Die iv. Aprilis. In festo S. Isidori Episcopi et Confessoris. Ejus corpus, inter Leandrum fratrem, et Florentinam sororem, ut ipse mandaverat, primò conditum, Ferdinandus primus Castellæ et Legionis rex ab Eneto Saraceno Hispali dominante magno pretio redemptum Legionem transtulit, et in ejus honorem templum ædificatum est; ubi miraculis clarus, magnâ populi devotione colitur. Dei xvi. Maii. In festo Sancti Ubaldi Episcopi et Confessoris. Ubaldus Eugubii in Umbria nobili genere natus, &c. Lectio VI. Corpus verò per tot sæcula in corruptum, magnâ fidelium veneratione in patriâ colitur, quam non semel a præsenti discrimine liberavit. Dei xxv. Maii. In festo S. Mariæ Magdalenæ de Pazzi, Virg. Lectio VI. Eam multis in vitâ et post mortem miraculis claram, Clemens nonus sanctarum Virginum numero adscripsit; cujus corpus in præsentem diem incorruptum conservatur. Pars Autumnalis. In festo G. Stephani Hungariæ Regis confessoris. Sacrum ejus corpus, suavissimo fragrans odore, liquore cœlesti scatens, inter multa et varia miracula, Romani pontificis jussu, nobiliorem in locum translatum est, utque honorificentius conditum. Dei xix. Septembris. In festo S. S. Martyrum Januarii Episcopi et Sociorum. p. 357. Lectio VI. Horum corpora finitimæ urbes pro suo quæque studio certum sibi patronum ex iis apud Deum adoptandi, sepelienda curarunt. Januarii corpus Neapolitani divino admonitu extulêre; quod primò Beneventum, inde ad Monasterium Montis Virginis, postremò ad Neapolim translatum, et in majore ecclesiâ constitutum multis miraculis claruit. Sed illud in primis memorandum, quod erumpentes olim e monte Vesuvio flammarum globos, nec vicinis modo, sed longinquis etiam regionibus vastitatis metum afferentes, extinxit. Præclarum illud, quoque, quod ejus sanguis, qui in ampullâ vitreâ concretus asservatur, cum in conspectu capitis ejusdem martyris ponitur, admirandum in modum colliquefieri et ebullire, perinde atque recens effusus, ad hæc usque tempora cernitur. Die xxiv. Novembris. In festo S. Joannis a cruce Confessoris. Lectio VI. Corpus verò suavissimum odorem spiravit, quod etiamnum incorruptum Segovia honorificè colitur Pars Hyemalis. Dei iii. Decembris. In festo Sancti Francisci Xavierii, Confessoris. Lectio VI. Demortui cadaver viva calce per multos menses bis obrutum, sed penitus incorruptum, odore et sanguine manavit: et ubi Malacam delatum est, pestem sævissimum confestim extinxit. Dei iv. Decembris. In festo S. Petri Chrysologi, Episcopi et Confessoris. Lectio VI. Sacrum illius corpus communi totius civitatis fletu ac pietate prope corpus ejusdem Sancti Cassiani honorificè conditum nostris etiam temporibus religiosé colitur; cujus brachium,* auro et gemmis ornatum, Ravennam delatum, in Ursianâ æde veneratur. * The veneration of relics was carried to an inordinate height in the Nicene age. Chrysostom gives an eloquent description of the Greek emperor and all the clergy and religious orders and population of Constantinople carrying in procession the relics of a saint with lighted torches. Dei vi. Decembris. In festo S. Nicolai, Episcopi et Confessoris. Lectio VI. Ejus corpus Barium in Apuliâ translatum, ibidem summâ celebritate ac veneratione colitur. Relics in the Monastery of Glastonbury. Johannis,* Confratris et Monachi Glastoniensis Chronica, sive historia de rebus Glastoniensibus. (Oxonii, p. 22.) Reliquiarum autem nomina, quæ apud nos habentur scripta, sunt hæc. De Veteri Testamento. De sepulchro Rachel; de altari Moysis, in quo fundebatur oleum; de virgâ Moysis, quâ eduxit filios Israel de Ægypto; de virgâ Aaron, quæ fronduerat; de mannâ filiorum Israel; de sepulchro Isaiæ prophetæ; de reliquiis Danaelis prophetæ reliquiæ de tribus pueris, quos liberavit Deus de camino ignis ardentis: item os unum unius eorundem; de pavimento templi Domini, lapides sex. De Domino Nostro Jesu Christo sunt hæ relinquiæ. De loco ubi natus fuit Dominus. De panno Domini in quo fuit involutus in præsepio. De præsepio eodem portiones duæ. De auro quod magi obtulerunt Domino. Lapides de Jordanio flumine, ubi baptizatus fuit Dominus. De una idriâ illarum, in quibus Jesus aquam convertit in vinum. De lapidibus quibus dictum est Jesu a diabolo, dic ut lapides isti panes fiant, et benedicti sunt a Domino. De pane fragmentorum quinque panum ordeicorum, quibus satiavit Dominus quinque millia hominum. De loco in quo transfiguratus fuit Dominus. De petrâ supra quam stetit Dominus in templo. De capillis Domini; de fimbriâ vestimenti Domini, &c. De Sanctâ Mariâ, Matre Domini Nostri Jesu Christi. At Antioch the people received with enthusiastic veneration, in the fifth century, the relics of Simeon Stylites!!! This work is in the library of the Athenæum Club in London. This gives an apt illustration of the transcendancy of the devotional spirit of the Medieval Church! Dominum lanceâ perforari, et lacrymæ ejus fluxerunt in terram. Item de universis vestimentis ejusdem. De sepulchro ejus in valle Josaphat oleum de quâdam imagine Beatæ Mariæ miraculosa. De lacte beatæ Mariæ. Item crux cristallina, quam beata Virgo contulit inclyto regi Arthuro. Filum unum de quodam vestimento sanctæ Mariæ, et capillis ejusdem. De Sancto Johanne Baptistâ sunt hæ reliquiæ. Medium os indicis beati Johannis baptistæ. Os unum minutum de capite ejusdem. De vestimentis ejusdem. De Apostolis sunt hæ reliquiæ. De Sancto Petro unum magnum os. Duæ dentes ejusdem. De barbâ ejusdem. De stolâ ejusdem. De baculo ejusdem. De cruce ejusdem. De Sancto Paulo dens unus. De barbâ ejusdem. De ossibus ejusdem. De sanguine ejusdem. De sancto Andrea quinque minuta ossa, duo dentes, et de cruce ejusdem. De Sancto Johannæ Evangelista, de capillis ejus. De Sancto Jacobo majore os unum. Sancto Philippo maxilla cum tribus dentibus et medietate brachii ejusdem. De Sancto Bartholomæo os unum. Sancto Thoma duo frusta. De De There are lists also of the relics of confessors and female saints. The monastery derived no little wealth from its reputation for sanctity. Quantum autem fuerit Glastoniense cœnobium primatibus patriæ venerabile et ad sepulturam desiderabile, et ubi potissimum sub protectione Dei genetricis Mariæ, diem operirentur resurrectionis, multa sunt indicia. Tantâ utique locus ille colebatur devotione, ut reges, reginæ, archiepiscopi, episcopi, duces, et utriusque sexus nobiles cujuscumque ordinis, cujuscumque essent dignitatis, et celsitudinis, se beatos fore arbitrabantur, qui locum illum suis possessionibus auxissent, vel divitiis suis locupletassent: quibus esset locus iste habitationis dum viverent; seu qui carnis educti ergastulo locum ibidem quietis vel alibi cum aliquâ portione hujus sanctæ terræ sepelire possent, promeruissent. Burnet's History of the Reformation. Book. An. Dom. 1535. Another way was thought of, which, indeed, proved more effectual, both for the recovering the people out of the superstitious fondness they had for their images and relics, and for discovering the secret impostures that had long been practised in these houses. And this way was to order the visitors to examine well all the relics and feigned images to which pilgrimages were wont to be made. In this Dr. London did great service. From Reading he writes that the chief relics of idolatry in the nation were there. There was an angel with one wing that brought over the spear's head that pierced our Saviour's side; to which he adds a long inventory of their other relics, and says there were as many more as would fill four sheets of paper. He also writes from other places that he had every where taken down their images and trinkets. At St. Edmondsbury, as John ap Rice informed, they found some of the coals that roasted St. Lawrence, the parings of St. Edmund's toes, St. Thomas à Becket's penknife and boots, with as many pieces of the cross of our Saviour as would make a large whole cross. They had also relics against rain, and for hindering weeds to spring. But to pursue this further were useless, the relics were so innumerable. And the value which the people had for them may be gathered from this, that a piece of St. Andrew's finger set in an ounce of silver, was laid to pledge by the house of Westacre for £40; but the visitors when they suppressed that house, did not think fit to redeem it at so high a rate. Rhapsodies from the Roman Breviary. (Antverpiæ, 1823.) Pars Hiemalis. Dei iii. Decembris. In festo Sancti Francisci Xavieris, Confessoris. Ipso magistro,* eò brevi devenit, ut in rerum divinarum contemplatione defixus, a terrâ aliquando sublimius eleveretur, quod illi sacrificanti coram populi multitudine aliquoties evenit. Pars Autumnalis. Dei ii. Septembris. In festo S. Stephani Hungariæ regis, Confessoris. • Ignatio. |