Vita Sancti Marii

The Life of Saint Marius by Dynamius the Patrician (From Bolland. Jan. vol. II, for the 27th day.) Chapter 1. The death of Saint Marius, prophecies. When our Lord Jesus Christ, at the beginning of our calling, had laid the foundations of faith in human hearts, and the harvest of that same faith had spread far and wide throughout the whole world by the sending of the Holy Spirit, the religion of Christians has been accustomed to commit the memorable deeds of the saints to writing for two reasons: namely, that the chorus of the faithful, hearing those same deeds recited at annual feasts, may rejoice, be gladdened, and grow; and that the less perfect, inflamed by the examples of those same deeds, may strive to labor diligently in doing good. Therefore Saint Marius, whose faithful deeds we undertake to narrate according to the measure of our capacity, was born of middling parentage and was a citizen of Orléans. This man, having become a monk in the monastery which is located there, was instructed from an early age as a boy in monastic teachings, and, having become a young man, strove to serve God by doing good.

However, when in the aforementioned monastery he shone forth in character and life like a lily among the trees of the forest among the brothers, by the consent of Gundobad, prince of the Burgundians, and by the brothers of the Bodanese monastery, which is situated in the diocese of Sisteron, he was chosen as father; his election was strengthened by the authority of John, who then presided over the Church of Sisteron, with divine providence bringing it about and favoring it, so that he who had governed well might be placed over others for whom governance was necessary. What more? He is brought to the aforementioned monastery and is consecrated as abbot by his bishop with the common will of the brothers. Once consecrated, he embraced the office of his dignity in such a way that daily he generated spiritual sons by the example of his venerable life, and marvelously educated them, instructed in heavenly teachings. For he was a man afflicting his outer self with fasts and vigils, refreshing his inner self with constant prayers; in both he was gentle and humble, in both praiseworthy and perfect. At one time, while he was withdrawing to other regions to conduct the business of his monastery, it happened that in the field of Alegarnum he was received as a guest by a certain illustrious farmer, whose daughter, named Sisagria, who was nearly dead, he baptized at the prayers of the same host, and after baptizing her, restored her to life and her former health by his prayers.

When his business, for which he had set out, was completed and he was returning to the monastery, a certain noble matron named Licinia received him into her home. Her son was so ill that the aforementioned woman and her friends despaired of his recovery. Asked by the mother, the old man visited the sick boy, prayed over him, and anointed him with holy oil. O the swiftness of the power of God when the confessor prays! For while the sick boy was being anointed, the longed-for health unexpectedly returned, and the illness was put to flight and banished. And so it happened that he left the hostess, whom he had found sorrowful, joyful with her son as he returned to the monastery. Now, as is the custom of religious men, during Lent the same man of God lived more sparingly than usual, shut away in his cell. Lucretius, bishop of Diensis, came frequently to visit him, both because he had been a monk and a foster-son of that same man of God, and revered and cherished him as a father, and because he always longed to be refreshed by his sweet conversation. So one day, when the bishop knocked at the door of his cell, he heard from him that he should withdraw and return after the third day, and that during that interval no one should provide him with food or access. The bishop withdrew; and after three days, returning, he entered to the man of God.

The man of God said: "I was led in spirit, and I saw the heavens opened and the majesty of God; the splendor of whose brightness my mortal eyes could scarcely endure; and I saw the blessed Virgin and Mother of God, Mary, with angels prostrate at His feet, supplicating for the peace of Italy. But divine piety so tempered the response that it would not offend the mother who was petitioning, yet it answered that Italy and many other provinces deserved an unavoidable destruction. These things were revealed to me by God; I have striven to reveal them to you, adjuring you by the part of God and by me, that you presume to reveal to no one what you have heard while I am alive. After the aforementioned bishop buried the body of the same man of God, we also learned the effect of that vision, and we do not doubt that the monastery of (??)odanc(??) was overthrown. CHAPTER II. Various Miracles. His Death. At another time also, it pleased the man of God to visit the threshold of Saint Martin of Tours for the sake of prayer. And when on that very night of the vigils he was sleeping in the city of Tours, a certain thief stole by stealth the horse which was from his saddle. But divine power so beset the thief by the merits of the aforementioned man of God that he searched through the squares of the city the whole night, and no exit from the city lay open to him; at daybreak the man of God anticipated the thief, and recovered the horse.

And although the thief had been caught and deserved corporal punishment, out of his innate gentleness he allowed him to go free. By a similar miracle, in the city of Lyon he recovered his horses on another occasion. That too should not be omitted, that at a certain time a certain Nemphidius, together with the senator Agricola, accompanying Saint Marius, were going to Paris for the sake of prayer, to visit the shrine of Saint Dionysius. On that journey, Nemphidius, recognizing the sanctity of the man and trusting in it with a whole heart, asked him that through his prayers he might be granted a son. The saint refused, humbly asserting that he was not of such great merit that he could obtain through himself what Nemphidius sought. Although, as is the custom of the righteous, he simply affirmed that he could in no way favor such a request, after three days he nevertheless predicted to the aforementioned Nemphidius that a son would be born to him at a certain time. That the saint was a true prophet in this matter, Evodius, born to Nemphidius at the promised time, demonstrates.

We have also thought it worthy to add that before he departed from that city, not without the sorrow of his own people, he began to be very ill. Therefore, in the following night, he placed his limbs, nearly dead from weakness, upon the bed. But in the very space of that night, such clemency came to his aid, that at the first light of morning he rose joyful and unharmed, and urged his companions to proceed with the journey. And when all who were present marveled at his sudden recovery, he said: "Saint Dionysius came to me in that night, touched me, and by his presence restored me to my former health." And so, as we have said, when he had become unharmed and was returning to the monastery, a certain head of a household received him in hospitality. At the opportune time, the man of God approached the table, sat down, and blessed the bread that was brought, as was his custom. But when one of those sitting at the table threw some of the blessed bread to a dog which he loved, as soon as the dog tried to swallow the bread it had received, it lost its life. For it was unworthy that a dog should eat that bread which the right hand of the priest had sanctified.

At another time also, while he was going to visit certain sons of the Church, a dog which had puppies suddenly leaped out and tore his little bag. When the servant of God had bent his face down a little on account of this matter, two wolves, avengers of his injury, seized the dog itself, and having seized it, destined it for their own feeding, and led it to the wood before the watching people. But if anyone does not believe that wild beasts have sometimes, having laid aside their ferocity, known how to serve the interests of the righteous, let him hear that lions made a grave for Paul the first hermit, and for Saint Mary of Egypt; let him hear, and in all things praise the Lord, marvel, and believe. We have also thought that another thing should be added to the aforesaid: that whenever the servant of God, in uncertain weather, either spread out ears of grain to be threshed, or sat at table in the open air on any journey, the inundation of rains never troubled him, never hindered him. For God so restrained the force of the rainstorms rushing down everywhere, by the merits and virtue of the holy confessor, that while they indiscriminately moistened others going and returning, and their labors, with their floods, they passed by the man of God and his companions unharmed, and his threshing-floors untouched. Nor is it a wonder that he was able to put to flight the infusion of clouds, who strove to weaken the dark gloom of vices in himself from the first flower of youth.

He was of such great virtue and holiness that through him the Lord restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and health to the sick. He also freed a certain woman held captive by the infestation of an evil spirit, through his prayer, the Lord delivering her. Moreover, this memorable event is to be added to the foregoing: that he knew, absent in body but present in spirit, the passing of a certain Donatus, a servant of God, and, having known it, he announced it to the brothers with tears. But one of those who were present, wishing to test whether the vision of the man of God rested on truth, sent to the place where the aforementioned Donatus had served God; and, by the assertions of the messengers, he found it to be as the man of God had foretold. These things which you have heard, dearest brothers, we have excerpted from the miracles of the often-named confessor, passing over many, lest the prolixity of the words should generate disgust in the hearers. Thus crowned with the glory of such great virtues, shining far and wide with such great miracles, on the sixth day before the Kalends of February, that is, today, the aforementioned confessor, Damini Marius Felix, departed from the body to Christ, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, are kingdom and power for ever and ever. Amen.

CHAPTER III. Miracles after Death. Reading of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew. At that time, Jesus told his disciples this parable: A certain man, setting out on a journey, called his servants and entrusted his goods to them; and the rest. Homily of Saint Pope Gregory: This man, dearest brothers, who sets out on a journey, is our Redeemer, who, passing from the world to the Father, entrusted five talents—that is, spiritual goods—to his faithful servants. Because Saint Marius was a faithful servant, it is believed that he received the aforementioned weight from the Redeemer himself along with the faithful. Hence it is that, departing from the body, he approached the feet of the same Redeemer, who demanded spiritual interest, and he himself was to render an account of what had been entrusted to him; and since he had gained another five talents beyond the five, he merited to hear: "Well done, good and faithful servant, because you were faithful over a few things; enter into the joy of your Lord.

After his blessed passing, when many cycles of years had flowed by, and due to the cruelty of certain savage peoples, nearly all of Gaul was left destitute of its inhabitants, and the monasteries of Christ, to be lamented with perpetual mourning, had been turned into a wilderness, the body of the aforementioned man of God was taken from the church of Bodanus by certain men and, by God's arrangement, was brought to this town of Forcalquier. He rests, moreover, in the church, about to grant perpetual rest from the same to those serving him; in which church many assert that the Lord performed many miracles through him. From these, we have selected a few to commend the memory of such a confessor, which we have learned from the truthful testimony of witnesses. At a certain time, a certain overly playful little boy was persisting in profane games and dances under the sarcophagus of the aforementioned father. But when he persisted with a shameless brow, struck by divine vengeance he fell: immediately he began to fail in his limbs and to be weakened in the five senses of his body; the punishment grew, and the torment grew: and when, supported by the hands of others, he withdrew from that place, he breathed out his spirit with punishment and torment. In this it is given to be understood that God is a God of vengeance: and although he may seem to be far off, he is nevertheless believed to be ever present to judge injuries to the saints.

We must by no means pass over this either, that on a certain occasion a certain religious man, the custodian of the same man of God's basilica, when he came to the church around midnight to give light to the lamp, found it extinguished. "O," he said, "my father, give counsel to your servant: black night possesses everything; all are sleeping; where fire may be found, I know not; the path of the way the foot does not know. What then shall I do?" While his soul was in anguish within him and he knew not to which part to turn, suddenly, not without his ineffable joy, the candle which he held in his hands appeared lit. At another time also, a certain rustic, contracted in all his limbs, was so dissolved in his whole body and gathered into a mass contrary to the likeness of a man that he was thought not a man but some monster. He had been brought to the thresholds of many saints; but because, as we believe, he was reserved for our holy confessor, he confessed that he had perceived no aid for his body. At last, with divine clemency assisting him, not without great labor he is brought to the pre-chosen thresholds of the holy confessor, and is carried and set down in the same church. The wretch prays with tears for the erection of his pitiable body, and those who were present, pitying him, make the same entreaty. O piety of God, to be worshipped with all devotion! O merits of the saints, to be wholly venerated by mortals!

Amid the tears of the wretched man and the words of many praying, the wretch is raised up; the crack of bones and the stretching of sinews is heard by many; soon the retinue of companions runs up, summoned by the commotion of the marveling crowd; the nobles run up; people of both sexes and every age run up; all cry out, some anticipating others with shouts, "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give the glory." Thus the wretch who had come, made whole by the merits of the aforementioned man of God, departed with joyful steps to his own home. We have also decided to add to the aforesaid that on a certain day a certain unmarried girl, led by lightness of mind, directing a stone, struck the altar of the holy confessor; the stone had not yet fallen to the pavement when, with the strength of her sinews exhausted and the power of her limbs weakened, the girl fell. What more? She who a little before had come frolicking is wept over as a foetus and is wretched. She is led to the threshold of the confessor Marius to faithfully keep watch; she offers herself, she offers prayers and tears; she promises the saint annual vigils, if she returns safe and sound to her own home. O wondrous aid of divine mercy! While the woman weeps, while she sacrifices her whole self on the altar of the mind with devoted prayers, she is heard, and she is restored entirely to her former health.

Having thus recovered her health, she is joined in marriage to a certain man. But as time passed and seasons came and went, the aforementioned woman, clinging too wisely to the pleasures of marriage, put off fulfilling the vows she had made to the saint. Her forgetfulness is forestalled by her former infirmity: she is again weakened in the support of her sinews and entirely deprived of the strength of her limbs. Once more, through the care of her husband, she is brought to the oft-mentioned threshold of the holy confessor; once more, by his merits, she is restored to the longed-for health. The woman, joyful at the health unexpectedly returned to her, vows perpetual obedience to the saint, never to return home again. But when her husband grew exceedingly angry with his wife over such a vow, the terrified woman, softened by her husband’s threats and caresses, returns home with him. As soon as she returns, the wretched woman is again seized by the aforementioned plague; again she is brought to the saint’s threshold; again she is restored to her desired health. O the unhappy condition of our humanity! O the unspeakable forgetfulness in fulfilling vows! For again the saint is forgotten; again the shameless woman is weakened by her usual infirmity; again she flocks to the oft-mentioned threshold. By a renewed vow the saint is again honored, and the woman is again restored to the health she sought: restored, joyful and unharmed, she returns home by the merits of the holy confessor, never to return again for similar reasons.

Let those who in this church have promised to God and to Saint Marius stability of character hear, and with diligent care let them revere in mind... if all things are right with regard to their vow; if all things are right, let them rejoice that it has turned out well for them; but if it is otherwise, let them know that they suffer in their soul what the aforementioned woman is read to have suffered in her body. And so, with vows broken, let them take counsel through penance, let them approach the foot of the holy confessor, let them offer tears and prayers, so that they may deserve, through God’s mercy, to have again the salvation which they had lost by their conduct, once stability of character has been restored. Amen.