E07756: Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (4.36), refers to posthumous miracles at the tomb of *Nicetius (bishop of Lyon, ob. 573, S00049), and describes the miraculous punishment of Nicetius' successor Priscus and others who disrespected his memory. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.

Gregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 4.36

After describing Nicetius' saintly life, Gregory states:

Hic, xxii annis sacerdotio ministrato, migravit ad Dominum; qui nunc magna miracula ad suum tumulum exorantibus praestat. Nam de oleo cicindelis, qui ad ipsum sepulchrum cotidie accenditur, caecorum oculis lumen reddit, daemones de obsessis corporibus fugat, contractis membris restituit sanitatem et omnibus infirmis magnum in hoc tempore habetur praesidium.

'He died after holding his bishopric for twenty-two years: and now great miracles are wrought at his tomb for those who come to pray there. By means of the oil in the lamp which burns daily at his tomb he gives back their sight to the blind; he drives out evil spirits from the bodies of those possessed; he restores health to paralysed limbs; and in our time he is considered to be a ready source of help to all who are infirm.'

Gregory then describes how Nicetius' successor as bishop Priscus and his wife Susanna were consumed by envy of Nicetius, insulting his memory, spreading discreditable stories about him and befriending his enemies. Although women had always been barred from the bishop's house (domus ecclesiae), Susanna and her maids used to enter even Nicetius' cell. But God punished them for these sins: Susanna was possessed by a demon, and ran around the city confessing that Nicetius was a friend of Christ (amicum Christi) and asking him to spare her. Priscus was struck by a quartan fever which left him permanently trembling and stupid. His son and whole household were also left pale and stupid (decolor ... ac stupida), so that no one could doubt that they had been struck by the power of the holy man (ut nulli sit dubium, eos a sancti viri virtute percussos).

A deacon who had often been punished by Nicetius climbed on the roof of the bishop's house and began throwing tiles off the roof while insulting Nicetius; he promptly fell to his death. Nicetius appeared in a dream to a man and told him to warn Priscus to stop doing evil things, and to warn a presbyter named Martinus that he would be punished for supporting Priscus and would die unless he changed his ways. This man went to a deacon he knew and asked him to report the dream to the bishop. When the deacon failed to do so, Nicetius appeared in a dream to him too: he demanded to know why the deacon had not reported the dream to Priscus, and then began to punch him in the throat (clausis pugnis coepit guttur eius caedere). When the deacon woke up, his throat was painful and swollen. He immediately went to Priscus and Martinus and told them about the dream.

At illi parvi pendentes ea quae audierant, fantasiam somniorum esse dixerunt. Martinus vero presbiter statim inruit in febre et aegrotans convaluit; sed cum semper adolatorie episcopo loqueretur et consentiret in malis actibus ac blasphemiis, quae in sanctum evomebant, iterum in febre redactus, spiritum exalavit.

'They made light of what they had been told and pretended that it was all empty dreams. The priest Martin immediately became ill with a high temperature, but he recovered from his sickness. He continued to flatter the Bishop, supporting him in his evil deeds and the abuse which he heaped on Saint Nicetius. He fell ill a second time with a fever and so died.'


Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 168-169. Translation: Thorpe 1974, 230-233. Summary: David Lambert.