Lay Saints: The Noble and the Humble

14:9–11

ROYALS, RULERS

AND NOBLES

ONE

SAINT ADELAIDE

D. 999

THE history of St. Adelaide (Adelheid) is dominated by the tenth-century power struggle and intrigue of certain parties for control of the kingdom of Italy. Adelaide was born into this struggle, being the daughter of Rudolph II, king of Burgundy, who was at war with Hugh of Provence for the Italian crown. In 933 the rivals reached a peace agreement by which it was stipulated that Adelaide, the daughter of one rival, should marry Lothaire, the son of the other rival. Adelaide was then only two years old. Fourteen years later her brother, Conrad of Burgundy, arranged the marriage and thereby fulfilled the contract. This marriage produced one child, a daughter, who was named Emma.

As a result of this marriage, Adelaide’s husband, Lothaire, was considered the king of Italy. However, Berengarius, the marquis of Ivrea, came upon the scene and claimed the kingdom of Italy for himself. When Lothaire suddenly died in 950, it was suspected that he had been poisoned by Berengarius, who succeeded him. Berengarius then attempted to force the widow Adelaide to marry his son, Adalbert. When she refused, Berengarius treated her with brutality and kept her in almost solitary confinement in the Castle of Garda. From there she was rescued by a priest named Martin, who is said to have dug a subterranean passage by which she escaped. Adelaide remained concealed in the woods until her friend Alberto Uzzo, the duke of Canossa, heard of the rescue and conveyed her to his castle.

While this was taking place, the Italian nobles, having grown weary of Berengarius, invited Otto the Great of Germany to invade and seize the country for himself. Otto met little resistance and promptly defeated Berengarius. To consolidate his authority in Italy, Otto married Adelaide at Pavia in the year 951. Adelaide had been a widow for one year and was twenty years younger than Otto. Of Adelaide’s second marriage, five children were born: Otto II, Henry, Bruno and two daughters, who eventually became nuns.

Otto, it seems, had been married earlier to the daughter of Athelstan of England. Otto’s son by this marriage, Rudolph, was jealous of the influence of his stepmother and her children and became a source of friction and rebellion. In spite of this, the German people accepted the gentle Adelaide and held her in the highest regard.

Berengarius once again instigated trouble in Italy, and when he finally invaded the states of the Church, Pope John XII appealed to Otto for help. When Otto took his forces across the Alps, Berengarius retreated. In 962 Otto was crowned emperor at Rome. Little is related about Adelaide for the following ten years, until the death of Otto the Great in 973 and the succession of her son Otto II.

During the reign of her son, trouble once again brought Adelaide to prominence. Although Otto II had many worthy traits, he permitted his wife, Theophania, and other counselors to turn him against his mother. Some suspect that the daughter-in-law resented Adelaide because of the saint’s liberality to the poor. Because of the unpleasant atmosphere at court, Adelaide left and went to her brother, Conrad, at Vienna. She appealed to St. Majolus, abbot of Cluny, to effect a reconciliation. This was eventually brought about at Pavia—with her son asking pardon on his knees for his unkindness.

Trouble once more shadowed Adelaide when Otto II died and left as his successor his son, Otto III, who was then an infant. The child’s mother, Theophania, assumed the duties of regent. With her troublesome daughter-in-law in complete control and as yet unreconciled, Adelaide again left the court. When Theophania died suddenly in 991, Adelaide was recalled to serve as regent in her place.

Adelaide’s administration was dependent upon the wise guidance of Adalbert of Magdeburg, St. Majolus and St. Odilo of Cluny, who wrote about the saintly regent. These holy men reported that Adelaide was forgiving to her enemies and proved herself generous in her dealings. She founded and restored monasteries of monks and nuns, maintained a peaceful religious atmosphere at court, and was zealous in her attempts to convert the pagans of the northern and eastern frontiers.

When she was sixty-eight years of age, St. Adelaide died while on a journey to Burgundy to reconcile Rudolph III with his subjects. It was December 16, 999.

Although St. Adelaide is not mentioned in the Roman Martyrology, she is greatly revered in Germany, where her name appears on their calendars.

TWO

BLESSED AMADEUS IX

1435–1472

AMADEUS was the son of Duke Louis I of Savoy (now southeastern France) and Anne of Cyprus; he was born at Thonon in 1435. His grandfather, Amadeus VIII, was elected antipope in 1438 under the title of Felix IV, but he later renounced his claim and withdrew into the monastery of Ripaille, where he died.

While still an infant, Amadeus was betrothed to Yolande, daughter of Charles VII of France. It was hoped that through this alliance, peace between Savoy and France would be assured. In 1451, when Amadeus was sixteen, the marriage took place. The union proved to be a happy one, but of the couple’s four sons and two daughters, most died at an early age.

Bl. Amadeus was handsome, accomplished, and endowed with exceptional graces. Unfortunately, he was subject all his life to severe attacks of epilepsy, which at times completely prostrated and incapacitated him. Following these attacks he would tell his attendants, Why concern yourselves? Humiliations give access to the Kingdom of God.

In spite of this ailment, Bl. Amadeus was extremely austere in his private life and never excused himself because of his delicate health. He began every day with private meditation. He assisted at Holy Mass and received the sacraments more frequently than was customary.

With his wife and children, Amadeus lived a secluded and happy life in the Province of Brescia, which had been given to him as his portion. But when his father died in 1465, Amadeus was called upon to govern Savoy and Piedmont (now northwestern Italy). He proved to be a kind and just ruler. During his seven-year reign, he was successful in reducing bribery and in preventing the oppression of the poor by the rich. So solicitous was he of the poor, and so often did he champion their cause, that Duke Galeazzo of Milan once humorously remarked that, whereas in the rest of the world it was better to be rich than poor, in the duchy of Savoy it was the beggars who were favored and the rich who were less favorably dealt with.

Amadeus could not bring himself to refuse alms to anyone and is known to frequently have exhausted the contents of his purse. He once removed his jewelled collar, broke it into pieces and distributed the fragments.

On another occasion an ambassador was boasting of the numerous packs of hounds and the different breeds of dogs that were kept by his master for various forms of hunting. Amadeus listened patiently, then led the ambassador to a terrace outside the palace where beggars were eating at tables that had been set up for them. These are my packs and my hunting dogs, Amadeus remarked. It is with the help of these poor people that I chase after virtue and hunt for the Kingdom of Heaven. The ambassador observed that some were idlers, hypocrites, and undeserving. To this Amadeus replied, I would not judge them too severely lest God should judge me likewise and should withhold His blessing.

Amadeus abhorred blasphemy and would not retain in his service anyone who used profane language. He was liberal toward churches, paying their debt and contributing funds for their beautification. On the occasion of a visit to Rome, he made donations to nearly every church.

Through his wise administration Amadeus was able to pay the debts of his predecessors, and he provided dowries and lands for three of his sisters. Instead of his many charities being a strain on the treasury, through the grace of God the amount of treasury was actually increased.

Amadeus had a forgiving nature and bore malice to no one, even those who offended him. An example of this occurred when the duke of Milan, Francis Sforza, died and his son Galeazzo, in his haste to reach Milan quickly from Dauphiny, passed through Savoy incognito and was arrested when he was not recognized: Amadeus rescued him, treated him with honor and provided an escort to assist him in reaching Milan. But in spite of this kindness, Galeazzo was ungrateful enough to attack Amadeus’ troops. However, Amadeus brought the conflict to an end, gained Galeazzo’s friendship and even gave him his sister Bona in marriage.

Again, when his brothers rebelled against him on more than one occasion, Amadeus always forgave them and made excuses for them.

When his epileptic seizures became more numerous and undermined his health, Amadeus resigned the government into the hands of his wife. When his subjects rose in revolt, Amadeus was imprisoned. He was freed by King Louis XI of France, who was his brother-in-law. A few years later, when he was only thirty-seven years old, Amadeus knew his death was approaching when his affliction became extremely burdensome. To the sorrow of his subjects, he arranged for his burial in the Church of St. Eusebius of Vercelli and appointed his wife to serve as regent over the state and over his children.

Amadeus received the sacraments and died on Easter Monday, March 30, 1472 after instructing his children to be just, love the poor, and the Lord will give peace to your lands.

THREE

SAINT ARMOGASTES

D. 455

WHEN Genseric, king of the Vandals, renounced the Catholic faith which he had practiced from childhood, he set in motion a persecution against his subjects and those in his household who maintained allegiance to the Church.

Genseric’s son, Theodoric, had in his service Lord Armogastes, who was a loyal Christian. When Armogastes refused to submit, he was promptly stripped of his honors and the dignities of the court. He was also cruelly tortured. During his ordeal cords were bound around his head and legs, but these are said to have broken of their own accord when Armogastes made the Sign of the Cross. This happened several times, even though stouter cords were used each time. Finally he was suspended by one foot with his head hanging down, but he still refused to deny his faith.

Theodoric, who was as vindictive as his father, then considered putting Armogastes to death, but the Arian priests persuaded him to abandon the plan since the Christians would then have reason to honor Armogastes as a martyr. Instead, Armogastes was banished to Byzacena to work in the mines. To further humiliate this noble lord, who had enjoyed the honors and privileges of the court, he was sent to Carthage, where he was ordered to mind cattle.

Armogastes considered it an honor to be thus employed while remaining true to his faith. After a time, when Armogastes realized that his end was near, he prepared himself by penance and prayer to meet his Redeemer. He instructed a devout Christian named Felix concerning his place of burial. Armogastes died during the year 455, on the day he had predicted.

FOUR

SAINT BORIS AND

SAINT GLEB

D. 1015

STS. BORIS and Gleb were the sons of St. Vladimir, who is called the Baptizer of Russia, and of his Christian wife, Anna. Due to St. Vladimir’s previous marriages, Boris and Gleb had ten stepbrothers and two stepsisters. They claimed as their great-grandmother the great St. Olga, the first Russian noblewoman to receive baptism and the first Russian woman to be canonized.

Before his death, St. Vladimir had divided his territories among his twelve sons, keeping Kiev, the capital, for the eldest son, Svyatopolk. Boris received as his territory the little city of Rostov; Gleb received the city of Murom.

From their childhood the two younger sons of St. Vladimir were especially close to one another. Boris could read and write and had studied the lives of the saints. In obedience to his father’s wish, he was married at an early age and is known to have governed his territory with kindness and mercy.

The eldest brother, Svyatopolk, promptly earned the name The Accursed. Married to a daughter of the King of Poland, he is known to have been driven by an unbridled ambition. While his father was alive, Svyatopolk plotted against him and refused to honor him. After his father’s death, when Svyatopolk was regarded as the grand prince, he devised a scheme to gain control of the whole country by the systematic assassination of his brothers.

When Boris, who was then twenty years of age, learned of his stepbrother’s intention to have him killed, he was confronted with the agonizing problem of how a Christian should react under the circumstances. He remembered passages from Scripture, particularly the one that cautioned, If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. (I Jn. 4:20). He likewise considered that since his father was dead, his eldest brother held the father’s place, and he could not raise his hand against either.

Throughout the night Boris experienced a painful interior struggle. He gained some comfort from reading the Psalms and the Gospels and gained courage from remembering that St. Wenceslas and St. Barbara both were killed by their relatives. He also considered the words of Ecclesiastes on the vanity of worldly power and riches and the value of good deeds and charity. After praying fervently that Our Lord would accept the sacrifice of his life, Boris dismissed his armed guards and kept only a servant with him.

Soon afterwards, the murderers made their way into his tent, which was pitched near the River Alta, and attacked the young prince like wild beasts. Boris’ faithful servant, a Hungarian, attempted to save his master by standing in front of him, but the servant was promptly killed. Boris was then wounded by thrusts from a lance. Before dying he spoke these words: Make haste to complete your task, and may peace be with my brother Svyatopolk, and with you my brothers.

Prince Gleb, who was a few years younger than Boris and is thought to have been a mere boy at the time, was also marked for assassination. On a pretext, Svyatopolk invited Gleb to visit him at Kiev. While Gleb was traveling along the River Dnieper, not far from the city of Smolensk, the boat on which he was making his journey encountered the boat carrying the hired assassins. When Gleb realized the danger, he experienced a moment of weakness and begged for his life, but then he quickly regained his courage and accepted his destiny, saying, I submit to you, my brothers, and to my brother, my prince. He acknowledged that to die meant being reborn to a new life and a better existence and that by dying in this manner he was dying for Christ. We are told that the fatal stroke was given by Gleb’s own cook, who crept up behind him and cut his throat, like a butcher killing a sheep, a meek lamb bringing a clean sacrifice to the Lord. Gleb’s body was carelessly discarded on the riverbank.

Svyatopolk the Accursed also saw to the assassination of another brother, Svyatoslav. But then, five years later, his brother Yaroslav of Novgorod appeared with a powerful army to avenge the deaths of his three brothers. Svyatopolk the Accursed was driven from his capital and fled to his father-in-law, the King of Poland, but the time of justice had apparently arrived. Having fled his capital in humiliation, he died while attempting to save his life.

The legitimate successor of the cruel Svyatopolk was Yaroslav, who became known as Yaroslav the Wise. He ruled Kiev, the capital of Russia, with justice and mercy and inaugurated a period known in history as the Golden Age of both the religious and secular cultures. In an effort to do honor to the memory of his two younger brothers, Boris and Gleb, he had their bodies tranferred to Vychgorod, near Kiev, where they were buried in the Church of St. Basil in the year 1020. Their tomb became a place of pilgrimage and was illustrious for many miracles. Finally bowing to Yaroslav’s wishes, the ecclesiastical authorities started proceedings for the canonization of the two brothers.

Difficulties were soon faced by the Church authorities. Neither Boris nor Gleb had been killed for religious reasons, nor were they, in a true sense, martyrs like those of the early Church. Because they had died young, it could not be claimed that they had risen to the higher levels of holiness. They had performed no miracles during their lives, and were neither hermits nor missionaries. It was debatable whether their act of self-sacrifice could be considered an act of heroic virtue. Nevertheless, the people were profoundly impressed with the lives and deaths of their two princes, and they argued that just as Christ died an innocent Lamb, without resistance, so too did Boris and Gleb die in virtue and innocence.

After much debate and consideration, the two brothers were raised to the honors of the altar before the canonization of their great-grandmother, St. Olga, and their father, St. Vladimir. Thus the first four saints to be formally canonized by the Church in Russia were two young men, a father and a grandmother—all laymen. The canonization of the two brothers by the Church in Russia was confirmed by Pope Benedict XIII