Saint Bertharius

Duke Waiofar, despite his vices, felt a deep veneration for Berthaire. For such was the sweetness and affability of the Saint that he drew to himself the affection of those among whom he lived, or at least forced them to respect his virtue. Berthaire had a nephew named Athalene. He was Athalène Nephew of Berthaire, deacon and companion in martyrdom. his sister's son, and he loved him particularly because he had held him himself at the sacred baptismal font and had given him the first teachings of the Catholic religion. Athalene had marvelously profited from his uncle's instructions. Good morals and purity of life had been his companions in study, and he added to all these fine qualities a truly filial affection for Saint Berthaire. Initiated into the study of the Holy Scriptures, he deserved to be admitted to the first degrees of holy orders and received the diaconate. It was then that Berthaire formed the pious design of making the pilgrimage to Rome and going to prostrate himself at the tomb of the Apostles with his nephew Athalene. Duke Waiofar made known his project to Duke Waiofar and asked him for permission to leave. "It is a difficult undertaking," the Duke told him; "such a long journey would be too arduous for you, and your absence would be even more painful for us. Stay, therefore, among us, and do not afflict us by leaving us." Berthaire replied that he had made a vow to undertake this pilgrimage and that he was determined to fulfill his promise. Waiofar then let him leave with his nephew, wishing them a safe journey.

The two pilgrims set out and headed first toward the city of Tours, to venerate the tomb of Saint Martin there. There, they prostrated themselves humbly before the relics of the great wonder-worker, imploring him with tears to obtain for them the forgiveness of their sins and to protect their journey. They then went to Orléans, where they devoutly visited the famous church of Sainte-Croix.

After these first visits and several others to the sanctuaries of Gaul, Berthaire and Athalène took the road to Italy and arrived at the borders of Burgundy. Their route had led them to the county of Port, which was part of Upper Burgundy. They stopped in a village called Manaore (today Menoux), not far from which lived a knight named Servat. This man was capable of every crime, and was known as a notor Servat Brigand knight and assassin of the two saints. ious thief and murderer. He infested the roads that crossed this country with his brigandage, and lived only on the loot he took from travelers. To facilitate his robberies, he had, among others, a servant named Agenulfe, even more wicked than his master. From the morning, Agenulfe would roam fa Agenulfe Servant of Servat, instigator of the crime. r and wide through all the neighboring places, seeking to identify if there was any good prey to seize; and, when he had made a discovery, he would immediately inform his master, who would take his measures to plunder the travelers.

Now, Agenulf was roaming the countryside, as was his custom, when he caught sight of Berthaire and Athalene. The two pilgrims had just left Menoux and had stopped near a spring to rest and let the donkey carrying their luggage graze. Agenulf saw them approach the fountain and pull a tin vessel from their bag, which they used to draw water. He believed this vessel was made of silver. Greed aided his imagination; he persuaded himself that these travelers were wealthy merchants and that their suitcases were full of gold and silver. His plan was soon decided. He approached them, skillfully asked where they were coming from and where they were going, and appeared to take a genuine interest in their journey. "If you wish," he added, "I will procure for you suitable lodging for the night at my master's house." Berthaire and Athalene agreed, and soon arrived with Agenulf at the house of Servat. The latter's mother was there at that moment. Her name was Boblia, and she lived in a neighboring village calle Boblia Mother of Servat, a pious and hospitable woman. d Rosières, where a church stood in honor of the holy ma Rosières Site of the martyrdom of the two saints. rtyr Valerius. She was a commendable woman, known in the region for her kindness, her hospitality toward strangers, and her piety toward God. But, unfortunately, her examples had no influence on her son, and it would have been better for her, says the historian, to have been barren than to have given birth to a being as wicked as Servat.

Boblia welcomed the two pilgrims with joy and inquired with interest about the purpose of their journey. They replied that they came from Aquitaine, that they had left the court of Duke Waifer to go to Rome, and that one of them was a priest and the other a deacon. Boblia easily recognized, by the holiness of their speech, that they were true servants of God. As she had to return to Rosières, she invited them to come to her house the next day. However, because she knew the evil nature of her son, she took him aside and implored him to do no harm to these strangers. Servat promised; but greed was soon to prevail over filial respect.

The next day, which was a Sunday, the two Saints set out early in the morning to go to Rosières, probably to celebrate Mass in the church of Saint Valerius, while also paying the visit to Boblia that they had promised her. Agenulf, seeing them leave, went to find his master and, with fury in his soul, asked him why he was letting this prey escape. Servat claimed that he had promised his mother to spare them. "Your mother," replied Agenulf, "gave you pusillanimous advice. Must you, to obey her, lose such rich booty? Do you not see that these men are loaded with an enormous weight of gold and silver? Let us hasten, then, to pursue them before they have found an asylum against us in your mother's house."

The thirst for gold then stifled the weak feeling of pity that had risen in the heart of Servat. He immediately mounted his horse, as did Agenulfe, and they set off in full pursuit of the servants of God. Berthaire caught sight of them and soon understood that his friends of the day before had become his cruelest enemies. "My beloved son," he said to Athalène, "let us flee, if it is possible, not only to escape death, but also to spare these men from a crime."

Athalène, who had all the vigor of youth, wanted to engage in a struggle and defend himself. Lacking weapons, he tore an ash stake from a nearby hedge and set about resisting vigorously. But Berthaire, understanding that such a struggle would be useless, said to him: "I implore you, in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, do not raise your arm against them. Throw this stake to the ground and resign yourself to martyrdom. God preserve us from staining with the shedding of blood a journey undertaken out of devotion. He who commands us to possess our souls in patience will sanctify the death that we endure in the accomplishment of a work of piety." Athalène then planted his stake in the ground and waited.

The two brigands arrived with swords in hand, and, after killing the pious travelers, they set about stripping them. But they found in their suitcase only priestly vestments, a copy of Genesis, a Missal, and the Acts of Saint Eugenia. There was neither gold nor silver, nor a ny of the precious obje Actes de sainte Eugénie Hagiographic book found in the saints' luggage. cts they hoped to find there. Then spite, confusion, and even terror took hold of them. They feared that Count Galeman, who was then in Burgundy at the head of King Pepin's troops, might come to learn of this crime and punish the guilty. Fearing also that the clerical tonsure of the two victims might occasion more scrupulous investigations and more severe punishments, they cut off the two heads and threw them into the river called the Lantenne, in a place that the local inhabitants called Artimus.

On the same day, a fisherman from the village of Bourguignon went down the course of the Lantenne to cast his nets, and arrived at the place where the two heads of the Saints were floating. He caught sight of them, and this sight filled him with such stupor that he first rushed to the shore and began to run with all his might. However, when his initial emotion had passed, he wanted to know the cause of all this, and, getting back into his boat, he made the sign of the cross and gathered the two heads in his nets. When he saw that they were adorned with the tonsure, he carried them with respect to the village of Bourguignon. Meanwhile, the news of the death of the two Saints had already spread through the country. Their trunks had been seen lying on the ground near Rosières. The inhabitants of Bourguignon then placed the two heads in small wicker baskets, carried them back to the place where the corpses lay, and placed each one next to the body to which it belonged.

Faverney was not far from the place where the crime had been committed. This town was then the most important center of this region. It was a castrum, that is to say, a fortified place, surrounded by walls bathed by the waters of the Lantenne. A monastery of women, whose church was under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin, stood in the middle o f the town. Sainte Gude Abbess of Faverney. Saint Gude was its abbess. When she learned of the murder that had taken place, she ordered the priests and clerics who lived in Faverney to go with her to the place where these dead rested, in order to transport them to the abbey, if possible.

They placed the bodies of the Martyrs in a coffin, and, having placed them on their shoulders, they wanted to set off. But a supernatural force rendered them immobile to the point that, despite their efforts, they could not take a single step forward. At the sight of this prodigy, the will of heaven was understood, and the two Saints were buried at the very place where they had received death, around the year 764.

## CULT AND RELICS. As soon as our two Saints were buried, a sort of wooden chapel was provisionally built to cover and protect their venerable remains. Later, the Abbot of Luxeuil, Buzen, and the Archb ishop o Luxeuil Abbey founded by Saint Columbanus and blessed by Saint Nicetius. f Besançon traveled to the place where the Martyrs rested, and, after the customary inquiries, recognized that God had already glorified His servants through several miracles, and raised an altar dedicated to the Virgin near their tomb. From that day on, this place became a sanctuary illustrated by a great number of miracles. The infirm of every kind traveled there from neighboring places to obtain their healing. Near the chapel was the stake planted in the ground by Athalene, which had grown into a large ash tree. Those who suffered from toothaches would take the leaves of this tree and cover their heads with them. This, it is said, was enough to calm their pain immediately. As it was the custom at that time to give the title of martyr to all saints who died a violent death, even for a cause unrelated to religion, Berthaire and Athalene were honored under this title. The place where they were buried was surrounded by a thick forest. At first, only a wooden chapel had been built there, to which the people nevertheless flocked in crowds, attracted by the miracles that took place there. Later, this oratory was torn down, and in its place rose an elegant stone edifice, surrounded by a cemetery, from which an abundant spring flowed.

The author of their life reports that their relics were later transported to the village of Saint-Lideric.

But there is nothing more precise regarding this first translation. We see from other testimonies that the relics of Saints Berthaire and Athalène were kept and honored at Florival, in the Duchy of Luxembourg. This is what Chastelain says in his universal martyrology, and what the Hollandiales have confirmed through authentic testimonies. These two Saints were also honored at Brunéville, in the diocese of Toul. An ancient manuscript copy of the martyrology of Unard mentions them on July 6. P.-F. Chillet also cites the martyrology of Luxeuil, which indicates their feast for the same day. Their feast has long been in use in the diocese of Besançon, where their feast is celebrated on July 3, under the semi-double rite.

We have extracted this biography from the Life of the Saints of Franche-Comté, by the Professors of the Saint-François-Xavier College of Besançon, and from the Acta Sanctorum.