Eupuria
Acta Sanctorum, May 16
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-16/eupuria.html
----------------------------------------

ON SAINT EUPURIA

VIRGIN AT GAETA IN LATIUM.

XVI OR XVII MAY

[Preface]

Eupuria, Virgin at Gaeta in Latium (S.)

G. H.

Ferdinandus Ughelli volume I of Sacred Italy
about to enumerate the Bishops of Gaeta, premises
notice of the Saints, whose sacred bodies
in the Cathedral church rest, as we
more fully said on the day VII May at the Acts of S.
Innocent the African Bishop, whose sacred pledges there
are preserved, [Sacred cult on 17 or rather 16 May.] when also about the situation of the Gaetan city we treated.
Among the said Saints in the title is proposed Eupuria, called by Ughelli
Exuperia Virgin & Martyr: who then adds,
that the feast of these Saints is by the Gaetans yearly with solemn
rite frequented: but who has the natal day of each,
he does not adscribe. Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy reports
on the day XVII May, S. Eupuria Virgin &
Martyr at Gaeta. But afterwards the same in the general Catalogue,
as if correcting himself, on this XVI May writes these things:
At Gaeta in Latium of S. Eupuria Virgin & Martyr:
& cites in the Notes the Tablets of the Church of Gaeta which
has the body. The same with Ferrarius on this XVI May,
inserted in the sacred Gynaeceum Arturus du Monstier: which we also,
since we know nothing certain, follow.

[2] [The history of the miracles is given from a Ms.] Miracles wrought at her sepulchre are said to be very many:
of which some Ferrarius writes that he saw in a certain
MS. codex of Iulius Antonius Sanctorius Cardinal
of S. Severina: which we found at Rome in the library of the Fathers
of the Congregation of the Oratory in MS. codex marked with the letter H,
& thence transcribed we here give, scarcely doubting that
according to the prologue very many things both new and old equally collected
were, of which the greatest part still is desired, &
perhaps still somewhere lies hidden. The author lived about the year
900, as one who a contracted person, in the time of Ioannes the Patrician
& of Bonus the Bishop by the merits of S. Eupuria healed, testifies
to himself to have found still alive surviving. But Bonus
Bishop of the Church of Gaeta, in the year already said, together
with Docibilis, Ioannes the now-deceased Patrician's son
Patrician, sought the relics of B. Erasmus the Martyr; found
he hid them deeper in the earth, & above
against the aspect of the southern climate in honor of the
Martyr he constructed an altar, when the supreme Pontiff
& universal Pope John of the holy Roman & Apostolic
Church presided, thirty years after which
by the Agareni's army Formia had been destroyed,
& the citizens of Gaeta the body of S. Erasmus within
the walls of their city had translated, & in the inner sanctuary of the holy
& Glorious Mother of God & Virgin Mary had laid up,
as we read in the MS. Acts of S. Erasmus, on
the day II June to be elucidated. But Formia is reported in the year 840 to have collapsed overthrown by the Saracens. But who
above is cited Pope John, was the eighth of his name,
& sat from the year 872 until the year 882.
Who is besides indicated Docibilis the son of John the Patrician,
below took care that a contracted person through his servants
should be placed before the tomb or altar of B. Eupuria the Virgin.
These about the time in which the miracles happened. He himself
however the author of the history of the miracles ingenuously confesses to be ignorant,
from what place or country this Virgin was born,
or in what manner she came to Gaeta, also what life
she led, & how she departed from this life: & what
is wonderful, never does he call her Martyr; when however a Martyr
Ferrarius & Ughelli call her, & perhaps thus do venerate her
the Gaetans.

HISTORY OF MIRACLES

From the MS. Vallicellan at Rome.

Eupuria, Virgin at Gaeta in Latium (S.)

BHL Number: 2732

FROM A MS.

[1] To conceal the secret of a King is good, but to narrate
& confess the works of God is honorable:
& therefore with the help of the supreme craftsman God, who said,
Open your mouth, & I shall fill it, & with the prayer of brethren
& citizens helped, who have most strongly exhorted that these things which are to be said
should be written;
The Miracles, which the Lord to the praise of His name &
of B. Eupuria the Virgin, until now has deigned to show,
as we can know more certainly & He Himself shall command,
we attempt to write. [Ps. 80, 11] Not because I am suitable & learned
for this work to be done; but because the relation of many miracles,
as if would inflict force on me, &, if I should wish to be silent,
in no way permits. For these are illustrious, &
delightful miracles, which daily are divulged by the people,
so that the mind of the man hearing is refreshed, as if
by the eyes those things which are said sedulously were perceived. For
no one need to doubt these things, which by
many are reported. For of these miracles each
sex renders testimony, because to both the Lord
equally revealed. From what country, or from
what place, this Virgin was born, or how
she came here, what life she led, how from this
life she departed, [Acts are not found.] no one is found of the citizens, who said he in
any way knew these things: but the daily & older
miracles without doubt show, of how great
sanctity she was endowed, [Miracles are reported.] & with how great goodness
she was decorated with insignia. Therefore the miracles, which through
her the Lord in this Gaetan city deigned to show,
as I learned from the narration of the faithful, to profit the edifications
of many, I shall take care to write;
both those which daily by all are divulged & are more recent,
than those which (as is said) from more honorable
men I could hear & know, & them as the Lord
shall give I shall explain in simpler words. Finally,
that to the more known & to all the people in our times
known we may run back, what at her tomb,
in the times of D. Ioannes the Patrician, miracle
was wrought, of those following memory to be retained we commit.

[2] [Contracted in his whole body,] There was in this aforesaid city a certain man, by name
Martinus, of British race born: whom
I still alive surviving I found, & these which I am about to say
by the relation of many men I have learned.
This aforesaid man, was struck by grave annoyance,
so that the knee to the chest, the legs indeed to the thighs, & heels
to his buttocks were joined. Who when he had completed six, as
they say, years now in such pains, &
no remedy of any medicine perceived;
At length, as we believe, with Divine clemency inspiring,
he began with daily prayer to ask the Lord,
that to such great pains of his always, & to such infirmities
to give a remedy He should deign. To him a wife with
a daughter was present, & with the obeisance, by which they could, sedulously ministered:
& whatever from alms they could
receive, which seemed useful to the sick man, without delay
they conferred. The sick man indeed lay in the lower
buildings of the palace, where the son of the below-written Patrician dwelt.
There therefore to him the blessed Mary the Virgin, [warned by a heavenly vision,] & Saint
John the Baptist, & Blessed Peter the Apostle appeared,
as their names in order they reported: & lest
in any way he should fear, with placid admonition
he is admonished. So great a splendor therefore at the same hour
shone forth, & such fragrance of odor emanated, that
to many, who in the houses of the same palace stayed,
both clarity was seen by their eyes, & in their nostrils the fragrance of so great
an odor was sprinkled. Truly there could be no night, where
such lamps deign to come. Who when the wonderful
clarity, & such resplendent faces he beheld; suddenly
deprived of strength, trembled & feared. To whom B.
Peter, as he is with placid countenance, nodded that he should not fear, & to him
ordered saying: Send, & having summoned the Patrician's
son, & say to him, that he should send with you two of his servants,
Scerarius, & Firmiperus, that they by their hands,
to the church of this most blessed Mother of God may lead you:
in which until the sixth feria, which is before Easter,
you shall remain, awaiting from the Lord the abundance of escaping your
infirmity, & on this day know for certain that the desired
health to you by the Lord is granted. Who joyful
about the same vision, in the morning awakened, watching
ordered his wife, that the aforesaid Patrician's son, by name
Docibilis, to him with celerity she should call. With him coming
he began to him to narrate the matter of the vision in order. Then
the said Duke joking, thus responded: I think,
Martinus, that more than usual yesterday by wine drowsy
you were, for which to you of this kind appeared dreams.
To this he: Do not, my sweetest Lord,
with so many years now passed in pains, with mocking,
as you are wont, words to delude me. But, as by the Saints
of the Lord it is commanded, [he is brought before the altar of S. Eupuria the Virgin:] most insistently fulfill the vision.
But the vision was to all hearing these things, incredible.
But in the beginning of Lent these things which we have related,
were done. Then compunct with tears &
prayers the Duke, having summoned the above-mentioned little servants;
ordered him to the said church to be led, & there
most diligently to be placed. Who in the same church, before
the tomb or altar of B. Eupuria the Virgin, in what manner
to health he was restored, the following discourse will declare.

[3] And when the days of the most sacred Lent were passing,
& the day of the Lord's Passion, on which the salvation
to the sick was promised, was imminent; truly the in all things pious
Lord on that day promised salvation to the weak & restored,
on which to the whole world he brought true salvation. By night
therefore, on which the promised day shone, present is
the Blessed Virgin Mary, with those with whom before she had appeared, [& by a new apparition made,]
that is, with the most blessed John the Baptist & Apostle
Peter, not through dreams, but with manifest vision.
And when they had stood by the watching little bed,
one taking his right hand, the other his left,
upon his feet they ordered him to stand, twice and three times saying: Rise.
Which he saying himself unable to do, suddenly from the earth on high
lifted up to the sign of the holy Cross, which by the said
Virgin's tomb stood, [restored healthy on the cross,] with the fingers of both hands inserted
they suspended him. Thus all knottiness &
contraction of the body was soon loosed, & health to all
his members was restored. For, as he himself afterwards was wont to relate
to many, very many crowds of Saints
were seen by him & heard, that when those his arms
suspended, others his feet from the connection
of his members were tearing off, & downward dragging.
Suspended therefore in this manner they said to him: Just now
shall come Donatus the Presbyter, because now the hour of the divine
Office is imminent, & to him say, that with Bonus the Bishop
called together, & Sasso the Presbyter, from this suspension
they should set you down, & be witnesses of so great a miracle.
Which said it seemed that the roof of the same church was opened,
& with such clarity to shine, that day to overcome seemed
that light, which in the darkness had radiated; & with the same light
the blessed Virgin Mary, with her holy companions,
to heaven was received. Nor a little while had passed:
& behold the aforesaid Donatus the Archpresbyter to refresh
the lamps came, & him to the Cross, [& from it through Bishop Bonus is set down,] as
is said, with fingers inserted clinging he found: at the order of so great
a thing marvelling, he feared. From whom when he had learned,
to the Bishop quickly hastened; & to him
the stupendous deeds of so great a miracle narrated. Who soon
having called Sasso the Presbyter, him, as commanded
had been, from the suspension of the cross they took. Whom diligently
investigating, in those things which had happened to God
they rendered thanks, that so illustrious a festival of solemnity,
with so light-flowing a miracle He had deigned
to decorate. But of this miracle it pleases us the quality
or quantity to discuss, dearest Brothers:
for it is not right, that undiscussed should remain,
those things which with such admiration are shown. For what
was necessary to the Lord that on the wood of the cross an infirm
man should be suspended, & in such a manner be cured, He who very many
similar to this with dissimilar medicine to cure
is wont, & daily cures? unless because the infirmity
in the acuity of mind from these whom He had ordered to be called He had foreseen,
& that the wounds of doubt from their hearts
He should remove; showing how truly the salvation
of the whole world, through the mystery of the Incarnation of Christ
& through the grace of His Passion has been given, &
the standard of the Cross how gloriously by the faithful ought
to be honored He shows.

[4] It happened on the same day also a memorable miracle
to occur, [not running to this miracle she is punished with a burnt hand.] for when from all the people of either
sex, both citizens and foreigners, who
then were present, a great concourse to this spectacle
was made; a certain woman who in a place near
the church stayed, by name Jannia, in the work of combing
flax anxiously was laboring: & while she desired
the work most insistently to perfect, with the others, as she ought,
to the thresholds of the church to see these things she did not run;
soon divine vengeance struck her. For fire thrown into the flax
her hands so burned, that scarcely after long
time she obtained the medicine of health, even with many tears
scarcely. For with very many reproaches by the people
she was afflicted, because such things to do she did not fear,
which no other on that day she had presumed to do: & many said
to her, Most miserable of all women,
why did you act so foolishly, & not with the others
to this miraculous & illustrious spectacle, devoutly,
as was fitting, hasten?

[5] At another time also, what at the sepulchre of the blessed
Virgin Eupuria was done I shall indicate. A certain
woman, by name Bona, was vexed by an excessive demon,
so that scarcely by many was she held: & it seemed to her husband &
to her parents, [a demoniac is freed at the altar of S. Eupuria,] that to the tomb of the said Virgin
she should be led. She while long was vexed, by relatives
to the church led, & there before the altar
of B. Eupuria with chains was bound. Who for some
months there thus remained, for thus was she vexed by the excessive
demon, that no one to her dared
to approach. At length her people to the Bishop, who then
was present, came, most strongly asking,
that for her upon the altar of the blessed Virgin to the Lord a sacrifice
to offer he should deign; that through the same
sacrifice's offering, & through B. Eupuria's merits, from such a wretched plague she might be freed. For whom when
by the Bishop & by the Presbyters a sacrifice to the Lord
was offered, & prayer for her health daily in
the same basilica was poured forth; at length the Lord
having mercy on His creature, that He might show of how great merit
this Virgin was, to whose tomb this sick woman
had been led, restored her to her pristine health,
so that no longer of this kind did she suffer
inconvenience.

[6] Sanctimonial women reported to me, that
a certain woman dwelling in the parts of Campania, by an incredible
demon was daily vexed; who hearing
the fame of B. Eupuria the Virgin, that many
through her demoniacs & infirm with various languors
were cured, with her husband coming, they began the same
Virgin with flowing tears to call upon,
that from the cruel power of the enemy by praying she might rescue her.
For it is unspeakable, how cruelly by night
& day she was tortured: & how inept & useless
& mocking words through her mouth the devil uttered,
it does not seem suitable for us to declare. [another at her sepulchre.] They assert
finally those hearing these things, that never so foully
& cruelly filled with a demon any[one]
they had seen vexed. She when she had stayed here some time,
& very often, as is said, was cruelly
vexed; through churches here and there anxious
she ran, that from the ancient enemy's power she might be freed.
Who when she had received no remedy of health,
at length to the sepulchre of the said Virgin
was led: where when for some time prayer
was made, she was freed from the demon: & to God & B. Eupuria
the Virgin returning thanks, to her own soil
she returned.

[7] In our own times this miracle
to have happened is to all manifest, for on the day
of her Birth the water of the sea, into such sweetness
was changed, that it seemed from the purest spring, or from
the clearest river's stream drawn. But this kind of
sign shone in this manner. When very many from the city
of Gaeta for the cause of trading had sailed, [On the day of her birth the water of the sea is made sweet.] it happened
on that day, while a certain poor man from the dwellers of the same
city, to wash his face had entered the sea,
so sweet & pleasant it was found, as if (as is said)
from a spring or from a river's stream at the same hour
it were drawn. Which hearing some of ours suddenly
ran up, & recognizing the truth of this thing
they marvelled, & to draw it each ran.
Then a great part of the city assembled to
see this miracle, which seeing they marvelled,
& gave thanks to God & B. Eupuria.
The rest is desired.

ON SAINT HILARIUS

BISHOP OF PAVIA IN ITALY.

YEAR 376

[Commentary]

Hilarius, Bishop of Pavia in Italy (S.)

G. H.

Ferdinandus Ughelli in volume one of Sacred Italy
proposes the Bishops of Pavia: among whom he recenses
XVII S. Hilarius, & these things about him reports:
S. Hilarius to the same See was elected
in the year 358, & died 376
on the day XVI May, whose Relics are honorably preserved
in the Church of S. Michael the Greater. He against
the Arians celebrated a most salutary Synod. Of him
mention is made only by Bossius in his diptych: but no
other writer, nor even the Roman Martyrology
indeed. Thus Ughelli. Afterwards Ioannes
Baptista de Gasparis published the Breviary of the Holy Bishops
of the Ticinensian Church, which he himself in the year
1662 to us at Pavia present gave. He in the Index subjoins
the Catalogue of the Bishops of the Ticinensian Church about
whom the divine Office is not celebrated, & there
writes these things: S. Hilarius Bishop XVIII. XVI May
from the year 358 to the year 376. Body
in S. Michael's. Nor more about him hitherto could we
obtain.
