Saint Severinus of Agaune

Severin soon made himself so remarkable through extraordinary fasts and abstinences, through continual prayers, and above all through an ardent charity, that he was elected abbot of this community, a kind of parish where men and women lived in separate cells, bearing the yoke of celibacy freely and without solemn vows. He governed them with the greatest wisdom, being the first less by command than by example, for he always walked before all others on the path to heaven.

As God had favored him with the gift of miracles, he performed a great number of supernatural healings that soon caused his fame to fly to the most distant provinces, particularly to the court of Clovis, King of France. This prince had for some time been suffering from a fever that was consuming him, without all of medicine being able to provide any remedy or even any relief. Informed by Tranquillin, one of his physicians, that this illness was incurable by human remedies; and instructed, moreover, by fame of the miracles that Severin, the great abbo t of Saint-Maurice, was perfor le grand abbé de Saint-Maurice Abbot of Saint-Maurice d'Agaune and thaumaturge. ming, and of the healings he had already accomplished, he sent for him to beg him to come and see him. Saint Severin could not resist this desire of the king, especially because, a few days earlier, God had made known to him, by revelation, that He wished to withdraw him from this world, and that he would die in a country other than his own. His religious and spiritual children, seeing this resolution of their holy abbot, employed all their prayers to prevent this departure, which was going to separate them forever from his pleasant company; but the love of God triumphed in him over all other affections and strengthened him like a true son of Abraham: he obeyed the voice of heaven, which commanded him to leave the place of his birth to go to another that he did not know. He made his way through Burgundy, and, passing through the city of Nevers, he learned from his hosts that Bishop Eul l'évêque Eulade Bishop of Nevers healed by Severinus. adius had been confined to his bed for a year, with severe pains, and that he was deprived of the use of speech and hearing. Our holy traveler asked to see him, and, after a long and fervent prayer that he made beside him, he commanded him to speak, and immediately the mute man uttered these words: "May the name of the Lord be blessed for all ages, He who has shown me mercy through you!" Then Severin, taking him by the hand, said to him: "Servant of God, rise in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has chastised you to save you, and has afflicted you to crown you. Today you shall celebrate with me at the holy altar, and, according to custom, you shall bless your people." The bishop rose, went down to the church, and offered the holy sacrifice of the Mass with Saint Severin; afterwards, both spent the whole day in acts of thanksgiving and praise to the Almighty, who thus renders Himself admirable in His Saints, by healing one Saint through another Saint; for Bishop Euladius is recognized in this capacity in his diocese, and the Martyrology of the Saints of France commemorates him on August 26.

The next day, the abbot took leave of the bishop, and, continuing his journey, he arrived in a short tim e at Paris Place of birth, ministry, and death of the saint. Paris. Meeting a deformed leper at the gate, he kissed him and healed him; everyone immediately broke out in acclamations and praises, which obliged the servant of God to withdraw to the church to offer his prayer. From there he went to the palace to find the king, and, prostrating himself on the ground, he made his orison with all those present, among whom was the holy queen Clotilde la sainte reine Clotilde Queen of the Franks and wife of Clovis, instrument of the conversion of France. ; then, rising, he covered the king with his monastic habit: at that very hour the fever ceased, and the king rose to give thanks to God for the benefit he had received through his servant Severinus. The whole court resounded with joy, and the king ordered a general procession in order to thank God for the grace he had just received. At the instance of the holy abbot, he set free all the prisoners of the city. This was the only reward that the Saint accepted for the good offices he had rendered to this prince.

Everyone, especially the king and queen, would have liked to keep this wonderful guest for a long time, who brought with him so many blessings, for he healed all kinds of sick people at court and in Paris; but the love of solitude that he always had in his heart made him think of his retreat: moreover, he had received from heaven the assurance that he would soon leave the earth to go and enjoy God. He therefore took leave of the king, the queen, and the whole court, and, leaving Paris, he went near Château-Lando Château-Landon Place of the saint's retirement and death. n, in Gâtinais, diocese of Sens, where he retired to a small oratory built only of wood, which was administered by two holy priests named Paschasius and Ursicinus. No sooner had he entered it than, foreseeing the approach of his final hour, although no sign of death appeared in him, he prepared himself for it and armed himself with the weapons of the Christian, the sacraments of the Church, which he had these good priests bring to him. He commended to them his companion Faustus, who had followed him to France with his disciple Vitalis; and then, filled with graces and glorious from the victories he had won over the enemies of his salvation, he was called to heaven to receive the reward for all the beautiful deeds he had done during his life; which happened on February 11, 507. At the hour of his death, his room was filled with an extraordinary brightness, which clearly showed what path his blessed soul had taken upon leaving this world. The two priests, with his religious, lifted his body and buried it in that same oratory, which has since been illustrated by many miracles performed through his intercession.

Saint Severinus is represented: — 1st Flooded with the rays that descended from heaven at the moment of his death; — 2nd Healing King Clovis. — He is honored as patron in Château-Landon and in Paris. There still exists in the latter city a graceful church dedicated to him.