Saint Marcellus of Die

Marcellus had been a deacon for only a few days when Saint Petronius died. The faithful and the clergy of Die, convinced of his holiness, immediately resolved to elect him to replace his brother. There were only a small number of people in the city who requested another prelate.

Their choice had fallen upon an intriguer who desired the episcopal dignity with as much ardor as Marcellus showed in avoiding it; for, as soon as our Saint learned that they wanted to make him bishop, he fled precipitously and went to hide in a neighboring mountain. He was discovered there after twelve days of active and incessant searching; the people seized him and brought him back to the city, while a few factious men gathered on the banks of the Drôme to abduct him as he passed.

The Saint had, in fact, to cross this river to return to Die, and could easily have fallen into their hands, but the numerous escort that accompanied him intimidated his enemies. They nevertheless went so far as to insult him; some even had the audacity to pursue him with stones. The Saint endured this affront with angelic patience, and contented himself with praying for them, until he entered the city, where his return excited true transports of joy.

It is quite commonly believed that the factious men who opposed his election were bribed by Gundioc, King of Burgundy, who, being an Arian, wanted to have an Arian priest like himself elec Gondiec, roi de Bourgogne King of Burgundy, of Arian confession, opponent of Marcellus. ted bishop of Die; but that Saint Mamertus, Archbishop of Vienne, hastened promptly to the scene, or dained Saint Marcellus, and thus p saint Mamert, archevêque de Vienne Archbishop of Vienne healed by Saint Aignan. revented the dire effects of an ambition supported by the power of this prince.

Be that as it may, "it seems that God only permitted the division of the inhabitants of Die in order to reunite them all more gloriously through a miracle," for, during the ceremony of the conse cration of S saint Marcel Bishop of Die in the 6th century, successor to his brother Petronius. aint Marcel, a dove suddenly appeared in the church, and, fluttering around the head of the new Prelate, followed him to the episcopal chair, which was regarded as a prodigy by which God attested to his innocence and ratified the choice that had been made of him. This fact is recorded in the prayer that was formerly recited in honor of the holy Bishop on the day of his feast, the 9th of April.

However, the Arians did not forgive the holy Prelate for the enthusiasm that his election had excited in the city; they stirred up violent persecutions against him and even managed to seize his person and lock him in a dungeon where he had to suffer all kinds of mistreatment; "but his torment was his glory and his honor, for he endured everything with great gentleness, patience, and peace."

Some time later, after Gendine had taken him from his prison to sen Gendine King of Burgundy, of Arian confession, opponent of Marcellus. d him into exile, the holy Bishop did not avenge himself for this new outrage except by healing, through his prayers, the son of his persecutor, whom a violent illness had already led to the gates of the tomb.

Disabused by this prodigy, the prince acknowledged his fault, recalled Saint Marcel, and had him conducted to Die, where he was received with such demonstrations of joy that his entry into this city was a true triumph.

From then on, the blessed Bishop was able to devote himself without reserve to the care of his flock. The ancient office, composed for his feast day, gives the highest praise to the wisdom of his conduct, his zeal, his piety, and all his episcopal v irtues. Saint Gregory o Saint Grégoire de Tours Bishop of Tours, contemporary historian, and friend of Palladius. f Tours calls him "a man of eminent holiness." The hymns that the church of Die once sang in his honor mark in particular several miracles "which made his name famous throughout the earth," and which are also mentioned in the Roman Martyrology.

It is asserted that before his death he wished to make a pilgrimage to Rome, and that, while returning to Die, he fell ill in the monastery of Saint-Maurice , not f Barjols Place of death and initial burial of the saint. ar from Barjols or Barjoux, in the diocese of Fréjus. He died, it is said, in the arms of the religious of this monastery, and was buried in their son corps Mortal remains of the saint, objects of veneration and desecration. church, where his body was preserved preciously for many long years. The collegiate church of Barjols took the title of Saint-Marcel, and even today he is the Patron of the parish.

In 1562, the heretics, having seized Barjols, devastated the church, burned the body of the holy Prelate, and scattered his ashes to the wind. Learning of this sacrilege, Pop e Pius IV, pape Pie IV Pope who authorized the cult of Conrad. to repair as much as possible the great loss that this church had just suffered, and so that it would continue to be visited by a great concourse of people, granted, by a perpetual concession, that truly penitent faithful who came to pray there on the first Sunday after Easter would obtain the grace of a plenary indulgence. But it was not just that the faithful of Die should be eternally deprived of the relics of their Pastor. At a time that is impossible to specify, a portion of the holy remains of Marcel was returned to his church of Die. The inhabitants of this city erected a magnificent tomb for him in their cathedral, and new wonders soon attracted many pilgrims there. Gregory of Tours says that the lamp, suspended before his tomb, was miraculously fueled by an oil that burned without being consumed and healed numerous illnesses. It was profaned by the Huguenots, who removed the holy body and burned it in the middle of the public square. This act of impious sacrilege raised the indignation of the faithful, who regarded Saint Marcel as one of their dearest protectors; but it did not alter their respect for his memory, nor the confidence they had in his powerful intercession. The church of Die always honored him with a solemn cult, and his feast, recently authorized by the sovereign pontiff Pius IX, is celebrated throughout the diocese of Valence on the 9th of the mon th of Pie IX Pope who canonized Josaphat in 1867. April. It is the same in Fréjus.

Before the wars of religion, there was in Die a monastery, a hospital, and a city gate under the name of Saint-Marcel. The monastery and the hospital were ruined, like all other religious establishments, in 1567. The gate still exists today. It is a triumphal arch, to which were added, in the Middle Ages, constructions that contrasted with what remains of this ancient edifice. The arch is of a very beautiful design: the underside is adorned with roses and festoons. The exterior facade is entirely plain; but the interior facade is adorned with a large ox head in the middle and a figure of a triton in relief on each side. There is no agreement on the time to which this monument dates back, nor on its purpose. Several connoisseurs attribute it to the reign of Augustus. Delacroix, Statistique du département de la Drôme, p. 480; Nudal, Hoging. de Valence.