ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 24th of September
SAINT GERARD, BISHOP OF CHONAD, MARTYR
Saint Gerard, the apostle of a large district in Hungary, was a Venetian, and born about the beginning of the eleventh century. He renounced early the enjoyments of the world, forsaking family and estate to consecrate himself to the service of God in a monastery. After some years, with the leave of his superiors, he undertook a pilgrimage to the holy sepulchre at Jerusalem.
Passing through Hungary, he became known to the holy king St Stephen, who was wonderfully taken with his sincere piety, and with great earnestness persuaded him that God had only inspired him with the design of that pilgrimage, that he might assist, by his labours, the souls of so many in that country, who were perishing in their infidelity.
Gerard, however, would by no means consent to stay at court, but built a little hermitage at Beel, where he passed seven years with one companion called Maur, in the constant practice of fasting and prayer.
The king having settled the peace of his kingdom, drew Gerard out of his solitude, and the saint preached the gospel with wonderful success. Not long after, the good prince nominated him to the episcopal see of Chonad or Chzonad, a city eight leagues from Temeswar.
Gerard considered nothing in this dignity but labours, crosses, and the hopes of martyrdom. The greater part of the people were infidels, those who bore the name of Christians in this diocese were ignorant, brutish, and savage. His labours were crowned with success in all parts of the diocese. The fatigues which he underwent were excessive, and the patience with which he bore all kinds of affronts was invincible.
He commonly travelled on foot, but sometimes in a waggon: he always read or meditated on the road. He regulated everywhere all things that belonged to the divine service with the utmost care, and was solicitous that the least exterior ceremonies should be performed with great exactness and decency, and accompanied with a sincere spirit of religion. To this purpose he used to say, that men, especially the grosser part, (which is always the more numerous,) love to be helped in their devotion by the aid of their senses.
The example of our saint had a more powerful influence over the minds of the people than the most moving discourses. He was humble, modest, mortified in all his senses, and seemed to have perfectly subdued all his passions. This victory he gained by a strict watchfulness over himself.
After spending the day in his apostolic labours, he employed part of the night in devotion, and sometimes in cutting down wood and other such actions for the service of the poor. All distressed persons he took under his particular care, and treated the sick with uncommon tenderness. He wore a rough hair shirt next his skin, and over it a coarse woollen coat.
The holy king St Stephen seconded the zeal of the good bishop as long as he lived. But that prince’s nephew and successor Peter, a debauched and cruel prince, declared himself the persecutor of our saint: but was expelled by his own subjects in 1042, and Abas, a nobleman of a savage disposition, was placed on the throne. This tyrant soon gave the people reason to repent of their choice. The saint, regarding the exclusion of Peter as irregular, refused and foretold him that if he persisted in his crime, God would soon put an end both to his life and reign. Two years after, the very persons who had placed Abas on the throne turned their arms against him, treated him as a rebel, and cut off his head on a scaffold.
The crown was then offered to Andrew, son of Ladislas, upon condition that he should restore idolatry, and extirpate the Christian religion. The ambitious prince made his army that promise. Hereupon Gerard and three other bishops set out for Alba Regalis, in order to divert the new king from this sacrilegious engagement.
When the four bishops had arrived at Giod near the Danube, St Gerard, after celebrating Mass, said to his companions: "We shall all suffer martyrdom today, except the bishop of Benetha."
They were advanced a little further, and going to cross the Danube, when they were set upon by a party of soldiers, under the command of Duke Vatha, the most obstinate patron of idolatry, and the implacable enemy of the memory of St Stephen.
They attacked St Gerard first with a shower of stones, and, exasperated at his meekness and patience, overturned his waggon, and dragged him on the ground. Whilst in their hands the saint raised himself on his knees, and prayed with the protomartyr St Stephen: "Lord, lay not this to their charge; for they know not what they do." He had scarcely spoken these words when he was run through the body with a lance, and expired in a few minutes. Two of the other bishops, named Bezterd and Buld, shared the glory of martyrdom with him: but the new king coming up, rescued the fourth bishop out of the hands of the murderers.
This prince afterwards repressed idolatry, was successful in his wars against the Germans who invaded his dominions, and reigned with glory. St. Gerard's martyrdom happened on September 24, 1046.
From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints
PRAYER:
Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Gerard may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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