Prologue #

¹ Fiacre, the renowned Confessor of Christ and perfect disciple of the Gospel’s teaching, shone brightly: for he diligently wedded good work to rightness of faith. In his holy breast he ever turned it over that understanding is good in all who do it — not in those who merely hear it, since hearers only shall not be justified — nor in those who speak it, for many say and do not; and so sound doctrine with unlikeness of conduct profits them nothing for salvation, whereas good work is counted for righteousness. “He who does these things,” it says, “shall not be moved for ever.” Lest therefore faith without works should die in him, or working without faith abide fruitless for salvation, what he meditated in the law of the Lord day and night he strove to bring forth into the light of a good recompense — according to that saying, “Let your light so shine before men” — that the springs might be led abroad, and the curtain draw the curtain, and he who heard might say, “Come.” As the turtle-dove of the burnt offering turns her beak toward her wings, so, like the clean animal of the law, he chewed over again in good works what he had digested with subtle discernment.

² From his earliest years he went out of the land of his birth, forgot his own people and his father’s house — a vigorous lover of voluntary poverty, which is usually the guardian of humility in good minds. The frost of want burned out in him the whirlwinds of temptation and the fires of the vices; for deceitful riches have furnished many with occasions of wickedness, while they either empty men out into luxury, or puff them up to pride, or drive them headlong through the precipices of other vices. That he might be a pilgrim of the world and be made a friend of God, renouncing the devil and all his works perfectly, he followed Christ poor with the poor Christ. Christ had not where to lay His head: Fiacre declined the thorns of riches, that he might gain Christ. Cleaving also to the testimonies of God, he delighted in keeping them day by day; for in him the harp of the virtues, touched by the hand of holy operation, uttered heavenly melody, since he knew that whoever shall offend in one point is guilty of all — and he strove to show himself a workman of all that is good.

³ No furnishing of the spiritual workshop could be wanting in him in whom chastity dwelt steadfast to the end. In him shone the faith of Abraham, the fervour of Peter, the meekness of Moses, the simplicity of Paul, the patience of Job. As Apelles put forth the image of Helen, so Fiacre carefully cultivated himself as a field full of the perfumes of the virtues. Walking therefore perfectly in the commandments of God, he bruised the head of the ancient serpent: he conquered the dragon, he overcame the lion — the dragon he conquered by prudent circumspection, the lion he overcame by the fortitude of endurance. He trod the world underfoot by contempt and voluntary poverty; he subdued the flesh by the exercise of vigils and fasts; all things that are of the world he subjected beneath his feet — for he knew that all is vanity of vanities, and every man vanity. As the wild ass scorns the city, so this Saint spurned the world and concupiscence. If riches abounded, he set not his heart upon them, but used them as things passing by, remembering well that no man can take his delight both here and hereafter.

⁴ These are your gifts, O Christ, who grant grace that we may will, whose grace attends us lest we run to destruction — for it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of you who show mercy. Who ever, without the help of your grace, could either will well or perfect the work of a good will? Without you no one can do anything; but the soul, like land without water, thirsts for you. Blessed is that Saint whom you have chosen, whose right hand You have held, and in your will have led him. You were to him a shield and a protection, you his help and his exultation; and therefore he strove faithfully and triumphed lawfully, set in the vale of tears. Intent upon frequent fasts and pure prayers, he wept the malice of the world, he wept the misery of exile; and since he received from the Lord the upper springs and the nether springs — from whom is every best gift and every perfect gift — he was wholly melted into tears, desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ. The Lord therefore, willing to crown His Saint for so great labour — him chosen from eternity and made marvellous on earth — today brought him forth from the prison-house of the flesh, that he might feast in heaven with his brethren. Let us rejoice on earth, since the angels rejoice today in heaven: for if there is joy among the angels over the conversion of one sinner, how much more over the assumption of one just man! Let our Church rejoice, made illustrious by the presence of so great a patron.

⁵ The newness of his signs and the greatness of his miracles build up faith in so great holiness. For the sick come to his sepulchre and are healed; the despairing receive the consolation of health. For whoever has implored his help with faithful mind and pure heart and devout faith, and not felt the benefit of his mercy? Surely he shines like the morning star in the heavens, but to those who serve him devoutly he stretches forth the rays of his patronage and benefits upon the earth. By his merits and intercession so many benefits have been bestowed on mortals, so many remedies of sicknesses shown, that in recounting them the eloquence of Demosthenes would be struck dumb by their multitude. Nevertheless, lest on his solemnity there should be wanting a supply of reading for those who devoutly watch the night beside his body, we have taken care to touch briefly upon a few out of many, some out of all, though in a humble style. By the reading, hearing, and recounting of these things, the fire of devotion will burn the more in those who know, the cloud of ignorance will be lifted from those who do not know, and glory and honour will grow in the praise of God and of His Saint. May the anointing of the Holy Spirit enlighten our heart with the splendour of His grace and teach it, rule our tongue, and open our mouth and fill it with the word of true eloquence. Amen.

Chapter One: The deeds of the Saint in his lifetime; women forbidden entrance into his chapel. #

¹ The blessed Fiacre, a magnificent hermit, dwelling in the territory of Meaux under the protection of the most holy Faro, bishop of Meaux, flourished before God in innumerable virtues, as the sacred reading of his acts declares. He was born of noble parentage in the parts of Ireland; but that he might lead a solitary life, freed from the care of his kinsfolk and unencumbered by the turmoil of the world, he left his parents and his country, and, the Lord guiding him, came into these foreign parts.

² At that time the most glorious Faro, having left the soldiership of the world, was enjoying the bishopric of Meaux by God’s favour; him blessed Fiacre, with the companions whom fortune had given him, sought out for the sake of hospitality. The most pious Faro received him most gladly, and that he might inquire the more familiarly and expressly into the devout bent of his mind, granted that he should remain with him as long as he wished.

³ And looking attentively upon his simple and devout face, he said: “I pray you, dearest one, make known to me your origin and your country, and the secret intent of your mind — where you are bound, and by what name you are called. If afterwards I can offer you fitting counsel, with God as witness I will gladly give it.” To him Saint Fiacre answered: “Most reverend Father, Ireland, the island of the Scots, gave origin to me and to my parents; and because I long to lead a solitary life, I have fled and left my country and my parents; I seek any place fitting for hermits, and by name I am called Fiacre.

⁴ Now therefore I earnestly beg your gracious fatherhood, that if you know of any wooded place in these parts where I may give myself to holy prayers, you will not delay to grant it me.” Hearing these things, the blessed Faro, made glad, said to him: “I have indeed, not far from here, a certain wood by hereditary right of my own, which the inhabitants call Breuil, which I believe suitable enough for the pursuit of a solitary life; and if you desire to see it, let us go there.” To whom blessed Fiacre answered: “As your fatherhood bids, so do I most earnestly wish it done.”

⁵ Then the most pious bishop brought him with all speed to the longed-for place, and looking upon it said: “Good brother, this place belongs to me by hereditary right; and if it please you to dwell here, as much of it as shall be needful to you I devoutly offer and cheerfully grant.” At which words blessed Fiacre, at once falling at his feet and with tears welling up returning thanks for the benefit conferred, said: “Most blessed Father, at sight alone this place delights me exceedingly; for it is sacred, and wholly removed from every concourse of men.”

⁶ These things being accomplished, having refreshed themselves with the nourishment of the divine word, they returned together with retraced steps to the city of Meaux. But on the following day, having asked a blessing and received leave from the holy Faro, Fiacre returned to the same place; and the wood being torn up, he built a monastery in honour of the Blessed Mary, and built a small house apart, in which he received guests and in which he himself lived.

⁷ All things therefore being accomplished that seemed fitting for the time, the gracious athlete of God Fiacre subjected himself day by day more strictly to the service of Christ, grew in virtues, and, made an austere enemy to himself, what he daily withdrew from his famished body he mercifully bestowed upon pilgrims and the poor. And if any, deprived of the strength of their arms, or made speechless, or shrivelled by dryness of sinew, or harassed by the assault of the evil spirit, or hindered by sickness of the whole body, came to him or were brought by others, by the mere laying on of his hand they were restored through God’s help to their former soundness.

⁸ The glorious renown of the holy man therefore glowed abroad, and his miracles, fame proclaiming them, began to increase more and more with the sweet-smelling rumours of his virtues through all the affinities of the Meaux region round about. For the most blessed Chillenus heard — he who had come into the territory of Meaux from a journey of pilgrimage to Rome — the fame of so great a man, and came to him.

⁹ Saint Fiacre, receiving him kindly and liberally, when he learned that he was his own countryman and joined to him by affinity of blood, begged him to remain with him some days; which being granted, they conferred together of their native soil and the knowledge of their parents, and refreshed themselves with the sweet-flowing sentences of Holy Scripture. Afterwards, commending one another to the Lord and giving the kiss of peace, they parted from each other.

¹⁰ Now truly, since the sweet-smelling renown of his holiness was diffused round about and many flocked to him from every side — that he might have with which to relieve the needs of those arriving, and relieve the want of the poor from the labour of his hands — it seemed to him that a larger and more spacious place would be useful and necessary for making a garden, for planting herbs and other kinds of various plants. But although the blessed Faro had formerly granted him as much of his wood as suited his needs, yet the humble hermit presumed not to enlarge the place and make a garden without the bishop’s licence. He went therefore to the bishop and begged that it might be permitted him to tear up around his house as much of the woods as would allow him to make a garden there. To whom the venerable bishop liberally granted as much of the wood asked for as he could enclose in a circuit around his house by digging a trench with his own hand in one day; and whatever he should include within the trench made by the labour of one day’s digging, he should possess freely and without dispute as it were by inheritance.

¹¹ Which being granted, the Saint, bowing his head to the bishop with thanks and bidding him farewell, returned to the place of his beloved solitude; and having made his prayer, he drew along the ground the staff which he held in his hand — and, wondrous to tell, at the bidding of the man of God, at the touch of the staff the earth gaped open and the wood fell down utterly on this side and on that. Meanwhile a certain woman came by who, seeing the miracle of the gaping earth and astounded at the strangeness of the thing, hastened swiftly to report it to the bishop, asserting that the magnificent hermit was a sorcerer, no worshipper of the most high God, but a magician and an enchanter. The woman therefore returning with all speed presumed to heap insults, revilings, and blasphemies upon the holy man, ordered him by the bishop’s authority to cease from the work begun, and announced that the bishop himself would come. The holy man, accused before the bishop by the woman, ceasing from the work begun, sat down angry and sorrowful upon a rock.

¹² Wonders succeed to wonders. For the hardest rock, softened at the divine nod against its nature — that it might be the better suited to the holy man’s sitting — yielded a hollow place beneath him. And that the hearers may give credence to this account, the same rock is kept to this day in the monastery of this Saint, and the place of his sitting is still shown in witness of the miracle; by whose touch the weak and sick have been restored to health. The bishop therefore, provoked by the words of the same woman, came; and seeing in the stone the place of the man of God’s sitting wondrously hollowed, and the stone, as it were, having laid aside its hardness and been softened by the divine nod — seeing also that at the touch of the same Saint’s staff the earth had opened, the wood had fallen on this side and on that, and deep trenches had been made in an instant — he understood that the gracious hermit was of great merit before God; and afterwards, knowing his virtues, he loved him the more fervently, and as long as he lived clung to him the more closely. And the trenches made by the touch of the man of God’s staff are pointed out by the inhabitants even to this day.

¹³ From that time therefore, when the woman accused the holy man before the bishop, even to the present, women have not entered the Saint’s monastery. For provoked to anger by the woman, he prayed that the God of vengeance, the Lord, would so avenge his injury that every woman who should enter his monastery should incur infirmity of body. And so fathers have told their sons that a certain woman, rich and noble, wishing to see what would happen to the woman who should enter the same monastery, pushed her handmaid into it with her own hands; when this was done, in the sight of all who were present, the mistress herself lost one eye, while the maid remained unharmed. And in modern times a certain woman of Lagny set one foot within the Saint’s monastery, which foot at once swelled; and the swelling mounted not the foot alone, but the shin also, the knee and the thigh. There are also many other things which restrain women from entering the same monastery. The blessed Fiacre therefore grew illustrious in that same place by signs and virtues, and happily finished the course of the present life; at whose sacred tomb the members of the languishing are frequently restored to health, however grievously afflicted by whatever disease — our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, to whom is honour and glory for ever and ever.

Chapter Two: A father with his two sons, fallen into the Marne, comes forth from the river with them healed; four boys long submerged come forth from the water unharmed. #

¹ A certain man of Montigny had two sons who had laboured long under a grievous infirmity; and their father, suffering with their infirmity, resolved to bring them to Saint Fiacre. Setting them upon his beast, he himself mounted between them — the younger before him, the elder behind. He came to the city of Meaux, and passing through it came to the bridge which is called the Swift Bridge. But his beast by chance struck its foot against a stone, and falling from the bridge fell into the river called the Marne; and with it the father and the sons fell together, crying with a loud voice in their fall: “Saint Fiacre, Saint Fiacre, succour us graciously!”

² Therefore a cry was raised by those who stood by and marked the event; God was invoked, the aid of Saint Fiacre implored. Nor was there delay: the father rose out of the waves, and the sons rose too, of whose life all who were present despaired — most of all because the same river ran there with a swift and exceeding impetuous course of flowing waters, through winding arches, to the mills set beside the bridge. The father, rising from the waves, lifted his head, earnestly invoked Saint Fiacre, saw his sons tossing far from him; he had no skill in swimming, no boat was at hand, peril threatened. But because he had called upon the Lord out of tribulation, the Lord heard him. For wondrous to tell, though the water was of such depth that a pole of two men’s length could not then reach the bottom, it offered itself as it were against the nature of the element solid beneath his feet.

³ The father’s head appeared above the surface of the water; and going to his sons and clasping one on this side and the other on that with his right hand and his left, as though the wave served him, he came without difficulty to the bank with them. Father and sons therefore, coming forth out of the water, declared that Saint Fiacre had been present to them in their shipwreck; and that this might be plainly manifest, as they had been delivered from the peril of death, so in that very instant they were delivered also from the disease under which they had before laboured. Swift fame therefore ran through the whole city, and there was a concourse of people crying and saying: “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.” Afterwards the father and the sons came to the Saint’s monastery, gave thanks to God, and made a vow to Saint Fiacre; then joyful and glad they returned to their own.

⁴ At Noyon, in the river called the Oise, four boys were bathing; and while they incautiously did not avoid the depth of the water, they were by chance drowned. Now women were washing clothes at the river-bank; who seeing the boys now tossing on the waves, now submerged and not appearing, raised a cry. Their cry was heard; the village, which was not far from the river, was roused; the people gathered at the cry and ran quickly to the same river. Without delay the fishermen were there in their boats, sought the submerged boys with hooked poles, and though they sought long and much could not find them. Now the same boys were sons of two women, who, while the crowd was in tumult, learned that their sons were drowned.

⁵ Which being known, they ran to the river like madwomen with scattered hair and made lamentable wailing for the unlooked-for death of their sons: they tore their cheeks, beat their breasts with their fists, for grief pulled out their hair with their hands, shed abundant tears, drew deep sighs from the bottom of the heart, and filled the air with their cries. And while the mothers lamented from the sixth hour until the setting of the sun, the boys sought were not found.

⁶ But when, night coming on, they despaired of their being found, one of the mothers spoke thus: “Saint Fiacre, venerable confessor, I have heard from many that you can do much with God — which I myself have learned by experience; for when I came lately sick, weak, and infirm to your monastery, by the aid of your merits I was restored to health. I pray therefore that which you can obtain for us from the mercy of God: that as He called back Lazarus of four days from death to life, so through your merits, working wonders, He would restore to us our living sons.” And saying this she cried out and broke into these words: “Saint Fiacre, show us how much you can do with God; let us feel your help in our present need; through the grace granted you by God, give us back our sons!”

⁷ At this word the boys came up alive out of the water. Truly your works are wonderful, O Lord, who so glorify your saints that, the burden of the flesh laid aside, they live happily with you in heavenly glory and cease not to be the patrons of earthborn men. The boys therefore, drawn out of the river, said that they had been bound by four demons and loosed by Saint Fiacre. At the sight of so great a miracle there was great joy among the people, and all who were present glorified the holy name of the Lord.

Chapter Three: Various women restored to health from various diseases by the Saint’s help; one delivered from the stone, another from a grievous malady of the foot. #

¹ In the territory of Beauvais, at Breteuil, a certain woman afflicted with many pains lay grievously sick; who, when she had learned by flying rumour that the Lord of hosts often worked many cures through the blessed Fiacre, began often to invoke Saint Fiacre and earnestly implored his help. On a certain day therefore she set out on a pilgrimage to the Saint’s monastery. And when she was on the way, not yet far from her own home — wondrous to tell — she vomited up an immense, enormous, horrible snake, terrible to look upon; and thus by the merits and intercession of the blessed confessor Fiacre she was restored perfectly and entirely to health.

² Moreover we saw another woman, dwelling at Montlhéry, labouring under a grievous infirmity, who was full of superfluous and noxious humours, and her belly was so swollen as though she were about to give birth. She came to the Saint’s monastery thronged with a company of her neighbours, and told us — her neighbours bearing witness to her account — that vexed by many medicines and wholly despaired of by the physicians, she had made a vow to Saint Fiacre; which being made, she at once expelled through nature’s secret passage an enormous toad, exceeding horrible to see, and obtained, Saint Fiacre aiding, the health so long desired.

³ In the city of Soissons a certain woman fell into an infirmity so grievous that she could neither rise from her bed nor put her hand to her mouth; for all her members were deprived of their offices. She was rich, and in hope of recovering health distributed many gifts to the physicians. But when, her sickness increasing from day to day, she grew worse — despaired of by the physicians, deprived of the office of her members — she begged the more earnestly and affectionately for the mercy of God in prayer. On a certain day she had a candle made the length of her body and brought to the monastery of Saint Fiacre.

⁴ Which being offered by her servant upon the Saint’s altar, in the same hour the sick woman fell asleep in her house; to whom Saint Fiacre stood by holding the candle, and said: “See, I come to cure your infirmity”; and making the sign of the cross, the Saint vanished. The woman, roused from sleep, the weakness of her members driven off, rose from her bed, walked through her house, called together her neighbours, and told them how Saint Fiacre had cured her. The next day her servant, who had offered the candle to the Saint, returned; of whom the woman inquired the time and the hour when he had set the candle upon the altar; and she learned that it was the same hour in which she had grown better.

⁵ A certain woman of Burgundy came to the Saint’s monastery for prayer, who told us with a great shedding of tears that she had suffered a flux of blood for seven years without ceasing. And though many physicians had applied much care to her, they could in no way cure her. Now on a certain day she had received a certain poor woman into her house for hospitality’s sake; from whose account she learned that the poor woman herself had been healed of a flux of blood through the merits of the holy confessor Fiacre. She asked her therefore of Saint Fiacre, of what merit he was, and what infirmities he cured. To whom she answered: “I have learned by experience that the blessed Fiacre is of great merit before God — a physician granted by God to earthborn men for all sicknesses. He cures the sick, the fig-diseased, the fevered, the languid, those who labour under various weaknesses. He puts to flight the infirmities of all who implore his aid.”

⁶ The same woman, hearing these things, said: “If what you say is true, he is more powerful and more effectual than the works of physicians. I would not have sought another physician if I had heard anything of his virtues sooner; and from now on I will not commit the care of my body to another doctor.” To whom the poor woman said: “With whole faith and sincere devotion invoke him, and implore his aid.” But she, bursting into tears, said: “Saint Fiacre, venerable confessor, merciful consoler of the wretched, be the physician of my infirmity; to you I flee, you I invoke, to you I commend myself, to you I commit the care of my body.” She had not yet finished the words when the flux of blood ceased, health came; and thus through the merits of the blessed confessor Fiacre she obtained perfect and long-desired health. Now this woman had a brother troubled with the stone; who, asked and admonished by the same sister, amid his sharpest pains made a vow to Saint Fiacre, and at once, in the sight of all who were present, through his genital member with the water voided a stone no smaller than a pigeon’s egg.

⁷ There was at Rouen a widow woman, though poor in the substance of temporal things yet exceeding rich in sanctity and devotion of faith, as the event of an astounding matter made manifest. Her son, while busily intent on cutting wood in the forest, handling the tool he used too carelessly, wounded his foot grievously; and the pain of the wound so prevailed that it both afflicted the son beyond measure and pierced the soul of his mother. So, moved with motherly affection as her tender heart bore her, she called a physician — faithful, as she believed — and committed the care of her son to him. Who, omitting nothing that might help, took care as the manner is to chastise the swelling of the wounded place with plasters. But because it is not always in the physician that the sick man is relieved, nor does the work of medicine always obtain its due effect, the injured foot swelled vehemently, and with the enormity of the swelling turned to corruption; and because by the Scripture’s authority those members are to be cut off which feel not the remedies, the physician under the pretence of counsel pronounced that the sick man could in no way be healed save by the cutting off of the foot. The mother, hearing the word of mutilation, broke off her speech with sobs and groaning, and filling the town with her complaint cried, “Woe is me!” At her cry the neighbours flocked together under pretence of consolation.

⁸ Among whom a certain woman, who had lately been delivered by the interceding merits of Saint Fiacre from the infirmity with which she was held, hastened with quickened step. She, being full of faith — since from those who flocked from various parts to the same Saint she had by the way heard the astounding and unheard-of wonders worked through Saint Fiacre — thus comforted the weeping woman with friendly words: “Weep not,” said she, “grieve not; only hear my words and acquiesce in my counsel, which shall be wholesome for you and your son: vow your son to Saint Fiacre — let him profess himself his servant, pay him fourpence of his own head every year while he lives, and keep his birthday solemnly. In my faith I promise for Saint Fiacre, I faithfully pledge — offering whatever surety you wish — that your son shall shortly be restored to you whole.”

⁹ The sick man, hearing these things with attentive ear, said: “Blessed be you this day, and blessed the words of your mouth; wholesome is your counsel, and therefore blessed be the hour of your coming.” And after the form of the counsel she had given he bound himself by vow, saying: “This day I profess myself the servant of Saint Fiacre.” And bidding farewell to the physician he turned to the intercession of the often-named Saint; and drawing sighs from the bottom of his breast, he poured forth prayers not without tears, affectionate and abundant, in this manner: “Saint Fiacre, venerable confessor, friend of the most high God, you the sweetness of the poor, you the merciful consoler of the wretched, you the compassionate healer of the sick, be my helper and consoler in this instant necessity. You alone, after God, shall from now on be my physician and my remedy; and as you are bountiful in succour to all who cry to you with their whole heart out of whatever tribulation, I trust in the Lord and truly believe that I alone shall not be without share in your benefits nor free of them. Succour me swiftly, help me mercifully; I commend myself to you, I commit myself to your care. As your will is in heaven and what is good in your eyes, so be it done to me.” These things said, persisting in the devotion conceived, he was better and more quiet. And so it came to pass that, a few days having elapsed, by the merits and intercession of Saint Fiacre he received full and perfect health, nor did any traces of his disease remain afterwards.

Chapter Four: Various diseases driven away by the Saint’s help; certain blasphemers first punished, then healed upon repentance. #

¹ A certain man in the territory of Amiens fell into the disease which physicians call the polyp. Breaking out of his nostrils to the size of a hen’s egg, it deformedly disfigured his face, and made him horrible to look upon, fetid to smell, terrible to hear; for the disease had so closed the passages of breath that when he drew and gave breath in turn, he seemed to utter the voice of a goose, while a stench intolerable arose continually from the corruption of blood and matter flowing from it. Which thing he was not ignorant of; so he shunned as far as he could the sight of men. One only sister clung to him closely for service’s sake, all others shunning him as a monster.

² Seeing himself held in contempt by all, he turned himself to the intercession of Saint Fiacre, and taking the journey with naked feet, laboured toward Saint Fiacre. When he came to the place — who could unfold the groaning and sobbing of his heart, who set forth the flood of tears, who recount the devotion and purity of his fervent prayers? Devoutly visiting the Saint’s relics, worn out with much sorrow and wearied with the labour of the way, at last he cast himself down at the Saint’s sepulchre and sweetly fell asleep. The merciful and pitying Lord, who ever regards the prayer of the humble and never despises their petitions, turned his mourning into joy, cutting off his sackcloth. For waking from sleep he found before him the growth of flesh which the disease had produced out of his nostrils — fallen off without hurt to the member to which it adhered; and touching his lips and nose with a gentle touch, found himself perfectly cured. Going out therefore he washed his face with water, and again drew near to the Saint’s monument to render thanks to God and Saint Fiacre, where he filled the ears of the most high God with the balsam of pure prayer. And so joyful, sound, and whole, no sign of the disease appearing within or without, he returned to his own. O sincerity of faith, what do you not obtain! You remove mountains, you soften stones, at your presence wild beasts grow tame.

³ From a like disease, but in a different manner, a certain youth, Odo by name, was perfectly cured at the prayers of Saint Fiacre. This Odo all the inhabitants of Saint Fiacre’s lands at that time, small and great, each and every, could see and bear witness to the truth. Being made whole, he remained devoted for some years in the service of the monks there serving God; afterwards in the village called Coulommes he took a wife and settled. We have also seen very many cured of a like disease through the intercession of Saint Fiacre, of whom it is not in our power to write singly. For many thousands of both sexes flock to the monastery of the same Saint, and each rejoicing relates that by the same Saint’s intercession he has been cured of various infirmities. But to describe the manner of each one’s cure, the eloquence of Demosthenes would not suffice. O holiness of the man! Physicians fail of the cure, and the Saint’s prayers drive away diseases. Medicine languishes, and the intercession of devout prayer succour. Merits fail, and the ardour of sincere faith extorts the boon. Nature indeed denies, but faith supplies the benefit.

⁴ A certain man laboured under the disease which we commonly call the fig; nor could any physician cure him, though many spent much pains. Despairing at last of physicians, he sent them away; and setting all his hope in God and Saint Fiacre, made a vow and devoutly sought the Saint’s monastery. There indeed, though he obtained not the perfect health he desired, he obtained a very great alleviation of his infirmity. As he departed home, John the monk, who then kept the Saint’s relics, admonished him to be of good cheer, and diligently charged him to use no more any medicines.

⁵ The same man returned to his house and, not yet perfectly healed, committed himself again to physicians, and began from day to day to be worse. And when on a certain day the physician was inspecting his urine, the glass vessel in which the urine was cracked, and the urine with the vessel split through the middle leapt forth impetuously to and fro, and foully wetted the physician, terrified by the strangeness of it. Seeing which, the sick man, pricked in heart, blushed, dismissed the physician, enlarged his vow, and returning to Saint Fiacre’s monastery obtained the perfect health he had long and greatly desired. Health received, he said farewell to the brethren of the place, and joyful and merry returned to his own.

⁶ Seven pilgrims coming from Saint Denis, when they were not far from the monastery of Saint Fiacre — four of them said: “Let us go to Saint Fiacre, since we are near his monastery.” To whom the other three answered, saying: “We have not the fig-sickness, and need not go to him — only they need who have it. He has no pilgrims but the fig-sick. You who have need, who are fig-sick, go to him, and we will go on home.” And so bidding each other farewell, they departed.

⁷ While the same four went on the way that leads to the same Saint’s monastery, the other three cried after them in mockery, saying: “Go, you fig-sick, to the physician of the fig-sick!” And these same words they often repeated blaspheming and reviling. Nor was there delay: the divine vengeance struck them with blindness — for they were suddenly made blind, so that with open eyes they saw nothing.

⁸ And they said one to another: “How has this day, a little while ago so serene, been suddenly turned into dark night for us? Without doubt this blindness has come upon us because we blasphemed Saint Fiacre and scorned to go with our companions to his monastery. Let us repent, let us beg pardon, let us call our companions.” They cried therefore after them, calling them. But they, thinking the others meant to mock them, would not return; and went on to the same monastery, made their prayer, and were returning by the same way, hastening to overtake their companions.

⁹ And when they came to the place where they had left them, seeing them wandering through the fields and blind, they said: “What has happened to you?” And they: “Because we, senseless and reviling, blasphemed Saint Fiacre and you, therefore we are struck with blindness; and what we scorned to do of our own will, we are now compelled by necessity — to implore the same Saint’s intercession. Lead us to his monastery and we will make satisfaction to him, praying and begging that the merciful God, Saint Fiacre interceding, may forgive us this guilt and restore the light we have lost.” Having said this, they led the blind men to the often-mentioned monastery; who made satisfaction to the Saint, poured out devout and fervent prayers, made their vow, and there received the sight they longed for — and seeing, rejoicing, and giving thanks to God, returned to their own.

¹⁰ A certain one of our brethren, Milo by name, used to relate this miracle which we adjoin, as seen by himself and by very many. Whose account, if it seem less credible on his own testimony, let suffice for witness the no small multitude of men and women who were present with him. “I,” said he, “when I was once staying in the village called Ruy, sitting one day in the house and busied with the care of the household, suddenly the horror of an unusual clamour sounded in my ears. Troubled and frightened I went out into the street; and I found a man, as far as could be discerned, of about thirty years, but meagre and wasted with the vexation of long sickness, who uttered these cries to heaven, praising and glorifying God: ‘Help me, O Lord my God! help me, Saint Fiacre!’

¹¹ Astonished at these words, with the men and women who had likewise run together roused, I joined myself to the man, asking and wishing to know what the cause was, and what he suffered as it were out of his mind. But he, making small account of my questioning and judging me unworthy of his answer, would not let himself cease even a little from the praises begun. And when he drew near to the church of the same village, which is hard by, prostrating himself before the monastery’s door in the manner of a cross, he poured out prayer to the Lord with great supplication. And when he had risen from prayer, I and many others who had come together to this spectacle approached nearer, begging him to disclose to us the event of the matter. Then he, as it were returning to himself from an ecstasy of mind, turning to us, said: ‘Why, brethren, do you wonder at me? Why do you look upon me — a man to whom it is given today to see and hear wonders? I indeed, born in the parts of Flanders and held by a long and grievous infirmity, hearing the fame of Saint Fiacre’s miracles, set out with companions toward his monastery for the recovery of my health. Which companions, unable to bear the distress of my infirmity and the slowness of the journey — for what was one day’s journey I could hardly complete in two — this morning departed, leaving me alone in the next village, to pursue their way. And when I sat alone beside the way, bewailing my pain, my pilgrimage, the loss of my country and my companions, suddenly there appeared to me a certain person, venerable of face, bearing the likeness of a hermit, who began to address me in these words: “What are you doing here, good man? Why do you lament so, and where are you bound?” To whom I answered: “Sir, I have sat down here to bewail my grief; and I am bound for the monastery of Saint Fiacre; but, my infirmity increasing, I can go no further, bereft of my companions’ comfort.”

¹² Then the person with sweet and pleasant speech: “Arise,” said he, “quickly; do not doubt, but follow after your companions; for if you wish, you can even arrive at the place you seek before them.” After this word, when he had suddenly vanished — and thanks be to God — a certain inestimable health and sweetness, descending as it were from heaven, was suddenly diffused through all my limbs. I felt that a remedy had come to me, and that my genitals, which had been swollen like a wine-skin, had received their natural form and former state. And I, trembling at the sudden change of my body, leapt up and stood upon my feet, and began to run, praising and glorifying God and the Lord, the mercy and truth of Saint Fiacre, who deigned to visit me and restore to me the health so long desired.’

¹³ After this he began before our eyes to bare his belly, and with no shame to say with a loud voice: ‘See, see the health of my body; see and know how I who this morning could not move a foot have been made on a sudden so whole and glad.’ And he added: ‘Let me go, brethren, let me depart, and hold me no longer, that according to Saint Fiacre’s promise I may outrun my companions to his monastery.’ And when, bidding us farewell, he had gone from us, ceasing not to praise the Lord’s name and cry the name of Saint Fiacre, we followed him long with our gaze — not walking but running swiftly — amazed and praising God, who alone does wonders.”

Chapter Five: Saint Fiacre appears to a certain man, heals him, and tells him a son is born to him; others healed; a girl delivered at once from peril to her chastity and from disease. #

¹ A certain pilgrim came to Saint Fiacre that he might obtain from him relief of his infirmity; whom a countryman, for hospitality’s sake, received into his house for Saint Fiacre’s honour. When therefore evening came and they sat by the fire, the same countryman, seeing him holding a little bag, said to him: “Good brother, what is kept in this bag?” To whom he: “Sir, in this bag is contained a powder which I received from the physicians; for the disease I suffer is often wet with blood. And I, instructed by the physicians, lay this powder upon it.” To whom the same host said: “If you were a good pilgrim, you would commit the care of your body wholly to God and Saint Fiacre, despising other physicians and all their medicines. For Saint Fiacre is a good physician, and needs neither potion nor powder.” But the pilgrim, pricked in mind, said: “Truly you have spoken.” Having said this, he cast the bag and the powder into the fire, saying: “From now on I will not commit myself to any physician, nor will I use powder any more for the disease I suffer.” And he added: “May the merciful and pitying God be my physician, and His friend Saint Fiacre.”

² When therefore that night, while others slept, he had given himself to slumber, the blessed Fiacre appeared to him in white garments, bearing a wooden cross, and the odour of his garments was above all spices; and he said to him: “I am, brother, Fiacre, whose aid you implore. And because you have cast into the fire the powder you had received from the physicians, see, I come to cure you. Doubt not, for your faith has made you whole. Moreover I will tell you another joy: your wife, whom you left with child in your house, has borne you a son.” These things said, the Saint vanished, and left that house full of a wondrous fragrance of odour. But the pilgrim, awakening and feeling himself whole, rejoicing with unspeakable joy, roused his host from sleep, saying: “Good host, the divine mercy has regarded me; the benefits of soundness have been bestowed on me through the merciful intercession of Saint Fiacre, who appeared to me but now as I slept, from whose garments proceeded a most sweet odour which you yourself can yet perceive. And moreover he told me that my wife has this night borne me a son. Blessed therefore be this night, in which I have received so great joy — in which so great, so sweet, so unspeakable, desirable, and incomparable a benefit has been granted me of God.” In the morning therefore he came with his host into the Saint’s monastery; at whose tomb when he had given thanks to God and Saint Fiacre, he returned to his own. And he used to come to the Saint’s monastery every year with his son, and pay his vow.

³ In the territory of Arras there was a certain man full of noxious and superfluous humours, so swollen and distended that his skin was stretched and shining, to the amazement of all who saw him; for he suffered anxiously twistings of the bowels, and having suffered this discomfort for four years had sought the help of physicians. When many physicians had spent much pains on him, they laboured in vain. Wearied therefore of physicians, setting all his hope in God and Saint Fiacre, he resolved to hasten to his monastery. But what was the unhappy man to do? So great was the bulk of his body that he could not carry himself. A waggon was therefore hired, by whose help the same sick man was brought to the same monastery.

⁴ Who, entering in, offered fervent prayers at the Saint’s tomb with much shedding of tears, and humbly implored the Saint’s help that he might receive the benefit of health. And lingering there in tearful prayers, he fell asleep. Who, waking after a little, suffered thirst; and going out came to a spring not far from the monastery, of which he drank with such great eagerness as he remembered never to have drunk in one day. Nor was there delay: necessity compelled him to purge his belly, and in that evacuation he wondrously cast forth his infirmity and all the noxious humours together. Obtaining therefore the long-desired health and feeling no discomfort of body, he looked at his limbs all about — his legs, feet, hands and arms, his sides on this side and that — and found himself slender, sound, and whole. He understood therefore that by the mercy of God through Saint Fiacre he had been restored to health; and bursting into tears for joy, rendered due thanks to God and made a vow to Saint Fiacre.

⁵ Three young men were journeying together to Saint Fiacre, two of whom, having long been sick, had obtained health from the merciful God through the intercession of the blessed Fiacre; and so they used to come yearly to the same Saint’s monastery and bring their vows. But the third, who came with them, was unhappily sick: for he was sore beset with the disease we commonly call the fig, and was tortured with many pangs — often indeed so grievously tormented that he was afflicted with no less pain than if his body were pierced through with a sword. But he went with them so that he might obtain from the Lord, Saint Fiacre interceding, the relief of his infirmity. Now it was the week called the doleful week. And they who were whole said one to another: “We must so hasten on our way that we may come to Saint Fiacre’s monastery on the holy day of Easter, and be present at the divine offices and the celebration of the Masses, and communicate in the Body and Blood of the Lord, as becomes Christians at the Paschal solemnity.” They exhorted the sick man therefore to hasten more quickly, but he, hindered by the obstacle of his infirmity, could not hasten. And so it happened that they left him on the way.

⁶ But the youth grieved that he was left by his companions as a thing cast off and despised. So, sighing more deeply and shedding tears more abundantly, he invoked Saint Fiacre the more earnestly and affectionately, and devoutly implored his aid. And it happened that in such bitterness of mind he fell asleep on the way. And as he slept, Saint Fiacre stood by him, saying: “I am, brother, Fiacre, whom you have so greatly invoked; I have seen your tears and the contrition of your heart, and I come to cure you. Arise, for you are made whole; and if you wish, you can reach my monastery before your companions.” These things said, the Saint vanished. But he, roused from sleep, made sound and whole, rejoiced with joy, ran swiftly, and, outrunning his companions, hastened quickly to the same monastery. When he had come there, he gave thanks to God and Saint Fiacre, and told the monks there serving God and the pilgrims standing by how mercifully and how swiftly Saint Fiacre had cured him. And while he recounted the event in order to those who stood by — suddenly they who had left him on the way came up, and seeing him were filled with amazement and ecstasy at that which had happened to him.

⁷ A certain girl, fair after the comeliness of the flesh but grievously beset with the disease we call the fig, was journeying to Saint Fiacre’s monastery to obtain through the same Saint’s intercession a remedy for her infirmity. While she was on the way, a certain knight met her, whom a young man riding on horseback followed at a distance; who seeing her alone, desired her, and concupiscence overthrew his heart. The more attentively he beheld the beauty of her form, the more he was inflamed with the fire of lust. Purposing therefore to overpower her by force, he seized her and lifted her upon the neck of his horse. But she, terrified, said to the youth: “Spare me, I beg you, good brother; spare my infirmity; spare me that am going to Saint Fiacre.” The youth hearing these things made light of her words, and striving to fulfil his evil desire none the less prepared to do her violence.

⁸ Then the girl, set in the strait of so great evil, cried out with a tearful voice and said: “Saint Fiacre, friend of the most high God, be my helper and defender in this present need!” And the knight, hearing the girl’s cry, turned his horse and urging it with his spurs came there with speed, and rebuking the youth harshly with many reproaches freed the girl from his hands. And she, set free, pursued the journey begun. Therefore the Father of mercies, who is present everywhere, whose eyes see in every place the good and the evil, to whom every heart is open and every will speaks and whom no secret escapes — God, I say, the God of all comfort, mercifully comforted her. For in the same hour in which He delivered her by the knight from the youth’s violence, He delivered her also through Saint Fiacre from the grievance of her infirmity.

⁹ That same God of vengeance, the Lord, who said by the prophet “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” who executes judgement for those who suffer wrong, would not leave the injury to the girl unavenged. For the youth began to labour under the same disease under which the girl had laboured; so he understood that he had been struck by the just judgement of God. And so the girl, after she was delivered from the youth’s hands, suffered no discomfort of body, but by God’s grace obtained perfect health. To render thanks therefore to God and Saint Fiacre, she came to his monastery. And the same youth, the following night, while others slept, could not sleep, but afflicted with many pains disturbed all who were in the house with lamentable complaint and miserable crying.

¹⁰ And when morning came he went to the monastery in which a priest was celebrating the divine office; which being finished, prostrate at the priest’s feet he humbly confessed the guilt of his sin; and because he had presumed to do violent injury to the girl while she invoked Saint Fiacre, he asked that his flesh might be beaten with rods and penance enjoined him. When this was done, he returned not to his own house, but having received the priest’s leave hastened barefoot to Saint Fiacre. When he had come to his tomb, he made satisfaction to the Saint, vowed a vow, wept abundantly, and poured out prayer to the Lord that as, because He is just, He had exercised justice upon him, so, because He is merciful, He would deal mercy with him. Helped therefore by the merits and intercession of the blessed confessor Fiacre, he obtained perfect health.

Chapter Six: Various diseases driven away, and among them, that of a man who had begun to suffer for blasphemy against the Saint. #

¹ A certain woman came to Soissons for prayer’s sake; whom a certain pilgrim, seeing her grievously labouring under infirmity, asked of what disease she suffered. Who answered that she was beset within by the disease we call the fig. To whom the pilgrim said: “The monastery of Saint Fiacre is set by the city of Meaux, in which the same Saint is buried, where the sick flock together from far countries and those who are oppressed with various infirmities, and through the same Saint’s merits are often restored to health. Go there, for if you have faith, without doubt you shall be cured.” She answered: “I have wandered through many places of the saints, and I am so wearied and burdened with infirmity that I can neither go further nor return home.” But he: “Make a vow,” said he, “to Saint Fiacre, and I promise you on the Saint’s behalf whatever surety you wish, that shortly you shall be better.” The woman believed, vowed a vow, and in that very moment was better, and took the road to the Saint’s monastery. And when she was on the way, necessity compelled her to purge her belly; so she turned aside into a certain wood; and out of her body through nature’s secret passage was expelled a red worm, longer and thicker than the arm of any tall man. Which being expelled, she cast out with it all her sickness. And so, Saint Fiacre aiding, having obtained perfect health, she came to his monastery joyful and glad, to render thanks.

² At Saint-Cloud in the territory of Paris a certain man lay sick who suffered about the heart the most grievous stitchings, so that for exceeding pain he often lost the use of speech. Straitened therefore by so great anguish, instructed and admonished by the exhortations of his neighbours, he made a vow to Saint Fiacre; who at once vomited up two worms of admirable and astounding length and thickness, and thus through the merits and intercession of Saint Fiacre was restored to his former health.

³ In the territory of Provins there was a certain man whose genital member was beset with the disease we call the fig. When many physicians had applied many remedies to him, for two years they profited nothing. Two years therefore having run their course, the same man came to the monastery of Saint Fiacre, made a waxen member like to that in which he suffered and offered it, vowed a vow, obtained health, and returned to his own whole.

⁴ A certain woman, rich and noble, had an only son who chanced to be troubled with the stone. The mother, loving him from her heart, suffered so with his infirmity that she would in no way allow him to be cut by the physicians. Knowing therefore that Saint Fiacre could cure him without pain, she had her servants make ready the waggon and the things needful for the way. Which being prepared, she mounted the waggon with her son and came to the same Saint’s monastery. Before whose entrance, when the mother and son had dismounted, the boy was compelled by the need to make water; but the stone had so blocked the passage of the urine that he could in no way make water; so the unhappy boy was tortured by many pangs, and it came to pass that amid the sharpest pains, as though senseless and without feeling, he fell to the ground. His face was pale, and in his lifeless body the breath alone fluttered in his breast. The mother saw her son dying, and poured out fervent prayers, wept the more abundantly, sighed the more deeply, invoked Saint Fiacre, groaned and grieved — yet did she not distrust the mercy of God. And she said: “Saint Fiacre, I believe that you are of such merit before God that you can restore me my son. You are accustomed to succour mercifully the wretched and afflicted; through you the sick recover; you restore those who are oppressed with various infirmities to health. How then can I distrust you, since it is granted you by God to succour the wretched? Or what profits it me that you mercifully help others, if you leave me alone, wretched and unhappy, without share in your benefits?”

⁵ While the mother thus lamented, her servants, who stood weeping beside the boy, found between the boy’s thighs a stone no smaller than a pigeon’s egg, which had come forth through the genital member — which member, for the stone’s thickness, had split and burst with a crack. Seeing which, all who were present were amazed. But the mother took her son in her arms; and because women may not enter the Saint’s monastery, she stood without, and on bended knees said: “Saint Fiacre, see, I offer you my son, so that all the days of his life he shall pay you yearly fourpence of his own head.” Then she had her servants offer it at the altar. It was done as she had commanded. Afterwards the boy fell asleep at Saint Fiacre’s tomb, and obtained health so perfect that neither did any fissure appear outwardly in his genital member, nor did the boy afterwards feel any hurt within.

⁶ In the territory of Paris there was a certain knight, of whom his wife asked leave to go on pilgrimage to Saint Fiacre. To whom the knight said: “They have no need to go to Saint Fiacre but they that are fig-sick.” And mocking, he asked her whether she were fig-sick. And when she had answered that she was not, he cursed her, adding: “May you be fig-sick tomorrow.” On the following night therefore he himself was stricken with the disease he had wished evilly upon his wife; and while others slept he could not sleep, but tortured with infinite pains laboured grievously in anguish. The night past, in the morning, understanding that he had been stricken and humbled by God, he said to his wife: “The Lord avenges in me the blasphemy which yesterday I spoke revilingly against Saint Fiacre. For I labour under so grievous an infirmity that it were better for me to die quickly than to live longer in such anguish. I must therefore go to his monastery.” His wife, rejoicing that the God of vengeance the Lord avenged the injury of Saint Fiacre so justly and so manifestly, urged and warned him to satisfy the Saint with all speed. He at once came to the Saint’s monastery, humbled himself, begged pardon, and making satisfaction to the Saint made a vow and obtained the grace of healing.

Chapter Seven: Other diseases healed by the Saint’s help. #

¹ A certain canon of Prémontré lay grievously sick, to whose infirmity the brethren of the same place felt for his infirmity with pious compassion — for he was exceeding amiable, of honest life and good conversation. And when he had long been sick and grew daily worse, there came to visit him a certain brother, William by name, born in the territory of Meaux, who went to the sick man and said: “Good brother, I beg you, hear me patiently and give credence to my words. There is a certain church founded in the territory of Meaux in honour of Saint Fiacre, in which the same Saint is buried, where the sick and they that are oppressed with various infirmities come together, who are often cured through the same Saint’s intercession. I trust in the Lord that if you make a vow to him, you will recover from this infirmity.” To whom the sick man answered: “I may not make a vow without the abbot’s leave.” The abbot therefore being called, gave him leave to make the vow. The sick man then made the vow, and in the same hour was better; and through the merits and intercession of Saint Fiacre a certain inestimable health, descending suddenly from heaven, was diffused through all his limbs, and within a few days he obtained perfect health.

² A certain woman of England went with her only daughter to Saint James for prayer. And when she had come there and made her prayer and departed from there, on the return her only daughter fell into sickness, and came to such discomfort of body that for three days and three nights she neither ate nor drank nor spoke. All who saw her despaired of her life. The mother therefore wept over her only daughter — the comfort of her life, the half of her soul, the staff of her old age — grieving that she had lost her. While the mother thus lamented, the daughter fell asleep. And to her sleeping there stood by a certain old man of reverend white hairs, holding in his hand a wooden cross, which he laid upon the sick girl’s breast; by whose touch the girl was wondrously and inestimably restored to health. To whom the girl said: “I your handmaid beg you, my lord, to tell me by what name you are called, who have deigned to visit me, through through whose intercession I feel that I have received the benefit of health.” To whom the old man: “I am Saint Fiacre, and I have come to cure your infirmity. See therefore that you are not ungrateful to me, but, to render thanks to God for the benefit bestowed on you, hasten with all speed to my monastery, which is set in the territory of Meaux.” Afterwards the Saint vanished. She awoke, at once disclosed the vision to her weeping mother, ate and drank, and within a few days obtained entire health.

³ Likewise in the year from the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal and true God, one thousand one hundred and eighty-eight, a certain Odo, priest of the most holy virgin Geneviève, almost the last of the novices — when on the vigil of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, by the duty of precentor enjoined upon him, he was inviting his fellow-canons to sing the Venite, to exult to the Lord — began suddenly to feel the sharpest stitchings in the hip of his right side. Intolerable pain tormented him, yet he bore it by compulsion of the office: necessity and the reverence of order compelled him to stand in his place, though in truth he dreaded nothing more than standing. Set in this strait, the delay of standing increased his anguish. The pain afflicted him the more violently because he was forced to conceal both the violence and the cause of his pain. The sciatic pain urged him as though nails driven in bored his bones, as if a fiery gimlet pierced the vertebra of his hip: infirmity prompted him to yield to the labour, while shame averred that he who yielded would be convicted of feigning. So great a burning was felt that the pen of the sufferer himself cannot record his own calamity.

⁴ What then was he to do in these straits? He judged it lighter to die quickly than to linger thus long. The Apostles are invoked, in whose praises he was keeping vigil; but the time being consumed with empty prayer and groaning, neither did compassion remove the remedy of the burning pain, nor did the undoubted power of the saints remove the corruption from the impotent man. The most holy Geneviève, invoked the whole night through, seemed to delay the deliverance she wished to bring. For the virgin, most happy in merits, most mighty in virtues, and glorious in miracles, deferred the miracle while she deferred it to Saint Fiacre. The sick man was heard by the saints — heard as unworthy to be heard. For the day before, he had negligently read the written Acts of the most glorious and blessed Confessor, which he had lately received to correct: for to read and not to understand is to neglect. And he reads but understands not who, knowing the construction, takes not the instruction. He reads and understands not who distrusts the faith of the truth. Distrust begets carelessness; carelessness, contempt. And contempt, the offspring of distrust and the child of carelessness, provokes the wrath of those who are despised. For the Truth says: “All things are possible to him who believes.” But if power follows him who believes, impotence pursues him who does not believe — for contraries befit contraries; what wonder then if he becomes impotent who, looking upon the virtues of the saints as things passing by, cares not for the Giver of cures?

⁵ Made therefore thus impotent, when on the following day he found no remedy but to lie upon his bed, dragging his foot as a hindrance rather than a limb, hardly reaching his bed, he cast himself upon the couch. While therefore, the immensity of his pain rising the more sharply, Saint Fiacre came back to his memory; rolling himself disorderly over the whole bed with his whole body, by chance his hand — which he could not hold still — struck upon the window-sill, and he recognised the book of the most blessed Confessor falling upon his face. At which sight, rejoicing as at a visitation of the Orient from on high, suddenly calling upon the Saint of God by name, in that very naming of the most blessed name he received health. Amazed then at the swiftness of the intervention, that he had found succour so speedy, leaping up and praising God, he returned on foot now unhindered to the singing brethren whom he had left.

⁶ From these things let the discernment of those who hear learn that it is not safe to disparage the virtues of the saints. For if God is praised in the praise of His saints, as it is written, “Praise the Lord in His saints,” so is He despised in the contempt of the saints. But to hear the saints’ miracles without praising is to disparage them; to see them and not proclaim them is to envy. For if he who, seeing the virtue of his neighbour, does not extol it with praises, incurs the harm of envy and the crime of detraction — with what pains or how great punishments is he to be punished who, seeing the miraculous virtues of God, conceals them and does not exalt them with worthy praises? For that may not be concealed which is so evidently manifest that whoever will not see is envious; whoever would see and sees not is blind; whoever sees and praises not is ungrateful; whoever contradicts the praiser is not only mad but most monstrously furious. He therefore is guilty of contempt who exalts not the miracles of the saints — of whom if one is despised, all are despised who are united in the glue of charity: living stones, polished by the chisel that they might be squared with the four-square rule of the Gospel, built together into a dwelling-place of God, like members embracing one another in the conjunction of one body under one head. Whosoever therefore offends one of the saints, offends the other also. For no part can suffer of an animated member when the other neighbouring part is grieved with evils; which would by no means be, did not the whole spirit abide everywhere poured out into the members for the body’s uses. Let us therefore eagerly venerate Saint Fiacre — the staff of the infirm, the anchor of the shipwrecked — whose memory is in blessing. By whose merits and prayers may we be worthy to have access to the unfading light which Jesus Christ our Lord alone inhabits, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns God for ever and ever. Amen.

Appendix One — Miracles worked at Dijon in the chapel of the Duke of Burgundy #

By an anonymous author. From the Dijon manuscript.

Chapter One: Various healings of different diseases. #

¹ God is wonderful in His saints, who gives them the power of working miracles, prodigies and great signs among the people; among whom the most blessed confessor Fiacre, the magnificent hermit — as the sun shines in the days of summer, so he shone in the temple of God. It is most evidently manifest, while he flashes forth innumerable miracles, not only in the place where his most holy body rests in honour, but also in the chapel of the Duke of Burgundy at Dijon, where he is most worshipfully honoured by the venerable dean and chapter and adorned by Christ’s faithful. Although the almighty Lord works there through his intercession, hidden and astounding miracles — all the hidden ones we cannot tell; but those which we have learned and seen by sure experience we would not and ought not to pass over in silence — indeed, we set them forth to declare them for the glory of God and the honour of Saint Fiacre.

² In the parish of Saint Nicolas of Dijon a certain girl, Rosette by name, had a cancer in her breast, so that a great part of the breast was consumed and eaten away. She knew not what she could do for so great an infirmity, despairing of recovery. She went to a certain famous physician, begging that for God’s mercy he would be pleased to give her fitting counsel for her so grievous infirmity. The physician kindly looked upon the girl’s infirmity, saw the place fetid and eaten to the ribs, and said to the girl: “Dearest daughter, I can give you no remedy, for the infirmity is incurable and past hope of recovery; but go with devotion to the altar of the blessed Fiacre, and implore the aid of the most beloved Friend of God, and he through God’s grace will help you.” The girl believed the physician, made her prayer before the image of the blessed Fiacre, and a vow that tfrom then on, on his festival day she would do no work of her hands, and would fast on the vigil of the feast; and daily she made her devout prayer before the blessed Fiacre’s altar. Afterwards she came to the same physician’s house; the physician ever said to her: “Leave not the blessed Fiacre in peace, but pray ever until he restore you to health, for he is gracious and merciful to those who ask him.” Which she did as had been enjoined her by the physician: she went and came so often that she received perfect and entire health.

³ A certain woman had a breast turned cancerous, and could find no fitting remedy. She spoke with the same physician to ask counsel and help. The physician said to the woman: “Go to the altar of the blessed Fiacre, and devoutly implore him, for he is a gracious and merciful physician, and cures various infirmities without pain and without ointments and plasters.” Believing this physician, she visited the blessed Fiacre’s altar daily, made a vow, and was cured.

⁴ In the parish of Saint Michael, in the street of Éfroi, Jeannette had an erysipelas, that is the sacred fire, in her breast; which infirmity so tormented the same woman that she could not rest. She heard of the miracles which the blessed Fiacre worked in the chapel. Wholly despairing of recovery, she went quickly to the blessed Fiacre’s altar, imploring the same Saint’s aid, sighing and uttering most heavy sobs. Daily without any intermission she visited the blessed Fiacre’s altar, that through his grace she might have a fitting remedy for her infirmity. The blessed Fiacre, who despises not the prayers of the poor but most graciously hears them in tribulation, heard the woman’s prayer: through the blessed Fiacre’s intercession she was healed.

⁵ The wife of John de Sine-muro the saddler had a grievous fistula in her breast, and could not find fitting counsel as she wished. This woman, using wise counsel, went daily to the blessed Fiacre’s altar and with tears begged the blessed hermit Fiacre; and her prayer was heard, so that without any medicine she received perfect and entire health.

⁶ In the parish of Saint Michael of Dijon, Isabelle, niece of Haymonin de Moulins the goldsmith, had a fistula in the tear-duct. She could find no counsel unless she gave ten Tournois pounds to a certain surgeon — and even then he would not undertake her cure, but only do his best. By the counsel of a certain good man she visited the blessed Fiacre’s altar daily; and on bended knees prayed the blessed Fiacre, saying: “Saint Fiacre, glorious confessor of the Lord, I the deformed, despairing of recovery, flee to you; hear me, wretched and afflicted and destitute of all comfort; you are the solace of the wretched and the relief of pain.” She remained thus in prayer and obtained her desire, for she was perfectly cured without any remedy, with the help of God and of the blessed Fiacre.

⁷ A certain woman of Canabis had in her nostrils a polyp, fetid and horrible to see. She came to consult a certain skilled physician, to take counsel of her infirmity and obtain a cure. The physician, seeing the infirmity incurable, would not for his honour’s sake undertake the cure, but sent her to the blessed Fiacre, saying that the blessed Fiacre was of such merit and such spiritual knowledge and power that he healed the sick, the plague-stricken, and the diseased: “Go in peace to the blessed Fiacre.” The woman said to the physician: “Since I can find no help from you, using your counsel I will go to the blessed Fiacre.” Which she did as she had said: with the greatest devotion and bitterness of heart she visited the blessed Fiacre’s altar, made her prayer and her vow; and thus through the blessed Fiacre’s merits received health.

⁸ A certain woman of Cour-Arnoul had an erysipelas in her hand. The flesh was livid and fetid, the sinews fetid and corrupt. She could find no remedy for a perfect cure. Despairing of recovery, she went with tears to the blessed Fiacre’s altar, made her prayer and her vow, and put herself in his keeping; and so she returned home, and within a few days was healed.

⁹ A certain man of Villars-sur-Auchy had dropsy, swollen and distended. He sent his wife to a certain famous physician. The physician, seeing the urine, pronounced him dropsical, and said to the woman: “Go to the altar of Saint Fiacre in the chapel of the Duke of Burgundy, where the blessed Fiacre is honoured and worshipped. Pour out prayers for your husband to the blessed Fiacre: he is a great physician, and with God’s help works wonders and great miracles in these parts.” The physician also taught the woman some regimen for her husband, and sent her to the blessed Fiacre. The woman, like a lawful wife, withdrew from the physician with the recommendation, went to the blessed Fiacre’s altar, wept bitterly before his image, made her prayer and her vow; and so her husband within a few days was delivered and healed.

¹⁰ In the parish of Saint Mary of Dijon there was a certain girl who had had a great swelling in her neck for several years, and ever growing it descended to her throat. Mother and daughter went to a certain famous physician to seek counsel; the learned physician they found in the Duke of Burgundy’s chapel, to whom the mother said: “My lord, I pray you, by the mercy of Jesus Christ, give salutary counsel and help for the infirmity of this my young daughter.” The physician answered: “Go first to the blessed Fiacre’s altar to pour out prayers, and do reverence and honour to the Saint; and afterwards come to me.” Prayer being made by mother and daughter outside the church, they came to the physician; who touched the swelling — and in the physician’s hand it burst, and foully wetted the physician’s hand and garments. The physician said to the mother: “It seems to me certain that it does not please the blessed Fiacre that I should meddle with this infirmity; from now on I approve and counsel that your daughter be in the blessed Fiacre’s cure.” The mother and daughter, giving thanks to the physician, departed. The daughter visited the blessed Fiacre’s altar and remained in prayer and devotion; and thus without any help she recovered from the infirmity.

¹¹ A certain girl of Varanges dwelt in the parish of Saint Peter of Dijon, and had a fistula in her thumb. The first joint and the whole of the thumb were already mortified and eaten away, and the sinews corrupt. She went to a certain physician to seek counsel; to whom the physician said: “Visit first the blessed Fiacre’s altar, and afterwards come to me.” This girl with her mother came to the physician; he saw the corrupt thumb, touched the corrupt bones, and the corrupt sinews came out. And within a few days she was healed. She made a vow before the image to the blessed Fiacre that she would keep his festival day and fast the vigil.

¹² In the parish of Saint Peter of Dijon there was a certain Beguine of Rouvres, Jaquette by name, who had a fistula in her finger. The bones were already corrupt and the sinews corrupt. She came to the same physician; who, by the counsel of that physician, did homage and a vow to the blessed Fiacre; the corrupt bones and sinews fell away, and in a little time she was cured.

¹³ In the parish of Saint Michael of Dijon, Stephnette, the widow of Blanchet the tailor, had an erysipelas — that is the sacred fire — in her finger; who, wholly despairing, came to the same physician to seek counsel. The physician, seeing the raging infirmity, left her to God and the blessed Fiacre. The same woman, groaning and making the heaviest sobs because the same physician had sent her away destitute of all counsel and even despairing — seeing her finger burning and smoking — departed from the physician, going quickly to the blessed Fiacre’s altar, imploring the most holy Friend of God’s counsel and help, saying: “O Saint Fiacre, you who in all tribulations succour all who devoutly implore your help — restore me, I beg you, my finger; else must I beg with this defect, since you can do it by the grace given you by the Lord. If you restore me my finger, I promise you, while I live, to keep your feast and fast the vigil of the feast; and now do your will with me, your poor and afflicted handmaid, for I offer myself to abide in your service.” So she departed. The next day she first visited the blessed Fiacre’s altar, and afterwards found the physician in his house. She showed him her finger: all the corruption of the sinews and the joint fell to the ground together. The physician said to the woman: “Woman, may the blessed Fiacre perfect in you that which he has begun; go in peace.” The woman departed, and within a few days received health.

Chapter Two: Other healings. #

¹ A certain girl of Lussey, Stephnette by name, brought up in the parish of Saint Peter of Dijon, had a fistula in her hip, so that all the way to the knee it was hollow and emitted matter most abundantly. This girl had borne the infirmity for several years and could find no remedy. She knew not what she could do: using skilled counsel she went to the blessed Fiacre’s altar and frequented it daily imploring his aid, made a vow and homage to the Saint, and received entire and perfect health.

² Marguerite de Salives had a most grievous fistula in her foot, and could find no counsel or cure. Her mother, suffering with her pain, said to her daughter: “My dearest daughter, I see you languishing with pain, and I had rather see you dead than abide in such a state; my dearest daughter, let us go to the blessed Fiacre of my lord the Duke of Burgundy — and I believe that by the grace given him of the Lord he will heal you.” The daughter answered her mother: “Dearest mother, I desire nothing else than to visit the precious Friend of God.” They arose and visited the blessed Fiacre’s altar, made their prayer and their vow; and within a few days the daughter received health.

³ John, a young gentleman of Arc, laboured at the point of death at Dijon in the house of his brother the dean of the chapel; nor was there hope of his recovery. Everything was prepared for the funeral — candlesticks, lights, and all other things needful, as is fitting. But his brother the dean, seeing that the physicians had left him as desperate, wept bitterly, invoking the aid of the blessed Fiacre; and his prayer was heard: for in that hour the same John was better and recovered from the infirmity, and the same dean believed most certainly that through the blessed Fiacre’s merits his brother had recovered from that infirmity.

⁴ Catherine of the parish of Saint Peter of Dijon had a most grievous fistula in the tear-duct. And seeing that she had borne such infirmity for five years and could find no counsel, using wise counsel she frequented the blessed Fiacre’s altar, made her prayer and her vow, and at once received the aid of the most blessed confessor Fiacre; for within a few days she was healed.

⁵ In the parish of Saint Mary of Dijon, the daughter of Bartholomew the tailor had most grievous scrofula in her neck — which infirmity is called the king’s evil. A cancer likewise occupied the breast and bosom of the same girl, so that already she was nearly eaten away to the ribs. She could find no counsel for the infirmity; she invoked the aid of the blessed Fiacre, visited his altar daily in the chapel, made her prayer and her vow with groaning and weeping; and thus within a few days she was healed.

⁶ The son of Griffonet of Dijon, a boy of four years, had a great Tournois coin stuck in his throat, which could go neither down nor up. Already he had lost breath and speech. The mother cried as though frantic: “Alas, Lord, what shall I do? Most holy confessor of the Lord Fiacre, consoler of the wretched, restore me my son, for I languish with grief; by that inestimable power which God has bestowed on you, restore me my son — and I offer myself and him to abide in your service for ever.” This said, at once the coin went down, he recovered breath and speech, and thus was delivered from so great a peril.

⁷ Richard de Béra, dwelling in the village of Canabis, was in such infirmity that he could in no way help himself with hands or feet; which infirmity he had borne for a long time as he could. All medicines did no good for his discomfort. The same Richard, groaning and sighing in so great perplexity, had recourse to the blessed Fiacre, and bound himself in his service — while he should live among men — to keep his feast and his translation and to fast the vigils. He was not defrauded of his desire: he rose from his bed sound and merry, came to the blessed Fiacre’s altar doing reverence and honour; and thus received perfect and entire health.

⁸ John de Fontaines had borne a grievous infirmity for two years — which infirmity the physicians call sciatic and arthritic. The same John could neither hold himself upon his feet nor go, save with crutches. He had made many pilgrimages, and could find no counsel or help. His neighbours said to him: “Dearest brother, we wonder at you, for you know — and we have learned by sure experience — the miracles which God works in the chapel of the Duke of Burgundy at Dijon by the diligent prayers of the blessed Fiacre. Go with devotion to the blessed Fiacre’s altar and invoke his aid, and we certainly believe you will recover perfect and entire health.” Which John believed: on a certain Sunday he visited the blessed Fiacre’s altar as he could; prayer made, he made a vow and homage to the blessed Fiacre, and felt himself lightened. He laid one of his crutches upon the altar, and departed with one crutch alone and a small staff. On the Sunday following he came with the one crutch to the blessed Fiacre’s altar; being in prayer and devotion he rose stronger than before, left the other crutch upon the altar, and departed with his small staff. On the next following Sunday he came again to the blessed Fiacre’s altar; being in prayer and devotion he rose perfectly cured, left his staff, and so sound and merry returned to his own.

⁹ A certain four-year-old girl of Talant had cancerous scrofula in her neck. The mother of the little girl, when she could find no counsel for her daughter, came with her daughter from Talant for nine days to the blessed Fiacre’s altar; the mother made a vow for her daughter to the blessed Fiacre, and put herself and her daughter in the Saint’s keeping; and her said daughter recovered from so grievous an infirmity, and obtained perfect health.

¹⁰ Aveline, a Beguine of the Champ de Maigny of Dijon, had a fistula in her hand, so that in three places it was wholly pierced through; she could in no way help herself with the arm. Wholly despairing of recovery she went to the blessed Fiacre and most devoutly visited his altar, with tears begged the blessed Fiacre and implored his aid; and her prayer was heard, for within a few days she received perfect and entire health.

¹¹ A certain servant of the diocese of Noyon came with crutches, a captive from the army; he had lost the power of his legs — his shins were swollen and distended; he could neither hold himself up nor go save with crutches. He came with devotion to the blessed Fiacre’s altar; afterwards he left one of his crutches, trying whether he could go with a single crutch — which he did. He watched praying the whole night before the altar, and in the morning began to go without crutches and felt himself wholly lightened. The swelling of his shins departed utterly, and he received perfect and entire health.

¹² Brother John, master of the house of Auberive at Dijon, had a grievous and horrible infirmity in the hinder part — which infirmity is called the fig. For a long time he had borne his infirmity secretly as he could; for he knew the miracles which the blessed Fiacre worked with God’s help. He came to the blessed Fiacre’s altar with the greatest devotion, and most devoutly begged the blessed Fiacre. In a little time all the fig-like infirmity — the supereminence and superfluity — fell away without any grievance; he received perfect and entire health.

¹³ The son of John Pinot had a canker in his forehead, and was in great peril; he could find no counsel for a cure. He came to the blessed Fiacre’s altar, stayed nine days at Dijon, and did penance in bread and water. He had also a fistula in his foot and in his knee. Of all these infirmities he was cured, and so returned to his own with joy.

Appendix Two — More recent miracles, rendered into Latin from du Plessis #

¹ Du Plessis, in his History of the Church of Meaux, book X, chapter 10, briefly recounts many miracles of Saint Fiacre which are not written in the Acts — all or most of them of later date. These I will here record, translating them from the French tongue into Latin, that everything we have found concerning our Saint may be had here together. Dominique Séguier testified that he had often received in grievous sicknesses health-giving help through Saint Fiacre’s merits — whose words we have already given in the Commentary, §17. John of Châtillon, Count of Blois, says of Saint Fiacre in a charter of donation (du Plessis, vol. 2, p. 174) in French: “Whose prayers I have many times found health-giving with God, and by them have often experienced the furthering of my health.” After these two du Plessis proceeds thus, citing Saint Fiacre’s register.

² Marie de Brichanteau de Senecey, widow of Claude de Beaufremont, who had been governor of the city and castle of Auxonne — on the 8th of December of the year 1626, at Senecey in Burgundy, was healed by Saint Fiacre’s merits of an uncommon malady of the head and shoulders, which was judged incurable. The girl Françoise de Vieupont, her niece, had vowed to visit Saint Fiacre’s church on foot for that intention; and God heard her prayers, as she herself testified upon the holy Gospel being touched.

³ Paul Beauvarlet, parish priest of Pécy in the diocese of Meaux, on the 29th of May of the year 1628 was delivered from a flux of the belly so immoderate and intolerable that he thought death was at hand for him.

⁴ A certain nun of Santons, where she had made a vow to Saint Fiacre, was healed in the year 1627. She was born thirty-three years before; and already for thirty years her face had been covered with scab and other foulnesses, which had eluded all the art of the physicians.

⁵ Gilles du Plessis, parish priest of Yvors in the diocese of Soissons, was in the year 1630 restored from an inflammation of the breast, and in the year 1640 from a retention of urine, while he was pursuing the study of letters at Paris.

⁶ Nicolas de Lavernot, enrolled among the guards of the King’s body, in the year 1629 at Blois, where he then was, was delivered from a dangerous ulcer, from which he had thought to bring death upon himself.

⁷ Jacques Grenon, parish priest of Barbery in the diocese of Senlis, seized in the right leg, was restored to entire health in the month of August of the year 1628, after a vow made to Saint Fiacre.

⁸ Louis de Cervillien, royal councillor in both courts, whose left jaw had been wholly put out of its place by the unskilfulness of the tooth-drawer, was healed. His wife had made a vow to Saint Fiacre; and the jaw, which had begun to pierce the cheek, fell back of itself without any pain being caused him. This miracle happened in the year 1627.

⁹ Marie Denis, widow of Antoine de Marvaise, the King’s secretary, in the year 1614 was delivered from an issue of blood with which she had been vexed for six years and which had brought her to the last extremity.

¹⁰ Nicolas Lefèvre, lord of Vaucouleurs, in the year 1626 escaped whole from an incurable gangrene which was eating away his left jaw, his lips, and his nose.

¹¹ Philibert Pelet, lord of La Plaine, one of the guards of the King’s body, in the year 1643 was healed of the wounds he had received in his head and arm in the fight against the Calvinists of France.

¹² Charles Le Comte, parish priest of Saint Vincent of Bullion in the diocese of Chartres, in the year 1654 was delivered from a flux of blood with which he had been afflicted for more than ten months uninterrupted.

¹³ Philippe Hadengue, parish priest of Mirancourt in the diocese of Noyon, was in the same year delivered from the same disease.

¹⁴ Marguerite Le Roy, wife of Mathieu Paien, keeper of the salt-storehouse of Meaux, in the year 1628 obtained the healing of an incurable malady with which her foot was affected.

¹⁵ Pierre de Novion, a nobleman, lord of Vey upon the Vesle (a river of Champagne), was restored to entire health from hemorrhoids and arthritis in the year 1646.

¹⁶ Louis de Malleville, a nobleman, lord of Toussue, was delivered from hemorrhoids in the year 1647.

¹⁷ Anne Fremyn, widow of Claude de Vassière, the King’s prefect in the territory of Meaux, was healed in the year 1635 of a violent malady of the breast, and in the year 1647 of two enormous ganglions which had grown upon her eyelids and threatened the loss of her sight.

¹⁸ Urban Potier, priest, rector of the College of Bayeux at Paris, in the year 1654 recovered from a dysentery which had brought him to the last extremity.

¹⁹ Queen Anne of Austria ever ascribed to Saint Fiacre’s protection the driving away of the sickness into which King Louis XIII had fallen at Lyons. Everyone attributed the glory of that cure to his own patron; but the Queen herself, in the year 1641, went on foot from the village of Monceaux to Saint Fiacre, as she had vowed, to give thanks to the patron of Brie. She had experienced in her own person how powerful this illustrious hermit is with God, since he had delivered her from a troublesome flux of blood which neither the art of the physicians nor the industry of the surgeons could staunch. She believed also that the fruitfulness granted her by God was by his intercession; and moved by that opinion she gave to his church the consecrated swaddling-bands which Urban VIII had sent her for the use of the infant prince who afterwards reigned in France with such glory — Louis XIV. Moreover this princess sent yearly someone to pilgrimage in her name and on her behalf to Saint Fiacre. When a great cure was to be applied to King Louis XIV, Bossuet, bishop of Meaux, came to Saint Fiacre to pray for that prince’s healing, and began a novena of prayers which the religious completed.

²⁰ To these certain historians lastly add the punishment inflicted on Henry V, King of England, which Leslie in his book, pages 919 and 910, relates in these words: “Afterwards Henry, having foully ravaged the fields and neighbouring domains of Saint Fiacre the Scot, once a king’s son, fell into a disease which no medicine applied could cure. He therefore, tortured the more sharply by the violence of the disease, is said to have broken into this utterance — that the Scots were so hostile to the English that not only the living in this mortal state, while through the body’s concretion they can indulge their passions, but even the dead also, placed among the number of the saints in heaven, where there can be no place for passion, afflict them with some detriment. Carried therefore to Corbeil, he there expired,” etc. Others also relate that this happened to him, and write that Henry laboured under the fig-disease. But upon how sure a foundation these things rest, I do not know.