Peter the Confessor
Acta Sanctorum, June 30
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/june/day-30/peter-the-confessor.html
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CONCERNING ST. PETER THE CONFESSOR,
AT ASTI IN LOMBARDY.

Notice of the cult communicated by Philip Malabayla.

Peter, Confessor, at Asti in Lombardy (St.)

D. P., BY PHILIP MALABAYLA.

When our Philip Alegambe, most well known
by the Library of the Writers of the Society of Jesus published [by him],
had commended that same [Library], collected by him at Rome
in the year 1643, to his friend John Bollandus,
to be printed by the Antwerp presses;
in turn he bestowed on him all his effort, [A church, built under the name of the Saint,] toward collecting
from wherever he could the Acts of the Saints. To one so disposed
it was easy to contract a friendship with the Lord Philip
Malabayla, Visitor general through Italy of the Congregation of St. Bernard (which they call
the Feuillants), already
long intent on a like study; to whom it was a pleasure to have found
one to whom he might commit his lucubrations on that argument,
more worthily to be inserted into our work, than if separately to the press
they were committed. Some of these we have already given, now
we add one, collected from the monuments of the Cathedral
church of Asti, [the Knights of Malta] and also of the church built under the very
name of St. Peter himself, and of the Knights of Malta
possessing that same church with the Saint's body.
Among these however, and their writers, Bosio and others,
you will not marvel that almost nothing is known about him; if you understand,
that he died long before the Order came into that possession,
[being] intent rather on doing things than on writing them;
whence we cannot even divine the century
in which that Peter lived, much less the year in which he died;
and it only occurs to opine, that he is more ancient than the 11th century.
But thus about him Malabayla.

[2] If that diligence, which in venerating their Saints
at common expense the ancient
people of Asti employed, had been employed by any of them
in writing the Acts of those same [Saints], in every
part they would have consulted for their memory and veneration:
nor would there be need, for one wishing to set forth the Acts of any of them,
for their glory and that of God, [and of the holy Sepulchre,] and for the example of others,
laboriously to collect from various monuments only some things,
out of the many which are worthy of eternal memory.
Which in writing the Lives of other Saints we have for the most part
done; and at present for those about to treat of this St.
Peter, it is incumbent to do. For whose veneration
with how great piety and liberality the ancestors provided,
the church, built and dedicated under his name,
openly demonstrates: it demonstrates besides the zeal,
[under an annual census.] with which they provided for the service of this church.
Since indeed first in it a Provostship with the necessary
attendance, then the recently erected military
Order of the Hospitallers of St. John, they so instituted,
that in a fitting number those could
serve in the divine [offices]. Whence also some years
after, the church of the Soldiers of the Holy Sepulchre, who with
those same Hospitallers had united into one Order,
to the very church of St. Peter they
themselves consented to be united in the year 1169, in the 2nd Indiction, in the month of June; with this law, however,
that yearly on the day of the Assumption of the Bl. Virgin,
under which title the Cathedral of Asti is consecrated,
one Bezant (this was a gold coin of the Greek
Emperors) with one candle, [Tradition holds, that Peter was of a noble family,]
they should offer to the same Cathedral; and to public supplications,
whenever in them the Canons of that [church] proceeded,
they should be bound to be present. There demonstrate
finally the estates, with which they enriched that church,
so opulent and ample, that it is held the head of the Great Priory
of Lombardy.

[3] And nevertheless so far were the Acts of the Saint himself
not commended to the memory of posterity; [yet he is painted as a digger with a hoe] or
if they were, so far not preserved; that what follows,
only safely we can report. The first of these will be, that he was of the family of de Cucarvii,
as in the most ancient Breviary of the Cathedral is read;
or, as the public notes have it, and is commonly
brought forth, of Conzavii. The same notes furthermore
make it clear, that this family was one
of the chief of the town of Castagnole, distant four miles from
the city; then indeed of Asti,
but now of the jurisdiction of Montferrat. But whether this Saint
was brought forth at Asti, or at Castagnole,
is uncertain. That he was a rural man, [whereby it is believed he drew out water for a monastery begun to be built,] is indicated
by the form, in which we see him painted; namely with a girded garment,
let down a little below the knees,
and a hoe in his hands. Although some affirm the painted-on
hoe is in memory of a miracle,
which alone we have received as handed down to memory about him,
and confirmed by the thing itself still existing.

[4] While this holy Peter dwelt among mortals,
there had been begun to be built in the suburb of holy
Mary the New by the people of Asti a monastery
of Nuns, [long sought in vain.] of the Benedictine institute, with a church
of St. Seraphia, Virgin and Martyr. And already
from the foundations the walls were rising; when to the Overseers
of this work it is announced, that in diverse places within
the enclosure, for the use of a well, the earth deeply dug out
and carried away, yet in no place a spring was found,
or an indication of moisture appeared. This matter
reduced them into no few straits: for the monastery could not
stand, destitute of that element;
which unless it overflows, never seems to suffice.
To another place to transfer it was altogether
inconvenient, because, besides the loss of the expenses already
made, not easily could another place,
equally opportune, be either found or procured.
When therefore they could not explain what counsel
to take, there was not lacking one who proposed, that to
the already experienced power of the prayers of this servant of God they should
have recourse. Which when they had splendidly done,
he himself came to the place, and having prayed God,
that to his handmaids he would not deny a thing so
necessary to human life; took the hoe,
and dug a pit: in which when at once there appeared
water, turning to the workmen; "Here a well
hollow out," he says; "nor fear, lest the Lord
ever allow the water to fail." When they
had begun to execute this, they dug not deeply, and with the vein
abundantly springing forth, they formed a well of small
depth. Which well thereafter of St. Peter
is even now called: and the water itself both to the healthy beyond
the rest most salubrious; and to the sick, for the sake of devotion
coming from everywhere, or sending,
is openly profitable.

[5] It is handed down besides that by the same Saint was built
of St. Peter of Conzavia called: to which pertain
some estates, existing in the field of Castagnole;
and as is commonly believed, by the same Saint
attributed to that same Hospital: which with all its
rights and goods was then to that same church
united; which church, before a shrine of Diana,
to the most blessed Virgin, deservedly compared to Diana or the Moon
(because the grace, of which she was full, in the night
of sins or tribulations, shows itself a day)
by the ancient people of Asti once had been dedicated.
But when in it the body of this St. Peter had been
buried, and the sacred ministers appointed to his service,
far too narrow seemed its capacity, [and that there he was buried,]
and the form little apt (namely round,
with a roof likewise round and columned) for the divine
ministries to be performed or offices to be celebrated, a new
[church] continuously is raised: into which from the former
between two columns access lies open: and by this
means from two one church stood, called St. Peter
of Conzavia, and with the title of the great Priory
of Lombardy, as we said, distinguished.

[6] [where he is painted between the Apostles Peter and Paul,] But that his death happened on the very nativity day
of the Princes of the Apostles is held for certain:
and therefore in the panel, placed on the major altar, in the midst
the effigy of this holy Peter stands, on the right
holy Peter, on the left holy Paul painted: that those visiting
that church, to the veneration of the holy Apostles, to whom
that day is especially consecrated, and to invoke their protection,
might at the same time also be moved. By which
also it was provided; lest the name of holy Peter
should bring the opinion, that this temple was dedicated to St.
Peter the Apostle: to whom far off in the very city a proper
temple, called St. Peter of the Street,
stood built. [and the Relics are decently enclosed and kept.] The body finally
of this St. Peter the Confessor, in the high altar of that same
his church is believed enclosed. The Head
and arm, enclosed in gilded bronze cases,
are kept separately, to be exhibited to the pious kissing them
in veneration.
