LEM 2

English

Then, the thirteenth venerable prelate Auctor received the government of the Church, at a time when not only Gaul, but almost the whole West was enduring the cruelty of the fierce barbarians. Even though this man is credited with other remarkable deeds, only two of his miracles have been transmitted to our memory. At the time when this venerable prelate was leading a life adorned with every virtue, Attila, king of the Huns, crueler than all the wild animals, holding many barbarian nations subject to his dominion, after he had crushed Gunderic, king of the Burgunds, who was opposing him, gave free rein to his rage to sink all the Gallic countries. His arrival being known beforehand, the blessed Servatius, bishop of Tongeren, proceeded to Rome, to the most sacred bodies of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, to beg especially from the Lord, by their lofty merit, that He would turn away His angry indignation and free the people of Tongeren from such a great destruction. Then, through the holy apostle Peter it was divinely revealed to him that it had been ordained by heavenly justice that the whole of Gaul would be handed over to the invasion of the barbarians, except for the chapel of the blessed Levite and protomartyr St. Stephen located near Metz, in which his precious blood was hidden away without the blemish of corruption. When those things had been revealed to holy Servatius, he returned quickly to Gaul, and discovered that swarms of Huns were already raging through the whole of Gaul. While they were retreating from the siege of Metz, because they had found that the city was invincible because of the strength of its walls, the blessed Servatius, on his way back from Rome, happened to arrive in Metz at the same time. After reporting everything he had learned from the revelation to his fellow priest Auctor, he returned to his own city of Tongeren. Immediately after his departure, the wall of the city of Metz collapsed and opened up an entry for the enemies according to the divine plan. The blessed Auctor, seeing the city surrendered to the swords of the enemies, quickly ordered that all the children who had not yet received the cleansing of the sacred font should be baptized. The Huns, who were besieging a military fortress called Scarponna, located twelve miles from there, hearing that the fortifications of Metz had collapsed, returned with great haste to the city, devastating everything by fire and plunder. They killed many of the inhabitants, including those children who had been baptized, but took away as captives the others who were able to survive the destruction, together with the holy bishop Auctor. But what had been foretold to Servatius, the servant of Christ, by the most blessed Peter in Rome, regarding the residence of the blessed Levite and protomartyr Stephen, was truly fulfilled. Indeed, when the fierce barbarians saw the church from a distance, they hurried toward it as if they were going to seize abundant plunder, and when they came closer, it appeared to their eyes as a huge stone and a solid mass. While they were feeling around this rock with their hands, blinded in their minds and looking for a way to enter, they saw absolutely nothing but the natural hardness of stone. At last, going back and forth many times, as they saw that they were gaining nothing, they eventually withdrew, tired and frustrated by the effect of their wickedness. I will not pass over in silence what blessed Gregory, bishop of Tours, told in his books about this oratory. He indeed reports: "Before these enemies came, a faithful man had a vision of the blessed Stephen the Levite discussing this destruction with the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and saying, I beg you, my lords, by your protection prevent the city of Metz from being burnt down by our enemies, for there is a place there in which the relics of my humble person are preserved. Instead, let the people realize that I have some influence with the Lord. But if the wickedness of the people is too great, so that nothing else can happen but that the city is given to the flames, at least let my oratory not be burnt.' They said to him, 'Go in peace, most beloved brother; your oratory alone will escape the flames. But for the town, we can do nothing, for the sentence of the Lord's judgment has already been passed on it. For the sin of the inhabitants has increased and the clamor of their wickedness has come to God's ears. And so the city will be burnt by the flames. There is no doubt, then, that when the town was destroyed, the oratory remained unscathed thanks to their protection.”

Latin

Accepit deinde tertius decimus venerandus presul Auctor gubernandam Ecclesiam, ea tempestate, quando non solum Gallia, sed universus pene Occidens barbarorum sevientium est perpessus sevitiam. De quo viro, quamvis et alia ab eo insignia facta credantur, duo tamen ad nostram memoriam eius miracula pervulgata sunt. Eo igitur tempore cum reverendus hic presul vitam cunctis virtutibus decoratam duceret, Attila rex Hunorum, omnibus beluis crudelior, habens multas barbaras nationes suo subiectas dominio, postquam Gundigarium, Burgundionum regem, sibi occurrentem protriverat", ad universas deprimendas Gallias sue sevitie relaxavit habenas. Huius adventu, beatus Servatius Tungrorum episcopus, precognito, Romam ad beatorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli sacratissima corpora perrexit, ut per eorum sublime meritum specialiter a Domino impetraret, quatinus ire sue indignationem averteret, et Tungrensis urbis populum a tanto exitio liberaret. Tunc ei divinitus per eundem beatum Petrum' apostolum revelatum est, quod ita celesti esset iudicio definitum', ut universa Gallia barbarorum foret infestationi tradenda, preter beati Stephani levite et prothomartyris situm apud Mettis oratorium", in quo ipsius erat pretiosus cruor absque corruptionis labe reconditus. Hec dum sancto Servatio revelata fuissent, festinus ad Gallias repedavit, invenitque iam Hunorum examina per universas Gallias debacchari. Qui cum ab obsidione Mettensium, pro eo quod eorum civitatem inexpugnabilem ob murorum fortitudinem cernerent, recessissent, contigit beatum Servatium ipso in tempore dum a Roma reverteretur Mettis devenire. Qui dum universa, sicut revelatione didicerat, sancto consacerdoti suo Auctori retulisset, ad civitatem propriam, hoc est Tungris, reversus est. Nec mora, post eius egressionem murus civitatis Mettensis corruit, ingressumque hostibus superna dispositione patefecit. Mox vero beatus Auctor traditam civitatem inimicorum gladiis advertens, universos parvulos' qui necdum sacri fontis ablutionem perceperant, baptizari precepit. Igitur audientes Huni, qui duodecimo miliario exinde castrum quod Scarponnal dicitur obsidebant, menia Mettensis urbis corruisse, iterato ad eam festina celeritate regressi sunt, incendiisque et rapinis universa vastantes, plures e civibus, cum eis qui baptizati fuerant, parvulos interemerunt, reliquos vero qui exitio superesse poterant, simul cum sancto Auctore episcopo captivos abducunt. Impletum est sane super beati Stephani levite et prothomartyris domicilio, quod a beatissimo Petro apud Romam Christi famulo Servatio fuerat ante predictum. Nam cum eandem basilicam procul furentesl barbari aspicerent, ad eam cursim quasi opimal spolia capturilos properabant, cumque propius accederent, eorum oculis velut ingens saxum ac moles solida apparebat. Quam cum, cecati mentibus, manibus per girum palparent, aditumque ingrediendi quererent, nihil omnino eis aliud quam naturalis saxi durities videbatur. Denique sepius abscedentes, rursumque revertentes, cum se nihil proficere cernerent, tandem fatigati discesserunt, sueque iniquitatis effectu frustrati sunt. Quod etiam de hoc oratorio beatus Gregorius, Turonorum episcopus, in suis libris narravit , non silebo. Refert enim: "Priusquam hiillo hostes venirent, vidisse virum fidelem in visu quasi conferentem cum sanctis apostolis Petro ac Paulo beatum levitam Stephanum de hoc excidio, ac dicentem: 'Oro, domini mei, ut non permittatis obtentu vestro Mettensem urbem ab inimicis exuri, quia locus in ea est in quo parvitatis mee pignora continentur; sed potius sentiant populi aliquid me posse cum Domino. Quod si tantum facinus populi supercrevit, ut aliud fieri non possit, nisi civitas tradatur incendio, saltim'' velli hoc oratorium non cremetur. Cui illi aiunt: Vade in pace, dilectissime frater, oratorium tantum tuum carebit incendio. Pro urbe vero non obtinebimus, quia dominice sanctionis super eam sententia iam precessit. Invaluit enim peccatum populi, et clamor malitie eorum ascendit coram Deo'. Ideo civitas hec cremabitur incendio.' Unde non dubium est quod horum obtentu, urbel vastata, oratorium permansit inlesum'.