John the Martyr

ON S. JOHN THE MARTYR, TRANSLATED FROM CONSTANTINOPLE TO VENICE,

UNDER MAXIMIAN.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

On the apocryphal Acts of S. Procopius wrongly applied to him; and on the Time and acts of the Translation, from an Italian print.

John Martyr at Constantinople, translated to Venice (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR D. P.

According to the custom of the Patriarchal Church of Venice, and also by the indult of the Apostolic See, to celebrate the Office of those Saints, whose bodies rest in the churches of the diocese of Venice, is prescribed in the Order of reciting the divine office according to the rite of the Church and diocese of that place: to this one now celebrated at Venice, which Order we have printed by the authority of John Francis Morosini for the year MDCLVII: and in this on this XIX of May, unless it be transferred, is prescribed the feast of S. John Duke of Alexandria the Martyr to be celebrated under the semidouble rite; because his sacred body is preserved in the church of S. Daniel, and all things are recited from the Common of a Martyr not a Pontiff. The Mass Laetabitur, the Gospel If anyone will, the Oration, Grant we beseech that by the intercession.

[2] Peter de Natalibus in his Catalogue of Saints (which he composed about the year MCCCLXX, the Acts of S. Procopius applied, then Parish-priest of the Holy Apostles in the city of Venice, then Bishop of Equilio near Venice) on this XIX of May applies to the same S. John a fairly accurate epitome of the Acts of S. Procopius the Martyr, which in Surius from the Greeks are had on the VIII of July at length deduced, and presenting more the appearance of a pious tragedy than of true history. In this epitome the still Gentile name of the Martyr Neanias, the maternal lineage from the Chiefs of Aelia, and the extermination of the Christians with the Prefecture of the city of Alexandria committed by Maximian, the Victory gained over the Saracens after Christ recognized from an apparition, the idols of his mother Theodosia destroyed, the various tortures borne under two successive Presidents, of whom the last was called Flavian; then of very many soldiers converted by his example, and the martyrdom of his mother and of twelve women companions, are described in altogether the same manner and order, as in the Acts of S. Procopius; this only changed, that the first President in Equilinus is called Ultio, but in others Justus; and for Alexandria of Syria, Alexandria of Egypt seems to be taken; but the name of Caesarea Philippi is passed over in silence, in which Procopius is said to have consummated his contest, and Leontius to have held the Episcopate, named in the epitome fabricated under the name of John, as if he had been Bishop of Alexandria. Finally for that which is said of S. Procopius, that by the sentence of the judge his head was cut off with the sword; of John it is asserted, that by command of Flavian, with the sword in the throat and a lance in the breast transfixed he consummated his martyrdom on the XIV of the Kalends of June: and thus the entire Legend, of which that is a compendium, we found under the note of the day XIII of March (where perhaps it should have been written of May) in a certain MS. Passional of the Camaldolese Hermitage; but the supposition being then already noticed we would not copy it, more usefully occupied.

[3] From Equilinus shorter eulogies of the same S. John on this day received, first Grevenus, and hence the eulogies taken. in the Additions to Usuard printed at Cologne in the years MDXV and XXI; then Witford, in the Anglican Martyrology of the London edition of the year MDXXVI. Galesinius, whom Ferrarius follows in the general Catalogue, has thus: At Alexandria in Egypt S. John the Martyr, who under Maximian the Emperor, bitter torments being exhausted, with a notable testimony of piety, He seems to be the Egyptian who is celebrated at C.P. on the 20th of September. bore the crown. He adds in the Annotations that he took these things from Greek tables. But those on this day have no John, or another who could be drawn hither: but well on the XX of September, in the Menaea printed and manuscript various, they bid be commemorated the Contest of the greatest among the Confessors John the Egyptian, whose liberty and confidence of speaking not able to bear the impious * Maximian, ordered him with forty others to be slain. But where? When thou readest John the Egyptian, easily wilt thou believe him to have suffered also in Egypt, perhaps thence brought from Alexandria on the 13th of March. and the body at Alexandria to have been in honor, until thence it was translated to Constantinople. But that this same one be believed who to Venice afterward was carried, it is necessary not only that on the XX day of September his memory there was celebrated, but also on the XIII day of March: since from the History presently to be given it is clear, that for our John of whom we treat an annual festivity on such a day was wont to be held. But what afterward moved the Venetians, that even that day being passed over, and likewise the III day of July, on which among them in the year MCCXV was made the placing of the sacred body, to Venice 1215, the 3rd of July. in that place where now it is venerated, they should assume the XIX of May I could not easily say. I suspect nevertheless that by reason of a certain building to be constructed in honor of the Saint, as is said below number 8 the Body being brought to the monastery in the past XVI century, on such a day it was brought back to the place newly adorned; and that day seemed more opportune for the annual cult of the Saint, than the XIII of March, wont to be occupied by the Lenten mourning.

[4] Further desiring to be informed more certainly of all things, I wrote to Venice to him whose faithful service I had used in S. Anastasius, R. F. Daniel Simonetti; and asked, not that the history of the passion from the monastery of S. Daniel he should seek (for this none there to be had genuine, it was already sufficiently agreed) but the history of the Translation he should investigate, and at the same time of the present cult and state of the sacred body should make me more certain. He did at length what he had been asked, the excellent Father, through a noble man, in that monastery a familiar, and to whom anything could be entrusted; and the desired narration, and this besides from his hand a document of eyewitness faith he received: whole unto this day The venerable body of the Divine John, at Venice in the church dedicated to S. Daniel the Prophet, lies supine, in all its members whole on the altar; with the head indeed toward the rising sun turned to the Gospel horn of the same altar, but the feet to the Epistle horn. There is a stone ark above the altar, which holds another wooden ark, with vermilion on the outside colored, in which lies the body. No door to either ark: for their fronts not by a turning hinge in the manner of little doors are closed and opened, but through two channels on either side they are raised whole and depressed. The front of the ark is of ebony, with precious little stones inset; the front of the wooden ark of crystals. The holy Head with a Venetian Ducal horn-cap is covered: the breast with a band woven of gold with the needle, the whole body with a silken cloth, and woven of gold in the Indian manner. The feet bare, but covered only with a translucent veil, as also the face. The teeth white with none lacking; and the flesh soft to the touch. Further on the twentieth day of July, when of S. Daniel the vigils are kept, and famous for miracles. the holy body is washed with odorous water by a Presbyter, in the presence of another Priest, the Confessor of the Nuns: which water then for pious uses, especially for taking away the sicknesses of bodies, is distributed. But in lapsed times the flesh diluted by the water was blackened, and seemed to contract spots of a certain corruption: therefore now only with soft cotton the flesh is touched, which then put into water renders the same venerable, as if it had immediately itself washed the holy body. Very many through His saint the omnipotent God wrought miracles, which to describe would be long: in the history of the translation some are narrated, and are confirmed by new ones, as the votive tablets, and other signs hung at his altar testify. Wherefore in the greatest veneration he is, and especially among those Nuns, who say (which also in the history is narrated) that they are admonished of imminent death by a noise emitted from the ark, in which the holy body laid away lies. Thus he: now let us exhibit the history of the translation itself rendered into Latin from an old print, without the name of the printer prepared about the year 1516.

* yr. Maximinus?

THE TRANSLATION OF THE BODY

From an Italian print of about the year 1520 for the use of the Monastery of S. Daniel at Venice.

John Martyr at Constantinople, translated to Venice (S.)

FROM THE MSS.

[1] It is manifest and to the whole world most known, how the Lord our God subjected the city of Constantinople to the Latins: On account of the sins of the Greeks nor less clear is it that that revolution is to be imputed to the wickedness of the Greeks; who spurning the unleavened bread of truth, presumed to confect the sacrifice in leavened bread, saying that the Holy Spirit the Paraclete proceeds from the Father alone; and to the holy Roman Church they denied the due reverence and subjection, although it represents Peter the Prince of the Apostles on earth, asserting that it was not set over the Constantinopolitan: in great contempt also they held their Emperors, and against them repeatedly rebelled, most cruel deeds and most wicked sins from the lust of ruling committing. But the Lord, Constantinople taken by the Latins, the supreme and supercelestial Judge, subverted the iniquities of the infidels, slew most powerful Kings, the kingdom of Canaan destroyed, and a stupendous and unheard-of Victory gave to the Latins; subjecting to a small army an infinite multitude of peoples, and to the generous poverty of ours yielding their cowardly opulence: so that it can be said, in the captivity of that city was fulfilled the vision a of Daniel the Prophet, when the city, adorned with the sanctuaries collected of almost all Greece, and enriched with gold and most precious treasures, was made into the plunder and prey of the Latins. b

[2] The Venetians, who had given the beginning c of so great a victory, divided the empire of the city with the Franks, and the churches, To certain Venetians fell the monastery of Psychosostra. despoiled and stripped of inestimable riches, left to their own Priests and Ministers: who of these the principal, equally as the palaces and public places of the city, divided among themselves. And thus it happened, that a monastery situated in the square which is called Pulchra, and in Greek named d Psychosostra, as it were Saviour of souls, fell to the part of two noble Venetians, Marcus and Martinus the Gorzi brothers; who gave it to John Prior of S. Daniel at Venice, to be held in the name of the monastery of S. Daniel. Further in the place of John there was constituted at Venice Prior a certain Roboaldus, a religious man and fearing God: who a little after went to Constantinople, the monastery of Psychosostra to inspect in person. There was on the opposite side of the said square not far thence another church, in Greek Theotocou, that is e of the Mother of God, named. When therefore on a certain day, namely the thirteenth of March, the same Roboaldus stood in the door of his monastery; he saw a great multitude of men with the highest devotion approaching the church Theotocou and questioning the people, what was there; he heard, that, From the church of the Mother of God near to this the body of S. John when the Constantinopolitan state flourished, not only from the whole city, but even from the surrounding cities and towns the faithful were wont on such a day yearly, with singular affection of religion, to run to visit the body of S. John the Martyr. As the Prior Roboaldus heard these things at once a thought came upon him, by what means he might be able to obtain that holy body, and translate it to Venice.

[3] Desolate was the monastery, of which had been the aforesaid church, nor any one there, for the custody of that sacred pledge, abode: the Prior of S. Daniel carries it off secretly. but its care had been committed to a certain old man, who every evening closed the building and betook himself to his own house placed far thence, so that without the knowledge of this doorkeeper no one could enter there. The Prior nevertheless, with zeal and desire of obtaining his vow burning, taking with him a certain monk of his and another Priest, and a servant a Greek, betook himself thither; and an entrance being found through a window he entered, opened the most adorned chest of the holy body, and wrapping it in a silken cloth secretly transferred it to the monastery of Psychosostra, the chest itself so composed leaving, and translates it in the year 1215 that the doorkeeper returning in the morning in no wise observed that it had been moved. Then at an opportune time he transferred into a ship the acquired treasure, with the highest devotion and singular gladness anointed in affection; yet so, that what the matter was, he concealed from the sailors: and landing at Venice the most holy body he placed in f the monastery of S. Daniel, in the year of the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ the thousandth two hundredth fifteenth, on the third day of July. In which monastery, through the merits and intercession of the glorious Martyr John, the Lord God deigned and deigns unto this day many and as it were infinite miracles to work, of which some more select we will recount.

[4] Let the first and the same the greatest be, that since this most holy athlete of God was slain in the year of Christ two hundred and eightieth g and ninth, for extolling the merits of His most glorious Martyr and the instruction of our faith, God willed to preserve whole his most blessed body, still incorrupt, with an altogether admirable fragrance of odor, the vicissitudes of celestial influences and planets, by which human bodies are oftener altered, Christ restraining lest they be able to corrupt it. But the venerable nuns of this place, through the merits of their and our mother the glorious Virgin Mary, and of the divine champion and Martyr John, from the same Saint received a very exceptional privilege, and as I think h without example, that whenever of any of them the extreme term of life is at hand, this to them the Soldier of Christ signifies some months or days before, and was wont to give a sign of imminent death to someone. as it shall have pleased. For his body in the church is kept in a gilded chest, before which is stretched a grating, furnished with votive offerings of silver, in testimony of the miracles wrought by the intervention of the Saint. When therefore one is about to die and to render her soul to the Father eternal, this glorious Saint anticipates the appointed term, with a certain sweet motion running through the said offerings at the grating, and rousing a sound by no means ungrateful: which hearing one announces to the other Sisters, saying: Be ye ready: S. John has struck the grating.

[5] Incredible perhaps will seem to hearers a thing so rare: A Novice unwilling to believe it in the year 1516 yet it is most true: which by a more recent example we can confirm. In the sixteenth year above the thousandth five hundredth, when a certain girl received into the Order had entered the monastery, and heard of S. John the Martyr from the Sisters, how by a given sign he admonished them that some one there was about to die; she smiled within herself, nor would she believe those affirming. Then six years passed without the death of any one; and when now a nun on a certain night had risen to Matins, and these according to custom being chanted she had remained in the church (for free it is there for the Nuns whether they wish after the office to return to rest or not) she found herself alone in the choir beyond custom, the sixth year having elapsed she experiences it through herself. and for some time prayed. At length the dawn coming and she wishing to depart, and making before she rose the due reverence to the most holy Sacrament, she heard a certain noise, sweetly sounding to the ears. She paused, nothing of the Saint thinking, and soon again perceived a similar sign: nor did she leave the place before she had a third time heard struck the coffin, in which lay the holy Martyr. Then truly the truth being manifestly recognized, she was terrified; nor without a sense of internal devotion did she begin to think, that perhaps for her sake that sign had been given: wherefore commending herself to God, she asked pardon of her past incredulity. Nor long after it appeared that that sign had been by no means fallacious, and one of the Sisters died; which seen she gave thanks to God, who had given her with eyes and ears herself to apprehend the truth, yet revealed nothing to anyone before all had been fulfilled. In the same error was a certain Religious of the Convent of S. Mary of Charity, who on a certain day sacrificing at the altar, above which the body of S. John rests, as also a Religious Priest. perceived the grating struck; and wholly stupefied believed from that hour that of which before he had doubted; and with the greatest devotion finishing the Mass, to God and the holy Martyr thanks he rendered for the consolation granted him, and from that time he was most piously affected toward the athlete of Christ.

[6] A certain noble Matron; when she lay paralytic, so that she could not even move a foot, caused to be brought to her the coverlet, with which the holy body is covered; and covering herself wholly with the same with most devout tears, and supplicating the Saint, a paralytic woman is healed by the touch of his coverlet, she (which thou mayest wonder) at that hour with a little help began to raise herself from the bed, but on the following day by herself most freely walked, whence both to God and to S. John she professed the gratitude due. Another woman of equal nobility lay at the extremity, swollen all over; whose infirmity the physicians themselves confessed to be unknown to them. A certain kinswoman of hers heard this, another cured by him through a kinswoman invoked a Religious of the said monastery, and commended her to the holy Martyr, vowing certain vows for the sick woman. Immediately she began to be healed, and from day to day stronger she shortly recovered. It was then said to her, what for her that nun had done, and how by a vow made to S. John she had recovered health. But receiving such an announcement with laughter, and the Saint despising, the unbeliever suffers a relapse. at once she felt her former infirmity with the swelling return to her; and shortly into such a state was she reduced, that she no longer bore the human form any more, nor amid most acute pains and most grievous torments hoped that she could live. Considering herself such, she began to ask indulgence of her incredulity, and to entreat God and His Saint for the recovery of health, the vow which before she had hooted at being confirmed: and forthwith she felt herself much confirmed, and within a few days free from every ill, through the merits and intercession of this glorious Martyr: wherefore to God and to him thanks are to be rendered.

[7] A certain man no less noble by birth and office, than illustrious in morals and works, likewise laboring with a pestilential fever, was afflicted by a continual fever, whose malignity livid spots scattered over the whole body indicated: and beyond the hope of cure seemed to be the offending humor, because his most weak i stomach received no medicines, but at once vomited them up again: whence destitute of all strength, and blackening all over, and vehemently inflated he was, when it pleased God His creature, by the merits of the holy Martyr intervening, to free. For turning a little to the rail k of the bed, he merited to behold S. John himself altogether most beautiful and most splendid as present: and comforted by that sight, with much devotion and faith to him he commended himself, a vow added if he should recover: and at once nature began to be lightened, the depraved humors being cast out which seemed to suffocate him: and then by little and little he advanced to entire health, to the glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ and of His most glorious Martyr, ever and by all to be glorified.

[8] There was brought to the monastery, where he rests, a certain young girl to be clothed in the religious habit, and a Novice, the noviceship completed, sick unto death, which also afterward was done. But the time of probation being finished, when the Mother of the monastery together with her Chapter wished, that the same girl by the bond of sacred Profession should bind herself; there invaded her at once a most cruel and most bitter infirmity, namely a perpetual fever, then paralysis, at the last finally a most fetid wound and horrible to see appeared on the back of the poor little one: who not even a single finger able to move, day and night ceased not with a terrible wailing to attest the vehemence of the torments by which she was tortured; nor could she either by another be moved by a light touch, or be to herself a help. It happened that in the same year the body of S. John was carried within the cloister, by reason of a certain building to be constructed in his honor, because not yet was it in a sufficiently decent place. But when in such a state remaining the girl, unexpectedly heard the procession and the chants of the nuns, piously bearing the sacred body; from those few, who had remained with her, she asked for a singular favor, partly in the translation of the body that they should carry her to the door of the place where she lay, so that more conveniently she might hear the sweetness of that chant; or rather from devotion toward the Saint, so that health being obtained from him she might be able to make her Profession. And so the most holy body passing thither, she supplicated as devoutly as she could, that he would free her from so great a calamity. Nor much after she began to walk a little, but very imperfectly, in the manner of infants forming steps step by step, and sustaining herself by a staff. On a certain day therefore, when the poor little one not yet well healed remained in her little cell; she understood, that at that hour was opened the chest of S. John, partly in the showing of him. and therefore the whole college of the Nuns hastened to the choir, that those most holy members they might behold, she alone remaining in the cell. But at length the same desire of seeing increasing more vehemently, she took the staff, the accustomed support of her weak members; and began also thither to make her way, whither the others had gone before, not without confidence of obtaining entire health. But when she came to the entrance of the choir, she saw conspicuously the Martyr standing in Ducal habit, and with a face above the rays of the sun splendid: whence wholly trembling from awe, and inflamed with love, no word at all could she utter as she desired; but when for some time she had so stood, she began to move herself and to walk toward the sacred deposit. But when she came hither, the holy Martyr disappeared; and she remained full of joy; and dissolved into most devout tears, ardently she asked full health. A wondrous thing! The Sisters rising from that place, there rose also that girl; and casting away far the staff, erect she walked and free, feeling no pain at all. All present were astonished, so great a miracle being seen; and the mind being raised to heaven they rendered immense thanks to the eternal God and to His most devout servant, so great gifts bestowing on those invoking his patronage. But lest miracles of this kind be multiplied to infinity (for innumerable could be told but with weariness of the hearers) one more I will narrate and will finish.

[9] It happened to a certain nobleman that for certain causes he had to set out into the kingdom l of Cyprus; where when he was he took a wife, and some time being passed cheerfully with her and all his fortune he returned into his country. Another at last a paralytic now dying is preserved, After a longer course of time happily spent, since nothing is stable in the world, changed also was the joy; because before they had reached the senile years, the woman seized by paralysis, was fixed to her bed; and the ill advancing for the worse, nor the medicines helping anything, at length to the extremities reduced. There was to them in the monastery, where the holy body rests, a kinswoman: she sent a tapestry taken from the ark, commanding that with faith they should place it over the sick woman. Which when it had been done, a little after the aforesaid sick woman saw come to her two most splendid young men: whom as best she could she asked who they were. But one of them answered; SS. John and Daniel appearing. I am John, and this my companion Daniel, and we have come to help thee. Then she thanks being given commended herself to them, and within her mind conceived certain vows, and amid these the vision disappeared. But she daily more confirmed, at length came to the monastery, narrated what had happened, fulfilled the vows, to the praise of the eternal God, and of His most sweet and our mother Mary the Virgin, and our advocate S. John the Martyr, and patron and defender S. Daniel the Prophet, whom we pray that they protect this city and the whole Christian people from every ill, and intercede for the infidels, that these also may know the truth, which is Christ. Amen. m