{"id":42668,"date":"2023-01-07T15:44:53","date_gmt":"2023-01-07T15:44:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/?p=42668"},"modified":"2023-01-07T15:44:53","modified_gmt":"2023-01-07T15:44:53","slug":"five-miracle-stories-about-st-nicholas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/2023\/01\/07\/five-miracle-stories-about-st-nicholas\/","title":{"rendered":"Five miracle stories about St Nicholas"},"content":{"rendered":"

The medieval manuscripts that contain the\u00a0Life<\/em> of St Nicholas almost always continue with a mass of miracle stories about the saint.\u00a0 The 1751 pre-critical edition by Falconius does the same.\u00a0 The genuine Life<\/em> by John the Deacon ends with his “chapter 13” – the numbering is his – but there are more chapters.\u00a0\u00a0Anybody who looks at the manuscripts will find this mass of stuff on the end, which frankly adds very little.\u00a0 C. W. Jones, in his book on the legends of the saint, dismisses it in a\u00a0 sentence.<\/p>\n

Since I scanned Falconius, I thought I would scan up to the end.\u00a0 This would give me a file with the additional material in it.\u00a0 When working with the manuscripts, you can get lost, and it can be\u00a0 very helpful to do “Ctrl-F” on some wording and find out where you are.<\/p>\n

Just for fun, I then pushed each chapter in turn through Google Translate, to get an idea of the content.\u00a0 I was amazed – once again – at the quality of the translation.\u00a0 I did the same with Falconius’ increasingly sarcastic footnotes.<\/p>\n

I won’t do much more with this.\u00a0 It is just a means to an end.\u00a0 But nobody ever does anything with this stuff, as far as I can see.\u00a0 So I thought that I would share the contents here.\u00a0 I’ve not troubled to correct the translation much, so it’s more or less as it came out.\u00a0 Of course if you see an obvious error, do signal it in the comments and I will fix it.<\/p>\n

The effort was valuable in another way.\u00a0 We can get an idea of just how carefully Falconius worked on his edition.\u00a0 How?\u00a0 Well, from the fact that he misnumbered his own chapters.\u00a0 There really are *two* chapters\u00a0 marked “XVII”, “17”!\u00a0 Not good.<\/p>\n

I’ve added the BHL numbers for each text (=Bibliographia Hagiographica Latina, the index of all saints’ lives).\u00a0 I also went and looked at the earliest manuscript, Paris BNF lat. 989 (10th century) for the places where Falconius indicated uncertainty.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 *\u00a0 \u00a0 *\u00a0 \u00a0 *\u00a0 \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

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[BHL 6150]\u00a0\u00a0XIV. (a<\/em>) Quodam itaque tempore, advenit quadam mulier, de vico qui dicitur Cyparissus, ad sanctissimam domum Archangeli, qui vocatur Croba, ubi erat sanctus Nicolaus. Haec adtulit filium suum, quem iniquissimus daemon ita vexabat crudeliter ut etiam vestimentum, quo induebatur, dentibus laceraret. Quem projecit ad pedes sancti Nicolai, flens et dicens, \u201cMiserere serve Dei huic misello filio meo, quia fortiter vexatur a daemonio.\u201d Pietate autem ductus, sanctus Dei famulus super eum apprehendit manum ejus, et insuper flavit in ore illius. Statimque, divina virtute et beati Nicolai meritis emundatus, immundus ab eo evanuit spiritus, sanusque ad propria, cum matre sua exsultans, reversus est.<\/p>\n

(a) Has lectiones, 14.15.16.17 & 18, non Johannes Diaconus, sed alius ex Actis antiquis consarcinavit cap. 30. ipso seculo decimo, vel undecimo (quod est verisimilius) qui, ad usum Ecclesiae Neapolitanae, Diaconum in lectiones redegit.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

At a certain time, there came a certain woman, from a town called Cyparissus, to the most holy house of the Archangel, called Croba, where St. Nicholas was. She brought her son, whom the most wicked demon was tormenting so cruelly that he even tore the clothes which he was wearing with his teeth. She laid him at the feet of St. Nicholas, weeping and saying, \u201cHave mercy on this poor son of mine, servant of God, because he is strongly tormented by a demon.\u201d But led by piety, the holy servant of God took hold of his hand over him, and, moreover, blew into his mouth. And at once, cleansed by the divine power and by the merits of the blessed Nicholas, the unclean spirit disappeared from him, and in good health he returned, rejoicing with his mother, to his home.<\/p>\n

(a). These readings, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, are not by John the Deacon, but were stitched on the end from some earlier Acts<\/em>, ch. 30, by someone else, of the 10th<\/sup> or (more likely) 11th<\/sup> century, who arranged John\u2019s text into readings according to the usage of the Neapolitan church.<\/p>\n

The BHLMS lists 49 manuscripts of this story.<\/em><\/p>\n

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[BHL 6151] XV. Rursus autem alio tempore, altera mulier, de vico Neapoleos (b<\/em>), ab immundo Spiritu graviter torquebatur. Quam assumens vir ejus, adduxit ad monasterium Viri Dei, ubi ipse tunc temporis morabatur (c<\/em>), et projecit eam ad pedes beati Nicolai, dicens, \u201cSancte Dei, succurre huic mulieri miserae, quae graviter torquetur a daemonio.\u201d Sanctus autem Dei Nicolaus, mox, ut orationem fudit pro ea ad Dominum, immundum ab ea pepulit Spiritum, et sana effecta, abiit in domum suam, glorificans Deum,et sanctam Sion. Hoc erat vocabulum monasterii Sancti Nicolai: id est Sancta Hierusalem.<\/p>\n

(b) Haec sumpta est ex fine cap. 29.\u00a0 Sed ibi pro Neapoli est Nicapo.<\/p>\n

(c) Sic saltat foveam homo cautus.\u00a0 Ubi modo est, ille Myrensis Archiepiscopus Nicolaus?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Then again, at another time, another woman, from the village of Naples,(b) was severely tormented by an unclean spirit. Her husband picked her up and brought her to the monastery of the Man of God, where at that time he was staying, and laid her at the feet of blessed Nicholas, saying, \u201cSaint of God, help this poor woman, who is severely tormented by a demon.\u201d Then Nicholas, the saint of God, immediately, as he poured out a prayer for her to the Lord, drove away the impure spirit from her, and being healed, she went to her house, glorifying God and Holy Sion. This was the name of the monastery of St. Nicholas: that is, \u201cHoly Jerusalem\u201d.<\/p>\n

(b) This is taken from the end of ch. 29. But there for \u201cNeapoli\u201d it reads \u201cNicapo\u201d.<\/p>\n

(c) Thus a cautious man leaps over a pitfall. In what way is this about Archbishop Nicolaus of Myra?<\/p>\n

The BHLMS lists 48 manuscripts of this story.\u00a0 The oldest is BNF 989 (10th<\/sup> c.) which reads \u201cNecapoleos\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

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[BHL 6152] XVI. Venit quidam homo ad Sanctam Sion, nomine Nicolaus, de vico Sibino, (d<\/em>) tempore Sancti Jejunii. Hic adduxit quendam infirmum, super animali sedentem, ad Sanctum Nicolaum, ut saluti eum pristinae redderet. Erat autem homo ille toto exsiccatus corpore, ab ea aegritudine, quae Graeco vocabulo, \u201cparalysis\u201d, Latine vero \u201cresolutio membrorum\u201d dicitur. Quem in conspectu viri Dei, in terram projiciens, obsecrat dicens, \u201cNicolae vir Dei, pro isto misello homine interveni, quatenus per tuas sanctas orationes propitietur ei Deus.\u201d Cujus infirmitati, plurimum vir Dei condolens Nicolaus, assumpto oleo de dominica lampade, perunxit eum. Inde autem facta super eum oratione, illico eum pristinae reddidit sanitati. Benedictioneque percepta, reversus est ad domum suam, gratias agens glorificans Deum.<\/p>\n

(d) Ex eodem cap. 30. sumpta.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A certain man, named Nicolaus, from the town of Sibinum,(d<\/em>) came to Holy Sion at the time of Holy Lent. Here he brought a certain sick man, sitting on an animal, to St. Nicholas, that he might restore him to his former health. Now that man was withered throughout his body, from that sickness which in the Greek word is \u201cparalysis\u201d, but in Latin is called \u201cthe dissolution of the limbs\u201d. \u00a0In the presence of the man of God, laying him on the ground, he beseeched him, saying, \u201cNicholas, man of God, intercede for this poor man, inasmuch as through your holy prayers God may be propitiated for him.\u201d Nicholas, the man of God, sympathizing greatly with his infirmity, took oil from the Lord’s lamp and anointed him. Then, after a prayer was made over him, he immediately restored him to his former health. Having received the blessing, he returned to his house, giving thanks and glorifying God.<\/p>\n

(d) Taken from the same ch. 30.<\/p>\n

The BHLMS lists 47 manuscripts of this story.\u00a0 BNF lat. 989 = \u201cSivino\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

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[BHL 6153] XVII. Nec multo post, quidam energumenus, de vico Cendino (e); cui nomen erat Timotheus, adductus est in Monasterium Sanctae Sion, ad famulum Dei Nicolaum. Habebat enim homo ille spiritum pessimum, qui ita eum exagitabat, ut, per ligna et lapides, hinc et inde, caput suum percutiendo contunderet. Unde factum est, ut de creberrimis percussionibus, plagis horridis, caput vulneratum haberet, ita ut etiam sanies cum vermibus proflueret. Sustentatus itaque a tribus viris, perductus est, ut diximus, in Sanctam Sion, ad sanctissimum Dei famulum Nicolaum: Quem etiam orabant, ut suis eum curare precibus dignaretur. Inquiunt: \u201cNicolae serve Dei excelsi, conspice miseriam hominis hujus; ora pro eo ad Deum, ut possit evadere, et Christi consequi misericordiam.\u201d Quem Sanctus Nicolaus, propriis consignans manibus; daemonium ab eo expulit, et ab omni aegritudine liberavit, et sanum et incolumem remisit ad propria: gaudens et glorificans Deum, qui hanc confessori suo, gratiam contulerat Nicolao.<\/p>\n

(e) Et haec ex eodem cap. 30. sumpta est.\u00a0 Sed pro \u201cCendino\u201d, ibi est \u201cCedemorum\u201d.\u00a0 Num proprium sit \u201cCendenum\u201d?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

17.1. Not long after, a certain strong man, from the town of Cendinum,(e) whose name was Timotheus, was brought to the monastery of Holy Sion, to the servant of God Nicholas. For that man had a very bad spirit, which so agitated him, that he was bruising his head from side to side with sticks and stones. As a result he had a wounded head from the frequent knocks and terrible blows and it was oozing pus and worms. Supported therefore by three men, he was led, as we have said, to Holy Sion, to the most holy servant of God, Nicholas: whom they also begged, that he might condescend to cure him with his prayers. They said, \u201cNicholas, servant of God on high, behold the misery of this man; pray for him to God, that he may escape, and obtain the mercy of Christ.\u201d St. Nicholas, sealing him with his own hands, cast out the demon from him, and freed him from all sickness, and sent him back to his own home, safe and sound, rejoicing and glorifying God, who had bestowed this favour upon his confessor, Nicholas.<\/p>\n

(e) And these things were taken from the same ch. 30. But instead of \u201cCendino\u201d this reads \u201cCedemorum\u201d.\u00a0 Possibly the correct reading is \u201cCendenum\u201d?<\/p>\n

The BHLMS lists 50 manuscripts of this story.\u00a0 BNF 989 = \u201cCendino\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

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[BHL 6154]\u00a0 XVII. Cum igitur his, et aliis pluribus miraculis, ac virtutibus beatissimus floreret Nicolaus, decidit in aegritudinem, de qua, ex hac instabili luce subtractus est. Qui cum jaceret in grabatu; accessit ad eum quaedam mulier lunatica, de vico Olcon (f<\/em>); cujus nomen erat Eugenia. Quae eum exorabat, ut sibi conferre dignaretur sanitatis gaudia.\u00a0 Cujus precibus beatus Nicolaus annuens; pro ea fudit orationem ad Dominum. Deinde signavit eam: sicque sanitatem, quam optabat consequi; adipisci promeruit. Remeans ergo mulier ad propria; sana et incolumis, magnifice collaudavit Dominum Jesum Christum; qui in Sanctis suis, semper est mirabilis.<\/p>\n

(f) Haec etiam ex Actis sumpta est cap. 31.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

17.2. \u00a0Therefore, while the most blessed Nicholas was flourishing with these and many other miracles and virtues, he fell into an illness, because of which he was withdrawn from this unstable light. When he was lying on a pallet, a certain lunatic woman came to him, from the town of Olcon (f<\/em>), whose name was Eugenia. She entreated him to condescend to confer upon her the joys of health. Blessed Nicholas, assenting to her prayers, poured out a prayer for her to the Lord. Then he signed her [with the cross], and so succeeded in securing the health which she wished to obtain. The woman, therefore, returning to her own home, safe and sound, praised the Lord Jesus Christ magnificently, who is always wonderful in His Saints.<\/p>\n

(f) This is also taken from those Acts<\/em> ch. 31.<\/p>\n

The BHLMS lists 59 manuscripts of this story.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 *\u00a0 \u00a0 *\u00a0 \u00a0 *\u00a0 \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

There are many more tales of this sort.\u00a0 I shall look at some more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The medieval manuscripts that contain the\u00a0Life of St Nicholas almost always continue with a mass of miracle stories about the saint.\u00a0 The 1751 pre-critical edition by Falconius does the same.\u00a0 The genuine Life by John the Deacon ends with his “chapter 13” – the numbering is his – but there are more chapters.\u00a0\u00a0Anybody who looks […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[19],"tags":[945,1186,1187,1575,1576],"class_list":["post-42668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-from-my-diary-announcements","tag-john-the-deacon","tag-nicholas-of-myra","tag-nicholas-of-sion","tag-st-nicholas","tag-st-nicholas-of-myra"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42668"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42668\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}