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E07771: Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (6.29), describes how a dying nun at the monastery of Radegund at Poitiers had a vision of *Michael (the Archangel, S00181), whose presence was confirmed by a possessed man, c. 583. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 583/594.
online resource
posted on 2019-09-06, 00:00 authored by dlambertGregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 6.29
Summary:
A nun at Radegund's monastery named Disciola, the niece of Bishop Salvius of Albi, was at the point of death from sickness. She suddenly exclaimed, ‘Give me your blessing, holy messenger from God on high. This is the third time today that you have taken the trouble to visit me. Why, holy one, do you take such pains for a poor, feeble woman?’ (Benedic mihi, sanctae ac famulae Dei excelsi; ecce enim iam tertio fatigaris hodiae mei causa! Et cur, sanctae, pro infirma muliercula crebras iniurias sustenis?) She did not tell the other nuns who she was speaking to, but soon laughed and then immediately died.
A man possessed by a demon had come to the convent in the hope of being healed by its relic of the True Cross. Through him, the demon began to exclaim angrily about how Disciola had escaped from 'our power' (de potestate nostra). When the nuns asked what he meant, he replied 'Michael the angel has just received that girl's soul, and he is even now carrying it off to heaven. My own master, whom you call the Devil, has no share in her at all!' (Ecce anima puellae Michahel angelus suscepit, et ipsi eam ad caelos evexit. Princeps vero noster, quem vos diabolum nominatis, nihil in ea participatur).
After this story, Gregory goes on to describe how another nun in the monastery became an anchoress after having a vision of Christ.
Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 295-297. Translation: Thorpe 1974, adapted. Summary: David Lambert.
Summary:
A nun at Radegund's monastery named Disciola, the niece of Bishop Salvius of Albi, was at the point of death from sickness. She suddenly exclaimed, ‘Give me your blessing, holy messenger from God on high. This is the third time today that you have taken the trouble to visit me. Why, holy one, do you take such pains for a poor, feeble woman?’ (Benedic mihi, sanctae ac famulae Dei excelsi; ecce enim iam tertio fatigaris hodiae mei causa! Et cur, sanctae, pro infirma muliercula crebras iniurias sustenis?) She did not tell the other nuns who she was speaking to, but soon laughed and then immediately died.
A man possessed by a demon had come to the convent in the hope of being healed by its relic of the True Cross. Through him, the demon began to exclaim angrily about how Disciola had escaped from 'our power' (de potestate nostra). When the nuns asked what he meant, he replied 'Michael the angel has just received that girl's soul, and he is even now carrying it off to heaven. My own master, whom you call the Devil, has no share in her at all!' (Ecce anima puellae Michahel angelus suscepit, et ipsi eam ad caelos evexit. Princeps vero noster, quem vos diabolum nominatis, nihil in ea participatur).
After this story, Gregory goes on to describe how another nun in the monastery became an anchoress after having a vision of Christ.
Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 295-297. Translation: Thorpe 1974, adapted. Summary: David Lambert.
History
Evidence ID
E07771Saint Name
Michael, the Archangel : S00181Saint Name in Source
MichahelRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)Language
- Latin