ON THE HOLY SPOUSES. LUPUS AND ADLEIDA, AT BERGAMO IN ITALY.
HISTORICAL SUMMARY.
Of their cult, acts, age, from writers more recent only.
Lupus, Spouse, at Bergamo in Italy (S.)
Adeleida, Spouse, at Bergamo in Italy (S.)
G. H.
Cult of each: likewise of Grata the daughter & of Alexander the Martyr. Bergamo, an ancient city of Italy in Gaul once Transpadana, then to the Lombards' Kings subject, now to the Republic of Venice joined & subjected, among several other Saints, of whom in this work often recurs memory, this month of June re-cultivates SS. Lupus & Adleida the wife, as Princes of the Bergamasques & Venetians. There were once (when the today's Venices not yet were constructed) to the Venetians ascribed cities, Padua, Vicenza, Hadria, Forum Allieni, now Ferrara, & other interposed places, & Bergamo itself of the Orobii city the chief. Are celebrated there under rite semidouble feasts of the aforesaid Saints, of Lupus on this IX June, of Adleida the widow on XXVII of the same month, of Grata however their daughter, also widow, on XXV August. The following indeed day XXVI August under rite of double of first class with octave is venerated, as Patron, S. Alexander the Martyr, through whose miracles S. Lupus himself with his is said to the faith of Christ to have been converted. This Alexander's body, as in his Mss. Acts is read, a certain Matron, in merits most chaste, & by name Grata, finding, with joy most glad received, & it with her men to her little estate brought down hers; which placed is seen near the already said city of Bergamo walls, & there with aromatics best she buried in place. These there.
[2] Lessons of all proper under Sixtus V approved: Of others, here pre-titled Saints, no in the said Acts mention is found; only are found more recent those, which in the previous century wrote Antonius Benalius; & with him dead, about the year MDLXXXIV, to types to be committed took care John Antony Guarnerius; from which then their accepted, who in Italian language the Bergamasque History to illustrate tried, Marius Mutius, Coelestinus Cappuccinus, & Donatus Calvus. From the same Benalius's writings accepted are proper of each Lessons, with types Camerales at Rome in year MDCXIV printed: to which faith making, A. M. (Antonius Maria) Bishop of Porto Cardinal Gallus testifies, that by mandate of happy Memory Sixtus Pope the Fifth, recognized by the Most Illustrious & Most Reverend Lords, Antonio Cardinal Carafa, & Augustine Valerio Cardinal of Verona, by mandate of the same Sixtus approved Offices those are, for the Bishop, & universal Clergy of the Bergamasque Church, as by living voice oracle of the aforesaid Sixtus V, the above-said Lord Cardinals attested, through faith, with hand & seal of each Cardinal subscribed & fortified, under date Rome XIV Kalends of July MDLXXXVII.
[3] from which now are given Is that Benalius's composition, which with words & digressions, pious indeed & adorned, prolix; so of solid history's proofs empty: wherefore what about each holy Spouse's life, into the brevity of lectionary contracted, under the aforesaid authority are held, alone this month to be brought forth I have decided; & indeed conjointly, although to different days pertaining; subjoined incidentally opinion ours; as to August month, with the Acts of S. Alexander, with more moroseful judgment to be weighed each. Ferrarius in his General Catalogue, with cited aforesaid Lessons, his Epitomes for IX & XXVII June made: & of each Spouse separately again mentions in the Catalogue General & in the topography of the Roman Martyrology . Petrus finally Galesinius, in his Martyrology, only Lupus adorns with elogium: At Bergamo of S. Lupus the Confessor. He son of Crotacius of the Bergamasques Prince, of B. Alexander the Martyr by miracles moved, to the faith of Christ with spouse & children himself betook: in whose zeal even so himself piously bore, that in his life with great splendor shone Christian virtues: by whose example, & of miracles which he had seen by preaching, the rest to the worship of God from impiety to call away.
[4] These premised I come to the Lessons, which about S. Lupus so are recited: Lupus son of Crotatius Prince, which are about S. Lupus, who the Venetians & Bergamasques justly & moderately ruled, with father dead, not only of his faculties heir, but also of virtues imitator was: who although in life's integrity to all dear was, not yet however the light of the faith had recognized. By God's however grace prevented, by Grata the daughter, who Christ worshiped, in this manner to the worship of Christ was led. For when she once flowers from the ground. where S. Alexander the Martyr blood had shed, divinely growing had plucked; them to her father offered; & when many before him in the Martyr's praise about Christ's faith she had urged; of truth to be known by desire Lupus kindled, to the Gospel & sacred Scriptures' reading himself betook. In which zeal so much he profited, that in a short time with Christian faith doctrine imbued, with salutary bath to be regenerated he wished. Wherefore on the highest hill to Christ the Lord Saviour at his expenses a church to be erected & dedicated took care: in which he himself & how many of the Bergamasques, by his example moved, the Sacrament of Baptism with the greatest joy received. Who the rest of life with works of piety & with holy exercises passing, a great of virtue example to his citizens, whom for fifteen years with the greatest praise he had ruled, left. Finally after many for Christ undertaken labors, by disease seized, in peace rested on the fifth of the Ides of June in the year of salvation three-hundredth; & was buried in the church, which he himself had built, for sanctity celebrated.
[5] These about S. Lupus; about his wife & then widow thus is recited: Adleida the wife of S. Lupus, & S. Adleida: with husband dead, herself to his & of the Saints to be followed footsteps handed over: & so men's company avoiding, from worldly cares herself withdrew. With fasts, prayers, & pious works she exercised herself; & in churches, as another Anna, for a long time she stayed. But by prayers of her citizens, who the chief of things to her, on account of her singular prudence, deferred, to resist not able; & of public utility for the cause, & with charity toward them eximious, the city's rule in place of the dead spouse to take she was compelled. With that office undertaken, of incredible wisdom & prudence her shone grace. And first of Christian religion, which is the firmament of the republic , zealous & observer she was. Her husband imitating, a church & she herself on another hill of B. Mary built: to which afterwards of Grata name, on account of of her into that place brought Relics, was given. Another besides church of S. Michael in the old forum she built; to which also estates she gave, for the Clerics there living & for the needy sustentation. But with minds of all into her love & admiration drawn, when she of earthly things from cares to be absolved now desired, & to heavenly to hasten; called by the Lord, in brief completed times many. And so of her citizens best deserving, when one year & days eighteen, with the highest praise of piety & prudence, them she had governed; full of good works, of her widowhood the reward about to perceive, migrated to heaven, on the fifth of the kalends of July. Her body the Bergamasques, in the church of S. Mary, which she herself had built, religiously & honorably buried.
[6] who at the beginning of the 4th century are ascribed, Is said S. Alexander, of the Theban legion a Soldier, at Bergamo to have preached & Martyrdom to have made a little after his fellow-soldiers, in year CCLXXXVI or following slain: his body by S. Grata entombed. That she afterwards over it, with given to Christians peace by Constantine, with faculty of building churches, one also built, easily I would believe to the Acts, in tradition founded. But that she of S. Alexander curator, was daughter of the aforesaid Lupus & Adleida, not easily to myself I shall persuade, in such silence of more ancient monuments; & much less, that pious these Spouses, life ended, & so many churches built, at the beginning of the IV century, persecution against Christians then or most raging (as is most well known) with Diocletian & Maximian Tyrants extreme attempts applying, to the extermination of the Christian name, both in all other provinces, & most through Italy. Repugnant to such credulity is itself tradition popular, which Dukes of the Bergamasques makes, of what kind before the Lombards' in Italy reign none were; repugnant Adleida's Lombardic or Teutonic name; but to us seem to the times of the Lombards to look. repugnant finally the marriage of the daughter Grata with a German Prince in Germany. Wherefore nothing more certain I would define, than to century VII, VIII, or IX all to look, about which yet I suspend opinion until August. Meanwhile willingly I shall learn, whether SS. Lupus & Adleida's bodies anywhere are found: which us about the foundation of all this cult much would render more certain, than Benalius's relation, so badly cohering with things & times.