De sancto Jodoco
The Royal Hermit's Call
Jodocus, a prince of the Bretons, renounces his royal inheritance to seek a life of monastic solitude and prayer.
Blessed Jodocus was the son of Judahel, King of the Bretons, and he had an older brother—or rather, brothers—namely the blessed Judahel, who succeeded his father on the throne. These two were contemporaries of the Frankish King Dagobert, with whom the Breton King Judahel eventually made peace after bitter fighting, and was honored by him with great gifts. Having returned to Brittany, he thought of leaving his earthly kingdom for a heavenly one and leading a monastic life; he had his younger brother, Jodocus, brought before him to take up the reins of the kingdom, so that he might fulfill his own purpose and enjoy the company of monks. Jodocus, no less fervent in his love for God, only with difficulty obtained from his brother a delay of fifty-eight days for reflection. Meanwhile, anxious day and night, he began to think about how he could escape the kingdom, and likewise how he could avoid his brother's interest in him. While he was staying at a monastery where he had learned his letters and was frequently given to prayer, nine pilgrims arrived who wanted to visit the shrines of the apostles Peter and Paul for the sake of devotion. He joined them secretly and reached Paris, but he hesitated about whether to continue further with them. Finally, having received counsel from the Holy Spirit, who directed his steps in all things, he turned away from this journey and from his traveling companions, and hurried to the borders of Ponthieu, which were full of ancient woods and habitable only by wild animals.
Miracles in the Wilderness
Through acts of charity and faith, Jodocus experiences divine provision and miraculous guidance in his hermitage.
He returned without delay, as if hungry and fainting from lack of food, and it was given to him. He still had a third of the bread. Soon after, the Lord appeared in the guise of another poor man, seeking alms just as He had done three times before; there was nothing left to refresh him with except for that remaining quarter of bread. When the man of God, Jodocus, ordered his minister to give this to him as well, the minister asked, "Do you want us to have nothing left for ourselves?" "I do not," the saint replied. "Give it all to the hungry man, for the Lord is powerful enough to provide for our needs even today." The Lord had barely left when, in the meantime... ...while the servant of God was comforting his disciple, who was upset about giving away the bread, behold, through the window, four small boats laden with provisions were seen and found in the riverbed. To this day, it remains unknown who brought them or where they went after they were unloaded of their provisions. These and other miracles that the Lord deigned to show there moved the country far and wide to visit him and seek his intercession. After eight years there, unable to bear the crowds of people, he moved on to another wilderness with the duke as his guide. He built an oratory there in honor of Saint Martin, along with a small dwelling, and for the fourteen years he stayed there, he suffered many traps from the ancient enemy. In that place, he struck the ground with the sign of the cross, which took away his rooster; with his own hand, he took an eagle from the air and eleven hens, one by one, and his own rooster. He received it unharmed. Not long after, the devil changed into a horrible snake and bit him severely on the foot. Taught by the Holy Spirit through this injury that he should move on, he wandered through the vast wilderness with Duke Heimon as his guide to find a place to live. While searching, the duke was tormented by such severe thirst and exhaustion that he fell asleep. Meanwhile, the servant of God, Jodocus, knelt in prayer and, rising, struck the ground with the staff he leaned on. Like another Moses, he brought forth water, and a spring flowed abundantly from it. Refreshed by this, the duke and his household quenched their thirst, and it still provides sufficient water for those passing by. Moving on from there toward the sea, he climbed a small hill in a shady valley; delighted by it, he said, "This is my resting place forever." When the duke returned home, the man of God built two oratories there with his own hands: one for Peter, the prince of the apostles, and the other for Paul, the teacher of the nations. Later, he also traveled to Rome, called by the most blessed Martin, then the bishop of the Roman see, because he had long desired to see him and be healed by his most holy conversation; he was received and treated by him with due honor. There, he was taught by the Holy Spirit—whom he had as his guardian and master in all things—to...
The Saint's Eternal Reward
After a life of holiness, Jodocus passes into the presence of God, leaving behind a legacy of miracles and incorruptibility.
He would return to his hermitage, the dwelling place he had chosen for himself on earth, intending soon to leave it and pass on to the company of the angels. After sacred and profound conversations about eternity and a mutual exchange of prayers between him and the Supreme Pontiff, and after receiving most precious relics from the Pope, he returned to the borders of Ponthieu to the joy of the whole country. There, on the mountain of his dwelling—where the body of Saint Jodoc now rests—a girl born without eyes was brought to him, following the advice of her parents, who, just as... she had been taught in a vision, washed her face and the places where her eyes should have been with the water the holy man had used to wash his hands. Soon, having received her sight, she began to see clearly. So, with Count Haimo present alongside a countless crowd of God’s people gathered to meet the blessed Jodoc, and with the most holy relics he had brought placed with all due reverence in the new church of the blessed Martin—which the aforementioned Count had newly built of stone and where his sacred body now rests—the blessed man himself prepared to celebrate the divine mysteries, wearing a chasuble white as snow. While he was standing at the altar on the second of June and serving with the greatest devotion, a divine hand appeared visibly over him during the most holy solemnities of the Mass and his priest. He assigned that place to him and confirmed it with a perpetual blessing, accompanied by this promise and a wondrous voice from heaven: "Because you have despised earthly riches and refused the heights of your father's kingdom, and have chosen to be poor and to remain hidden in this desert land, I have prepared a crown for you among the ranks of the angels. I will be the defender and constant guardian of this place where you will be released, and all who visit this place in perpetuity with devotion and a pure intention of heart for the memory of my name will not be defrauded of divine grace on earth, and afterwards they will arrive at eternal joys." In the time that followed, the blessed Jodoc, living in the flesh but beyond the flesh, seemed not a man but an angel. On the Ides of December he fell asleep in the Lord, with the Lord himself present and the service of the angels; an unbearable brightness of splendor and an incomparable sweetness of divine fragrance showed the presence of the Lord. His body also, because he had been a virgin and immune from the contagion of carnal union, remained so healthy and whole for forty years in the tomb, as if the spirit of life were in it. The guardians of the body cut and shaved his fingernails, toenails, and the hair of his head and beard every Saturday as if he were alive, until the successor of Haimo, less reverently and presumptuously unmindful of the Scripture saying: "You shall not tempt the Lord's sanctuary," broke in violently with his attendants and entered where the most holy body was placed. Having seen the miracle, he was immediately struck with blindness and turned into madness, crying out: "Ha, ha, holy Jodoc," and he remained deaf and dumb until he closed his final day. We have seen in our own times the length of the miracles that the Lord deigned to show through him to his faithful, just as with many raised from the dead or those who had died by hanging or another kind of death, or those suffocated in water, or even his benefits regarding the multiplication of temporal goods, which we are not sufficient to write down with a pen or recount in speech. The blessed Jodoc miraculously saved the son of a certain devout man who was lying in his cradle when there was a fire all around the house. The clothes in which he was wrapped and the cradle itself were completely reduced to ash and cinder once the boy had been lifted out, so that it was clear to all that the voracity of the flame, which could consume the hardness of wood and stone, was not permitted to harm the tender infant entrusted to the care of the blessed Jodoc. This boy later became a monk in the monastery of Saint Jodoc. It is impossible to count how many deaf, lame, paralyzed, and other infirm people he cured. Hence it is that he wished to retain his status from his royal lineage after death, so that no other liquid might burn in the place where his sacred body rests except the liquid of wax. Three monks who tried to light lamps with tallow in the church where his body was brought experienced this in their own misfortune and were unable to do so at all. It happened, however, as a sign of their rashness, that two of them died immediately, and the third was punished by a contraction of the mouth, and he remained so for all the days of his life. These are the feast days of the blessed Jodoc, namely, on the day of the blessed Barnabas, when the hand of the Lord appeared over him during the solemnities of the Mass, a miracle which the divine power has also shown more often through other saints to the truth. of him.
Commemorations of the Saint
The chapter concludes by listing the specific feast days dedicated to the life and miracles of Saint Jodocus.
He mercifully demonstrated this to confirm the true and most holy sacrifice; the second commemoration is on the feast of Saint James, regarding the discovery of his sacred body. The third is on the feast of Saint Lucy the Virgin, concerning his death.
Read the original Latin
Beatus Jodocus fuit Judaheli regis Britonum filius habuitque fratrem majorem na fratres, 1, beatum videlicet Judahelum, qui successit patri in regno, Isti duo no duae geminae coelestes contemporaneae fuerunt regis Francorum Dagoberti, cum quo post graves inimicitias ad invicem pacificatus est ipse rex Britonum Jadahelus et magnis ab ipso mnneribus honoratus. Hegressus itaque in Britannian cogitavit regnum terrenum pro coelesti regno relinquere et vitam monachicam ducere, Fralrem sunm Jodocum juniorem coram se conveniri fecit de suscipiendo regni gubernaculo, nt suum posset adimplere propositum et frui cohabitatione monachorum, Beatus autem. Jodocus non minus fervens in Dei dilectione, deliberandi inducias VHI dierum vix a fratre impetravit. Interim die noctuque anxius cogitare coepit, quomodo posset effugere regnum similiter et patriam et fratris sui circa se studium declinare, Ipso igitur in monasterio quodam, nbi litteras didicerat, commorante et orationi frequentius incumbente contigit IX illuc peregrinos venire, qui causa devotionis limina apostolorum Petri et Pauli visitare desiderabant. His secreto associatus Parisios venit cum iis ac utrum ulterius cum iisdem procederet, dubitavit, Consilium tandem a spiritu sancto consecutus, qui gressus ejus in omnibus dirigebat, ab hoc itinere et a sociis itineris declinavit et ad Pontinii confinia, quae antiquis plena nemoribus erant et leris ac anunalibus solum habitabilia, festinavit. Delectatus itaque loci illius vasta solitudine disposuit habitationem ibi facere super fluvium Alzeiam, sed a duce Heimone illius terrae domino per VII annos ab hoc proposito retardatns est, Inter quos annos litteras magis didicit et sacros ordines suscepit. Tandem sacerdos effectus jam dicti duois filium, qui eum in maxima veneratione habebat, de sacro fonte suscepit, Elapso septennio ad vitam solitariam transiens in loco Alzeiae fluminis rivulis undique circumdato ibidem ecclesia et domuncula aedificatis praeter ea, quae per eum dominus operatus est miracula, Hic est considerandum, quod volucres et pisces diversi generis ad sacram ejus manum pnlpabiles receptis ab eo alimentis veniebant et recedebant quasi domestici. Quadam die, dum ad victum quotidianum non haberet nisi panem modicum, sibi et discipulo sno dominus in specie pauperis venit elemosinam petens, Vir Dei Jodocus panem dividi jussit in quatuor partes et pauperi petenti unman parlem de quatuor erogari, Vix egressus erat et ecce dominus revertitur in forma egeni deficientis inedia, et secundo panis quadrante satisfactum est ejus petitioni.
Nec mora, regressus quasi esuriens et deficiens fame, donata. est ei etiam pars panis tertia, Consequenter visus est dominus in altera pauperis effigie rouaturus elemosinan, sicut jam tertio fecerat ante, nec erat, unde reficeretur, nisi de residuo panis quadrante, "Viro itaque domini Jodoco et hunc erogare jubente ejus minister: visne, ait, ut nobis aliquid remaneat? Nolo, inquit sanctus, totuin tribue esurienti, quia potens est dominus etiam hodie nostrae providere necessitati, Vix recessit dominus et interea. dum consolaretur servus Dei discipulum de panis erogatione commotum, ecce per fenestram visae sunt et inventae in alveo iluminis quatnor naviculae onustae victualibus, de quibns, quis eas adduxerit, vel quo illae devenerint, postquam fuerunt victualibus exoneratae, usque in hodieruum diem ignoratur, Haec et alia, quae per emn dominus ibidem miracula demonstrare dignatus est, longe lateque patriam ad ejus visitationem ad impetranda ejus suffragia commoverunt. Cumque ibidem VIII annis elapsis populi frequentiam nequiret sustinere, ad alterius desertum domino duce processit constructoque ibi oratorio in honore beati Martini et mansiuncula, ibidem plurimas ab hoste antiquo passus est insidias per XIV annos, quibus illic est commoratus, Eo in loco signo crui prostravit, quae gallum snum abstulit cis facto propria mann aquilam de sublii et XI gallinas sigillatim gallumque suuin. incolumem suscepit. Non longe post dyabolus in horribilem mutatus colubrum graviter ipsum momordit in pede, Qua laesione per sanclum edoctus spiritum, ut ad alium locum transiret, adjuncto sibi duce Heimone vastam circuibat eremum, nt inveniret habitationis jocum, Inquirendo antem cum ibidem gravi dux torqueretur sitis inopia, prae lassitudine et siti obdormivit, Interim servus Dei Jodocns orationi incubuit surgensque baculo, quo innitebatur, terrae infixo sicut alter Moyses aquam produxit et fontem inde largiter eflluentein, Quo exhilarati dux et ejus familia suae sitis exstinxerunt ardorem et transeuntibus adhuc aquam administrat sufficientem, Progressus inde versus mare in winbrosa valle clivum adscendit perparvum, Quo delectatus: haec est, inquit, cathedra, haec requies mea in saeculum. Duce itaque reverso ad propria vir Dei propria manu duo ibidem construxit oratoria, unum Petro apostolorum principi, alteram Paulo gentium doctori, Profectus est etiam postmodum Romam vocatus a beatissimo Martino iunc Romanae sedis antistite, Quia multo tempore concupierat videre eum et a sanctissimo ejus colloquio sanari, receptus est ab eo cum honore debito et tractatus, Ibidem a spiritu sancto doctus est, quein in omnibus custodem et magistrum habuit, ut ad.
eremum suam reverteretur, quam in terris sibi elegit habitationem, inde in brevi exiturus et transmigraturüs ad consortium angelorum. Post sacra et inulta de aeternitate colloquia et mutua orationum suffragia inter ipsum et summum pontificem habita pretiosissümis a domino papa sibi collatis sanctorum reliq reversus est cum totius patriae gaudio ad Pontin confinia, ubi in monte habitationis suae, in qua modo requiescit corpus sancti Jodoci, proposito parentum consilio adducta est sibi puella absque oculis nata, quae, sicut. docta fuerat in visione, faciem et loca, ubi oculi debebant esse, lavit de aqua illa, qua vir sanctus manus abluerat, et mox receptis oculis clare coepit videre, Duce itaque Heinone praesente cum innumera Dei plebisque turba in occursum beati Jodoci congregata sanctissimis, quas attulerat, reliquiis cum omni, qua decuit, veneratione repositis in nova beati Marlini ecclesia, in qua nunc sacrum corpus ejus requiescit, tunc de novo facta lapidea a praefato duce, ipse vir beatus praeparavit se ad divina mysteria celebranda casula indutas ad modum nivis alba. Qui cum adstaret altari II Idus Junii et ministraret cum devotione maxima, divina manus apparuit super eum visibiliter inter sacrosancta missarum sollemnia suunque sacerdotem. Ei locum illum assignavit et eonfinnavit benedictione perpelua cum promissione tali et voce mirabili coelitus subsecuta: quia contemsisti divitias terrenas et refutasti paterni regni culinina et elegisti pauper esse et latere abjectus in terra ista deserta, praeparavi tibi coronam inter agmina angelorum eroque luci hujus, in quo resolveris, defensor ac jugis custodia, universique hunc locum visitaturi in perpetuuin cum devotione et pura cordis intentione pro lui nominis memoria divina in ierris gralia non defraudabuntur et post ad gaudia pervenient sempiterna, Sequenti itaque tempore beatus Jodocus in carne praeter carnem vivendo non homo, sed angelus videbatur, Idus Decembris obdormivit in domino ipso domino praesente et angelorum obsequiis; domini praesentiam ostendit intolerabilis claritas splendoris et incomparabilis dulcedo divini odoris, Corpus etiam ejus, quia virgo fuerat el imnunis a carnalis commixlionis contagio, ita sanum permansit et integrum usque ad annos XL in tumulo, ac si spiritus vitae foret in eo, et a custodibus corporis sibi ungues manuum et pedum et capilli capitis et barbae, quasi viveret, excrescentes incidebantur et radebantur omni sabbato, quoadusque successor Heimonis minus reverenter et praeswmnliose ünmeimor scripturae dicentis: non tentabis domini sacrarium, violenter irrupit cum saiellitibus suis et intravit, ubi repositum erat corpus sanctissimum, visoque imiraculo statim caecitate percussus versus est in amentiam exclamans: ha ha 5ancle Jodoce, surdus permansit et mulus, quoadusque diem clausit extremum, Prolixitatem autem iniraculorum, qnae per ipsum dominus exhibere dignatus est suis fidelibus, in nostris temporibus vidimus, sicut de pluribus a morte resuscitatis vel suspendio vel alio mortis genere defunctis sive in aqua suffocatis, sive etiam ipsius beneficia quo ad multiplicationem bonorum temporalium nec calamo scribere nec sermone enarrare sufficinus. Cujusdam devoti sibi filinm in cunabulis jacentem, cum esset incendium undique in domo circa, puerum beatus Jodocus miraculose conservavit, pannis, quibus involutus fuit, et ipsis cunabulis, cum puer levatus esset, in favillam et cinerem penitus resolutis, ut omnibus pateret, quod edacitas flammae, quae lignorum ac lapidum potuit duritiam consumere, tenerum infantem beati Jodoci custodiae traditum non licuit laedere, Qui postmodum filius in monasterio sancti Jodoci monachus factus est, Quot surdos, claudos, paraliticos et alios infirmos curavit, non est numero colligere, Unde est, quod de regio fastigio sibi voluit post mortem retinere, ne in loco, ubi sacrum ejus corpus requiescit, alins ardeat liquor nisi liquor cerae. Quod in infortunio suo experti sunt tres monachi, qui in ecclesia, ubi corpus ejus fuit delatum, de sevo lucernas tentaverunt accendere nec aliquatenus potuerunt, Contigit autem in signum temeritatis snae duos ipsorum in continenti decedere, tertium vero oris contractione puniri, ac ita permansit Omnibus diebus vitae suae, Sunt autem hae festivitates beati Jodoci, Priv videlicet in die beati Barnabae, quando infra missarum sollemnia manus domini super eum apparuit, Quod etiain miraculum saepius per alios sanctos ostensum virtus divina ad veritatem. illius.
veri et sanctissuni sacrificii coinprobandam in un misericorditer demonstravit, Secunda est in die sancti Jacobi we de inventione sacri corporis ejus. cordibus fra apostoli fratris sancti Johannis evangelis Tertia est de morte ejus in die sanctae Luciae virginis,
The Golden Legend (Legenda Aurea) companion
Continue through all 240 chapters, one saint a day
Chosen Portion serves the Golden Legend as a daily portion on iOS, free, alongside the full Sub Rosa archive
The Legenda Aurea was organized for day-by-day use across the liturgical year, and Chosen Portion restores that original one-feast-per-day reading rhythm
- A complete saint's life or feast reading most days in 5-10 minutes
- 240 chapters - enough daily readings to cover a full liturgical year and beyond
- Daily reminders so the plan survives busy weeks