Saint Galla of Valence

Full of these generous sentiments and henceforth sheltered from the solicitations of her family, Galle did not delay in binding herself more closely to God through a solemn commitment. She had made a vow of virginity in the silence of prayer, and she resolved to renew it before the altars and in the hands of the ministers of religion. The Bishop of Valence, to whom she shared this design, exhorted her greatly to fervor and wished to preside himself over the ceremony of her consecration; he invited several bishops who were then gathered in Valence, for reasons unknown, and it was in the midst of this venerable assembly that the young Virgin, surrounded by her weeping friends and relatives, renewed her vows and received the white veil, symbol of her innocence and her virginity.

Although thus vowed to the practice of religious virtues, Galle did not deem it appropriate to withdraw into solitude to live there in silence and contemplation; the Lord inspired in her the desire to remain in the midst of the world to edify it by her good works, and this is not the only example found in the first centuries of the Church of a vocation that may have its dangers, but which is only the more meritorious when one corresponds to it faithfully.

Our pious Virgin did not fail in hers. The exercise of prayer, the care of the poor, the visiting of churches, and the practices of penance, such was the way of life she led since her return to the bosom of her family. Her heart was so inflamed with such great love for Jesus Christ that she spent the greater part of the day and sometimes the entire night at the feet of the holy altars. Fervor made her forget the care of taking her food, and she usually remained without eating until nightfall. The unfortunate of all ages were her favorite friends; the author of her life does not fear to affirm that one could not tell of the alms and the help of every kind that she distributed to them continually. Charity has always been the favorite virtue of the Saints, and God has been pleased many times to authorize it through miracles. Our pious Virgin performed a great number of them, among which we shall cite a few. When she went to visit the sick poor, they welcomed her with such happiness that they often prostrated themselves at her feet, incessantly imploring, along with her alms, the help of her prayers; Galle, touched by their faith, prayed for them, and the sick were healed.

One day, one of the girls who served her went out to draw water, fell, and injured her chest so severely that all the people who witnessed it and had rushed to pick her up cried out that she was dead. Galle, who loved her dearly, having learned of the accident, began to weep and ordered the young girl's body to be brought to her, which was done at that very moment. As soon as she saw her, she began to pray; then, taking the already icy hands of the dead girl in her own, she cried out with that accent of faith that moves mountains: "Lord, heal her." Immediately the young girl rose perfectly healed, and all the witnesses of this prodigy glorified God, saying: "See what power the Lord has given to His servant."

Another time, a fire having broken out in a house neighboring the one where Galle lived, everyone ran to stop its progress. But the fire was spreading so rapidly that they already trembled for her dwelling. Galle fell to her knees, and she had barely begun her prayer when the flames, lowering and concentrating within the house they were devouring, suddenly extinguished themselves to the applause of a multitude of spectators stunned with admiration.

Some time later, the pious Virgin, going with her servants to a house where some good work called her, was insulted in the street by a man of the people who cried out: "Where do you think this woman, whom they call a saint, is going? Do not think that she has gone out for a motive of charity; she is running to crime, the wretch, she is lost in morals." Galle endured this affront without answering a single word, and as the fool continued to vomit a torrent of insults against her, he was suddenly seen to fall backward and writhe in horrible convulsions; God, to avenge the honor of His servant, having permitted him to be possessed by the demon.

Galle continued on her way, blessing the Lord, and when she had entered the house, a crowd of poor sick and infirm people presented themselves at the door, soliciting the help of her prayers. Among the number was a young child who was deaf and mute. As soon as Galle saw her, she raised her eyes to heaven and wept; then, taking a glass of water, she blessed it and gave it to her to drink; at that very moment, the young girl felt her tongue untied and her ears opened. She also healed, in the same place, several other sick people by making the sign of the cross on their foreheads.

However, the one who had insulted her still remained in the power of the demon; she found him in her path while returning home, and as soon as she saw him she began to weep, saying: 'Lord, have mercy on him, for he was created in your image; have mercy on him, I beseech you, for he was redeemed at the price of your blood.' Then, making the sign of the cross, she approached the possessed man and cried out: 'Unclean spirit, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, I command you to depart.' At these words, the demoniac who was rolling in the dust suddenly calmed down and was entirely delivered.

But of all the wonders performed by Saint Galle, the most famous is the one we are about to report on the faith of her historian, whose testimony is, moreover, in accordance with that of tradition.

Around the year 566, an army of Lombards, led by three of their dukes, crossed the Alps and advanced toward the upper Dauphiné. Emboldened by the hope of the booty promised by the occupation of this rich province, the barbarians divided into three corps of troops in order to invade it at several points at once. Rodan, the first duke, headed toward Grenoble; Zaban, the second, took the road to Die, and Aman, the third, marched toward Embrun. The latter was quite successful in his expedition, but the other two paid dearly for their audacity. Gontran, King of Burgundy, informed of the incursion of the barbarians, opposed them with the patrician Mommol, who was the most skillful warrior of his century. Mommol ran to meet Rodan, offered him battle near Grenoble, and defeated him. Rodan fled with only five hundred men and took the road to Valence, which he knew Zaban had been besieging for some days. Despite the number and the valor of the soldiers who were pressing it closely, the city defended itself quite valiantly; the entire population had in a way grouped behind the ramparts and was always ready to repel the enemy. Zaban, for his part, redoubled his ardor and courage; animated by a secret premonition of victory, he multiplied the assaults, he constantly attempted to scale the walls, he finally exhausted in every way the valor of the besieged, whose confidence was declining every day. Only one last effort was needed to make him master of the city. Already the barbarians were on the ramparts, the gates were opening, the streets were being invaded, when the inhabitants remembered that they had in their midst a thaumaturge, to whom God knew how to refuse nothing. Galle was then in prayer in the Basilica of Saint-Pierre, in Bourg-les-Valence. People ran to her in disorder, the crowd threw itself at her knees, crying: "Servant of the Lord, save us, we are all going to perish." — "Fear nothing," replied the pious Virgin, "Saint Peter will defend you." And she returned to her prayer.

"Suddenly," adds the historian who preserved for us the memory of this prodigy, "one saw in the air a multitude of birds of prey, which swooped down toward the barbarians, and a hail of stones which fell upon them miraculously." Run in pursuit of your enemies, cried Saint Galle, they are seized with terror; go and collect the spoils they have abandoned; b ut do them n sainte Galle Consecrated virgin of Valence in the 6th century, renowned for her miracles and the protection of her city. o harm, for the Lord has fought for you.

The crowd, astonished by this language, obeyed the servant of the Lord; it rushed toward the gates of the city, which it found deserted, and soon saw the barbarians fleeing in disorder, as if an entire army had followed them with swords at their backs. At this news, transports of joy erupted within the population, and all the hearts of the Valentinois merged in a common feeling of admiration and gratitude.

Saint Galle did not survive long after the miraculous deliverance of the city. As the people did not cease to publish her praises for several days, and the crowd constantly pressed around her dwelling to commend themselves to her prayers, her humility was alarmed, and, wishing to escape the applause of which she was the object, she besought the Lord to call her to Him. Then she said to the people: "My children, the day of my death has come, leave me alone with my God. You know how much I love you; the only thing I ask of you before I leave you forever is that when I have breathed my last, you bury my body carefully." At these words, all the people burst into tears; but Galle cried out: "Do not weep, my brothers, is it not high time that I return to God? Have I not lived long enough? I have been in the world for ninety years, so let me die and place all your trust in God."

The pious Virgin died, indeed, as she had predicted. Her death plunged the entire city into mourning and consternation; but the wonders by which God soon manifested the holiness of His servant consoled the people and transformed their sorrow into true joy. The funeral of Galle was a triumph rather than a funeral ceremony. Her body was solemnly transported from Bourg-les-Valence into the church of Saint-Étienne, where she was to be buried. The procession crossed the city amidst an immense gathering of spectators, who were already o ffering their holy p église Saint-Étienne Burial place of Saint Galla. rotectress a cult of veneration, love, and prayer, such as the Church is accustomed to authorize in favor of the greatest Saints. Several sick people had themselves placed on the threshold of their homes, others wished to touch the coffin, and their faith was rewarded by numerous healings. For several days, the church of Saint-Étienne was literally besieged by the people, and the tomb of the Saint, glorified by the most striking wonders, became, from that time on, a place of pilgrimage where the people of Valence received, throughout the centuries, all kinds of favors and blessings.

The modern diocese of Valence celebrates the feast of Saint Galle on November 16.