Blessed Gerard

With his experience of the world and his rare qualities, he was the support and true lieutenant of the illu strious founder of Cla fondateur de Clairvaux Abbot of Clairvaux and spiritual master of Raoul. irvaux. The latter entrusted him with the office of cellarer, which he discharged with great prudence. He was a model of regularity, fervor, and penance in the monastery; he was so devoted and so charitable that he would joyfully suffer from lacking necessities when the religious were provided for.

His devotion was manifested primarily toward his brother: he wished to accompany him on his travels in Italy and take part in all his labors. In 1137, he fell ill in Viterbo, and his conditi Viterbo City in Italy where Gerard fell ill. on became desperate. "It seemed to me," says Saint Bernard, "that the time had come when God wished to call him back to Himself. I could not bring myself to lose in a foreign land this sweet companion of my journey, and desiring ardently to bring him back to those who had entrusted him to me, for everyone loved him and he deserved to be loved by everyone, I began to pray and to groan, and I said to God: Lord, wait until the return, wait until I have brought him back to his friends, to his brothers."

The prayer of Saint Bernard was answered; his brother was able to return t Clairvaux Cistercian monastery where Gerard lived and died. o Clairvaux; but he fell ill there a second time, and prepared himself joyfully to die. Provided with the holy Viaticum and attentive to the sight of his Master, in the middle of the last night, with a serene face and a voice full of joy, he suddenly intoned, to the great surprise of those present, this verse of the psalm: 'Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights.' — 'At that moment already,' said Saint Bernard, 'it was day for you, O my brother, despite the night, and this night was all luminous for you. I was called to see a man rejoicing in death. I had no sooner arrived near the dying man than I heard him pronounce in a loud voice these last words of the psalmist: 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit'; then, turning toward me, he said to me with a smile: 'What goodness God has to be the Father of men, and what glory for men to be the children of God!' It is thus that he whom we mourn died, and I confess that he almost changed my affliction into rejoicing, so much did his happiness make me forget my misery.'

After the reconstruction of the abbey, the body of the Blessed Gerard was exhumed in 1148 and buried next to that of Saint Bernard, near the walls of the choir of the new church.

We have compiled this summary from the Life provided by the Abbé Duplus in the Life of the Saints of the Diocese of Dijon.

## SUPPLEMENT

SAINT URBAN I, POPE

In the notice we provided for Saint Urban on May 25, we were content to say: "The parish church of Saint-Urbain, diocese of Langres, is very rich in holy relics." Having received, during the printing of this volume, complete archaeological and hagiographical documents on this parish, we hasten to devote a few pages to them.

We owe the precious notes that follow to the kindness of Father Morel, parish priest of Saint-Urbain.

ARCHIVES OF THE PA RISH OF S.-URBA M. l'abbé Morel Parish priest of Saint-Urbain and source of hagiographic documents. IN, IN THE DIOCESE OF LANGRES

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

1° Life and martyrdom of Saint Urban I, pope; 2° Life of Pope Urban IV, born in Troyes; 3° Account, by the monk Eric, a religious at the monastery of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre, of the translation of the relics of Saint Urban, from Rome to Auxerre, and an account of the numerous miracles performed on this occasion; 4° Account of the translation, by Erchenraüs, bishop of Châlons, of the relics of Saint Urban from Auxerre to the abbey of Saint-Urbain, in the diocese of Châlons; 5° Translation of the relics of Saint Menehould, by Er chenraüs, from B sainte Menehould Saint whose relics are preserved at Saint-Urbain. ienville to the monastery of Saint-Urbain; 6° Gifts of some parts of the relics of Saint Menehould to other places, particularly to the town that bears her name; 7° Miracle performed by the intercession of Saint Menehould at Mirecourt; 8° Account of numerous miracles performed by Saint Urban since the arrival of his relics in the region; 9° Preservation of the reliquaries during various times of war; 10° Preservation of the same during the Revolution of 1793; 11° Official reports of the recognition of the holy relics at remote times, and the last time on September 11, 1866.

SUPPLEMENT. — MAY 25. Pilgrimage. Formerly, the pilgrimage of Saint Urbain was famous. We have proof of this in the history of miracles performed on the sick, many of whom had come from very distant lands. This pilgrimage has ceased. But in times of calamity, the shrines continue to be exposed for nine days. This novena is concluded by a solemn procession of the shrines. This procession travels about two kilometers to the old chapel of Saint-Urbain, near the Marne bridge. The inhabitants of the neighboring regions come to these processions in great numbers. Saint-Urbain Path. To the east of this chapel, about a kilometer away, in the middle of the hillside covered with vines, stands a cross known as the Saint-Urbain cross. Now, from the chapel to this cross, in certain years, one can see a direct line, about a meter wide. Along this entire line, the cereals and other plants have a shade that they do not have to the right or to the left. To notice it, one must be at a little distance. This is what is called the Saint-Urbain Path. It has not yet been possible to explain it naturally. Its appearance announces the protection of the Saint. Its disappearance is a sign of misfortune. The Saint is abandoning us, say the inhabitants. According to tradition, the Saint appeared during the night, following this direction, in pontifical vestments, accompanied by lit torches. Great Saint, revive our faith.

TREASURY OF RELICS.

The treasury of relics of the parish of Saint-Urbain consists of six reliquaries, including four shrines and two busts.

Head composed of eight parts: frontal, two parietals, occipital, two temporals, two fragments of the sphenoid, no. 1; — two tibiae, no. 2; — a lower half of the humerus, no. 3; — two iliac bones, nos. 4 and 5; — a half-rib from the upper region of the thorax, no. 6; — a small molar contained in a crystal tube sealed at both ends, no. 7.

These bones rest on a cushion of watered red silk, under which is enclosed the old primitive shroud and the second one mentioned in the 1666 report, as well as the cloth mentioned in the same report, and finally a thread cord found in the shrine at the last opening that was made of it.

Two femurs, one complete, no. 1, and the other missing the upper third, no. 2; — a right radius, no. 6; — a left fibula, no. 5; — a bone fragment appearing to belong to the ulna missing its two ends, no. 7; — two clavicles, nos. 10 and 18; — a sacrum missing its left part, no. 16; — five vertebrae belonging to different regions, no. 14; — two astragali, nos. 3 and 4; — a left calcaneum, no. 8; — a bone fragment appearing to belong to the tarsal region, no. 1; — fifteen rib fragments, no. 12; — four metacarpals and two phalanges, no. 13; — a large molar, no. 17; — four vertebra fragments, no. 15; — three other small fragments, no. 19. (In all forty-four pieces.)

These bones rest on a cushion of plain white silk under which is enclosed the white silk mentioned in the 1701 report.

Head composed of half of the frontal, the two parietals, a fairly small portion of the occipital, the right temporal, no. 1; — two femurs, both missing their lower extremity, nos. 3 and 3; — a left tibia, no. 4; — a third of a tibia, no. 5; — a radius, no. 7; — an ulna, no. 6; — a left fragment of the lower jaw, no. 2; — a half-rib, no. 8. (In all fourteen pieces.)

In the same tomb, the following bones of Saint Amand: Two femurs, nos. 1 and 1; — a half of the left iliac bone, no. 2; — then: a right humerus and ulna, nos. 1 and 2, which must have come from another saint; for they were enclosed separately. (In all five pieces.)

SAINT URBAN I, POPE. 643

These bones rest on a cushion of damask red silk, under which is enclosed the old red shroud mentioned in the ancient reports.

## IV. — SHRINE CALLED TREASURY.

### Second group.

Parcel of Saint Claire of the Saint-Mont, no. 19; — sancti Perini, no. 1; — sancti Hydolphi, no. 3; — de sancto Arnulpho, no. 28; — sancti Ninati, no. 12; — sancti Aratoris, no. 22; — bones (illegible inscription), no. 31; — sancti Lucii, no. 11; — sancti Viti, no. 6; — sancti Memmii and sancte Pome, no. 4; — sancti Theobaldi, no. 7.

All these bones are wrapped in watered white silk.

### Third group.

Sancte Theodosie V. and M., no. 2; — sancte Illuminate, no. 35; — sancti Impocentii, no. 16; — sancti Epiphanii Ep., no. 50; — sancti Arthemii Ep., no. 49.

All these bones are wrapped in watered white silk.

### Fourth group.

Sancti Placidi, no. 36; — sancti Laureati, no. 34; — sancti Desiderii, nos. 49, 2; — de capsa sancti Sacerdotis; reliquiae sancti Amandi Egisc.

All these relics are wrapped in watered white silk.

### Fifth group.

De sepolchro D. N. J.-C., no. 10; — de terra sepolchri D. N. J.-C., nos. 49, 3; — various altars, no. 4; — leaves of the rosebush of Saint Benedict, no. 15; — taffeta from the body of Saint Airy, Bishop of Verdun, no. 32; — shroud of the hand of Saint Catherine, no. 20; — sancti Remigii de tunica, no. 13; — powder of Suklae, no. 15; — wood of Our Lady of Montescu, no. 25; — from the headboard of Saint Bernard, no. 27; — heart of Our Lady of Foy, no. 20; — linen in which the body of Saint Helena was wrapped; — from the staircase of Saint Alexis, no. 26; — from the shrine and shroud of Saint Benedict, no. 46; — shroud that touched that of Besançon.

All these objects of devotion and piety are wrapped in watered white silk.

### Sixth group.

A small wooden box containing: stones, wood, some parcels of holy relics and Agnus Dei, a rosary bead that touched that of Saint Jeanne de Valois, etc.

As a souvenir: two fragments of large glass tubes that once served as reliquaries, and an oval in very beautiful rock crystal, allowing a figure of the Good Shepherd with an inscription to show through. This oval is one of the ornaments that once decorated the old shrine of Saint Urban.

In the same shrine, outside the box:

1° A group of bones bearing no. 1 and which contains: A left parietal, no. 2; — a fragment of acetabulum, no. 1; — two fissures in several fragments, nos. 3, 3, 4, 4; — two fragments of tibiae, nos. 7, 7; — an upper fragment of tibia, no. 6; — a fragment of a lower jaw and a fragment of a flat bone, nos. 9 and 11; — eight parcels of bones, nos. 8, 8, 4; — sancti Eleutherii m., no. 17; — sancti Bustlei m., no. 21; — sancti Justi de pulvere, no. 14; — sancti Nanisai de pulvere, no. 3.

All these bones are wrapped in watered violet silk; they were taken from the shrine of Saint Menehould, and in the 1781 report they are designated as follows: Item multa fragmenta reliquiarum incognitarum in quibus duo vel tria ossa notabilia sanctorum Bercharii et Anatoli.

2° A small cardboard box surrounded by a red silk ribbon with this inscription: Fragmenta reliquiarum sanctae Menehildis virginis, among which is a parcel of the veil of this Saint.

3° Six packets of fabrics that served to wrap the holy relics and each having their subscription.

SUPPLEMENT. — JUNE 1ST.

It contains a parcel of bone of Saint Urban extracted from the shrine of Saint Urban, with the inscription: S. Urbani, M. P.

It contains a parcel of bone of Saint Sacerdos, extracted from the shrine of the same Saint, and a small red silk bag containing a folded paper, with this inscription: Reliquiae et plures SS. Reliquiarum Ecclesiae sancti Urbani.

Authentics of the relics have been deposited in each of the shrines.

The present extract made and signed at Saint-Urbain by us, Henry-Claude-Hippolyte Morel, parish priest of the Saint-Etienne parish of Saint-Urbain, diocese of Langres, the eleventh of September eighteen hundred and seventy-two, to be addressed to Monsignor Paul Guérin, chamberlain of His Holiness Pius IX, author of the Petits Bollandistes, at Bar-le-Duc (Meuse).

MOREL H.