Syra

ON ST. SYRA, VIRGIN, AT MEAUX AND CHÂLONS IN GAUL,

ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE SEVENTH CENTURY.

HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL SYLLOGE.

Syra, virgin, at Meaux and Châlons in Gaul. (S.)

BY V. D. B.

§ Sole. St. Syra of Meaux or Châlons is to be distinguished from St. Syra of Troyes or Rilly. She is made abbess at Châlons. Whether she was the sister of St. Fiacre. Her cult has now died out.

One reads on the present day in the General Catalogue of Saints of Ferrarius: At Meaux, of holy Syra, virgin; St. Syra venerated at Meaux and at Troyes; whether they are one or different in the Gynaeceum of Arthur: At Meaux, of holy Syra, virgin, sister of Blessed Fiacre the confessor, Benedictine abbess: who, for love of Christ, the kingdom and royal bridal chambers despised (indeed spurned), came forth conspicuous in the whiteness of all purity and grace; and finally in the supplement of the Gallican Martyrology of Saussay a long praise of her is likewise made at the 23rd of October. Nor do I wish to linger on these, since from what is to be said it will be more than sufficiently established that some St. Syra was celebrated on this day at Meaux: and thus on that matter there never was nor can be any controversy. A wholly different matter has come into doubt, and has made divisions of opinion among the most excellent writers. For on the 8th of June there is venerated St. Syria or Syra; who in the Acts of St. Savinian is called a woman and in the Additions to Usuard a matron; who is reported to have sat blind in the eyes for forty (elsewhere seventy) years, and to have come to the tomb of St. Savinian, when the body of the blessed martyr had lain hidden for many years on account of the excessive persecution of the Christians; who on that occasion recovered her sight, uncovered the relics of the holy athlete, had a church built over them, and who finally spent the rest of her life most piously in that place. These things took place at Rilly; which village is about five leagues distant from the city of Troyes and is situated on the Seine. Many, then, would have it that St. Syra of Meaux and St. Syra of Troyes or Rilly are one and the same; while others on the contrary determine that they are altogether different.

[2] Excellent writers have examined this long since. Two writers especially have defended the former view, namely that there is only one St. Syra of Meaux and Troyes, namely Pierre François Chifflet in his little work on the one St. Syra or Syria, virgin, and Le Dieu, secretary of Bénigne Bossuet, in his Memoirs or rather commentaries on the correction of the calendar of the Breviary and Missal of Meaux. To Chifflet Papebroch opposed Acta Sanctorum, volume II of June, pages 65 and 66. a critical Appendix on distinguishing the holy woman of this name of Meaux from the one of Troyes, and to Abbot Le Dieu Du Plessis opposed annotation XXX to his History of Meaux Histoire de l'Église de Meaux, volume I, page 684 and following.. And those four with singular care

treated this argument. But very many others have touched on it, embracing one side or the other. For one St. Syra stand Gonon De Vitis Patrum Occidentis, book IV, page 248., Huber Menologium Benedictinum, at the 8th of June., Nicolas Desguerrois Saincteté chrestienne, page 164 and following. and Ménard Martyrologium Sanctorum Ordinis S. Benedicti, page 596 and following.; and for two Le Cointe Annales ecclesiastici Francorum, at the year 652, no. 55, volume III, page 351., Saussay [Martyrologium Gallicanum at the 8th of June and in the supplement at the 7th of July and 23rd of October.], Ferrarius Catalogus generalis Sanctorum at the 8th of June and 23rd of October., Henschen Acta Sanctorum, volume II of June, page 63. and Mabillon Acta Sanctorum Ordinis S. Benedicti, page 602.. Now if my opinion is asked, I shall plainly profess that in this kind of matter nothing can be established that cannot be overthrown through suspicions (in which some assert that the critical art consists); and thus if the dispute is to be decided by suspicions, I shall pronounce both views equally probable and improbable; but if ancient traditions seem to be accepted before all else, it seems that one must speak of one St. Syra of Troyes or Rilly, and another of Meaux. And for this reason we have not wished to depart from the statements of our predecessors or to relegate St. Syra of Meaux among the passed-over. But now the traditions of Meaux are to be explained.

[3] [What is attributed to St. Syra of Meaux by no means suits holy Syra of Troyes, chiefly because the latter spent the end of her life at Rilly,] Before all memory of men St. Syra was venerated on the 23rd of October in the monastery of Brie or of St. Burgundofara, in which the following was related of her: namely that she was a virgin and nun of that monastery; that she was brought out from there by Ragnebod, bishop of Châlons *, who made her abbess in the suburb of his city; it was by no means asserted that she was the sister of St. Fiacre, but it was rather believed that there were no other bonds between the two heavenly citizens than of religion and charity Du Plessis, Histoire de l'Église de Meaux, volume I, pages 59 and 60.. Nor was more known of her. But these things seem to suffice for distinguishing her from St. Syra of Troyes. For the latter is venerated on the 8th of June, the former on the 23rd of October; the former is called a woman and a matron, the other a virgin; the one of Troyes lived at Rilly, the one of Meaux in the convent of St. Fara and at Châlons. It can in truth be objected to these things that one and the same saint is often venerated on different days in different dioceses and places; that it could easily have happened that one who was a woman and matron should be venerated in some place as a virgin, since formerly custom scarcely allowed others than virgins to be venerated, and most certain examples are found of women and even of mothers of families who in divine offices and martyrologies are called virgins and are celebrated under that title Compare Acta Sanctorum, volume IX of October, page 143.; and finally that nothing prevents St. Syra, after she had rightly established the monastery of Rilly, from then ruling that of Châlons. But what shall we reply to these things? Certainly from different days of cult one may not always gather that the saints are likewise different; nor is the title of virgin such that some women are safely distinguished from others by it: yet these are indications that one may not neglect, chiefly where no firm arguments are brought forward for affirming the contrary side; next although those indications, considered singly, by no means avail to distinguish saints indubitably, yet they have much weight, when they are taken together, as they are in fact to be taken.

[4] But the former was abbess at Châlons. But, what is the chief point, what is reported of the government of the convent of Châlons can by no means suit St. Syra of Troyes. For it is a very firm tradition that this monastery was ruled by St. Syra who was venerated at Meaux, but by no means by St. Syra, abbess of Rilly. For it is established from the most ancient Passion of St. Savinian that the latter lived with her parents, until she recovered her sight at the tomb of the holy martyr and built a sacred building there: when this had been diligently built, it goes on thus in the somewhat more recent Acts Acta Sanctorum, volume II of June, page 63., not unmindful of the benefit received, Blessed Syria vowed herself to serve God and the blessed martyr: there, afflicting herself with many fasts, giving herself to prayers and vigils, she immolated herself as a living victim to the Lord. And so by living justly and holily through an immense martyrdom of life, and through the service of great devotion, she deserved to obtain the fellowship of the holy martyr, with the aid of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father etc. By which it is clearly related that St. Syra completed the rest of her life next to that basilica or cemetery building, and then in the heavens continued the fellowship which she had had on earth with St. Savinian. To this is added that she was buried at Rilly, and not at Châlons Ibid., page cited.. That St. Syra, venerated at Meaux, ruled the monastery of Châlons we have not only from the lessons or traditions of Meaux, but from certain traces, which still survived at the beginning of the seventeenth century. For in the suburb of Châlons, at that place where the parish priest of Saint-Sulpice has his house, there were still to be seen not long ago, says Le Cointe [Annales ecclesiastici Francorum, at the year 652, no. 55, volume III, pages 352 and 353. Compare Du Plessis, Histoire de l'Église de Meaux, volume I, pages 59 and 60.], the ruins of an old cloister, which had the name of St. Syra, as Desguerrois wrote from the report of certain elders.

[5] [Hence it is also clear that St. Syra of Meaux flourished about the middle of the seventh century, so that she was contemporary with St. Fiacre:] And from that very government of Châlons it can be gathered at what time St. Syra of Meaux lived. For she is read to have been called there by Ragnebaud, bishop of Châlons; and since he lived about the middle of the seventh century, it becomes certain from this that St. Syra flourished at the same time. In truth the people of Châlons know nothing of the deeds of Ragnebaud; but all writers agree on this [Claude Robert, Gallia Christiana, page 295; the brothers de Sainte-Marthe, Gallia Christiana, volume II, page 502; Gallia Christiana nova, volume IX, column 863; Le Cointe, Annales ecclesiastici Francorum, at the year 675, no. 9, volume III, page 743.], that he sat between Felix I, who took part in the council of Reims in the year 625, and Landebert, whose name was inscribed in the year 666 on the diploma of Drausius, bishop of Soissons, for the monastery of St. Mary [D. Germain, Histoire de l'abbaye royale de Notre-Dame de Soissons, page 421; Bréquigny, Diplomata, chartae etc. ad res Francicas spectantia, page CCXC. Compare Acta Sanctorum, volume VII of October, pages 966 and 970.], and who seems to have been still alive in the year 675 [Compare Le Cointe, Annales ecclesiastici Francorum at the year 675, no. 9, volume III, page 743.]. Further, since St. Fiacre also flourished in the advanced seventh century (although the span of his age cannot be accurately defined Compare Acta Sanctorum, volume VI of August, page 604.), nothing on this head prevents St. Syra from being held contemporary with St. Fiacre and even his own sister.

[6] [But she was not for that reason his own sister; which title began in the thirteenth century to be given to St. Syra of Troyes by the people of Troyes and afterward by those of Auxerre] Yet this latter opinion seems to be recent and first introduced by unreliable witnesses; nor was St. Syra of Meaux first called sister of St. Fiacre, but St. Syra of Troyes. This is established namely from the lessons formerly recited in the church of Troyes on the feast day of St. Syra, by the institution of Henri de Noya, dean of the church of St. Peter of Troyes, as may be read in his epitaph of the year 1300 Acta Sanctorum, volume II of June, page 65.. For in these St. Fiacre and St. Syra are called children of Blessed Margaret, queen of Scotland, and her husband David, who is reported in the same place to have died in the thousandth year from the incarnation of the Lord; so that SS. Fiacre and Syra would have flourished in the eleventh century! These things are also read in the old Breviary of Auxerre at the 13th of August, or in Gonon Vitae Patrum Occidentis, volume I, page 248., who took them from there. For when Jean d'Auxois, bishop of Troyes from the year 1342 until the year 1352 Gallia Christiana nova, volume XII, column 512., had translated at great expense the body of St. Syria and honourably placed it on high in a fitting case Labbe, Bibliotheca nova Manuscriptorum, volume I, page 513., and had then himself been translated to the see of Auxerre, he established piety toward St. Syra of Troyes in this new diocese of his: in whose honour he also built a chapel at Fontaines, where he laid relics of the same blessed virgin De Caylus, Martyrologium Autissiodorense, at the 8th of June.. It is scarcely to be doubted, to note it in passing, that at the beginning that feast was kept at Auxerre on the 8th of June; but transferred to the 13th of August on the occasion of the most celebrated translation on that day, carried out in the year 1416, as is written in an addition to those same lessons, which the people of Auxerre had received from those of Troyes. But when in the year 1580 Jacques Amyot, bishop of Auxerre and most celebrated translator, published a new breviary, he struck it out entirely: so that in that book the name of St. Syria or Syra does not occur on the 8th of June, the 13th of August or the 23rd of October.

[7] [And by the Scots in the sixteenth century, who record SS. Fiacre and Syra among their people, although St. Fiacre was rather an Irishman.] That in the ninth century St. Fiacre was already called a Scot by nation seems wholly certain from the Life of St. Faro In Mabillon, Vitae Sanctorum Ordinis S. Benedicti, volume II, page 618.; and although Pinkerton perhaps went too far History of Scotland, volume II, pages 151, 223, 237 and 240., where he affirmed that before the eleventh century present-day Scotland was never designated by this name, but that by it Ireland was always to be understood, yet scarcely anyone now doubts that commonly, where Scots appear in old writings, the Irish are signified: so that St. Fiacre seems plainly to be recorded among the Irish saints. But in the sixteenth century the Scots thought altogether otherwise; wherefore it is not to be wondered at that Hector Boece, after selling innumerable fables about St. Fiacre, added this Scotorum Historia, Ascensian edition of the year 1526, folio CLXXX.: Fiacre had a sister, a most holy virgin, Syra by name; who, having heard of her brother's sanctity, to him, leading the anchoretic life in the territory of Meaux, with

a rather large company of holy virgins betook herself: and she, confirmed by him with her companions in her holy purpose, betook herself to Gallic Champagne, where through the sanctity of her life and bright signs of sanctity she left a distinguished memory of herself. Several Scoto-British writers Dempster, Camerarius, Lesley, etc. have afterward warmed up this cabbage again; nor shall I allow these things to detain me, affirming this one thing, that it is falsely asserted by some that in the Aberdeen Breviary St. Syra is called the sister of St. Fiacre. For this Breviary, faithfully reprinted at London in the year 1854 from the edition of the year 1509 and given to us as a gift by the distinguished R. Simpson, I have diligently unrolled, and I found there neither any feast of St. Syra, nor any mention of her in the Office of St. Fiacre. Moreover in the Acts of St. Fiacre, which either Mabillon has published from Surius, or our predecessors from manuscript codices, there is no trace of bonds of kinship that ever existed between SS. Fiacre and Syra: so that it is much safer to refer this nearness of family to that inclination of the mind by which different things are very easily linked together, of which a signal example is given by that same Champagne, where nearly all the martyrs are called brothers and sisters of St. Eliphius Acta Sanctorum, volume VII of October, page 804.. See moreover what we shall say below of the twelve brothers martyrs. From what has been said, too, what some report of the royal Scottish family of St. Syra sufficiently collapses.

[8] On the cult of St. Syra in the dioceses of Meaux and Châlons. Of her cult little remains to be said. In the diocesan Breviary of Meaux, which Dominique Séguier, bishop of Meaux, had published in the year 1640, neither office nor commemoration is made of this holy woman, and Du Plessis points out Histoire de l'Église de Meaux, volume I, pages 686 and 687. that her feast was not inscribed in the calendar of the Breviary of Meaux before the year 1672. But she had this fortune for scarcely forty years. For when some men, wholly unworthy of his company, had persuaded Bossuet, already failing, that the Breviary and Missal of Meaux should also be renewed, counsels were often held on that matter; which the secretary Le Dieu Mémoires et Journal sur la vie et les ouvrages de Bossuet, volume I, page 400., the promoter of this matter, admits were little pleasing to the great man. However that may be, after Bossuet's death that Breviary came forth with the Missal in the year 1713 without the name of St. Syra; yet in the year 1716, when the Breviary of the monastery of St. Fara also was renewed, Cardinal Henri de Thiard de Bissy, the editor of the diocesan Breviary, was unwilling for the feast of St. Syra, so long in use there, to be struck out of it. On which occasion Du Plessis observes Volume I, page 687. that long before the year 1600 the festival of St. Syra was kept in several churches of the diocese of Meaux, and indeed that it was solemnly celebrated already in the thirteenth century by the monks of St. Fiacre. In the year 1625 the nuns of St. Fara received from the abbot of Saint-Loup of Troyes some relics of St. Syra of Troyes; and since those virgins did not know how to distinguish her from their St. Syra, they enclosed those pledges in a silver case, which had the form of a virgin and abbess. For the relics of St. Syra of Meaux perished long ago; which fate I think they met at Châlons; where, as she lived, so she seems also to have died and been buried. And indeed it was easy for these relics to be lost or scattered, since before the memory of men the monastery of St. Syra was so wiped out there, that at the beginning of the seventeenth century scarcely any memory survived. And since this no longer existed, it was also natural for the name of the saint herself gradually to be obscured; nor therefore is it strange if the people of Châlons sometimes confused her with St. Syra of Troyes, by far the more celebrated, and kept her feast with the people of Troyes on the 8th of June. But now (I have before my eyes the Breviary printed in the year 1840) the name of St. Syra is altogether banished from the calendar of Châlons: so that now, in all likelihood, the name and holiness of St. Syra of Meaux is no longer honoured anywhere yearly. But the cult of the other St. Syra still persists at Troyes.

* Châlons-sur-Marne.