Terentius of Metz

ON ST. TERENTIUS OF METZ, BISHOP AND CONFESSOR, IN GAUL,

ABOUT THE YEAR 440.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

Terentius, bishop of Metz. (S.)

BY R. D. B.

§ I. The cult of St. Terentius. His Acts.

In the ancient Calendars of the church of Metz, as we said in the present volume of our Work at p. 668, [St. Terentius, entered in the sacred calendars of Metz, is narrated in the sacred lessons,] St. Terentius, bishop and confessor, is entered on the 29th of October; likewise in an old martyrology of the same church: On the fourth before the kalends of November, at Metz, the deposition of St. Terentius, bishop and confessor. And indeed the clerics there formerly recited in his honour an office of nine psalms with lessons from the common of confessor pontiffs. To the Ceremonial, which in the year 1694 the chapter of the church of Metz ordered to be newly printed for its own use, there were prefixed the proper offices of the same church, and among them the office of St. Terentius; from which we excerpt lessons II and III.

[2] Having first made his apprenticeship in sanctity, Lesson II. Terentius, seventeenth from divine Clement, governed the church of Metz. He was an Aquitanian by native land, of the illustrious lineage of a prefect of the province under the Roman emperors, an only and therefore very dear offspring. Taught from boyhood in the law of Christ by the care of his parents, he began his apprenticeship in piety under the auspices of the metropolitan of Vienne. Lovingly treated by him and carefully cultivated, he rose to such sanctity of life that he became a miracle of abstinence, a mirror of chastity, and a living image of all holiness. For from that day on which he was promoted, though unwilling, to the honour of the presbyter, he was of such slenderness of diet that on the second, fourth, and sixth weekdays he never took bread of wheat, wine, oil, or vegetables for food or use. He had assiduous prayer, continual meditation, the Gospel ever in his mouth, martyrdom in his breast.

[3] He is said to have illustrated the see of Metz with his virtues. Lesson III. When this character, certainly admirable, brought him into the veneration of all, the man of God, in whose heart a hidden and humble life was implanted, for the sake of avoiding honour, passed into Belgium, and took up residence at Metz, where he could not lie hidden for long. Wherefore, Bishop Bonolus having finished his life, he was compelled by the ardent desire of all to ascend this sublime chair, which he adorned with every episcopal grace. For, mighty at once in work and word, he so fulfilled what he had begun that the sheep grew fat with every grace with the fleece of justice, and the Lord's flock increased from day to day by the care of so great a pastor. By which services the strenuous servant of Christ, having earned the laurel of the faithful steward, at length by a peaceful departure passed to glory.

[4] He is likewise praised in some additions to Usuard. These lessons the venerable man Germain, at the benevolent prompting of the most illustrious and most reverend Lord Dupont des Loges, bishop of Metz, whose almoner he is, most courteously communicated to me, adding to them another gift, namely the Breviary of Metz of the year 1778 and the proper offices, which about the year 1827 the bishop of Metz, Claude Besson, and his successor the most illustrious and most reverend Lord Dupont des Loges in the year 1859 ordered to be published. But in several other ecclesiastical calendars St. Terentius has his name entered at the 28th of October: namely in the additions to Usuard, the Danish, the Haguenau, and the Alberg, which all have the same origin and of which the first, in the judgment of our Du Sollier, is later than the 14th century, the second belongs to the end of the 14th or the beginning of the 15th century, and the third was written in the 15th century. Likewise in the codex of Ursinus of Rosenberg, which is later than the middle of the 15th century, and in the editions of Usuard both of Greven and of Molanus, of the 15th and 16th centuries, in the Hieronymian codex of Martène, of which above, p. 795, and in some other martyrologies and catalogues of the saints, of which we shall treat later.

[5] Yet the ancients appear to have known very little of him. But though the cult of St. Terentius seems once to have been quite celebrated, yet in the ancient and less corrupted monuments only his bare name is recorded. For in the poetic catalogue of the bishops of Metz, written about the year 770 in the Missal of Metz, we read nothing beyond these few words:

After him Bonulus performed by custom the work of goodness.

You trod assiduously thereafter the holy thresholds, Terentius.

The eighteenth is held to be Lamgunsolonis *.

Indeed still briefer is Paul the Deacon, who in the 8th century compiled the series of the ancient bishops of Metz: for he preserved only his name: The seventeenth, he says, Terentius In Pertz, Monumenta historica Germaniæ, vol. II, p. 264.. A little longer are the authors of the old codex of St. Symphorian of Metz and of the Chronicle of the same city; for the former wrote: Terentius, bishop, sat for 20 years; he died on the 4th before the kalends of November Dominicy, Ansberti familia rediviva, at the end, p. 24.; and the latter: Terentius succeeded him (Bonolus) as 17th; he sat for twenty years. He died on the fourth of November, under the popes Celestine and Sixtus; Honorius and Theodosius the Younger reigning D'Achery, Spicilegium, vol. II, p. 224, Paris edition, 1733..

[6] His Acts, which have so far been found, are not genuine There do survive Acts of St. Terentius; but besides being of poor Latinity, they scarcely deserve any trust. For they sin incredibly against the most certain reckoning of the times. It is most plainly established, namely, from the indicated very ancient catalogues of the bishops of Metz, that St. Terentius lived in the 5th century; nevertheless in those Acts it is read that he carried with him relics of Pope St. Gregory, and that he was promoted to the presbyterate by Eugene, bishop of Vienne, although St. Gregory ruled the church in the following century, and among the known bishops of Vienne of the earlier centuries of this church no one occurs by the name of Eugene. Add that in the same it is reported that St. Terentius was created bishop of Metz by the emperor Arnulf, whom we know to have ruled Germany and Lorraine in the 9th century, and ordained bishop by St. Mamertus, who, even younger than St. Terentius, flourished in the 5th century. Which things surely suffice for us to judge them, if not spurious, at least much corrupted and much interpolated; unless they are rather the Acts of another holy man, with few changes transferred and applied to St. Terentius.

[7] And probably no older than the 10th or 11th century. Their author appears to have lived in the 10th or 11th century, since St. Terentius is there said to have been buried in the basilica of SS. Clement and Felix. For this basilica, from the opening of the 5th century, as dedicated by St. Urbicius, bishop of Metz, to St. Felix of Nola François and Tabouillot, Histoire de Metz, vol. I, p. 239., even in two diplomas of the years 952 and 991 Ibid., vol. III, proofs, pp. 69 and 84. had only the name of St. Felix. But afterwards, when God wrought frequent miracles at the tomb of St. Clement, first bishop of Metz, who rests there, it was at times called the church of SS. Clement and Felix Ibid., p. 91.: yet without the title of St. Felix alone falling wholly out of use. For Hugh of Flavigny uses it in the Chronicle of Verdun, which ends at the year 1102, where he describes the translation of St. Clement made by Herman, bishop of Metz, in the year 1092 Labbe, Bibliotheca Mss., vol. I, p. 238.. But after this translation, celebrated with a very great concourse of the people Calmet, Histoire de Lorraine, vol. II, proofs, p. CCXLIII., the church of St. Felix is named only the church of St. Clement in diplomas of the years 1130, 1139, 1142, 1147 [François and Tabouillot, Hist. de Metz, vol. I, pp. 109, 113 and 118; Calmet, Hist. de Lorr. vol. VI, proofs, p. XXI.]: so that the change of appellation was carried out gradually. Which is entirely in keeping with the human manner of acting, since the old appellations of monasteries and churches give way to new ones only in a long space of years. These things being understood, who will not judge with us that the Life of St. Terentius was composed in the 10th or 11th century? Wherefore, since it is demanded of us that we publish not only genuine Acts, but also fabulous ones, if they are ancient (that old traditions may be understood from them), we have not wished that Life to be wholly suppressed in this place; so tempering the edition, however (lest a larger space be occupied), that we have cut away exclamations, repetitions, and other things of that kind. But we shall pass over entirely in silence the much shorter Acts of the same St. Terentius, which our predecessors received from the people of Utrecht, and which are now preserved as no. 8974 in the Royal Library of Brussels, and which plainly agree with manuscript codex 858 of the same library. For they are taken from the Acts about which we have just been disputing, except that in them we read that St. Terentius was taken up as bishop of the church of Vienne, and departed from the living there. Nor does it please us any more to insert into our Acts the encomium of St. Terentius composed by Du Saussay: since, with the anachronisms, miracles, and revelations taken away, it is nothing but a synopsis of that Life, which we have just called spurious, or much corrupted and interpolated.

* Now commonly Gonsolinus

§ II. St. Terentius created bishop of Metz in the 5th century. His death, burial, and translation.

St. Terentius at the beginning of the 5th century is created bishop, If trust were to be placed in the longer Acts of St. Terentius, we should affirm that St. Terentius was born in the 9th century and died in the same or at the opening of the following century; for it is narrated there that he was elected bishop of Metz by the emperor Arnulf, who held the reins of the empire of Germany from the year 887 to the year 899. But whoever turns his eyes to the Chronicle of Metz will easily detect that St. Terentius governed the church of Metz about the beginning of the 5th century. For in this Chronicle he is reported to have presided over the people of Metz under the pontiffs Celestine and Sixtus, and the emperors Honorius and Theodosius the Younger. But in the chair of St. Peter sat Celestine from the month of September of the year 422 to the year 432; Sixtus from the year 432 to the year 440; while Honorius reigned from the year 395 to the year 423; Theodosius the Younger from the year 408 to the year 450. From which it flows that St. Terentius inaugurated his episcopate before the year 423, and prolonged it (for it lasted twenty years) at least to the year 432, and perhaps to the year 443. Which computation agrees entirely with the codex of St. Symphorian; where indeed is read Ansberti familia rediviva, p. 24; Pertz, Monumenta Germaniæ, vol. II, p. 269.:

XVII Terentius, bishop, sat 20 years, died on the 4th before the kalends of November.

XVIII Consolinus, bishop, sat 19 years, died on the day before the kalends of August.

XIX Romanus, bishop, sat 36 years, died on the ides of April.

XX Fronimus, bishop, sat 8 years, died on the 6th before the kalends of August.

XXI Grammatius, bishop, sat 15 years, died on the 7th before the kalends of May.

XXII Agatimber, bishop, sat 12 years and 6 months, died on the 14th before the ides of May.

XXIII Sperus, bishop, sat 17 years, died on the 10th before the kalends of September, who was present at the council of Auvergne of the year 535 Councils of Gaul, vol. I, col. 984, Maurist edition..

[9] He dies and is buried near his predecessors. Now who will deny, since St. Terentius died as bishop of the same city ninety years before Sperus or Hesperius ascended the chair of Metz, and Sperus himself sat among the fathers of the council of Auvergne of the year 535, that it is clear from this (provided it is admitted that Sperus came to Auvergne with the other bishops of Gaul in the seventh or eighth year of his episcopate) that St. Terentius was created bishop of Metz before the year 423, and departed between the years 432 to 443? The day of the death of St. Terentius is assigned as the 4th before the kalends of November, or the 29th of October, in the codex of St. Symphorian and of the Martyrology of Metz, although the augmented Usuard, Ferrari, Du Saussay, Chastelain, Cardinal de Noailles, and others in their catalogues and martyrologies indicate his feast at the 28th of October.

[10] His body is afterwards translated to Novum Monasterium. St. Terentius was buried, as his biographer says, in the basilica of SS. Clement and Felix, or ad Basilicas, near his predecessors, SS. Clement, Celestine, Felix, Victor I, Victor II, Simeon, Sambatius, Legontius, Auctor, and Expletius [D'Achery, Spicilegium, loc. cit.; Calmet, Histoire de Lorraine, vol. VI, proofs, p. XV and following.]. His remains rested there, until (as is read in the Life of St. Adalbero, bishop of Metz) they were translated by Adventius, who held the bishopric of Metz from the year 855 to the year 875 Gallia Christiana, vol. XIII, col. 715 and following., to Novum Monasterium, otherwise Neumünster, in the Bliesgau (where today is the little town of Ottweiler near Saarburg in the diocese of Trier). The Lord Adventius, says an anonymous writer, *venerable prelate of the holy Metz church, in the Bliesgau a certain place

he had begun in honour of the holy and undivided Trinity, which the Lord Robert, from the year 883 to the year 916 [Ibid., col. 720.] pontiff of the same see, small as it had been begun, completed as small. This our lord Adalbero, seeing it to be most suited to the cults of holy religion, both because it held out a hermitage in the vast bays of the forests and because it brought pleasantness to those dwelling around by the grace of the waters; and, what especially charmed the holy man, because it was both consecrated in honour of the supreme and undivided Trinity, as we have said, and distinguished by the body of St. Terentius, confessor and pontiff of the same see of Metz, much delighted: likewise, gathering together women dedicated to God, he settled them there, and gave them most ample means for living Labbe, Bibliotheca Mss., vol. I, p. 672 and following.. This translation had already been mentioned before, in the year 871, by Louis, king of Germany François and Tabouillot, Hist. de Metz, vol. III, proofs, p. 35 and following., where in a diploma of confirmation he makes known to all how Adventius, venerable bishop of the holy church of the Mediomatrici … that, coming into the county of the Bliesgau, in his own diocese … he established a cloister … with religious canons there, and most zealously fashioned all the ornaments of the church; and, as is believed by divine prompting, he placed in the same church the body of the most holy Therentius, pontiff of Metz and bountiful confessor, who both reigns with Christ in heaven and on earth is seen to abound in innumerable powers. In the same diploma King Louis quite often repeated that the monastery of the Blies had been entrusted by Adventius to canons: later however, it is not known in what year, nuns of the order of St. Benedict were substituted for the canons. But an unhappy fate awaited the relics of St. Terentius there. For the Lutherans, in the middle of the 16th century, turning all holy things upside down, also laid impious hands on Novum Monasterium, and laid it waste with fire. Wherefore the abbess Elisabeth of Lichtenberg, who no differently from most of her nuns gave ear to the depraved dogmas of Luther, sold the tithes of her monastery, situated at Dalheim, Ensweiller, and Erweiller, to a magnate of the county of Nassau-Ottweiler, John Arnau, on the 1st of December of the year 1576, for the price of 185,000 florins. To which bargain all the nuns as well as the abbot of the monastery of St. Nabor, visitor of Novum Monasterium, assented on this condition, that the price received should be spent on rebuilding the monastery. But the abbess did not stand by her promises: rather she brought all the nuns, except three, to pass over to the side of the Lutherans, the money having been divided among them Calmet, vol. I, col. 760; François and Tabouillot, vol. I, p. 624.. Hence it came about that most memorials and other documents concerning the bodies of the saints resting there perished, and scarcely anything about the translation of the relics of St. Terentius has come down to us; though formerly a particular feast of it was celebrated at Metz, as the Martyrology of that church attests Ibid., p. 241. in these words: On the seventeenth before the kalends of June: at Metz, the translation of the body of blessed Terentius; and similarly the calendar of the 13th century, of which we treated in the present volume, p. 668, in which at the same day is read: Translation of Therentius, bishop of Metz.* There now follow the Acts, such as they are, of the most holy man.

UNCERTAIN ACTS OF ST. TERENTIUS, BISHOP OF METZ,

from a Bollandian copy.

Terentius, bishop of Metz. (S.)

BHL Number: 8005

FROM MANUSCRIPTS.

CHAPTER ONE.

The family, education, and priesthood of St. Terentius. The death of his companion Floriacus.

St. Terentius, born of a noble family, is excellently educated; There was a man of venerable life, Terentius by name; he was sprung from illustrious parents ^a, on his father's side close to the royal blood ^b; and born on his mother's side of a noble family of the Aquitanians, he was illustrious in this world. Him his parents had received, the one pledge of their inmost parts, a sweet offspring. Who, being admonished by divine revelation that they would bring forth a child, a prelate worthy of God, as soon as the little one was born, nourished on the food of milk, having completed the customary time of the cradle, they handed over to a certain holy bishop to be taught sacred letters; who, receiving him, caused him to be so imbued with every doctrine of the wise, that neither dialectic nor rhetorical talent escaped him, and, as a good athlete of Christ, he held the wisdom of all the authors of the world captive in the treasury of his heart: and finally he used this world as if he used it not. For he had read the apostle saying: "For the fashion of this world passes away"; and lest he should perish unclean with the world itself, he so showed himself dear to Christ that he reputed the wisdom of the world foolishness.

[2] Leaving his father's house, he comes to the Loire, to the presbyter Floriacus; His parents, when they saw him adhering with such intentness of mind to the devotees of the Christian religion, considered how they might take him from the monastery back to the lay garment. And so they urge him with these words, saying: "Sweetest and venerable pledge to us, hear the salutary counsel of your parents, come forth and enjoy the delights and all the goods of your father. We know that he powerfully governs the borders of the Burgundians by the order of his emperor, his kinsman, because he is dear and faithful to him." To those urging him blessed Terentius gave this answer: "I have neither the faculty of promising nor the power of refusing; what you urge I commit to the power of my Lord; for which I ask a delay of seven days, that, according as He Himself shall deign to inspire me, you may receive an answer from me." And on the seventh day the Lord is present; He addresses him, saying: "Arise, do not fear, and do not do the will of your parents." In the morning the parents, coming to the boy, when the father asked him to come out of the monastery, he answered, saying that he would no longer see his father's house. Then Elodinus his father and Benigna his mother began to seek out more arguments that he might return to his own. Then all the clerics, together with the consent of the bishop, agreeing with the entreaties of the parent, began to urge the blessed boy to return to his parents, and to come back to the enclosure of the monastery again when he wished. But he persisted in his whole resolution. Then the bishop began to console the youth, saying: "Be comforted in the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will give you the petitions of your heart." Then Terentius, unknown to the bishop and all the clerics, carrying with him nothing worldly ^c except very little and rather cheap food, and a humble and simple garment, and a sign of the holy cross, in which were relics of St. Gregory ^d, pope, and of St. Stephen, protomartyr ^e, came as far as the river Loire, and found a certain cleric, Floriacus by name, sprung from the province of Aquitaine, from the Arvernian district ^f. When blessed Terentius learned that Floriacus was from the same Arvernian district in which he himself and his mother were born, he embraced him.

[3] Where Eugene of Vienne ordains him presbyter. Then, fame running before, they heard of the sanctity of the most blessed Eugene, prelate of the city of Vienne ^g, and they endeavoured to hasten to his monastery. When the most blessed bishop had examined their wisdom, he exhorted them to take up the dignity of the presbyterate. But Floriacus answered: "I am already invested with the order of the presbyterate." Blessed Terentius said: "Lord, if the will of God is present, let yours be also, that you may bless me for the office of exorcist." When the man of God ^h knew his mind, he also stimulated the zeal of his conduct in the order of lectors ⁱ; and seeing him strive toward better things, he appointed him subdeacon ^k. And remaining there some space of time ^l, after the competent years he was joined to the holy altar in the grade of levite ^m. There, shining in both life and character with every gravity, in his thirtieth year he is ordained presbyter ⁿ. From that day on which blessed Terentius took up the beginning of the priesthood from blessed Eugene, until the end of his life, he fed his soul with such stubbornness by the wasting of his body, that on the second and fourth and sixth weekdays he never took bread of wheat, nor wine, nor vinegar, nor oil, nor vegetables, nor ever even salt for seasoning. He had assiduous prayer, he had continual meditation.

[4] [It is revealed to him that Floriacus will die after three days; who, when dead, appears to him.] Then that fast availed so much with God, drawing the presence of Christ into him in that purification, that by heavenly revelation he foreknew the death of his companion. For when the greater space of the night had passed, and at the same time the time near to the light had come, the holy priest, rising to celebrate the sacraments, was awakened from sleep. He, inflamed by the sadness of the recent vision to pray to God, before he came to the mysteries themselves, disclosed in faithful speech in the presence of the bishop and all the brethren what had been shown him divinely. "I saw," he said, "Floriacus clothed in priestly vesture, and standing before the altar to celebrate mass, as he was accustomed, and there came to him a voice saying: 'Floriacus, you must leave the white * of this world, and receive the eternal. On the third day you shall possess the place delivered by God.' And saying this, there appeared over him as it were a splendour, it ascended to the top of a very high mountain, and after that it appeared to me nowhere." The bishop therefore understood that he was to pass from this life; he exhorted him to take the monastic garment ^o. Floriacus, obeying the words of the bishop, caused himself to be made a monk. And in the middle of the night, seized by fever and held by other infirmities, he called blessed Terentius to him, saying: "Pray for me, brother, and beg the lord apostolic to anoint me with oil." And immediately, as he told the lord apostolic, he anointed him with oil. And after the completion of the office he said before all: "Receive, most merciful God, my soul; into Thy hands I commend my spirit;" and saying this he rendered his soul to God. Then the body being gathered up by the hands of the priests, they buried him with the highest honour. And Terentius, very mournful and sad, lamented the death of his companion. When night came, Floriacus suddenly stood by, and said to him: "Do not be sad on my account, but rejoice; I rest in the bosom of Abraham. For you after seven months will receive the episcopate of the church of Metz by the order and petitions of the emperor Arnulf [p], and through you God will work great powers in it."

ANNOTATIONS.

underwent martyrdom at Rome: of the one our predecessors treated at the 2nd of February Acta SS. vol. I of February, p. 285., of the other at the 5th of June Ibid., vol. I of June, p. 422.. What these relics were the biographer omits to report. But since it was not until about the seventh century that bodies began to be transported in the West Ibid., vol. VII of October, p. 824., and nothing of the remains of the saints was given in the fifth century except dust or parts of garments, it seems that the relics which St. Terentius is reported to have had with him must be judged to have been of this kind.

p. The emperor Arnulf, as we said in the Preliminary Commentary, no. 6, held the reins of the German empire several centuries after the age of St. Terentius. But at the time when St. Terentius was created bishop of the church of Metz and governed it, no emperor had the seat of the empire at Trier or even in the Gauls, unless perhaps Constantius, to whom, on account of his exceptional merits and the enemies vanquished in Gaul, the emperor Honorius granted the imperial crown together with the name of Augustus.

* perhaps "caducum"

CHAPTER TWO.

St. Terentius is elected bishop of Vienne. His flight to Trier. He heals the emperor Arnulf. He is created bishop of Metz.

[Eugene having died he is elected his successor; but he hides himself near Trier; where he is discovered] And so, divine grace providing, Bishop Eugene fell asleep in the Lord. Then, by the assent of a single and approved election, by the wish of the clerics and citizens, St. Terentius was elected to the highest place of the pontificate ^a. Refusing this, he withdrew from Vienne, carrying nothing with him except the sign of the holy cross, which he had brought there with him, and he came to the parts where the city of Augusta ^b is situated, and there, not far from the city, at twelve miles, he found a very ancient place, full of thickets of brambles. There the sanctity of Terentius could not be hidden. By what course then he came to the notice of men, let us go through his merits. For there were at that time two detestable robbers, accustomed to hide in that same solitude the plunder which they stole everywhere. And on a certain day, when according to custom they had taken plunder and wished to go to where they might hide it, by the will of God, wandering through all out-of-the-way places, they came to the hut of the man of God. When the man of God saw them, he was greatly astonished. And after he understood their crime, greatly fearing lest he be slain by them, he so bound them by his prayer that, fixed at his doors, they could not move themselves at all, holding their bundles on their necks. A very great multitude pursued them, keeping to the tracks of the same journey, until they came up after them. And when they came to the hut of the man of God, and saw the robbers standing at his doors, greatly astounded they wished to condemn all three to death, not knowing that he was a servant of God, but believing that he was acquiring a share with them. But the man of God, compelled by necessity, spoke to them one single word, saying: "Allow these," he said, "to go away unharmed, and condemn me to death for the love of God." The people, when they heard these words, seeing his face appear among them like the face of an angel, fell before his feet, adoring him, saying: "Holy father, forgive us that we foolishly attempted to act against you;" and he heeded the prayers of blessed Terentius, and let the robbers go, who returned to their own, magnifying and praising God and the blessed man of God. And the robbers, seeing what had been done with them, casting away the will for crimes, doing penance for their past evils, fled to neighbouring monasteries, and there took up the pattern of a more amended life.

[6] And he frees the emperor Arnulf from fever, At the same time the emperor Arnulf with a very strong force, in imperial manner ^c, came to the parts of the city of Augusta, and stayed there for some time. He was told of the sanctity of the man of God, and that he remained alone in that solitude. The emperor hearing this ordered that they should present him to him with the greatest caution. They went away and found the servant of God praying and beside him a very comely man standing. Struck with fear, they did not dare to come near, but at once returning to the emperor, they reported in great dread what they had seen. The emperor hearing this, turned to fury, and commanded them that without delay they should bring him before his sight. When they had returned there, and had again come to the hut of the man of God, they said: "Come out, man of God, and go with us to the palace of the emperor." He, at once rising from prayer, followed them. And they led the man of God before the sight of the emperor, who, indignant, said to him: "Who are you, or whence did you come here, or by whose authority are you staying here in this jurisdiction?" Then the priest of God, not unmindful of the precepts of God, said with confidence: "In your patience you will possess your souls." And hastening with humility he said: "I, Lord Emperor, came here from the parts of Aquitaine, that I may merit to become a native of the heavenly fatherland." The emperor hearing this threatened him with great indignation, saying to him: "With all speed depart from here, lest you be found here hereafter by our men, and be broken by the most savage blows of clubs." To whom blessed Terentius constantly answered: "It is not necessary for me concerning this matter

to answer you, most clement emperor; but the supreme King, whose servant I am, will give me a place to remain." The emperor, despising his words, said with anger: "Do what I have commanded you; it is unworthy of me and mine to attend any further to the words of your rusticity." And immediately blessed Terentius, obeying, went out from the palace. But suddenly so utterly monstrous a burning fever seized the emperor that he could scarcely even draw breath. Then one of the counts said to the emperor: "That man whom you threatened, most excellent emperor, was and is a servant of the supreme King. He (as I think) will heal you, if he will." The emperor answering him said: "Go," he said, "quickly to the man of God, if perhaps you can entreat him, that he may at least permit us to retrace his footsteps." Then he went to the man and told him what had happened to the emperor. And when they went together, and the emperor had seen the servant of God from afar, he ran to the holy man of God, and prostrate at his feet he confessed himself a transgressor and impious, and cried out with tears that he had presumed to contradict the holy one of God. Terentius, embracing him, raised him from the ground, and kissing him admonished him, saying: "The words of my rusticity, most invincible prince, understand, and let those things which are addressed by me be directed to the inner chambers of your heart. Remember to have as King God who is in heaven, to whom it is greatly necessary to consider what may please Him. Let not the power inflated by this place of rule lift you up, nor let the love of passing things render you swollen. Let the height of this honour be tempered by holy humility. It is fitting that you recollect that one woman's childbearing poured you into the world with all men, that you are redeemed with all the ages by the one blood of the mediator of God and men, regenerated also by an equal baptism, that you are filled with the one body and blood of Christ with the poor. This is said to you through the prophet: I seek nothing else from you but to do judgment and to love mercy, and be ready to go after the Lord your God. For it is written: 'Mercy and truth preserve the king.' Do you therefore, with the royal power granted you by the Lord, make restitution by piety bestowed toward the men subject to you who are at fault, because mercy is small with our Lord if injury follows those who are without guilt: it is heavenly to forgive sins, and earthly to avenge them. Thus you will possess this kingdom after the likeness of the ethereal power, if you exalt your empire with piety."

[7] Who creates him bishop of Metz. At these admonitions the king stood astonished. He promised that, aided by his prayers, he would fulfil such most sacred precepts. After this he kissed the hands of the priest, and prostrated himself at the feet of the holy man, and humbly entreated him, saying: "I see that you are a man of God, and that you have been sent here by His will; I beseech you to deign to receive the gift of our supplication. The city of Metz has now been bereft of a pastor for eight months; I earnestly implore you to lend an ear to my prayers, and to take up the see of its pontificate for love of me." When he did not refuse, the king commanded St. Mamertus, bishop of Vienne, who established the three days' Litany, that he should conduct him honourably, and place him in the see, and subject to him all the power of that city. St. Mamertus the bishop, fulfilling the command of the emperor, caused blessed Terentius to sit in the episcopal see and chair, by order of the emperor, on the fifteenth before the kalends of June.

ANNOTATIONS.

CHAPTER THREE.

The journey of St. Terentius to Burgundy and Rome. His return to Metz, miracles, death, and burial.

He obtains rain for Burgundy From there he proceeded to the parts of Burgundy, where the Lord through him wrought a great miracle. Now nearly seven years were coming to an end in which the region itself laboured with drought: sterility, and famine ^a, and the disease of pestilence threatened destruction on every side. At length God, seeing the affliction of His people, at the entrance of Terentius at once granted rain. And so the man of the Lord, greatly strengthened by this miracle, grew in the fervour of charity, strenuously shuddering at the dregs of the world, and sought the contemplative life the more earnestly. And thus it is established that his disciples, contemplating visibly quite often, perceived a very great light radiating around his pallet. And enjoying the converse of the saints, the servant of God exulted in the Lord and merited to see the Lord. Deservedly almighty God glorified His servant by manifesting him among very many nations, and adorned him with apostolic powers.

[9] And he journeys to Rome; returning from there he heals a deaf-mute; Since his mind ever yearned on high for love of the holy Trinity, he burned with desire that he should hasten to Rome to venerate the thresholds of the holy Apostles ^b. And so he did. Fulfilling his vows, satisfying his desire, visiting the monuments of the saints and their places, prostrate with his body on the pavement, imprinting kisses, he devoutly accomplished what he had long since desired. And thus the man of God, sustained by the suffrages of the saints, going through the places of the saints, seeking out their monuments, bringing back relics of many saints, and, with an angel of the Lord accompanying, returning to his city, by the power of his prayer he ministered salvation of souls and bodies. And when he had come to the borders of his diocese, the suburban citizens and the common people, exulting for joy and at the same time mourning, cast themselves down in troops at his meeting, together with crosses and lamps they went out to meet the pious pastor, giving thanks to God, who had restored to them their pastor and pontiff unharmed. What shall I say of the priests and of the columns of monks and of many nuns, who sang praises to the Lord? Meanwhile the poor exulted, crying out that the Lord had sent them their usurer. And in the same hour, the divine clemency working, whatever sick persons touched him were at once restored to the most perfect health. And blessed Terentius, going out from the city at a certain time, while he was going around through the villages and estates, and imbuing the hearts of the ignorant with the word of his holy preaching, a certain man prostrated himself at his feet, who cried out that he had a mute and deaf son, and thought to offer him to his holy presence, if perhaps he might deign to bestow on him the grace of speaking and hearing. By his order the boy was offered to his presence, and with all hearing he poured out a prayer to the Lord, saying: "Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit deigned to fashion the human form without blemish to Thy likeness, and gave it free choice, who hast rendered speech to the mute, sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, life to the dead, look upon this boy, and open his closed mouth and ears, because this reforming belongs to Thee the fashioner, by whose finger all the harmonious members of the bodies of the human substance have been joined." The prayer being completed, he soon made the sign of the cross on his ears with his finger, and at once his ears were opened and his tongue was loosed, so that with a clear voice the boy confessed and blessed God.

[10] And he converts a sacrilegious Jew and others of the same nation. And on one of the days, while the blessed pontiff was celebrating the solemnities of mass there, and an abundance of sons was present at the holy mysteries, a Jew ^c boldly entered, at the instigation of a malign spirit, and contrived to receive the Lord's Body and to cast it onto a dunghill. He, coming among the crowds of the faithful to the hands of the man of God, with nefarious daring received the Lord's Body in his unclean mouth. When he opened his mouth for the purpose of casting it out, struck by a worthy vengeance, he began to cry out, with no effect of words, with all hearing and seeing. He wished to join his lips, and could not; he tried to utter words, but his rigid tongue did not perform the office of speaking. And as if bearing a fiery dart in his mouth, he was tortured with immense pains. The whole church resounded with the cries of the senseless voice, and the assembly of the faithful of Christ rejoiced at the power of so unheard-of a miracle. Then the pontiff caused the Jew to be brought before him, and said to him as he came: "Unbelieving mind and full of perfidy, why have you fulfilled the counsel of so iniquitous an enemy? Did you judge the Body of Christ most vile? Behold, what the secret persuader enticed you, wretch, to do, he has shown to all his faithful by divine power." But the Jew, overcome by excessive pain, did not cease to send forth cries without speech, having in his throat the torment of malice. Because, according to the prophecy of most holy Simeon, as it is destruction and ruin to the unbelieving, so to its faithful the word of God is life and exultation. For to those watching more closely, by a wondrous liberation the Lord's Body was seen to hang in the Jew's mouth, so that it neither lay on the base of the tongue beneath nor adhered to the unclean palate above. But, the faithful asking on behalf of his misery, blessed Terentius stretched out his hand and drew the mystery of the holy Eucharist out of the sacrilegious mouth, saying: "Behold, now you are freed; for the rest beware of doing anything like this, and do not presume to repeat this further." And the Jew, casting himself at his feet, cried out that he would believe in Christ the Lord, if he would bathe him with the wave of sacred baptism and join him to his pious assembly. "To Thee, almighty," said the man of God, "I give thanks, who dost not disdain to correct Jewish perfidy, but dost convert it to the faith of Thine Only-begotten with ample piety." And when he had been baptized, many Jews believing, reborn with him in sacred baptism, were united to the faithful of Christ and the spiritual assembly.

[11] He heals another mute and calls a dead man back to life; While therefore he showed forth many praiseworthy things through this our father, and because he now shone illuminated by the spirit of prophecy, looking upon a certain man who came to him with a proud spirit under the guise of piety, he said: "It behoves you rather to be silent than to speak, for the things which you are thinking are manifestly clear." And he, struck dumb, could utter nothing; but casting himself at the feet of the holy man, he also by tears laid open the secret of his wicked thought. And the man of the Lord, moved by his tears and groans, restored to him the office of speaking, and made him a minister of the divine gift. And the grace of God was diffused in the city of Metz, and the fame of the holy man being spread abroad, a throng of many peoples ran together to him from diverse parts. For a certain most noble woman ran to him in the greatest haste, deploring that she was bereft of her only son; she prostrated herself at the feet of the most holy Terentius, promising that she and hers would become sharers of the Christian religion, if she should see her offspring restored to her by his prayers. To whose vows the man of God at once answered: "If you believe with your whole heart, all things are possible to the believer." And she remaining in this constancy, the man of God at once went to her house, and there, over the corpse of the body lying there, he poured out a prayer to the Lord, and restored the dead man to his former life and health. And the young man began to glorify the Lord, that through the prayers of His servant he had been snatched from the dark prison. At which miracle they ran together, saying: "True is the God of the Christians, whom this His servant preaches; for we ought to adore Him." And that most noble widow, seeing her son restored to her, quickly fulfilled what she had promised. And at once baptized with her son, and leaving, with the household of each, the sacrilege of idolatry, she joined herself to the fellowship of Christ.

[12] Then he restores sight to a blind man. While on a certain day he was going through the monasteries for the sake of prayer, a man blind from birth came to meet him, humbly asking to be helped by his prayers. To whom the man of God said: "Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God?" The blind man answered: "I believe, Lord, and I have believed; I pray only that by your prayers my eyes may be enlightened." Blessed Terentius said: "May He in whom you believe open your eyes himself;" and at once, having received the light of his eyes, the blind man began to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten and true Son of God."

[13] Near death he addresses his disciples; And about the end of his life, which the holy priest foresaw, overtaken by fever, having summoned to him all the brethren, he began with these words, saying: "Behold, dearest sons, age now impels me to the passage; now the earth recalls a particle of its origin to its own right; write on the tablets of your heart those things which are told you through me to be carried out from the Lord. Observe toward one another the mystical precepts; keep the peace which the author of our salvation commended to His disciples in repeated words; and reject all anger and murmurings as the poisons of the devil; preserve chastity for the author of all goods; and speak the truth with all men; let no speech of any lie proceed from your mouth, lest perhaps you be struck by the prophetic sentence, which says: 'Thou shalt destroy all that speak a lie.' Love hospitality, because many by carrying this out have merited the fellowship of angels. Remember that in the poor man and the stranger Christ is received." As the holy father continued these and similar things, all the saints, prostrate with groaning of heart, began to weep without restraint. They said therefore: "O Father, why do you so soon dismiss the flock acquired in rude times? To whom do you assign the charity of our fellowship? Woe to us wretches in losing such a pastor, whose discourses we enjoyed, and by whose intercessions we were protected." Whom the pious father consoled, saying: "Why, sweetest sons, do you weep with such affliction? Your pastor and gatherer who is in heaven, if you follow His admonitions, will never desert you. I however am now being dissolved, because it is time that I go to Him whom I have desired from the cradle. Be comforted therefore and bless God, because I am going from death to life, from labour to rest, from tribulation to joy, from beggary to banquets, from darkness to light, from ignominy to the perpetual kingdom." Saying this he exhorted them to sing psalms to God. And he himself, with hands raised to heaven, with a cheerful face sang, saying: "Thy mercies, Lord, I will sing for ever, in generation and progeny I will proclaim Thy truth with my mouth." And that: "Into Thy hands, Lord, I commend my spirit."

[14] Then he dies, is buried, and becomes renowned for miracles. But the Lord, hearing the prayers of His servant, permitted him to lay down the burden of the flesh, and to enter happily into the joys of paradise. Amid these things, the brethren weeping and singing psalms, the priest, having received the Body of Christ, rejoicing and exulting sent forth his spirit. To the watch by his holy body such crowds of peoples flowed together as the tongue does not suffice to recount. For what tears there were there I omit, lest after the courses of years I strike a fresh grief into the reader. Then by the assembly of the bishops together with their abbots, or the multitude of priests or clerics, or the rest of the people, bearing the blessed body on their shoulders with great enthusiasm, they came together singing with praises and hymns to God, awaiting the bier through the places and monasteries, and they buried the blessed body in the basilica of Blessed Clement and Felix ^d with great splendour. There the Lord Jesus Christ, his merits interceding, deigned to work many signs of powers, and not only in that place, but also through several places where the holy man himself rested in the body, and such miracles shine to the present that there the blind are enlightened, lepers are cleansed, walking is restored to the lame, the possessed are cured, and diverse sicknesses are healed by his merits. It is long to recount such great miracles, which the Lord deigned to show there by the merits of blessed Terentius. Let it suffice to have told a few out of many. Whoever wishes to learn this for certain, let him travel through Gaul and Aquitaine, Burgundy and Italy, and he will find that we have told the truth as we narrated: nowhere will he prove anything false.

ANNOTATIONS.