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THE LIFE OF ST AUBIN by Venantius Fortunatus:

Chapter 3: More miracles of St Aubin - his death and his translation


15. It might be worthwhile to tell a "live" story about a "dead" body. This truly apostolic man came to a city of Venetum in which one of his followers, a very young man, had died. He was dedicated to the service of Christ and Aubin particularly loved him for the high standard of his behaviour. He was buried but a year later Aubin had asked for his body to be exhumed so that a requiem could be sung over him. Aubin waited for this to be done, but the attendants wanted to move the body before he arrived at the spot. But the corpse had become so heavy that they could have moved the limbs of a giant more easily than lifting the body of this boy. They thought that the corpse had been enclosed with marble since the horses pulling at it could not move one step - it was just as if the very dust had fastened chains on it. Then the bishop arrived at the spot; he said a prayer over the horses and led them gently forward,

 

16. There was another miracle which ought to be mentioned. When Aubin was in the monastery at Tintillac, there was a monk named Gennomerus who was deprived of his sight and had lived many years in the dark night of blindness. He asked Aubin to make the sign of the Cross over him and, when this was done, the blazing light of day came upon him; the darkness was banished and the sun which had been a stranger to him shone for him again in light. Amongst all the other testimonies of Aubin’ s miracles, this is the most impressive. In the city of Angers, the prison for the condemned was built next to the door of a tower. The blessed Aubin went to the spot and when he heard the cries of the prisoners (something quite new to him), he burst into tears. Then he went to the judge and begged him to release the captives as an act of piety. But the judge pretended not to hear and did nothing; so Aubin turned to God with faithful prayer and such was the earnestness of his petitions that, in the very spot where this holy man was praying, a square block of stone rushed out and made a way of escape for the prisoners - the stone, solid as it was, could not remain still before his prayers. The prisoners went out of the opening like living persons coming out of their graves and, in the basilica of St Maurilius, they gave thanks to the Lord Aubin, prostrating themselves at his feet. He had indeed brought back to safety those who had been face to face with death.

17. A certain woman who was possessed by an evil spirit came before Aubin shouting and wailing; soon the devil himself alighted above her eye in the form of a blood blister. Then the bishop made the sign of the Cross and rebuked the devil, saying: "O thou wicked one, you did not give her this eye and neither can you take it away." As she recovered herself, the blood gently started to flow as if it had been lanced, and, as it drained away without harming the eye, the evil foe departed - by Aubin ordering the sign of the Cross, the girl was able to go away unharmed.

18. But this outstanding example of his greatness ought to be related because, in his work for God, Aubin showed no individual favours to kings or powerful people. To illustrate the crown of his heavenly grace, he condemned those unspeakable evils of incestuous marriages - in this he copied the blessed St John in his uprightness. No one can fully reveal just how much those things distressed him. He would have been a martyr had there been an executioner at hand - but beyond doubt, he deserved the martyr's crown because he would not keep silent about those lustful deeds which were forbidden. In addition to his other tasks, he was disturbed even more about this matter and he even went around the Synods to pursue it. Finally, he was compelled by his brethren to obey the ruling of most of the bishops and absolve those whom he had excommunicated. He was requested by the rest of the bishops to obey their ruling to reinstate one person whom he had suspended from communion and he did so. But he said to the assembly of priests: "Although I am compelled to obey your ruling while you refuse to defend God's cause, yet He Himself will vindicate me." After saying this, before he actually said the words of absolution and reinstatement, he passed away. But before the attendant arrived, his advice and words prevailed for he had even gone to consult the Blessed Caesarius, Archbishop of Aries, about this very matter.

19. We cannot repeat every single detail of Aubin ' s miracles and it will have to be sufficient to have described a few out of so many. But we believe we ought to mention, for those who are living today, one particular event which took place after the death of this most blessed man; for even when his body was enclosed in the tomb, yet the benefit of the soul of this just man still bore fruit. St Germain the Bishop of Paris, the other bishop of the Province, Aubin's successor at Angers, and the people, all wanted to transfer the body of this holy man to a new basilica. But because the cell in which he was buried was so narrow, they could not carry out the saint's body. While they all hesitated wandering what to do, the virtue of this most blessed man came to their aid. For while they wasted about and came to no definite decision, suddenly, by God's will, the wall of the cell which was by Aubin's feet was split in two. Three stones from the Eastern side fell out and so provided a space for his body to be brought out.

20. After this space was thus provided, a procession moved towards the holy tomb. In the place where Aubin’s body was brought out, three paralytics who had long despaired of being cured were healed of this disability; the nerves of their limbs which had been quite dead revived through the merits of the dead man. At the same time, twelve blind persons received their sight - they received the light of day from the darkness of the dead saint; for they reckoned that those same virtues which had caused the wall to be spit open could also help them to recover their sight. These continuing and seemingly endless miracles showed that even though the body of this famous bishop was lying in the tomb, yet through the grace of the Creator, the merits of this confessor would live on for ever. And so Aubin, endowed with these heavenly gifts which flowed from his sanctity, occupied the high position of bishop for twenty years and six months, governing the -church with faithful judgement. In the eightieth year of his life, after filling the role of prophet and revealing the utmost blessedness in exercising power, he passed away on 1st March. His life, which was most pleasing to God, was taken from this world amidst angelic praises and went to be with Christ in the heavens.

In the name of our Master, Jesus Christ, to whom be honour and glory, world without end.

Amen-