The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

The Life of Arnulf, Holy Bishop and Confessor (Vita sancti Arnulfi episcopi et confessoris) (BHL 689-92)

Summary

(Prologue) The author invokes the aid of the holy spirit before writing Arnulf's 'life and acts' (uita uel acta).

(1) On Arnulf's noble background and Frankish stock. (2) How Stephanus, a 'pilgrim' (peregrinus) from Italy and 'servant of God' (seruus Dei) who lived in the area, predicted after Arnulf had been born that he would become 'great before God and men' (magnus erit apud Deum et homines). (3) On Arnulf's education, and how once he came of age he was sent to the palace into the service of Gundulf, and thereafter King Theudebert, (4) where he excelled in arms and as a royal minister. (5) How he took a wife, with whom he had two sons; and how he received many honours at the palace, but still continually devoted his attention to the monasteries and holy places (sed iugis illius meditatio circa monasteria uel loca sancta inuigilabat). (6) How he and Romaric, another outstanding courtier, resolved to leave everything and go to Lérins to become 'strangers for Christ' (ad peregrinandum propter Christum). How it was God's will that their plans were thwarted (sed utriusque desideriis in hac causa obfuit voluntas Altissimi).

(7) On Arnulf's election as bishop of Metz, with the unanimous consent of the people. How his generosity in almsgiving caused his fame to spread through the cities and regions, so that 'innumerable crowds of the poor came to him for relief' (innumera caterua pauperum... refocilanda festinaret). (8) On his care for monks and pilgrims, and his personal austerities.

(9) On his miracles as bishop. How, 'on an estate of Saint *Stephen (the first martyr, S00030)' (in praedio Sancti Stephani) in the Vosges, his prayers exorcised a woman named Bettila; (10) and how his prayers exorcised another woman, seized by a demon as he led a procession outside Metz. (11) How he baptised and cleansed a leprous barbarian (lebrosus... barbarus) who sought his aid at the palace of King Dagobert. (12) How he revived a half-dead man (semiuiuus homo) in Thuringia. (13) How the clothes of Noddo, a man who had slandered Arnulf, caught fire and could not be extinguished; how the same Noddo was later executed by the king, together with his son.

(14) How Arnulf sold a silver dish, formerly consecrated in honour of the Protomartyr Stephen (discus argenti... in honore beati Stephani protomartiris iam olim consecratus), to the courtier Hugus, for 'alms and things necessary for the poor' (alimoniis uel his quae pauperibus necessaria erant); and how, after Hugus died and the dish passed to King Chlothar, he learned of its story, and sent it back to Metz, filled with 100 gold coins.

(15) How Arnulf would retreat for prayer at the villa of Dodigny, beside the Vosges, and at Chaucy, a small cell not far from Metz. (16) How he petitioned King Chlothar to let another bishop be elected as his successor, (17) and did the same with his son; how King Dagobert grew angry with Arnulf's requests and drew his sword against him. How the king's rage was soothed by a courtier, who remarked that Arnulf was a 'destined holy man' (uirum sanctum destinatum) and 'was ready to become a martyr' (cupidum esse ad martirium). (18) How the queen, who was also present, thought of her sins (reminiscentes culpae suae) and ran to Arnulf's feet, pleading him to 'leave for the desert' if he wished (Perge, domne. ad heremum, quo uis). How, as Arnulf left the palace, a great crowd of the poor and sick begged him not to abandon them, to whom he replied that they would not see him for a long time (non longo tempore ammodo uidebitis), and that they should prepare for the life to come (futura uita).

(19) On the election of sanctus *Goeric, also known as Abbo (bishop of Metz, ob. c. 647, S02971) as his successor at Metz: 'Indeed it was rightly brought about by the Lord, that a saint should succeed a saint' (digne quippe a Domino hactum est, ut sancto sanctus succederet). How Romaric heard of these things, and came from the Vosges to meet Arnulf, 'and by their mutual agreement, he prepared a suitable place for him in the wastes of the desert' (adque ex convenencia utriusque infra uasta heremi aptum eidem praeparat locum). (20) How Arnulf put out a great fire in Metz by making the sign of the cross; and how when 'we returned to our beds' (nos... ad lectulos nostros remeauimus), this was confirmed to 'one of the brothers' in a dream (cuidam e fratribus talis apparauit uisio). (21) On Arnulf's life as a hermit.

(22) On Arnulf's death on 15th of the kalends of August (18 July), and his burial by Romaric in Habendum (Remiremont). (23) How, a few years later, his successor Goeric, two other bishops, and a great crowd of clerics and people went, 'removing his holy body from its stone tomb, placed it on a bier' (sancta membra ab urna lapidis auferentes, grabato inponunt), and then brought it back to the city, with a sweet odour coming from the corpse. (24) On the miracles that occurred during the translation (in itinere): how, 'so I believe' (ut reor), angels seized hold of the bier after it was almost dropped along a slippery ravine; (25) and how the body could not be carried within the boundaries of an estate belonging to a 'debauched' (incestiosus) man called Cionta, compelling the company to instead make its way to the villa of Duke Noddo, at which they arrived before nightfall, having travelled with miraculous speed. (26) On their arrival at Metz, whereupon the whole city (omnis ciuitas) came out to meet them with crosses and candles. On Arnulf's reburial within the basilica of the Holy *Apostles (S00084).

(27) On the miracles experienced by those praying at the tomb: the healing of Julia, a blind woman; (28) Ciorcilla, whose hands had withered (contracta) after daring to work on a Sunday (this story was related by Abbot Arnegausius, who had directed her to the tomb); and (29) Cero, a 'little man' (humuncio) crippled in the feet. (30) The author desists from boring the reader with yet more, and ends by seeking the intercession of Arnulf with the Lord Jesus Christ.


Text: Krusch 1888.
Summary: B. Savill.

Procession

Saint’s feast

Cult building - independent (church)
Cult building - monastic
Burial site of a saint - tomb/grave

Other

Prayer/supplication/invocation
Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Visiting graves and shrines
Composing and translating saint-related texts
Oral transmission of saint-related stories
Ceremonies at burial of a saint

Miracle during lifetime
Miracle after death
Punishing miracle
Power over elements (fire, earthquakes, floods, weather)
Healing diseases and disabilities
Apparition, vision, dream, revelation
Revelation of hidden knowledge (past, present and future)
Miraculous sound, smell, light
Exorcism
Power over life and death
Invisibility, bilocation, miraculous travels

Bodily relic - entire body
Transfer, translation and deposition of relics

Women
Ecclesiastics - bishops
Ecclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits
Ecclesiastics - abbots
Unbaptized Christians
Pagans
Foreigners (including Barbarians)
Monarchs and their family
Aristocrats
Officials
The socially marginal (beggars, prostitutes, thieves)
Crowds
Angels

Source

Discussion

Bibliography