De sancto Fortunato
The Authority of Fortunatus
Bishop Fortunatus demonstrates his spiritual authority by casting out demons, even as they attempt to deceive those around him.
Bishop Fortunatus of Todi was gifted with such immense power in driving out evil spirits that he would sometimes cast out entire legions of demons from those they possessed, as Saint Gregory recounts in the first book of his Dialogues regarding a woman he healed. At another time, this servant of God drove an unclean spirit from a man; as the evil spirit realized the hour was growing late and people were away, he began to run through the city streets pretending to be a stranger, crying out, "Oh, the holy Bishop Fortunatus—look at what he has done!" He drove a stranger from his lodging, saying, "I am looking for a place to rest, and I cannot find one in his city." At that time, a man was sitting by the coals in his home with his wife and young son. Hearing the bishop's voice and wanting to know what he had done, he invited him in and had him sit by the fire. While they were talking, the same evil spirit attacked his young son and threw him into those same coals, snuffing out his life; the boy, having been brought back, recognized either the one who had taken him or the one the bishop had cast out.
Miracles of Restoration
Through the intercession of Fortunatus, the blind receive sight and the dead are restored to life, culminating in the bishop's own peaceful passing.
At another time, when a man had lost his sight, he was brought to the bishop and asked for his intercession, which he received. Marcellus, who had died, was also raised to life through the prayers of the bishop and his sisters; upon opening his eyes and looking at the holy Fortunatus, he said, "Oh father, what have you done?" "Alas, Lord, what have you done?" He replied, "Two came yesterday who cast me out of my body and led me to a good place, but today one was sent who said, 'Bring him back, for Bishop Fortunatus is coming to his house.'" He lived for a long time after that, and the blessed bishop, in his venerable old age and full of good works, eventually passed on to the Lord.
Read the original Latin
Fortunatus episcopus CTudertinus in effugandis spiritibus malis immensa virtutis gratia pollebat, ita nt nonnunquam ab obsessis corporibus legiones daemonum pellerét, ut divus dicit Gregorius in primo libro dyalogonun de quadam muliere per ewm sanata, Alio etiam tempore Dei famulus ex obsesso quodam homine immundum spiritum excussit; qui malignus spiritus cum vesperascentein jam secretam ab hominibus horam cerneret, peregrinum quempiam, esse se simulans, currere coepit civitatis plateas et clamare: o virum sanctum Fortunatum episcopum, ecce quid fecit! peregrinum hominem de hospitio suo expulit, quaero, ubi requiescere debeam, et in civitate ejus non invenio. Tunc quidam in hospitio suo oum uxore sua et filio parvulo ad prunas sedebat, qui vocem ejus audiens, et quid ei episcopus fecerit, requirens eum invitavit hospitio, sedere eum juxta pruna fecit. Cumque vicissim áliqua confabularentur, parvulum ejus filium idem malignus spiritus invasit atque in iisdem prunis projecit ibique animain ejus excussit, qui orbatus aniser, vel quem ipse susceperit vel quem episcopus expulisset, agnovit. Alio quoque tempore dum oculorum quidam lumen amisisset, ad hunc deductus intercessionis ejus opem petiit et impetravit, Marcellus etiam mortuus ad preces suas et suarmmn sororum l1lentiuim susoitatus est et oculos aperiens respiciensque sanctum Fortunatum ait: o pater, et, quid fecisti? heu domine, quid fecisti? llle ait: duo hesterna die venerunt, qui me ejicientes ex corpore in bonum locum duxerunt, hodie autem unus missus est, qui dixit: reducite eum, quin Fortunatus episcopus in domum illius venit; et diutius post in hac vita mansit, Beatus vero episcopus in veneranda sua senectute plenus bonis operibus migravit ad doininum.
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