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E00023: Gregory of Tours, in his Life of *Illidius (bishop of Clermont, ob. 384/5, S00022), explains that miracles from the grave are more reliable than miracles in life for demonstrating sanctity. From Gregory's Life of the Fathers, written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 573/594.
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posted on 2014-08-31, 00:00 authored by CSLA AdminGregory of Tours, Life of the Fathers 2.2
Having recounted the one miracle of Illidius that he knows - how he exorcised the emperor's daughter (see $E00024) - Gregory continues:
§2: Et forsitan, ut plerumque murmurare homines soliti sunt, quispiam garrulatur, dicens: "Non potest hic habere inter sanctos pro unius tantum operatione miraculi". Nam, si perpenditur illud quod Dominus ait in euangelio: Multi, [inquit], dicunt mihi in illa die: "Domine, Domine, nonne in nomine tuo daemonia eiecimus virtutesque multas fecimus?" Et respondebo eis, dicens, quia non novi vos, profecto intellegit, quia magis proficit ad laudem virtus egressa de tumulo, quam ea quae quisquam vivens gessit in mundo; quia illa labem habere potuerunt per assidua mundanae occupationis impedimenta, haec vero omnem labem ad liquidum caruerunt. Ergo quia illa, ut credimus, quae sanctus Illidius ante hoc tempus operatus est, oblivioni data sunt nec ad nostram notitiam pervenerunt, ea quae propriis inspeximus oculis expertique sumus, vel quae a fidelibus agnita cognovimus, declaramus.
'§2: Since people are very accustomed to criticise, someone will perhaps foolishly say, "It is not possible for a man to be ranked among the saints just for this one miracle." But one should weigh well what the Lord says in the Gospel, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not cast out demons in thy name, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you" [Matthew 7:22-3]. Assuredly He means that the virtue which comes from the tomb is much more worthy of praise than those things which a living person has worked in this world, because the latter could be blemished by the continual difficulties of worldly occupations, while the former were certainly free from all blemish. And since, as we believe, the deeds done by the holy Illidius before his death have been forgotten and have not come to our knowledge, we will tell what we have seen with our own eyes, what we have experienced, or what we have learnt from trustworthy people.'
Text: Krusch 1969, 219-220. Translation: James 1991, 12-14, lightly modified.
Having recounted the one miracle of Illidius that he knows - how he exorcised the emperor's daughter (see $E00024) - Gregory continues:
§2: Et forsitan, ut plerumque murmurare homines soliti sunt, quispiam garrulatur, dicens: "Non potest hic habere inter sanctos pro unius tantum operatione miraculi". Nam, si perpenditur illud quod Dominus ait in euangelio: Multi, [inquit], dicunt mihi in illa die: "Domine, Domine, nonne in nomine tuo daemonia eiecimus virtutesque multas fecimus?" Et respondebo eis, dicens, quia non novi vos, profecto intellegit, quia magis proficit ad laudem virtus egressa de tumulo, quam ea quae quisquam vivens gessit in mundo; quia illa labem habere potuerunt per assidua mundanae occupationis impedimenta, haec vero omnem labem ad liquidum caruerunt. Ergo quia illa, ut credimus, quae sanctus Illidius ante hoc tempus operatus est, oblivioni data sunt nec ad nostram notitiam pervenerunt, ea quae propriis inspeximus oculis expertique sumus, vel quae a fidelibus agnita cognovimus, declaramus.
'§2: Since people are very accustomed to criticise, someone will perhaps foolishly say, "It is not possible for a man to be ranked among the saints just for this one miracle." But one should weigh well what the Lord says in the Gospel, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not cast out demons in thy name, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you" [Matthew 7:22-3]. Assuredly He means that the virtue which comes from the tomb is much more worthy of praise than those things which a living person has worked in this world, because the latter could be blemished by the continual difficulties of worldly occupations, while the former were certainly free from all blemish. And since, as we believe, the deeds done by the holy Illidius before his death have been forgotten and have not come to our knowledge, we will tell what we have seen with our own eyes, what we have experienced, or what we have learnt from trustworthy people.'
Text: Krusch 1969, 219-220. Translation: James 1991, 12-14, lightly modified.