ON ST. NONNOSUS, PROVOST OF THE MONASTERY OF MOUNT SORACTE IN ETRURIA,
IN THE CHURCH OF ETRURIA,
In the sixth century, about its middle.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
The Saint's memory in the sacred Calendars: the writer of his Acts, St. Gregory: the place and time in which the Saint flourished.
Nonnosus, provost of the monastery of Mount Soracte, in the Church of Etruria. (S.)
BY J. S.
Although St. Nonnosus had as the herald
of his praises
St. Gregory, and his veneration
is ancient enough, The Saint inscribed in the Martyrologies. as will afterwards
be shown from the translations
of his body, yet I find no memory
of him among the older martyrologists
made public. Nevertheless Peter de Natalibus recorded him as a saint
in the Catalogue, bk. XI, ch. 97, where he recites an elogium from St.
Gregory. The same the author of our Ms. Florarium announced
in the fifteenth century in these few words at the 2nd of September:
Likewise of saint Nonnosus the monk. The Lübeck-Cologne edition
of Usuard of the year 1490 has added on the same day the memory of saint Nonnosus in this
manner: On the same day, of saint Nonnosus the monk. The edition of Belinus which followed:
Of Nonnosus, monk and confessor.
Molanus added more concerning the saint in these words:
Of Nonnosus, monk and confessor, of whom
Gregory writes in bk. 1 of the Dialogues, ch. 7,
that among other miracles he moved a huge stone by his prayers,
repaired a broken lamp, and increased oil. Canisius nearly agrees in
the German Martyrology. Baronius rightly added the place
in the Roman Martyrology, but less rightly the title of abbot;
for he has thus: On mount Soracte, of saint Nonnosus the abbot,
who by his prayer removed a rock of huge mass, and shone
with other miracles. Ferrari in the Catalogue of the Saints
of Italy expressed the whole elogium of Gregory,
that is, the Acts to be given, to which he adds, taken I know not
whence: He fell asleep in the Lord on the IV of the Nones
of September. Finally Castellanus celebrates St. Nonnosus
on the XIX of August and on the 2nd of September, because
on the former day he is venerated at Bamberg, as was observed
in our work among the passed-over entries at that same XIX day
of August.
[2] Some deeds of St. Nonnosus St. Gregory the Great recorded
in bk. 1 of the Dialogues, ch. 7, St. Gregory the Great wrote his Acts:
as he had learned them from contemporaries and most trustworthy men,
whom he himself names. One of them was
Maximian, prelate of Syracuse, to whom
for this cause St. Gregory wrote letter 51
of the third book of the new edition, which is of this kind:
My brethren, who live familiarly with me,
by every means compel me to write briefly some things about the miracles
of the fathers which we have heard were done in Italy.
For which matter I greatly need the comfort of your charity,
that you may briefly indicate to me those things which come back
to your memory, and which you have happened to have known.
For of the lord Nonnosus the abbot, who was beside the lord Anastasius
of Pentoma *, I remember that you related
some things which I have consigned to forgetfulness. This therefore,
and any others there may be, I ask to be impressed in your letters,
and to be sent to me with speed, if however
you are not yourself hastening to me. That what Gregory here asks
was granted by Maximian is clear from the beginning
of the elogium to be recited. Moreover this holy Maximian,
of whom we treated in our work at the IX day of June,
before his episcopate had been abbot at Rome of the Gregorian
monastery, and at that time, or already before,
had doubtless learned what he knew of St. Nonnosus.
Another witness adduced by Gregory is Laurio,
an aged monk of a neighboring monastery, whose abbot
St. Anastasius had been on familiar terms with saint
Nonnosus. Gregory's account, therefore, is most worthy of credit,
even though it contains marvels.
[3] Gregory was writing these things while there was still living
Maximian, who is said to have died in the year 594, the time and place in which the Saint lived: by
others 596. But since Gregory brings forward only
the authority of two old men, it is likely that St. Nonnosus
had by then been dead thirty or forty years.
For this cause I have fixed his death about
the middle of the sixth century, with an extension of many
years in which he might have lived later or died
earlier. Mabillon in the Acts of the Benedictine Saints,
vol. 1, p. 246, where he gives the Saint's elogium from Gregory,
notes in the margin about the year DLXXVI,
but alleges no reasons. The most illustrious de Aste
in his Annotations on the Roman Martyrology,
about the year DXX. Castellanus broadly assigns the sixth
century. The place our Predecessors briefly described thus
in the treatise on Anastasius at the XI of January: It is a mountain
of Italy in the Faliscan territory beside the bank of the Tiber,
called by the ancients Soractes and Soracte, now commonly
the mountain of St. Sylvester, from the monastery which in honor
of St. Sylvester Carloman built, as
Aimoin testifies in bk. 4, ch. 60, or at any rate restored:
for there was before this a monastery on Soracte,
as will be clear below from St. Gregory. Leander (as
also others) says that this name was given to the mountain
because on it St. Sylvester the Pontiff once lay hidden: but those
hiding-places of Sylvester are today commonly rejected as fictitious.
Mabillon and others ascribe mount Soracte to Etruria.
But that is to be understood of ancient
or entire Etruria, not of the present grand duchy of Etruria,
since it is in that part of Etruria
which belongs to the supreme Pontiff, between the town of Nepi
and the Tiber: it is commonly called S. Oreste, as
the place is named by Castellanus.
[4] Finally there occurs a doubt whether St. Nonnosus
was abbot of his monastery, he was not abbot, but provost of the monastery. as he is called
in the letter of St. Gregory recited; or rather provost,
as he will be called below. Wion
in the Lignum Vitæ calls him abbot with Baronius. But Menard
in bk. 1 of the Observations on the Benedictine Martyrology,
p. 321, writes thus: St.
Nonnosus was called abbot in this Martyrology:
but he was only provost in the monastery
of mount Soracte, as St. Gregory says in bk. 1 of the Dialogues,
ch. 7, who also says that he was under the father of the monastery.
Mabillon in vol. 1 of the Annals, p. 170,
has this on the matter: Gregory in the letter to
Maximian, bishop of Syracuse, says that he had
forgotten what the latter had related to him about the lord Nonnosus
the abbot, who was beside the lord Anastasius of
Pentoma; and he desires again to learn these things from him.
Here is a double error, both that
he calls Nonnosus abbot, who was only provost;
and that he writes Pentoma for Suppentonia:
both which mistakes Gregory corrected in the first book
of the Dialogues. The error in
the title of abbot could easily creep upon St. Gregory,
while he had not yet sufficiently known the Saint's deeds, about
which for that reason he questions Maximian. But he
doubtless taught Gregory by his letters that St.
Nonnosus was not abbot, but the second officer
of the monastery, who at that time was called provost,
now commonly prior. Of the provost
the Rule of St. Benedict treats in ch. 65. Nevertheless
Mabillon himself doubted whether Nonnosus was of his own Order,
since he printed his Acts in smaller
characters, as he was accustomed to do
with those about whose Order he doubted. To these I subjoin the Acts,
being about to examine the translations of his body below.
Annotata*. better, of Suppentonia
THE ACTS
By St. Gregory the Great, bk. 1 of the Dialogues, ch. 7.
Nonnosus, provost of the monastery of Mount Soracte, in the Church of Etruria. (S.)
BHL Number: 6247
By St. Gregory the Great.
[The Saint, a familiar of St. Anastasius abbot of Suppentonia, and notable for humility,] Gregory. I shall now tell you something
about a neighboring place, which I have learned by the account
both of the venerable man Maximian the bishop and of Laurio, whom you know,
a veteran monk, each of whom survives to this day:
which Laurio, namely,
in that monastery which beside the city of Nepi
is called Suppentonia a, was brought up by Anastasius, a most holy
man. Which Anastasius indeed
was continually joined to Nonnosus, a man of venerable life, provost of the monastery
by the nearness of the place and by greatness of manners and
by zeal for the virtues. And the same
Nonnosus lived under a most harsh Father of his monastery:
but he always bore his manners with wondrous equanimity.
And so he presided over the Brethren in gentleness,
as he often out of humility soothed the Father's
wrathfulness.
[2] by prayer he moves a huge rock from its place, But since his monastery is situated on the very summit
of the mountain, no level ground lay open
for the Brethren to cultivate even the smallest garden;
but one very small space had grown out on the side
of the mountain, which a mass of huge rock naturally
projecting occupied. On a certain
day, while Nonnosus, a venerable man, was thinking
that that place could have been fit at least for growing herbs
for seasoning, if the mass of that rock did not hold it,
it came to his mind that
fifty yoke of oxen could not move that mass.
And when despair had been felt of human labor,
he betook himself to divine comfort,
and gave himself there to prayer in the silence of the night.
And when in the morning the Brethren came to that place,
they found that a mass of so great size had withdrawn far from that place,
and by its withdrawal had given the Brethren ample room.
[3] At another time also, when the same venerable Man
was washing glass lamps in the oratory, he repairs a broken lamp, one
fell from his hands, which was shattered
into innumerable pieces: and he, fearing the most violent fury
of the Father of the monastery, at once gathered all the fragments
of the lamp and placed them before the altar,
and gave himself to prayer with heavy groaning.
And when he had lifted his head from prayer, he found the lamp
whole, which in fear he had gathered in fragments.
And thus in two miracles he imitated the powers
of two Fathers: in the mass
of rock, the deed of Gregory c, who moved a mountain;
and in the repairing of the lamp, the power
of Donatus d, who restored a broken chalice to its former
soundness.
Peter e. We have, as I see, new miracles
from old examples.
[4] Gregory. Do you wish to learn something in Nonnosus's working
about his imitation of Elisha also? and multiplies oil.
Peter. I wish it, and eagerly desire it.
Gregory. When on a certain day old oil was lacking
in the monastery, and the time for gathering olives
was already at hand, but no fruit appeared on the olive trees,
it seemed good to the Father of the monastery that
the Brethren should go round about to do work for strangers
in gathering olives; so that
from the wage of their work they might carry off a little
oil for the monastery. Which the Man of the Lord Nonnosus
forbade to be done with great humility f, lest
the Brethren, going out from the monastery, while they sought gains of oil,
should suffer losses of souls.
But since on the monastery's trees a few olives
seemed to be, he ordered them to be gathered
and put in the press, and however little oil could come out,
to be brought to him. And it was done,
and the Brethren brought the oil received in a little vessel
to Nonnosus the servant of God: which he at once placed
before the altar, and, all going out, he prayed,
and afterwards, the Brethren being called, he ordered
that they should lift the oil which they had brought, and
by pouring a little should divide it among all the vessels of the monastery,
so that all might be seen to be filled with the blessing of that oil:
which at once, empty as they were, he caused to be closed.
But on the following day, when they were opened, all were
found full g.
Peter. We prove daily that the words of Truth are fulfilled,
which say: My Father works until now,
and I work.
Annotatathe Castle of St. Elias, two miles distant from the city of Nepi, where
there is still a noble and old church dedicated to God in the name of St. Elias and St. Anastasius,
not far from mount Soracte, and Baronius testifies that he learned from the inhabitants of the place
that this very place was once called Suppentonia. These things a little more fully in the treatise on Anastasius in our work at the XI of January, n. 1. Moreover the city of Nepi, by others Nepet and Nepete, commonly called Nepi, is an episcopal see in Papal Etruria. Concerning Maximian consult the Commentary, n. 2.
b. The monastery
on mount Soracte was built or restored by Carloman, who there
lived for some time, as Mabillon has it in vol. 2 of the Annals, p. 132.
Perhaps the preceding one had been utterly destroyed
when Carloman built his own in honor of St. Sylvester
about the year 747. Yet Mabillon cites a Chronicle written in the tenth century,
in which Carloman is said to have come to a monastery already founded, so
that it appears more likely that it was only restored by him. Pietro
Aldobrandini, archbishop of Ravenna and Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, at
the beginning of the seventeenth century restored the monastery on mount Soracte,
and placed in it reformed Cistercians, that is, of the Foglianti Congregation.
Hear Ughelli in vol. 2 of the Italia sacra, col. 395, in the article on Pietro Aldobrandini:
And on mount Soracte he furnished to the Cistercian monks of the congregation of the Foglianti
an ancient dwelling of former days, more elegantly repaired, to be inhabited,
a more suitable revenue being applied, which might suffice for those who were to serve the Godhead day and night. Of the cult restored there we shall treat afterwards.
like deed is everywhere celebrated, and in whose Life it is narrated by
St. Gregory of Nyssa, as the editor observes. That Saint is venerated on the 17th
of November.
d. The editor
of St. Gregory's Works with Mabillon understands St. Donatus, bishop of Arezzo
and martyr. And in fact in the Acts of St. Donatus in Mombritius
the miraculous repair of a broken chalice is asserted. But those Acts are written so
confusedly that the deeds of two men named Donatus seem mingled, namely of the one of Arezzo
and of the one of Eurœa in Epirus. Consult what was said in the treatise on St. Donatus of Arezzo
at the VII of August, and in that on Donatus of Eurœa at the XXX of April.
My most beloved son Peter the deacon was present, bound to me familiarly in friendship
from the first flower of my youth, and my companion in the search for the sacred word,
etc. An historical elogium of this Peter Mabillon gives in vol. 1 of the Acts of his Order, p. 497.
THE SAINT'S POSTHUMOUS GLORY
That is, an appendix concerning the translations of his relics, his cult and miracles.
Nonnosus, provost of the monastery of Mount Soracte, in the Church of Etruria. (S.)
BY J. S.
§ I. The body of St. Nonnosus translated to Freising:
the author of the translation and the time are investigated, and other matters pertaining hereto
are elucidated: the finding of the body at Freising in the twelfth century.
[ ] The body of St. Nonnosus formerly translated to Freising, Freising, an episcopal city, situated almost in the middle of Bavaria
on the river Isar, and to the prelate
subject as to a prince, has possessed for many centuries
the most precious body of St. Nonnosus, whom as
its patron it venerates with great piety. But
it is not altogether established whence and at what time,
or by whose exertion, the men of Freising obtained
this treasure. For whence the body of St. Nonnosus was translated
to Freising I find nowhere sufficiently
set forth; and about the time of the translation
and its author there are various opinions of various men,
which I shall presently begin to discuss, when I have noted a few things
about the place from which it could have been translated to Freising.
We cannot doubt that the body of St.
Nonnosus was buried in the monastery of mount
Soracte, of which he had been Provost, or Prior,
as at this time the second superior of Benedictine abbeys
is more commonly called. Nevertheless
his sacred body does not seem to have remained in that monastery,
which was destroyed by the Lombards,
until the Freising Translation;
but to have been translated to a safer place. Antonio
de Effectis in the Italian little Work on the Monuments
of St. Nonnosus, of mount Soracte, and of the adjacent places,
which was published at Rome in the year
1675, part 1, ch. 4, p. 27, writes in Italian what
I render into Latin: The said monastery was destroyed
by the Lombards, and in what way the body of St.
Nonnosus was carried to Freising, a city of Bavaria,
I shall say in its own place. Others believe
that by some hermit, or by a Bavarian or Flemish monk, part
of the body was carried to the said city,
where it is even today venerated with notable veneration; but part
to the Castle of St. Elias, the citizens of the place
affirming from ancient tradition that those relics are preserved
in their church together with the relics of St. Anastasius
the monk, though they do not know the determinate place.
That tradition of the inhabitants of the Castle
of St. Elias brings in the suspicion that the body was first
carried thither: but the ignorance of the place and the interruption of the cult
still more persuade that it was not left there.
[2] The said writer presently subjoins the following:
Unless we prefer to say with Platina that Pope Adrian I,
when he foresaw the sacrilegious barbarity
of the Lombards, ordained that all relics
should be carried from the holy places and cemeteries to the city, and it had probably before been carried to the Castle of St. Elias:
lest they be profaned by the impious. Whence to
the Castle of St. Elias, which was fortified and therefore called
from neighboring places may have been translated. I do not indeed find
the passage of Platina which he cites, in the life of Adrian I; but the deed
is such that it is credible that it was done
by several Pontiffs. The same writer in part 2,
ch. 2, p. 768, where he treats of the Freising translation,
brings forward other things which increase the suspicion that
the body was first translated to the Castle of St. Elias,
and thence afterwards to Freising: which some have believed
happened by stealth. For he speaks thus of
the tradition or report of a furtive translation: That the same
report flourishes even today in the Castle of St. Elias
Fr. Stella testifies in the Life of St. Nonnosus, both printed
and manuscript, since the inhabitants of the place believe
that there is still found in their church, dedicated to St. Anastasius,
the tomb of St. Nonnosus without his relics,
which were secretly carried off thence by traveling Religious.
Since he said above that it is the tradition of those citizens
that the relics of St. Nonnosus are today kept in an unknown place of their church,
and now on another's opinion asserts the same of the tomb,
it may be suspected that
the opinions of the inhabitants are divided, and that some would have
only an empty tomb remain, but others
that the relics of St. Nonnosus are still had in the church
of the Castle of St. Elias. The assertion of both parties
makes it likely that the body was at some time translated thither;
but it appears certain enough from elsewhere that the relics
were not left there, as will be clear from what is
to be said about the Freising translation, of which I shall now
begin to treat.
[3] the monuments from which the history of the translations must be sought: Karl Meichelbeck, of the Order of St. Benedict,
published in our century the History of Freising,
comprised in two volumes, in which
that learned writer in various places treats of the translation
and findings of the body of St. Nonnosus. That from
this Work, compared with the little Work already praised
of Antonio de Effectis, the history of the translation of St.
Nonnosus could be gathered, I had sufficiently perceived when
I undertook to elucidate the Acts of St. Nonnosus; but I grieved
that very many miracles, wrought at the time of the translation and afterwards,
were wanting to me; when most kindly
there came to our aid the most reverend lord
Ildephonsus, abbot of Weihenstephan,
who not only communicated to us the desired miracles,
but also added a learned Collection
by which he might show me the way to dispatch this history
of the translation more easily.
I shall therefore gratefully use the labor bestowed by that most learned
abbot: I shall also use the labors of R. Fr. Maurice
Chardon, rector of our college of Constance,
by whose industry all things were collected for us and
sent, and besides not a few miracles
which will be given below, rendered into Latin from the German
idiom. This commemoration of men who have deserved excellently
of the Acts of St. Nonnosus had to be premised as a token
of a grateful mind, by which also
it will come about that the reader may understand what I mean when I shall name
the Collection of the most reverend abbot of Weihenstephan.
[4] [some attribute the translation to Hitto and to the ninth century, but others to Nitger and to the eleventh:] Some attribute the translation of St. Nonnosus
to Hitto, who is sixth among the prelates of Freising,
and who administered that church laudably
from about the year 811 to the year
835, as Meichelbeck tries to show in vol.
1, where he treats fully of Hitto's deeds. This opinion
connects the translation with the ninth century. But others,
and more writers, assert that the body was translated
to Freising by bishop Nitger, whose beginnings
Meichelbeck referred to the year 1039, his end to about the year 1052.
If therefore their opinion is true,
the body was translated in the eleventh century.
Antonio de Effectis strives somehow to reconcile both opinions,
who judges that part of the body
was first carried to Freising by Hitto,
but another part translated thither in the time of bishop Notger.
Since none of these opinions is destitute
of its own reasons, it must be diligently investigated
which appears the more probable.
[5] In the Proper of the Feasts, or Breviary of the diocese
of Freising, various men are reported who said that the body was translated in Nitger's time; which was printed in the preceding century,
at the 2nd of September there are three lessons
concerning St. Nonnosus, taken from St. Gregory, with
this addition at the end: Whose sacred body, carried hither
to Freising by bishop Nitger,
is honorably kept. Hund in the Metropolis Salisburgensis,
vol. 3, p. 435, recites from an old Ms. book
which the translation is ascribed to him. For this opinion
Antonio de Effectis in part 2 of his little Work,
ch. 2, adduces also the authority of Marcus Chingen
of the Society of Jesus, who was confessor of the bishop
of Freising, and being asked about St. Nonnosus
answered thus: After diligent inquiry I have found
this. The body of St. Nonnosus, who was provost
of the monastery situated on mount Soracte, was translated
to Freising by Nitger, bishop of Freising…
Of this sacred body, after the twofold fire
by which the church of Freising utterly perished,
there are now had only three larger bones
with some few relics. So he, before
the other part of the body was found. The same
writer adds the words of the vicar general of Freising,
who supports the same opinion. Ægidius Ranbeck
in the Benedictine Calendar at the 2nd of September
wove an elogium of St. Nonnosus from St. Gregory,
and likewise ascribed his translation to Nitger,
as I learn from the said Collection of Ildephonsus, abbot
of Weihenstephan, who there recited that whole
elogium. Finally the same opinion was embraced by our Hansiz,
vol. 1 of the Germania sacra, corollary 10 at the end, where he records
the feast of the Saint instituted at Passau *
in these words: Most lately among the proper feasts of the diocese
of Passau has been reckoned St. Nonnosus the abbot,
whose body, once carried from the monastery which was
on mount Soracte to Freising by
bishop Nitger, then discovered by John Francis,
prelate of Freising, in the year MDCCVIII,
on the XXVII day of January, and exposed to public veneration
in the following year, on the 2nd day of September,
at once became famous by many benefits. Raymond
the bishop ordered his feast to be kept on the same 2nd day of September
under a semidouble rite with proper lessons throughout
the diocese of Passau. These things I have recited,
that that extension of the cult, to which the most recent finding
of the body gave occasion, might at the same time be understood.
But now let us likewise report the chief foundations of the former opinion,
which attributes the translation to Hitto.
[6] Meichelbeck in vol. 1, p. 117, in the section on Hitto
has thus: arguments favoring Hitto are also given, I read in a certain old codex
which is kept in the renowned monastery of Andechs
that by Hitto, bishop of Freising, not only the bodies
of SS. Alexander and Justinus, but also that of St.
Nonnosus the confessor, were brought to Freising. That
we may say this to be credible we are moved the more easily
in proportion as it is the more certain to us that this Saint's
feast was already noted in the Freising
Liturgy, written before the thousandth year of Christ,
and that indeed in large rubricated letters, as
Gamans observed. Certainly that those three sacred bodies
were found together in the restoration of the cathedral church
made by bishop Albert I,
we shall say elsewhere. Three arguments are here mentioned together,
each of which has its own force. The first
is from the authority of an old codex, which, however, is easily
outweighed by those just brought forward for the contrary opinion.
The second has a more effectual force, provided
the antiquity of the said liturgy is sufficiently established: for
it is not credible that the memory of St. Nonnosus was inscribed
in the Freising liturgy before
the Saint's relics were carried thither. The third has a certain
likelihood, because the bodies were afterwards found together;
yet not much efficacy for proving,
as will presently be clear.
[7] but of these the first and third are of small moment, In the second argument I should most readily acquiesce,
did not Meichelbeck himself bring forward other things by which its force
is not a little weakened. Hear the said
writer in the section on Nitger, p. 248, where he thus opposes the same argument
to the other: To whom also the domestic catalogues
of the bishops add another encomium, namely that Nitger
brought from Italy to Freising the body of St. Nonnosus,
provost or prior of the monastery of Soracte,
daily famous for wondrous benefits to the wretched.
But that we should not so easily assent to this opinion
Gamans stands in the way, who writes that in the Calendar of a most ancient
Freising liturgy, written before the thousandth year of Christ,
he found the feast of St. Nonnosus,
and that expressed in large rubricated letters;
so that the body of that holy Confessor
would seem to have been kept at Freising many years
before Nitger's episcopate. Whence it is better
rather to assent to those parchments in which that translation of St.
Nonnosus is asserted of bishop Hitto,
as we have noted elsewhere. I confess that that reasoning
is rightly drawn out; but I doubt whether the foundation
on which it rests is so solid that it can firmly
sustain so great a structure. Certainly all the Freising
monuments, namely the Breviary, the catalogues
of the bishops, the German instrument adduced by Hund,
and the judgments of others already mentioned, far outweigh
one codex of Andechs, whose antiquity is not stated. Besides,
that the bodies were found together in the twelfth century proves nothing,
since the bodies of SS. Alexander and Justinus
did not remain in the place in which they were first
deposited, but were translated to the cathedral, and there
found. Those three sacred bodies could therefore
have been joined when they were translated to the cathedral.
[8] but the second, which is the chief one, is thus weakened Now let it be permitted to ask, whence Gamans knew
that the said Liturgy was written
before the thousandth year? If he had had certain marks
of that antiquity, he would doubtless have expressed them.
And so I scarcely doubt that he judged of the antiquity
of the Liturgy from its characters, as some writers
are wont to do, who at a mere glance at a Ms. codex
presently pass judgment on its antiquity,
and define with certainty in what century the codex was written.
But let those learned judges of ancient codices pardon me
if I do not attribute so great a certainty to their
judgment as they perhaps think should be attributed
to the examination of their own eyes; if, I say, I think that they
can easily go astray by very many years, nay
and now and then by a century or two. Moreover,
that there has here been an error in the century of the Liturgy's writing
is my strong suspicion, partly from what has been said, partly
from what Meichelbeck himself again wrote
in the section on Hitto, p. 116, in this manner:
To Hitto's praises chiefly belongs this, which
one of the monks of Weihenstephan, a writer
of the eleventh century or at most of the twelfth, added at the IV of the Ides of December
to the Martyrology of the venerable Bede in these words: "Hitto,
bishop of Freising, who in that place first
began the service of God with one provost
and six prebendaries; who also brought hither St. Alexander
and St. Justinus from Rome." I read
in another Weihenstephan codex that the foundation of that college
happened in the year of Christ DCCCXXX…
But the translation of the bodies of the holy
Alexander, Pope and martyr, and of St. Justinus
the priest, we see referred to the year of Christ
DCCCXXXIV, in which they write that Hitto came to Rome and,
being kindly received by Pope Gregory IV, was presented with those sacred
and other relics at the feast of Pentecost.
[9] These words, I say, compared with the preceding,
bring in the suspicion to me [from the silence of various writers, so that it must yield to the arguments of the contrary opinion, which appears the more probable:] that not by Hitto,
but by Nitger, the relics of St. Nonnosus were obtained,
and that the said liturgy was written under the same Nitger
or later: for both that monk
of Weihenstephan, a writer of the eleventh or twelfth century,
and the others mentioned, who assigned the year and day
of the translated bodies of SS. Alexander and Justinus,
seem neither to have been able to be ignorant of, nor to keep silence about,
the body of St. Nonnosus, if it had been obtained by that same
Hitto. This argument is confirmed
by the donation which among the instruments of that same volume, p. 353, n. 709,
Meichelbeck published: for in it is read: This was done
in a public synod on the mount of St. Stephen,
where the bones with the dust of saint Alexander and saint
Justinus are seen honorably buried. The instrument
is of the year 860. And the author subjoins certain words
of the Weihenstephan Chronicle, by which is established
the translation of the bodies of SS. Alexander
and Justinus from the said monastery to the cathedral
of Freising, but likewise without any mention
of St. Nonnosus. It appears therefore certain enough
that the body of St. Nonnosus was not in the ninth century joined
with the bodies of SS. Alexander and Justinus,
and that those erred who thought that those three bodies
were translated to Freising together. And to this error
occasion could have been given by the finding of those
bodies in the cathedral of Freising, where they were afterwards found
together, as we shall see. But other
writers, who attribute the translation of St. Nonnosus to Nitger,
did not fall into that error concerning the bodies of Alexander and Justinus
translated with him; and both for this cause,
and because they seem more numerous and older, I judge their opinion
more probable than the other, yet so that
I shall readily go over to the contrary opinion if by certain
reasons the asserted antiquity of the Freising Liturgy is shown.
[10] There remains to be briefly examined the opinion of Antonio
de Effectis, it is not likely that a part was translated by each of the said bishops: who believed that some relics of St. Nonnosus
were translated by Hitto, but others
afterwards obtained by Nitger. No other reason
fights for this opinion than that some attribute the translation
to Hitto, others to Nitger, and that
the writers can thus easily be reconciled. But
the age of those writers does not attribute to them so great an authority
as to compel us to a reconciliation
of this kind. For the other reason the said writer had alleged
the various fires of the church of Freising;
and since at that time only
three larger bones of St. Nonnosus were known to be had at Freising,
he conjectured that the other part of the body, which he suspected
had been translated by Hitto, was consumed by fire
before Nitger's times, and that this was the cause
why Nitger obtained the part left in Italy.
But this reason has utterly collapsed
after the greater part of the body, which had long lain hidden,
was found in the year 1708. For that those three
bones were separated from the rest of the body
when the relics were first found in the twelfth century,
that they might be exposed to the veneration of the faithful, is far more likely
and credible than that that separation
happened on account of a twofold translation, which
is supported by no authority.
[11] the occasion and manner of the translation is uncertain. On what occasion or in what manner the relics of St.
Nonnosus fell to the church of Freising through Nitger
cannot be certainly defined. Antonio de
Effectis in part 2, ch. 2, writes that it is the constant
report and tradition of the church of Freising that they were secretly
carried off from Italy by Flemish monks,
and handed over to the church of Freising. To the men of Freising themselves
I leave the judgment of this tradition,
since I do not find it in their own writings,
and since the relics could have been translated in many other
ways, namely by the emperor, who in Nitger's
time was crowned at Rome, and afterwards returned into Bavaria;
by Nitger himself, whom it is established to have been in Italy; and finally by legates who
could have been sent for this cause. I do not know, therefore, whether
what the said author writes in Italian deserves much credit
(although otherwise like things have now and then happened),
which I render into Latin in this manner: Signor
Giovanni Carlo Ferrucci, musician of the most serene
elector of Bavaria, to whom it had been written
that he should give information in what way those relics
had been translated to Freising, answered: by those Flemish
monks who, coming from Rome,
were returning by that road into Flanders: and
that this is not only the opinion of the vicar general,
but the ancient tradition of the clergy of that city.
That the same report flourishes even today in the Castle
of St. Elias, Fr. Stella testifies in the Life of St. Nonnosus,
both printed and manuscript, since the inhabitants of the place believe
that there is still found in their church,
dedicated to St. Anastasius, the tomb of St. Nonnosus without
his relics, which were secretly carried off thence by traveling
Religious.
[12] The body of St. Nonnosus found in the twelfth century with two others, That the body of St. Nonnosus was afterwards found
on occasion of the restoration of the cathedral church, Meichelbeck narrates
in the section on Albert I, p. 357, in these words:
The foundations were to be laid, as we have just said,
for the new structure of the cathedral basilica,
and the diggers had long applied their hands to the work,
when lo! three bodies were found, which aged men
contended were those of the holy Alexander,
Pope and martyr, of Justinus the confessor, and
of Nonnosus the monk, carried by bishop Hitto from Rome
to Freising. But since credit was not given to those witnesses,
those sacred bones lay neglected for some time not only
without veneration, but even without any custody,
and at last were now to be carried outside the entrance of the church.
But when the bearers had brought those sacred remains
to the place of the church door, they were by no means able
to set foot outside the church precinct, so
that, the matter being more weighed and more maturely discussed, there was no one
who did not understand that what the men heavy with age
had asserted was true. Hence, minds being at once turned to other
counsels, a little wooden shrine was built,
in which those sacred bones might be covered for the time,
while the new fabric of the church rose up.
Many prodigies which happened at that little shrine increased the faith
of the unbelieving, when from the bodies of the possessed
the malignant guests were cast out, the blind
received the use of their eyes, and mortals harassed by various
other kinds of diseases were set free.
Thus God willed that the bones of his Saints should thereafter be honored
with a greater cult of the faithful. These things on the credit
of Freiberger. But whence he excerpted that narrative
remains hitherto unknown to us:
and meanwhile we again suspect that very many parchments
and papers of Freising either perished by the carelessness of those at home,
or were lost by the fraud of outsiders.
[13] Truly that the sacred pledges of the divine Nonnosus were,
by saint Eberhard, archbishop of Salzburg, and deposited in the crypt of the cathedral church, where it long lay hidden. and by our most religious
prelate Albert, laid up in a raised tomb of the crypt
of the cathedral church, with illustrious tokens
afterwards added, appeared by God's wondrous providence, when the most exalted
and most reverend prince and bishop of Freising, John
Francis, on the XXVII day of January in the year MDCCVIII
beyond all expectation uncovered and opened
that tomb. Of which matter it will be possible to treat with a full
hand in its own place. Thus far the said writer,
with whom I shall set forth in its own place the finding and translation of this sacred
treasure, which, after the translation just set forth,
again, save a few bones, passed into oblivion.
Moreover, as regards the time of the body's deposition in the crypt, that deposition
was made in the year 1161, as is clear from the inscription
which in the year 1708 was found with the sacred bones.
This inscription is read in the German little Work
which Benedict Eberschwang published in the year 1709,
and there at p. 29 it is expressed in this
manner: ANNO. INCAR. DNI. M. CLXI. ANNO. ALBERTI.
FRISING. EPI. III. PRÆSENTE. EBERARDO.
SALBURG. ARCHEPO. TNSLATU. T CORP.
SCT. NONNOSI. CFESO. POST. INCENDIU. IN.
HANC. CRIPTA. The seal of each prelate was also found.
That of Salzburg has this inscription round the circuit,
published by the same author at p. 34: eberhardus. Dei. gratia. salzeburgensis.
archi. eps. And this was on the seal
of Albert of Freising: ADALBERTUS. DE. GRARIA.
FRISINGENSIS. EPS. These monuments leave no
doubt about the time of the translation.
Annotata*. Passau
§ II. The cult of St. Nonnosus restored on mount Soracte in the past century; relics sent thither from Freising; benefits obtained there.
[ ] The cult began to be restored in the monastery of mount Soracte; The monastery of mount Soracte being destroyed or deserted,
and the relics of Saint Nonnosus translated
to Freising, his memory, or at any rate his cult,
had utterly faded away in the former place, until about
the middle of the seventeenth century it was brought about by the piety
and industry of certain monks that it was as it were raised again
from the ashes. This history is fully narrated
by Antonio de Effectis, a contemporary of the events,
in part 2, ch. 3, whose account I shall transfer hither
partly in summary, partly by rendering his very words
into Latin, as shall seem expedient to our
purpose. I said in the Annotations on the Acts, letter b,
that the monastery on mount Soracte was restored, and to the reformed Cistercians
handed over about the beginning of the seventeenth century by the most eminent
Aldobrandini. But, as on account of the perpetual dangers
of lightning it had often before been deserted, so again
from this monastery, partly destroyed by lightning,
the said Religious had withdrawn into the hermitage of St.
Mary of Graces, as into a place less exposed
to lightning. One had remained to guard the monastery,
Fr. Andrew of St. Bonaventure,
born at Borgo San Sepolcro, who, armed with great
confidence in God, led there a solitary life,
and was led by a tender piety toward St. Nonnosus,
since he knew that that same place had been inhabited by him.
So much had he already accomplished, says
the said de Effectis, that in the year MDCLV, on the VII day
of August, he obtained from the sacred Congregation of Rites
the faculty of celebrating Mass (of St.
Nonnosus), and in the year MDCLVIII, on the VII day of September,
the faculty of reciting the Saint's Office from the common
on his feast day. This was the beginning of the restored cult.
[15] and there notice was obtained concerning the feast and the relics at Freising: In the same year 1658, on the XX day of November,
being about to return from Rome into France, Fr. Pierre Naude,
with a lay companion, climbed mount Soracte.
This priest, while he was surveying the places of the monastery
memorable for the miracles of St. Nonnosus,
narrated that on his journey through Bavaria
he had come to a certain city in which the feast
of St. Nonnosus was kept with a most solemn rite,
and that he had seen lessons of the Office composed from St. Gregory,
in which were reported the miracles whose
narration he was hearing in his survey of the places.
Since the name of the city had slipped from the said Father
Naude, he promised that he would use all diligence
on his return through Germany, that he might be able to tell
where the Saint's feast was celebrated. Fr. Naude stood by his promises,
and on the XXIII day of January of the year
1660 he sent to the monks of mount Soracte, enclosed in his letters,
a testimonial of Johann Jakob
Gasner, vicar general of the prince and bishop
of Freising, which was conceived in these words:
The vicar in spirituals general of the bishopric of Freising. By these presents
we make known and attest that the sacred remains of the venerable body
of St. Nonnosus the confessor, whom, as they report,
it is established by trustworthy monuments to have lived at some time in the monastery of mount
Soracte — remains translated by Nitger, bishop of Freising,
to this cathedral church —
are still at present honored with the pious and religious cult of Christ's faithful,
and that his yearly memory, as of a singular patron, is celebrated
on the 2nd of September with a solemn Office by the clergy of the said
diocese: in faith whereof these presents are strengthened with the seal of the office which *
we bear, and with the subscription of our hand,
which were given at Freising on the XIX day of November
MDCLIX, etc. This testimonial, together with the proper lessons
of the second Nocturn, as they are recited
at Freising, the monks of Soracte received
through the lay companion of the aforesaid Father Naude on the
XI day of April of the year 1660.
[16] [Albert Sigismund, bishop of Freising, sends the relics asked for by the men of Soracte,] The monks of Soracte, having received this notice,
zealously labored to obtain some part
of the Saint's relics. They therefore pressed with prayers
upon the most reverend lord Giacinto
Fantozzi and D. Arcangelo di Lazzara.
And these, using the help of Fr. Michael Estmor
of the Society of Jesus, penitentiary at Rome for the Germans,
sent letters both to the most serene
prince of Freising and to his confessor,
R. Fr. Marcus Chingen of the Society of Jesus.
To these letters, in which a part of the relics of St. Nonnosus
was begged, the most serene prince Albert
Sigismund assented, and gave one bone with
authentic letters which we shall presently recite,
committing the care of sending it to his said
confessor. And he, using the first occasion,
committed it to be carried by R. Fr. Georg Moligni,
Rector of the Society of Jesus at Munich, who was going
to Rome with the R. Fr. Provincial to the general congregation;
and thus the relics came
to Fr. Michael Estmor, who with others
carried them on the III day of July of the year 1661 to the most eminent
Cardinal Antonio Barberini,
who was Commendatory abbot of the monastery of St.
Sylvester on mount Soracte. He also showed the most eminent
Cardinal the letters of R. Fr. Chingen, given on the XX
of March of the year 1661, in which this was read:
At length I send the relics of St.
Nonnosus with the authentic instrument through the R. Fr.
Rector of Munich, etc. My most serene and most reverend
prince most graciously charged me in his name, etc.
[17] The most eminent lord opened and recognized the relics,
decently wrapped with letters, and secured with various seals,
as also the authentic instrument joined to them,
which I shall insert in this place, since by it
many of the aforesaid things are confirmed. Antonio de
Effectis, from whom we have taken all these things,
recites it at p. 176 in this manner: Albert Sigismund,
by the grace of God and of the Apostolic See bishop
of Freising, Count Palatine, duke and Landgrave
of Leuchtenberg, to all, etc., greeting, etc. With
notice of the undersigned matters there came to us in the past
year MDCLX letters of the most reverend D. Giacinto
Fantozzi of the Land of Sant'Oreste, anciently
called of St. Edistus, vicar general in spirituals and
temporals of the most eminent and
most reverend D. Cardinal Antonio Barberini,
abbot and perpetual commendatary of the abbey of the Three
Fountains at the Aquæ Salviæ of the City, and of St. Sylvester
on Mount Soracte, of the said land of Sant'Oreste,
of no diocese, of the Province of Siena: letters of the secular clergy
of the same land, of the Prior and monks of the Reformed congregation
of St. Bernard of the Cistercian Order in the monastery of saint Sylvester
and of B. Mary of Graces dwelling on the said Mount Soracte,
and of the community and men of the said
Land of Sant'Oreste, in which it was contained
that, when the said secular clergy and the aforesaid monks
heard read in the Roman Martyrology every year
for the second day of September the feasts of the Saints,
and especially: "On Mount Soracte,
of St. Nonnosus the abbot, who by his prayer removed a rock
of huge mass, and shone with other miracles,"
they marveled and often spoke together,
sighing and grieving that of such a Saint
on the said Mount, where he passed his life,
no feast was kept, nor was it known where his sacred body
and his holy relics were extant; and in this state
the ages of so many years passed by.
[18] At length in past years, God permitting,
in which is set forth the occasion of the relics asked for and sent, lest the vows of those sighing and supplicating
should be in vain, and by his own inspiration, that to that Saint
some honor might be paid, it was humbly asked
of the S. Congregation of Rites that it would deign
to grant leave at least of celebrating the Mass
of the said Saint on his feast day, which was kindly
granted: and afterwards petition was made for
the faculty of reciting the Office of the same Saint, and
it was kindly granted by a decree of the same sacred
Congregation, which stands inserted in these presents.
Things being thus, by the special providence
of God, from whom all good things proceed, and who
is not deceived in his own disposing, it happened that on the summit
of this mount Soracte, on which the said
St. Nonnosus dwelt, a certain French priest
and hermit, named Pierre Naude, gave
the inhabitants of that place notice of a certain Proper
of the Saints of the diocese of Freising, which he, the Frenchman,
while on his Roman pilgrimage he lodged there,
had seen, and had read in it the life and miracles of this
saint Nonnosus, which hermit besides took upon himself
that on his return from the City
he would again seek out with zeal that same old lodging of his,
turn aside there, and diligently inquire about that proper Office
of saint Nonnosus, and would send it back
transcribed to him; which he abundantly performed, to the praise and blessing
of the Lord, on the XI day of April in the year MDCLX. There
they found with joy that the sacred body of St. Nonnosus,
carried hither to Freising by bishop Nitger,
is honorably kept. Wherefore
all the aforesaid petitioners, keenly inflamed with desire of this
treasure, unanimously and with one voice
earnestly asked and besought us and our beloved chapter
that they would deign to grant them
some part of the holy relics of St.
Nonnosus, which they desire to honor as far as they can, and
decently to place in some spot of a special altar to be erected,
and devoutly to venerate; praying also
on their knees, adoring and beseeching him, that
he would deign to be brought back to his first place and
ancient dwelling, from which for six
and more centuries he has been absent, and by the presence
of his holy relics would deign to renew his memory
in the said monastery for the consolation of the petitioners, etc.
[19] and their genuineness: We therefore, Albert Sigismund, the aforesaid bishop,
and the cathedral chapter of the church
of Freising, having called in for this learned and pious theologians,
decreed that this very bone of St. abbot Nonnosus
should be brought forth from the chamber of our greater sacristy,
in which like treasures are wont to be laid up,
with which we gladly honor those petitioners in the Lord,
assuring them that it is truly a bone from
the body of the often-named St. Nonnosus, which without
all doubt and scruple can rightly and piously
be exposed to Christ's faithful for public veneration.
In conclusion we too humbly beseech almighty God
that what by our own merits we cannot,
we may on both sides obtain by the patronage of this holy Abbot.
Given at Freising in our episcopal residence on the X day of February in the year MDCLXI.
Albert Sigismund, bishop of Freising, in place
† of a seal. From this instrument it is clear that the translation
of the body to Freising was without hesitation attributed by the men of Freising themselves
to bishop Nitger and to the eleventh century, and not to Hitto
and to the ninth century.
It is clear secondly that the whole body of St.
Nonnosus was not hidden before the last finding of the year 1708,
but that a part of the body was kept separately, from
which the men of Soracte received their particle. These
were three larger bones with lesser relics,
as was said at n. 5: nor is it to be doubted
that on occasion of these bones, which were in veneration
among the people, the greater part of the body, which was deposited
underground in the crypt of the cathedral church, was gradually
given over to oblivion.
[20] [the relics, recognized by Cardinal Barberini, are given to the collegiate church of St. Lawrence;] Moreover the most eminent Barberini, when he had recognized
the relics and perceived that all was rightly ordered,
wrapped the piece of bone that had been sent, which
was five fingers long, in the presence of all who were there,
in an elegant cloth of red color, and placed it
in a modest case of ebony, to which various ornaments
had been added. This case, sealed with three seals
of Spanish wax, the most eminent lord committed
to R. Fr. Odo Conti of the Society of Jesus,
who was visitor of the abbeys of that same Cardinal.
At last R. Fr. Conti carried these relics
in the month of April of the year 1663 to mount Soracte,
where they were received with great solemnity,
and after they had been honorably carried round
to various churches, they were deposited in the collegiate church
of St. Lawrence, where with other relics they are honorably
kept in the sacristy. All these things are fully reported
in the Italian Life of Antonio de Effectis, often praised,
who elegantly sets forth the solemnities of the several churches
to which the relics were carried.
The same matter is more briefly reported in an Italian writing
which was printed at Rome in the year 1684,
and which Meichelbeck reprinted among the instruments
of his second volume, p. 400 and following.
This latter writing I shall chiefly follow hereafter,
both because there all things are narrated more succinctly, and
and above all because there are reported some things which
happened after the Life was already written. From this Life, however,
I shall take all that was passed over in the Roman writing,
and especially the benefits which
have been obtained by the Saint's patronage, of which I shall presently
subjoin two, narrated in the Life, part 2,
ch. 3, on occasion of the aforesaid solemnities.
[21] Hell tried, says the said Antonio at p. 183,
in their translation one benefit to disturb the pious solemnity, and
by the howling and terrifying cries of the possessed
to turn aside the people's modest devotion elsewhere.
Nor were divine prodigies wanting in so devout a translation,
such as there were in the translation
of the protomartyr Stephen, reported by St. Augustine,
or in the glorious finding of the cross, as
holy Church sings: "Faith is strengthened,
divine prodigies are present, and the mighty works of God are disclosed."
For, when festal fires were being sent forth from cannon
in various places, a burst cannon struck the gunner
on one of his temples with a deadly blow. Whence he fell
to the ground with his strength failing, and was so badly
hurt that the spectators wept for him as one dead.
But being helped by St. Nonnosus, whom he invoked,
he suddenly raised himself on his feet, ran to the altar
to give him thanks, and remained whole and sound.
He, after the Saint's altar was built which
was erected to him in the church of St. Sylvester, hung up
a votive tablet as a token of the grace received.
[22] To this prodigious benefit the same author subjoins
another in this manner: and another granted to those invoking the Saint's aid. Among the birthday feasts of this
Saint, who was being born again in the memory and devotion of the people,
a woman experienced his effect,
who on that day, laboring in difficulty of childbirth and
languishing half alive, was admonished by those attending her
to invoke the Saint whose relics at that very hour
were being carried through the square, and she happily
bore a son, and, his father Domenico Ricciotti also consenting,
gave him the name Nonnosus,
as born to his glory and a true
son of his favor. Nor did the use of this name
remain within the walls of Soracte, but at Civita
Castellana, Tivoli *, Nepi, Narni, at Rome
in the City and the neighboring country, at Loreto and other places
where through graces obtained by many inhabitants the fame
of his power and holiness is known, it has today
been received by frequent use and custom that infants
are named with the name of Nonnosus, since that name
is pleasing to all, as Nonnosus himself is,
and irksome to none.
Annotata*. which
*. Tivoli
§ III. The further promotion of the cult in Italy: various benefits granted to divers persons.
[ ] [The first altar of the Saint on Mount Soracte, the first feast, and the first Mass, at which a sick woman is healed:] The writing printed at Rome in Meichelbeck,
p. 402, thus continues concerning the promotion of the cult of St.
Nonnosus on mount Soracte after the aforesaid things:
Then there was built in the church of St.
Sylvester (that is, in the church of the monastery in which
the Saint lived) the first altar in honor
of St. Nonnosus: and in the year MDCLXIV, on the 2nd day of September,
his first feast was solemnly celebrated,
which is continued every year with a procession of the clergy
and of the confraternities of Sant'Oreste,
all the people following with musical singing and
torches, wax candles, and tapers. The sacred relics are carried
to the church of St. Sylvester, and are placed
upon the altar of St. Nonnosus, decently arranged
and adorned; and the Sacrifice of the Mass having been solemnly sung,
and the blessing given to those who kiss
the relics, thence the procession of suppliants returns to the former
place. Antonio de Effectis adds
in ch. 4, p. 186, that the first votive Mass was celebrated at
the aforesaid altar of St. Nonnosus on the XI day
of January of the year 1664, at the request of a sick woman
who by the Saint's patronage obtained health,
even though the physicians despaired of her life; and who
afterwards in the month of April came to the altar with
her husband and kinsfolk to fulfill her vow,
and took care that a Mass should be celebrated in the Saint's honor.
[24] the cult extended, a lamp hung before the altar, an image engraved: The same writer after a few things subjoins that in the same
year 1664, on the XXVI of January, it was granted by the sacred Congregation of Rites
that it should be lawful for all priests, secular and regular, who
came to the church of St. Sylvester, to say a votive Mass
of St. Nonnosus at his altar. In the same
year, as he continues, in the month of April, a lamp
was lighted which should burn perpetually before the Saint's altar.
The oil of this lamp is frequently asked for by many, both
neighbors and those far distant;
and yet it is never lacking to the lamp, because
pious men supply it abundantly. An image
of the Saint too was engraved on copper in the same year, and many
thousands of copies were printed and sent
not only to neighboring cities but even to
remote provinces. These and like things the said writer relates fully,
who presently subjoins on what occasion that yearly
procession was begun in which the relics of St.
Nonnosus are carried from the collegiate church of St. Lawrence
to the church of St. Sylvester: and the solemnity being there performed,
they are carried back to the former church,
as was said above from the Roman writing.
Take the matter in summary.
[25] [a yearly procession instituted on occasion of the benefit here reported: the Saint chosen as patron:] R. Fr. Stella, Prior of the monastery, had asked
the clergy three days before that a like procession should be instituted
on the Saint's feast, the 2nd day of September.
But the clergy had excused themselves, both on account of the heat and
lest the thing should pass into a custom. Two days later,
on the very eve of St. Nonnosus, the sky, which had been
serene, suddenly began to darken, and so great a storm
of winds, lightnings, and thunders arose
that it struck vast fear. The house of the lords Caccia
was struck by lightning and shattered in various parts,
and the marble by which the corners of the house were supported
was torn away. The shattered [ ] with rubble of lime
was filling the very bed in which
Giovanni Filippo Maria Caccia was sleeping, yet in such a way
that he himself was wholly unharmed, but so terrified
by the near burning and the sulphurous stench that he both
begged the help of St. Nonnosus and implored the aid of his household and
neighbors. These at once ran up
in great number, and saw in that same chamber
the doors broken, the walls thrown down,
the bed filled with earth and rubble of lime, the bedposts scorched
and discolored with smoke: upon that same bed
they saw a huge board fallen, torn away from a great
cornice which had been faced with wood.
This board alone, without the lightning, was fit to bring death,
had not the kindly hand of St. Nonnosus been present.
Since these things were believed scarcely to have been able to happen
without a miracle, and the benefit was attributed
to St. Nonnosus, a procession was presently proclaimed,
and instituted on the same day with a wondrous concourse of men
and no less piety, especially of the kinsfolk
of the most noble man who had escaped unharmed from so great
a danger, as is more fully narrated in the Life.
And this procession was thereafter continued every year,
and besides, in the following year, on the 1st of March,
St. Nonnosus was enrolled among the patrons
of that place, on the testimony again of Antonio at p. 192.
[26] Since in the same year 1664 an image of the Saint had been honorably
placed in the abbey of St. Stephen near a town of the Roman territory
an image placed in an abbey near Sermoneta, where the abbot is healed, which by the Italians is called Sermoneta,
the abbot of the said monastery himself experienced his effectual
patronage, as the same Antonio de Effectis reports at p. 193.
Take his words rendered into Latin: On the VII day of August (of the year
1664) lord Ruggiero Caetani, abbot
of the aforesaid abbey of St. Stephen, when, being about to return
to Sermoneta, where the lord prince of Caserta was,
he wished to mount his horse and touched its back
with his spurs, before he had seated himself firmly,
the impatient horse by a bound threw off the rider,
who struck his head upon a great and hard
rock, and it was broken in many places with danger of death.
The wounded man lay and was without voice and almost
all sense: but by the help of Fr. Prior and the other
Brethren he was carried into the monastery, all judging
that he would die. So afterwards wrote
Fr. D. Angelo of St. Benedict in a letter given on the XXVII of August, from which
I have recorded the event. But because I remembered the graces
which God bestowed on the sick through the merits of St. Nonnosus,
I commended him as much as I could; and
in the presence of many persons sent by the most excellent
lord prince of Caserta to inquire about
the state of the said lord abbot, I took his holy
image, which I carried for this purpose upon my breast,
and, a brief prayer being poured out for the health of the said
lord abbot, I reverently kissed it,
and commended the same to him, that he should sign
with that same image, in the manner of a cross, his head, which
pained him beyond measure. Moreover I stirred him up
to conceive confidence in the said Saint, that
he might be healed. On the following day in the morning he was somewhat
easier; and by the counsel of the physicians and surgeons,
and by the order of the said most excellent lord prince,
who now dwells at Sermoneta, he was carried
in a chair to the aforesaid city, that he might be more easily treated.
He took with him the holy image, keeping
it in his chamber as a sacred pledge, and
by the grace of God and the merits of St. Nonnosus he was healed
and the pain ceased. He adds that the said abbot
in thanksgiving contributed to the cost
of a new altar, which in the following year was erected in honor
of St. Nonnosus in the church of St. Stephen,
where also a feast began to be celebrated in the same year.
This was the second altar built in honor of St. Nonnosus
in Italy.
[27] many altars of the Saint erected, two benefits: Another at almost the same time was built
at Rome in the church of St. Pudentiana, of which and of others
erected elsewhere the Roman writing in Meichelbeck, p. 402,
writes thus briefly: Moreover there were afterwards
erected about twenty-five other altars
in honor of St. Nonnosus in divers places, at Ventimiglia
too in the dominion of Genoa, in Lombardy,
and at Rome in the church of St. Pudentiana
of the said reformed monks of St. Bernard,
where the feast of St. Nonnosus is celebrated, begun
in the year MDCLXVI, and continued every year,
with a noble and elegant furnishing of the altar and chapel,
which, together with an offering * of wax candles, the lady
princesses de Altieri send thither, who also with
many illustrious lords come to that feast
to venerate and honor the Saint.
From the Italian Life, p. 194, we understand whence
that exceptional piety toward St. Nonnosus
of the most noble family de Altieri had its origin, from which at that
time Pope Clement X presided over the whole Church.
For he narrates that the most illustrious princess,
wife of prince Gaspare de Altieri, labored
in a difficult childbirth, and, St. Nonnosus being invoked,
happily bore a son. To the same altar
the most excellent lady duchess of Bracciano ordered
a votive tablet to be hung, the same Life
testifying, because, when she had been despaired of by the physicians, being anointed
with the oil of the lamp which burned before the Saint's altar,
she had happily obtained her former health.
[28] the Saint's image and the oil of the lamp sought by many; three benefits: To these benefits the author of the said Life presently subjoins
another in this manner: Continual are the benefits
which this Saint bestows even at Rome on those who flee to him.
Hence a poor woman,
who lived near the aforesaid church, when she was sitting
upon the window of the house; and this, being torn away from the wall, cast her
with it so wretchedly headlong into the square
that she was thought dead. When Fr. Prior of St. Pudentiana
ran up with the Saint's oil, although she was all
covered with blood, bruised and broken, in a short time
she returned sound. Since everywhere so powerful a patronage
of St. Nonnosus appeared, we cannot wonder
that his images and the oil of his lamp were sought
by many, and sent into various parts,
as the said Antonio de Effectis testifies was really done,
who reckons by name among
those who asked for and obtained the aforesaid things the most eminent
Cardinal Carpegna. He, having received the Saint's image
and the oil of the lamp, testified in a letter afterwards sent
to the monks that he had been freed from a certain
disease: and in testimony of the grace received he sent
a chalice to the monastery of St. Sylvester, that they might use it
for the altar of St. Nonnosus. By the same remedy, as he presently adds,
there was healed at Rome in the House of Maidens, which is commonly called
Delle Zitelle, a certain girl, niece of Fr. Paolo
Donati di Cellene, from whom she had received the image and oil.
To this he subjoins another more wonderful,
which happened in the same house to a virgin fifty
years old, whose name was Paola, her surname
Zappata, because she had been introduced into that house by a Cardinal
of this name. Take the writer's words rendered into Latin:
[29] another most wonderful prodigy, The unhappy woman (Paola) lay in bed, because
she had found no remedy for the paralysis by which for nine
years she had been powerless to move, and so afflicted
that she could not even bring her hand to her mouth,
much less help herself in necessary things. At the persuasion
of a companion, being anointed again (with the oil of St. Nonnosus)
and the Saint being invoked, whose image she had
by her, in the night time, while the others slept,
she heard it said to her distinctly: Paola, Paola,
arise. At this voice the sick woman, weeping and
trembling, shuddered, believing it to be the voice
of a certain companion of hers who had died a few days before,
by whom she was being invited to another life. When after long
terror and weeping she had fallen asleep again,
she was again called and invited to rise
and take the staff which was set at the head of the bed…
Three times this invitation was repeated.
At the last of these, rousing herself in the night
of Tuesday the XXVI of February, she answered that she could not
because of her incurable disease. Arise, was replied
to her, FOR YOU ARE HEALED. At once, no less
astounded than obedient, she raised herself from the bed
without any help; and stretched out toward the staff
her right hand, which for nine years had been without motion
and all action: she ran to the bed of Benedetta,
who likewise had long been sick,
and lay in the next bed. When she was awakened
by the sound, she tells her the miracle. She persuades her
to give thanks to God, and to put off
until the morning the publishing of the miracle,
lest she should disturb the place of those sleeping, and create
some murmuring at so unseasonable an hour.
But scarcely was it light when, the deed being made known,
Paola was seen wholly joyful to walk freely,
and to publish with a true testimony that knows not how to deceive
the marvels of St. Nonnosus. Straightway the matter was carried
to Cardinal Antonio the protector, a little
before returned from France, who, being presented by Fr. abbot
Stella with images of three different forms,
venerated the Saint greatly. Abbot
Carlo Vaina, superintendent of the maidens, collected
lawfully a true account of the deed, attested
by the oath of their physician, Giovanni Antonio Antonelli,
and on the XVI day of May strengthened by an instrument and public process
of Giovanni Carlo Lamperino, chapter notary;
which at last is now also confirmed by a great votive tablet,
sent to Soracte on account of the grace granted
to Paola. But although the girl was free,
she went on leaning, on account of some weakness, on the staff commended to her
by that nocturnal voice. But
on the Saint's feast day, the 2nd of September, a lamp being lighted before
some image of his, and two
candles upon the pious and small altar where she prayed,
and the litanies being recited after her manner, when she
rose from prayer, she refused thereafter the support
of the staff, her former strength and entire health being recovered.
[30] After these things the same author affirms at p. 198
that by the invocation of the same Saint two men were restored
to their mind. two frantic men brought back to their mind: the cult again extended: The first was called Giuseppe Quintino,
an inhabitant of Civita Castellana, who for thirteen
months had been bound with a chain on account of frenzy. He,
by the care of his sister Prudentia, was anointed with the Saint's oil,
and other exercises of piety were used in honor
of St. Nonnosus, whose patronage was implored.
In this way Giuseppe received health of body and mind,
and a votive tablet in which the deed was represented
was sent in thanksgiving to the church. He was healed on the IX day
of September of the year 1666. The other's name the author
keeps silent, because he had been healed before his madness
had become commonly known. Many things
the same writer joins to these concerning altars erected and the cult of St.
Nonnosus extended to various places, which for brevity's sake
I pass over. It will suffice to report one briefly
which he has at p. 201, namely that in the year
1667 an indult was granted by the sacred Congregation of Rites
that it should be lawful for all monks of the reformed Cistercian Order
to recite the proper Office of St.
Nonnosus on his feast, wherever an altar dedicated to the Saint
had been erected. The same author records at p. 195 an inscription
carved on marble in honor of St. Nonnosus, and another
at p. 199; likewise various things about the veneration of the Saint
begun among the Benedictines of Monte Cassino, and other
like things, which may be seen in him. But the remaining
benefits which he records I go on to transfer hither.
[31] a benefit conferred on two sick men, Piergrossi, quæstor of the castle of Nazzano of the Benedictines,
passing behind a horse in a narrow place,
was so grievously struck by the kicks of the horse that struck him
that one knee was put out of place, and with many
bruises on leg and thigh he seemed brought into danger
of death. The help of St. Nonnosus was implored by all.
A surgeon was at once at hand, by whose help the bone of the knee was restored
to its place. After an hour the violence of the pains ceased,
and he was brought home on horseback. And being anointed with the oil
of the health-bringing lamp, within a few days he was healed,
giving thanks to the Saint both that he had escaped
a greater danger and that he had been quickly freed from the evil.
Thus Antonio de Effectis at p. 202, a little more at length.
Another benefit he narrates at pp. 206 and
207, which likewise take in summary. In the year
1669, in the month of May, Giovanni Giacomo Bell'huomo,
canon of Tivoli, from an abundance of blood
which he was emitting from his mouth without intermission,
the helps of physicians being applied in vain, lay bloodless
and languishing in the most immediate danger of death. The Saint's oil
was brought, and the dying man anointed with it.
Presently the flux of blood ceased, and the sick man began so to recover
that in a short time he regained his strength and entire
health; and being sound, in thanksgiving he notably promoted
the cult of St. Nonnosus in the city of Tivoli.
[32] [a wondrous devotion toward the Saint, and a benefit given to one sick of a fever:] Among these things the said author elegantly continues
the spread of the veneration of St. Nonnosus,
and the wondrous concourse of the people to his chief
church, dedicated to St. Sylvester on mount Soracte.
But since I may not be so prolix in these matters,
I have recorded only a few benefits which
the same writer narrated out of many, not doubting
meanwhile that many more happened: for this is suggested by the most rapid
spread of the cult, the countless gifts
which are offered at the Saint's altars, and the fervent devotion
with which the oil of the lamp, the images and
medals of the Saint, and other like things are sought by many.
He narrates at p. 211 that there came to mount Soracte
R. Fr. Michele Chiavazzi, provincial visitor of the Order
of Clerks Minor, who, gladdened by that exceptional devotion toward
St. Nonnosus which he learned from his survey of the place,
related that lately to the church of his Order at
Marino (it is a town, capital of a small commonwealth,
between Romagna and the duchy of Urbino) there had been
sent a tablet of St. Nonnosus in fulfillment of a vow
of Giovanni Francesco Duozi, a minister of the Roman court,
because by the intercession of St. Nonnosus he had been freed
from a malignant fever with which he had begun to labor
at Marino. As this benefit could easily have escaped
the writer, so doubtless many others escaped him:
and he himself in various places suggests
that far more things were done than he has committed
to the memory of posterity.
[33] The Saint's Office permitted to more. Before I altogether dismiss this writer,
I have judged that one thing more should be recorded from him:
In the year MDCLXXII, he says at p. 211, among
those things concerning new Saints which were added to the Roman Breviary
by the preceding Pontiffs and by our most holy Lord Clement X, among
the Offices AD LIBITUM there was also admitted the proper Office
of St. Nonnosus for all those who serve
under the rule of St. Benedict, and for those churches
in which an altar dedicated to the Saint has been erected.
These things being gathered from the little Work of Antonio de Effectis,
I return to the Roman writing published by
Meichelbeck, in which there remain certain later
facts.
Annotata*. in the Italian, for "offerta" read "con offerta"
§ IV. The cult more widely propagated: other relics sent by the men of Freising to mount Soracte.
[ ] The Office and Mass of St. Nonnosus in the monastic Breviary and Missal: In the past holy year MDCLXXV there was printed
a book whose title is: Monuments concerning St.
Nonnosus, composed by abbot Antonio de
Effectis, and dedicated to the most eminent Cardinal
de Altieri, chamberlain of the holy See, and now
commendatory abbot of St. Sylvester, says the said
Roman writing, which I shall go on to render into Latin,
with a few things interposed here and there for elucidation: And the most eminent lord, out of zeal for piety
and devotion toward St. Nonnosus, honored
this holy Abbot in that same holy year by obtaining
from Pope Clement X of happy memory the faculty of taking care
that he should be inserted into the monastic Breviary
at the prayers of the Benedictine monks.
So indeed it was done, the Saint's Office being printed
in that most beautiful monastic Breviary in folio
which in the year MDCLXXVII the most eminent prince,
the lord Cardinal of Baden, took care to have printed in Germany;
and also in the new monastic Breviaries and
Missals which were printed at Venice in the year MDCLXXVIII.
There is had there in its own place, the 2nd of September, the Office and Mass of St.
Nonnosus. And the Office is kept with a double rite; and
the Saint is honored in holy Church by all
the monastic Orders.
[35] This devotion toward St. Nonnosus was instituted
under the patronage of Jesus, the veneration of the Saint widely propagated: Mary, and Joseph. And God
is greatly wonderful in this his Saint,
since in every place where some altar has been erected
to him, notable benefits are granted,
especially in his own place of St. Sylvester on the mount
of Sant'Oreste. So by a corrupted word is mount
Soracte called. Some would have this corrupted word arise
from St. Edistius, others from St. Sylvester. Antonio de
Effectis in the said little Work, part 1, ch. 5, discusses
this matter, and would have the common name Sant'Oreste
to be ancient, yet not derived from
any saint Orestes, but from the superstitions of the heathen.
From wherever the name arose, I have expressed the common
name, and by it is designated the town at
mount Soracte. I return to the Roman writing,
which thus continues: Where in these past years,
there now running the twenty-first year from the erection
in that church of the first altar in honor of St.
Nonnosus, there has been a sufficient concourse of people from all
those places and lands round about, even from
the City of Rome and other distant places, as
is gathered from the vast quantity of tablets and votive
tablets which are seen in that church of St. Sylvester;
as also at Rome in the church
of St. Pudentiana at the altar of the said Saint; at Sermoneta
in the dominion of the lords Caetani,
at Caprarola, at Ventimiglia, of which above, at Perugia,
at Borgo San Sepolcro, and in many other places, which
for brevity's sake are passed over. And so let the Order
of the aforesaid monks of St. Bernard count itself happy
that God has willed to be served by it
on this occasion, pertaining to his greater glory.
[36] other relics sent from Freising to Rome, Nor do the aforesaid monks cease to labor,
as far as they can, to promote this devotion
and the name of St. Nonnosus. From the year MDCLXXIX
they obtained other relics of St. Nonnosus for
their church of St. Pudentiana in the City through the favor
and recommendation of the most eminent lord
Cardinal Litta, archbishop of Milan, of happy memory,
who was then protector of their Order.
He at the beginning of the month of August of the aforesaid year
pressingly and effectually wrote for this end
to the above-mentioned most serene prince Albert
Sigismund, bishop of Freising,
who at once with most generous spirit, through two of his canons
who were coming together to Rome to the thresholds of the Apostles,
sent relics of St. Nonnosus,
placed in a case closed with a seal, which in length
was one palm. Moreover, when the said
canons had understood that the aforesaid most eminent Litta had died,
they handed over the said case to the most eminent Cardinal Cybo. He,
when he had kept it by him for some time,
then, God inspiring him, on the XXXI day of August
of the year MDCLXXXII, handed it over by the hand of a notary
to the monks of St. Pudentiana. And by the ordinance
and grant of faculty of the most eminent Carpegna,
vicar of the supreme Pontiff, the case was opened
and the relics recognized, which were found to be
a particle of a bone from the last part of the leg, whose thickness
and size were about three fingers.
There had been added an authentic instrument, and a letter
of the most serene prince bishop of Freising,
written to the above-said most eminent Litta, and given
on the XX of August, in the year MDCLXXIX.
[37] [which were divided among various churches, and a particle also given to the church of St. Sylvester:] A modest particle of this sacred pledge
the most eminent Carpegna desired for his own devotion.
The chief part was given to the church of St. Pudentiana;
another lesser part, which was of the size of one
joint of the little finger, was granted and given
by order of the lord Cardinal Cybo to the churches of B. Mary
of Graces and of St. Sylvester on mount Soracte.
This, enclosed in an elegant and honorable case
of ebony, which various ornaments, a small
statue of the Saint, and modest figures of angels of gilded copper
adorned, to the greater praise and glory of God
and honor of St. Nonnosus,
the most reverend Father D. Florentius of St. Catharine of Perugia,
abbot general of the said Order of the reformed of St. Bernard, wished
to carry to the above-said monastery on Soracte, accompanied
by many other Roman monks of the same Order.
Moreover, having kept it for some days in the said
monastery of the Graces, on the Sunday within the Octave
of the Epiphany, the IX day of January of the current year
MDCLXXXIV, in the morning, accompanied
in a solemn procession of suppliants by the Roman monks of the Order
and those of the same monastery of the Graces,
and by two confraternities of Sant'Oreste, with a vast
multitude of men and women following,
he carried it to the church of St. Sylvester, situated
on the very summit of that mountain. Moreover the same most reverend
Fr. General sang the Mass;
and Fr. Prior of St. Bernard at Rome, D. Francesco
of St. Michael the archangel of Rimini, assisted him as deacon,
who after the Gospel was sung elegantly and piously
preached a sermon in praise of St. Nonnosus, and on the return
of these sacred relics to their place and ancient dwelling,
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph being their patrons.
The sermon pleased, and was praised by all;
the church was so full that the multitude could scarcely stand,
notwithstanding the cold weather and snow
which had fallen in those days. Of all these things there are
authentic instruments drawn up by the hand of notaries.
[38] Thus far the author of the said writing, who at last
thus concludes his account: [it is God's work that the cult, interrupted for so many centuries, has been renewed in Italy.] It is manifestly
perceived (from what has been said) that it is God's will that
after so many hundreds of years this Saint should be honored
in holy Church, and that in these our times
his memory should be renewed; and therefore
of this event of St. Nonnosus it must be said: "It is the work
of God, the hand of the Lord has done this. This was done
by the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes."
To the divine Majesty, and to the above-said
patrons and protectors, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,
let thanksgiving, praise, honor, and glory ever be rendered;
and may they ever at all times be praised and blessed
by all, etc. Thus far the monument printed at Rome in the year 1684
and published without the author's name. What he says,
that the Saint's memory was renewed, he understands of mount
Soracte and other places of Italy, not of Germany,
to which I now at last return, that I may exhibit to the reader
the last finding of the Saint's relics, and the very many miracles
which followed.
§ V. The greater part of the body, which had long lain hidden, found at Freising, and afterwards solemnly translated.
[ ] The place was at Freising in veneration, and healthful to many, Although certain bones of St. Nonnosus were known to the men of Freising
and in veneration, as we have already seen, yet the greater
part of the body long lay hidden,
until in the year 1708, on the XXVII day of January, it was happily found
by the most exalted prince and bishop of Freising, John
Francis, in the crypt of the cathedral church,
which the said prelate was striving to adorn with new ornaments.
The occasion of the treasure's finding, and the finding itself,
Meichelbeck narrates so exactly, who was able to survey
most of it, that I have thought his account should be transferred hither.
Having premised what I have already reported,
in vol. 2, p. 440, he thus sets forth the matter itself: The most reverend
and most illustrious D. John
Sigismund Zeller of Leiberstorff, bishop
of Bellina, coadjutor bishop of Freising, provost of the cathedral
church, etc., … had resolved to build a new altar
to the honors of the divine Nonnosus in the vault or crypt
of the cathedral church. That this might conveniently
be done, it pleased the most exalted prince (John Francis)
to survey the place, lest the workmen should attempt anything
beyond the wishes of his mind. He came therefore to that place of the vault
where there then stood the altar of the divine Margaret,
adhering to no wall, except that behind it
there was seen a certain tomb, nearly three
cubits high, and so built up of stones in an arch
that under the tomb set above men could creep:
which also was healthful to many,
especially to those who suffered in the back, since,
there piously invoking God, they crept on hands and feet,
without its being certainly known to them
who lay hidden in that place as their Benefactor, by whose intervening
intercessions and merits they were freed from pains
of the back. Nay, there was not one man
who could affirmatively tell what that walled arch
meant. This one thing only
the sacristans mentioned to the bishop who inquired: that every
year, on the II day of September, they were ordered by a most ancient custom
to set there during the time of the divine office two lamps with
burning wax candles.
[40] where the body was happily found, That narrative moved the bishop's mind,
exceedingly desirous to know what mystery at last
lay hidden there. Therefore by his order the masons at once
set their hand and begin to open the coffer:
when lo! there presently appeared marks
of a great treasure deposited there. And so, that the whole matter might be done
circumspectly, the masons were ordered to cease
until a public notary should be summoned who might behold in person
what was being done, and, if the matter required, might draw up
a public instrument.
There was therefore at once sent one who should order the notary
quickly to be present. There was accordingly at hand a noble
and most distinguished man, D. Anton Pockmair, doctor of both laws,
aulic councilor of the most exalted prince, and syndic of the most reverend
and most illustrious cathedral college,
notary public by imperial authority,
whom the prince had eagerly awaited. There were present grave
men to be witnesses of the coming event.
These were presently required to enter in public records,
together with D. the notary, what should come to pass.
Then by the prince's order the stone
cover was immediately removed; and this being lifted, there was seen
a certain little chest, which the most exalted prince at once
drew out with his own hands; and with inexpressible
jubilation of heart he perceived that he had found the bones of the most blessed
Nonnosus, once prior (others call him abbot)
of the monastery of Soracte under the rule of the divine Benedict,
whom already for some hundreds of years the church and diocese
of Freising had reckoned among their patrons
and had venerated, which is established both from
what has been reported elsewhere and from continual practice. This
was further indicated by the seals and signs set beside it of S.
Eberhard, from monk and abbot of the Order of St.
Benedict of Biburg made archbishop of Salzburg,
and of blessed Albert, the first of that name, bishop of Freising,
who were found to have laid up and buried those sacred remains there
in the year MCLXI.
[41] which was meanwhile carried to the bishop's chapel, How great a joy that finding, as most unexpected
so most happy, brought both to all the beholders
and most of all to the most fortunate finder himself,
no man can express with a pen;
yet the tears poured out from jubilation of hearts sufficiently
betrayed it. Therefore at once all who were present
fell upon their knees, and most devoutly saluted their divine Benefactor
as brought again into the light and restored to them,
and rendered most abundant thanks to God
and to that same divine Nonnosus for that plainly heavenly grace.
The most exalted prince could scarcely be satisfied with the sweetest
sight of his treasure, since now he read from a leaden plate
the description of his found treasure, now
contemplated the insignia of those who had hidden the treasure there,
now drew forth the gold coin set beside it
and displayed it to his people, and, not without a torrent
of delight, most graciously invited them to congratulate him
on the priceless drachma found.
And so, that that treasure of his might not be far
from his heart, he translated it with the utmost devotion
into his own court chapel,
where the public notary closed the chest
and sealed it with the seal of his notariate impressed in two places.
[42] From that time the most exalted prince day
and night applied himself most fervently to this care,
that those sacred remains should be splendidly adorned as far as might be,
until all was ready for an honorable translation. and might in due time with a most festive pomp
be brought back into the cathedral basilica.
The whole city itself, as soon as the report of the most happy finding
grew strong and the prince's purpose became known,
prepared itself with every possible zeal to adorn
that translation.
Moreover in that intervening time in the aforesaid court
chapel a vast devotion of the faithful toward the divine Nonnosus
blazed up, and very many Eucharistic
hosts beyond custom were there offered. The most exalted prince also
gave most laborious pains that not only
should the gymnasium hall be most happily brought to the desired
perfection, but also that there should be prepared there a notable theater,
where in the following year the deeds of the divine Nonnosus,
written by our St. Gregory I, supreme Pontiff,
might be exhibited to spectators in a dramatic performance.
The care of the whole business was taken upon himself by the most reverend
D. Wolfgang, often praised hitherto, abbot
of Michelfeld: of which matter we shall adduce more below.
[43] The translation, made in the year 1709, on the 2nd day
of September, With magnificent preparation, the same author narrates from p. 442 in these
words: For the rest (as we began to say above),
it cannot be told according to the dignity of the matter with how great
cares from that time the most ardent breast of the prince
boiled, that the sacred remains of the divine Nonnosus
might with most worthy majesty on that Saint's feast,
namely the 11th of September, be brought back into the cathedral basilica.
Among other things especially the vault,
or crypt of that same cathedral church,
was at that time wondrously adorned. There had also
already stood in the new gymnasium hall a notable theater,
the whole work being directed by the most reverend D.
Wolfgang, excellently painted by two lay brothers
of our Order, Luke of Benediktbeuern and Carloman
of Weihenstephan. The sacred bones themselves of saint
Nonnosus had been adorned with most precious embroidered work.
For the festal procession all things
had been prepared, wherein no labor,
no expense, no outlay of anything whatever was spared.
[44] Afterwards, the feast being at hand, longed for with so many sighs,
and with many ecclesiastics present, namely the 11th day of September, otherwise sacred to the divine Nonnosus,
the most exalted prince, among other guests most notable
for most illustrious nobility and various dignities,
invited also with singular favor from our Order
the most reverend lords Quirinus of Tegernsee, president of the congregation,
Placidus of Frauenzell, Maurus of Andechs,
Ildephonsus of Weihenstephan, Wolfgang
of Michelfeld, Magnus of Benediktbeuern,
Placidus of Ettal, and Benedict
of Scheyern: to whom presently were added the most reverend
lords abbots Placidus of the divine Peter at Salzburg,
and Bonaventure of Reichenbach: all which
most reverend lord prelates brought with them from their monasteries
religious companions. And how great was the number
of the other strangers hastening to Freising, the reader will conjecture
from this, that within the space of one hour only,
through the one gate of the city, more than a hundred wagons
and other carriages and coaches of that kind arrived.
Moreover that whole most worthy-to-be-seen festival
was thereafter performed in the following order,
which I write as an eyewitness through the whole octave.
[45] On the first day of September, which was a Sunday,
and with the citizens themselves increasing the festivity, sacred to the holy Guardian Angels, the first
vesper Office of the divine Nonnosus our most exalted prelate
himself sang with a most magnificent rite,
and gave a truly glorious beginning to the feast awaited with such ardors:
from which time through the whole remaining octave, by the clemency
of the Roman Pontiff, they could obtain a full
remission of penalties and faults who had performed the prescribed prayers
and other pious works after the custom.
Then after Vespers and Compline the ministers
of the cathedral church were ordered at once to join the matin Office
with Lauds of the next day's feast,
since manifold other labors demanded the whole of the next day for themselves.
Meanwhile in the whole city
nowhere was there any ceasing from labors, since no one
seemed to himself to have satisfied his most delightful zeal toward
the most blessed Nonnosus, or to have hitherto made preparations equal
to his wishes: and not a few spent the greatest part
of the night that they might contribute something,
at least according to the measure of their strength, to the increase of so great a festival.
[46] on the 2nd day of September of the year 1709 On the very day of the magnificent translation dawning,
when the hearts of the greatest as well as the least were already
melting with a certain heavenly and God-filled sweetness,
the festal sound of the bells being heard, the lesser
canonical hours were performed in the cathedral church:
which being finished, the most sacred relics of the divine
Nonnosus, most decently placed on two precious biers,
were laid by the priests
on a stage likewise splendidly erected, near the neighboring
collegiate church of the divine John the Baptist,
in which meanwhile all the other bodies of saints which were up to then
kept at Freising awaited the triumph of their fellow-citizen
of heaven, the divine Nonnosus, which they were to adorn.
[47] the prince of Freising himself, The sixth hour being heard, our most exalted prelate,
clothed in his accustomed ankle-length garment of violet color,
and most sweetly venerable with the by no means obscure signs
of a certain God-filled comfort shining forth from his most gracious face,
betook himself with all his court ministry to the aforesaid stage,
where, in the presence of eight mitred prelates of our Order,
he was most humbly received by the most reverend and most illustrious cathedral
college, and also by the lord canons of both the notable collegiate
churches of the divine Andrew and Vitus,
and by all the rest of the most numerous clergy,
secular and regular. The most exalted prelate afterwards taking his seat with the others,
the music, composed with singular genius
and artifice in honor of the divine Nonnosus, most sweetly sang the praises
of that same most blessed tutelary Patron,
with musical instruments of every kind, and especially
trumpets and drums, most joyfully accompanying; nay,
with brazen engines too most delightfully bellowing with fire-belching thunder
from the mount of the divine Vitus.
[48] with solemn pomp, But now that I should set my hand to fully describing
the most famous triumph that followed, I cannot
be persuaded, best of readers; but to the booklet
to be cited by us below, published at Freising by Fr. Benedict
Eberschwang of Frauenzell, then staying in this
court, I would most kindly refer
you, and I again warn that the most ardent
and piously ambitious zeal of the citizens, even of strangers,
the most devout efforts and merits of craftsmen of every kind
and of the sacred confraternities cannot here be matched
with worthy praises in a few words.
This at least I cannot here conceal from you, that the most magnificent
part of this sacred procession, which
followed the numerous and, as far as could be, splendidly
adorned cavalry, the guilds of workmen, and the pious
confraternities, was so studded with its ominous, as they call them,
figures, banners, and vast cars
that it most beautifully served as a prelude, in order, to the comedy
that was to follow in the theater. The whole direction
and arrangement of that pomp was the work of the most reverend
D. Wolfgang, who also, as we have said, composed
the dramatic action itself.
[49] Since that great line of so many men fully equaled
the greatness of the vast space with many other relics honoring the procession, which was to be traversed from the cathedral church to
the gate of St. Vitus; thence in a straight course through the whole
length of the city as far as the hospice of the Holy
Spirit; thence again up the mountain to the cathedral
church, there followed first those things which
were to excite the greatest veneration of themselves, namely
the most sacred bodies and relics of the patrons of Freising,
studded with various companies of religious and of clerics,
in the following order. In the first
place, therefore, were carried the sacred remains of the divine Felix the martyr,
accompanied by the venerable convent
of the RR. FF. Capuchins, whom the ardor of sacred devotion
had called from Erding to Freising together with the most devout
citizens of that place (who had added a notable reinforcement
to the cavalry of Freising): and these
were followed behind by the RR. FF. reformed of the Order
of the divine Francis of the convent of Freising. Next
were the sacred remains of the divine Prosper the martyr,
escorted by the venerable college of the Premonstratensian
Canons of Neustift, bearing burning tapers.
The third place was held by the precious statue
of the divine Vitus, the religious brothers of the common Benedictine-Bavarian
house of studies, which was then erected in the renowned
monastery of Weihenstephan, showing devout attendance
and likewise carrying burning tapers in hand. The sacred ashes
of the divine Batho again some of our religious,
who had followed their abbots hither,
accompanied, themselves also attesting veneration with lighted candles.
The body of St. Placidus the martyr was carried before the reverend
fathers of Weihenstephan. The sixth place fell
to various notable relics of divers heavenly citizens,
which the next lord canons of St. Paul, as also the canons of St. John,
with other vicars appointed to the office of the choir,
honored. After these went the canons of the notable
collegiate church of the divine Vitus, with the effigy
and sacred ashes of the divine Sigismund, king and martyr, carried before them.
There came next the lord canons of the notable collegiate
church of the divine Andrew, thronging in their own array
the silver image of our divine Corbinian
and his most sacred bones.
[50] Next was carried the most ancient image of the most blessed Virgin
Mother of God, painted by the divine Luke, transfers the body of St. Nonnosus
on a silver bier most skillfully adorned with gems, raised high
and resting on the shoulders of six lord parish priests,
the lord court choirmasters treading in their steps,
who, alternating with the harmony of trumpets and drums,
celebrated the praises of the divine Nonnosus,
of whose sacred remains a great part thereafter,
conspicuous with gold and gems, was carried before the most reverend
lord canons of the cathedral church,
likewise on priestly shoulders (as were all the other
relics hitherto recounted). There came in behind
those who continually ministered and kindled incense
to the nearest and chief remains of the most blessed
Nonnosus (among which was his sacred head).
Moreover twenty religious of our Order encircled these very
most sacred relics, namely eight
most reverend lord abbots, resplendent in pontifical adornment,
of whom always four submitted their shoulders
to the most holy burden by turns:
likewise eight religious fathers, assisting as many
of those prelates: and four fathers, professors
of sacred theology, of the sacred canons, and of philosophy
in the above-said house of studies, who carried the canopy,
or baldachin. Interspersed among these there walked in comeliness
the episcopal pages, conspicuous with burning torches,
the line of the episcopal guard somewhat further off
guarding both sides against the crowded throngs of the people.
[51] to the cathedral church, Next in the steps came the most reverend
and most excellent lord John Sigismund Zeller,
free baron of Leiberstorff, etc., etc., bishop
of Bellina and coadjutor bishop of Freising, notable in pontifical
adornment and with a taper. Then, after
the episcopal cross, our most exalted prelate himself closed the whole sacred pomp,
splendid in the habit mentioned above, and bearing indeed a taper
in his hand, but breathing from his face fiery love toward his tutelary
Nonnosus. There joined themselves after some paces many other most reverend
and most illustrious guests, the domestic court, and
a mixed multitude of other followers, almost without number,
burning with sacred love and applause, nay even with tears.
And there resounded between various most festive salutations,
made by companies of citizens with muskets discharged
through various appointed places of the city. Through the city were seen various
paintings, eloquent in the most beautiful praises of the divine Nonnosus,
among which those held the chief esteem
which hung in great number from our gymnasium:
to which, however, scarcely, and hardly even so,
yielded those which the RR. FF. reformed of St.
Francis set up outside their church in the public street with notable
genius and pencil, second to none in seraphic ardors
toward God and the divine Nonnosus. To repeat anything
of the multitude of the beholding people is superfluous.
[52] where he sings Mass with solemn rite. The sacred pledges of the divine Nonnosus being brought back into the cathedral basilica
and laid on the high altar,
the Ambrosian praises were sung with a notable variety of voices
and instruments, with the crash especially of trumpets and drums
and of cannon, and with the repeated
murmur of lesser muskets most joyfully sounding between very often.
Presently the most reverend D. Quirinus, abbot of Tegernsee,
mounted the pulpit, adorned with a rochet, as they call it,
and with a precious pectoral cross hanging from his neck,
who, that he might make the divine Nonnosus equal to the most blessed
Benedict himself, delivered a copious sermon.
The most reverend hierarch of Freising himself subjoined the high Office,
amid the almost innumerable Sacrifices of other priests,
with eight prelates of our sacred Order assisting,
bearing mitres on their sacred heads:
and the companies of citizens mingled their congratulations
with a repeated discharge of muskets and with the roar of brazen engines,
not without an abundant joy of tears in the beholding people, who,
melting with more than earthly comfort, neither wished
nor, had they wished, could have denied it. An end being put to the festivity
of so great a day in the cathedral church,
the most exalted prince returned to the episcopal court amid new
applause of field-pieces and muskets,
and there entertained about three hundred most honored
guests (among whom twelve mitred heads
stood out) at a most sumptuous banquet.
Thus far Meichelbeck.
§ VI. The remaining matters pertaining to the aforesaid translation:
various things printed in the Saint's praise: relics given to various persons:
some already long kept at Bamberg; the Miracles to be published.
[ ] [The eight-day festival of the translation, and various things published in print in the Saint's praise:] This feast of the translation, which we have given
from Meichelbeck, was solemnly continued for eight
days, with a different orator each day discoursing in praise
of St. Nonnosus from the pulpit, as may be seen
in the said writer, who beheld all things
and narrated them fully: in these matters, indeed,
since they pertain less to our purpose, I would not
be more prolix. Of the various little Works printed on that occasion
in the Saint's praise he has this at p.
448: The panegyrics most eloquently delivered within this octave
of the translation of St. Nonnosus in the cathedral church,
as also the whole eight-day
festival, Fr. Benedict Eberschwang,
professed at Frauenzell in Lower Bavaria,
and domestic father and ecclesiastical councilor
of our most exalted prince, afterwards brought forth into public light
for the everlasting memory of the matter by the benefit of the press:
who himself in that same octave had published another offspring
of his own industry, called St. Nonnosus
revived, in which from Italian as well as Latin
autographs the wonderful propagation of the revived cult
of the divine Nonnosus through Italy and Germany
is learnedly and solidly demonstrated.
Of our professors at Freising
at the same time Fr. Georg Zöde of Benediktbeuern,
professor of poetry, submitted to the press and to all men's
eyes another little Work, to which he prefixed the title:
Freising's hidden protection,
at length after some centuries made manifest:
in which with illustrious genius and a pleasant contest
of six meters he most sweetly sang the benefits of the divine Nonnosus,
until then unrecognized, bestowed on the city of Freising,
winning for himself by his great desert vast praise among poets
of the better vein.
All those little Works were kindly
sent to me by R. Fr. Maurice Chardon,
and would have been of great help, had I not had
the very sources from which those writers drew,
and had I not judged that the sources should be preferred to the streams.
[54] Of the end of the aforesaid translation Meichelbeck writes
this at p. 448: where the body is now laid up, the miracles customarily published every year: Truly the relics of the divine
Nonnosus, that eight-day festival being ended, were brought back
to their own altar, gracefully prepared in the vault of the cathedral
church, where, as they thereafter had, and even now
have, very many worshipers, so even now they dispense
benefits both very many and very great, which are not only
accurately wont to be written down by the ministers of the cathedral church,
but also, at the yearly recurrence of the Saint's
feast, are published from the pulpit to increase the devotion of the faithful.
Moreover the yearly memory of the finding of the divine
Nonnosus, on the XXVII day of January, is wont to be commemorated
every year at the above-said altar with an Office (which is wont to be sung
by one celebrant and two assisting Benedictines),
the court music accompanying. Of the place where the sacred
treasure is deposited, the most reverend abbot Ildephonsus
wrote thus to me in the said Collection: The sacred body
of D. Nonnosus is laid in the crypt of the cathedral church
of Freising toward the south, where
on the top of the altar an image of the Saint, encircled with gilded rays,
is conspicuous. Below it two angels support
the head, or skull, exposed to public veneration
in a chest covered with transparent glass.
Behind is read this inscription: "In honor
of St. Nonnosus, patron of this church of Freising, the solemn
translation of his sacred bones, lying hidden
for five hundred and forty-seven years,
and gloriously found in the year of the Lord MDCCVIII, on the XXVII day of January."
Of the place where the body was found he subjoins this: A few feet
hence from the altar, at the wall, stands that arch which
we said was healthful to those creeping through (of which above,
fashioned in the manner of a tomb, the nobler relics of the Saint
are laid up, for memory's sake these words
have been cut on the marble in front: "The tomb
where the greater part of the body of St. Nonnosus lay hidden for DXLVII years,
a notable relic now placed in it,
in the year MDCCIX." For the rest, the votive offerings hung up here and there,
some of them precious, sufficiently indicate in what
esteem suppliants both formerly held and to this day
hold the patronage of B. Nonnosus.
[55] [the bones found compared with those known before: it is doubtful whether the part found lay hidden] Meichelbeck at p. 448 frames a certain objection
for himself, and answers it in these words:
I would not here dissemble that there were some who believed
that the relics of the divine Nonnosus from the year MCLXI
to the year MDCCVIII were unknown to all.
But that assertion is made doubtful for us
by John Freiberger, canon of Freising, when he writes
that Philip, in order the forty-seventh bishop of Freising,
decreed that thereafter the remains of St. Nonnosus should be adorned
with a more splendid cult: from which it plainly appears
that Philip and the men of his age had some knowledge of his relics.
But however contrary these things may seem to one another,
they can yet easily be reconciled.
There were placed separately certain parts from the body of the divine
Nonnosus, and they were kept in the sacristy
with the bones of SS. Alexander and Justinus. Of
these Philip was altogether aware, nay also his successors,
as is certain. But the remaining bones,
incomparably greater in number and more worthy,
which the most exalted John Francis most happily found
in the above-mentioned little chest, were altogether
unknown. The parts which were outside the tomb
in the sacristy were compared with those which had been deposited
in the tomb: and the physician at once understood
that both belonged to one body; and therefore that the lesser
portion indeed had until then been known,
but the greater part of the relics had until then
been a hidden treasure.
[56] [for many centuries, and this is the less likely, since afterwards its memory could have been lost:] These words indeed clearly show that both
parts of the relics are of St. Nonnosus;
and they also prove that Freiberger could have spoken
of the lesser part, which was always known.
Nevertheless, since it cannot be proved from what time
the memory of the body deposited in the crypt perished,
and since this ignorance could equally have had its beginning
after the times of the prelate Philip, who
flourished at the beginning of the sixteenth century, it remains uncertain
how long the part of the body that was found lay hidden,
especially since Freiberger lived at the same time
as Philip, and published his little Work under his episcopate,
and thus nearly two centuries passed after him before the finding.
Truly I should not believe that that treasure
lay hidden from the time when it had been deposited
in the crypt, or began to lie hidden shortly after. But I rather
suspect that it passed into oblivion after the rise
of the Lutherans and Calvinists, for fear of whom it could first
have been concealed, lest it lie open to plundering if
at any time the heretics should prevail at Freising. And a treasure concealed
and known to few is sometimes altogether
given over to oblivion, because those who alone know the treasure
sometimes by some chance do not transmit knowledge
of it to posterity. This conjecture of mine
rests on the fact narrated before, that the sacristans
on the 2nd of September, during the time of the divine office, were ordered by a most ancient
custom to set two lamps with burning wax candles
in the place where the body was found.
There is no doubt that this was done in honor of St. Nonnosus;
nor can it be doubted
that such a charge was given to the sacristans by those
who knew the treasure, and who wished it hidden from the people
and even from the sacristans themselves,
that it might lie hidden more safely. But it does not appear likely
to me that that custom of the sacristans,
who were ignorant of the cause of the thing, was continued for
five centuries and more, that is, from the deposition
of the body in the crypt: and therefore it is no more
likely that the relics lay hidden so long. Nay rather
I should believe that they began to be concealed after the times of the prelate Philip,
and on this occasion were gradually given over to oblivion,
yet so that the place remained for the people's veneration
and the custom of lighting candles persevered until the finding.
[57] But whatever be truer in these matters, which I gladly leave
to the reader's judgment, the relics recognized and enumerated: certain particles given to others. the most exalted prince
and prelate ordered the relics that were found to be recognized
and enumerated by men skilled in anatomy, as
the instrument published in German in the Nonnosus revived, p. 32 and following,
teaches, where there is read an ample catalogue of the relics of St.
Nonnosus which are kept at Freising, not only
those recently found, but at the same time those which were kept separately
in the sacristy. Moreover from these
the said prince gave various particles to his guests,
as is read in the said instrument. Of
these Meichelbeck too at p. 447 has thus:
Further, although the eight-day festival, memorable to all ages
among the men of Freising, came to an end today (the IX of September),
yet the most gracious prince did not yet dismiss
his guests, but only on the following day gave the most reverend
lord abbots leave to depart, having first given each of them
certain particles from the sacred remains of the divine Nonnosus.
In the year 1724 the same prince of Freising
received from the prince of Fulda a part of the relics
of St. Boniface, bishop of Mainz, on the testimony
of Meichelbeck at p. 478, where he presently subjoins:
That our bishop might repay a grateful return to the most exalted prince of Fulda,
a little after he sent to Fulda something from the bones
of the saints Corbinian and Nonnosus.
[58] At Bamberg long ago, before the last finding of the body,
relics of St. Nonnosus were shown in the church
Relics and a feast at Bamberg in the monastery of St. Michael: or sacristy of the monastery of St. Michael.
Certainly our Papebroch in the Ms. Roman Journey,
p. 69, among the relics of the said abbey
which he testifies were shown him, reckons the head
of St. Nonnosus. This, however, I can with difficulty reconcile
with the catalogue of the Freising relics of St.
Nonnosus, since there the whole head is said to have been found at Freising.
Castellanus in the universal Martyrology announces
St. Nonnosus at the XIX of August,
and says that he is honored at Bamberg with a special cult.
At the same day in our work in the Passed-over entries
this is read: St. Nonnosus, abbot or
provost of the monastery on mount Soracte, is announced
by Castellanus and in our papers as one who
is solemnly venerated at Bamberg on the XIX of August on account of notable relics,
etc. Sollerius, who wrote this,
by our papers here designates the Index of Saints
of Bolland, who noted from Ms. Benedictine
Calendars that the Saint is venerated in the Bamberg monastery
of St. Michael, and that relics are there had.
I should believe that on the XIX day of August the said relics were translated
to the monastery of St. Michael, and that therefore
the Saint's cult was fixed to that day. Certainly in various Ms.
Benedictine Calendars I have found him announced on that day.
For the rest, I would not here inquire from what time
the abbey of St. Michael has possessed the said relics of St. Nonnosus:
for it could have received them at the same
time at which the body was translated to Freising,
or afterwards, after its first finding;
but of these matters I can determine nothing certain. No
more should I dare to affirm whether it is a part of the head, or
another part of the body, which they possess.
[59] The Miracles to be published, partly printed in German, partly manuscript; Before I put an end to this Commentary,
a few things remain to be said about the miracles presently
to be published, which were done after the last translation
of the body. The earlier ones, that is, those done in the first two
years from the translation, are narrated in a German
booklet under a longer title, which thus abridged
I render into Latin: The benefits of St. Nonnosus, patron
of the cathedral church of Freising, which from
the time of the translation, that is, from the year MDCCIX until
the 2nd of September of the present year MDCCXI, have befallen.
This booklet a certain German
of ours put into Latin, from whose translation
I shall publish it in the first place. After this collection
there will follow other benefits not yet published,
which have been sent to me with this title prefixed:
Various benefits bestowed by St. Nonnosus on his clients,
especially through the oil of the lamp hanging at his altar,
reported from their own confession,
from the year MDCCXI to the year MDCCXLIV.
These R. Fr. Maurice Chardon, rector of our college of Constance,
often praised before, rendered into Latin from a German Ms.,
who sent them together with the other Freising monuments.
[60] another not added to them. The most reverend lord Ildephonsus, abbot
of Weihenstephan, who most kindly communicated all those things,
at the end of his Collection narrates another,
writing thus: Meanwhile, since many things
of which public testimonies survive are not contained in the said
booklet, it has seemed worth while
to append especially this. The most reverend
lord Anton de Fraporta, knight of the Holy Roman
empire, canon of the cathedral church of Freising,
doctor of both laws, and still surviving in a peaceful old age,
once returning from the Tyrol,
here, where the Isar (it is a torrent running out from the Tyrolean
Alps into Bavaria) is already navigable,
retraced his journey to Freising carried on a raft, but with
the most immediate danger of life,
his safety being even given up for lost, had he not with confidence
invoked our Saint, being on the point of being drowned again and again.
We see in the crypt near the altar, as they call it,
a votive tablet whose inscription is in the Vernacular. In the inscription, which
it is not necessary to express entire, the matter is said to have happened
in the year 1718, on the VIII day of April, near Munich,
where, being thrown into the Isar by the dashing of the raft against a wall,
by the intercession of St. Nonnosus he was preserved unharmed,
although, now rising above the water,
now submerged, he was easily carried a thousand paces by the river.
Thus the inscription a little more fully. Now I subjoin the remaining
miracles, illustrated with annotations.
THE MIRACLES
Printed in German in the year MDCCXI, and rendered into Latin.
By some translator of the Society of Jesus.
Nonnosus, provost of the monastery of Mount Soracte, in the Church of Etruria. (S.)
from the German printed edition.
PREFACE.
[The author writes neither the history of the life nor of the translation, but the Miracles,] Since not long ago, and only two years since,
both the Life, so full of miracles,
and the description of the most happy finding and of the most magnificently
celebrated feast of the translation of the glorious
and holy abbot Nonnosus, great tutelary patron
of this most illustrious cathedral college of Freising,
were committed to public print, both in eight panegyric
Orations elegantly delivered in the time of the solemn Octave,
and also in a special booklet (whose title is Nonnosus
Revived), to the satisfaction of all with all circumstances,
it is judged superfluous in this present booklet
to make mention of these things. But the sole aim
and end in this undertaking is to add something small
from our old and newly found treasure of graces
concerning the glorious abbot Nonnosus,
namely what has been done by him from that time,
and how helpful and wonder-working the holy father Nonnosus
has shown himself to all by his powerful patronage
and by the distribution of immense graces; when, namely,
it pleased divine providence to bring him again into the light after so many centuries
in which he lay hidden a beyond all men's memory,
by that wondrous and most happy finding
which was made by the most exalted and most reverend lord
John Francis, prince of the Holy Roman
empire and bishop of Freising, our most gracious
lord — to the highest comfort and greatest joy not only
of this most illustrious city of Freising, but of every man.
[2] And truly the most powerful God seems, in compensation
for this long oblivion, now to will to be truly glorified
in his holy servant Nonnosus with so various and public a veneration;
[at least some of those which happen in great number not only at Freising but in other places too,] since for sufficient testimonies there are those great benefits
which both young and old, and persons both of nobler
and of the lowest condition, in their grievous inward and outward
troubles and bitter afflictions daily obtain
through the most powerful intercession of the wonder-working holy father Nonnosus.
Which indeed have not all, but only
some of them, been comprised in this small little Work, in order
that the honor and renowned name of the worker of marvels,
saint Nonnosus, may be the more spread abroad,
and thus it may be plain to everyone how great
a treasure of graces almighty God has again given in these afflicted times
to all Freising, and how powerful a tutelary Patron.
But indeed our great and wonderful father
Nonnosus shows himself as a most splendid sun,
who does not keep the rays of his graces for himself,
nor illumine Freising alone with them,
but wondrously scatters them in every direction, nor
denies his aid to anyone whosoever
flees to him with true confidence in any necessity whatever.
[3] chiefly through the oil of the lamp burning before the Saint's altar, Where moreover it must be most briefly observed
in what various ways St. Nonnosus is wont to impart
his gracious aid to the afflicted sons of men, whether
by the offering of a waxen image, or by the promise
of a votive offering, or otherwise by the observance
of some certain devotion, and especially
by creeping into the crypt to his stone sarcophagus,
where indeed, hidden, he has always wondrously worked;
and in whatever way at last devotion
and an inward impulse may give each man occasion for seeking help:
yet he chiefly wills to bestow his greatest benefits in the oil
which burns perpetually before his altar in a lamp,
as so many afflicted people daily experience
more than sufficiently in its use in their most perilous calamities:
and therefore he seems, as a special sign of his great liberality
and fatherly mercy, to hold in his hands a branch of olive b.
Which indicates to us that great miracle
which he wrought on mount Soracte,
where, all oil failing, with only a few olives pressed,
he filled all the vessels in the whole monastery.
[4] the use of which is commended. Nay, after in the year MDCLXIII, a petition being made,
one particle of the blessed body of saint
Nonnosus was sent from Freising to Rome, and thence afterwards,
a procession so magnificent being instituted
that no pen could sufficiently describe its vast pomp,
was translated to mount Soracte, where
saint Nonnosus served his God in the highest holiness;
the holy abbot Nonnosus there,
and in many other places and cities in which
altars had been erected to his honor, and wherever
care was taken that oil should burn before them in a lamp,
wrought and bestowed almost all his greatest miracles through
the use of the oil, and also by the power of his mighty intercession. Since therefore
the greatest God wills to glorify his great servant
Nonnosus toward his devout lovers chiefly by the power of oil,
as of a sign properly attributed to him of his helping liberality,
these few things alleged will be to all and each
a proof, that in every event and in occurring
pains they may flee with confidence to
our holy father Nonnosus, and seek undoubted help
through the use of his miraculous oil,
that almighty God may still more be praised and celebrated
in his great servant and helping father Nonnosus.
ANNOTATA.
among the men of Freising before the finding of the body; for he was not
ignorant that the Saint's feast was constantly celebrated every year,
and that a certain part of the relics was at the same time in the people's
veneration. But he only signifies that the chief part of the body
lay hidden and unknown. That it is uncertain from what time this was wholly
unknown I have observed above at n. 56.
A NOTICE TO THE READER.
[The author teaches why all the benefits could not be narrated in order, or even reported at all:] Concerning the benefits here noted it must be observed
that they could without doubt have been committed to writing
in a better order: but since at the beginning the frequent
benefits received were not at all recorded,
but only by degrees were persons brought to this,
that they took care to have them noted for the greater glory of saint
Nonnosus, therefore this could not conveniently
be done, and for that very reason not all
the benefits could be reported: which, however, hereafter,
since benefits bestowed by the patronage of St. Nonnosus
are now for the most part published from the public pulpit,
will be observed with all care. Moreover,
although it would be fitting, for a due attestation of a grateful
mind concerning benefits received, that everyone who
obtains some benefit from St. Nonnosus should indicate
his name, yet it will suffice if such a person,
for grave causes and perhaps on account of some hidden
difficulty, with his name concealed, at least
by writing or by word makes known the benefit received.
[6] The kindly reader will also find that some among the benefits set down
(although this could have been done with more,
some of those reported authentically proved. or perhaps would have been done, if time
and circumstances had permitted) which
saint Nonnosus bestowed by his help and intercession,
have been inserted in this booklet, to his honor and glory,
and also to the greater faith and confidence of Christ's faithful,
approved by the force of an ordinary examination and of the sworn
statement of witnesses, which will be a small notice
to the beloved reader. But let him meanwhile most humbly adore
the great providence of God, which we wondrously experience
in his glorious servant Nonnosus, and make himself
by continual veneration a partaker of the great benefits
which the wonder-working father St. Nonnosus at all times
imparts to his own in all necessities.
CHAPTER I.
Benefits conferred on various persons in the year 1709.
Miracle I.
In the year MDCCIX the Reverend Fr. Heinrich
Maerckl, a hermit at Fischbachau a at the place
commonly called Maria Pirckstein, [A hermit creeping through the cave of the tomb is restored from grievous pains of the loins:] near the Tyrol,
on the first of September, namely the day before the following
most magnificent feast of the translation of St.
Nonnosus, came to Freising. But throughout that whole
night (not even knowing for what causes)
and on the following day, he felt such great and intolerable
pains in his loins that it was impossible for him,
though his desire was very great,
to be present at the great procession: nevertheless,
considering his long journey, and out of ardent
fervor toward the most wonderful holy Father Nonnosus,
using all his strength, at length with heavy
labor he came into the most illustrious cathedral church
to the altar of St. Nonnosus, where with the greatest
difficulties and much distress he could scarcely endure
through one holy sacrifice of the Mass.
And when now in this place of graces, and on the day
of the new festival, before the relics of St. Nonnosus, on bent
and feeble knees he was pouring forth fervent prayers,
he stirs up firm confidence, spends all
his strength, betakes himself to the stone cave through
which they were wont to creep, and in which for so many centuries without
any knowledge the sacred body of abbot Nonnosus
lay hidden, and creeps through it with the utmost devotion.
After this was done, all pain also at once
left him, so that, sound in his whole body, he could again
set out on his journey home.
II.
[8] The noble and pious lady Maria Katharina Renoth,
wife of him who is here chamberlain to the most exalted prince,
testifies that for a long time she was most perilously afflicted
with a continually increasing dropsy: a noblewoman healed of dropsy by a vow, and, after she had used
various remedies and medicines here and there, yet no
effect of health changed for the better followed;
and at length on the IX day of October she placed her hope in the wonder-working
saint Nonnosus, and, a vow being made,
obtained the health she desired.
III.
[9] The learned lord Benno Seitz, cantor and schoolmaster here
of the most famous collegiate church of St. Andrew, another from grievous pains of the body,
on account of a most miserable condition and dangerous
defects of the body, continually suffered very great
pains, and since all human remedies applied
were in vain, nor were the pains mitigated by them,
on the IX of October, a vow being made, he fled to
the great holy father Nonnosus, by whom also
he was very soon heard, and freed from intolerable
pain.
IV.
[10] The very reverend lord Franz
Dur suffered such great pains of the head another from pains of the head, that
it seemed to him that on account of the violent sickness he was almost
becoming out of his mind. Whatever remedies
he applied, none mitigated the pains. At length
he was inwardly urged to place his hope in the wonder-working
St. Nonnosus, which he did on the XII of October;
he made a vow, and afterwards was suddenly freed
from the raging pains of the head.
[11] Lorenz Millbaur of Niederlern in Lower
Bavaria makes known another from a grave disease. that he long endured a violent
pain of the heart; whence at length he was confined to his bed,
and fell into a most grievous disease.
Then, since, many remedies being applied
which all did no good, he knew not whither to turn,
there came into his mind what not long before he had heard
of the great and wonder-working St. Nonnosus. He therefore
raises his spirit as soon as possible and vows on the XXV
of October to this Saint one sacrifice of the Mass.
From that time all pain of the heart ceased, and
most happily he recovered his former health.
VI.
[12] Maria Mechtild was in great fear
on account of a certain tumor [A woman, anointed with the oil of the lamp, is freed from a tumor grown on her breast,] which had grown on her breast:
and since it, like a devouring cancer,
had spread from one place of the body to another,
in her anxiety she knew not what to do. But when
she had heard such things of the wonderful oil which perpetually
burns in the lamp before the altar of St. Nonnosus,
she conceives a vow, goes on the XXVIII of October
with confidence to the cathedral church, asks for oil
from the aforesaid lamp, and after she had obtained this
and afterwards at home had anointed the afflicted part,
with pain all the tumor vanished.
VII.
[13] Nikolaus Hupfauer, a shepherd here at Freising,
otherwise born at Taufkirchen b, another from a tumor and pain of the hand, likewise confesses
with the utmost token of a grateful mind the kindly aid
of the holy father Nonnosus. For quite unexpectedly
there had grown on his hand a tumor of the size of a pigeon's
egg, which not only caused him great pains
but also hindered his daily work:
and since by the use of natural remedies
he could not remove such a tumor together with the pain,
he makes a vow to the great tutelary patron
St. Nonnosus, asks for a little oil from his lamp,
anoints the tumor with it: and it at once vanishes together
with the pain.
VIII.
[14] The very reverend and pious lord
Philipp Hermann Schabberger, another from a dangerous carbuncle eating away his finger, licentiate of both laws
and pastor at Vilsheim c, by his own handwriting
confesses that by chance the index finger
of his left hand was attacked by a phagedena d to be little regarded
and very slight. To drive it off,
he applied one or two poultices, which, however,
could in no way heal the said phagedena:
but from it there came forth a virulent carbuncle of vast size,
as it is called, or, according to the report
of the surgeons, a perfect carbuncle
e, which not only ate away that whole finger
and swelled up the whole hand with great burning,
but also inflamed the whole arm with inexpressible
pains, so that even the physician who was called to him,
though he expended the best remedies
and the greatest diligence, could give the sick lord
no other hope of healing than
that in such circumstances a contraction of the finger and no use of it
must necessarily follow.
When therefore the aforesaid lord pastor saw
that in human remedies there was no hope, he turned to sacred things.
To his afflicted mind Freising occurred before all,
that there he might place his hope in the great wonder-worker St. Nonnosus,
which also he very soon did with the utmost confidence,
promising that, if he were freed from this perilous state,
he would set out for Freising, and there,
besides using the sacred mysteries,
he would offer to the holy abbot Nonnosus, as a due token of a grateful mind,
a votive Mass. But behold a wondrous thing.
In a very short time all pain vanished together with the danger,
so that the finger, almost wholly
despaired of and lost, became again quite straight
and, as before, fit for use. For this
very great grace and benefit, besides the due thanksgiving,
the lord pastor today, the XXVIII of November,
fulfilled his vow at the altar of St. Nonnosus.
IX.
[15] The honorable and most excellent woman Maria Theresia
Penckmayr, and a woman from a dangerous vomiting left after childbirth. citizen and iron-merchant of Freising,
also experienced the kindly aid of the holy father Nonnosus
in the greatest danger of death:
for when on the XX of September she had been tormented with the pains of childbirth
and had brought forth a male child into the light,
a little after she was afflicted with such deadly
weaknesses that on account of assiduous and continual
vomiting it did not seem possible that she should obtain
any longer stay of life. The lord physician, called thither,
did not indeed cease to prescribe all fitting
remedies: but since all strength had failed her weakened
nature, none of them profited anything, or brought any hope
of healing. Wherefore, destitute of all temporal help,
she conceives a firm confidence in St. Nonnosus;
and vows that, if she were freed from this supreme danger of death
by his intercession, she would take care to have a votive Mass
celebrated in his honor,
and would place a waxen image of the B. Virgin upon his altar.
Scarcely had the afflicted woman uttered the vow from her heart,
when all who were present saw with the utmost
amazement that in a single moment that dangerous
and deadly vomiting ceased, and that her nature,
weakened even unto death, strengthened itself from hour to hour,
and in a short time all health returned. For which great grace and visible
aid she at once ordered a Mass to be paid in due thanksgiving
to St. Nonnosus.
ANNOTATA.
not far from the borders of the county of Tyrol between the Isar and the Inn. In
more recent maps, in the neighborhood of the said town, there is also marked Pücknstain toward the Tyrol. Whether that be the place called in German Maria Pirckstein, or another in the very town of Fischbachau, the inhabitants will know.
A carbuncle is a crusted ulcer raised by blood turned into black bile
and boiling up, and beginning from a pustule like those of the burnt, or
even without this. At the beginning those who suffer from this malady
scratch the part exceedingly: whence pustules break out, now several, now one,
slender like grains of millet, and when these are broken a crust is drawn over,
as if from red-hot iron, now ashen, sometimes black, and at the same time adhering
with its deepest root and in a manner fastened, not without gnawing. And the rest of the flesh
set about is endowed with great heat and grows black,
and shines like bitumen and pitch: which is an exact indication of black
bile. The fever is far more violent than that raised by erysipelas.
These things sufficiently indicate the gravity of the malady. Yet the author subjoins more,
explaining in what way it infects the neighboring parts of the body, as here
presently follows.
CHAPTER II.
Benefits and miracles of the year 1710.
On the XXI day of December a, of the noble and generous Lord
Johann Ulrich Haid b, A girl near to death is healed by a vow, doctor of both laws,
advocate and judge of this territory,
a little girl of nearly six years, named Katharina,
from convulsions caused by toothache fell
into such weakness that, her head being enfeebled
and her face pale, her eyes stiff, and her limbs
already stiffening, she was exposed to the nearest danger of death,
just as before, twice, on account of a like case
and unexpected malady, one or another of his children within a very few
hours ended life by too premature a death. And so the aforesaid lord Haid,
when this affliction pressed on,
conceived a firm confidence, after God, in St. Nonnosus, to whom he fled,
and, to obtain his beloved daughter's former health,
devoted her to him with one Mass and two
tapers. The vow being uttered, at once the pain left his daughter,
who was already struggling with death,
and on the same day she was restored to her former health. And
she herself (praise and thanksgiving be to God
almighty and to his wonder-worker St. Nonnosus)
to this very hour enjoys perpetual health without any further malady.
So great a benefit the said lord Haid,
having paid his vow, testified by his own bond secured with a seal
on the X of January of the following year MDCCX.
XI.
[17] Christoph Streicher was afflicted with no small grief
on account of a beloved boy who was eighteen weeks old,
an infant is freed by the oil of the lamp from the danger of losing his sight,because he suffered a very great and dangerous swelling of the eyes,
so indeed that the beloved boy, since the various
remedies applied did no good, was in the utmost
peril of losing his sight. Wherefore
in this necessity the father conceives firm hope,
and devotes his son to the wonderful St. Nonnosus,
and very soon goes thither and asks for a little
oil from the lamp burning before the altar of St. Nonnosus:
and after he had afterwards devoutly anointed his son's eyes with it,
the swelling suddenly vanished altogether.
This great benefit the parent with due thanksgiving,
to the praise and glory of the holy father Nonnosus,
made known on the XVI of January, and caused it
to be committed to writing.
XII.
[18] The pious woman Magdalena Schnapper, a citizen here
and wife of a tanner, an old man so afflicted with a failing of spirit that he was like a dead man, to the greater honor
of the holy abbot Nonnosus confesses that Melchior
Schnapper, her husband's father, when in the morning
he had gone out of this city in health and had wished
to climb the hill near the collegiate church of St. Vitus,
suddenly, beyond all expectation, suffered a deadly
swoon, and that indeed in such a way
that, even when balsam was applied, no sign of life
could be perceived in him. Meanwhile, when the men who came up
did not know what to do with this old man,
who was in the last danger of death,
this sad case is announced to the aforesaid Magdalena Schnapper,
who was at home in childbed. She
without any delay sent some of her household outside
the city, who should see by every means
that they at least carried the old man home, though dying.
After she had ordered this, that same Magdalena
Schnapper, moved in this sudden terror by an inward instinct,
as soon as possible placed all her confidence
in the great and wonderful man St. Nonnosus,
made a vow joined with fervent prayer,
that by his most powerful intercession (if indeed
it was God's will to call the aforesaid Melchior
Schnapper from this temporal to eternal life)
he would obtain at the least this much,
and prolong his life so long that, fortified with the last
Sacraments, he might pay the debt of nature at home.
Meanwhile Schnapper, struggling with death, was carried
in a sedan chair through the city home, and gave no sign of life;
nor was any perceived by the bystanders:
he cast whitish foam from his mouth, and
was like a dead man.
[19] In so great misery the aforesaid Schnapper repeatedly renewed
her ardent prayers and invocation with the utmost confidence, together with her vow,
by another's vow he receives entire health: and most earnestly begged the kindly aid
and patronage of St. Nonnosus, promising that she would take care
that this benefit be published from the public pulpit.
Hear now a wondrous thing. At such fervent
prayers that Schnapper, as though bereft of life, suddenly
strengthens himself, and begins, many others being present,
not without the utmost amazement of all, at once
to speak. Afterwards too without further delay with the utmost
sorrow he confessed, and was fortified with the most holy
Sacrament, as with his last viaticum, as
everyone believed. And what is the more
wondrous: after half an hour he could move altogether,
and afterwards on the same day at Vespers,
between the first and second c, he could go to bed alone
without the support of anyone else; and
thus by the most powerful intercession of the most wonderful
St. Nonnosus he was not only snatched from manifest death,
but also obtained his health in a wondrous manner.
All these things were examined by lawful and sworn witnesses
and committed to writing. So great a benefit Magdalena Schnapper herself,
with due praise and immense thanksgiving,
to the honor of St. Nonnosus, her vow being piously
paid, ordered to be published from the pulpit of the cathedral church.
XIII.
[20] The most reverend and most illustrious Christoph
Heinrich, free baron de Sandizell, canon of the cathedral church
of Freising, etc., a horse suddenly healed by its master's vow:
had one of his horses whose two feet
had swollen exceedingly, and after various remedies
otherwise received in use had been applied to them without any effect,
the aforesaid most illustrious lord
placed all his hope in the holy abbot Nonnosus,
and promised in his honor a sacred sacrifice of the Mass
and a silver votive tablet. After this at once on the same night,
with the utmost wonder, all the swelling, which had appeared
so dangerous, vanished, and the horse became sound,
such as it had been before. The vow was afterwards paid on the XXI of March
to the due honor of the Saint and in thanksgiving.
XIV.
[21] a dangerous fever driven off by the Saint's oil, The most illustrious and noble lady, countess of Heimhausen,
after God gives glory to the wonder-working father St. Nonnosus alone,
that by his aid and intercession she was snatched from a grave
and manifest danger of life. The aforesaid most illustrious lady
was attacked about the XIV of May by a malignant fever, to which
there had been added so terrible a vomiting from the stomach
that everyone thought that her flourishing youth,
on account of her failing strength and the extreme danger of life,
must be mown down by the cruel scythe of death. And
since other remedies availed nothing to obtain health,
she turned with the utmost confidence of heart
to heaven, and above all most fervently implored
the kindly aid of the holy father Nonnosus;
she sent besides to seek some of the oil which
burns in his lamp, and ordered herself to be anointed with it.
After this all the vomiting, together with the fever dangerous
even unto death, suddenly ceased.
XV.
[22] A certain woman of eighty-five
years of age had for some time been afflicted with such great pains of the eyes
the gravest pain of the eyes, that she was altogether believed to be in danger
of suffering the loss of her eyes
and of being rendered wholly blind. Since therefore
no remedies at all had availed, she asked with the utmost
confidence for oil from the lamp of St. Nonnosus;
she anoints both eyes with it, and as soon as
this was done, at once in a single moment
all pain vanished, and she most happily retained the former
use of her eyes. This notable benefit
she afterwards on the XX of May, her devotion being performed and due
thanksgiving made, testified and made known
before the altar of the holy father Nonnosus.
XVI.
[23] On that very day, namely the XX of May, a certain woman
of seventy-two years, a dangerous malady of the breast, after
she had paid her vow in the crypt at the wonderful St. Nonnosus
for a great benefit,
and had given the greatest thanks, publicly testified
and confessed that a very large lump had grown
on her breast, and that she had suffered the greatest pains in it.
All remedies applied were fruitless,
and since there was no hope of healing,
she was believed about to die on account of the vast danger. At length
by an inward instinct she raises her spirit, and with great
confidence flees to the great saint Nonnosus,
sends to seek some of the oil from his lamp,
and after she had anointed the afflicted place with it,
she not only felt herself better, but,
what is most to be wondered at, that great tumor
suddenly vanished, and she obtained the health she had longed for.
XVII.
[22] foul ulcers of the mouth, Katharina Heillmayr, of Aest, had a daughter
named Anna, who for nearly forty
weeks had been so grievously afflicted with a rotting of the mouth
that many ulcers broke out on her mouth and lips.
The afflicted mother, desiring an end of her misery,
knew not what remedy to apply, that she might free her beloved
daughter from this malady. Set in these
great straits she remembered the great wonder-worker
St. Nonnosus. She therefore as soon as possible placed her hope in
this holy tutelary Patron by a vow,
asked for oil from his lamp, and ordered her daughter's
eaten and afflicted mouth to be anointed with it. Which being done,
as soon as possible the pain ceased, the rotting of the mouth ceased,
and in a short time the eaten mouth was made whole again. Wherefore
the mother, her devotion being performed before the altar of St. Nonnosus,
set forth so great a benefit in words on the XXVIII of August,
and desired it to be noted down to the due honor of
her helper St. Nonnosus.
XVIII.
[25] Likewise on the XXVIII of August Maria Heillmayr,
daughter of the aforesaid Katharina Heillmayr, again a fever, to the honor
of the holy father Nonnosus, and in thanksgiving for the greatest graces,
publicly confessed that she had for some time
been afflicted with a dangerous fever, and that indeed
in such a way that, on account of its longer continuance
and the greatness of the pains, her face began to grow livid.
And since by no other remedy could she remove
this evil guest, with great confidence she promised
St. Nonnosus that, if she recovered her former health
by his aid and patronage,
she would come with some other girls, clothed in white garments,
to Freising to his holy altar,
and there with them would pay ardent prayers and thanks.
Such a vow being conceived, she afterwards ordered herself
to be anointed with oil from his lamp,
and quite wondrously by the helping hand of the graces
of St. Nonnosus at once recovered her former health.
XIX.
[26] Maria Thallmayr, a citizen of Freising, was afflicted
with so great a pain of the left arm sharp pains of the arm. that
for a long time she could not raise it, and so
was not able to undergo her accustomed labor. She applied
some remedies from time to time, yet without any
effect, until at length she fled solely to the common
saving patron and wonder-worker now,
St. Nonnosus. With trusting mind she makes a vow,
and anoints the afflicted arm with oil from the lamp
of St. Nonnosus. This being done, she was presently
freed from all pain, and could use her arm, as before, without any
hindrance. This illustrious grace
and benefit she afterwards on the XXXI of August,
a waxen arm being offered and her prayers performed,
wished to confess publicly, and took care to have it noted down
to the greater honor of our great tutelary patron
St. Nonnosus. The same above-said person testifies
that at other times too she suffered sharp pains
of the left arm; but that, after she had used oil
from the lamp of St. Nonnosus, she was by his powerful intercession
restored to perfect health.
XX.
[27] A certain person, who for grave causes
was unwilling to give her name, A vow being uttered, a certain person is freed from a secret affliction, in a certain dangerous
condition, from which she could not be freed in any other way
or by other remedies applied, fled with great confidence
to the holy father Nonnosus.
She conceived a vow, and wished besides, if by the aid of St.
Nonnosus she should be made mistress of her desire, that the grace
received and the benefit should be published from the public pulpit
to the greater glory of God and of the holy father Nonnosus.
The vow being uttered, as soon as possible she was most kindly
heard by the great worker of marvels St. Nonnosus,
and was freed by her vow from her great and secret
affliction. Which being obtained,
on the XXX of July, at the ardent prayers and desire of this
person, this benefit received was, to the greater
glory of St. Nonnosus and in thanksgiving,
not only entered in the register, but
also publicly published.
XXI.
[28] The honorable and pious woman Anna Maria Millinger
was afflicted with such dangerous pains of the breast
that from them she was in danger of death. a woman with dangerous pains of the breast,
When therefore in such straits and afflictions,
after various remedies applied, she knew of no further
medicine to obtain health,
she conceived confidence and made a vow to the holy father
Nonnosus, promising also that she would take care, to his
honor and to the magnifying of his holy name,
that the grace received should be published from the public pulpit.
When the vow had been made, the pain gave way,
and with the utmost joy she was restored to her former health,
as on the X day of May she publicly confessed,
and it was committed to writing.
XXII.
[29] Agnes Gehrhauer, who was born at Landsberg d,
had her left arm attacked by a grave malady another with a grave malady of the arm:
and so great a pain that for a long time she could not perform
her accustomed duty. But since other medicines
availed nothing, she could in her great necessity seek
no other aid than from the helping father St. Nonnosus. To
him she eagerly fled: and a waxen image being promised,
she used oil from his lamp. These things being done,
she was made mistress of her vow, and freed from all pain
of the arm. Which grace received
she afterwards, to the honor of the holy father Nonnosus, on the XV of January
made known and ordered to be noted down.
XXIII.
[30] That our great tutelary father St.
Nonnosus shows himself as a newly found treasure
of graces, a certain maiden obtains peace of mind, and can extend a helping hand in all
afflictions, both inward and outward,
is clear from the following fact,
which the person to be named testifies with her own hand.
I, Anna Maria Schwarz, the unmarried daughter of the court fisherman here,
before God and all the beloved Saints make manifest
and known to everyone that in the year MDCCVII I fell into so great
an inward affliction, and had to live continually
in so wretched a state until the year MDCCX,
that I thought I should be deprived of the use of reason
from sheer sadness. After therefore the finding
of the great St. Nonnosus took place, and his great miracles
were now everywhere celebrated, I, besides a certain
devotion, out of a special and filial
confidence in the holy father Nonnosus vowed a holy
confession and Communion with the hearing
of one Mass at his altar, promising besides
that, if by the intercession of St.
Nonnosus I were freed from my misery, so great a benefit of heaven
I would publicly declare and confess with my name
added. The vow being uttered, I was freed
from so long a misery of life, and again obtained the desired
peace of my mind: for which inexpressible
grace be praise and thanksgiving before all to God almighty,
and then to the glorious holy father Nonnosus.
XXIV.
[31] Maria Pichler, unmarried, in lifting a sack
full of grass had so wrenched her limbs another the restoring of a wrenched body. that for more
than three hours she could not stand with body upright.
Wherefore, on account of the longer-lasting pains, and because
she feared lest perhaps something in her body were broken,
in this great necessity with raised spirit and
great confidence she fled to the holy Father Nonnosus,
to whose honor she promised that she would hang up a votive tablet
and perform some work of devotion. The promise being made, as soon as possible
all pain ceased, and without any trouble
she could again, as before, undertake her work.
This benefit, which she obtained by the intercession of St.
Nonnosus, she afterwards on the XIX of November made known
to his honor and in due thanksgiving.
ANNOTATA.
a. Namely
of the year 1709, although the miracles done in the year 1710 begin here, as the prefixed
title has: for the miracle really falls in the year 1710.
c. That Vespers
are sometimes sung in Bavaria between the first and second hour after midday,
I have understood from someone who, being present, could often see it.
CHAPTER III.
The earlier miracles of the year 1711.
XXV.
Sebastian Hagn, a citizen and maker of laces
here at Freising, [A man freed by an anointing with the oil of the lamp from pains of the knee and arm,] had long suffered the greatest pains
in his right knee, as also in his right
arm. He used various remedies and poultices
to free himself from this malady: but he experienced
that by none of these did he obtain any relief or comfort;
until at last with firm faith and solid
confidence he fled to the holy father Nonnosus,
to whom he vowed a certain exercise of devotion; and
after he had used oil from his lamp and anointed himself
with it, in both places the pain together with the swelling
vanished, as he himself made known on the X of February
to give thanks most humbly and to the honor of the wonder-working St. Nonnosus.
XXVI.
[33] Maria Anna Hagn, wife of the aforesaid Sebastian
Hagn, his son with a dangerous affection of the eye, had likewise with the utmost confidence
devoted to the wonderful St. Nonnosus her son,
who had suffered sharp pains of the left
eye and was in danger of losing his life. She asked
besides for oil from his lamp, and anointed with it
her son's sick eye: which being done, in a short time all
pain vanished, and her son, snatched from all danger,
again obtained health of the eye. Such
a grace received the mother herself, after she had paid
her ardent prayers and most ardent thanksgiving
in the crypt at the altar of St. Nonnosus,
took care to have noted down on the X of February.
XXVII.
[34] Ursula Mayr, wife of the trumpeter of this city,
had for some time suffered the gravest pains of her left
foot, a woman with pains of the left foot, and since by the use of other medicines
she was nothing better, she stirred up in her mind
a great desire of seeking some aid from the helping father St. Nonnosus;
and so with the utmost devotion she made a vow
and anointed herself with oil from his lamp: which being
done, she was presently freed from all pains, as
she herself testified on the XV of February to the honor and glory of St.
Nonnosus.
XXVIII.
[35] The pious woman Anna Maria Schnapper, a citizen here
and wife of a tanner, a boy with convulsions, was afflicted with the utmost grief
because she knew not with what remedies she could bring help
to her little son, who labored under the gravest convulsions joined
with crying a, and free him from further
danger; at length she devotes her son
to the wonderful father St. Nonnosus. Scarcely was the vow
uttered when the disease ceased, and the boy recovered entire
health. This visible effect of favor
the mother made known to the due honor and praise of St.
Nonnosus.
XXIX.
[36] The aforesaid Anna Maria Schnapper at another
time, for a moderate interval, had her ears ringing so violently
that she feared lest she were in danger
of losing her hearing. In such affliction
she fled with confidence to St. Nonnosus: her mother with a ringing of the ears, she vows
some gift and a certain pious exercise:
and by the visible intercession of St. Nonnosus all ringing of the ears
ceased.
XXX.
[37] Sigismund Schnapper, a citizen here and a tanner,
suffered such great pains of the breast a man with pains of an oppressed breast. that
on account of the excessive oppression he was driven into the greatest
straits, especially because he knew of no
remedy by which he could free himself from so great a trouble.
The one refuge which remained to him
was St. Nonnosus, to whom with the utmost confidence,
prayers being poured out, he devoted himself together with a waxen breast,
and most happily too was heard by the powerful intercession
of this holy Father, and was freed from all pain and
oppression.
XXXI.
[38] Maria Heigl, a carpenter's wife, of Attenkirchen,
suffered such intolerable pains of both eyes
The pain of the eyes taken away by a vow and an anointing with the oil: that from their violence
she no longer knew what she should do.
All other remedies applied brought no
relief; but the pain always grew greater, so
that she even feared lest perhaps she should be wholly deprived of sight.
At length, since she had heard such things of the benefits of St.
Nonnosus, by an inward instinct she stirs up great
confidence in this holy Father by the uttering of a vow;
and afterwards anoints both eyes
with oil from his lamp. Which being done, from that
time and that very hour she was freed from all pain,
and altogether obtained the desired health of her eyes.
XXXII.
[39] Elisabeth Zwey, a citizen here and wife of a carpenter,
by a vow and prayers before the Saint's altar, a pain of the feet, was afflicted with such great pains of the left foot
that she could not walk without a staff.
And since she was ignorant of the cause of this malady, and
greatly feared something more dangerous, she fled to
the common helper and tutelary patron
St. Nonnosus. She vowed him a waxen foot, and certain
prayers: then she used all her strength, and
with the help of a staff betook herself, though not without
the utmost difficulty, to the crypt and altar of St.
Nonnosus: and after she had there fulfilled her vow
and poured out the most ardent prayers, without
further delay she was freed from all pain of the foot.
XXXIII.
[40] Anna Eder for three whole years labored under a pain
of the sides b, as also a long-lasting pleurisy: so that during this time
she endured many and frequently inexpressible pains.
She applied many remedies to be freed from this long-lasting
misery; but none of them all was so effectual
as to impart the desired health;
until at length she placed her hope in the great
wonder-worker St. Nonnosus. By his powerful
intercession and helping hand, after the vow was fulfilled
and the most ardent prayers poured out before his holy
altar, she recovered in that same hour; and was happily freed
from the bitter pain of the sides so long endured.
XXXIV.
[41] The most illustrious lady Maria Magdalena Eleonora,
countess of Haimhausen, an illustrious lady after a vow happily gives birth: born free
baroness de Rechling, in extreme necessity manifestly experienced
the most powerful aid and patronage of the wonderful St. Nonnosus,
to whose greater honor and to the amplification of his holy name
the aforesaid most illustrious lady countess handed over
a written account of the matter. For when
she was with child, and both before and in the very birth
was subjected to straits perilous even unto death,
she uttered a vow to St. Nonnosus, imploring his aid,
and promised that she would take care that
the benefit should be publicly published, her name not being kept silent.
Then she not only happily brought forth her child,
but afterwards also on all other
occasions remained free. This notable benefit
she herself, after God, ascribes to the great wonder-worker
St. Nonnosus, and gives due thanks.
XXXV.
[42] The helping and kindly hand of our great tutelary patron
and holy father Nonnosus was also experienced in his necessities
by the upright man Jacob Passauer, a certain man's little son healed, and afterwards an ox: a citizen here at Freising and
a tanner, who himself testified in writing to various benefits,
giving the greatest thanks to St. Nonnosus,
as will be clear in what follows. To the honor of God and of his
servant St. Nonnosus, I hereby publicly make known
that some weeks ago I sought aid
from the said St. Nonnosus in two afflictions,
and most happily found it, not without
comfort. First my little son had fallen into a disease,
to whom convulsions had often come on: that therefore
I might free my little son from this misery,
I placed all my hope in the holy father Nonnosus:
I devoted him to him with a small prayer
and a cheap votive offering: which being done,
not only did all the convulsions cease, but
also the little boy was in a short time freed from his other disease.
Secondly an ox had fallen sick, one
exceedingly necessary to my household,
and that so dangerously that I had to reckon him as good
as lost. But when, after a sermon delivered in the cathedral church,
I had understood from a public announcement from the pulpit
that some benefit had been imparted by the intercession of St. Nonnosus,
I at once betook myself into the crypt
to the altar of St. Nonnosus, poured out there my slight prayers
to obtain aid for the sick ox,
and added a small gift. Then I went home again,
and found the above-mentioned sick ox already wholly
safe and sound. Which benefit I believe fell to me so much the sooner
because, in paying the aforesaid prayers, I firmly purposed
that, if I were heard in this matter, I would take care
that it should be publicly published to the honor of St. Nonnosus, even
with my name added. This therefore I perform
with grateful mind, and most humbly beg the great St. Nonnosus
for his powerful intercession further
for me and mine.
XXXVI.
[43] The honorable and pious woman Haimperger, here
a citizen of Freising and wife of an embroiderer, a woman wondrously freed from a bone sticking in her throat. when after
enduring an illness she wished again to go to church,
ordered a broth to be prepared for her beforehand, that she might
strengthen her weak stomach and wearied body.
But while she was eating, unexpectedly
she swallowed a little bone, equal in size to the joint
of the greater finger, in such a way that the little bone stuck in her throat,
and the aforesaid Haimperger could scarcely
draw breath, much less speak, and so
began not only to grow livid in her whole face,
but even to vomit blood and almost to go mad.
In this great misfortune and danger of life
the husband of the aforesaid Haimperger ardently
admonished and exhorted her that in this necessity
she should place her only hope in the wonderful St. Nonnosus,
which also she very soon did,
devoting herself to the holy helping Father by a certain pious work.
But now hear a wondrous deed. Suddenly
after the vow was uttered the bone sticking in her throat vanished,
and that indeed in such a way — so that the matter may appear
the more wondrous — that neither he nor Haimperger herself
to this day know whither it went:
but she was at once healed. Besides, on this
matter, for greater security, sworn witnesses being called,
an examination was instituted c. To God
and to his wonderful St. Nonnosus be therefore eternal
thanksgiving, praise, honor, and glory; to whose
greater promotion this great miracle
was afterwards publicly published from the pulpit
in the year MDCCXI, on the XXIV of May.
ANNOTATA.
either because their pain is external and is moved by touch,
or because it is without fever, or
without spitting, or without cough, or without difficulty of breathing,
or because the pulse shows neither tension nor any
hardness. And so I should judge that it was a certain kind
of pleurisy that was not true, which
had lasted three years.
CHAPTER IV.
The continuation of the miracles of the same year 1711.
XXXVII.
Sigismund Schnapper, an honorable man, a citizen here
and a tanner, A certain man's foot healed after a vow to publish the benefit, was troubled in the year MDCCX
by an ulcer arisen on one of his feet. Wherefore on account of
continual pains, both in walking and also in working, he not only
suffered great difficulty,
but was also at some times
incapable of both. To drive off this
ulcer he used various poultices and ointments.
But since he did not feel that by any of them he was better,
he fled to the best surgeon, St. Nonnosus,
to whom he devoted himself by promising some
work of religion, and at the same time promised that, if the healing
of his foot should follow by his patronage, he would take care
that this benefit should be publicly published from the pulpit.
As soon as the vow was uttered,
his foot mended from day to day, and in a very short
time was wholly healed.
[45] [and, the publishing being neglected, the malady returning was taken away by a second vow:] For the health obtained the above-said
Schnapper indeed rejoiced, but, by I know not what
negligence and forgetfulness, he in no way took care that this benefit
received from St. Nonnosus should be published from the pulpit,
as he had promised. What
at last happened? In the very next year,
namely in the now-passing MDCCXI, the old pains again attacked
the foot of Sigismund Schnapper, and his ulcer,
as before, gaped open. He at once remembers
that he had been most ungrateful toward his holy
helper St. Nonnosus, and had not stood by his promises.
He therefore collects himself and grieves over
his error, with most humble prayers added: and with the utmost
confidence repeating his vow, he promises that, if aid were again
brought him by the patronage of St. Nonnosus, he would
manifest to everyone, to his honor, not only the new benefit
but also the negligence ungratefully committed.
From that time and that same hour in which this new vow was uttered,
the pains again ceased, and Schnapper himself obtained
a second time the perfect healing of his foot.
This benefit obtained he himself afterwards as soon as possible
ordered to be made known from the public pulpit in due thanksgiving
and to the magnifying of the holy name of the great wonder-worker
St. Nonnosus.
XXXVIII.
[46] The honorable man Georg Nehr, a citizen here
and a shoemaker, likewise colic gripes taken away by a vow, in the year MDCCX was suddenly seized with such
violent colic pains, continued for five or
six days, that on account of the excessive violence of the pains
everyone commonly despaired of his recovery and of the preservation
of his life. In these dangerous and deadly straits,
since all that had been applied availed nothing,
he lifts his cast-down spirit with the utmost confidence to
the wonderful St. Nonnosus, that in so great a misery
he might stretch out to him a gracious and helping hand
and turn away the danger of death almost at hand.
Then he vows that he will take care, in honor of this great Father,
that two sacrifices of the Mass be celebrated at his altar,
and that he will hang up a votive tablet. A stupendous thing! Scarcely had the aforesaid
Georg Nehr uttered his vow thus
when suddenly the intolerable torment ceases,
the colic gripes cease, and the sick man most happily
obtains his former health.
XXXIX.
[47] In the very next year MDCCXI the aforesaid
Georg Nehr was again seized by a most grievous disease:
and afterwards the same man's disease of the joints, for through his whole body arthritis a had with the utmost
force so prevailed that he could use neither his hands
nor his feet, nor was he even able to lift
those limbs. In such trouble and frequent
pains he again knew not where to seek aid
save from his old helper
and kindly father St. Nonnosus. And so
again with the utmost confidence he fled to him,
and vows one sacrifice of the Mass, to be celebrated at his altar
after health was recovered:
he added that he would most humbly pay his prayers with thanksgiving.
His prayers poured out with confidence
the admirable saint Nonnosus heard as soon as possible,
and again imparted perfect health to the grievously afflicted
sick man. These two benefits, greater than can be explained,
Georg Nehr with most humble thanksgiving
wished to be made known and committed to writing to the greater honor
of St. Nonnosus.
XL.
[48] A memorable benefit, which the renowned St. Nonnosus
of prodigious beneficence bestowed another disease with the gravest pains,
and which was conferred on him, the religious and reverend lord
Franz Anton Pez, a priest here at Freising,
testifies with his own hand, as follows. On the X day of February
MDCCXI almighty God sent upon me so inexplicable
and so bitter a malady of the left foot
that in the six whole years in which I have now lain sick
I never suffered such great pains,
and that indeed in such a way that, since half of my body
as far as the sole of the foot had swollen, I could not
even move my foot, and for fourteen whole
days had to be lifted from the bed in a sheet, and so
laid back in it. All the remedies prescribed and applied,
which I used abundantly, availed nothing;
but only, as I think, created for me greater and more violent
pains. For this cause, since all human
helps and remedies were of no effect, having conceived firm
confidence, I promised St. Nonnosus a Mass to be said
to his honor, a votive tablet,
two candles of white wax, and something small,
according to my slender means, to be put into the treasury.
A wondrous thing! Scarcely had I uttered this vow
when at once I felt a notable change and a mitigation
of the pains, and gradually these violent
pains wholly departed and vanished.
XLI.
[49] Maria Gulder, of Neustift, suffered the most violent
and grievous pains of the head,
and in no way knew by what remedies she could be freed
from these pains. a violent pain of the head, But when her grief continually
grew on account of the violence of the pain,
she at length fled with great confidence to
the holy father Nonnosus, and devotes herself to him,
a certain pious work being promised. This being done, she was freed
from all pain of the head, as she desired.
XLII.
[50] The honorable man Sebastian Rainalder, a paver
at Neustift, pain of the eyes and teeth, some years since had so suffered
in his eyes and teeth that the continual and immense
pains which he endured seemed almost intolerable:
and although he applied many and various
remedies to the malady, yet none of them all
could avail him for healing. And so,
since natural remedies were fruitless, he resolved
to seek spiritual ones. Wherefore with the utmost
confidence he places his hope in the wonder-worker St. Nonnosus.
He vows that, besides some gift to be offered,
he will also take care that in the cathedral church of this city,
at the Saint's altar, a solemn Mass be celebrated
in his honor. The vow being uttered,
the pains at once began to cease from day to day,
and in a short time he recovered entire health.
Wherefore first to almighty God, and then
to his helper St. Nonnosus, he gave endless thanks,
and took care that this great benefit should be publicly published
to the amplification of his holy name.
XLIII.
[51] Johann Willhelm, an honorable man and a tailor
at Wolfersdorf, a dangerous swelling of a bone, for four whole years had his right hand
disfigured with a vast swelling of the bone,
not without great inconvenience. To drive off this malady
he used during all that time various remedies,
which, however, were all of no effect and without
any result. At length a short time ago
the swelling opened with violent pains. When he was thus
driven into great cares and straits,
not only on account of the increased pains, but
also because it was rightly to be feared lest he should suffer another
and that a great danger from his hand,
in these straits, since he had already heard
many wonders of St. Nonnosus, he stirs up in his mind
great confidence, by which he might flee
to the patronage of St. Nonnosus. He vows therefore that,
to his honor, here at Freising before his altar
in the crypt, besides a gift to be offered,
he will perform a certain exercise of religion. He girds himself
without delay for the journey and betakes himself to Freising:
and after in the said crypt before the relics
of St. Nonnosus he had offered a little gift and
had performed a pious work with the utmost devotion, all
pain at once ceased, and the gaping swelling of the bone
vanished. This benefit obtained the aforesaid
Johann Willhelm in due thanksgiving,
and to the perpetual praise of St. Nonnosus, made known
in writing, and made known to everyone.
XLIV.
52] Sebastian Zänglmayr, a man of honorable life, [a grave malady arising from a fall,likewise acknowledges in a written account the wonder-working
and beneficent hand of saint Nonnosus:
for when not long ago he had fallen so grievously
and dangerously that he could no longer move himself,
much less walk, but had to lie in bed,
with the utmost confidence he fled solely
to the father renowned for prodigies, St. Nonnosus:
he vows that in his honor he will once pay the prayers of the Marian
rosary, and will offer a waxen image,
and finally will put something into the treasury.
As soon as the vow was uttered,
he immediately (most humble thanks be to almighty God
and to the great St. Nonnosus) began to be better,
and thus in a very few days recovered.
XLV.
[53] Simon Binder, an honorable man, a citizen here
and a shoemaker, pain of the eyes, together with his wife testifies that his little daughter
long suffered the greatest pains of the eyes.
That the parents might free their beloved daughter from these,
they applied various remedies, which, however,
availed nothing. At length, confidence in St. Nonnosus being conceived,
they fled to him. They devoted their daughter to him
by some religious work and a little gift to be offered.
These things being done, at once the pains of the eyes
together with all danger vanished.
XLVI.
[54] Johann Habert, a man of honorable life, a citizen
of this city and a trumpeter, pain of the feet, for a long time suffered the greatest
pains of the feet and most violent stabbings.
But when he had already used various remedies,
yet without healing or effect,
with the utmost confidence he vowed to the holy father Nonnosus
that he would offer him a waxen image and
pay certain prayers. The vow being uttered, at once by the powerful
patronage of the wonderful St. Nonnosus the sharp stabbing
ceased and all pain vanished; for which benefit
he gives due thanks first to God, then to the holy father
Nonnosus.
XLVII.
[55] Eva Ober, born at Landshut b, who now
for many years to this day has been in service here at Freising,
pain of the teeth lessened, on account of a tooth unhappily drawn,
for nine years, and indeed at some times, suffered such
violent and intolerable pains of the teeth
that for that cause she very often had to give over food and
the most necessary drink and all labor.
In so many years she could find no remedy
by which to free herself from this malady.
In that long-lasting affliction she devoted herself by one sacrifice
of the Mass and certain appointed prayers to St. Nonnosus
here in the crypt, and also often
used oil from his lamp. These things being done,
the violent pains, recurring on certain days,
so passed away that she can at least bear the pains
calmly, and perform her works, and enjoy the necessary
food and drink. This therefore, that she might fittingly
give due thanks to St. Nonnosus, she wished
to be publicly published.
XLVIII.
[56] The reverend in Christ and religious lord
Georg Schnevogl, afflictions of body and mind, a Paulinian c in the most illustrious
cathedral church here at Freising, testifies
that in the past month of March of the now-passing year
MDCCXI, by the patronage of St. Nonnosus and by the use of oil from
his lamp, he was heard on various occasions in certain afflictions
of body and mind. For
which benefit he desired, by publicly giving his name,
to render most humble thanks to the holy father Nonnosus.
XLIX.
[57] Eva Peur, widow of a stableman here, in lifting
something had so wrenched some part of her body and pains of a wrenched body.
that for a long time she endured the greatest pains:
and because these did not cease, and she was hindered
from her work, she placed her hope in the holy
father Nonnosus, and promised that she would take care
that a sacred sacrifice of the Mass should be read to his honor.
Hence by the aid and patronage of the wonder-working saint
Nonnosus she began to be better and was healed.
ANNOTATA.
CHAPTER V.
The continuation of the same miracles.
Johann Polzinger, of Tüching near Freising,
publicly testifies to the honor and glory of the holy
father Nonnosus freed by the Saint's aid from pain of the eyes, that for a very long time he was afflicted
with the most violent pains of the left eye,
from which the various remedies applied could in no way
free him; until
at length he fled to the wonder-working saint Nonnosus,
and with firm confidence implored his powerful patronage,
which also he manifestly experienced: for, as soon as he had
uttered his vow to this great Patron and helper, and
had anointed his eye with oil from his lamp,
the pains ceased, and he obtained perfect health
of his eye.
LI.
[59] Anna Maria Grebmayr, an upright woman
and a citizen of Freising, long-lasting pain of the teeth, for a whole year was so grievously afflicted
with intolerable pains of the teeth that
all the remedies applied could in no way free her from the said
pains. But afterwards she placed all her hope
solely in the great father Nonnosus:
and as soon as she had promised him a waxen tooth,
and had offered it in the crypt at his altar, joining
ardent prayers, by the powerful patronage
of St. Nonnosus she was freed from that bitter pain of the teeth.
LII.
[60] Ursula Mössner, a woman earning her living here by her own
labor, a pain of the side, for a very long time suffered the greatest
pains of the side: and since
she could obtain no remedies by which she might be freed
from such pains, with the best faith she fled to
the wonder-working St. Nonnosus. She betook herself to the crypt;
she offered a waxen knife a at his altar,
and, ardent prayers being poured out, by the prodigious
aid and patronage of St. Nonnosus all pain
of the sides ceased.
LIII.
[61] Joseph Anton Grainlehner, of Eggenfelden
b, a manifest and present danger of life, unmarried and a painter, in a present danger of life
experienced the manifest aid of the glorious father Nonnosus.
For when, night now coming on,
he wished on horseback to betake himself to a certain castle,
he came into a dark wood, through
which he went on so long that, straying from the right road
on account of the excessive and thick darkness, he almost
did not know where he was, or whither to turn.
Yet he was unwilling to remain through the night in the wood; but
let his horse go always forward, though not without
great danger to his life. For as he thus went on continually
by a way always more and more uncertain,
at length, three hours having now passed, he came to
the very summit of a mountain. There, since in no
way could he picture to himself the situation of the place,
a great horror seized him, since he feared lest in such
a case of the darkest night he should fall unexpectedly into the utmost
danger. Wherefore he dismounted from his horse,
and lifted his mind, stricken with fear, to heaven,
and by an inward instinct with firm confidence fled to the wondrous
protection of the father St. Nonnosus, ardently invoking him,
that in that necessity he would stretch out a helping hand,
and, turning away all danger, would bring him back into the way:
then he vows that, if he escape the danger, besides some prayers
to be paid, he will hang a votive offering at his altar
to the honor of St. Nonnosus. These pious vows being made,
he cast himself on his knees, meaning by creeping
to try whether perhaps with his hands he could find some path.
But behold! Scarcely had he crept forward two or three paces
at the most, when with the utmost horror
and trembling he perceives that there remained no ground there
but a precipice overhanging the Isar, as it presently came into his mind,
flowing past below, where necessarily, had he not dismounted from his horse
and made his vows to St. Nonnosus, he would have been hurled
together with the horse from the top of the mountain into the river.
Being freed from so manifest a danger of life,
at once in that very place he gave thanks with his whole heart
to his most powerful helper St. Nonnosus;
then all trembling he seized his horse
and led him back into the wood, until at length
the darkness of night was put to flight, and he himself at first dawn
(the place where he had been in danger of his life having first been considered
not without horror and trembling) came again from the byway
into the right road. So notable a benefit
Grainlehner himself impressed deeply on his mind,
and then, that he might give due thanks to the wonder-working father
St. Nonnosus, most religiously fulfilled his vow.
LIV.
[62] The honorable and pious maiden Maria Magdalena
Schnevogl here confesses pains of the foot, that for a long time she was troubled
with great pains of the right foot. In
this great affliction she flees to the holy father
Nonnosus: and therefore she betakes herself to the cathedral
church, and creeps through the crypt to the stone
sarcophagus, where now a particle of the relics of St. Nonnosus is deposited,
and in which formerly his sacred body had lain hidden
for so many centuries: and pious prayers being poured out there,
she offered at the altar of the holy father Nonnosus a waxen image.
These things being done, as soon as she rose from her prayers,
she at once felt herself entirely healed,
and without any pain could return home.
For this grace she attributes immortal praise first to God:
then she gave most humble thanks to the great
wonder-worker St. Nonnosus.
LV.
[63] Johann Abraham Zweckstötter, born
at Carrodunum c, a dangerous ulcer, but at that time a pupil of the famous
abbey of Weihenstephan [d], in the past spring was seized
with a fever: but after the fever, remedies being applied,
had left him, a little after there arose
under his shoulder a very great ulcer. But when
a surgeon had been called to heal him,
as soon as he saw the ulcer he shrank from it;
nor could he promise the aforesaid youth healing before four or five
months. Meanwhile for some time poultices were applied,
which created for this youth such violent pains
that he could neither enjoy necessary food
nor take rest by day or night. But when
in the space of ten days he had scarcely filled three hours with sleeping,
and therefore from want of sleep the strength of his body
was failing; and when moreover it was feared lest
some greater malady should befall, the youth was admonished
by his Father director to flee
to the holy wonder-worker Nonnosus, and to implore
his aid to obtain health.
And so the upright youth with great confidence
promises that he will not only run through the beads of the Marian
rosary in prayer and offer a waxen image,
but also creep three times through the crypt near the stone
sarcophagus of the Saint. On the following
day, namely the XXX e, with great desire and hope
he goes to Freising to the altar of St. Nonnosus, and there
with the utmost ardor fulfills his vow. A moment
after he seems to feel himself better, and experienced it more
on returning home, because he could now more easily and without pain
lift his arm on high. On the same day toward evening, when
the surgeon wished to apply a fresh poultice, and
had it in mind to open with his instrument the ulcer, which on the preceding day
had been moderately uncovered by the poultice,
and to insert a tent,
not without terror and the greatest amazement he saw
that the ulcer had already wholly subsided; and when on the following
day, on account of the novelty of the thing, he wished to see whether
the ulcer had truly vanished, neither he nor the others present
found either swelling or any other sign of ulcer.
But the youth from that time, although
before for two years he had needed every week
medicines, has to this hour remained sound
and unharmed. To God most high and
to the great wonder-worker St. Nonnosus be immortal
and immense thanks for so great a benefit.
LVI.
[64] A certain person consecrated to God, who was occupied
with certain business, with grievous pains of the body, was suddenly seized with the greatest
pains of the body, so that she rightly
feared lest on account of the danger she should be altogether confined to bed,
and thus necessarily be hindered from the business appointed.
In these straits and cares the said person
with the utmost confidence fled to the holy
father Nonnosus, and promised that, besides a waxen
votive offering and something to be put into the treasury,
she would creep through the crypt to the stone sarcophagus of St. Nonnosus.
The vow being uttered, on that
very day the dangerous pain wholly ceased. And that
she might show herself grateful for this benefit,
she afterwards fulfilled her vow to the honor and praise of the holy abbot
Nonnosus with most humble thanksgiving.
LVII.
[65] The honorable and well-born Johann Georg
Poll, a rupture, a citizen here and a leather-dresser, and a guardsman
of the most exalted prince, likewise experienced the kindly aid of the holy
father Nonnosus, while he was in the greatest affliction
on account of his son. For
his son, also called Johann Georg,
in the fifteenth year of his age suddenly began to suffer
from a rupture, which for a time the boy out of shame
was unwilling to reveal to anyone; but at length
on account of the pains he could not longer conceal his malady from his parents.
The parents then in their horror
knew not what to do, and how
to free their son from this malady. In these straits
they neglected all human remedies and helps,
and only with the greatest hope and firm confidence
fled to the great wonder-worker St. Nonnosus,
and devoted their son to him.
This being done, they went together with the boy's grandmother for some
days into the crypt to St. Nonnosus, and there
persisted in their piety: the boy himself there several times
crept with devotion through the stone sarcophagus of St. Nonnosus,
and afterwards anointed himself with oil
from his lamp. These things being done, each time
the malady was diminished; and when the ninth time he anointed himself
with the oil, the aforesaid dangerous rupture wholly
vanished, so that not even the least sign of it can be seen
to this hour. In due thanksgiving
they afterwards took care that this great benefit should be published
from the public pulpit, to the amplification of the honor and glory of St. Nonnosus.
LVIII.
[66] A woman who for some continuous days
had suffered the greatest pains of a certain disease, by another disease,
in that affliction fled only to the holy father
Nonnosus, and promised that she would take care
that a sacred sacrifice of the Mass be celebrated once,
and moreover would offer something else. This
being done, the pains ceased on that very day, and she
obtained the health she longed for: for which benefit
to God and to the great saint Nonnosus be eternal
praises and thanks.
LIX.
[67] A certain person had for about two years a vast
swelling on her left hand, and by a vast swelling on the left hand. which for all
that time very often brought her the greatest pains.
Since therefore by no other remedy
could she drive it off, in this misery she devoted herself to St. Nonnosus
by some gift to be offered
and other pious works. The vow being afterwards fulfilled with great
devotion, at the very time of prayer the swelling
so vanished that only a slight trace of it
remained. This illustrious benefit and manifest
miracle, to the highest praise of God,
and that she might give most humble thanks to her so kindly helper
St. Nonnosus, she made known to all who were at that
time present in the crypt. And when
a little after even that remaining and least
trace of the swelling wholly vanished, she ordered this grace
to be published from the public pulpit, to the greater honor of this her holy tutelary
Patron and to the amplification of his praise.
ANNOTATA.
a. A knife
rather, I think, than anything else she offered, that she might suggest that her side was tortured
with such stabbings as if it were cut or pricked with a knife;
as indeed happens to those who labor under pleurisy, or pain of the side.
CHAPTER VI.
The remaining printed miracles.
LX.
The most illustrious and generous lord Johann Christoph
Egkher, The Saint heals a dangerous disease and a grievous pain of the head, lord of Käpfing and
Liechtenegg, master of the horse of the most exalted prince, etc.,
to the praise and honor of God
almighty first, and of his venerable Mother,
and of his helper the illustrious St. Nonnosus,
and in thanksgiving testifies in writing that
in his most grievous disease and most dangerous state
he placed his hope in the holy father Nonnosus,
and promised him that he would take care that in his honor
certain sacred sacrifices of the Mass should be celebrated,
and moreover that he would put some gift into the treasury.
These things being done, he experienced the Saint's powerful patronage
and manifest aid.
Nay also, when the aforesaid most illustrious lord
was suddenly attacked by an intolerable pain of the head,
and it had swollen exceedingly all round and in the middle,
he ordered himself to be anointed with oil from the lamp of St. Nonnosus,
and after a quarter of an hour all pain
so departed that afterwards to this time he has felt
such pains no more. This notable benefit the often-mentioned most illustrious lord,
to pay immortal thanks and
to the honor of St. Nonnosus, wished to be made known to everyone
and announced from the public pulpit.
LXI.
[69] The ingenious lord Thomas Pfärte, musician of this court,
by a disease thrice repeated, likewise devoted his little son to St. Nonnosus in a certain dangerous
disease, by whose patronage and by the use of oil from his lamp
the boy was a second time also freed from this disease.
But since the said harmful disease again a third time
attacked the boy, he fled again with greater faith and confidence
to the wonder-worker St. Nonnosus;
and, after he had poured out ardent prayers and had anointed
the affected part with oil from the Saint's lamp,
he promised that he would take care that the grace received be announced
from the public pulpit. Then his little son
again obtained a cure divinely given, and
to this day enjoys full health. In due
thanksgiving the father afterwards made this known by a public announcement.
LXII.
[70] Katharina Pader, living in Neustift a,
not knowing for what cause, he restores speech to a dumb woman: for four whole
years so lacked the use of her tongue that at last, although
she used all her strength, no word could for a long time be perceived
from her. At that time she used various remedies given here
and there, and also the services of a surgeon, yet all availed nothing
to restore the use of her tongue. Meanwhile the newly found
body of the holy abbot Nonnosus, on the day when the feast of the translation
was most splendidly celebrated, was deposited in this most illustrious
cathedral, where the above-said
Katharina Pader was inwardly urged to seek help
from this new Patron. She therefore vowed
with the utmost faith and confidence that, to the honor
of the wonder-worker St. Nonnosus, she would pay some certain
devotion, and would hang a votive offering at his
altar. Take a wondrous thing. The vow being uttered,
at once in that very hour and at the same
time speech was so restored to her that everyone could
perceive her speaking. But, although
afterwards she performed the promised works of devotion at St.
Nonnosus's altar with due thanksgiving,
yet, as she herself confessed, on account of her present
poverty, and with forgetfulness coming on,
she omitted to hang up the votive offering promised. Nevertheless
she enjoyed continual speech, but such as
was heard to be hoarse. But at length, after frequent
promptings that she should gratefully keep what
she had promised to her great Patron and helper,
in this present year MDCCXI she ordered a votive offering to be made,
and afterwards, joining ardent prayers,
hung it at the Saint's altar. This being done,
she obtained by the patronage of St. Nonnosus an even more perfect
speech, and uses it to this hour without
inconvenience. This exceptional benefit, in thanksgiving
to the perpetual praise and glory of the great abbot Nonnosus,
she made known and took care to have published
from the public pulpit.
LXIII.
[71] A certain lady of the first rank, who for certain causes
would not willingly reveal her name, he heals a woman wounded by a fall, yet confesses in writing to the honor and glory
of St. Nonnosus that by an unexpected fall a wound was inflicted on her
which not only increased more and more from day to day,
but also brought her the greatest pains. In such straits and such affliction
she fled to none other than to the great wonder-worker St. Nonnosus,
in whom she placed her hope, vowing to him that she would take care
that a sacred sacrifice of the Mass be celebrated to his honor;
and moreover using oil from his lamp, with which
she anointed herself daily. Doing these things, in a very short time,
no other remedy being applied, she was freed from this malady of the body
and from the bitter wound. This
favor she wished to be announced from the public pulpit in due thanksgiving
and to the greater honor and glory of the holy father
Nonnosus.
LXIV.
[72] In a like affliction Wilgefortis Kopseder,
living in Neustift, as also a boy's wound. experienced the beneficent and helping
hand of the wonderful St. Nonnosus:
for when her little son, named Matthias, nine
years old, suddenly incurred some malady of the body b,
the poor woman knew not what to do with her son.
But since the mother was unwilling to entrust the boy
to a surgeon, she neglected all natural remedies,
and with the utmost confidence turned
to the common and great father and patron
St. Nonnosus, most ardently imploring his powerful patronage,
and anointing her son's wound with oil from his lamp.
In this way as soon as possible
all pain ceased, and the son was wholly freed from the malady of his body,
and so healed
that not even the least trace of it remained.
Concerning which sworn witnesses were heard and examined
by the court. This notable and inexplicable benefit,
in thanksgiving and to the perpetual praise and amplification of the name of St.
Nonnosus, was publicly announced from the pulpit.
LXV.
[73] Maria Marck, a poor mother of a family here,
was long afflicted with such great pains of her limbs and stomach
A woman freed from a pain of the joints and a malady of the stomach, that, deprived of all human help and remedies,
she in no way knew by what means she might free herself
from so great an affliction and manifold pains.
At length in her weakness, with the utmost
confidence she fled to the kindly father St. Nonnosus,
and promised that she would pay in his honor
some appointed devotion, and would put something,
as far as her poverty allowed, into the treasury. These things being done, a little after,
by the powerful patronage of St. Nonnosus, she was freed from the violent pain
of her joints and the grievous weakness of her stomach,
and was wholly healed.
LXVI.
[74] Sebastian Heinrich, a carpenter at
Vötting near Freising, a man with a long-lasting fever, with the utmost pains,
and with a wearing away of his strength, for eighteen whole weeks
struggled with a tertian fever, from which neither
the helps of physicians nor other remedies applied
could free him. But as soon as with firm
faith and confidence he fled to the wonder-working father St.
Nonnosus, and promised him, besides certain prayers
and another exercise of devotion, that he would
take care that a sacred sacrifice of the Mass be read to his
honor, he was at once freed from the long-lasting fever,
and most happily recovered his former health.
This excellent benefit
he afterwards made known in due thanksgiving and
to the greater honor of the holy father Nonnosus,
and took care that it be published.
LXVII.
[75] Lorenz Pals, an honorable blacksmith
of Freising, in a place here called Pichl, testifies
in writing that for more than ten years he endured such a ringing
in his head that he wholly lost the hearing of his left ear.
In so long a time he applied very many
and various remedies. But when
by none of them was he better, another with a ringing in the head, by which he had lost the use of one ear, much less freed
from such an inconvenience and from that grievous affliction,
at length he placed his hope in the great wonder-worker
St. Nonnosus, to whom he fled, vowing
one sacrifice of the Mass and some small thing
to be put into the treasury. The vow being uttered,
that troublesome ringing in the head as soon as possible ceased,
and he recovered the hearing he had lost by the powerful patronage
of St. Nonnosus.
LXVIII.
[76] At another time the above-said Lorenz Pals
again manifestly experienced in his afflictions the kindly
aid of the great St. Nonnosus. and with a grievous pain of the eyes. For,
when for more than eight days he had been troubled with grievous pains
of the eyes, he again fled to his helper
the holy father Nonnosus; and vowed
that, to obtain the healing of his eyes,
he would once run through the prayer-beads of the Marian rosary,
and would put something into the treasury.
He therefore goes to the crypt and altar
of St. Nonnosus, and begins the prayers he promised. But behold
a prodigy! While he runs through the sacred chaplet,
at once he feels himself better, and in that same
moment the pain of the eyes vanished. These two
great benefits he noted down in most humble thanksgiving
and to the perpetual praise of the great St. Nonnosus,
and took care that they be announced publicly from the pulpit
c.
ANNOTATA.
THE MIRACLES
Done from the year 1711 to the year 1744, rendered into Latin from a German Ms. by the translator R. Fr. M. C.
Nonnosus, provost of the monastery of Mount Soracte, in the Church of Etruria. (S.) a
from a German ms.
By the patronage of St. Nonnosus, a pain of the head and neck, Anna Katharina Schuech Leuttner, a maiden,
was tormented with a vast pain of the head and neck:
she flees to the holy and prodigious father Nonnosus,
anoints herself with oil from his lamp, certain
prayers being paid and a modest coin cast into the treasury.
The pain at once gave way. To God and St.
Nonnosus be endless thanks!
[2] a fever, Simon Sämer of the village of Vötting b, seized with a fever and sharp
pains of the head, devoted himself to St. Nonnosus,
and promised a Marian rosary and money
to be spent on the Saint's honors.
No sooner did he promise than the fever left him.
Let due thanks be to God and St. Nonnosus!
[3] a rupture, A projecting swelling, and a rupture coming on with great pains,
so cast down the strength of Georg Kizes, a baker,
that he was believed likely to be unequal to the labors of his craft.
The oil from the lamp of St. Nonnosus raised him up,
with which he anointed himself, after he had promised the Saint
a waxen image and a small coin, and to recite three chaplets.
[4] Anna Graf, wife of a mason and citizen of Freising,
a pain of the side and of the teeth, for nearly a whole year endured unheard-of pains of the side:
in a moment she recovered, when
she devoted herself to St. Nonnosus, full of prodigies, with only a single Rosary
and an offering of money. The same woman
with her five-year-old child experienced the same helper in bitter pains
of the teeth, as soon as by vow she promised
that she would offer two waxen images.
[5] Johann Paul Peibl, a mason at Vötting,
being touched with hemiplegia on the left side, hemiplegia, called St. Nonnosus into his vows:
oil from the lamp being applied
and certain prayers joined, he was restored to his former vigor
and returned to his labors.
[6] Johann Christian Karl Immel, court printer,
blindness from smallpox, and his wife commended by vow to the holy father Nonnosus
their little son Joachim Benedict, blind now for some
days from smallpox,
a modest offering into the treasury being promised,
and an appointed prayer. They added that, if the light
of his eyes returned, they would take care that this benefit
should be publicly published from the pulpit. Presently
his eyes were anointed with oil from the lamp, entire sight
returned, and the parents with the utmost thanksgiving
freed themselves from their vow.
[7] Pains of the back greatly troubled Maria Maurer
of Weihenstephan. a pain of the back, These the oil from the lamp of St.
Nonnosus soothed and wholly wiped away, whom as patron,
a sacrifice of the Mass being promised,
with two tapers and a task of prayers, she had invoked
full of confidence.
[8] A twofold benefit Maria Pichler, a maidservant,
received by the aid of St. Nonnosus. pains of the sides and of the head, First for pains
of the sides and heart she found a remedy, oil being drawn from the lamp
and these parts anointed,
offering a waxen knife with the recitation of the Rosary out of religious observance of her vow.
Then violent pains of the head at once ceased, when she applied
oil again from the lamp, and, a waxen head being offered
and the Marian chaplet recited, showed herself grateful
to the holy Benefactor.
[9] That like pains in the foot were instantly driven off by an anointing with oil from
the lamp, Franz Pey, a musician in the collegiate church of St. Andrew, testifies; a pain of the foot,
and he offered in the Saint's honor a waxen foot, prayers,
and an appointed sum of money.
[10] In the utmost pains of the teeth and ears
Maria Helena Jacquemin made a vow to St. Nonnosus. pains of the teeth and ears,
She was heard, and paid her vow, when
she paid the appointed prayers and the offering, and took care that the benefit
be publicly published.
[11] Gripings of the bowels recalled to Wilhelm Schuester of the city of Landshut
the prodigious aid of St. Nonnosus. gripings of the bowels, He vowed a pilgrimage
and a waxen gift: and with those vows he began to be healed.
[12] Maria Ursula Jochart, when her legs had suffered a defect of hands
and feet, a malady of the legs, was able neither to work
nor to walk; a vow being made to St. Nonnosus,
with a single rosary and a certain votive offering
she bought back her health.
[13] Her little son Franz Nonnosus, whom convulsions had brought
to the last extremity, made Maria Anna Schumager,
wife of the court trumpeter, convulsions, uniquely anxious.
When all art and nature refused to heal,
St. Nonnosus was at hand, to whom she had vowed a Mass to be read,
and the child revived from the death which was feared.
[14] An infant had passed only thirteen weeks in living,
ulcers, and was foul with many ulcers.
The parents commit him to the protection of St. Nonnosus,
anoint him with oil from his lamp, and, a few prayers being paid
and a waxen image set up, they see him recover.
[15] deadly convulsions, The eleven-year-old daughter of Andreas Manhart, Magdalena,
suddenly overwhelmed by convulsions, had given no further
sign of life: when it came into her parent's mind
to entreat St. Nonnosus: he pours out prayers,
and takes care that a Mass be read, and afterwards perceived
that his daughter was well sooner than he had thought. That the benefit
might become known to all, he ordered it to be published from the pulpit.
[16] a malady of the eyes, Ægidius Vinderle, who worked for a nailsmith,
for three months now sought a remedy for healing
the pains of both eyes: he found an eye-doctor
in St. Nonnosus, and for so great a benefit gratefully paid a waxen
token, prayers, and a modest coin.
[17] an ulcer, Balthasar Körnberger, of the same craft,
born at Landshut, was afflicted with a most evil ulcer in his right foot,
which by no art closed up: the wound closed
as soon as he applied oil from the lamp of St.
Nonnosus, and, praying piously, set up the memorial of a waxen votive offering
and something of alms in the treasury.
This benefit too, since it seemed unusual,
was published from the pulpit.
[18] a fever with cough and pleurisy, A malignant fever, a violent cough, and moreover
a pleurisy fell upon Johann Michael Berckmann,
a citizen and linen-weaver of Freising,
so that against these maladies no human remedy
seemed to remain. Wherefore, taught by this threefold disease
to make haste, he ran to St. Nonnosus,
and strives to entreat him as his Physician, a vow being conceived
of divers prayers and of a waxen and a monetary gift.
He, not hard to persuade, that very night both compelled
the fever to yield, and the troubles of the cough
and the injuries of the sides to be silent.
[19] two other necessities, A twofold and grave necessity compelled the most illustrious
lady countess de Trauner, born free baroness de
Bodmann, wife of the supreme marshal of the court of Kempten [c],
to flee to St. Nonnosus.
Having experienced the manifest hand of the Saint, that
she might show herself grateful, she sent a messenger to carry
a golden ring crowned with a diamond to Freising to the remains of the divine
Patron, and openly to proclaim the benefits received.
[20] a disease of a father and daughter, Likewise Heinrich Baur declared himself debtor
for a twofold benefit, when he, held by a grave infirmity,
the Saint's aid being invoked, recovered a second time, and
his daughter Maria Katharina, brought into the last
peril of life, happily escaped. That this gift of heaven
might be made public to all, he religiously conceived a vow.
[21] an ulcer with convulsions, Maria Barbara Kärpf, wife of a court musician,
hastened to commend the health of her daughter of the same name
to the holy Abbot, when a twofold hostile ulcer,
to which vast pains and convulsions themselves had been added,
compelled her to despair of her life. The ulcer broke at once,
and in a moment the convulsions with the pains grew quiet. Joyfully
she paid her vow, having promised that for a whole year at the Saint's altar
she would weave the Marian chaplet with a modest gift of money.
[22] another malady of the body, His health also, long grievously afflicted in a certain
part of the body, Joseph Anton Teneberger owes to the patronage
of St. Nonnosus. He promised the Saint appointed prayers,
and a public memorial before all the people of the benefit received; and
bent him easily to his vows.
[23] pains of the foot and eye, After Ursula Pointner of Gartelshausen
with her child passed into the protection of St. Nonnosus,
the oil applied from his lamp took away from the mother the most bitter pains
in her foot: to the child it restored health of the eye.
[24] Maria Gerbl, wife of a citizen of Freising,
lay down from the gravest injuries of back and belly, pains of the back and belly,
and, appointed prayers being promised and an offering of money
to be spent on the Saint's honors, the sick woman soon breathed again
from her ill health.
[25] By a certain leap Maria Anna Kögl, the little daughter of the Hostess
of Unterbrück, and two lame little girls are healed. had grievously hurt her foot,
so that, many counsels and remedies of surgeons being unsuccessfully applied
for some years, the force of the malady grew ever wider
and eluded all art.
At length the mother, having piously handed her over to the protection of St. Nonnosus,
anoints the ill-affected foot with oil from his lamp,
with a wondrous effect; for a little after she began to walk
alone and to go about freely.
The mother freed herself from her vow when, besides other things,
the benefit being published from the pulpit, another crutch
on which her little daughter leaned she hung at the Saint's altar
as a memorial of a grateful mind. Confidence afterwards grew
in the mother, and a second time she wished to experience St.
Nonnosus favorable to her vows.
Her tiny child, who for a year and a half
could stand on neither foot, she anoints with the same oil, and at once
marveling beholds her steps grow firm.
ANNOTATA.
Various benefits bestowed by St. Nonnosus on his clients, especially through the oil of the lamp
hanging at his altar, reported from their own confession,
from the year MDCCXI to the year MDCCXLIV.