E00068: Gregory of Tours, in his Life of *Nicetius (bishop of Lyon, ob. 573, S00049), tells of piles of broken fetters at Nicetius' tomb in Lyon (central Gaul), and recounts two stories about him as a freer of prisoners. From Gregory's Life of the Fathers, written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 573/594.

Gregory of Tours, Life of the Fathers 8.6, 8.7 and 8.10

Three stories told in the Life of Nicetius appear to present him as particularly good at freeing prisoners.

The first text is an extract from an account of miracles at Nicetius' grave, brought to Gregory in Tours by one of his priests:
(Ch.6) (...) Iohannis autem presbiter noster, dum ab urbe Masiliensi cum commercio negotiationis suae rediret, ad huius sancti sepulchrum in oratione prosternitur; de qua consurgens, aspicit confractos conpedes disruptasque maculas catenarum, quae culpabilium vel adstrixerant colla vel suras adtriverant, et admiratus est (...).

'(...) John, our priest, returned from Marseille with the merchandise of his commerce, and fell down to pray at the tomb of the same saint [Nicetius]. Getting up, he saw broken chains and shattered fetters which had clasped the necks of calves and criminals, and he was full of admiration. (...)' John goes on to say that he in person witnessed three blind people regain their sight.

The second text is a complete story, which constitutes a whole chapter of the Life:
(Ch.7) Seditio etenim in quodam loco exorta, cum, vulgo saeviente, volantibus saxis ac facibus, furor arma non mediocriter ministraret, unus elevati ensis acumine cum adsultu gravi virum perculit.Post dies autem paucos nanctus ab interempti germano, simili exitu trucidatur. Quod cum iudex loci illius conperisset, vinctum [ac caesum] virum in carcerem retrudi praecepit, dicens: "Dignus est leto hic scelestus occumbere, qui voluntatis propriae arbitrio, nec spectato iudice, ausus est temere mortem fratris ulcisci". In qua dum teneretur custodia et, multorum sanctorum nominibus invocatis, misericordiam precaretur, quasi ad sanctum Dei propriae conversus, ait: "Audivi de te, sancte Niceti, quod sis potens in opere misericordiae ac pius in conpeditorum flentium absolutione. Deprecor nunc, ut me illa supereminenti pietate visitare digneris, quae in reliquorum absolutione vinctorum saepius claruisti". Et post paululum obdormiens, apparuit ei vir beatus, dicens: "Quis es tu, qui nomen Niceti invocas? Aut unde nosti, quis fuerit, quod eum obsecrare non desinis?" At ille causam delicti ex ordine reserans, adiecit: "Miserere, quaeso, mihi, si tu es vir Dei quem invoco". Cui sanctus ait: "Surge in nomine Christi et ambula liber; a nullo enim conprehenderis". At ille in hac expergefactus voce, se absolutum, catenis comminutis confractaque trabe, miratur. Nec moratus, nemine retenente, usque ad eius sepulchrum perrexit intrepidus. Tunc a iudice noxialis culpae damnatione concessa, laxatus abscessit ad propria.

'A riot occurred at a certain place. The enraged crowd threw stones and fire brands, and rage gave them no little strength. A man armed with a sharp sword felled another with a blow, and a few days later was met by the dead man's brother and was himself slain. When we heard of this the judge of that place had the man put in prison, saying "He is worthy of death, this wicked man who did not wait for the decision of the judge and who by his own will dared to avenge the death of his brother." While he was held in this prison, having invoked the names of many saints he sought for mercy and said as if turning to the holy man of God "I have heard tell of you, holy Nicetius, that you are powerful in works of mercy and generous in the freeing of piteous captives. I beg you now to deign to visit me with that excellent kindness by which you have so often shone in the deliverance of others who are in chains." Shortly afterwards, as he slept, the blessed man appeared to him and said "Who are you, who call the name of Nicetius? And how do you know who he was, since you do not cease to pray to him?" Then the man told him about his case and added, "Have pity on me, I beg you, if you are the man of God whom I invoke." The saint said to him "Rise up, in the name of Christ, and walk free: you will not be restrained by anyone." He woke up, and was full of astonishment at seeing his chains shattered and the beam broken, and immediately, without being stopped by anyone, he went undaunted to the tomb of the saint. Then the judge gave him pardon for the judgement he had been given, he was released and went home.'

The third text is the first half of a chapter about Nicetius' miracles
(Ch.10) Quanti per hunc sanctum carcerali ergastulo revincti absoluti sunt, quantorum conpeditorum catenae sive conpedes sint confracti, testis est hodie moles illa ferri, quae in basilica eius aspicitur, de supradictis suppliciis adgregata. Nuper autem in conspectu Gunthramni principis Siagrium Agustidunensim episcopum regi referentem audivi, una nocte in septem civitatibus carcerariis apparuisse beatum virum eosque absolvisse ab ergastulo et abire liberos permisisse; sed nec iudices contra eos quicquam agere deinceps ausi sunt.

'If one wishes to know how many prisoners were freed by the saint and how many chains and fetters he has broken, one has only to look at the mass of irons which are today in the church, gathered together from such occasions. Recently in the presence of King Guntram [r. 561-592], I have heard Syagrius, bishop of Autun [c. 567 - c. 591], tell the king how one night the holy man appeared to prisoners in seven different cities, delivered them from their prisons and allowed them to go as free men, and how the judges had not dared to do anything more against them.' Gregory continues by saying that the sick who drink a potion of water with dust from Nicetius' tomb will soon be cured.

Text: Krusch 1969, 247, 250. Translation: James 1991, 56-58, 61, lightly adapted.