De devota vita fratrum de Cristburgk.
Soldiers of the Cross at Cristburgk
The brothers of Cristburgk are described as both devout religious and valiant warriors, living a monastic life at home and a military life in battle.
In this castle of Cristburgk there were men devoted to God, remarkably committed to abstinence and faithful observance of the regular discipline, and at the same time valiant soldiers in battle, so that one could truly say of them that they led a monastic life at home and a military life in the field.
The Crucifix Embraces a Humble Brother
A brother of Glisbergkc witnesses the miraculous movement of the crucifix on Good Friday, yet responds with profound humility, deeming himself unworthy of such divine favor.
Among these brothers there was a certain man called de Glisbergkc, who was of such holiness that on Good Friday, while the divine office was being conducted in the church, as he knelt in his usual way and bowed toward the cross to be kissed, the wooden image of the Crucified raised itself, stretched out its arms, as if wishing to embrace him by surrounding him with its arms.1 At this, the same brother, considering himself unworthy, said: 'It is not fitting for you, Lord, to embrace so wretched a sinner.'2
A Brother's Hidden Mortification
Another brother secretly wore a coarse iron chain against his bare skin continuously until his death, embodying hidden ascetical devotion.
There was also another brother who, on his bare skin, wore a thick and coarse iron chain continuously right up to his death, in place of a night belt.3
Read the original Latin
In hoc Castro Cristburgk fuerunt deo devoti et mire abstinencie regularisque observancie sectatores, et cum hoc strenui milites in bello, ita ut vere posset de ipsis dici, quod in domo monachalem, et in campo vitam ducerent militarem. Inter hos fratres fuit quidam dictus de Glisbergkc, qui tante fuit sanctitatis, quod in die parasceves, dum divinum officium in ecclesia ageretur, et more solito geniculando se inclinaret ad crucem osculandam, imago crucifixi lignea elevans se extendit brachia sua, volens eum circumdando brachiis amplecti. Quo se idem frater indignum estimans, ait: non decet te domine, quod tarn vilemd peccatorem ampleclaris. Fuit eciame quidam alius frater, qui circa cutem suam nudam catena grossaf et ferrea continue usque ad'mortem suam pro nocturnali cingulo utebatur 4.
Notes
- 1 ↩The miraculous movement of the crucifix image is presented as a sign of extraordinary holiness; the text does not pause to interpret it, but the episode functions as hagiographic confirmation of the brother's sanctity.
- 2 ↩Quo here is ablative of cause ('by which [sign]'), triggering the brother's response; the direct speech that follows expresses compunction and humility before the divine gesture.
- 3 ↩The chain worn directly against bare skin functions as an ascetical instrument of continuous mortification; 'pro nocturnali cingulo' indicates it replaced the usual belt during the night hours, intensifying the penitential practice.
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