Epistola 'De Obitu Sancti Paulini' [Ex Surio]

The Letter of Uranius the Presbyter. (From Surius.) The Letter of Uranius the Presbyter. On the Death of Saint Paulinus, to Pacatus. Edited from a manuscript of Troyes by Chifflet, and collated with other manuscript copies. To the illustrious lord, Pacatus, worthy of veneration in Christ, Uranius the presbyter. I am repeatedly urged by the letters of your nobility to faithfully report to you the death of Saint Paulinus. I will indeed do what you command, but I fear that I may not do it as effectively as you wish, though I desire to do so. Nevertheless, because you deign to command, I will do it faithfully and without falsehood. For I know that it is better to restrain the tongue with silence than to sin against the soul by telling a lie, as Scripture says: “The mouth that lies kills the soul.” And therefore I earnestly beg your veneration to deign to grant pardon for my inexperience. Otherwise, if the worthlessness of my speech begins to displease you, you will more rightly blame yourself, not me, for you have asked for the water of a most pure fountain from a muddy stream. But let these things be said briefly. Now let us come to those matters which, for you who are preparing to illustrate his life in verse, will supply material for your discourse.

Therefore, Saint Paulinus, bishop, was a native of the city of Bordeaux in Gaul, but in Campania, near the most blessed Felix the Confessor, he died a glorious death and was buried. We recognize his life from the merit of his death, and we prove his death from the conduct of his life. Finally, when three days before he was called from this world to the heavenly dwelling, and all had despaired of his recovery, two bishops had come to him out of a desire to visit him, namely, Saint Symmachus and the blessed Acindynus; he was so revived and refreshed by their arrival that, forgetting all bodily infirmity, he showed himself entirely spiritual and angelic to them. And, as if about to set out to the Lord, he ordered the sacred mysteries to be performed before his bed: namely, that together with the holy bishops, by offering the sacrifice, he might commend his soul to the Lord; and also that he might recall to their former peace those whom he had ordered to be excluded from communion of the sacred mystery for ecclesiastical discipline.

And when the holy bishop had celebrated all these things with joyful and perfect order, he suddenly began to ask in a clear voice where his brothers were. Then one of those standing by, who thought that he was seeking his brothers, that is, the bishops who were then present, said to him: Behold, here are your brothers. But he said: But I now speak of my brothers Januarius and Martinus, who have just spoken with me and said that they would come to me shortly. Of these, Januarius is both bishop and martyr, and he illuminates the Church of the city of Naples; Martinus, however, a man apostolic in all things, whose life is read by all, was a bishop of the Gauls. And having said these things, with his hands extended to heaven, he sang this psalm to the Lord, saying: I have lifted my eyes to the mountains, whence help will come to me. My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Then, after the collected prayer, he was reminded by the holy priest Postumianus that forty solidi were owed for the garments that had been collected for the poor. When Saint Paulinus heard this, smiling lightly, he said: Be secure, my son; believe me, one will not be lacking who will pay the debt of the poor. And behold, after a short delay, a certain priest entered, coming from the regions of Lucania, sent by the holy bishop Exuperantius, or by his most illustrious brother Ursatius, who had sent him fifty solidi as a gift.

When the holy Paulinus had received them, he blessed the Lord, saying: "I give thanks to you, Lord, who have not abandoned one hoping in you." Of these fifty solidi, he himself gave two with his own hand to the presbyter who had presented them; the rest he ordered to be repaid to the merchants who had given clothing to the poor. Meanwhile, when night had now succeeded the day, he allowed himself a little rest until midnight; until, with the pain that was excessive in his side growing more acute, he was roused, and, wearied also by many superfluous cauterizations from the physicians, he dragged his weary and panting breast until the fifth hour of the night. Then, as light approached, the holy man recognized his custom. And so, as was his wont, having roused everyone, he celebrated matins according to custom and order. When day had come, he preached hereditary peace to the presbyters, deacons, and all the clergy, following the Lord's example. Then, as if awakened from sleep, recognizing the time for the lucernarium devotion, with hands outstretched, though in a weak voice, he sang, "I will prepare a lamp for my Christ, O Lord." Then, after a period of silence, around the fourth hour of the night, while all who were present were keeping anxious watch, his cell was suddenly shaken by so great an earthquake that those who were attending his bed, terrified and disturbed, all threw themselves to prayer, though those who were standing outside the doors knew nothing of it; for that earthquake was not a public one, but a private one within the cell.

He, received by angelic hands, breathed out the spirit owed to God. We saw (dearest son), we saw, and amid tears and sobs we rejoice to have seen; we saw how the just man is taken away, and no one understands: and just men are taken away, and no one takes heed. Nor should it seem unbelievable to any Christian that, at the passing of the holy Paulinus, a particular corner of the earth was shaken, at whose death almost the whole world groaned. And indeed, what place is there in the world so remote or hidden that the passing of our lord Paulinus did not move it? The Church plainly wept that she had lost such a priest; but paradise rejoices that it has received such a saint: the peoples lament, but the angels exult: the provinces of men groan, but the places of the saints rejoice, to which he daily longed to fly, when he would say: "How lovely are your tabernacles, Lord God of hosts! My soul yearns and faints for your courts.

a holy man, praiseworthy in the mouth of all, who lived in such a way that he lived not for himself alone, but for all! And therefore, because he lived for many in this world, he now lives for himself in Christ; and yet not for himself alone, but also for us, because he prays daily for us. He was, in short, a burning lamp in the house of God, not placed under a bushel, but set upon a candelabrum, so that he also rendered many lamps luminous with his own brilliant light. For he was gentle and approachable, even when he was involved in the pride of Meculus. But when he was converted to Christ, he opened his granaries to the poor, he threw open his storehouses to those who came. For it was not enough for him to feed his neighbors, unless he also summoned from everywhere those whom he might feed and clothe. How many captives he ransomed, how many entangled debtors he freed from their creditors by paying the money! With one single transaction of piety, he both wiped away the tears of the debtors and restored the joy of the creditors.

But when he had been raised to the highest rank of the priesthood, he did not wish to show himself as a bishop to be feared by anyone; rather, he made himself a priest to be loved by all. He was never so angry that he did not remember mercy in his anger; for that man could not be angry who despised insults and avoided hatred. He never sat in judgment without mercy, because he knew that mercy is better than sacrifice; that every Christian judgment should be clothed with mercy, as the venerable Scripture says: "I will sing to you, O Lord, of mercy and judgment." He also tempered justice with more favorable intentions, knowing that the Holy Spirit, as much as it favors equity and justice, so much does it graciously grant the grace of piety to its own; and therefore he maintained rigor in the examination of justice, but brought forth mercy in the definition of the sentence. A man to be admired and to be praised for all virtues! For this man, following the examples of all the patriarchs, was faithful as Abraham, trusting as Isaac, kind as Jacob, generous as Melchizedek, provident as Joseph, rapacious as Benjamin: for he seized from the rich and distributed to the poor; and yet he is known to have benefited the rich more than the poor, because he benefited the poor in this world, but provided for the rich in the future.

Therefore (since I had begun to speak), he was gentle as Moses, priestly as Aaron, innocent as Samuel, merciful as David, wise as Solomon, apostolic as Peter, lovable as John, prudent as Thomas, a teacher as Paul, seeing as Stephen, fervent as Apollo: in diligence and care for the Churches, in faith and charity, he imitated all the apostles and bishops. He possessed all these things in himself; he faithfully preserved them throughout the time of his life. And so, when he was called from this body to the heavenly dwelling (as I said above), the earth grieved, but heaven rejoiced; the flesh wept, but the spirit gloried. Finally, not only Christians, but also Jews and pagans, with great weeping, even with torn garments, gathered for the funeral rites of Lord Paulinus: they all together with us lamented with one voice that a patron, defender, and protector had been snatched from them. And truly he was such that he was loved by all: for he lived as an example for all of acquiring salvation, and as a comfort of consolation. Nor is this my voice alone: all the provinces are witnesses, the whole land which the Roman world encloses is a witness; even barbarian nations, to which the fame of Lord Paulinus had spread, are witnesses. Nor was it undeserved that he was loved by all, for he was present to all. Whom lying prostrate did he not raise with his own right hand? Whom appealing to him did he not console with a pious word?

He was pious, merciful, humble, and kind: spurning no one, despising no one; he gave to all, he indulged all; he encouraged the timid, he calmed the violent; some he built up with words, others by his example; he helped some with letters, others with funds. He admired no wealth, no riches, except those which Christ had promised to his saints. He defined gold and silver and the rest in such a way that liberality claimed them for giving, not cupidity for keeping. And, to speak briefly, he had all good things in himself because he loved Christ: for he had faith, gentleness, care for his neighbors; constant concern for the wretched, compassion for the weak; looking to nothing else but peace and charity: for he alone begged, so that all might abound. Finally, what place is there in the whole world, what solitude, what seas, that did not feel the benefits of Saint Paulinus? All wished to know him, all desired to see him. Who came to him not joyful? or who left him not about to be missed? For those who could not see him in person, at least longed to touch his letters. For he was gentle and pleasant in his writings, sweet and very kind in his verses. What more? Hardly anything that is said of him would the credibility of faith admit, were it not that his deeds drive away falsehood.

Let us pass over the nobility of his lineage, which blazed wondrously in the purple of senators on both his father’s and mother’s side; and also the wealth of his riches, which he distributed to the poor for the sake of God. Now let us come to those things which we had begun to say concerning his death. Therefore, when Saint Paulinus had rendered up his spirit to God, his face and his whole body were affected with such snowy whiteness that all, amid sobs and tears, blessed our Lord God, who brings forth his saints in magnificence, to show his servants that this is the glory of all his saints. And so let his soul be praised in God, and let his works be revealed to all who fear God, because he yearned for the commandments of his God, and had understanding for the needy and the poor, so that his seed might be powerful on earth, and his justice might endure for ever and ever. Nevertheless, your reverence ought also to recognize this, which pertains to the merit of Saint Paulinus: that Saint John, bishop of the city of Naples, is acknowledged to have been summoned and called from this life to Christ by Lord Paulinus. For on the third day before Saint John departed from this world to the Lord, he reported that he had seen Saint Paulinus, clothed and adorned with angelic dignity, wholly snowy, wholly starry, and gleaming with an ambrosial fragrance; he also held a very white honeycomb in his hand and said to him: “Brother John, what are you doing here?

Loosen the bonds of your weariness, and come to us now; for this food which I hold in my hand abounds sufficiently among us. And when he had said this, he embraced him and placed a part of that honeycomb into his mouth; Saint John said that he so desired its sweetness and fragrance that, if he had had the power at that very revelation, he would never have withdrawn from his footsteps. Yet he did not long conceal it; for, awakened from sleep, on that same day, that is, the fifth day of the week, according to his custom, rewarding all the clergy and the poor, he celebrated the Lord’s Supper in good health; on the sixth day of the week he devoted himself to prayer; on the Sabbath, however, at the second hour of the day, he proceeded joyfully to the church, and, having ascended the tribunal, greeted the people as was his custom; and, having been greeted in return by the people, he gave the prayer; and, the prayer having been collected, he breathed forth his spirit. That night, however, a vigil was kept in the church. On the following day, that is, Easter, with lamps lit, with a great procession of neophytes, and with a multitude of people also following, he obtained a glorious and praiseworthy burial, all the way to the tomb.

I have recalled these things to your nobility so that you might also recognize here the merit of Saint Paulinus: for you have material for speaking, provided that faith in believing is not lacking. And therefore I ask your nobility that, just as you deigned to promise, you deign to hasten the gift of a distinguished work; you will obtain the rewards of praise and fame if you have illustrated the life of the holy man, which will benefit posterity, in verses. Would that before I depart, you might make me worthy of reading this work: because if it pleases Christ, I plan to sail immediately. Saint Paulinus the bishop died on the tenth day before the Kalends of July, in the consulship of Bassus and Antiochus, most honorable consuls.