E04438: Gregory the Great, in his Dialogues (1.10), narrates miraculous stories based in Todi (central Italy) featuring *Fortunatus (bishop of Todi, ob. c. 537, S01716). These describe Fortunatus driving out evil spirits, and four other miracles. On one occasion, the sight of relics of *Sebastianus (martyr of Rome, S00400) caused a sinful woman to be possessed by a demon. Another time, a sinful Goth broke a rib as he passed by the church of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036); he was later cured by Fortunatus. Written in Latin in Rome, c. 593.

Gregory the Great, Dialogues 1.10

Gregory relates how Fortunatus was especially effective at driving away evil spirits.

Qui in exfugandis spiritibus inmensae uirtutis gratia pollebat, ita ut nonnumquam ab obsessis corporibus legiones daemonum pelleret, et continuae orationis studio intentus obiectas contra se eorum multitudines superaret.

‘He possessed extraordinary power over evil spirits, for on occasions he would expel legions of them, and, when they turned their violence against him personally, he would crush them with the weapon of incessant prayer.’

On one occasion, Fortunatus drove out the spirits which plagued a woman who had sex before attending the dedication of the church of St Sebastianus. A noblewoman from Tuscany and her daughter-in-law were due to attend this ceremony. The night before the dedication, the young woman slept with her husband. As soon as the relics of Sebastian were brought out, a spirit possessed the woman. When a priest threw the linen cloth from the altar on her to cover her, he was attacked by the same spirit. Only Fortunatus was able to drive out the spirit by spending many days and nights in prayer. He also drove a spirit out of a possessed man, which later inflicted itself on a family in Todi.

Fortunatus cured a blind man by making a sign of the cross in front of his eyes. Later, he cured a mad horse when he made a sign of the cross over its head.

When Goths carried off two small boys from an estate on the outskirts of Ravenna, Fortunatus repeatedly asked them to return the boys unharmed. When leaving Todi, the leader of the Goths passed in front of the church of St Peter. His horse slipped and fell and he suffered a broken rib. After the leader of the Goths sent the boys safely to Fortunatus, one of his deacons sprinkled the rib with holy water, healing it.

Fortunatus was called to revive a dead man called Marcellus. Before dawn on Easter Sunday, Fortunatus went to see the corpse with two deacons. When he called to the corpse, the man came back to life.

Text: de Vogüé 1978. Translation: Zimmerman 1959. Summary: Frances Trzeciak.