Nicetius

ON ST. NICETIUS,

Bishop of Lyon in Gaul.

IN THE YEAR 573.

Nicetius, Bishop of Lyon, in Gaul (St.)

G. H.

Among the more illustrious Saints, who in the sixth century of Christ illumined the Gauls with their virtues & miracles, deservedly must be counted St. Nicetius Bishop of Lyon. Born in the year 513 or thereabouts, Time of life & death. he was ordained Priest at the age now of thirty; & to St. Sacerdos, who died on September 12 of the year 551, he was appointed as successor in the See of Lyon. And there he was present at the second Council, held by order of King Gunthram in the year of Christ 567, he subscribed to it after Philip Bishop of Vienne, & at last on this second day of April of the year 573 to eternal and heavenly life he passed over. Life written That some little book on his life was soon composed St. Gregory Bishop of Tours testifies below, who set forth his deeds, both in chapter 61 of the book of the Glory of Confessors, this one from Gregory of Tours is given: & chiefly in chapter 8 of his book of the Lives of the Fathers. That St. Nicetius was his mother's maternal uncle, he himself testifies in book 5 of the History of the Franks chapter 5, & that he was brought up as it were in his bosom & for a long time enjoyed his company & familiarity. To the Life written by St. Gregory, we subjoin another more ancient cited by him; whose author, an anonymous, Cleric or Priest in the church of Lyon, seems to have composed it within the first eighteen years after the Saint's death. And that by the order of Aetherius the Bishop, who, having succeeded Priscus the successor of Nicetius, labored with holy zeal that his holy life, which even after death was flourishing in the continuity of works, might be spread by the office of reading, as is said at the end num. 9. This one from an ancient Codex of St. Augendus of Jura first published to the public light our Peter Francis Chifflet, in his Paulinus Illustrated part 1 chapter 22: whence transcribed we exhibit it.

[2] Another illustrious memory of this Saint among the Lyonese is a church built to his honor, church, relics. and it both collegiate & parochial, & indeed the greatest of the city of Lyon: in which his sacred body with the greatest veneration has hitherto been preserved. Of some relics of St. Nicetius brought to the Tricassini & Turonenses, & of churches or altars dedicated to his honor, below in the Life it is treated. In the Cathedral Church also of the city of Chalon with Ecclesiastical Office under the double rite he is venerated, but on the fourth day of this month. Of the same St. Nicetius the memory is inscribed in all the Latin Martyrologies, Memory in the sacred Calendars. & is also found in four copies of the very Hieronymian Martyrology in these words: At Lyon of Gaul the deposition of St. Nicetius Bishop. The same things are read in the MSS. of Monte Cassino, Altempsian, Barberini, Richenau & elsewhere. But Florus of Lyon in the MSS. of Arras, Tournai & Lassie adorns him with this eulogy: At Lyon the birthday of St. Nicetius Bishop & Confessor, who a man of all holiness, of most chaste conversation, of excellent charity, completed his life. Ado, also himself a Lyonese, praises him in the first place thus: The birthday of St. Nicetius Bishop of Lyon, whose life was famed with miracles, & whose precious death no less is commended with miracles. And these very words you will find in Usuard, Notker, the author of the Martyrology published under the name of Bede, & others more recent. Wandelbert celebrates him with this verse:

At Lyon on the fourth Nones sacred in the city is Nicetius.

[3] In the Chronology of the Prelates of Lyon with such an epitaph he is adorned.

Behold, a Priest who held the rights of Priests, In the tomb where he lies, Epitaph. by name Nicetius. City, Lyon, your Clergy through times he ruled, And the Church of God with love of heart cherishing. And who a holy next heir of a Priest, Joined in blood, at summit, See together. A good man, indulgent to all, & kind to servants, Whom each with harsh blow harmed his own: Gentle, patient, mild, venerable, apt, To the poor ready, & to the simple pious: He commanded to sing psalms, & to keep the rule of singing First, & alternately to tend the choir with voice. Avoiding the harmful discriminations of the world to be despised, And in God alone he knew to live the work. Thus watching, sober, thus chaste of flesh everywhere, Than whom nothing in the Clergy can be sweeter. He despised the noise of causes & vain frenzies, As simple to the world, but wise to the Lord; Restraining the rights of powers with the terror of the word, Despising strifes, & looking up to God. And at once erect, gentle, serene with piety, He passed over innocent, holding supernal kingdoms.

These there. St. Nicetius could have restored alternating song in the choir & reduced it to a better rule in his Church, which already long had flourished even in the church of Lyon, as St. Sidonius Apollinaris is witness, book 5 epistle 17, where he says, that at the sepulcher of St. Justus the vigils with alternating sweetness the monks & Clerics as Psalm-singers were celebrating together.

EPITOME OF THE LIFE

By the Author St. Gregory of Tours book on the Glory of Confessors chapter 61.

Nicetius, Bishop of Lyon, in Gaul (St.)

Nicetius also Confessor in the city of Lyon, a man of all holiness, of most chaste conversation, His virtues: of excellent charity, completed his life. Whose alms and humility can neither only be investigated, nor narrated by us. Who after he had sent his blessed spirit to heaven, placed on a bier to the basilica, in which he was buried, was borne. And behold one little boy, heavy with long-standing blindness, with the others wailing, with support sustaining him was following. a blind boy It happened that as he went, a voice was more secretly brought to his mouth, saying: Draw near to the bier, & when you shall have entered under it, at once you will receive sight. divinely warned, He indeed asked the man, who was leading him, who it was who put these words into his ears. He denies seeing anyone, who spoke to him. And when twice & three times this voice beat his ears; he knew that something new was to be done, & asked to be led to the bier. And approaching, & passing through the crowd of white-robed deacons, where he was bidden, he enters. under the bier he receives sight: Finally as he began to invoke the name of the Saint, immediately with eyes opened he received light. After these things the boy was assiduous in the basilica, at the sepulcher of the Saint serving, & lighting the lamp: but by certain greater ones of the city was oppressed & fatigued, so that he could not have even the support of food. And when he often implored these things to the blessed sepulcher, the Saint appeared to him by vision saying: Go to King Gunthram, & what you suffer diligently narrate to him: by St. King Gunthram is sustained. for he will give you clothing & food, & will rescue you from the hand of your enemies. Finally strengthened by this admonition the boy approaching the King, what he suggested he obtained.

[2] But even now at the sepulcher of the blessed Confessor many miracles with Christ's help are granted. For even the chains of the wretched are broken there, the blind illumined, demons put to flight, the paralyzed are restored to health, Other miracles. those enduring the approach of fevers are freed. In which place so frequently are miracles shown, that it would be long to write them in order. Yet a faithful man told me that four blind men there a few days ago were illumined: & that a man, 4 blind men & a lame man are healed. whom formerly he had known to be lame, he lately saw well.

MORE PROLIX LIFE,

By the same author Gregory of Tours, Chapter VIII in the Lives of the Fathers.

Nicetius, Bishop of Lyon, in Gaul (St.)

BHL Number: 6089

BY AUTHOR GREG. TUR.

CHAPTER I.

Birth, studies, Priesthood.

The good of divine providence, which mostly provides for its kingdom those whom it chooses, the very oracles of sacred reading often testify, as to Jeremiah the excellent prophet the mystical eloquences of the heavenly mouth are brought, saying, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; & before you came forth from the womb, I sanctified you. Jerem. 1, 5 And the Lord himself, author of each Testament, to those whom the joyful largess decorates with lamb's fleece and places at his right, what does he say? Come blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Matt. 25, 34 But also that vessel of election the blessed Apostle; Whom, he says, he foreknew & predestined he made to be conformed to the image of his Son: for also of Isaac and John, St. Nicetius preordained by God to the Episcopate, how they would be born or what they would do, & the name & work & merit he foretold. Rom. 8, 29 So now also about B. Nicetius that same ancient compassion of piety (which enriches the undeserving, sanctifies the unborn, & both disposes and orders all things before they are begotten) how with the infulae of Sacerdotal grace he would flourish on earth, first to his mother he willed to reveal. Of whose life there is indeed retained from thence a little book with us, composed by I know not whom: which indeed unfolds many of his virtues, yet does not clearly declare either the beginning of his birth and conversion, or the series of his virtues. And although we too have not all investigated his virtues, which through him the Lord either has deigned to work secretly or publicly; yet what has not come to the former author, though with a more rustic style, we have taken care to unfold.

[2] Therefore a certain Florentinus of the Senators, having received Arthemia as wife, when he already had two children, was sought for the Episcopate of the a Genevan city; & the matter now obtained, b with the Prince he returns home, & announced to his wife what he had done. it is foretold to the mother, Which she hearing, replied to her husband: Desist, I beseech, sweetest husband, from this affair, & do not seek the Episcopate of that city: because I from the conception received from you bear a Bishop in my womb. The wise man rested on hearing his wife, recalling that, which once the divine voice to the prince of our faith Abraham by blessed precept had commanded; All that Sarah will say to you, hear her voice. Gen. 21, 12 Finally the days of birth being fulfilled, the woman brought forth c a boy: whom as though about to be a victor of the world, Nicetius she called at baptism, & the same nourished with supreme diligence she committed to be instructed in Ecclesiastical letters. imbued with sacred letters he becomes a Cleric: But his father being dead, he with his mother already a Cleric residing in his paternal house, with the rest of the servants with his own hand labored, understanding that bodily commotions could in no other way be overcome than by labors & troubles.

[3] But at a certain time, while he was still living in that house, there arose an evil pustule on his face: which venom growing strong & burning, made the boy despaired of. But his mother continually, among the names of the Saints, the name of B. Martin for his health more specially invoked. in his illness he is cured by St. Martin appearing: And when for two days the boy had lain in bed with closed eyes, & did not utter any word of consolation to his lamenting mother, but rather his mother wavering between hope and fear, according to the rite of the obsequies was preparing the necessaries of the funeral; on the second day at evening opening his eyes, he said: Whither has my mother gone? Who at once coming, said: Behold I am here, what do you wish, son? And he, Fear not, he said, mother: For Blessed Martin making the Cross of Christ over me, has ordered me to rise whole. Having said these things, at once he rose from his bed, & the divine power doubled the grace of this miracle, both that Martin's merit might be unfolded, & that he, because he was to be a Pontiff, might be saved from the contagion. For a witness of this cause was the scar seen on his face.

[4] In age now thirty he was endowed with the honor of the Presbytery d, As Presbyter he labors with his hands, teaches boys: by no means from the labor of work, which he had previously carried on, abstained; but always with his own hands he worked with the servants, to fulfill the Apostle's precepts, saying: Labor with your hands, that you may have whence you may be able to bestow on those suffering necessity. Eph. 4, 28 He zealously studied this, that all the boys, who were born in his house, as soon as they began to speak, leaving the first wailing of infancy, he should at once teach letters, & imbue them with Psalms; namely that to their first entrance such chanters should be joined, that with antiphons as well as diverse meditations, according as devotion demanded of mind, they might be able to serve God.

[5] He instills the love of Chastity. Not only did he diligently preserve Chastity himself, but also the grace of preserving it he continually preached to others, & from polluted touch & from obscene words, he taught them to desist. For I remember in my adolescence, when I had first begun to know the elements of letters, & I was as it were of the eighth year of age, that he ordered me e unworthy to be placed in the bed, & with fatherly sweetness of love to be received in his arms; taking the edge of his garment with his fingers, he so enclosed himself with his tunic, that never did his blessed limbs touch my limbs. Consider, I beseech, & notice the caution of the man of God: who if thus from the limbs of an infant, in whom no incitements of concupiscence could yet be, no incitements of luxury, he abstained that he should not be touched by them; how from a place, where suspicion of luxury could be, did he flee? For he was, as we said, chaste in body, clean in heart; not bringing forth words in scurrility, but always speaking what are of God. And while he loved all men in that bond of heavenly charity, to his own mother he was so subject, that he obeyed her as one of the servants.

ANNOTATIONS.

c About the year 513.

d About the year 545.

CHAPTER II.

Life in the Episcopate. Death, testament, chasuble.

[6] Finally when a Sacerdos Bishop of Lyon was sick in the city of Paris, when by b Childebert the elder he was loved with great love, Commended to King Childebert by Sacerdos Bishop of Lyon, the King willed to go even to his bedside & visit the sick man. To him coming the Bishop said: You best know, O most pious one, that in all your necessities I have faithfully served you, & whatever you have enjoined, devotedly I have fulfilled. Now I pray, that because the time of my release is at hand, you would not dismiss me from this world to depart with grief, but one petition, which I ask, would willingly grant. And he, Ask, he said, for what you wish you will obtain. I ask, he said, that Nicetius the Presbyter, my nephew, to the Church of Lyon may be substituted as Bishop. For he is, as the words of my testimony bring forth, a lover of chastity, & a lover of churches, & in alms very devoted, & whatever befits the servants of God both in works and in morals he bears. he is appointed successor to his uncle: The King replied: God's will be done. And thus with the full suffrage of the King & people, he was ordained Bishop of Lyon, a distinguished lover of concord & peace: who if he had been injured by anyone, at once either forgave by himself, or through another indicated that pardon was to be sought.

[7] For I once saw the Presbyter Basil sent by him to Count Armentarius, who was governing the city of Lyon in those days with judiciary power, & said to him: Our Pontiff to this case, which is again being contested, by judgment given has made an end: & therefore he admonishes that you do not presume to repeat it. He inflamed with fury, replied to the Presbyter: Go, & say to him: That many are the causes in my sight d placed, which by another's judgment are to be ended. He does not tolerate useless or insolent words. The Presbyter returning, what he had heard simply reported: but holy Nicetius moved against him, said: Truly I say, that eulogia from my hand you will not receive, because the words, which fury extorted, you have brought to my ears. But he was reclining at a meal, at whose left I also, when I was still discharging the office of Deaconate, had reclined near him: & he said to me more secretly: Speak to the Presbyters, that they entreat for him. And when I had spoken, they were silent, not understanding the will of the Saint. Which he seeing: You, he said, rise up, & entreat for him. And I rising with trembling, kissed his holy knees, entreating him for the Presbyter. Who indulging, & offering the eulogia, said: I ask, dearest brothers, that useless words, which are sluggishly muttered, not beat my ears: because it is not worthy, that rational men should receive the insolent words of irrational men. This only it befits you to study, that those, who against the utility of the Church wish to contrive certain things, may be confounded by your propositions: for irrational things I desire not only not to admire, but not even to hear. O blessed man, who with all intention wished to avoid scandal! But let those hear these things, who if they have been offended, are unwilling to forgive: but calling together the whole city for their vengeance, fear not even to bring witnesses, who with nefarious voices say: These and those things we have heard about you, this one speaking: & so it happens, that the poor of Christ by such accusations, mercy being put aside, are oppressed.

[8] But on a certain morning when St. Nicetius had risen for matins, with two Antiphons awaited, he entered the sacristy. He frees a Deacon possessed by a demon: Where while he was sitting, a Deacon began to sing the responsory psalm, & he moved, said: Let him be silent, let him be silent, & let not the enemy of justice presume to sing. And no sooner said, with mouth stopped he was silent: whom the Saint ordered to be called to him, & said: Did I not command you, that you not enter the church of God? & why with rash daring did you presume to enter? or why did you dare to send forth your voice in the songs of the Lord? And while all who were present were amazed, & knew nothing bad of the Deacon, the demon cried out, & confessed that he was being tortured by the Saint with immense torments: for he had presumed to sing in the church; whose voice, the people being unaware, the Saint recognized, & him with most keen words execrated. Then the Saint placing his hands upon the Deacon, with the demon cast out, restored the person to whole mind.

[9] At the bier of the dead man a blind man is illumined, With these, & other signs declared among the peoples, in the twenty- second year of his Episcopate, e at the age of sixty, he migrated to Christ. Who while he was being borne to the burial, f a certain blind man asked to be brought under the bier: & as soon as he entered, his face long widowed of light, with opened eyes was adorned: nor did divine piety delay to glorify his blessed limbs with signs, whose blessed soul she was receiving with angelic choirs in the stars.

[10] But after the days which the Roman law sanctioned that any deceased one's will be publicly read, the testament of this Bishop brought to the forum, with crowds standing round by the Judge was opened & read out. But the Presbyter of the basilica, swelling with bile, because he had left nothing to the place in which he had been buried, said: Many used to say, that Nicetius was a fool: now clearly it appears to be true, since nothing to the basilica, muttering against his testament he is chastised, in which he is entombed, did he bequeath. But on the following night the Saint appeared to the Presbyter with two Bishops, that is, g Justus and Eucherius, in shining garment, saying to them: This Presbyter, most holy Brothers, overwhelms me with blasphemies, because I wrote nothing of property to the temple in which I rest, & he does not know, that whatever more precious I had, I left there, that is, the clod of my body. But they said: He acts unjustly, detracting from a servant of God. And the Saint turning to the Presbyter, with fists & palms struck his throat, saying: Sinner to be crushed, cease to speak foolishly. But awakened the Presbyter, with his throat swollen, is so constricted with pains, that even the saliva of his mouth with great labor he could scarcely swallow. Whence it happened, that for forty days lying in bed, he was grievously tormented. But when the name of the Confessor was invoked, to health restored, he never dared to chatter those words, which before he had presumed.

[11] And since we have known Priscus the Bishop, always to have been adverse to this Saint, & a Deacon misusing his chasuble. he gave to a certain Deacon this one's chasuble. But it was heavy, because & the man of God himself had been of robust body. The cowl however of this garment was so enlarged and sewn together, as is wont to be done in those white ones, which through the Paschal feasts are placed on the shoulders of the Priests. And the Deacon went with this garment running about, & esteeming little from whose uses it had remained: having this on his bed, using this in the forum, from whose fringes, if there had been firm belief, health could have been restored to the sick. To whom said a certain one: O Deacon, if you knew the power of God, & who it was whose garment you are using, you would live more cautiously with it. To whom he: Truly, he said, I say to you, that both this chasuble I use on my back, & from its cowl, with the more ample part cut off, I will make a covering for my feet. He did at once, wretch, what he had promised, about to receive straightway the vengeance of divine judgment. But when the cowl being cut, with foot-coverings fitted, he covered his feet, at once seized by a demon, he fell on the pavement. He was alone in the house, nor was there one to aid the wretch: and as he was casting bloody foam from his mouth, with feet stretched toward the hearth, the fire devoured his feet with the foot-coverings alike. Thus far about the vengeances.

ANNOTATIONS.

d Others, arbitrio.

CHAPTER III.

Various miracles wrought after death.

[12] With flowers received from St. Nicetius's sepulcher. Our deacon Aigulphus also, coming from Rome, was bringing to us the blessed pledges of the Saints. He for the sake of prayer only, went to the place where the Saint rests: and having entered the house, while he was pondering the illustrious work of diverse miracles, he saw an immense people in throngs flowing together to his sepulcher, as happy swarms of bees to their accustomed hive: and some, the Presbyter who was present ministering, taking little particles of wax for a blessing, others a little dust, some taking bits of fringe torn from his pall & going away, bearing in disparate cases one grace of healing. These things he seeing, touched by faith & weeping, said: If the devotion to my Bishop made me plow the masses of marine waves, that after visiting the tombs of the Roman Martyrs I should bring back something of the same pledges; why should I not receive pledges of my Gallic Confessor, through which to me & mine whole health may be restored? And at once approaching, certain of the little herbs, which the devotion of the people cast onto the sacred tomb, fevers are cured: with his hand covered with a linen cloth, the Priest offering, he received, and carefully placed away he brought home. And so at once the man's faith was proved by the action of miracles. For little particles torn from these, & given to those with fever with a drink of water, immediately with the draught restored health: and also to many afterwards. But when he told us these things, he narrated that already four had been made whole from this infirmity.

[13] John however our Presbyter, while he was returning from the city of Marseilles with the traffic of his business, at the sepulcher of this Saint prostrated himself in prayer: many miracles are wrought at it: from which rising, he sees broken fetters, & burst chains, which had either bound the necks or worn the legs of guilty men: & he was amazed. But the contemplation was not empty of miracles. For returning to us the Presbyter, asserted with an oath, that three blind men before him there had been restored to light, & returned home saved. At the city of Orleans also in the Gauls, while his Relics with the honor of Psalm-singing were being carried, the Lord deigned to grant such grace there, that those adoring suppliantly, both the blind received sight & the lame their step: nor could anyone doubt that the Confessor was present, when they saw such gifts of remedies ministered to the sick.

[14] A sedition also having arisen in a certain place, with the common people raging, with stones flying & torches, fury supplied arms not moderately; one with sharp sword raised, with heavy assault struck a man. But after a few days, this one, found by the brother of the slain one, with like end is slaughtered. Which when the Judge of that place had learned, he commanded the bound man to be thrust into prison, saying: This criminal deserves to die, who by the judgment of his own will, without waiting for the Judge, dared rashly to avenge the death of his brother. In which custody while he was held, & invoking the names of many Saints begged for mercy; as if turned to the Saint of God he said: I have heard of you, Nicetius, that you are powerful in the work of mercy, & pious in the absolution of weeping prisoners: a captive with chains voluntarily loosed is freed: I beseech now, that with that supereminent piety you would deign to visit me, with which in the release of the rest of those bound you have often shone. But after a little to him sleeping there appeared the blessed man, saying: Who are you, who invoke the name of Nicetius? or whence know you who he was, that you do not cease to entreat him? But he, opening the cause of his offense in order, added: Have mercy, I pray, on me, if you are the man of God, whom I invoke. To whom the Saint said: Rise in the name of Christ, & walk free: for by no one will you be held. And he awakened at this voice, marvels at himself set free, with chains broken to pieces, and the beam shattered: & without delay, with none holding him back, even to his sepulcher he hastened intrepid. Then by the Judge, with the condemnation of the noxious fault granted, released he departed to his own.

[15] at whose bed famed for miracles It is pleasing to add to the miracles, what he did through lamps lit at his bed, because the things are huge, which dwelling in heaven, he works on earth. Therefore the little bed, on which the Saint was wont to rest, often is adorned with illustrious miracles. Which with great zeal was fabricated by a Aetherius now Bishop, a lamp without oil burns 40 days. most devoutly is adored: nor undeservedly, since the feverish often placed under it, with vapor & cold pressed down, are saved, & other sick ones cast there, are presently relieved: for with a showy pall it is covered, & lamps continually are lit on it. One of these therefore, for forty days & as many nights (as the sacristan himself asserted) without the aid of any fuel continued shining; in which neither a wick was added, nor a drop of dripping oil was added: but in the very composition with which it was first set, it remained, with bright light.

[16] other miracles through the Relics. The Relics of this Saint b Gallomagnus the devout Pontiff of Troyes sought for, which when they were being led with psalm-singing, both the eyes of the blind were illumined by their power, & other kinds of diseases deserved to receive medicine. c

[17] To us also a face-towel, with hanging threads interwoven, which the Saint had over his head on the day of his death, was brought. Which we received as a heavenly gift. It happened that after many days to bless a church in the parish of Paterniacum of the city of Tours we were invited. I came, I confess: I consecrated the altar, I plucked threads from the linen, I placed them in the temple: and having said Masses & made prayer, I departed. A few days later then, came to us he who had invited, saying: Rejoice in the name of the Lord, Priest of God, in the power of B. Nicetius the Bishop: for know, a blind man is illumined, that he has shown a miracle in the church, which you consecrated. For there was a blind man in our district, held by the night of long-standing blindness & darkness of eyes: to whom there appeared a certain man by a night vision, saying: If you wish to become whole, prostrate yourself in prayer before the altar of the basilica of St. Nicetius, & you will receive sight: which when he had done, with darkness broken, divine power opened light to him. I placed, I confess, some of these pledges even in other basilica altars, in which both the possessed confess the Saint, & faithful prayer often obtains its effect.

[18] d Fronimius therefore Bishop of Agde had a servant, who was fatigued by the access of epileptic disease, so that often falling & foaming, he tore his tongue with his own teeth: & although many things were done for him by doctors, an epileptic is cured. it happened that with a few months interposed, he was not touched by the disease: but again falling into the relapse of torment, he suffered worse than before. His master indeed, when he had seen such virtues happening at the sepulcher of B. Nicetius, said to him: Go, & prostrate yourself before the sepulcher of the Saint, praying that he may deign to help you. Who having fulfilled his orders, returned whole, nor did the disease touch him further. The seventh year was it from the boy's health, when the Bishop presented him to us.

[19] A certain poor man indeed, while the Saint was living, received letters from him, subscribed with his hand, by which through the houses of the devout he could ask alms. After his death still going about with the same epistle, having the Saint's epistle is given many alms. he received no little from the almsgivers for the memory of the Saint: for there was a desire in all, that as each had seen the Saint's subscription, to give something to the needy. Which a certain Burgundian seeing, not honoring nor venerating the Saint, began to watch the poor man from afar: & seeing him entered into the woods, he rushed, & took from him six gold coins with the epistle: & having kicked him, left him lifeless. But he, amid the kicks & other blows, a perjurer to the same is punished. sent forth this voice: I adjure you by the living God, & the power of St. Nicetius, that at least his epistle you restore to me: because to me further will not be life, if I lose it. But he having thrown it down on the ground, departed: which the poor man gathering, came to the city. There was also there at the same time Fronimius the Bishop, of whom we mentioned above. To whom approaching the poor man, said to him: Behold the man, who me grievously beaten despoiled, & took six gold coins, which for the sight of St. Nicetius's epistle I had received. The Bishop then narrated these things to the Count. The Judge having called the Burgundian, began to inquire from him, what he would say of this. He denied in the presence of all saying: That I have never seen that man, nor have I taken his things. But the Bishop inspecting the epistle, saw the subscription of the Saint: & turned to the Burgundian, said: Behold in this epistle the subscription of St. Nicetius is held: if you are innocent, approach nearer, & swear touching with your hand the writing, which he himself traced: for we believe from his power, that either today he will show this man contaminated with a crime, or certainly will permit you to depart innocent. And he without delay, approaches the hands of the Bishop, who was holding this epistle extended: & raising his hands to swear, fell backward supine, & with closed eyes casting forth foam from his mouth, was thought almost dead. But when about the space of two hours had passed, he opened his eyes saying: Woe to me, for I have sinned taking the things of this poor man: & at once related in order, how he had inflicted the injury on that man. Then the Bishop with the Judge the fault known, only those things which he had taken he restored to the poor man, & for the blows added two solidi besides: & so each from the sight of the Judge departed.

ANNOTATIONS.

CHAPTER IV.

Other miracles.

[20] How many indeed through this Saint, bound by prison confinement, Various captives are freed have been absolved; how many chains of the imprisoned or fetters have been broken, witness is today that mass of iron, which is seen in his basilica, gathered from the above said punishments. Recently however in the sight of a Gunthram the Prince, b Syagrius Bishop of Autun I heard relating to him, that in one night in seven cities to prisoners appeared the blessed man, & released them from confinement, & permitted them to go away free: but nor did the Judges against them after that dare to do anything. From whose sepulcher if one with fever, with chills and laboring with diverse sicknesses, takes some dust, & receives the dilution, soon he receives health. Which there is no doubt is shown by him, who says to his Saints: All things whatsoever you shall ask in my name, believe that you will receive, & they will come to you. diseases are cured,

[21] Therefore at the village of Prisciniacum of the city of Tours, a church built long ago was without pledges of the Saints: & when the inhabitants of the place often asked, that with ashes of some Saints we would consecrate it, from the above said Relics on the holy altar we placed: in which church very often the power of the Lord is manifested through the blessed Bishop. March 11. But very recently certain women vexed by a demon, coming from the border of Bourges, three possessed women are freed. three in number, while they were being led to the basilica of St. Martin, entered this church: & striking their palms together, while they confessed they were tortured by the powers of St. Nicetius, casting from their mouths I know not what purulent matter with blood, from the besieging spirits straightway they were cleansed.

[22] Dado, one of these villagers, when in that hostility, which is at c Convenae, he had gone, not paying his vow is rebuked by the Saint. & often he rushed into dangers of death, vowed, that if to his house he should return whole, to the aforesaid church to be adorned in honor of B. Nicetius some of these things, which he had acquired, he would bestow. Returning therefore, he brought two silver cups; & vowed again on the journey, that these he would confer on the church, if to his own home he should come safely. Coming therefore home, only one he gave, & sought to defraud the Saint of the other, giving a Sarmatic covering, with which the Lord's altar with its offerings might be covered. But there appeared to him the blessed man through a dream, saying: How long do you doubt, & delay to fulfill the vow? Go, he said, & the other cup, which you vowed, restore to the church, lest you perish & your house. But the covering, because it is thin, let it not be placed on the gifts of the altar: because from that the mystery of the Body & Blood of the Lord is not fully covered. But he terrified, without delay, the vow which he had vowed quickly fulfilled.

[23] contemning to come to the Vigils, This man's brother came to the vigils of the Lord's Nativity, & admonished the Presbyter, saying: Let us watch with one accord at the church of God, & let us entreat devoutly the power of B. Nicetius, that with him obtaining, we may pass the course of this year with peace. Which the Presbyter hearing, joyful ordered the sign for the vigils to be stirred. Which being moved, with the Presbyter coming with Clerics & the rest of the people, this one gaping after the gullet, was weaving delays of coming: & when more often the Presbyter sent to summon him, he answered: Wait a little, & I will come. What more? With the vigils accomplished & light given, this one, who before had admonished, did not come to the vigils. he is punished by sudden death. But the Presbyter having fulfilled the office, moved against the man, to his dwelling hastens, as if to suspend him from communion. But he seized by a fever, as with wine, so with a divine burning was being burned. Without delay, seeing the Presbyter, with voices given with tears, he supplicated that penance be given him. And when the Presbyter rebuked him, saying, Rightly by the power of St. Nicetius are you being burned, to whose church you neglected to come to the vigils: amid the conversations of those speaking he breathed out his spirit. The third hour also came, when the people were gathering for the solemnities of Masses, this dead man into the church was borne. Which was done by the power of the holy Bishop no one can doubt. But these things to us himself explained the Presbyter.

[24] Very many more of these things either we ourselves have experienced, or through the relation of the faithful we have known, which we have thought long to indicate. To the little book therefore we will give closure, when one more wonderful thing from the book of his life, which above was written by a certain one as we prefaced, I will remember the miracle; about which divine power coming forth, did not leave it inglorious, but to prove the power of the things said, made it to many glorious. For the Deacon of Autun, troubled by grave blindness of the eyes, [a blind man with the book on the Life of St. Nicetius placed on his eyes is illumined.] heard these things, which the glorifier of his Saints God at the tomb of the Saint was exercising, & said to his own: If I should go to his sepulcher, or should take some of the holy pledges: or certainly if the pall, with which the Saint's limbs are covered, I should merit to touch, I would become whole. And when these things & the like he was conferring with his own, stood there suddenly a certain Cleric saying: Well, he says, you believe, but if you wish to strengthen your mind from the same powers, here is the paper volume, which about these things is held written, that you may more easily believe those, which to the hearing of your ears have come. But he before he commanded it to be read, inspired by the regard of divine piety, said: I believe that God is powerful through his servants to work excellent things. And at once he placed the volume over his eyes. Straightway with pain put to flight, & darkness burst, the use of sight he deserved to receive from the power of the volume: & in such brightness was placed, that himself with his own eyes reading the deeds of the powers he knew. But these things works one & the same Lord, who is glorified in his Saints, that those who with illustrious miracles published he makes glorious. To him be glory & empire forever and ever. Amen.

ANNOTATIONS.

MORE ANCIENT LIFE

from the Jura MS. brought out by Peter Francis Chifflet S. J.

Nicetius, Bishop of Lyon, in Gaul (St.)

BHL Number: 6088

FROM MS.

[1] As often as the deeds of holy men, the relation of reading manifests, & to those, Prologue. whose solemnity the gathering of peoples seeks, due honor is paid, & the devotion of hearers to the zeal of doing good is aroused.

[2] St. Nicetius honored with annual feast Therefore holy Nicetius Bishop of the city of Lyon, whose festivity of deposition year by year the love of the people with faithful devotion celebrates, from infancy the worship of religion preserved no less in mind, than received in habit: in which, according as to the love of virtue the increase of years broadened through times gave, so the more the reward of holiness God the author infused. Whom the most blessed man a Agricola, Bishop of the city of Chalon, advanced to the office of the Presbytery. Whose fame while in rivalry adorned with good works grew, ordained Priest by St. Agricola at Chalon, & the Sacerdotal dignity in him with the splendor of merits flourished, by the holy & venerable Pontiff of Lyon, by name or work Sacerdos, to the Pastoral degree is known to have been pre-elected: that when he with the end of life fulfilled should receive his passing, he ought to be his successor. Which by divine arrangement with time succeeding the consent of the whole people willingly sought, & the benevolence of b the Prince with the divine nod with congratulation granted. Who while in all things he committed himself to the command of the divine King, is constituted Bishop. that dignity itself he dared not to flee into hiding, nor wished to purchase with bribes. In which having been constituted, both the serpent's shrewdness he kept & the dove's simplicity he fulfilled.

[3] But as often as men of honest conversation came to his city, he receives pilgrims, he commanded lodgings for them in the vicinity of his bedroom with studious solicitude to be prepared: to whom, with all the services withdrawing, more secretly in nocturnal hours approaching, he washes their feet: their feet with faithful service he diligently took care to wash, that the Apostolic precepts he might fulfill, nor in lesser things be negligent to whom the power to fulfill greater things divine grace had granted, which by his works continually he showed. The courses of night or day, he is present at Ecclesiastical office by day & night: which in the divine Offices the ancient institution of sacred religion with fixed limits by a certain law established, he so always doubled with the zeal of continual psalm-singing, that never from mouth or from heart of his the meditation of the divine law was absent: & if perhaps while he was discharging those very duties, on account of the assiduity of those coming, or by the occupation arising any one came upon him; as if from a surplus, the answer, whence he was called, he rendered, so that inwardly the office which he was doing he performed. Whence sometimes by some ignorant ones he was thought tepid in sense, who was inflamed with spiritual fervor. So even undoubtedly & ambitiously to rise continually for Matins he studied, that the beginnings of that very Office he himself always began. So with alms, most generous in prompt will, he distributed with cheerful bestowal; as whatever he conferred on the poor, he judged he was acquiring for himself. As often as in summer time a despair of fruits happened by the coming of drought, he distributes alms. with such compunction unanimously with the people favoring he took care to celebrate the Litanies, with litanies announced he obtains rain: that straightway an abundance of rain came to their aid.

[4] But when in winter time, the said holy Bishop the estates committed to him likewise of the holy Church in the parts of Provence was going to visit; it happened to him in a villa of a certain illustrious man, Flavius by name, which was then for temporary lodging Alacarnum, with the sun now into evening declining, as opportunity had brought, to arrive, & there in the silence of the night to resume rest by sleeping. Who when after the refection of divine prayer, evening sacrifice he had performed; there was brought before his feet a certain boy, an energumen boy bound by his parents because of excessive fury in a chair, having a demon: whose fame through the most holy men Cataphronius & Eustasius Presbyters we learned, by prayer, holy oil & the sign of the Cross he frees: so that they said they saw so great bondage of the demons that boy having been constrained, so was he acted upon, that with neck wholly with shoulders twisted back, & miserable spinal backbone, with sad face together, bent over he clung. Whom the holy man when he saw before his knees cast with the great lament of the parents, & accustomed prayer within the enclosures of the sacred oratory done, & blessing with the liquor of holy oil the sign of the Cross with the name of Christ invoked having anointed, at once he put the demon to flight from the besieged body, & with the weak members in their proper joint reformed, to return home to the parents he restored whole. Who also after intervals of times, for the health conferred on him with his own rejoicing, to Musturnacum, in the field of the holy Church of Lyon, to B. Nicetius devoted, with his relatives returning to the doctor already cured, gave thanks to Christ and likewise to the holy Pontiff.

[5] But after the man worthy of merits had taken his passing, with the enemy of the human race plotting it happened, that the greatest part of the city of Lyon, with rising flames, the gravest fire of burning consumed. After death he cures 2 blind women: Where while from all sides hastening wedges of peoples poured together, suddenly a bright voice sounding, filled the ears of the crowd gathering, saying, that St. Nicetius into the house of the Church bodily had come, & to two blind women with sight restored had conferred the former health. Then at once strength to the people the sound that announced the arrival of the buried Bishop restored. Nor is it wondrous that the blessed athlete took care with spiritual power to defend, where bodily he was seen to dwell: nor had sanctification from thence by the same granted departed, where even after his exit he dwelt.

[6] the dust of his sepulcher stills storms: A certain one therefore inflamed with ardor of faith, dust from his tomb for whatever remedies for his protection reverently collected bore: which as often as with faithful objection, with the coming impetus of a storm he showed, the rigor of hail is dissolved into water, & the hardness of stones is changed into the liquid of water. Someone also had received ten solidi from a certain creditor without delay, with the trust of charity intervening: which when for the cause of perfidy he wished to deny, about to perjure himself at his sepulcher he becomes blind, at the sepulcher of the most blessed Bishop, that he had not received them, he disposed to perjure himself. Where at once of all his limbs deceived of vigor, as he had come blind of heart, so blinded in the eyes he stood. Then unfortunate, confounded with late penitence, what he had borrowed he began to offer, pouring out prayer with tears that he might receive sight. He indeed most sacred Pastor; & penitent is healed: who lived in merits & piety, with the rest of bodily strength, restored sight to one praying; & as for justice he rebuked the perfidious, so for mercy he heard the afflicted.

[7] A certain one likewise filled with the infestation of a mad spirit, to his sepulcher scarcely at last under great custody arrived: where while so great a fury by vexation he had raged, he was seen to have lost his spirit. To whom when a place for burial was being prepared, with the oil of the lamp a man held as dead comes to life: because by night & day, he lay deceived of all heat of spirit, with lethal sleep pressed down lifeless; by divine nod to a certain one of the observers came back to memory, that on his brow, mouth or ears of the oil of the lamps, which at the memorial of the blessed Pontiff were, faithfully the signs of the Cross he should make: thinking that he who the other virtues to work was wont, perhaps might also raise the dead. Then gradually signed, with hidden mystery reviving, at once with Christ propitiating he rose.

[8] Also at a certain time seven accused, in a blind prison placed, 8 imprisoned are freed. no less bound by iron chains than afflicted, at the city of Vienna through long custody were held: of whom one in a vision St. Nicetius merited to see, as if the instruments, with which bound they were constrained, with his staff he had touched: & at once the strength of iron was broken, & the locked doors stood open. Who at once sought the church freely, by the Saint's intercession freed. But in the basilica, where his most sacred body with the devotion of the faithful is venerated, a certain one guilty of fault, by the command of public order, with another, with iron bonds was bound: but when to his sepulcher with impeded steps they had come, others constrained with iron rings: the broken structure of the bonds crashed, & the public criminals a hidden power absolved which by other times with like mystery was wrought. Who though before he migrated from this world to the heavenly kingdoms, had worked very many virtues, (whence already we are certain to have said some) even secretly put demons to flight from possessed bodies. But after the holy man migrated from the light of this age, then rather with strength added did he show himself to be living; while continually & unceasingly, with the people as witness, various miracles are wrought: to the lame step, to the blind sight, to the demoniacs remedy, to the contracted whole vigor, & to all the sick the remedy of health confers, whom to his sepulcher the integrity of sure faith leads.

[9] Whence his diverse heralds could be narrated with manifold relation, but it is not at all necessary, that manifold speech of words discuss each one, which his operation always with spiritual mysteries manifests: & the more the course of times rolls on, the more with multiplied works his virtue is augmented. Whose most holy prayer may be able to obtain, Aetherius the Bishop takes care that his life be written that as he fortified this city with the defense of his body, so the health of souls & bodies may confer on all: & for the most blessed Bishop Aetherius with his prayers intercede: who labored with holy zeal, how his life, which even after death was flourishing in the continuity of works, might be made known by the office of reading. But not unworthily his memory with zeal of love he solemnly cultivates, from his prediction who foretold him to be his successor c in the second place, while he rejoiced in his conversation: whom straightway after his passing the devotion of the people of Lyon to the very degree of the Pontificate ambitiously sought: But what then the foreknowing disposition of the Prince denied, with the successor dead to grant it did not cease: & thus what the holy Bishop's word, while he remained in the body, brought forth; second Bishop after him. this into the heart of the most clement King God the author infused: by which obtaining also it happened, that he who was hitherto Father of the fatherland, now should be of the Church. For which matter we must pray God; that whose venerating patronage, with unanimous devotion we ambitiously celebrate the solemnity; by his intercessions we may always be helped, & fortified with suitable aids, since we do not merit to be taught by examples, with our Lord Jesus Christ reigning, with the Father & the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

ANNOTATIONS.