ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN DECEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 1st of December
SAINT ELIGIUS, BISHOP OF NOYON, CONFESSOR
The name of Eligius [Eloy] and those of his father Eucherius, and his mother Terrigia, show this saint to have been born not of French, but of Roman Gaulish extraction.
OF ROMAN GAULISH EXTRACTION
He was born at Catelat, two leagues north of Limoges, about the year 588. His parents, who were very virtuous, and in good circumstances, brought him up from his infancy in the fear of God, and seeing him industrious, placed him with a goldsmith named Abbo, who was a considerable person, master of the mint at Limoges, and a devout servant of God.
A YOUTH OF UNCOMMON GENIUS
Eligius was a youth of uncommon genius and address, and, by his extraordinary application, arrived at an eminent skill in his profession.
His heart was full of sincerity, his whole conduct was under the regulation of an exact prudence, and his temper was sweet and obliging: his discourse was agreeable, modest, and easy, and his attendance on religious duties most assiduous and edifying.
HE NEVER FAILED TO ASSIST AT THE DIVINE OFFICE
He never failed assisting at the whole divine office in the church, and never lost an opportunity of attending to sermons, or spiritual instructions. The oracles of the holy scriptures he carefully laid up in his memory, and made them the subject of his profound meditation, that they might sink deeply into his soul, and that he might apply them to his own use.
Eligius having some business which called him into France, that is, on this side the Loire, became known to Bobo, treasurer to Clotaire II. at Paris. This king, to whom Bobo had recommended him, gave the saint an order to make him a magnificent chair of state, adorned with gold and precious stones.
HE WAS GIVEN A SPECIAL COMMISSION
Out of the materials the king furnished him, he made two such chairs or thrones, instead of one. The king admired the skill and honesty of the workman, and finding by his discourse that he was a man of great parts, and endowed with excellent understanding, gave him a great share in his confidence, took him into his household, and made him master of the mint.
His name is still to be seen on several gold coins, struck at Paris in the reigns of Dagobert I. and his son Clovis II. as appears from Le Blanc’s History of Coins.
HE MADE RICH SHRINES
His great credit at court hindered him not from attending his profession, and he was much delighted in making rich shrines for the relics of saints.
The tombs of St Martin at Tours, and St Dionysius near Paris were sumptuously and curiously adorned by him. The shrines also of St Quintin, SS. Crispin and Crispinian at Soissons, St Lucian, St Piat, St Germanus of Paris, St Severinus, St Genevieve, etc., were made by our saint.
NO IMPEDIMENT TO HIS EXERCISE OF PIETY
These employments were no impediments to his exercises of piety. Even whilst he was at work he had some good book open before him, on which he often cast an eye to instruct himself at the same time in the law of God, and to kindle a fresh flame of devotion in his affections. On the walls round his chambers were also placed pious books, particularly those of the holy scriptures, which he read for a considerable time after his hour of prayer and singing psalms.
THE CORRUPTION OF A COURT NEVER INFECTED HIS SOUL
The corruption of a court never infected his soul, or impaired his virtue; such was his diligence in fencing his heart against it by the most powerful antidotes. He had not been long there when he formed a resolution of entering upon a more devout and austere way of living, took a strict view of his whole life, made a general confession of all the actions of youth to a priest, and imposed upon himself a severe penance.
At first when he went to court he conformed to the fashion, and was magnificently habited, sometimes wearing nothing but silk, though at that time it was not very common: and he had waistcoats embroidered with gold, and sashes and purses adorned with gold and precious stones.
HE WORE A HAIRSHIRT
Yet even then he privately wore a hairshirt: and after he had entered upon a stricter course of virtue, he gave all his ornaments to the poor, and became so negligent in his dress, that he often girded himself with a cord.
He never went out of doors without praying first, and making the sign of the cross; and the first thing he did, after he returned, was to pray. Discretion, mixed with simplicity, appeared in his countenance: he was tall, had a handsome head, and a ruddy complexion: his hair was naturally curled. By the innocence and regularity of his life he made his court to his prince without design, more successfully than others do by flattery and other low arts.
HE NEVER WENT OUT WITHOUT PRAYING FIRST
Clotaire dying in 628, his son and successor Dagobert, entertained so just an idea of the saint’s virtue and wisdom that he frequently consulted him preferably to all his council about public affairs, and listened to his directions for his own private conduct.
Eligius took every favourable opportunity to inspire him with sentiments of justice, clemency, and religion. The king was so far from being offended at the liberty which the saint took in his councils and admonitions, that he treated him with the greater regard; which drew on him the envy and jealousy of the whole court, particularly of the vicious part of the nobility, who did all in their power to blast his character.
DAGOBERT LOADED HIM WITH FAVOURS
But their calumnies were too weak to do him any prejudice, and served only to give his virtue a fresh lustre, and enhance Dagobert’s veneration for him, who loaded him with favours; though it never was in his power to make him rich, because all that the saint received was immediately employed in relieving the necessitous, or in raising charitable and religious foundations.
The first of these was the abbey of Solignac, which he built two leagues from Limoges, on a piece of ground granted him by the king for that purpose. The saint richly endowed it, peopled it with monks from Luxeu, and made it subject to the inspection of the abbot of that monastery. This new community increased considerably in a little time, and consisted of a hundred and fifty persons, who worked at several trades, and lived in admirable regularity.
HE CONVERTED HIS HOUSE INTO A NUNNERY
Dagobert also gave our saint a handsome house at Paris, which he converted into a nunnery, and placed in it three hundred religious women under the direction of St Aurea, whose name occurs in the Roman Martyrology on October 4.
Dagobert being desirous to employ the saint in his most important commissions, pressed him to take an oath of fidelity, as was usual on such occasions. Eligius having a scruple lest this would be to swear without sufficient necessity, excused himself with an obstinacy which for some time displeased the king. Still the saint persisted in his resolution for fear of incurring the danger of offending God, and repeated his excuses with many tears, as often as the king pressed him on that score. Dagobert at length perceiving that the only motive of his reluctance was an extreme tenderness of conscience, graciously assured him that his conscientious delicacy was a more secure pledge of his fidelity than the strongest oaths of others could have been.
ST OWEN RESOLVED TO WALK IN HIS STEPS
The extraordinary piety, and prudent fear of offending God, which St Eligius showed in all his actions, made so strong an impression on the mind of St Owen when he was but twelve years old, and lived in the court, that the fervent young nobleman resolved to walk in his steps; and, as he grew up, contracted so close a friendship with him that they seemed to have but one heart and one soul.
Whilst they were laymen, and lived at court, they zealously laboured to maintain the purity of the faith, and the unity of the church. St Eligius procured a council to be held at Orleans against certain heretics, drove a company of impious persons out of Paris, and, with St Owen, employed his endeavours effectually to root out simony, a vice which had grievously infected France ever since the unhappy reign of Brunehalt.
THE HEROIC PRACTICE OF EVERY VIRTUE
St Desiderius, who lived then in the court of Dagobert, and was afterwards made bishop of Cahors, was joined in holy friendship with these two saints; also St Sulpicius, afterwards archbishop of Bourges, and these holy men, by their mutual example, were a spur to each other in the heroic practice of every virtue.
The whole kingdom was exceedingly edified by the sanctity of these zealous courtiers, and the bishops took a resolution to procure them to be called into the episcopal Order.
BISHOP OF NOYON
The sees of Noyon and Tournay, which had been united ever since St Medard, in 512, and then comprised Upper Picardy, and all the provinces that lie between that country and the mouth of the Rhine, became vacant by the death of St Acarius, in 639, and St Eligius was required to take upon him that arduous charge, and soon after St Owen was chosen bishop of Rouen.
King Clovis II. who had succeeded his father Dagobert, stood in need of such ministers; but the spiritual good of so many souls took place.
HE PREPARED HIMSELF
St Eligius trembled at the sight of the burden, and obtained a delay of two years to prepare himself, during which time he was ordained priest, and practised the clerical duties. St Owen did the like, having retired for that purpose beyond the Loire. They agreed to meet and receive the episcopal consecration together at Rouen, which they did on Sunday before Rogation-Week, in 640, or, according to some, in 646.
The inhabitants of the district of Ghent and Courtray, which then depended on the diocese of Noyon, were still pagans, and so fierce and savage that they would not so much as hear the gospel preached to them. This was the chief reason of choosing so zealous a pastor for them as St Eligius. From Rouen he only went back to court to take his last leave of it, and thence he repaired straight to Noyon.
HE INCREASED HIS FASTS AND WATCHINGS
Our saint in this new dignity increased his fasts and watchings with his labours, and showed the same humility, the same spirit of poverty, penance, and prayer as before: also the same charity towards the poor and the sick, whom he continued frequently to serve with his own hands, regularly entertaining twelve poor persons at his own table on certain days in the week. His pastoral solicitude, zeal, and watchfulness were most admirable.
REFORMING THE CLERGY
The first year he employed entirely in reforming his clergy, and regulating the manners of his Christian flock. After this, he turned his thoughts to the conversion of the infidels among the Flemings about Antwerp, and the Frisons and Suevi, as far as the sea-shore, especially about Ghent and Courtray.
St Amandus, born of a Roman family near Nantes, being the son of Serenus and Amantia, and a monk, had been ordained by the Gallican prelates a bishop of nations, in 626, and had begun to plant the faith in the neighbourhood of Ghent, under the direction of St Acarius bishop of Noyon; and in 636 St Omer was ordained bishop of the Morini.
But a great part of Flanders was chiefly indebted to St Eligius for the happiness of receiving the light of the gospel. He preached in the territories of Antwerp, Ghent, and Courtray.
SINNERS FLOCKED TO CONFESSION
Many sinners ran to receive penance by confessing their sins, and the holy bishop was very earnest in the care of their conversion. He exhorted all to frequent the churches, give alms, set their slaves at liberty, and practise all sorts of good works; and he engaged several of both sexes to embrace a monastic life.
Once, not far from Noyon, he preached, on the feast of St Peter against dancing, which the people made a frequent occasion of many sins.
AGAINST DANCING
Many murmured hereat, and even threatened the holy prelate: but he preached the next festival on the same subject with greater vehemence than ever. Hereupon, the incorrigible sinners openly threatened his life.
The servants of the lord of the place went about stirring up the whole country against him: for such men, where they are not restrained by their master’s authority, easily become lawless, and are the bane of a whole parish.
The bishop at length found himself obliged to cut off these sons of Belial from the communion of the faithful, and to deliver them over to Satan, for the remedy of their souls.
Fifty of them were afflicted by God, and made visible spectacles of his judgements: but, upon their repentance, were cured by the saint.
HE HEALED THE BLIND, LAME, AND SICK
St Owen mentions many blind, lame, and sick persons, who received the benefit of their health, and use of their limbs, by the prayers of St Eligius.
Among other prophecies, his prediction of the division of the French monarchy amongst the three sons of Clovis II. and its reunion under Theodoric, the youngest of them, was recorded by St Owen, before its entire accomplishment. This author informs us, that our saint assembled the people every day, and instructed them with indefatigable zeal; and he gives us an abstract of several of his discourses united in one; by which it appears that his style was plain, simple, and without many ornaments, but tender and pathetic; and that he often borrowed whole passages from the sermons of St Caesarius, as was customary in France at that time.
THE BAPTISMAL VOWS
He often explained the obligation of the solemn vows or promises which Christians make at their baptism, exhorting the faithful to have them always before their eyes, and to be no less careful to practise, than to believe what they profess under the most sacred engagements.
He insisted much on the obligation of almsdeeds, recommended the invocation of saints, and instructed the faithful to beware of the superstitious practices then in vogue; among which he reckons the observation of unlucky days, the solemnising of New-Year’s day with drinking and diversions, and the like.
PRAYER AND HOLY COMMUNION
He strongly recommended prayer, the partaking of the body and blood of Christ, extreme-unction in time of sickness, and the sign of the cross to be always worn on our forehead, the efficacy of which sign he set forth.
The seventeen homilies, which bear his name in the library of the fathers, cannot be his work; for the author had been a monk before he was bishop. The charter of St Eligius for the foundation of the abbey of Solignac is still extant.
HIS APPROACHING DEATH
The saint having governed his flock nineteen years and a half, was favoured with a foresight of his death, and a little before he was seized with his last sickness, foretold it to his disciples.
Seeing them weep, he said: "Grieve not, my children; but rather congratulate with me. I have longed for this time, and, sighing under the miseries of this world, have wished for a releasement." Falling ill of a fever, he prayed almost without interruption; and, on the sixth day, convened his disciples, and made them a pathetic exhortation to a virtuous life.
"GRIEVE NOT, MY CHILDREN"
After this, he continued his private prayers for several hours; then, reciting the canticle Nunc dimittis, etc. and fervently commending his soul into the hands of his Redeemer, he happily expired at one o’clock the next morning, on December 1 in 659, or in 665, if he was consecrated bishop in 646, being seventy years and some months old.
Upon the news of his sickness, Queen Bathildes set out from Paris with her children, the lords of her court, and a numerous train: but arrived only the morning after his death. She bathed the corpse with a flood of tears, and caused all preparations to be made for carrying it to her monastery at Chelles.
THE QUEEN CRIED
Others were very desirous that it should be conveyed to Paris: but the people of Noyon so strenuously opposed it, that the precious remains of their holy pastor were left with them, and the greatest part is kept at Noyon to this day. His body was deposited in the church of St Lupus of Troyes, out of the walls, soon after called St Eligius’s, as St Owen testifies.
From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints - 🎨 1. St Eligius overpowering a demon, 2. St Eligius
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