E06715: Venantius Fortunatus writes the Life of *Albinus (ascetic and bishop of Angers, ob. c. 550, S01181), presenting him as an ideal bishop and miracle-worker. Written in Latin in Poitiers, 569/572.
Creators: name: Dlambert
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2018
Subjects: History

description: Venantius Fortunatus, Life of Albinus (BHL 234)<br><br>Summary:<br><br>The Life of Albinus is dedicated to Bishop Domitianus of Angers, in a dedicatory letter. In the prologue Venantius Fortunatus presents as his aim the preservation of Albinus’ merits for the edification of the people.<br><br>5-6. Albinus is born to well-off parents near the coast of Brittany, and at a young age he leaves them to join a monastery in Tincillacens [location unknown], where he excels in ascetic discipline.<br><br>7. While still a young boy, as he is travelling on an errand for his abbot, a violent rainstorm occurs, but Albinus remains miraculously untouched by the rain.<br><br>8. At age thirty-five he is made abbot, and the community thrives under his leadership for twenty-five years.<br><br>9. By popular acclaim and against his wishes, Albinus is made bishop of Angers; he fulfils his office by giving alms to the poor and redeeming captives.<br><br>10. In Angers Albinus heals a woman with a contracted hand.<br><br>11. Albinus raises a boy named Alabaudus from the dead, and he heals a blind man at the monastery of Asiacus [probably that of Assé-le-Reboul in the Sarthe]. In separate incidents, he also heals a blind man named Maurilio and another named Marcellinus. <br><br>12. When a noblewoman named Aetheria is held by royal order in the villa of Dullacens [location unknown], Albinus visits her and attempts to rescue her from the prison; when a guard intervenes and injures Albinus, the saint causes him to fall dead. Albinus proceeds to rescue Aetheria and pay her ransom to the king.<br><br>13. Near the village of Albivia [location unknown], Albinus heals a man from blindness and demon possession.<br><br>14. When Albinus is too ill to attend a planned meeting with King Childebert, the king sets off to meet the saint but contemplates taking a detour at a fork in the road; the king’s horse refuses to move until directed onto the path to the saint.<br><br>15. Similarly, in Vannes the deceased body of a pious young man is rendered too heavy to be moved to his tomb until Albinus arrives and offers a prayer.<br><br>16. Albinus heals Gennomerus, a monk of the monastery of Tincillacens, of blindness. In Angers Albinus asks a judge to release some prisoners; after the judge ignores his request, Albinus prays and causes part of the prison to collapse and release the prisoners. The prisoners honour Albinus for this miracle at the basilica of St. *Maurilius (bishop of Angers, ob. 453. S02421).<br><br>17. Albinus exorcises a demon from a woman.<br><br>18. In the face of pressure from his fellow bishops, Albinus refuses to sanction an incestuous royal marriage; rebuffed by his peers, he consults Caesarius of Arles about the matter.<br><br>19. Albinus dies and is buried. Some time later his successor as bishop of Angers, together with Germanus, bishop of Paris, attempt to translate his body to a new basilica but are impeded by the narrowness of his tomb; Albinus miraculously enables his translation by causing one of the walls of his tomb to collapse.<br><br>20. Three paralytics and two blind men are healed as his body is transported. <br><br><br>Text: Krusch 1885. Summary: Kent Navalesi.