Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 6.3-5

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 6. On God’s Gratitude towards certain Prelates and other persons 

St. Ildephonsus

 3   The story of St Ildephonsus is no less remarkable. This great man succeeded the blessed Eugenius as Archbishop of Toledo and immediately set to work like a Saint in the worthy discharge of his pastoral ministry. It came to his attention that two perverse heretics had crossed over the Pyrenees, one of whom was called Pelagius and the other Theudius (or Helladius, according to some[1]). They began to sow cockle among the wheat, resurrecting the ancient blasphemies of Helvidius[2] which had been long buried along with their author. Fighting against them tooth and nail through his sermons and in his writings, he forced them to withdraw in shame, their reputations blackened with everlasting infamy. The Holy Virgin did not wait long before showing her heart felt thanks to him for his services[3].     

By virtue of a decree issued from the Council of Toledo, the whole of Spain commemorated the Angel Gabriel’s mission to the MOTHER OF GOD on the 18th of December each year. On this very day, the Virgin appeared to Ildephonsus after he had taken his seat before saying Matins. She was accompanied by a multitude of Blessed Spirits and she held in her hand the book that he had written a short while previously in defence of her virginity. She thanked him for this and as a sign of her gratitude she made him a present of a beautiful white chasuble. Rodrigo Ximénez , one of the successors of St Ildephonsus as Archbishop of Toledo, has recorded the words that she spoke to him: 

“Forasmuch as thou, with a firm faith and a pure conscience, hast girded thy loins with the cincture of virginity and, with lips blessed by the sweetness of divine grace, hast defended my virginity and placed a glorious image of it in the hearts of the faithful, I am pleased to present thee with this precious chasuble taken from the treasures of my beloved Son, so that vested thus 

gloriously in this life thou mayest wear it for the solemnities of my dear Son and for mine own.”

He went on to wear it as directed on the said feast days and after his death no one was presumptuous enough to wear it except for the unfortunate Sisbert, also Archbishop of Toledo. This bold and reckless Prelate decided to wear it in the year 690 and it was not long before he was made to pay for his presumption[4]. Soon after his fateful decision, he was convicted of the crime of lèse-majesté, being expelled from the See he had profaned and sent into exile. Sadly, the Church in Toledo held this precious garment for only fifty-seven years because in 714, Archbishop Urban decided to keep it safe from the sacrilegious hands of the Moors who were ravaging Spain and he moved it to Astorga. This was about three leagues distant from the site where King Fruela, some forty-one years later, built the city of Oviedo. Alfonso the Chaste, King of Castile (whom I mentioned earlier), later built the beautiful Church of San Salvador here and ordered the solemn translation of the Chasuble to his new Church where it is preserved to this day as a sure token of Our Lady’s love and affection.  

Footnotes

[1] Marina, Hist. Hispaniæ, lib. VI, c. 11, ad an. 957.

[2] Against the perpetual virginity of Our Blessed Lady.

[3] Joannes Vasæus, in Chronico Hispaniæ, ad an. 662 ; Trithemius, lib. de Script. Eccles. ; Baron., an. 675.

[4] Mariana, de Rebus Hispan., lib. VI, c. 18.

 4   Here is another truly remarkable story which the writers of the History of Spain say took place in the following year, even though Cixila (successor to St Ildephonsus in the See of Toledo) says it took place in the same year.  

The 9th of December, they write, is the feast day of the Blessed St Leocadia, a Virgin greatly revered throughout the whole of Spain. On this day, the Holy Archbishop was celebrating Mass in front of the tomb of this Virgin in the presence of the King and all the people. Suddenly, the stone lid which covered the tomb and which it would need more than thirty strong men to lift, moved of its own accord – to the utter astonishment of all those present. This was as nothing, however, when they saw Leocadia herself emerge from her tomb, walk straight to St Ildephonsus and take him gently by the hand, saying: 

“Ildephonsus, it is by means of thee that the Queen whom we serve in Heaven hath obtained victory over her enemies; and it is by thee that she liveth in the hearts and in the memories of her dear servants.”

What also brought astonishment and joy to all present, however, was the courage displayed by their holy Prelate who, without showing any signs of fear in the face of such an event, replied to St Leocadia that it was in fact through her that God was infinitely honoured and the whole of Spain ennobled in a way impossible to describe. After commending to her the King and all his household, together with the city and the people who felt such affection for her, he looked for something he could leave to posterity as a sign of this remarkable favour they had all been granted. When the King became aware of this, he took out a little knife that he carried on his person and handed it to St Ildephonsus who proceeded to cut off part of the veil covering the Virgin’s head. St Leocardia then quietly made her way back to her tomb and the stone lid returned to its original position. The piece of cloth cut from the veil of St Leocadia is preserved in the Treasury of the Church in Toledo, along with the King’s knife. Both items are solemnly brought out for display on the feast of St Leocadia in memory of what happened on that day. 

St Bonitus

 5   The sort of favour that I have just been describing was also granted to St Bonitus, Bishop of Clermont in Auvergne – but in a different manner and for very different reasons. The Holy Virgin wished this holy Prelate to know[1] how pleased she was with the remarkable devotion he had shown towards her.

One day he went into the Church of Saint-Michel which was full of people and he ensconced himself in a corner so that he could pray in peace and pour his heart out in the presence of God and her whom he deeply loved. He was so carried away by the sweet and tender feelings that flooded his heart that he did not notice that night had fallen and it was time to leave. When the sacristan came to close and lock the Church doors, God permitted him not to notice St Bonitus. When he realised that he was quite alone and that the Church was shut, he gave free rein to his emotions, his tears and his sighs. With a heart quite overcome, he was transported in raptures of love and was speaking wondrous things to the Queen of Heaven when she deigned to grace her faithful servant with her presence and appeared before him. I can picture her entering the Church accompanied by thousands of Angels and Saints intoning a truly celestial hymn in praise of her Son. Look at this blessed company surrounding the Altar and the Holy Virgin, their Queen, seated on an elevated throne that the Angels prepared for her.  In reply to the question asking who could offer the Mass, the MOTHER OF GOD replies that her dear friend and faithful servant Bonitus is not far away and he can be the Celebrant.  

If ever a humble soul was taken by surprise, then it was this holy Prelate who sought to hide close up against a pillar.  As if to show how He understood the feelings of His servant, God made the stone of the pillar seem to melt so that St Bonitus could hide inside. You can still see today where this took place. The Angels, however, were soon able to find him and they led him to the Holy Virgin who, after giving him encouragement, asked him to officiate in the presence of the Heavenly Court. He duly vested for Mass and as he began the celebration the musicians of the Chapel Royal gave their responses, the whole Church resounding with this celestial harmony. Once the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass had concluded, the Queen of Angels summoned her Chaplain and, having urged him to continue in her service, left him as a token of her friendship a chasuble that the Angels had brought with them and which he had worn when celebrating Mass. This can still be seen to this day in Clermont – but no one so far has been able to say what material was used to make it.

Footnotes

[1] In ejus Vita ab Illidio et Gallo, Episcopis Arveniensibus, conscripta, apud Surium, 15 Januarii.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor