.
* For dum, perhaps ad laudem ("to the praise")?