Hanc reuelacionem habuit domina Birgitta in ciuitate Ortone regni Neapolis. Cui Christus loquens certificat eam, quod ibi sunt reliquie corporis sancti Thome apostoli in altari, in quibus reliquiis et aliorum sanctorum suorum ipse delectatur suauissime, reputans eas suum preciosum thesaurum in terra, promittens magnum meritum et premium eas venerantibus cum deuocione debita.
The Treasure of the Saints
Christ reveals to Birgitta that the relics of his saints are his precious treasure on earth, specifically highlighting the presence of Saint Thomas in Ortona.
It seemed to one person, while keeping watch in prayer, that their heart was burning with divine love and was so full of spiritual joy that their very body felt as if it were failing from its own strength. Then they heard a voice saying to them: I am the Creator of all things, and the Redeemer. Know, then, that the joy you feel in your soul right now is a treasure of mine; for, as it is written, 'The Spirit blows where it wishes, and you hear its voice, but you don't know where it comes from or where it goes.'✦ I bestow this treasure upon my friends in many ways, through many different gifts. However, I want to tell you about another treasure that isn't in heaven yet, but is here on earth with you. This treasure is the relics and bodies of my friends. For truly, the bodies of my saints—whether they are decayed or fresh, or whether they have been turned into ash and dust or not—are most certainly my treasure. But you might ask: Since Scripture says, 'Where your treasure is, there your heart will be,' how then is my heart with this treasure—that is, with the relics of the saints?✦ I tell you: it is the greatest delight of my heart to reward those who visit the places of my saints and honor their relics—especially those who have been glorified by miracles and canonized by the supreme pontiffs—with eternal rewards, according to the devotion, faith, and labors of those who visit them. That is why my heart is where my treasure is. I want you to know for certain that my most precious treasure is here—the relics of my apostle Thomas. They aren't found in such great numbers, incorrupt and undivided, in any other place as they are on this altar. When the city where my apostle’s body was first laid was devastated, this treasure was, by my permission, moved by some of my friends to this city and placed upon this altar. Now, however, it lies here as if hidden, because the rulers of this land were disposed—before the body of the apostle arrived—just as it is written: “They have mouths, but they can’t speak; they have eyes, but they can’t see.” “They have ears, but they can’t hear.” “They have hands, but they can’t feel; they have feet, but they can’t walk,” and so on. How, then, could people who are so deeply and truly devoted to me, their God, offer the honor that is due to such a treasure? Therefore, anyone who loves me and my friends above all else—preferring to die rather than offend me in the slightest way, and possessing both the will and the authority to honor me and to instruct others—that person, whoever they may be, will exalt and honor my treasure, namely, the relics of this apostle of mine whom I have chosen and pre-chosen. Therefore, it should be stated and proclaimed as an absolute certainty that, just as the bodies of the apostles Peter and Paul are in Rome, so the relics of my apostle Thomas are in Ortona. The bride answered, "O Lord, didn't the princes of this kingdom have churches built and give great alms?" The Lord replied, "They have done many things and offered me great sums of money to appease me." Nevertheless, the alms of many of them were less pleasing and acceptable to me because their marriages were contracted against the statutes of the holy fathers. And although what the supreme pontiffs have permitted has been valid and binding, still, because their will was corrupt and set against the statutes of the Church, this must be examined and judged in my divine judgment.
The Discipline of Pilgrimage
Christ explains the spiritual purpose of the hardships Birgitta faced during her journey to Ortona, framing them as a means of divine consolation.
When the lady had gone to Ortona, it happened that she and her companions had to stand out in the open all night in the cold and heavy rain. Then, around dawn, Christ spoke: Tribulation comes to people for three reasons: either for greater humility, as King David was troubled; or for greater fear and caution, as with Sarah, the wife of Abraham, who was taken by the king; or for a person's greater consolation and honor. The same thing happened to you. I was the one who prompted the hearts of those you met not to go any further that day, but you refused to believe it; that is why you suffered what you did. So go into the city now, and my servant Thomas will give you what you desire. Once more, on the same subject. Christ appeared in Ortona and said, "I told you before that my apostle, Saint Thomas, was my treasure." This is certainly true. For Thomas himself is truly the light of the world, yet people love darkness more than light. Then Saint Thomas also appeared, saying, "I will give you the treasure you've longed for for so long." At that very moment, without anyone touching the reliquary of Saint Thomas, a small fragment of one of the blessed apostle's bones emerged from it. The lady received it with joy and kept it reverently. This same witness also testified that he was present and saw that when Lady Birgitta traveled to the city of Ortona in the Kingdom of Naples, along with those who were with her, to the place where the body of the blessed Apostle Thomas rests in its tomb, It happened then that they couldn't reach the aforementioned city that evening because the day was too short, so they spent the whole night out in the open. There was heavy snow and intense cold, for it was winter, to the point that the horses were nearly giving out. Around midnight, while wandering in the dark, the boys found a small brushwood hut where Lady Birgitta and a few others were waiting in good spirits until the first hour of the next day. Around dawn, Christ appeared and spoke to her, saying this common proverb: If you won't obey your mother, you'll have to obey a stepmother. I stirred up the minds of those who met you and told you that you wouldn't be able to reach the city tonight, and you refused to believe it. But there was a reason for it, because this will be for your greater consolation. Tribulation comes to people for three reasons: either to increase their fear and caution, as happened to Sarah, Abraham's wife, when she was taken by the king; or for the greater consolation of the person and the honor of God, just as many of my friends have been troubled and then consoled. Go into the city now, and you'll find consolation.
The Gift of the Apostle
The witness confirms Birgitta's account, culminating in the miraculous manifestation of a relic from the tomb of Saint Thomas.
The witness himself said, while speaking of this revelation, that he had heard it directly from Lady Birgitta at that very time. Then it happened that a bone miraculously emerged from the reliquary holding the body of the apostle Saint Thomas and appeared to Lady Birgitta, just as the witness himself said he had seen it happen.
Read the original Latin
Vni persone vigilanti in oracione videbatur, quod quasi cor suum esset ardens diuina caritate et totum plenum gaudio spirituali, quo ipsum corpus quasi deficiebat a viribus suis. Tunc audiuit vocem dicentem sibi:
"Ego sum creator omnium et redemptor. Scito igitur, quod tale gaudium, quale nunc sentis in anima tua, talis est thesaurus meus, quia, sicut scriptum est, 'Spiritus vbi vult spirat et vocem eius audis, sed nescis vnde veniat aut quo vadat'.
Istum autem thesaurum tribuo ego amicis meis multipharie multisque modis et multis donis. Verumptamen dicere tibi volo de alio thesauro, qui nondum est in celis sed est vobiscum in terra.
Hic thesaurus est reliquie et corpora amicorum meorum. Nam vere corpora sanctorum meorum, siue putrida sint vel recencia, siue conuersa sint in cinerem et puluerem siue non, ipsa sunt certissime thesaurus meus.
Sed querere poteris: Cum loquitur Scriptura 'Vbi thesaurus tuus, ibi est cor tuum', quomodo ergo est cor meum cum thesauro isto, scilicet cum reliquiis sanctorum?
Respondeo tibi: Summa delectacio cordis mei est omnibus visitantibus loca sanctorum meorum et honorantibus reliquias eorum, scilicet qui miraculis glorificati sunt et a summis pontificibus canonizati, retribuere eterna premia secundum voluntatem et fidem et labores visitancium ea. Ideo cor meum est cum thesauro meo.
Propterea scire te volo pro certissimo, quod in isto loco est thesaurus meus electissimus, scilicet reliquie sancti Thome apostoli mei, que in nullo loco sunt ita multe sicut in isto altari incorrupte et indiuise.
Nam cum illa ciuitas vastata esset, vbi primo corpus apostoli mei depositum fuit, tunc translatus est iste thesaurus permissione mea per quosdam amicos meos in hanc ciuitatem et positus in altari isto.
Nunc autem iacet hic quasi occultus, quia principes huius terre, antequam corpus apostoli huc veniret, erant dispositi sicut scriptum est:
'Os habent et non loquentur, oculos habent et non videbunt. Aures habent et non audient. Manus habent et non palpabunt, pedes habent et non ambulabunt' etc.
Quomodo igitur tales et taliter circa me Deum suum affecti impendere possent tali thesauro debitum honorem?
Ergo quicumque diligit me et amicos meos super omnia, mallens mori quam me in minimo offendere, habens eciam voluntatem et auctoritatem honorandi me et precipiendi aliis, hic talis quicumque fuerit, exaltabit et honorabit thesaurum meum, scilicet reliquias istius apostoli mei, quem ego elegi et preelegi.
Ideo dici et predicari debet pro certissimo, quod sicut corpora apostolorum Petri et Pauli sunt in Roma, sic reliquie sancti Thome apostoli mei sunt in Ortona."
Respondens autem sponsa dixit: "O Domine, numquid non principes regni huius edificari fecerunt ecclesias et fecerunt elemosinas magnas?"
Cui Dominus: "Fecerunt", inquit, "multa et optulerunt michi magna de ere ad placandum me. Verumptamen multorum de eis elemosine fuerunt michi minus delectabiles et acceptabiles propter coniugia eorum contra statuta sanctorum patrum copulata.
Et quamuis ea, que summi pontifices permiserunt, rata fuerunt et tenenda, tamen quia voluntas eorum corrupta fuit et nitebatur contra statuta Ecclesie, ideo hoc in iudicio meo diuino discuti et iudicari debet."
Cum domina iuisset Ortonam, contigit eam cum sociis suis tota nocte stare sub diuo in frigore et pluuia magna. Tunc circa auroram dixit Christus:
"Propter tria aduenit tribulacio hominibus: aut ad maiorem humilitatem, sicut rex Dauid tribulabatur, aut ad maiorem timorem et cautelam sicut Sara vxor Abrahe, que a rege sublata fuit, aut ad maiorem consolacionem hominis et honorem.
Sic et vobis contigit. Ego enim instigaui animos occurrencium vobis non procedere amplius illo die, sed noluistis credere; ideo passi estis, quod habuistis. Ideo ingrediemini nunc ciuitatem et famulus meus Thomas dabit vobis, quod concupiscitis."
Item de eodem. Apparuit Christus in Ortona dicens: "Dixi tibi prius, quod sanctus Thomas apostolus meus erat thesaurus meus. Hoc vtique verum est.
Nam ipse Thomas est vere lux mundi, sed homines magis diligunt tenebras quam lucem." Tunc eciam apparuit sanctus Thomas dicens: "Iam diu a te desideratum thesaurum dabo tibi."
Et in eodem momento nullo tangente de ipsa capsa reliquiarum sancti Thome prodiit vnum frusticulum vnius ossis beati Thome. Quod recipiens domina cum gaudio reuerenter conseruauit.
Item dixit iste testis loquens, quod presens fuit et vidit, quod, cum ipsa domina Birgitta versus ciuitatem Ortone regni Neapoli iuisset et ipsi alii cum ea, vbi corpus beati Thome apostoli conditum requiescit,
tunc contigit, quod illo sero ad prefatam ciuitatem non potuerunt accedere propter diei breuitatem sed tota nocte steterunt sub diuo.
Et nix maxima erat et frigus intensissimum, quia yems erat, quod eciam equi quasi deficiebant. 4 Pueri vero circueuntes in tenebris inuenerunt circa mediam noctem vnum paruulum tegurium sarmentorum, vbi sine lumine et igne domina Birgitta cum paucis stabat leta vsque ad horam primam sequentis diei.
Circa vero auroram Christus apparens loquebatur ei dicens commune prouerbium illud:
"'Qui non vult matri obedire, debet nouerce.' Ego instigaui animos illorum occurrencium vobis, qui vobis dixerunt, quod non possetis attingere ciuitatem hac nocte, et credere noluistis.
Sed tamen non sine causa fuit, quia hoc erit ad maiorem consolacionem vestram.
Nam propter tria aduenit tribulacio hominibus: aut ad maiorem timorem et cautelam, sicut Sara vxor Abrahe, que a rege capta fuit, aut ad maiorem consolacionem hominis et honorem Dei, sicut multi amici mei tribulati et consolati sunt.
Ingredimini igitur nunc ciuitatem et habebitis consolacionem."
Et hanc reuelacionem ipse testis loquens dixit se statim tunc audiuisse ab ipsa domina Birgitta.
Et tunc contigit, quod miraculose prodiit vnum os de capsa reliquiarum corporis sancti Thome apostoli et obtulit se eidem domine Birgitte, prout hoc ipse testis dixit se illud vidisse.
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