Vita et conversatio sancti Romani
The Formation and Charity of Romanus
Romanus is introduced as a disciplined monk who provides essential support to the young Benedict in his desert solitude.
From his earliest childhood, the man of God, Romanus, was trained in the disciplines of monastic life. Even as a small boy, he grew accustomed to bowing his neck to frequent fasts and diligently attending holy vigils; in his tender body, he strove to experience the crosses and mortifications of the elders while still in his youth. Once he had passed the limits of adolescence and reached the strength of manhood, he was proven in every way through his pursuit of virtue and was held in high regard by God, so that by his example he might provoke many to despise the world and desire a holy purpose. Once, when the holy and venerable Benedict was setting out for the desert, having rejected the ways of the world and renounced its glory, he met this holy man, who asked him where he was headed. When Romanus learned of his desire, he kept it secret, offered him help, gave him the habit of the holy life, and served him as best he could. The man of God reached his destination, hid himself in a very narrow cave, and remained unknown to everyone for three years, except for this blessed monk, Romanus.
A Call to Faith Amidst Worldly Turmoil
Facing the collapse of the Roman Empire, Romanus exhorts his brothers to look past earthly suffering toward eternal life.
Romanus, who lived not far away under the rule of Father Deodatus, would piously steal hours from his father's sight and, on certain days, bring bread to Benedict. Since there was no path to the cave from Romanus's cell because a high cliff loomed above it, Romanus used to lower the bread on a very long rope from that same cliff. He even attached a small bell to the rope so that the man of God would know when his student was offering him bread, and he would come out of the cave to receive it. And although the ancient enemy, envying his charity, broke the bell to try and pull him away from that act of love, the pious, religious man, beloved by God, the blessed Romanus, did not cease to serve him in every fitting way until the time it pleased the divine will to free him from his labor and reveal to the world the one he was serving. Meanwhile, when a most severe storm of persecution was rising throughout Italy and almost the entire land of the Roman Empire, with Goths, Alans, and Vandals consuming everything with fire and sword, the man of God, Romanus, did not cease to pray to the Lord that He might look upon His Church—which He had acquired with His own blood—and keep it unharmed in the faith of His holy name. Therefore, he heard the Lord commanding him to leave Italy, head for Gaul, spread the word of God far and wide, and offer examples of holy living to all. He was also reminded that he should not be afraid, for with divine help preceding him, his journey would be prosperous, and he would receive from the Lord the reward of a faithful servant who distributes the measure of wheat to his fellow servants. Therefore, having received this response from the Holy Spirit, Father Romanus called the brothers together and spoke to them: "Brothers and my friends, the sweet light of my eyes and the greatest pledge of my love and joy, listen to me, a servant of Christ, a fellow soldier and companion of your holy fraternity." You see the evils by which the world is pressed, the disasters by which it is tormented; everywhere there is mourning, everywhere fear, and the image of death is everywhere. These things do not happen by chance, but by the most manifest wrath of God. For because of the sins of men, the patience of God has been provoked and turned into fury; His gentleness has been changed into severity by God, so that it is a wonder that He still tolerates them, inflicting lighter punishments on sinners than they deserve, and does not, as He once did with the Sodomites and Gomorrans, burn the earth, now full of wickedness, with bolts of lightning. Since these things are so, brothers, we should not grieve over the afflictions of the world, which we know is perishing by its own afflictions. For another life has been promised by Christ, whose duration remains unshaken and immovable, knowing no end, ignorant of pain, in which there is joy and feasting, where there is blessed immortality and immortal beatitude, where eternal security and secure eternity reign. Expecting this, we should not fear the adversities of the world, but rather look forward to our approaching redemption with exhilarated hearts.
The Departure and Mission to Gaul
Romanus bids a tender farewell to his brothers, submitting to the divine command to leave Italy for Gaul.
If God had allowed me to act on my own desires and live by my own will, I would have wanted, my holy brothers, to endure every trial in the world with you, to stand firm with you through whatever prosperity or adversity might come, and to live patiently and die happily together. But because a person’s path isn't in his own power, but in the power of Him who disposes all things with great tranquility, I ask you not to try to hold me back. God has commanded that we go to Gaul; we must obey, and we must go. I ask you to remember me kindly, for I, too, while the spirit... ...animates this vessel of clay, will always hold you in my heart and in my deepest affections, as is right and fitting. May God Almighty surround you with His holy protection, rescue you from this present wicked age, keep you safe for His heavenly kingdom, and grant that I, small and humble as I am, may see you in that blessed life without any confusion.
A Life of Virtue and Final Rest
Romanus establishes a monastery in Gaul, completes his earthly course, and is eventually laid to rest in the monastery of Saint Germanus.
With these words, the blessed father Romanus said goodbye and set out. Leaving Italy, he entered Gaul and finally arrived in the region of Auxerre, at a place called Fons-Rogus. He stayed there for some time, established a monastery with the Lord’s favor, and with the Lord’s help, led many who had turned away from the vanity of the world toward a life of quiet and sobriety, encouraging them with both his words and his example. In that place stands a basilica named after him, which the Lord has nobly distinguished by the privilege of the miracles He works through him for the praise of His own name. When the time of his life was fulfilled, the most blessed Romanus, servant of God Almighty, after a glorious life full of virtues, after gaining a countless multitude for eternal life, and after performing many miracles, having manfully completed the course of his monastic profession and longing for his long-awaited and happy passing, left behind earthly things and reached for heavenly ones. He departed to the Lord on the day before the Kalends of March. He was buried in his own basilica by his brothers, and in that same place the body of the blessed man was kept for several years with worthy veneration. But because it was inappropriate and harmful for the treasure of such a sacred body to remain for long in a place less celebrated and less well-known, as the devotion of the faithful grew, the body of the blessed man was moved from its original burial site to the city of Auxerre and honorably interred in the church of Saint Amator. Finally, after some years, it was carried with songs, candles, and the melody of divine hymns to the monastery of the blessed Germanus—a former bishop of that same city who was radiant with miracles—and was honorably laid to rest there through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be honor and grace forever and ever. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Vir Dei Romanus a pueritia monachus disciplinis monasterialibus eruditus est. Assuescebat enim adhuc puerulus crebris subdere colla jejuniis, sanctis interesse assidue vigiliis et in tenero corpusculo senum cruces ac inortificationes nitebatur adhuc in annis juvenilibus experiri, Jam vero transcursis adolescentiae metis cum ad robur virilis evasisset aetatis, ex omni parte in virlutum studio probatus spectabilis habebatur a Deo, ut suo exemplo multos ad contemtuimn saeculi ac desiderium sancti propositi provocaret. Quodam itaque tempore, cum sanctus recolendus Benedictus spretis saeculi artibus abjurataque mundi gloria eremum peteret, hunc, de quo loquimur, sanctum obvium habuit, qui, quo tenderet, ab eo inquisivit. Cujus cum desiderium cognovisset, et secretum tenuit et adjutorium impendit eique sanctae conversationis habitum tradidit et, in quantum licuit, ministravit, Vir autem domini ad destinatum locum perveniens in artissimo specu se abdidit tribusque annis excepto beato isto Romano monacho hominibus incognitus mansit. Qui beatus Romanus non longe sub Deodati patris regula degebat, sed pie ejusdem patris sui oculis furabatnr horas et quem sibi ad inanducandum subripere poterat, diebus certis Benedicto panem ferebat, Ad eundem vero specum a beati Romani cella iter non erat, quia celsa desuper rupes eminebat, sed ex eadem rupe in longissimo fune religatum Romanus panem deponere consueverat, In qua etiam reste parvum tintinnabulum inseruit, ut ad sonitum tintinnabuli- vir Dei cognosceret, quando sibi alumnus ejus panem praeberet, et cryptam exiens eum acciperet, Et licet antiquus hostis ejus caritati invidens tintinnabulum fregisset, ut eum vel sic a caritate retraheret, pius famen et religiosus a Deo dilectus beatus Romanns minime cessavit, quin modis congruentibus et semper ministraret usque ad tempus scilicet illud, quo divinae placuit voluntati, eum a labore suo liberare et ipsum, cui serviebat, mundo declarare, Interea autem cum gravissima persecutionis procella per totam Italiam ac paene per omnem Romani imperii terram insurgeret, Gothis, Alanis et Vandalis flammis et ferro cuncta consumentibus, vir domini Romanus non cessabat deprecari dominum, ut suam respiceret ecclesiam, quam sibi sno acquisierat sanguine, sed eam in fide nominis smi conservaret illaesam, Propterea audit sibi juberi a domino, ut relicta Italia ad Gallias tenderet et verbi divini pennam longe lateque spargeret ac sanctae conversationis exempla cunctis praeberet, Commonetur etiam nequaquam esse fonnidandum auxilio praeveniente divino, prosperum fore iter et mercedem fidelis servi erogantis conservis mensuram tritici a domino recepturum, Igitur hoc spiritus sancti accepto responso pater Romanus convocatis fratribus sic eos allocutus est: fratres et amici mei, dulce lumen oculorum meorum maximumque pignus mei amoris et gaudium, audite me Christi servum, sanctae fraternitatis vestrae commilitonem et socium. Cernitis, quibus mundus malis premitur, quibus cladibus perurgetur, ubique enim luctus, ubique pavor et plurima mortis imago; non haec casu, sed manifestissima Dei ira contingunt, Peccatis enim hominum Dei patientia exacerbata versa est in furorem, mansuetudo est in severitatem mutata a Deo, ut mirum sit, quod adhuc tolerat leviora peccatoribus inferens, quam merentur, et non sicut quondam Sodomitas et Gomorreos, it nunc sceleribus plenam terram imbribus exurat fulmineis. Cum haec ita sint, fratres, non debemus de mundi percussionibus dolere, quem scimus ipsi suis percussionibus interire. Vita enün alia a Christo promissa est, cujus duratio inconvulsa atque immobilis permanet finis ignara, doloris nescia, in qua gaudium est et epulatio, ubi beata immortalitas et immortalis beatitudo, ubi aeterna securitas et secura regnat aeternitas, Hanc exspectantes adversa seculi non debemus pavescere, sed magis appropinquantem noslram redemtionem exhilaratis cordibus exspectare.
Me si Deus meo voto agere et secundum menm velle vivere sineret, optaveram, sanctissimi fratres, vobiscum omnia saeculi discrimina perferre, quaecumque prospera, quaecumque adversa contigissent, in tolerato vobiscum robore sustinere et simul patienter vivere simulque delectabiliter mori. Sed quia non est in hominis potestate via ejus, sed in illius, qui magna tranquillitate disponit omnia, quaeso, ne me retinere velitis. Deus praecepit, ut pergamus ad Gallias, parere debemus, eundum est; vos oro, ut mei benigne memores sitis, quia et ego, dum spiritus hoo luteum. inhabitando vasculum vegetaverit, vos in corde meo et in visceribus meis, prout fas est et decet, semper habebo. Deus autem omnipotens vos sancta sua cnstodia circumvallet atque a praesenti saeculo nequam ereptos salvos faciat in regnum suum coeleste concedatque mihi exiguo et humili vos in illa beata vita sine confusione videre. Haec dicens beatus pater Romanus et valefaciens iis profectus est ac relicta Italia Galliam ingressus pervenit tandem in pagum Antissiodorensem in locum, qui fons rogus appellatur, ubi aliquanto tempore commoratus favente domino monasterium statuit ibique domino auxiliante plurimos a saeculi vanitate conversos ad quietem et sobria conversationem monitis simul et exemplis provocatos adduxit. Quo loco habetur basilica ejus nomine titulata, quam miraculorum, quae per eum dominus ad laudem nominis sui operatur, privilegio nobiliter insignivit. Tempore antem vitae suae expleto beatissimus Romanus Dei omnipotentis famulus post gloriosam et plenam virtutibus vitam, post innumeram multitudinem vitae aeternae acquisitam ac miraculorum multorum perpetrationem consummato viriliter monasticae professionis curriculo et dudum exoptato transitu felici coelestia captans, terrena derelinquens pridie calendas Martii migravit ad dominum, Sepultus vero est in ipsa sua basilica a fratribus suis et in eodem loco beati viri corpus per aliquot annos digna veneratione servatum est.
Verum quia inconveniens et damnosum erat, sacratissimi corporis thesaurum diu in loco minus celebri minusque noto latere, crescente fidelium devotione corpus beati viri de loco primariae sepulturae ad urbem Antissiodorum et in ecclesia sancti Amatoris honorifice conditum est. Postremo denique post aliquot annos cum odis ac lampadibus ac divinorum hymnorum melodia ad coenobium beati Germani ejusdem urbis quondam pontificis miraculis coruscantibus deportatum est atque honorifice collatum est per gratiam domini nostri Jesu Christi, cui sit honor et gratia per infinita saeculorum saecula, Amen.
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