Add May Matins readings for pre-1955 sanctoral saints

St. Monica, St. Stanislaus, the Apparition of St. Michael, and St.
Eleutherius. St. Monica's Nocturn 3 Gospel+homily reuses the
already-verified Luke 7:11-16 text from post-pentecost-15.yml, the same
pericope her own day's lessons cross-reference.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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# Matins Nocturn 2 reading for the Apparition of St. Michael the
# Archangel (May 8) — pre-1955-but-post-1617 (no SanctiM/05-08*.txt at
# all). web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/05-08.txt,
# English/Sancti/05-08.txt. Lectio4-6 is one continuous narrative (the
# Monte Gargano apparition), no internal source break, combined into a
# single reading. Each of Lectio4-6 has its own responsory in the
# source; per this project's established "first one, when several
# collapse" convention (see octave-readings.ts), only Responsory4 is
# kept.
id: apparition-of-st-michael
readings:
- nocturn: 2
isGospel: false
text:
la: >-
Beátum Michaélem Archángelum sǽpius homínibus apparuísse, et sacrórum Librórum auctoritáte
et véteri Sanctórum traditióne comprobátur. Quam ob rem multis in locis facti memória
celebrátur. Eum, ut olim synagóga Judæórum, sic nunc custódem et patrónum Dei venerátur
Ecclésia. Gelásio autem primo, Pontífice máximo, in Apúlia in vértice Gargáni montis, ad
cujus radíces íncolunt Sipontíni, Archángeli Michaélis fuit illústris apparítio.
Factum est enim, ut ex grégibus armentórum Gargáni cujúsdam taurus longe discéderet; quem
diu conquisítum, in áditu spelúncæ hæréntem invenérunt. Cum vero quidam ex illis, ut taurum
confígeret, sagíttam emisísset retórta sagítta in ipsum récidit sagittárium. Quæ res cum
præséntes ac deínceps céteros tanto timóre affecísset, ut ad eam spelúncam própius accédere
nemo audéret, Sipontíni epíscopum cónsulunt; qui, indícto trium diérum jejúnio et oratióne,
rem a Deo respóndit quæri oportére.
Post tríduum Míchaël Archángelus epíscopum monet in sua tutéla esse eum locum, eóque indício
demonstrásse, velle ibi cultum Deo in sui et Angelórum memóriam adhibéri. Quare epíscopus una
cum cívibus ad eam spelúncam ire pergit. Quam cum in templi cujúsdam similitúdinem
conformátam vidíssent, locum illum divínis offíciis celebráre cœpérunt: qui multis póstea
miráculis illustrátus est. Nec ita multo post Bonifátius Papa, Romæ in summo circo, sancti
Michaélis ecclésiam dedicávit tértio Kaléndas Octóbris; quo die étiam ómnium Angelórum
memóriam Ecclésia celébrat. Hodiérnus autem dies Archángeli Michaélis apparitióne
consecrátus est.
en: >-
That the blessed Archangel Michael hath oftentimes been seen of men is attested on the
authority of the Holy Bible, and also by the ancient traditions of the Saints. For this
reason such visions are held in remembrance in many places. As of old time did the Synagogue
of the Jews, so now doth the Church of God venerate Michael as her watcher and defender. But
during the papacy of Gelasius I, the summit of Mount Gargano in Apulia, at whose foot lieth
the town of Siponto, was the scene of an extraordinary appearance of this same Archangel
Michael.
And it came to pass on this wise. A certain man had a bull grazing with the flock upon Mount
Gargano, and it strayed. And when they had sought it for a long while they found it jammed
in the mouth of a cavern. Then one that stood there shot an arrow at it to slay it, but the
arrow turned round and came back against him that had shot it. They therefore that saw it,
and all those that heard it, were sore afraid because of that which had come to pass, so
that no man dared any more to draw near to the cavern. But when they had sought counsel of
the Bishop of Siponto, he answered, that it behoved to seek the interpretation from God, and
proclaimed three days of fasting and prayer.
After three days the Archangel Michael gave warning to the Bishop that that place was under
his protection, and that he had thus pointed out by a sign that he wished that worship
should be offered to God there, with remembrance of himself and of the Angels. Then the
Bishop and the citizens made haste and came to the cavern, and when they found that the form
thereof was somewhat after the fashion of a Church, they began to perform the public worship
of God therein, which sanctuary hath been glorified with many miracles. It was not long
after these things that Pope Boniface IV hallowed the Church of St. Michael on Hadrian's
Mole at Rome, on the 29th day of September, on the which day the Church also holdeth in
remembrance All Angels. But this present day is hallowed in remembrance of the manifestation
of the Archangel Michael.
responsory:
la: "Hic est Míchaël Archángelus, princeps milítiæ Angelórum, * Cujus honor præstat benefícia populórum, et orátio perdúcit ad regna cælórum.\nV. Archángelus Míchaël præpósitus paradísi, quem honoríficant Angelórum cives.\nR. Cujus honor præstat benefícia populórum, et orátio perdúcit ad regna cælórum."
en: "This is Michael, who to battle leads the armies of the skies; * Whosoever on him calleth blessed within his wardship lies, his a prayer whose voice availing aids from earth toward heaven to rise.\nV. The Archangel Michael is the Vice-Roy of Paradise, and the Angels that are the dwellers therein, do hold him in worship.\nR. Whosoever on him calleth blessed within his wardship lies, his a prayer whose voice availing aids from earth toward heaven to rise."
status: { la: verified, en: verified }
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
# Matins Nocturn 2 reading for St. Eleutherius, Pope and Martyr (May 26)
# — pre-1955-but-post-1617. Plain Sancti/05-26.txt is a different, later
# saint (St. Philip Neri, canonized 1622) who displaced Eleutherius on
# the general calendar's own May 26 slot; his content survives at the
# suffixed sibling file (see memory vu-matins-pre1955-saints's "critical
# wrinkle").
# web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/05-26o.txt, English/Sancti/05-26o.txt.
# Single lesson (simplex-feast Lectio93), no responsory in the source.
# Note: the Latin and English texts here are noticeably not a literal
# 1:1 translation of each other (the English is considerably more
# detailed) — both are transcribed as-given from their respective source
# files rather than reconciled, same as elsewhere in this project when
# the two language tracks diverge.
id: st-eleutherius
readings:
- nocturn: 2
isGospel: false
text:
la: >-
Eleutherius, Nicopoli in Græcia natus, Aniceti Pontificis diaconus, Commodo imperatóre,
præfuit Ecclésiæ. Huic, inítio pontificatus, supplices litteræ venérunt a Lucio Britannórum
rege, ut se ac suos in Christianórum númerum reciperet. Quam ob rem Fugatium et Damianum,
doctos et pios viros, misit in Britanniam, per quos rex et réliqui fidem susciperent. Hoc
Pontifice, Irenæus Polycarpi discipulus, Romam veniens, ab eo benígne acceptus est. Quo
témpore summa pace et quiete fruebátur Ecclésia Dei; ac per totum orbem terrárum, maxime
Romæ, fides propagabátur. Vixit Eleutherius in pontificatu annos quindecim, dies viginti
tres. Fecit ordinatiónes tres mense Decembri, quibus creávit presbyteros duodecim, diaconos
octo, episcopos per diversa loca quindecim: sepultúsque est in Vaticano prope corpus sancti
Petri.
en: >-
Eleutherius was a Greek by race, and was born at Nicopolis, a city of Epirus. His father's
name was Abundius. He was a Priest of the holy Roman Church. During the reign of the Emperor
Marcus Aurelius Augustus, after the death of Soter, he was chosen Bishop of Rome by the
votes of all the clergy. He discharged the duties of this office excellently, and with all
praise, for fifteen years and twenty-three days. He held three ordinations in the month of
December, wherein he ordained twelve Priests, eight Deacons, and fifteen Bishops for diverse
places. He was consulted by the church of Lyons by letter concerning certain questions. The
bearer of these letters was that most learned Irenaeus. Him he hospitably welcomed, and to
him he opened the traditions of the Apostles which the Church of Rome had kept pure. He
condemned the superstitious dry-meat system of the Montanists. He laid down excellent rules
as to the right form of church sentences. When Marcion and Valentine had oftentimes relapsed
he cast them out of the Church. In his days the Church enjoyed the utmost peace, and he
brought many even of the chiefest of Rome to believe in Christ. He received letters by
messengers from Lleurwg, Prince of the Britons, praying him for ministers of the Word of
God, and he sent unto him Fagan and Dyfan, Priests of the Roman Church, through whose hands
the Prince himself, with his whole household and nearly all his subjects, were born again in
the sacred washing of regeneration. At length, when he had done all these things and others
for the worship of God, Eleutherius died a holy death in the reign of the Emperor Commodus,
and was buried upon the Vatican Mount.
status: { la: verified, en: verified }
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
# Matins Nocturn 2-3 readings for St. Monica, Widow (May 4) —
# pre-1955-but-post-1617 (no SanctiM/05-04*.txt at all).
# web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/05-04.txt, English/Sancti/05-04.txt.
#
# Lectio4-5 (Monica's own vita and death) combined into one reading, no
# internal source break. Lectio6 (St. Augustine's own account of her
# death, Confessions Bk. 9, ch. 12) is a genuinely distinct source, kept
# separate.
#
# Nocturn 3's Gospel+homily is the same pairing already authored for
# post-pentecost-15.yml (Luke 7:11-16, the raising of the widow's son at
# Naim, + St. Augustine's Sermon 44 on it) — this saint's own file gives
# only the Gospel incipit ("Et réliqua"), so the full pericope text is
# reused verbatim from that already-live-verified transcription rather
# than re-sourced here (same citation, not fabricated). The homily
# excerpt (Lectio7-9) is transcribed fresh from this saint's own file,
# since its wording differs slightly from post-pentecost-15's own
# (different old translation of the same sermon). Responsories reused
# from post-pentecost-15.yml for the same reason — this file gives none
# of its own.
id: st-monica
readings:
- nocturn: 2
isGospel: false
text:
la: >-
Monica, sancti Augustíni dupliciter mater, quia eum et mundo et cælo péperit, maríto mortuo,
quem senectute confectum Jesu Christo conciliávit, castam et opéribus misericórdiæ
exercitam viduitátem agebat; in assiduis vero ad Deum oratiónibus pro fílio, qui in
Manichæórum sectam inciderat, lácrimas effundébat. Quem étiam Mediolanum secuta est; ubi
ipsum frequenter hortabátur, ut ad episcopum Ambrosium se conferret. Quod cum ille fecísset,
ejus et publicis conciónibus et privátis colloquiis catholicæ fidei veritátem edoctus, ab
eodem baptizátus est.
Mox in Africam redeuntes, cum ad Ostia Tiberina constitissent, incidit in febrem. Quo in
morbo cum eam quodam die ánima defecísset, ut se collegit, Ubi, inquit, eram? Et astántes
íntuens, Ponite hic matrem vestram: tantum vos rogo, ut ad altáre Dómini meminéritis mei.
Nono autem die beáta mulier ánimam Deo réddidit. Ejus corpus ibi in ecclésia sanctæ Aureæ
sepúltum est: quod póstea, Martino quinto summo Pontifice, Romam translátum, in ecclésia
sancti Augustíni honorifice cónditum est.
en: >-
Monica was twice over the mother of St. Augustine, for, under God, he owed to her both
earth and heaven. When her husband was very old she made him a friend of Jesus Christ, and
after his death she lived a widow in all purity and constantly occupied in works of mercy.
Her son Augustine had fallen into the heresy of the Manichaeans, and for his conversion she
earnestly pleaded with God for years, with strong crying and tears. She followed Augustine
to Milan, and tenderly and constantly besought him to confer with Ambrose the Bishop. This
he consented to do, and at last, through the public sermons and private conversations of
Ambrose, his eyes were opened to see the truth of the Catholic Religion, and he received
baptism at the Bishop's hands.
The mother and son set out to return to their home in Africa, but after they had reached
Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber, she was stricken down by a fever. One day as she lay sick,
she came to herself after her mind had been long wandering, and said: "Where am I?" Then she
saw who were standing by, and said: "Let your mother lie here only; remember me at the altar
of the Lord." On the ninth day this blessed lady surrendered her spirit to God. Her body was
buried there at Ostia in the Church of St. Aurea, but, long after, in the papacy of Martin
V, it was carried to Rome and honourably buried again in the Church of St. Augustine.
status: { la: verified, en: verified }
- nocturn: 2
isGospel: false
source: "St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Confessions, Book 9, ch. 12"
text:
la: >-
Neque enim decére arbitrabámur funus illud quéstubus lacrimosis gemitibúsque celebrare, quia
illa nec mísere, nec omnino moriebátur: hoc et documéntis morum ejus, et fide non ficta
rationibúsque certis tenebamus. Atque inde paulatim reducébam in prístinum sensum ancíllam
tuam, conversationémque ejus piam in te et sanctam, in nos blandam atque morígeram, qua
súbito destitútus sum; et libuit flere de illa et pro illa. Et si quis peccátum invenerit,
flevisse me matrem meam exígua parte horæ, matrem óculis meis mortuam, quæ me multos annos
fleverat, ut óculis suis viverem, non irrideat; sed potius, si est grandi caritate, pro
peccátis meis fleat ipse ad te Patrem ómnium fratrum Christi tui.
en: >-
We did not think that hers was a death which it was seemly to mark with repining, or tears,
or lamentations, seeing that she died not sorrowfully, nor at all as touching her best and
noblest part. This we knew, because we knew what her life had been, her faith unfeigned, her
sure and certain hope. And then, nevertheless, I remembered again what thine handmaid was
used to be, her walk with thee, how godly and holy it was, and with us so gentle and
long-suffering; and that it was all gone away from me now. And I wept, over her and for her.
And if any man will make it blame to me that I wept for a little while, when I saw lying
dead before mine eyes my mother, who had wept over me so many years, that she might see me
live, I say, if any man will make it blame to me, I pray him not to sneer at me, but rather
(if his charity be so great) himself to weep over my sins before thee, who art a Father to
all them to whom thy Christ is a Brother.
status: { la: verified, en: verified }
- nocturn: 3
isGospel: true
citation: { la: "Luc 7:11-16", en: "Luke 7:11-16" }
text:
la: "In illo témpore: Ibat Jesus in civitátem, quæ vocátur Naim: et ibant cum eo discípuli ejus: et turba copiósa. Cum autem appropinquáret portæ civitátis, ecce, defúnctus efferebátur fílius únicus matris suæ: et hæc vídua erat, et turba civitátis multa cum illa. Quam cum vidísset Dóminus, misericórdia motus super eam, dixit illi: Noli flere. Et accéssit et tétigit lóculum. Hi autem, qui portábant, stetérunt. Et ait: Adoléscens, tibi dico, surge. Et resédit, qui erat mórtuus, et cœpit loqui. Et dedit illum matri suæ. Accépit autem omnes timor: et magnificábant Deum, dicéntes: Quia Prophéta magnus surréxit in nobis: et quia Deus visitávit plebem suam."
en: "At that time, Jesus went to a town called Naim; and His disciples and a large crowd went with Him. And as He drew near the gate of the town, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large gathering from the town was with her. And the Lord, seeing her, had compassion on her, and said to her, Do not weep. And He went up and touched the stretcher; and the bearers stood still. And He said, Young man, I say to you, arise. And he who was dead, sat up, and began to speak. And He gave him to his mother. But fear seized upon all, and they began to glorify God, saying, A great prophet has risen among us, and God has visited His people."
responsory:
la: "Quis mihi tríbuat, ut in inférno prótegas me et abscóndas me, donec pertránseat furor tuus, Dómine, nisi tu, qui solus es Deus? * Et constítuas mihi tempus, in quo recordéris mei?\nV. Numquid sicut dies hóminis dies tui, ut quæras iniquitátem meam; cum sit nemo, qui de manu tua possit erúere.\nR. Et constítuas mihi tempus, in quo recordéris mei?"
en: "O that Thou wouldest hide me in the grave; that Thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, even thine, O Lord, Thou That alone art God; * That Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!\nV. Are thy days as the days of man, that Thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.\nR. That Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!"
status: { la: verified, en: verified }
- nocturn: 3
isGospel: false
source: "St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Sermon 44 on the Words of the Lord"
text:
la: >-
De juvene illo resuscitato gavisa est mater vidua; de homínibus in spíritu quotídie
suscitátis gaudet mater Ecclésia. Ille quidem mórtuus erat corpore; illi autem mente. Illius
mors visibilis visibíliter plangebátur; illórum mors invisibilis nec quærebátur, nec
videbátur. Quæsívit ille, qui nóverat mórtuos. Ille solus nóverat mórtuos, qui poterat fácere
vivos. Nisi enim ad mórtuos suscitándos venísset, Apóstolus non diceret: Surge, qui dormis,
et exsúrge a mórtuis, et illuminábit te Christus.
Tres autem mórtuos invenímus a Dómino resuscitatos visibíliter, míllia invisibíliter. Quot
autem mórtuos visibíliter suscitaverit, quis novit? Non enim ómnia, quæ fecit, scripta sunt.
Joánnes hoc dixit: Multa alia fecit Jesus, quæ si scripta essent, árbitror totum mundum non
posse libros cápere. Multi ergo sunt alii sine dubio suscitati, sed non tres frustra
commemorati. Dóminus enim noster Jesus Christus ea, quæ faciebat corporáliter, étiam
spiritáliter volebat intelligi. Neque enim tantum miracula propter miracula faciebat; sed ut
illa, quæ faciebat, mira essent vidéntibus, vera essent intelligéntibus.
Quemádmodum qui videt litteras in códice óptime scripto, et non novit légere, laudat quidem
antiquarii manum, admirans ápicum pulchritúdinem; sed quid sibi velint, quid índicent illi
ápices, nescit, et est óculis laudator, mente non cógnitor. Alius autem et laudat artifícium,
et capit intelléctum: ille útique, qui non solum vidére quod commune est ómnibus potest, sed
étiam légere; quod qui non dídicit, non potest. Ita qui vidérunt Christi miracula, et non
intellexérunt quid sibi vellent, et quid intelligéntibus quodámmodo innúerent, miráti sunt
tantum quia facta sunt; alii vero et facta mirati, et intellecta assecuti. Tales nos in
schola Christi esse debemus.
en: >-
That her son was called again to life was the joy of that widowed mother; that souls of men
are every day called to life is the joy of our Mother the Church. He was dead in body; they
have been dead in mind. His death was outward, and was outwardly bewailed; their inward
death hath been neither mourned for nor seen. But He hath sought for them, Who hath seen
that they are dead, and He only hath seen that they are dead, Who hath been able to make
them alive. If He had not come to raise the dead, the Apostle had not said: "Awake, thou
that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."
It is written how the Lord raised from the dead three persons visibly, but thousands
invisibly. But how many they may have been whom He raised visibly, who knoweth? For all the
things which He did are not written. John saith thus: "There are also many other things
which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the
world itself could not contain the books that should be written." There were then, doubtless,
many more raised to life, but it is not meaningless that three are recorded. For our Lord
Jesus Christ hath willed that those things which He did carnally, we should understand also
spiritually. He worked not miracles only for the sake of working wonders, but that His works
might be at once wonderful to them that beheld, and true to them that understand them.
Even as one that looketh upon a scroll right fairly written, and knoweth not how to read
therein, praiseth the hand of the old scribe when he seeth the beauty of the points, but
what it saith, what those points mean, he knoweth not, and praiseth by the eye, without
understanding by the mind; and as, on the other hand, he that can not only gaze on it, as
can all men, but also can read it, praiseth the penmanship, and catcheth the sense likewise,
which the unlearned cannot do: even so, there were some that saw the miracles which Christ
did, and understood not what they meant, nor what they, as it were, hinted to such as did
understand them, and these only marvelled to see them wrought. And other some there were
which saw the works, and marvelled, and understood them, and profited by them. And it is as
these last that we ought to be in the school of Christ.
responsory:
la: "Numquid supplántat judícium? aut Omnípotens subvértit quod iustum est? † Líbera me, Dómine, et pone me juxta te: * Et cujúsvis manus pugnet contra me.\nV. Apprehénde arma et scutum, et exsúrge in adjutórium mihi.\nR. Et cujúsvis manus pugnet contra me."
en: "Does God pervert judgment, or does the Almighty overthrow that which is just? Deliver me, O Lord, and set me beside you, * And let any man's hand fight against me.\nV. Take hold of arms and shield: and rise up to help me.\nR. And let any man's hand fight against me."
status: { la: verified, en: verified }
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
# Matins Nocturn 2 reading for St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr (May 7)
# — pre-1955-but-post-1617 (no SanctiM/05-07*.txt at all).
# web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/05-07.txt, English/Sancti/05-07.txt.
# Lectio4-6 is this saint's own proper text, one continuous vita account,
# no internal break, combined into a single reading; Lectio7-9 (not
# present in this file, implicitly Common) skipped. No responsory given.
id: st-stanislaus
readings:
- nocturn: 2
isGospel: false
text:
la: >-
Stanislaus Polonus, apud Cracoviam nobili genere natus et piis paréntibus, qui antea per
annos trigínta stériles, illum a Deo precibus impetrarunt, ab ineunte ætate futuræ
sanctitátis specimen dedit. Adoléscens bonis artibus operam navávit, multumque in sacra
cánonum et theologíæ doctrina profecit. Paréntibus mórtuis, amplum patrimónium paupéribus
distríbuit, vitæ monasticæ desidério. Sed Dei providéntia canonicus Cracoviénsis et
concionátor factus a Lampérto epíscopo, in ejus póstea locum, quamvis invitus, suffícitur.
Quo in múnere, ómnium pastorálium virtútum laude, et præcípue misericórdia in páuperes,
enítuit.
Erat tum Poloniæ rex Bolesláus, quem gráviter offendit, quod illíus notam libidinem publice
arguebat. Quare in solemni regni convéntu Stanisláum per calumniam in judícium coram se
vocari curat, tamquam pagum occuparet, quem ecclésiæ suæ nómine coémerat. Quod cum neque
tabulis probare posset, et testes veritátem cidere timerent, spondet epíscopus, se Petrum
pagi venditórem, qui triennio ante obíerat, intra dies tres in judícium adducturum.
Conditióne cum risu accepta, vir Dei toto triduo jejuniis et oratióni incumbit; ipso
sponsiónis die, post oblátum Missæ sacrifícium, Petrum e sepúlcro surgere jubet; qui statim
redivivus, episcopum ad regium tribunal euntem sequitur, ibique, rege et ceteris stupore
attónitis, de agro a se véndito et pretio rite sibi ab episcopo persoluto testimónium dicit,
atque íterum in Dómino obdormívit.
At Boleslaum, frustra sæpe admónitum, Stanisláus tandem a fidelium communióne rémovet. Ille,
iracúndia furens, milites in ecclésiam immíttit, ut sanctum episcopum confodiant; qui, ter
conati, occúlta vi, tertio divinitus sunt depulsi. Postremo ímpius rex sacerdotem Dei,
Hostiam immaculátam ad altáre offeréntem, sua manu obtruncat. Corpus, membratim concisum et
per agros projectum, áquilæ a feris mirabíliter defendunt. Mox canonici Cracovienses sparsa
membra, nocturni de cælo splendoris indicio cólligunt, et suis locis apte disponunt; quæ
súbito ita inter se copuláta sunt, ut nulla vúlnerum vestígia exstarent. Multis præterea
miraculis servi sui sanctitátem Deus declarávit post ejus mortem: quibus permotus Innocentius
quartus, summus Pontifex, illum in Sanctórum númerum rétulit. Clemens vero octavus, Pontifex
maximus, sancti Stanislai festo die in Románum Breviárium reláto, gloriósi Mártyris memóriam
dúplici Officio ubíque celebrári jussit.
en: >-
This Stanislaw was a Pole. He was born of a noble family at Cracow. His godly parents, who
had been childless for thirty years, obtained him from God by prayer, and from his earliest
years he gave token of the holiness of life which afterwards marked him. When he was a young
man he applied himself heartily to all useful learning, and was deeply read in the sacred
teaching of the Canons and of Theological science. After the death of his parents he
inherited great possessions, but he sold them, and distributed the price to the poor,
purposing himself to become a monk. However, by the Providence of God, Lampert, Bishop of
Cracow, named him Canon of the Cathedral Church of that diocese, and Preacher in the same,
and afterwards he was elected, against his own will, to succeed to Lampert's place. In this
office he was a bright and shining light of all virtues that become a shepherd of souls,
especially of tenderness toward the poor.
At that time Boleslaw II was King of Poland, and him Stanislaw grievously offended, because
he openly rebuked him for his shameless lust. Wherefore, in a solemn Parliament of his
kingdom, he made Stanislaw to be brought before him on a false accusation of having taken
wrongfully a certain village, which he had bought in the name of his Church. The Bishop
could not rebut this charge by documents, and the witnesses were in too great fear to speak
the truth. Stanislaw therefore said that in three days he would produce before the
judgment-seat one Peter, from whom he had bought the village, and who had been dead three
years. His enemies laughed thereat, and closed with his proposal, and the man of God gave
himself up to fasting and prayer for three days. On the day which he had promised, after he
had offered up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, he commanded Peter to rise from the grave.
Peter then immediately came to life, arose, and followed Stanislaw to the King's
judgment-seat, where before the King and all others, who were struck dumb with amazement, he
bore witness of the sale of the village, and the honest payment of the price by the Bishop,
and then again fell asleep in the Lord.
Stanislaw often rebuked Boleslaw, but when he found it was in vain, he at last cut him off
from the communion of Christ's faithful people. Thereupon Boleslaw became frenzied with
rage, and sent soldiers to the Church to murder the holy Bishop. This they thrice essayed to
do, but God was pleased that they should be held back by some unseen power. In the end, the
ungodly King with his own hand cut off the head of the Priest of God as he was standing at
the Altar offering up the Sacrifice without spot. His body was hewn into pieces and strewn
about the fields, but the eagles strangely kept the beasts of prey off it. The Canons of the
Cathedral of Cracow soon gathered together the mutilated and scattered limbs, which they
were enabled to see by a lightness which overspread the sky at night, and they fitted them
together, each into his place. The relics immediately so joined themselves one to the other,
that no marks of wounds remained. Moreover, God was pleased to manifest the holiness of His
servant by many wonders after his death, by the which being moved, Pope Innocent IV added
his name to those of the Saints, and the Supreme Pontiff Clement VIII gave his Feast a place
in the Service Book of the Church of Rome, commanding that the memory of so glorious a
Martyr should be everywhere celebrated under the Double rite.
status: { la: verified, en: verified }