The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

On the Miracles which Took Place after the Death of the Blessed Abbess Gertrudis (De virtutibus, quae facta sunt post dicessum beate Geretrudis abbatisse) (BHL 3495)

(1) The author states that, since 'we' have already written (conscripsimus) about Gertrudis' life and religious conduct (conversatio), 'we' will now commemorate (commemoramus) the miracles which the Lord has deigned to show at her tomb (virtutes ... Dominus ... dignatus est ostendere ad sepulcrum eius).

(2) How Modesta, an abbess at Trier, saw a vision of Gertrudis standing at the right side of an altar dedicated to *Mary (mother of Christ, S00033), who spoke to her and revealed herself at the very hour of her death.

(3) How, ten years after Gertrudis' death, a great fire almost burned down the monastery of Nivelles; and how a man saw a vision of Gertrudis above the flames at the hour the monastery was saved.

(4) On the vision some of the sisters received from Gertrudis, warning them that no-one was to rest on her bed (lectulus); when told this, the abbess arranged for it to be brought into the basilica of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), where the Lord has now revealed many miracles (nunc Dominus multa signa et virtutes ostendere dignatus est). (5) How a blind girl, whom doctors could not heal, was brought to Nivelles; there, Gertrude came to her in a vision and instructed her to go to this bed in the basilica, to which she was then brought and cured.

(6) On Abbess Agnes, a relative of Gertrudis elected by the community (familia) after the death of the saint's successor, who built a church in honour of the saint (edificavit eclesiam in honore virginis Christi sanctae Geretrudis). How the bed was brought into this church 'on the day it was built'; and how the sisters held a solemn night vigil there, after which candles they had extinguished later continued to burn. How the story of this and other miracles spread through the whole region (devulgatum esset hoc miraculum per universam regionem illam et fama exiit de virtutibus eius), so that 'everyone, from near or far, came to the blessed virgin's tomb to seek remedies of the body and soul' (omnes, qui longe aut prope essent, venientes ibidem ad sepulcrum beate virginis remedium querere animarum et corporum simul); and how they 'returned healthy and unharmed' (sani atque incolumnis inde revertebantur).

(7) On a blind woman, who was brought by her husband to Nivelles: how, when she entered the church, one of the lamps above her suddenly overflowed and poured over her clothes, and how those who stood by and watched then rubbed the fluid over her eyes, after which she was cured (effundabatur illa candela, qua ipsa subter stetisset, et effudit super pallium, qua induta erat. Omnes, qui illic aderant et viderunt hoc miraculum, tenentes ex ipsa gutta, et uncxerunt oculos eius, et statm inluminati sunt oculi mulieris). The author remarks that there are too many cases to enumerate of those who have come seeking help from the saint, and, 'invoking her name with faith', have been cured of whatever suffering, helped by an angel of the Lord (qui nomen eius cum fide invocantes, de quacumque tribulatione obpressi fuissent, statim eis angelus Domini adfuit adiutor).

(8) On a boy, who was tied up by robbers who wanted to sell him out of the country (extra patria venumdare), and who 'suddenly remembering, with faith, the name of Saint Gertrudis, beseeched her to help him' (tunc subito puer rememorans cum fiducia nomen sanctae Geretrude deprecatusque eam, ut sibi auxilium inpendisset), whereupon his fetters fell off him and he ran away.

(9) On a man (vir) who was held in fetters by his lord (dominus) for his great crimes (magnis criminibus), and who 'took comfort in hope and prayed to the saint' (confortatus est in spe et depreccans se ad sanctum) that he might be helped, whereupon the irons in which he was held broke (confracti sunt ferri, unde erat strictus), and he went to Nivelles, 'found the holy bed, and was there freed by the powers of the holy virgin' (ad ipsum lectum pervenit, ibique liberatus est per virtutem sanctae virginis).

(10) How, thirty years after Gertrudis' death, her sister (germana) Becga wished to construct a monastery, and came to Nivelles for help. How Agnes and the whole congregation received her petition and gave her relics [of unspecified saints]; books of scripture; senior nuns to teach the monastic discipline; and a piece of the bed on which Gertrudis had died (ex eo lecto ei dederunt partem, ubi sancta Geretrudis, germana sua, migravit ad Christum). How Becga took these and returned to her monastery: on arriving crosses were raised high and chants sung, and the relics and the 'holy bed' were placed next to the altar of *Genovefa (ascetic of Paris, ob. c. 502, S01156) (portaverunt reliquias et lectum sanctum, quam secum detulerant, et posuerant eum iuxta altare sancta Genoveve virginis), where 'daily' healings and exorcisms take place. How Becga died two years later.

(11) On the visit, not many days later (post non multos vero dies) of Adala, a 'religious woman' (relegiosa femina), who doubted whether the Lord worked miracles through Gertrudis (dubitationem habebat, utrum Dominus tanta signa adque virtutes per meritum beatae Geretrude dignatus esset ostendere, an non). How a 'dispute rose up, as if as a joke' (contentio inde exoriretur, sic tamen quasi per ioco) between this matrona and a nun (famula Dei) within the monastery: the nun stated that the saint's feast was on the sixth day of the fourth week of Lent [=17 March in 691], and that willing or unwilling, the matrona would 'perform an act of charity' on that day (volente nolenteque facias caritatem). How, when it approached, both men and women came together to celebrate the day, and, after mass was said, they joyfully gave thanks with food and drink, and only the matrona did not eat. How the matrona's son, who was playing, then fell in a well during the celebration and was drowned; whereupon the nun who had confronted the mother recognised that Gertrudis had done this because of the former's doubts. How she compelled the mother to believe (in veritate crede); and then placed the child next to the bed of Gertrudis, upon which he suddenly recovered. How from thereon the mother believed in the miracles of Gertrudis, and the next day celebrated mass in honour of the saint, and dined with the nuns; afterwards, she adorned the holy bed with gems and precious stones (illum sanctum lectum aurum gemmisque pretiosis unique circumcinctum pulcherrime exornavit). The author states that he/she saw these things with his/her own eyes, or heard them through reliable witnesses (per idoneos testis); and that he/she has not been able to recount everything, since miracles are worked by the Lord 'in her name' daily (cotidie in suo nomine Dominus dignatus est operare).


Text: Krusch, 1888, 464-71.
Summary: B. Savill.

Eucharist associated with cult
Chant and religious singing
Ceremony of dedication

Saint’s feast

Cult building - independent (church)
Cult building - monastic

Feasting (eating, drinking, dancing, singing, bathing)

Uncertainty/scepticism/rejection of a saint
Scepticism/rejection of miracles

Composing and translating saint-related texts
Oral transmission of saint-related stories
Prayer/supplication/invocation
Visiting graves and shrines
Vigils
Seeking asylum at church/shrine
Construction of cult buildings
Demoniacs at the site

Miracle at martyrdom and death
Miracle after death
Punishing miracle
Healing diseases and disabilities
Apparition, vision, dream, revelation
Power over elements (fire, earthquakes, floods, weather)
Freeing prisoners, exiles, captives, slaves
Exorcism

Contact relic - other object closely associated with saint
Unspecified relic
Division of relics
Transfer, translation and deposition of relics

Women
Children
Ecclesiastics - abbots
Ecclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits
Relatives of the saint
Prisoners
Angels
Family

Source

Discussion

Bibliography