He was
cujus abbas inter principes imperii quatuor-
viros locum habet.
cujus abbas inter principes imperii quatuor-
viros locum habet.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
At
47 His death has been generally assigned think him to be identical with a Huso, Buffo,
in the
of his
4? In tears
and sorrow, Bishop John proceeded to the place where the body of the holy Abbotlay. Theusualrequiemofficeswerereligiouslycelebrated. Afterwards,
peacefully expired
ninety-fifth year
age.
which was then filled with earth. *2 his benediction on the Bestowing
grave,
two religious brothers, Magnoald and Theodore, Boso presented his own vestments to them, and furnishing other necessaries, he gave them permission on the restoration of their strength, to seek whatever place of living the Lord had destined for them.
to the year 625. Obihardus or Obbaldus. 48 s
In Walafridus Strabo's "Vila S. Galli. " it is stated, that the Bishop, with Wilhniar, Magnoald and Theodore had desired, in the first instance, to inter St. Gall at Arbon.
5 Walafridus Strabo thus describes the bishop's action : "Sumens loculum, in quo sanctum corpus erat, posuit super terram, inter parietem et altare, et desuper, ul nioris est, arcam altiorem construxit, fossam vero terra
replevit. "
—" Vita S. Galli. "
bi Father Suy. skcn remarks, that the scribed as praifectus et partium earumdem preceding narrative in the Acta Pseudo- Theodon, seems to have been taken from the lives of Saints Columban and Gall, and that what follows appears to be the product of the or In the edition
49 Who he was seems to be unknown.
In the "Vita S. Galli," the spoiler is de- '*
potestate pneui. us. "
50 He is also designated Erchanoldus and
Erwinus, but in any form of the name, he
has no historic
compiler compilers.
of Goldast, Liber Secundus is prefixed, at
the beginning of the sentence substantially translated in the text.
'
5
celebrity.
Except from what is stated of him in
the Lives of St. Gall and St. Magnus, little more appears to be known. Some writers
September 6. 1 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 14T
noon, a certain priest, named Tozzo 54 or Tosso, arrived from a distant country to pay his devotions at the tomb of St. Gall—the fame of whose holiness had spread abroad—and it was revealed to him, that he should make that pilgrimage, and meet those willing to set out for the east, and whom he should conduct thither until they reached the place desired. He brought with him a lighted candle in his hand, which the wind did not extinguish during the darkness of night, but which at day-break went out of its own accord. 55 After the death of St. Gall, St. Magnus and Theodore had resolved on travelling eastwards, and now they met that stranger pilgrim. On enquiry, they learned the nature and purport of his journey. Hearing the circumstance related by him, they recognised the guide of their course, promised by the Almighty, to whom they gave thanks. Having saluted Tozzo with the kiss of peace, they brought him into the Church of St. Gall,
andtotheholypatron'stomb. Afterwards,hewasconductedtotheguest- house, where he was hospitably entertained, and there he spent that night. Next morning, the two missionaries, having prayed before the tomb of St. Gall, parted from their brother monks with a blessing, and travelled onwards with Tozzo, leaving the Lake of Bregentz or Constance on their left.
s6 remained for At length, they reached Bregentz itself, where they
two days. While there, Magnoald cured a poor blind man, who, filled with admiration and gratitude for the restoration of his sight, expressed a desire to follow Magnoald wherever he went. Having obtained that permission, he desired to serve the Lord. Conscious of the miracle wrought in this case, the people of Bregentz are said then to have bestowed on him the title and name of Magnus. With Tozzo for their guide, Magnoald and Theodore resumed their journey, the poor man restored to sight following in their train.
After some days of travel, they came to a beautiful town which they found to be altogether deserted. Magnoald enquired its name, and that of
:
the river running by it, and Tozzo answered " This place, often visited by
the country-people, is called Campidona ;57 but, they dare not remain here a
single night, it is so infested with different species of serpents. The river is
called Hilara 8 not because it disturbs many persons, on account of its swift ;5
course, for rather it causes them sorrow than joy. It behoves us, however, to hasten onwards, lest the serpents find us to be here, and make an onset to devour us. For many men who have come hither to hunt, they have
devoured, not permitting them to remain even for one night. "
The blessed
thenanswered " ourLord Magnoald : Truly,
todrive those serpents from this place, as He had in casting out bears, wolves and other wild beasts, nay even serpents and demons, through the prayers of our
54 The festival of St. Tozzo is held on the
16th of January. The theatre of his apos-
tolic labours was Algau, in Suabia, between
Lake Constance and the Tyrolean Alps.
Afterwards he became Bishop of Augsburg.
See Les Petits Bollandistes, "Vies des
Saints," tome i. , xvie Jour de Janvier, the World," vol. iii. , p. 24. pp. 412, 413.
55 Hence he is represented in art, with a lighted flambeau in his hand, and a rosary, to denote a pilgrim. See Rev. Ur. F. C. Husenbeth's "Emblems of Saints," p.
205.
56 This town is of great antiquity, being
the Brigantia of the Romans. It is now the capital of the circle of Brigenz or Vorarlberg,
57 Also called Campodunum, now Kemp- ten, a German city in Bavaria. Here dwelt in a fortress the dukes of Suabia, from whom descended Hiltegardis, the wife of Charle- magne. See Martinus Crusius, "Annates Suevici," tomus i. , lib. ix. , cap. 3.
s8 The present Iller, which rises in the
Tyrol, and flowing northwards by Kempten, joins the Danube at Ulm.
Jesus
Christhath
power
in Tyrol, on the Bregenzer-see, a gulf of Lake Constance. In the Middle Ages, it
belonged, with the surrounding territory, to the powerful house of Montfort. In 145 1, it was obtained by purchase and ceded to
"
the Dukes of Austria. See Gazetteer of
142 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 6.
Superior and Master Gallus", and from that place where he choose to build
his cell, and to have his sacred body buried. Therefore, with God's
assistance, it will be expedient for us to remain here during the night. " The
Legend of our Saint's Acts then proceeds to state, that Magnus said to his
"
Brother Theodore, pray and implore God's mercy, that He aid us to banish the dragon and demons that dwell in this place, since by thee is it designed to be built up and restored ; wherefore let us pray unitedly, that the Lord shall be willing to hear us and purify a spot rendered uninhabitable for man. " Then both prostrated themselves in prayer, and while so engaged, a hideous monster, called a Boas,59 from the sound of its voice,60 rushed upon them out of the town. In terror at the sight, the priest Tozzo and the man restored to vision ran to save themselves by climbing up a tree. Confiding in the Divine assistance, and while Theodore prayed, Magnoald arose. Making a sign of the cross, he took the Cambuta and a crucifix he bore, to meet the dragon, and crying out: "In the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, I command that there you remain, and that the demon you contain kill you, through the power of the true and living God. " He
then struck the Boas on the head with the Cambuta, and immediately bursting asunder the monster expired. The other vermin in and around the town immediately fled, and never afterwards returned.
When Theodore saw the wonderful miracle wrought, he arose from his
" Lord
" Do not so I am Whereupon Magnoald replied : express yourself, brother,
not great, but the least of God's servants. He alone has freed us from such dangers. Your own prayers were heard by the Lord, and therefore not to my merits, but by order of the Almighty, those monsters have departed. Now call our fellow-travellers, and let us remain here, since the Lord wills us to build a cell in it for His greater glory. Remember how our most holy Superior and Father Gallus came to the place he had chosen for his dwelling so through his merits is it ordained by God, for there can be no doubt, he
61
desires this spot to be consecrated to him. "
removed, Tozzo and the man who had recovered sight descended from the tree,andprostratedthemselvesbeforeMagnoaldandTheodore. Tozzothen cried out: "Truly the Lord is in this place, who hath given such power to the holy Magnus, who with his Cambuta hath wrought such a miracle : therefore I shall now boldly conduct both of you through the deserts and
s» Pliny thus writes regarding such a (hat a similar monster was destroyed by St. monster: '"Faciunt his ndem in Italia Ililarion, near Epidaurus, a town of appellatae boae, in tantam amplitudinem Dalmatia : "Draco mine magnitudinis
(quos gentili sermone boas vocant ab eo, qu<»d tarn grandefl sint, ut boves glutire
companion :
kneeling posture, and raising his hand towards Heaven exclaimed
God Almighty, who hath created heaven and earth, the sea, and all things in them, I give Thee thanks, I invoke Thee, I adore Thee, I sing Thy praises, who hath deigned to fr>ee us from such a danger, and from such a pest of vermin. " He then fell down, and kissed the knees, hands and face of Magnoald, and in a transport of joy exclaimed, "Truly, no longer shall you be called Magnoald, but Magnus, since the Lord hath granted such graces as to free this place not alone from monsters but even from demons. "
exeuntes, ut, divo Claudio principe, oceisa. in Vaticano solidus in alvo speciatus sit infans. Aluntur — bubuli lactis succo,
omnem late vastabat
soleant) provincial! )
primo
unde nomenhabet. " "Historia Naturalis,"
;
HI), viii. , cap. 14.
60
In the editions of our saint's Acts by Canisius and Goldast, such derivation is not given. One very different is to be found in the works of St. Jerome, when he relates,
nee solum armenta et pecudes, Bed agricolas quoque et pastores, tractosque ad se vi
gpiritus sui absorbebat. " Hilarionis. "
6l This latter sentence is not in the edition of St. Magnus' Acts as published by Canisius.
Seeing all danger thus
:
— "Vita S.
;
September 6. 1 LIVES 0* THE IRISH SAINTS. 143
passes, to wherever you shall chose to dwell. I see such power is bestowed bv the Almighty for your merits, because the various localities of this region
u Here shall we that the people of this district may know God's mercy to them, in this very place. " During the
short time of their stay there, Tozzo visited all the neighbouring places familiar to him, and made known to the inhabitants the great miracle wrought. Many flocked thither, and admired the power of God. St. Magnus preached His Word, while still a deacon, and numbers converted to thetrueFaithwerebaptisedbythepriestTozzo. Theybroughtmorethan sufficient food for the missioners' wants, and giving thanks to God, the country people willingly aided Magnus and Theodore in the work of building their cell. For three days they continued working, and spent the nights in prayer. After the matutinal office on the third dawning ofday, the demons
were seen flying through the air, and screaming. Suddenly they set upon
and rendered habitable. " Magnoald answered remain for the present week, and build a small oratory,
are
purified
: 62
Tozzo, crying out
:
" Thou, hostile to our leader 63 and to us, why hast thou
brought this man and his companion to our place, who hath chased us from
where we and our confederates have subjected many souls ? Their Master
always conquers us with his agencies, as he does also those who invoke the
nameoftheLord. Yet,hehasnotalonevanquishedandexpelledus,butalso
ourmembersbytheawe-inspiringnameofAdonai. " Hearingthis,theaforesaid
priest made a sign cf the cross on himself, and went to the holy man to tell
him what he had seen and heard. Then the brave athlete and elect of God,
with Theodore, prostrate in prayer, addressed the Omnipotent in these words :
" O powerful God, ineffable goodness, inestimable piety, who, according to
Thy mercy and not through our merits, hast deigned to save us from those
monsters and demons, graciously hear our prayers as You have those of our
Superior Gall, and banish the demons from this place, that it may be sanctified
in Thy name, by daily orisons. "64 Then rising from prayer and going out
from the oratory, they heard evil spirits howling and crying out: "You,
Magnus, bear three names on your forehead, and with the Trinity cause
suchillstous,andyou,Theodore,whatdoyoutous? Thedaymustcome
when Magnus shall not be with you, and then we can assail you, and excite
the various passions of the inhabitants of this region against you. " Magnus
"
then replied :
Miserable beings, acknowledge if you can the Trinity of
God. " Theyanswered "Weknowittobeineffableandimmense. " Then :
said the blessed Magnus " Now that you have acknowledged the Holy :
Trinity, I command you, not in my own poor capacity, but through the immense power of the Holy Trinity, that you quit this place, and go into mountain deserts wherever the Lord permits you, and that you no longer have permission to return. " On this sentence being pronounced, the demons cried out: "Alas! what shall we do ? Here have we met another Gallus: nay more, this Gallus is worse than the former, who with his morning canticles 6s
62
In the Latin Acts, "aedificemus ora-
shall daily resound at cock-crowing with
Thy praises. "
6s The text of the saint's Acts reads thus :
" Heu ! quid faciemus? alium Galium hie signification, by Goidast, in a lengthy habemus : imo iste Gallus pejor est priori,
culum parvulum. "
63 In the Latin Acts, "senioris nostri "
has many observations regarding the
note.
64 The Latin phrase in the Acts of St.
quia cum suis galliciniis nos et membra nostra pariter ejicit : sed nee in heremo manere permittit. " The demons are here allowed to have a play on the proper name
"
Goidast omits it, and Father Suysken under-
stands it to mean " Locus iste quotidie sub
:
Magnus is,
cottidie cantantibus gallis. "
gallicinium laudibus tuis resonet. " It may "gallus gallinaceus. " See also Ciceropro
thus be rendered in English :
"
This place Murana, 29.
of Gallus, the master of St. Magnus. Thus
:
144 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September6.
drives away us and our companions, not even permitting us to remain in the
wilderness. " From that day forward the demons disappeared, and never
returned ; for, as the evil ones left, through the prayers of Magnus, so did
the poison of error depart from many souls there, holiness taking its place.
Thenceforth the inhabitants in their 66 enjoyed peace dwellings.
Magnus stayed a short time at Campidonum 67 or Campodunum,68 now Kempten,69 as he was obliged to accomplish the prediction of his master, St. Columban. ? That is now a town in Bavaria, and in the circle of Suabia, on the left bank of the Uler. Having recommended Theodore to build a church
the man who had recovered
Magnus gave him the kiss of peace and bade farewell, taking with himself the priest Tozzo as a companion. About the year 629, St. Magnus is said to have thus journeyed ad Fauces Julias, 1 * where he intended to select a site, on which to build a monastery. On the way, a river was passed, before they came to a place called Eptaticus,? 3 where they found a bishop belonging to
the renowned Church of Augsburg,"* in Germany. He was named Wictherpus. 75 Tozzowasintimatewiththatprelate,andwentinadvanceof Magnus, to relate all he knew about the holy man, and the object of his visit, which was to seek that spot which Providence had designed for him. The bishop asked Tozzo from what country the stranger had come, and he
:
received for answer " My lord, as I have heard from 'Theodore, who has
been left at Campidona, he was born in the province of Ireland. " Having heard the report of his virtues and miracles, the Bishop cordially received Magnus, who remained with him a few days, and related all he knew regarding
Saints Columban and Gall, their characters, conversation, wanderings, miracles and lives. Then Wictherp enquired about the place to which he
in that 1 and place,?
leaving
sight
with
him,
was ThenDeacon going.
"TheLord I am willing it,
Magnus replied :
directed to a locality denominated Fauces,? 6 near springs of the Julian Alps,
and where was a dragon killed by a demon, according to a command of Bishop Narcissus, and there, with God's assistance, I shall do all the good
66 This sentence is omitted in the editions of Canisius and Goldast.
67 At A. . D. 752, Mabillon writes :
" Positus est hie locus in Sueviee finibus ad
Hilarem amnem, a quo inditum pago
Hilergovse noraen. Nobile in primis cceno-
bium, nobilium Suevorum seminarium, ac
totius Suevise monasterium facile princeps
Abbot of Kempten. However, Hermann states, that Audegarius was the first founder and abbot there, A. D. 752. Sec Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis Sancti Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, lxv. , p. 159.
72 Mabillon states "ad Fauces alpiutn Juliarum accessi-se," &c. —Ibid. , tomus i. , lib. xiii. , sect, xxxiii. . p. 392.
73 Rader calls it Heptaticus, a village in Boica, between Land-perg and Schongavie,
"
Bavaria Sacra. " 74 Bearing the Latin denomination of
Augusta Vindelicensis.
75 lie i- venerated as a saint, on the 18th
the Stifts-Siadt, having close upon 8,000 of April, the day for his feast.
He was
cujus abbas inter principes imperii quatuor-
viros locum habet. "—" Annales Ordinis
Sancti Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect,
lxv. , pp. 159, 160.
near the River Lich. See
68
It consists of two parts : the old town and
It lies 61 miles W. S. W. from Munich.
inhabitants, with a fine collegiate church, library, and manufactures of cottonand linen. See "Gazetteer of the World," vol. viii. , p. 473-
69 See Baudrand's "Novum Lexicon Geo-
graphicum," tomus i. , p. 154.
70 The Benedictine writers state of
"
Theodore :
origine de la celebre Abbaie de Kempten. " —Histoire l. iteraire de la France," tome iii. , vii. Siecle, p. 635.
71 Theodore is called by Canisius the first
bishop of Augsburg about the year 654. See l. es Petits Bollandistes, "Vies des Saints," tome iv. , xviik- Jour d'Avril, p. 470.
76 Baud rand has the following description
"
of the place :
Fuessen. oppidum alias Vindeliceae in Rhxnia, nunc Suevise, provinciae Germanise, in ipse limiie Bavaria:. in ditione episcopiAugustani. Distal xii. milliaribus Germanicis a—b Augusta Vindelicorum in Meridiem. "
" Novum Lexicon-Geographicum. "
6 qui on rapporte la premiere
Abusiacum, seu Abodiacus,
September 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 145
within my power. Now let your reverence prescribe for me, how I shall obey you, as I desire to become your subject, and receive the Lord's com- mandfromyourmouth. Iamnowanoldman,andIdesireinmyclosing years, if it be your pleasure, to see that place, and prepare in it to serve God, following the rule of my most blessed superiors, Columban and Gall. " The Bishop replied : "The place you seek is very rugged and deserted by man, and various wild animals, such as deer, boars and bears abound there, so that my Lord the King Pipin 77 has reserved it as a hunting-ground for his own use. Serpents of various kinds are also to be met with. " Then Magnus
" Father, such grace had my masters Columban and Gall, that when they came to places where they desired to dwell, our Lord Jesus Christ through their prayers banished the wild animals and vermin. In like manner, through His mercies, I believe, He will not allow such pests to remain there whenIcome. " Givinghisassent,andspreadingbeforethemsomefood,the Bishop sent attendants with Magnus and Tozzo to that spot, known to the
said
:
8 rendered Head of the Horse,79 where a fierce dragon lurked in a crevice, and would not permit any man nor horse to
approach that way.
When there arrived, the Deacon Magnus said to the Priest Tozzo :
u Brother, let us set up our tent here for the night, and pray to the Lord, that He would expe. 1 the present demoniac subject from this spot, and permit
us to advance. " Accordingly, they rested there, but during that night, Magnus prayed and invoked the Divine assistance to overcome the dragon.
:
however,hesaidtoTozzo "Givemeaman,whowillleadme
inhabitants as
Rosshaupten,?
At
to the den where that dragon lies. " Tozzo replied, that he feared the monster
midnight,
: shoulddevourhim,butMagnusanswered "IftheLordbewithus,whoshall
be against us, let us therefore go in confidence, since he who released Daniel from the lion's den 8o can also snatch me from this wicked monster's power. " Saying these words, Magnus placed some bread that had been blessed, in his satchel, hanging a small crucifix from his neck. He took some pitch and
andtheCambutaofSt. Gall,inhishands thenhe "O
rosin, ; prayed, Almighty
Lord, who hath brought me into a distant country, send Thy angel with me, as in the case of Thy servant Tobias,81 deliver me from the power of this dragon, and show me the place destined for our most ardent desires. " Then having a little of the blessed bread and water in his mouth, and taking with him a single guide, leaving all his other companions in the tent, Magnus set out for the place where the dragon lay in wait. Immediately he arose to attack the holy Deacon, who threw burning pitch and rosin into the monster's mouth, with a prayer to God for the result. The dragon burst asunder, and died on the instant. 82 The man who had accompanied him, on seeing that miracle, ran back to the tent, and brought those who remained behind to witness it. They found Magnus engaged in prayer and thanksgiving, in
" As Pepin, surnamed the Short, did not begin to reign until A. D. 750 ; no other prince of the name can here be intended, if not Pippin the Senior, Major-domus of Dagobert I. , and Sigebert, Kings of Austrasia.
78 By the Germans ros means "horse," and haupt "head. " Hence Rader gives it the Greek rendering, Hippocephalum. In
from the town of Fussen, and in the direction of Augsburg.
? 9 The author of our saint's Acts remarks,
" 82 the map, prefixed to the Commentarius
Father Suysken believes, that this Rerum Augustinarum of F. Charles account is taken from what is related Stengel, the spot is shown at the River in a nearly similar manner in Daniel, xiv.
Lech, and a little more than a German mile 26.
"
"
quia omnes venatores reliquerunt ibi cabal los
idcirco vocatus est iste locus Caput Equi,
suos, et pedestres ibant, quocumque poterant ad venandum. "
*°
8l
See Daniel, c. vi. See Tobias, c. v.
K
i46 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September6.
which Tozzo devoutly joined. Afterwards, they left that rugged place, and went to the River Lech. From the neck of Magnus depended a crucifix or
case,83 containing relics of the Holy Cross, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the holy Martyrs, Maurice and his companions, as also of the Blessed Confessors
Columban and Gall. 8*
Near the banks of the River Lech was found a
Thy holy Mother, and prepare also a dwelling for Thy servants. " Whereupon, they began to dig the foundations and to build a church there. Afterwards, they invited Bishop Wictherp to come and consecrate it
83 This was afterwards kept in the monas- tery of Fiissen. The Abbot Henry, in 1607, opened this case, and found within it seven different objects, but without any inscription. In German they are called siven penggelin, but Father Suysken states, he could not anywhere find the interpretation of the words.
84 Father Suysken rather supposes the
narrative in the text to have been drawn by
the interpolator from an incident of a nearly
ecclesia non in honorem divse Virginis et S.
Floriani, sed in honorem Salvatoris nostri
est dedicata. "
8s where a 86 and on its large apple-tree grew,
and beautiful
branches Magnus hung the reliquary, and called Tozzo to him. Both engaged in prayer, and Magnus exclaimed: " Lord Jesus Christ, who hast deigned to be born of the Virgin and to die for our salvation, despise not the contrition for my sins, but allow us to construct an oratory here in honour of
spacious
plain,
to our Lord and to 87 Their Holy Mary.
he with, and it complied
request
was dedicated to the Mother of God and to St. Florianus. 88
In it, the Divine
of the
his merits, the people flocked far and near to the cell of St. Magnus for
such they chose to call it, on account of his virtues and miraculous powers.
8
It was also enriched with gifts by the faith ful. 9 Leaving Tozzo there to
were soon celebrated. Mysteries Hearing
great
miracle
wrought through —
minister for their spiritual welfare, and commending him to the congregation,^ Magnus knew that another place not far removed was destined for his own habitation.
Thence he went to Fauces—the present Fiissen—situated on the River
1
Leek, in the circle of the Upper Danube, Bavaria. 9
are said to have had previous possession of the locality, and while some were buried in the depths of the River Leek, others held possession of the
mountains near it. 9
2
They were heard mutually to lament the arrival of
similar character related by Walafridus However, in this he was mistaken, as
"
85 Rader states, that in his day it was for St. Tozzo, as the Bollandist Father
called Waltenhofen. See "Bavaria pia," p. 1S6.
Strabo in his
Vita S. Galli. " Waltenhofen was really the place destined
80
Father Babenstuber, in his "Vita S.
of January. See Acta Sanctorum," 'tomus ii. , at that same day.
Magni," relates, that in his day it was
staled this apple-tree grew in the garden of
a certain Adam Mayr of Waltenhofen, near
the parish church. Although from time
to time that tree had been imprudently
mutilated, still it recovered growth, and sanctze Mariae ad populum illis venturum many strangers came from a distance to custodiendum vocavitque ipsum locum obtain its leaves and branches, which were
thought to drive away mice from their meadows and fields. See lib. ii. , cap. 5.
87 The Abbot Henry, in annotations to
92 The Bollandist editor invites the reader to compare this account, with what is related ecclesiie Faucensi : nostra enim prima regarding St. Gall, by Walafridus Strabo;
his manuscript, writes : "Collige falli eos, qui hanc ecclesioe dedicationem attribuunt
There, too, the evil spirits
88
understood this dedication, as referring to
TheBenedictineFatherCharlesStengel
the monastery of Fiissen, in his
"
Monas-
teriologia, in qua insignium Monasteriorum Faniiliae Sancti Benedicti in Germanin,
Origines, Fundatores. Claiique Viii, &c. , reri iacbae occulis subjiciuntur. " Augsburg, 1619, 1638, two tomes in one folio volume,
Henschenn shows in his Acts, at the 16th "
*» In the edition of our saint's Acts by Goldast, much of what follows in the text is omitted.
9° The Vita S. Magni states :" relinquens prsefatum pnvsbyterum Tozzouem in ecclesia
Synagoga, id est Congregatio populorum. " l"
9 See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des Saints," tome x. , Jour vie Septembre, p. 528.
September 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
147
: Magnusinthedistrict,whensigninghimselfwiththecross,hesaid "Inthe
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and not through my merits, but those of the blessed Gallus, his confessor, and through his glorious deposition, I adjure
you to depart from this place and return not, nor retiring presume to injure anv person. " Soon afterwards, the holy deacon crossed over the river 93 to the Church of St. Mary, which he had built for Tozzo, and related all he had heard and seen. ** When the hour for vespers came, with its sacred song, were heard the loud howls of the demons from the mountain tops, as if terrified on departing. The servants of God gave thanks in prayer for this victory over the wicked spirits. On the next day, Magnus and Tozzo returned to the place already described, and there, with the assistance of the people, a small oratory was erected. It was dedicated to our Saviour,95 by
Bishop Wictherpus.
This chapel had a ccenobium attached to it, but in the lapse of time,
both were more than once destroyed and again reconstructed until in the ;
—— ninth century, the bishops of Augsburg96 and especially Lanto97 took
care that a larger church should be erected. This was dedicated to our
Saviour and to St. Magnus. It was also regarded as a parish church. In
the year 1 701, the Most Rev. Dom. Gerard, the fifty-second Abbot of Fiissen,
had the church and monastery magnificently renovated, and in the year 171 7, on the 15th of February, the consecration took place, by the Most Rev. and
Serene Lord Bishop of Augsburg, Alexander Sigismund, Count Palatine.
According to the description given of this church, it was built in magnificent proportions, being of noble design, while the materials were superior, and the workmanship was most elaborate. 98 The structure was cruciform, two hundred feet in length, by sixty in height, whence a roof arose to the apex of forty additional feet. The transepts were eighty-four feet in width, elsewhere the breadth was sixty feet. Twelve columns supported the roof within, and on each of these was the beautiful and artistic figure of an apostle carved in fine marble ; while sixty triple windows, oblong, rounded and lunated, threw light into the building. Within the church were four oratories ; the two larger devoted to the choristers, and the other two fitted for the practice of devotion. The choir was rounded off and elongated for accommodation of the religious, who used it both by day and night, and the stalls were elegantly carved in mottled wood. Moreover, within the church were
and, he must find, that what has been attributed to the latter saint at Bregentz is also ascribed by the interpolator to St. Magnus at Fussen. Wherefore, lie deems the story in the text worthy only to be re- ganled as a fable.
93 Waltenhofen and Fussen were on opposite banks of the River Lech.
94 The Abbot Henry alludes to a spot
near the Lech, called S. Mangen schritt.
Regarding it, Father Ludovicus Babenstuber
states: "Extra suburbicen Fuessense, ubi Commentarius Przevius, sect, viii. , pp. 716 est fullonia, in utraque ripa Lyci notantur
partes petra; depressiores cateris, quas vulgus S. Magni vestigia (S. Mangen schritt) nominat; quaeDivusdestitueritibiimpressa,
quando omnem superavit, seu vado, seu portatus ab angelo. Non tamen referunt
ea, ut satis agnosci queat, figuram plantarum humanarum : in causa ajunt esse vetustatem,
quae madore imbrium, niveumque adjuta, manifestiora lineamenta exederit. "
^ Of it, the Abbot Henry writes, that in his opinion, it rested on a rock above the great church of his time, and that it was
"
near their conventual garden, ubi jam
constructa manet ecclesia nostra major. "
96 Much chronological uncertainty pre- vails regarding the order of succession and
dates for the episcopacy of Augsburg during the Middle Ages, as shown by Father
Suysken, in the " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Septembris vi. De Sancto Magno, &c,
to 720.
97 This prelate—also called Hanto—
is said to have presided over his see for seven years, and to have been present at the Synod of
Mayence, held A. n. 847.
98 We have here abridged a detailed descrip-
tion of this grand chinch, dedicated to St.
Magnus, from that given by the Rev. Father
Chardon, Rector of the Jesuit College of Constance, to the Bollandists.
148 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 6.
admirably pictured incidents in his life, and representations of some miracles
wrought by St. Magnus. The high altar, magnificently and skilfully carved from precious marble, closed the choir, and the pavement of the choir was of black and white marble, in a varied and harmonizing pattern. There are eight chapels wi—thin the church : two larger ones within the transepts ; and
and
six smaller ones all of their altars being marble
two smaller ones. A few steps conduct to the entrance of two subterranean chapels: one of these is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and there is the baptismal font, enclosed within a marble baptistery. But, the chapel of St. Magnus, which adjoins, is still more ornate ; for not alone is the altar of marble, but the walls and pavement are exquisitely adorned with varied coloured marbles, and arranged with great artistic taste. Tradition maintains, that this latter chapel stands on the original site of the cell of St. Magnus. ? ?
CHAPTER III.
ST. MAGNUS IS PATRONISED BY KING PIPPIN—ORDAINED PRIEST BY BISHOP WICTHERP—MIRACLES WROUGHT AT FUSSEN—BISHOP TOZZO VISITED ST. MAGNUS AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH—INTERMENT BY THEODORE—A MEMOIR PLACED IN HIS COFFIN—RESTORATION OF HIS CHURCH BY CHARLEMAGNE—TRANSLATION OF ST. MAGNOALD'S REMAINS TO A NEW SHRINE—MIRACLES THEN AND AFTER- WARDS WROUGHT—COMMEMORATIONS AND FESTIVALS—CONCLUSION.
Some religious clerics were soon found to place themselves under the rule
1
of St. Magnus, and they were recommended to his care by the good prelate,
who also furnished the means necessary for their support. He is said, like- wise, to have furnished a recommendation in person to the renowned King
Peppin
Pippin d'H£ristall,3
Germany
Gaul,*
2 or who then ruled over and
Begga, of Pepin le Vieux, or of Landen,
mayor of the palace under Sigebert III. , son of Dagobert, who died A. I). 638, and whom lie survived only one year. In concert with his brother Martin, Pepin dTIeristal declared war against the King of Neustria, or rather against the mayor or his house, the able minister, Ebroin. Their career commenced by getting rid of the Merovin- gian King Dagobert II. , who then ruled in
» Father Chardon adds " Sacellum S.
:
Magni ab initio et prima monasteni funda-
tione ereclum, antiquissime documenta dicunt fuisse habitaculum et ipsissimam cellam, in qua S. Magnus primus fundator et patronus noster habitavit in vivis ; et ideo semper in summo honore habitual, ssepius cum monasterio et ecclesia, partim incendi, partim devastationibus destructum, sed semper iterum innovatum, cum ecclesia et
monasterio anno MDCCI. noviter et fundo Austrasia. However, having levied a erecto et hoc sacellum e fundo noviter ex- powerful army, they marched against Ebroin tructum et pulcherrime exornaium fuit, and the Neustrian>, but were signally de- ut hodie visitur ; ita tamen ut eumdem feated near Laon, in 680, when Martin was
semper locum servaverit, quern habuit, vivente S.
47 His death has been generally assigned think him to be identical with a Huso, Buffo,
in the
of his
4? In tears
and sorrow, Bishop John proceeded to the place where the body of the holy Abbotlay. Theusualrequiemofficeswerereligiouslycelebrated. Afterwards,
peacefully expired
ninety-fifth year
age.
which was then filled with earth. *2 his benediction on the Bestowing
grave,
two religious brothers, Magnoald and Theodore, Boso presented his own vestments to them, and furnishing other necessaries, he gave them permission on the restoration of their strength, to seek whatever place of living the Lord had destined for them.
to the year 625. Obihardus or Obbaldus. 48 s
In Walafridus Strabo's "Vila S. Galli. " it is stated, that the Bishop, with Wilhniar, Magnoald and Theodore had desired, in the first instance, to inter St. Gall at Arbon.
5 Walafridus Strabo thus describes the bishop's action : "Sumens loculum, in quo sanctum corpus erat, posuit super terram, inter parietem et altare, et desuper, ul nioris est, arcam altiorem construxit, fossam vero terra
replevit. "
—" Vita S. Galli. "
bi Father Suy. skcn remarks, that the scribed as praifectus et partium earumdem preceding narrative in the Acta Pseudo- Theodon, seems to have been taken from the lives of Saints Columban and Gall, and that what follows appears to be the product of the or In the edition
49 Who he was seems to be unknown.
In the "Vita S. Galli," the spoiler is de- '*
potestate pneui. us. "
50 He is also designated Erchanoldus and
Erwinus, but in any form of the name, he
has no historic
compiler compilers.
of Goldast, Liber Secundus is prefixed, at
the beginning of the sentence substantially translated in the text.
'
5
celebrity.
Except from what is stated of him in
the Lives of St. Gall and St. Magnus, little more appears to be known. Some writers
September 6. 1 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 14T
noon, a certain priest, named Tozzo 54 or Tosso, arrived from a distant country to pay his devotions at the tomb of St. Gall—the fame of whose holiness had spread abroad—and it was revealed to him, that he should make that pilgrimage, and meet those willing to set out for the east, and whom he should conduct thither until they reached the place desired. He brought with him a lighted candle in his hand, which the wind did not extinguish during the darkness of night, but which at day-break went out of its own accord. 55 After the death of St. Gall, St. Magnus and Theodore had resolved on travelling eastwards, and now they met that stranger pilgrim. On enquiry, they learned the nature and purport of his journey. Hearing the circumstance related by him, they recognised the guide of their course, promised by the Almighty, to whom they gave thanks. Having saluted Tozzo with the kiss of peace, they brought him into the Church of St. Gall,
andtotheholypatron'stomb. Afterwards,hewasconductedtotheguest- house, where he was hospitably entertained, and there he spent that night. Next morning, the two missionaries, having prayed before the tomb of St. Gall, parted from their brother monks with a blessing, and travelled onwards with Tozzo, leaving the Lake of Bregentz or Constance on their left.
s6 remained for At length, they reached Bregentz itself, where they
two days. While there, Magnoald cured a poor blind man, who, filled with admiration and gratitude for the restoration of his sight, expressed a desire to follow Magnoald wherever he went. Having obtained that permission, he desired to serve the Lord. Conscious of the miracle wrought in this case, the people of Bregentz are said then to have bestowed on him the title and name of Magnus. With Tozzo for their guide, Magnoald and Theodore resumed their journey, the poor man restored to sight following in their train.
After some days of travel, they came to a beautiful town which they found to be altogether deserted. Magnoald enquired its name, and that of
:
the river running by it, and Tozzo answered " This place, often visited by
the country-people, is called Campidona ;57 but, they dare not remain here a
single night, it is so infested with different species of serpents. The river is
called Hilara 8 not because it disturbs many persons, on account of its swift ;5
course, for rather it causes them sorrow than joy. It behoves us, however, to hasten onwards, lest the serpents find us to be here, and make an onset to devour us. For many men who have come hither to hunt, they have
devoured, not permitting them to remain even for one night. "
The blessed
thenanswered " ourLord Magnoald : Truly,
todrive those serpents from this place, as He had in casting out bears, wolves and other wild beasts, nay even serpents and demons, through the prayers of our
54 The festival of St. Tozzo is held on the
16th of January. The theatre of his apos-
tolic labours was Algau, in Suabia, between
Lake Constance and the Tyrolean Alps.
Afterwards he became Bishop of Augsburg.
See Les Petits Bollandistes, "Vies des
Saints," tome i. , xvie Jour de Janvier, the World," vol. iii. , p. 24. pp. 412, 413.
55 Hence he is represented in art, with a lighted flambeau in his hand, and a rosary, to denote a pilgrim. See Rev. Ur. F. C. Husenbeth's "Emblems of Saints," p.
205.
56 This town is of great antiquity, being
the Brigantia of the Romans. It is now the capital of the circle of Brigenz or Vorarlberg,
57 Also called Campodunum, now Kemp- ten, a German city in Bavaria. Here dwelt in a fortress the dukes of Suabia, from whom descended Hiltegardis, the wife of Charle- magne. See Martinus Crusius, "Annates Suevici," tomus i. , lib. ix. , cap. 3.
s8 The present Iller, which rises in the
Tyrol, and flowing northwards by Kempten, joins the Danube at Ulm.
Jesus
Christhath
power
in Tyrol, on the Bregenzer-see, a gulf of Lake Constance. In the Middle Ages, it
belonged, with the surrounding territory, to the powerful house of Montfort. In 145 1, it was obtained by purchase and ceded to
"
the Dukes of Austria. See Gazetteer of
142 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 6.
Superior and Master Gallus", and from that place where he choose to build
his cell, and to have his sacred body buried. Therefore, with God's
assistance, it will be expedient for us to remain here during the night. " The
Legend of our Saint's Acts then proceeds to state, that Magnus said to his
"
Brother Theodore, pray and implore God's mercy, that He aid us to banish the dragon and demons that dwell in this place, since by thee is it designed to be built up and restored ; wherefore let us pray unitedly, that the Lord shall be willing to hear us and purify a spot rendered uninhabitable for man. " Then both prostrated themselves in prayer, and while so engaged, a hideous monster, called a Boas,59 from the sound of its voice,60 rushed upon them out of the town. In terror at the sight, the priest Tozzo and the man restored to vision ran to save themselves by climbing up a tree. Confiding in the Divine assistance, and while Theodore prayed, Magnoald arose. Making a sign of the cross, he took the Cambuta and a crucifix he bore, to meet the dragon, and crying out: "In the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, I command that there you remain, and that the demon you contain kill you, through the power of the true and living God. " He
then struck the Boas on the head with the Cambuta, and immediately bursting asunder the monster expired. The other vermin in and around the town immediately fled, and never afterwards returned.
When Theodore saw the wonderful miracle wrought, he arose from his
" Lord
" Do not so I am Whereupon Magnoald replied : express yourself, brother,
not great, but the least of God's servants. He alone has freed us from such dangers. Your own prayers were heard by the Lord, and therefore not to my merits, but by order of the Almighty, those monsters have departed. Now call our fellow-travellers, and let us remain here, since the Lord wills us to build a cell in it for His greater glory. Remember how our most holy Superior and Father Gallus came to the place he had chosen for his dwelling so through his merits is it ordained by God, for there can be no doubt, he
61
desires this spot to be consecrated to him. "
removed, Tozzo and the man who had recovered sight descended from the tree,andprostratedthemselvesbeforeMagnoaldandTheodore. Tozzothen cried out: "Truly the Lord is in this place, who hath given such power to the holy Magnus, who with his Cambuta hath wrought such a miracle : therefore I shall now boldly conduct both of you through the deserts and
s» Pliny thus writes regarding such a (hat a similar monster was destroyed by St. monster: '"Faciunt his ndem in Italia Ililarion, near Epidaurus, a town of appellatae boae, in tantam amplitudinem Dalmatia : "Draco mine magnitudinis
(quos gentili sermone boas vocant ab eo, qu<»d tarn grandefl sint, ut boves glutire
companion :
kneeling posture, and raising his hand towards Heaven exclaimed
God Almighty, who hath created heaven and earth, the sea, and all things in them, I give Thee thanks, I invoke Thee, I adore Thee, I sing Thy praises, who hath deigned to fr>ee us from such a danger, and from such a pest of vermin. " He then fell down, and kissed the knees, hands and face of Magnoald, and in a transport of joy exclaimed, "Truly, no longer shall you be called Magnoald, but Magnus, since the Lord hath granted such graces as to free this place not alone from monsters but even from demons. "
exeuntes, ut, divo Claudio principe, oceisa. in Vaticano solidus in alvo speciatus sit infans. Aluntur — bubuli lactis succo,
omnem late vastabat
soleant) provincial! )
primo
unde nomenhabet. " "Historia Naturalis,"
;
HI), viii. , cap. 14.
60
In the editions of our saint's Acts by Canisius and Goldast, such derivation is not given. One very different is to be found in the works of St. Jerome, when he relates,
nee solum armenta et pecudes, Bed agricolas quoque et pastores, tractosque ad se vi
gpiritus sui absorbebat. " Hilarionis. "
6l This latter sentence is not in the edition of St. Magnus' Acts as published by Canisius.
Seeing all danger thus
:
— "Vita S.
;
September 6. 1 LIVES 0* THE IRISH SAINTS. 143
passes, to wherever you shall chose to dwell. I see such power is bestowed bv the Almighty for your merits, because the various localities of this region
u Here shall we that the people of this district may know God's mercy to them, in this very place. " During the
short time of their stay there, Tozzo visited all the neighbouring places familiar to him, and made known to the inhabitants the great miracle wrought. Many flocked thither, and admired the power of God. St. Magnus preached His Word, while still a deacon, and numbers converted to thetrueFaithwerebaptisedbythepriestTozzo. Theybroughtmorethan sufficient food for the missioners' wants, and giving thanks to God, the country people willingly aided Magnus and Theodore in the work of building their cell. For three days they continued working, and spent the nights in prayer. After the matutinal office on the third dawning ofday, the demons
were seen flying through the air, and screaming. Suddenly they set upon
and rendered habitable. " Magnoald answered remain for the present week, and build a small oratory,
are
purified
: 62
Tozzo, crying out
:
" Thou, hostile to our leader 63 and to us, why hast thou
brought this man and his companion to our place, who hath chased us from
where we and our confederates have subjected many souls ? Their Master
always conquers us with his agencies, as he does also those who invoke the
nameoftheLord. Yet,hehasnotalonevanquishedandexpelledus,butalso
ourmembersbytheawe-inspiringnameofAdonai. " Hearingthis,theaforesaid
priest made a sign cf the cross on himself, and went to the holy man to tell
him what he had seen and heard. Then the brave athlete and elect of God,
with Theodore, prostrate in prayer, addressed the Omnipotent in these words :
" O powerful God, ineffable goodness, inestimable piety, who, according to
Thy mercy and not through our merits, hast deigned to save us from those
monsters and demons, graciously hear our prayers as You have those of our
Superior Gall, and banish the demons from this place, that it may be sanctified
in Thy name, by daily orisons. "64 Then rising from prayer and going out
from the oratory, they heard evil spirits howling and crying out: "You,
Magnus, bear three names on your forehead, and with the Trinity cause
suchillstous,andyou,Theodore,whatdoyoutous? Thedaymustcome
when Magnus shall not be with you, and then we can assail you, and excite
the various passions of the inhabitants of this region against you. " Magnus
"
then replied :
Miserable beings, acknowledge if you can the Trinity of
God. " Theyanswered "Weknowittobeineffableandimmense. " Then :
said the blessed Magnus " Now that you have acknowledged the Holy :
Trinity, I command you, not in my own poor capacity, but through the immense power of the Holy Trinity, that you quit this place, and go into mountain deserts wherever the Lord permits you, and that you no longer have permission to return. " On this sentence being pronounced, the demons cried out: "Alas! what shall we do ? Here have we met another Gallus: nay more, this Gallus is worse than the former, who with his morning canticles 6s
62
In the Latin Acts, "aedificemus ora-
shall daily resound at cock-crowing with
Thy praises. "
6s The text of the saint's Acts reads thus :
" Heu ! quid faciemus? alium Galium hie signification, by Goidast, in a lengthy habemus : imo iste Gallus pejor est priori,
culum parvulum. "
63 In the Latin Acts, "senioris nostri "
has many observations regarding the
note.
64 The Latin phrase in the Acts of St.
quia cum suis galliciniis nos et membra nostra pariter ejicit : sed nee in heremo manere permittit. " The demons are here allowed to have a play on the proper name
"
Goidast omits it, and Father Suysken under-
stands it to mean " Locus iste quotidie sub
:
Magnus is,
cottidie cantantibus gallis. "
gallicinium laudibus tuis resonet. " It may "gallus gallinaceus. " See also Ciceropro
thus be rendered in English :
"
This place Murana, 29.
of Gallus, the master of St. Magnus. Thus
:
144 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September6.
drives away us and our companions, not even permitting us to remain in the
wilderness. " From that day forward the demons disappeared, and never
returned ; for, as the evil ones left, through the prayers of Magnus, so did
the poison of error depart from many souls there, holiness taking its place.
Thenceforth the inhabitants in their 66 enjoyed peace dwellings.
Magnus stayed a short time at Campidonum 67 or Campodunum,68 now Kempten,69 as he was obliged to accomplish the prediction of his master, St. Columban. ? That is now a town in Bavaria, and in the circle of Suabia, on the left bank of the Uler. Having recommended Theodore to build a church
the man who had recovered
Magnus gave him the kiss of peace and bade farewell, taking with himself the priest Tozzo as a companion. About the year 629, St. Magnus is said to have thus journeyed ad Fauces Julias, 1 * where he intended to select a site, on which to build a monastery. On the way, a river was passed, before they came to a place called Eptaticus,? 3 where they found a bishop belonging to
the renowned Church of Augsburg,"* in Germany. He was named Wictherpus. 75 Tozzowasintimatewiththatprelate,andwentinadvanceof Magnus, to relate all he knew about the holy man, and the object of his visit, which was to seek that spot which Providence had designed for him. The bishop asked Tozzo from what country the stranger had come, and he
:
received for answer " My lord, as I have heard from 'Theodore, who has
been left at Campidona, he was born in the province of Ireland. " Having heard the report of his virtues and miracles, the Bishop cordially received Magnus, who remained with him a few days, and related all he knew regarding
Saints Columban and Gall, their characters, conversation, wanderings, miracles and lives. Then Wictherp enquired about the place to which he
in that 1 and place,?
leaving
sight
with
him,
was ThenDeacon going.
"TheLord I am willing it,
Magnus replied :
directed to a locality denominated Fauces,? 6 near springs of the Julian Alps,
and where was a dragon killed by a demon, according to a command of Bishop Narcissus, and there, with God's assistance, I shall do all the good
66 This sentence is omitted in the editions of Canisius and Goldast.
67 At A. . D. 752, Mabillon writes :
" Positus est hie locus in Sueviee finibus ad
Hilarem amnem, a quo inditum pago
Hilergovse noraen. Nobile in primis cceno-
bium, nobilium Suevorum seminarium, ac
totius Suevise monasterium facile princeps
Abbot of Kempten. However, Hermann states, that Audegarius was the first founder and abbot there, A. D. 752. Sec Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis Sancti Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, lxv. , p. 159.
72 Mabillon states "ad Fauces alpiutn Juliarum accessi-se," &c. —Ibid. , tomus i. , lib. xiii. , sect, xxxiii. . p. 392.
73 Rader calls it Heptaticus, a village in Boica, between Land-perg and Schongavie,
"
Bavaria Sacra. " 74 Bearing the Latin denomination of
Augusta Vindelicensis.
75 lie i- venerated as a saint, on the 18th
the Stifts-Siadt, having close upon 8,000 of April, the day for his feast.
He was
cujus abbas inter principes imperii quatuor-
viros locum habet. "—" Annales Ordinis
Sancti Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect,
lxv. , pp. 159, 160.
near the River Lich. See
68
It consists of two parts : the old town and
It lies 61 miles W. S. W. from Munich.
inhabitants, with a fine collegiate church, library, and manufactures of cottonand linen. See "Gazetteer of the World," vol. viii. , p. 473-
69 See Baudrand's "Novum Lexicon Geo-
graphicum," tomus i. , p. 154.
70 The Benedictine writers state of
"
Theodore :
origine de la celebre Abbaie de Kempten. " —Histoire l. iteraire de la France," tome iii. , vii. Siecle, p. 635.
71 Theodore is called by Canisius the first
bishop of Augsburg about the year 654. See l. es Petits Bollandistes, "Vies des Saints," tome iv. , xviik- Jour d'Avril, p. 470.
76 Baud rand has the following description
"
of the place :
Fuessen. oppidum alias Vindeliceae in Rhxnia, nunc Suevise, provinciae Germanise, in ipse limiie Bavaria:. in ditione episcopiAugustani. Distal xii. milliaribus Germanicis a—b Augusta Vindelicorum in Meridiem. "
" Novum Lexicon-Geographicum. "
6 qui on rapporte la premiere
Abusiacum, seu Abodiacus,
September 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 145
within my power. Now let your reverence prescribe for me, how I shall obey you, as I desire to become your subject, and receive the Lord's com- mandfromyourmouth. Iamnowanoldman,andIdesireinmyclosing years, if it be your pleasure, to see that place, and prepare in it to serve God, following the rule of my most blessed superiors, Columban and Gall. " The Bishop replied : "The place you seek is very rugged and deserted by man, and various wild animals, such as deer, boars and bears abound there, so that my Lord the King Pipin 77 has reserved it as a hunting-ground for his own use. Serpents of various kinds are also to be met with. " Then Magnus
" Father, such grace had my masters Columban and Gall, that when they came to places where they desired to dwell, our Lord Jesus Christ through their prayers banished the wild animals and vermin. In like manner, through His mercies, I believe, He will not allow such pests to remain there whenIcome. " Givinghisassent,andspreadingbeforethemsomefood,the Bishop sent attendants with Magnus and Tozzo to that spot, known to the
said
:
8 rendered Head of the Horse,79 where a fierce dragon lurked in a crevice, and would not permit any man nor horse to
approach that way.
When there arrived, the Deacon Magnus said to the Priest Tozzo :
u Brother, let us set up our tent here for the night, and pray to the Lord, that He would expe. 1 the present demoniac subject from this spot, and permit
us to advance. " Accordingly, they rested there, but during that night, Magnus prayed and invoked the Divine assistance to overcome the dragon.
:
however,hesaidtoTozzo "Givemeaman,whowillleadme
inhabitants as
Rosshaupten,?
At
to the den where that dragon lies. " Tozzo replied, that he feared the monster
midnight,
: shoulddevourhim,butMagnusanswered "IftheLordbewithus,whoshall
be against us, let us therefore go in confidence, since he who released Daniel from the lion's den 8o can also snatch me from this wicked monster's power. " Saying these words, Magnus placed some bread that had been blessed, in his satchel, hanging a small crucifix from his neck. He took some pitch and
andtheCambutaofSt. Gall,inhishands thenhe "O
rosin, ; prayed, Almighty
Lord, who hath brought me into a distant country, send Thy angel with me, as in the case of Thy servant Tobias,81 deliver me from the power of this dragon, and show me the place destined for our most ardent desires. " Then having a little of the blessed bread and water in his mouth, and taking with him a single guide, leaving all his other companions in the tent, Magnus set out for the place where the dragon lay in wait. Immediately he arose to attack the holy Deacon, who threw burning pitch and rosin into the monster's mouth, with a prayer to God for the result. The dragon burst asunder, and died on the instant. 82 The man who had accompanied him, on seeing that miracle, ran back to the tent, and brought those who remained behind to witness it. They found Magnus engaged in prayer and thanksgiving, in
" As Pepin, surnamed the Short, did not begin to reign until A. D. 750 ; no other prince of the name can here be intended, if not Pippin the Senior, Major-domus of Dagobert I. , and Sigebert, Kings of Austrasia.
78 By the Germans ros means "horse," and haupt "head. " Hence Rader gives it the Greek rendering, Hippocephalum. In
from the town of Fussen, and in the direction of Augsburg.
? 9 The author of our saint's Acts remarks,
" 82 the map, prefixed to the Commentarius
Father Suysken believes, that this Rerum Augustinarum of F. Charles account is taken from what is related Stengel, the spot is shown at the River in a nearly similar manner in Daniel, xiv.
Lech, and a little more than a German mile 26.
"
"
quia omnes venatores reliquerunt ibi cabal los
idcirco vocatus est iste locus Caput Equi,
suos, et pedestres ibant, quocumque poterant ad venandum. "
*°
8l
See Daniel, c. vi. See Tobias, c. v.
K
i46 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September6.
which Tozzo devoutly joined. Afterwards, they left that rugged place, and went to the River Lech. From the neck of Magnus depended a crucifix or
case,83 containing relics of the Holy Cross, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the holy Martyrs, Maurice and his companions, as also of the Blessed Confessors
Columban and Gall. 8*
Near the banks of the River Lech was found a
Thy holy Mother, and prepare also a dwelling for Thy servants. " Whereupon, they began to dig the foundations and to build a church there. Afterwards, they invited Bishop Wictherp to come and consecrate it
83 This was afterwards kept in the monas- tery of Fiissen. The Abbot Henry, in 1607, opened this case, and found within it seven different objects, but without any inscription. In German they are called siven penggelin, but Father Suysken states, he could not anywhere find the interpretation of the words.
84 Father Suysken rather supposes the
narrative in the text to have been drawn by
the interpolator from an incident of a nearly
ecclesia non in honorem divse Virginis et S.
Floriani, sed in honorem Salvatoris nostri
est dedicata. "
8s where a 86 and on its large apple-tree grew,
and beautiful
branches Magnus hung the reliquary, and called Tozzo to him. Both engaged in prayer, and Magnus exclaimed: " Lord Jesus Christ, who hast deigned to be born of the Virgin and to die for our salvation, despise not the contrition for my sins, but allow us to construct an oratory here in honour of
spacious
plain,
to our Lord and to 87 Their Holy Mary.
he with, and it complied
request
was dedicated to the Mother of God and to St. Florianus. 88
In it, the Divine
of the
his merits, the people flocked far and near to the cell of St. Magnus for
such they chose to call it, on account of his virtues and miraculous powers.
8
It was also enriched with gifts by the faith ful. 9 Leaving Tozzo there to
were soon celebrated. Mysteries Hearing
great
miracle
wrought through —
minister for their spiritual welfare, and commending him to the congregation,^ Magnus knew that another place not far removed was destined for his own habitation.
Thence he went to Fauces—the present Fiissen—situated on the River
1
Leek, in the circle of the Upper Danube, Bavaria. 9
are said to have had previous possession of the locality, and while some were buried in the depths of the River Leek, others held possession of the
mountains near it. 9
2
They were heard mutually to lament the arrival of
similar character related by Walafridus However, in this he was mistaken, as
"
85 Rader states, that in his day it was for St. Tozzo, as the Bollandist Father
called Waltenhofen. See "Bavaria pia," p. 1S6.
Strabo in his
Vita S. Galli. " Waltenhofen was really the place destined
80
Father Babenstuber, in his "Vita S.
of January. See Acta Sanctorum," 'tomus ii. , at that same day.
Magni," relates, that in his day it was
staled this apple-tree grew in the garden of
a certain Adam Mayr of Waltenhofen, near
the parish church. Although from time
to time that tree had been imprudently
mutilated, still it recovered growth, and sanctze Mariae ad populum illis venturum many strangers came from a distance to custodiendum vocavitque ipsum locum obtain its leaves and branches, which were
thought to drive away mice from their meadows and fields. See lib. ii. , cap. 5.
87 The Abbot Henry, in annotations to
92 The Bollandist editor invites the reader to compare this account, with what is related ecclesiie Faucensi : nostra enim prima regarding St. Gall, by Walafridus Strabo;
his manuscript, writes : "Collige falli eos, qui hanc ecclesioe dedicationem attribuunt
There, too, the evil spirits
88
understood this dedication, as referring to
TheBenedictineFatherCharlesStengel
the monastery of Fiissen, in his
"
Monas-
teriologia, in qua insignium Monasteriorum Faniiliae Sancti Benedicti in Germanin,
Origines, Fundatores. Claiique Viii, &c. , reri iacbae occulis subjiciuntur. " Augsburg, 1619, 1638, two tomes in one folio volume,
Henschenn shows in his Acts, at the 16th "
*» In the edition of our saint's Acts by Goldast, much of what follows in the text is omitted.
9° The Vita S. Magni states :" relinquens prsefatum pnvsbyterum Tozzouem in ecclesia
Synagoga, id est Congregatio populorum. " l"
9 See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des Saints," tome x. , Jour vie Septembre, p. 528.
September 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
147
: Magnusinthedistrict,whensigninghimselfwiththecross,hesaid "Inthe
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and not through my merits, but those of the blessed Gallus, his confessor, and through his glorious deposition, I adjure
you to depart from this place and return not, nor retiring presume to injure anv person. " Soon afterwards, the holy deacon crossed over the river 93 to the Church of St. Mary, which he had built for Tozzo, and related all he had heard and seen. ** When the hour for vespers came, with its sacred song, were heard the loud howls of the demons from the mountain tops, as if terrified on departing. The servants of God gave thanks in prayer for this victory over the wicked spirits. On the next day, Magnus and Tozzo returned to the place already described, and there, with the assistance of the people, a small oratory was erected. It was dedicated to our Saviour,95 by
Bishop Wictherpus.
This chapel had a ccenobium attached to it, but in the lapse of time,
both were more than once destroyed and again reconstructed until in the ;
—— ninth century, the bishops of Augsburg96 and especially Lanto97 took
care that a larger church should be erected. This was dedicated to our
Saviour and to St. Magnus. It was also regarded as a parish church. In
the year 1 701, the Most Rev. Dom. Gerard, the fifty-second Abbot of Fiissen,
had the church and monastery magnificently renovated, and in the year 171 7, on the 15th of February, the consecration took place, by the Most Rev. and
Serene Lord Bishop of Augsburg, Alexander Sigismund, Count Palatine.
According to the description given of this church, it was built in magnificent proportions, being of noble design, while the materials were superior, and the workmanship was most elaborate. 98 The structure was cruciform, two hundred feet in length, by sixty in height, whence a roof arose to the apex of forty additional feet. The transepts were eighty-four feet in width, elsewhere the breadth was sixty feet. Twelve columns supported the roof within, and on each of these was the beautiful and artistic figure of an apostle carved in fine marble ; while sixty triple windows, oblong, rounded and lunated, threw light into the building. Within the church were four oratories ; the two larger devoted to the choristers, and the other two fitted for the practice of devotion. The choir was rounded off and elongated for accommodation of the religious, who used it both by day and night, and the stalls were elegantly carved in mottled wood. Moreover, within the church were
and, he must find, that what has been attributed to the latter saint at Bregentz is also ascribed by the interpolator to St. Magnus at Fussen. Wherefore, lie deems the story in the text worthy only to be re- ganled as a fable.
93 Waltenhofen and Fussen were on opposite banks of the River Lech.
94 The Abbot Henry alludes to a spot
near the Lech, called S. Mangen schritt.
Regarding it, Father Ludovicus Babenstuber
states: "Extra suburbicen Fuessense, ubi Commentarius Przevius, sect, viii. , pp. 716 est fullonia, in utraque ripa Lyci notantur
partes petra; depressiores cateris, quas vulgus S. Magni vestigia (S. Mangen schritt) nominat; quaeDivusdestitueritibiimpressa,
quando omnem superavit, seu vado, seu portatus ab angelo. Non tamen referunt
ea, ut satis agnosci queat, figuram plantarum humanarum : in causa ajunt esse vetustatem,
quae madore imbrium, niveumque adjuta, manifestiora lineamenta exederit. "
^ Of it, the Abbot Henry writes, that in his opinion, it rested on a rock above the great church of his time, and that it was
"
near their conventual garden, ubi jam
constructa manet ecclesia nostra major. "
96 Much chronological uncertainty pre- vails regarding the order of succession and
dates for the episcopacy of Augsburg during the Middle Ages, as shown by Father
Suysken, in the " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Septembris vi. De Sancto Magno, &c,
to 720.
97 This prelate—also called Hanto—
is said to have presided over his see for seven years, and to have been present at the Synod of
Mayence, held A. n. 847.
98 We have here abridged a detailed descrip-
tion of this grand chinch, dedicated to St.
Magnus, from that given by the Rev. Father
Chardon, Rector of the Jesuit College of Constance, to the Bollandists.
148 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 6.
admirably pictured incidents in his life, and representations of some miracles
wrought by St. Magnus. The high altar, magnificently and skilfully carved from precious marble, closed the choir, and the pavement of the choir was of black and white marble, in a varied and harmonizing pattern. There are eight chapels wi—thin the church : two larger ones within the transepts ; and
and
six smaller ones all of their altars being marble
two smaller ones. A few steps conduct to the entrance of two subterranean chapels: one of these is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and there is the baptismal font, enclosed within a marble baptistery. But, the chapel of St. Magnus, which adjoins, is still more ornate ; for not alone is the altar of marble, but the walls and pavement are exquisitely adorned with varied coloured marbles, and arranged with great artistic taste. Tradition maintains, that this latter chapel stands on the original site of the cell of St. Magnus. ? ?
CHAPTER III.
ST. MAGNUS IS PATRONISED BY KING PIPPIN—ORDAINED PRIEST BY BISHOP WICTHERP—MIRACLES WROUGHT AT FUSSEN—BISHOP TOZZO VISITED ST. MAGNUS AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH—INTERMENT BY THEODORE—A MEMOIR PLACED IN HIS COFFIN—RESTORATION OF HIS CHURCH BY CHARLEMAGNE—TRANSLATION OF ST. MAGNOALD'S REMAINS TO A NEW SHRINE—MIRACLES THEN AND AFTER- WARDS WROUGHT—COMMEMORATIONS AND FESTIVALS—CONCLUSION.
Some religious clerics were soon found to place themselves under the rule
1
of St. Magnus, and they were recommended to his care by the good prelate,
who also furnished the means necessary for their support. He is said, like- wise, to have furnished a recommendation in person to the renowned King
Peppin
Pippin d'H£ristall,3
Germany
Gaul,*
2 or who then ruled over and
Begga, of Pepin le Vieux, or of Landen,
mayor of the palace under Sigebert III. , son of Dagobert, who died A. I). 638, and whom lie survived only one year. In concert with his brother Martin, Pepin dTIeristal declared war against the King of Neustria, or rather against the mayor or his house, the able minister, Ebroin. Their career commenced by getting rid of the Merovin- gian King Dagobert II. , who then ruled in
» Father Chardon adds " Sacellum S.
:
Magni ab initio et prima monasteni funda-
tione ereclum, antiquissime documenta dicunt fuisse habitaculum et ipsissimam cellam, in qua S. Magnus primus fundator et patronus noster habitavit in vivis ; et ideo semper in summo honore habitual, ssepius cum monasterio et ecclesia, partim incendi, partim devastationibus destructum, sed semper iterum innovatum, cum ecclesia et
monasterio anno MDCCI. noviter et fundo Austrasia. However, having levied a erecto et hoc sacellum e fundo noviter ex- powerful army, they marched against Ebroin tructum et pulcherrime exornaium fuit, and the Neustrian>, but were signally de- ut hodie visitur ; ita tamen ut eumdem feated near Laon, in 680, when Martin was
semper locum servaverit, quern habuit, vivente S.
