Saint Vinebault

Vinebault Vinebault Shepherd in Champagne, known for his miracles related to water and juniper. lived in the territory of Vill eneuve-la-Lionne and Villeneuve-la-Lionne Place of residence, burial, and pilgrimage of Saint Vinebault. tended the oxen. As he greatly desired to be educated, he went to the school at La Fer té-Gaucher, whic la Ferté-Gaucher Place where Vinebault went to school. h is at a distance of two leagues. One day, during his absence, his oxen caused some damage in the fields of Le Vézier le Vézier Territory where Vinebault was mistreated and which he cursed. . The inhabitants called out loudly for Vinebault to come and watch his oxen. Vinebault heard their voices and said to his master: "The people of Le Vézier are calling me; let me go." His master replied: "But I hear nothing. Moreover, there is too great a distance from here to Le Vézier to be able to hear the voices of the inhabitants." Vinebault added: "You will see that I am not mistaken." At the same time, he placed his foot upon his master's; the master then heard as he did and let him go. But when Vinebault arrived in the territory of Le Vézier, the inhabitants, furious with him, seized him and whipped him harshly with juniper. He endured this mistreatment without complaining; he only declared that juniper would never grow on the territory of Grands-Bayeux, Le Vézier, and Villeneuve-la-Lionne. Indeed, since that time, not a single plant can be found there, while it is in abundance in all the surrounding lands.

Another remarkable trait of Vinebault is still recounted. He was descending the hill of Villeneuve-la-Lionne to lead his oxen to drink at the river. He met a woman who was bringing back water from the river, and, wishing to test her, he asked her to give some to his oxen; but she replied that she had not gone so far to fetch it to give to his cattle, and that he could well lead them himself to the river, where they would have as much as they wanted. Vinebault said nothing and continued on his way. Halfway down the hill, he met another woman and made the same request; more obliging than the first, she gave water to the oxen. Then Vinebault stuck his staff into the ground and said to this woman: 'You will no longer go to fetch water further away, for here is a spring.' Indeed, an abundant, very healthy water gushed forth instantly, which still has the virtue of curing fever. But Saint Vinebault wishes for this fountain to be respected.

During the great revolution of 1793, when everything was being profaned, some wanted to wash children's linens there, and immediately the fountain dried up. It reappeared later, when people no longer allowed themselves to soil it. Recently, two years ago, some ventured to do laundry there, and it dried up again. Then it was forbidden to wash linens there, and the water returned. Now a washhouse has been built lower down, and the water is still very abundant.

Vinebault ended a life of good works and penance with a death precious before God. He was buried at Villeneuve-la-Lionne. His tomb became famous for the miracles that occurred there. A chapel was built over his tomb, and the statue of the Saint was placed there: the door is never locked so as to allow all those who wish to enter. When one tries to close it, the next day it is found open. Several attempts were made to transfer the Saint's statue to the church; but a few days later, it was in the bottom of the valley, so that it was necessary to leave it in the chapel which is in the cemetery.

Jo hn w Jean Calligrapher who became Bishop of Naples in the 9th century. as born in the countryside and in the most extreme poverty. This did not prevent God from reaching down so low to raise him up very high, and in a manner singular enough to deserve being recounted. Having become learned through charity, he embraced the profession of public scribe to make a living: our John the Scribe was a true calligrapher; t Jean l'Écrivain Calligrapher who became Bishop of Naples in the 9th century. hus, work soon abounded in his shop. But, as he was as holy as he was learned, his virtue soon made more noise than his talent. The Church, which has always sought merit wherever it may be found, wished to enlist John among its ministers, and he was a deacon when the governor of Naples, a quarrelsome man if ever there was one, came to fall out with the bishop of the city, named Tiberius. This governor, whose name was Bon—a name that clashed with his character—had the bishop, who had the misfortune of displeasing him, thrown into a dungeon and overwhelmed him with all sorts of miseries. He did not stop there: he wanted to have him replaced, summoned the electors, and presented his official candidate to them. This candidate, who happened to be John, gathered all the votes. But in the eyes of our Saint, this election was as uncanonical as could be: thus, he went into hiding. The governor had him searched for and brought before him: "Why do you not subscribe to the choice that has been made of you for the see of Naples?" — "Because he who occupies it still lives." — "Think nothing of it. I shall have him released."

John thus found himself placed between the alternative of causing, by his refusal, the death of his pastor whom he loved and venerated, or of transgressing a law of discipline: on both sides, it was a precipice. Into which to fall? Natural law commanded him to do everything to save the life of a child of God. He asked for permission to go and confer with Tiberius in his prison: which was granted to him. Tiberius, who knew how devoid of all ambition John was, advised him to accept in the meantime. Eighteen months later, the governor Bon died; but his immediate successor did not yet wish to grant the release of Tiberius to John's prayers: God permitted that he should depart from this world six months after his installation, and the new governor had nothing more pressing to do than to return the father to his son. But a long and harsh captivity had exhausted the strength of Tiberius: he saw the light again only to close his eyes to it. Two days before his death, he summoned the clergy and the people, had himself seated on the episcopal throne, and there, delivered the eulogy of John, who had been the consolation of his captivity. He recommended that he be recognized as bishop and prayed everyone to attest to the sovereign Pontiff that he was in no way a usurper. Indeed, Pope Gregory IV pape Grégoire IV Pope who instituted the feast of All Saints in France in 837. , to whom the matter was referred, found nothing to object to after investigations and even had John come to Rome, where he consecrated him with his own hands (842).

Ten years later, on the eve of Easter in the year 853, he died full of merits, and while his soul took the path to heaven, his body was carried with great pomp into the church of Saint Januarius, escorted by the neophytes, baptized the day before and still wearing their white robes.

It is sai d that Saint Paulinu saint Paulin de Nole Spiritual father of Melania and Pinianus. s of Nola came to signify to John that he must leave our poor world, and that is why his feast is celebrated on June 22, the day of Saint Paulinus's feast, although he died on April 1.

Acta Sanctorum, new translation.