E00004: Gregory of Tours, in his Life of *Lupicinus and Romanus (brothers and founders of the Jura monasteries, later 5th c.,S00003), tells of their burial-places: Lupicinus in the church of his monastery, Romanus, at his own request, outside the monastery, so that both women and men could access the tomb; here a large church is subsequently built and many miracles occur; all in the Jura (eastern Gaul). From Gregory's Life of the Fathers, written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 573/594.
Creators: name: Dlambert
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2020
Subjects: History

description: Gregory of Tours, Life of the Fathers, I.6<br><br>At the end of his joint Life of Lupicinus and Romanus (for an overview of which, see E00003), Gregory tells of their deaths and chosen places of burial: <br><br>6. Post haec autem, cum iam senes profectaeque essent aetatis, Lupicinus abba scilicet et Romanus, frater eius, ait Lupicinus germano suo: "Dic", inquid, "mihi, in quale monasterium vis tibi parari sepulchrum, ut simul quiescamus?" Qui ait: "Non potest fieri, ut ego in monasterio sepulchrum habeam, a quo mulierum accessus arcetur. Nosti enim, quid mihi indigno et non merenti dominus Deus meus gratiam tribuit curationum, multique per inpositionem manus meae ac virtutem crucis dominicae a diversis langoribus sint erepti. Erit autem concursus ad tumulum meum, si ab hac luce migravero. Ideoque rogo, ut eminus a monasterio requiescam". Pro hac vero causa, cum obisset, in decim milibus a monasterio in monte parvulo sepultus est. Super cuius deinceps sepulchrum magnum templum aedificatum est, in quo ingens frequentia populi diebus singulis accurrit. Multae enim virtutes ibi in Dei nomine nunc ostenduntur. Nam et caeci ibi lumen et surdi auditum et paralytici gressum plerumque recipiunt. Lupicinus autem abba obiens, intra monasterii basilicam est sepultus, reliquitque Domino pecuniae creditae multiplicata talenta, id est beatas monachorum congregationes in eius laude devotas.<br><br>'6. Later, when Abbot Lupicinus and Romanus were old men advanced in age, Lupicinus said to his brother, "Tell me, in which monastery do you want your burial place to be prepared, so that we may rest together?" Romanus replied, "I do not want to have my tomb in a monastery which women are forbidden to enter. As you know, the Lord has given me grace of bringing cures, although I am unworthy and do not deserve it, and many have been snatched from various illnesses by the imposition of my hands and the power of the Lord's cross. Thus many people will gather at my tomb when I leave the light of this life. That is why I ask to rest far from the monastery." For that reason, when he died he was buried ten miles from the monastery, on a small hill. At length a great church was built over the tomb, and large crowds came there every day. Many miracles are now accomplished there in the name of God: the blind find the light, the deaf their hearing, the paralysed the use of their limbs. Abbot Lupicinus was buried in the basilica of the monastery, and thus left to the Lord greatly multiplied the sums which had been lent to him, this is to say, the blessed congregations of monks devoted to His praise.'<br><br>Text: Krusch 1969, 217-218. Translation: James 1991, 10