ON S. PSALMODIUS THE HERMIT, IN THE DIOCESE OF LIMOGES IN GAUL.
On the cult of the Saint & encomia of his life.
CENT. VII.
CommentaryPsalmodius, Hermit in the diocese of Limoges in Gaul (S.)
G. H.
[1] Gaufridus, monk of the monastery of Saint Martial of Limoges, then Prior of Vosium created in the year MCLXXVIII, wrote a Chronicle, Cult, by Philippus Labbe published in Volume 2 of the New Library , in which chap. 15 he treats of the more illustrious Saints in the Bishopric of Limoges; & among others at Aenti-monasterium, he assigns Blessed Psalmodius. In the Breviary of the Church of Limoges, (which we have published by the authority of Raymond de la Martonie the Bishop in the year MDCXXV) on this day XIII June is prescribed the feast of SS. Psalmodius & Antony of Padua Confessors, to be celebrated under double rite, & this Prayer is recited about both: God who makest us joyful in the annual solemnity of Blessed Psalmodius & Antony, thy Confessors , Encomium from the Breviary of Limoges. propitiously grant, that of those whose birthdays we venerate, we may also imitate their actions. Then in the first Nocturn are read Lections from the Scripture occurring. In the second Nocturn the fourth Lection is recited as this: Psalmodius, of equal age or near it to Gregory the Great, born of illustrious family in greater Britain, disciple of Brandanus the most holy Abbot, having left his country, that he might more freely incumb on the contemplation of divine things, in the Limoges soil, not far from Aenti-monasterium, chose a retreat. There when the holy man wished to hide, & sought God alone as inspector, his frequent miracles so betrayed him, that on account of the throng of people coming together driven by them he desisted. At last, his life's course having been completed with admirable sanctity, on the Ides of June to the seats of the Blessed he flew up: whose body, illustrious for miracles, at Aenti-monasterium, where with highest religion it is venerated, is laid. Lection V & VI from S. Antony's Life. In the third Nocturn the Homily & Gospel, Let your loins. Vespers from the Chapter on S. Basil, Commemoration of SS. Psalmodius & Antony. About this one below we shall treat, & about S. Basil on the following day XIV June.
[2] Another from Saussay, Andreas Saussay, on this same XIII June, from the already related Lections, with phrase changed here and there, formed an encomium: & because he had read, that on account of the crowd of people he, namely by these miracles, compelled desisted; with hastening pen he wrote, that on account of the crowd of people he was forced to recede thence, & to choose a more remote station for himself. The same Saussay in the Supplement, on the following day XIV June, has another elogium, on account of varied circumstances to be added here.
[3] In the Forest, he says, of Grya in the territory of Limoges, the depositio of S. Psalmodius the Confessor & Hermit; who in Scotland born of noble stock, who elsewhere; a disciple of S. Brandanus the Abbot, from boyhood formed by his pious institutions, when for three days tossed by the waves of the sea, but by divine grace freed from destruction he was, by his Master's admonition crossed into Gaul, he adds varied circumstances & approaching S. Leontius Bishop of Saintes, celebrated for the fame of religion , having received from him the counsels of entering by a compendious path the heavenly life unknown on earth, now illustrated by the coruscation of divine power, to a blind woman he restored the welcome use of light: & seven Gallic miles beyond Rastratum, in the forest aforesaid he instituted a life secret from men as much as known and pleasing to God: where illustrious by many signs & powers, & most of all delighted by the modulation of psalms (whence he derived his name) , after he had healed the daughter of the Duke of Aquitaine with blessed water, powerful over diseases, beasts & demons, by a precious death obtained the joys of heaven . Whose body brought from the forest to the collegiate Church of S. Stephen of Aenti-monasterium, & given a silver casket, most honorably is preserved & venerated. So far he. Simon Martin, with both places cited of Saussay & the Limoges Breviary, formed a French encomium in the Sacred Relics of the Desert page 454. The same on this XIII June celebrates Ferrarius, from the Limoges Calendar & monuments of Aenti-monasterium, from the city of Limoges XIV M. P. distant.
[4] The natal place is called greater Britain, as also Hibernia comprehends; in which lived, both Brandanus, Abbot of Birra in Munster, who in the year DLXXI died XXIX November; and Brandanus, Abbot of Cluain-fertae, not easily to be approved. dying in the year DLXXVII, on the day XVI May; on which day we illustrated his Acts. Of these one S. Psalmodius could have been disciple, & thus to have been of equal age or near it to S. Gregory the Great, who died in his Pontificate & life on XII March in the year DCIV. But what Saussay in the second elogium wishes, that he by Brandanus's admonition crossed into the Gauls, & approached S. Leontius of Saintes , does not stand: because S. Leontius, whose Acts we have given on XIX March, flourished in the century after Brandanus, & in the year DCXXIV or following was present at the Council of Rheims under Bishop Sonnatius. Moreover his predecessor Palladius still lived at least in the year DXCVI, in which S. Gregory the Great in Indiction XIV sent him Relics. Saussay seems to have drawn these from the Menology of David Camerarius the Scot, who makes him a Scot, calls him Psalmetus, & asserts him to have been brother of S. Machali or Maclovius, taken up & helped by S. Leontius , as on this Leontius's Life we have said. Moreover Camerarius says, that he being overwhelmed by the waves of the sea was not without a miracle freed. Which we would wish confirmed from elsewhere: on account of the known to us Camerarius's lightness for inventing anything for the praise of his nation, or at least believing without a suitable witness.