ON ST. LEODEGARIUS THE PRESBYTER IN THE DISTRICT OF PERTHES IN GALLIC CHAMPAGNE.
5TH OR 6TH CENTURY.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
On the place of cult, and the acts of the Life, Finding, and Translation.
Leodegarius, Presbyter in the district of Perthes in Gaul (St.)
AUTHOR. D. P.
Near the shrine of St. Desiderius, and not far from the river Marne in Champagne, there is an old village, Perta, commonly called Perthes, once so celebrated, Perthes, whence is named the district of Perthes, that it gave its name to the whole surrounding region, by which it is found called the District of Perthes in the precepts of Louis the Pious, signed in the year 815 and 832; and that on occasion of the monastery of Dervum, belonging indeed to the diocese of Châlons, but nearer to the city of Troyes than to Châlons, and yet attributed to the District of Perthes, commonly "le Partois"; so that it appears that the same District, of which now the chief town is reckoned Vitry-le-François, between Châlons and Perthes in the middle, was widely extended to twenty leagues or more. In that village the Patron venerated is St. Leodegarius, on the 23rd of June is venerated the Translation of St. Leodegarius, laid to rest indeed on the eighth day before the Kalends of May; as was said there among the Passed-over, but for the second time translated on this ninth day before the Kalends of July, when his feast is celebrated more solemnly, with an Octave and proper Office. Hence the twelve Lessons, copied out, were transmitted to us by Peter Francis Chifflet, our member, in the second of which it is said that the aforesaid Village was of such authority that all the Princes of that region would gather there to arrange what was necessary for them, and would settle all judgments according to the local custom, which in French is said (says Chifflet in the Annotations) "to judge according to the custom of the Partois," which manner of judging is very ancient. Meanwhile I would hardly believe that outside the District of Perthes the sanctity of this St. Leodegarius was very celebrated; [The Collegiate body of Canons restored in the year 1115 after the 9th-century restoration,] inasmuch as no mention of him is found in Florus, Ado, or Usuard, the Frankish Martyrologists; and therefore I think it was done by chance rather than by any regard to him, that the same name was given to the Holy Bishop and Martyr of Autun, who suffered under Ebroin in the year 676; and commonly called Saint Léger or Ligier, is venerated on the 2nd of October: by which name also there is a village on the Aube between Bar and Arcis, towns situated on the same river, probably from the same St. Leodegarius the Bishop and Martyr; which, however, is to be determined from the day on which the local Patron is venerated, not yet known to me.
[2] The first Translation, which immediately followed the Finding of the body, in what year and on what day it was done, is unknown: only it is read that the counsel of Bishop Gibuin was sought and employed. Now there sat at Châlons of this name two in succession, from the year 947 to 1004. Meanwhile that Translation from the place of burial to the altar of Blessed Mary, with the miracles that followed it, is fully described: then, all things being passed over which pertain to the second Translation to the proper altar or chapel, there is immediately subjoined, This Translation … was made in the time of William, Bishop of Châlons … in the eighth Indiction, and so in the year of Christ 1116: for he was ordained in the year 1113 in the sixth Indiction, and died in 1122 in the fourteenth Indiction. Before the age of Gibuin, how long the holy body lay hidden, you would not rightly determine from the names of King Crogus and the Vandals, so badly intruded here as unskillfully joined; but rather from this point, that when by a revelation made to a certain blind man the place was indicated to the Canons, in which the body was to be sought; amazement and wonder struck them, because from the time when they had come there nothing of the kind had reached their ears. It is necessary, therefore, that those four through whom the Collegiate body of Perthes was restored were not very long before brought into the church of St. Mary; namely under Bishop Letoldus, who in the year 909 was present at the Council of Trosly. And so those Barbarians, through whom the former Canons were destroyed, the place desolated, the body of the Saint obscured, it is not necessary to refer back to the times of the Alemanni, the Huns, the Vandals, who successively depopulated the Gauls and in them the District of Perthes; for we have nearer the Normans, who about the middle of the 9th century were most troublesome to Charles the Bald by their pirate incursions, and most destructive to the whole kingdom, for sixty years and more, at which time it is not credible that the sacred places of Perthes were restored, and this could amply have sufficed for inducing the aforesaid oblivion.
[3] And these things indeed are sufficiently certain: but in what age the Saint lived, not likewise. The first Bishop of Châlons, St. Memmius, is believed to have been sent by St. Peter into Gaul, and to have preached the faith also in the District of Perthes; and to have been the founder of the first and more ancient church among them, [in the church of St. Mary endowed by St. Anna, there veiled by St. Alpinus in the 5th century,] which is to this day called St. Mary's. The holy Prelate doubtless built some Oratory for the new faithful, after the manner of the first centuries under the Gentiles; perhaps in the same place where afterward was built a church under the title of the Mother of God: which probably, several times destroyed and restored, was perhaps so called even in the time of St. Alpinus; when he there consecrated as a Nun St. Ama, or Ymma, the firstborn daughter of Sigmarus, Count of Perthes (if indeed they were then called Counts), together with her five sisters; and holy Ama, as Lesson VIII has it, handed over to God and to his mother Mary her allodial property which she had at Perthes.
[4] who perhaps first instituted Canons there, But that the Founder of the church established there [men] who would serve the Lord continually under the Canonical Rule, to whom he also assigned many estates whence they might live, Lesson II incongruously ascribes to St. Memmius: and much more incongruously Lesson III says that the same St. Memmius consecrated St. Leodegarius as Rector of that Congregation; both could have been done by St. Alpinus, restoring the place devastated by the Huns, a Rector, St. Leodegarius, being given to them. after Attila was conquered and put to flight in the year 451; and thus it would not be an improbable conjecture that St. Ama was commended to Leodegarius, and that both were anciently venerated there: but that the veneration of the latter faded away, The Acts written about the 13th century. the notice of the body being lost; which, being preserved, preserved for his holy sisters Pusinna, Hoildis, and Manehildis an annual festivity, as we have seen at the 23rd and 30th of April; but the memory of Leodegarius for the same cause persevered in the Sacred calendars. It may also have happened that the monastery of Perthes was first one of Nuns, under the rule of St. Ama herself: who then being extinct,
Canons succeeded, about the year 600 or even 700; and their Provost was this St. Leodegarius, contemporary with or close in age to the Bishop and Martyr of Autun of the same name; for from then there is enough time for it to be understood that his cult flourished for some while, and through the Normans, the place being desolated, failed. However it be, that Leodegarius was at least a Presbyter, and presided over the church of Perthes, I am altogether persuaded; and that his Life, if any was written, perished in flames together with the church in that calamitous time: for which in the 12th or 13th century a new one was composed, and distributed into Lessons by an Author who followed the traditions of the place as to the miracles of the Life; but as to the finding and translation, more certain notices of a time nearer his own. Those Lessons, the first and second concerning St. Memmius being omitted, to be examined on his day, the 5th of August, I here copy out for you.
ACTS
From the Manuscript Lessons of the Church of Perthes.
Leodegarius, Presbyter in the district of Perthes in Gaul (St.)
BHL Number: 4857
FROM A MANUSCRIPT.
Lesson III.
Lesson IV.
[1] There was in the monastery of Perthes a certain Brother, by name Leodegarius, Leodegarius is appointed Rector very religious in his life, as one filled with divine grace. Whose religiousness when the Blessed Bishop of Châlons saw (here I would substitute for Memmius Alpinus, or another of his nearest successors or predecessors), he devoutly consecrated him Rector of that Congregation. And so the man of the Lord Leodegarius, taking up the governance committed to him, most decently, as became the house of God, provided for the cloisters of the monastery and the workshops of the Brothers and what was necessary for them; and the well, which to this day is called the well of St. Leodegarius, he dug out by his own labor. He weakened his body with continual fasts, was intent on vigils, with the best success; persisted in prayers, loved God and called upon him with countless sobs. * O! of how great purity and how great perfection he was, God himself, knower of secrets, knows, by whose grace he became so great.
[2] But at a certain time a man, contracted in all his limbs, came to him; he prostrated himself before his feet, he heals a contracted man, praying with tears that he would entreat the Lord Jesus Christ, that soundness of limbs might be restored to him. But the man of God refused this, saying; That this was not his, but especially of those to whom it had been given to command the demons and to cure ailments; that as sins were loosed, so the limbs would be made supple. But he, persevering in his prayer, that he would have mercy, began to affirm and to say, that he would not depart unless he imparted to him some remedy: and he begged the people standing around and the Brothers who were present there, that together with him they would entreat the servant of God to have mercy on him. Seeing the man of God his faith, moved with mercy over him, and prostrate on the ground, he poured out devout prayers to the Lord for him. Rising from prayer, strengthened by the mercy of God, he took the right hand of the contracted man, and restored to him health to its former state. Then all the people who were present there for this purpose rendered immense thanks to God and to his servant Leodegarius. These are thy works, O Christ, thy miracles, who art truly wonderful in thy Saints, whom thou deignest to glorify.
Lesson V.
Lesson VI.
[3] At another time also a certain lunatic, hearing the fame of Blessed Leodegarius, hastens to him, he cures a lunatic: and entreats him to beseech the mercy of God for him. He, that Blessed one, compassionating his infirmity, as he was full of bowels of mercy, his knees bent to the ground, poured out prayers to God with tears more attentively. But God, who is always wonderful in his Saints, did not delay to hear the voice of him who served him. For rising from prayer, making the sign of the Cross on his forehead, he restored him to health, and sent him back to his house in peace; who soon, health recovered, with great joy blessing God, returns to his own. But when St. Leodegarius was of advanced age, and dying on the 24th of April, full of sanctity and good works, perfect in all things, stripped of the bodily burden, he died in peace, joined (as we believe) to the spirits of the Blessed; whose venerable body in the right part of the church of Blessed Mary the Virgin, he is buried in the church of St. Mary, on the 24th of April. toward the southern quarter, was buried by the Brothers, on the eighth day before the Kalends of May, our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, to whom is honor and glory, power and dominion, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, unto ages of ages. Amen. b
Lesson VII.
Lesson VIII.
[4] Therefore when after a long time barbarous and heathen ferocity had come to subdue the provinces of the Gauls, and, the cities of the Gauls conquered and overcome by warlike infestation, was laying waste very many, and in the rapine of plunder was most cruelly depopulating everything, by the instinct of greed, by the nod of God, the outcome too of the affair and of the journey, led that unspeakable nation with their King … c even to the District of Perthes. Where they depopulated many churches by their cruelty, The place being desolated by the Barbarians, and gave very many places of the Saints to the fire. For the place (which St. Leodegarius, buried, sanctified by his bodily presence) was so reduced to nothing, that it was handed over into the hands of laymen, so that neither divine Offices nor the solemnities of Masses were celebrated there. So when the Barbarians had returned to their homeland … f he who was then Bishop of Châlons, hearing the report of the common people that the oft- mentioned place … had been reduced to nothing by the invasion of the enemy; ordered it to be rebuilt again, and established that there be again four Canons there. four Canons are restored When these were celebrating the solemnities of Masses in the Canonical manner; by divine permission, the enemy of the Christian name, the devil, slew one man in the very temple g: for God disdained that a church dedicated in honor of his holy Mother should remain so, that the Brothers serving him in it should be subjected to lay men. But it happened that the aforesaid Bishop, h visiting in the Pontifical manner the regions of the diocese then committed to him, and they are declared free. and after much circuit at Perthes came, for the sake of resting: who, when he learned of such a misfortune by the report of the inhabitants, again blessed the church with the greatest honor; and drawing it from the hands of laymen, reduced it to its former dignity … k
Lesson IX.
[5] Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints: In Aquitaine to a man born blind and because God has care of men, providing for their salvation, he wished to manifest the body of St. Leodegarius, that through his glorious merits his faithful might merit eternal life. For in the parts of Aquitaine there was a certain man named Haybertus, who had been born blind. To him through sleep such a vision from the Lord appeared, saying; That, if he wished to receive sight, he should hasten as quickly as possible to go to the village which is called Perthes. But he, having received the vision, made a pretense of going, because he thought it a fantasy: for he had often gone around many places of the Saints, and had not been able to obtain the remedy which he sought. * But on another night the same vision appeared to him, the Saint appearing thrice, rebuking his unbelief and saying; By the merits of the man of God, Blessed Leodegarius, thou shalt receive sight, who lies there buried from ancient time, in the right part of the temple, which is in honor of Blessed Mary ever Virgin: by whose intervention thou shalt obtain the remedy which thou seekest. For God therefore delayed to hear the prayers of the Saints whom thou hast sought, that they might have mercy on thee, so that through thee in that his Saint he may be glorified, and may manifest him to all: because a lamp profits nothing as long as it is hidden, but as soon as it is brought out and placed upon a candlestick, then it profits him who looks at it. He even so gave no assent.
[6] he orders him to go to Perthes to be shown where his body lies hidden. But a third time again the same vision appeared to him, saying: Why art thou unbelieving? for through thee God has arranged to reveal his Saint, whose body has been given over to oblivion, through the carelessness of the sluggish. He, soon made certain of the triple revelation, began to seek Perthes; and on that day on which a market was held there, that is on Wednesday, l by the hands of his parents he was brought: and coming to the Canons of that place, he relates to them what he had seen, and what had been revealed to him by the Lord: at which immediately great amazement and wonder struck them; because from the time when they had come there nothing of the kind had reached their ears. So the Brothers, filled with exceeding joy, ringing all the bells of the monastery, order all to be called together, both strangers and neighbors, who there (we believe) by divine providence gathered to the honor of his holy confessor, were engaged in various dealings … m
[7] Greatly astonished, and not daring to touch the holy clod of earth, The Canons, the sarcophagus found, consult the Bishop: counsel being taken, they sent to Châlons Hugh the Archpriest and other messengers to Bishop Gibuin, who should announce to him how the matter had happened, and should beg him to come there, and to decree what thereupon he ought to do; especially because in the time of his priesthood the Lord deigned to manifest this. This heard, the Bishop gave thanks to God and his Mother, who does not wish a man to perish, but always grants consolation through which he may be able to obtain remedies. he orders the bones to be raised from the ground, And he sent religious men with the Archpriest, and ordered them to raise the Saint from there, and, as he said, to arrange everything in the best way. To the Canons indeed he sent word back, saying: You have done well in this matter, which you have reported to me: but know that for the present I cannot come there; because by such a cause I am hindered, which I cannot leave off. With the help, therefore, of Christ, who said, That a lamp profits nothing as long as it is hidden; but as soon as it is brought out and placed upon a candlestick, then it will profit everyone who looks at it; raise the heavenly treasure laid away, and place it in the best place, with those men whom I have sent to you, so that through his intercession the Lord may have mercy on his people.
[8] But the Canons, when they heard the Prelate's reply, made glad, which, breathing a sweet odor, with the aforesaid men approached the tomb of the Saint with reverence and fear; and God, not wishing to frustrate them of their own Patron, favored their wishes: for they found the body of the blessed man in the aforesaid stone sarcophagus. But soon as they opened it, an odor of such sweetness appeared, that they thought themselves cherished by the delights of eternity. Again the voices of the people are raised to the stars, again praises to the Lord are rendered in common. are placed in a shrine behind the altar. So the Canons approaching, and the whole Order of Clerics, and lifting up the heavenly treasure, wrapped in the best linens, in a certain shrine they laid it, and that shrine they deposited behind the altar of Blessed Mary. There was brought a multitude of the sick, who all through the merits of Blessed Leodegarius receive the comfort of health: for to the blind sight is restored, to the lame walking is repaired, the fevered are recalled to health, and the ailments of various infirmities are cured, to the praise of the name of the Lord.
[9] A woman, having a Tooth received thence, holding it irreverently There was there a certain very rich Matron, who, approaching the Rector of the Canons, entreats him to give her something of the Relics of Blessed Leodegarius. And he, yielding to the Matron's prayers, gave her some of the blessed man's teeth: which gift received, she handled it [not] as was fitting, but unbecomingly placed it in her bosom: whom immediately divine vengeance followed. For before she went out of the gates of the monastery, her hand so clung to her side that it could in no way be removed from it: for God wished so to glorify the body of his Saint, whom he deigned to manifest for the salvation of the faithful. For the Matron, come to herself, is compelled by the very pain to disclose her fault; and that which she had unjustly obtained, to restore before all to the holy Church: and soon with great reverence, before the altar of Blessed Mary and the body of St. Leodegarius she cast herself in prayer, confesses herself guilty of the unjustly acquired request; she is punished, and on confessing it is healed. and crying out that she was unworthy, that which she had received she restored openly before all with groaning. When the common people who were present there had heard her outcry, and had learned what had happened, they were astonished: and confessing their sins, they entreated the mercy of God for her, and his servant Leodegarius. Nor did the Lord delay to hear their prayers, but as they had asked, through his servant restored to her her former health: and thus, health restored, she gave thanks to God together with all the surrounding people.
[10] So that day being celebrated by all the people, for the finding of Blessed Leodegarius the Confessor, The blind man, enlightened, remains at Perthes. each one with joy returned to his own, except that Haybertus who had received sight. For he remained there as long as it remained for him to live, serving God and his servant, who had given him the desired sight p… This Translation of the body of St. Leodegarius was made in the time of William, Bishop of Châlons, The second Translation made in the year 1115 on the 23rd of June. on the Vigil of St. John the Baptist, which is on the ninth day before the Kalends of July, and in the year from the Incarnation of the Lord one thousand one hundred and fifteen, in the eighth Indiction, to the praise and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honor and glory through all ages of ages. Amen.
ANNOTATIONS D.P.
the church of St. Mary, out of its proper place.
the acts under Bishop Gibuin in the 10th century; but the account of the second Translation from behind the altar of St. Mary, to the proper (as may be conjectured) altar or chapel, has fallen out. It is indeed found written "eight hundred and five" [805], but then ran the 13th Indiction. Chifflet substitutes Adelelmus for William; who is neither certain enough to have sat in that year; nor does he himself agree with the Translation, which followed the Finding of the body, in the time of Gibuin, who was a century and a half later. I think it was written in Latin letters ⅭⅠƆCV [1105], which an unskilled copyist took for DCCCV [805], and wrote out at length. Furthermore, here I would have added that near Perthes, so often mentioned, there are villages named after Saints unknown to me in the topographical map of Champagne, namely St. Hublier, St. Hulier, St. Vrau, St. Morvill: and a little further off, in the same District of Perthes, St. Compagne, St. Mare, St. Lier, St. Poy, St. Ansebe; which names, commonly used, how they should be rendered in Latin, and on what day the Patron of each place is venerated, I would gladly learn; and then, if anything else is there known about the Life, Translations, Miracles, Cult of those same Saints, worthy to be inserted into this work.