Life and transfer of (relics) of St. Clement

Contents From the manuscript of Francis Duchesne V. CL. (Manuscript of the Moscow Public (formerly Rumyantsevsky) Museum, No. 151, l. 29–34.) From the manuscript of Moskov. Publ. Museum, no. 151. L. 12–13 Vita cum Translatione S. Clementis Ex Ms. Francisci Duchesne Y. C.L. (Acta Sanctorum Bolland. Martii Tom. II. p. 19–21.) Acta SS. Martii T. II b. 15 From the manuscript of Francis Duchesne V. CL. (Manuscript of the Moscow Public (formerly Rumyantsevsky) Museum, No. 151, l. 29–34.) 1. While Emperor Michael ruled New Rome, there was a certain noble man, originally from Thessalonica, named Constantine, who was not in vain called the Philosopher for the wonderful mind that was revealed in him from an early age. Having reached adulthood, he was brought by his parents to the capital. There, as a very pious and prudent husband, God willing, he was adorned with the priestly rank. At the same time, ambassadors from the Khazars arrived to the aforementioned emperor, asking and pleading that he would send them a learned man who would teach them the correct Catholic faith, adding, by the way, how either the Jews or the Saracens were trying to convert them to their faith. But we, not knowing which one to lean towards, decided to ask advice about our faith and salvation from the supreme and catholic Emperor, relying on your loyalty and ancient friendship. Then the Emperor, after consulting with the Patriarch, called before him the aforementioned Philosopher and with the greatest honor sent him there with the Khazar and his own ambassadors, in full confidence in his prudence and eloquence. 2. And so, having immediately prepared everything he needed, he set off and arrived in Chersonesos, very close and adjacent to the land of the Khazars. Here he stopped for some time, wanting to learn the language of this people. Meanwhile, by the inspiration of God, who had already decided to reveal such a precious treasure to his faithful, that is, the body of St. Clement, the mentioned husband, as an inquisitive tester, began to diligently visit from the local residents and carefully test what had reached him, partly through written tradition, partly by ear, about the body of the blessed one. Clement, about the church erected by angelic hands and about his tomb. Everyone declared that, as strangers from different nations, and not local natives, they had no idea what he was asking about, for the miracle of the ebb of the sea, famous in the history of the sufferings of the mentioned high priest, had long ceased for the sins and negligence of the inhabitants, and the sea covered its former places with waves. Moreover, and due to many raids of barbarians, the church was abandoned and destroyed, this country was deserted and became uninhabited. And the very coffin of St. the martyr and his body were covered with waves. 3. Very surprised and extremely saddened by this answer, the Philosopher turned to prayers, may it be revealed to him from above for the merits of the mentioned high priest, which he could not learn from people. He invited the metropolitan from the city itself, named George, along with the church and the people, and ask the same from heaven. Moreover, by telling the deeds of the passion-bearer, or the miracles of the most blessed martyr, he aroused many with his exhortations to begin to find such a precious and so long neglected treasure and, with the help of God, to bring it to light. On a certain day, the 30th, as they say, of January, in calm weather, having entered the ship that guides Christ, they set off on the road, that is, the mentioned Philosopher with the bishop and the honest clergy and some from the city. And so the waterfowl, with great piety and hope, with psalmody and prayers, arrived on the island where, as they thought, the holy body of the martyr was located. With the brilliance of lamps, they went around all the places on the island, began to send out prayers more and more and diligently dig in a certain mound, where, as they should have guessed, the treasure rested. 4. They dug for a long time, hoping for God's mercy. Finally, one of the bones of the unappreciated martyr suddenly shone forth, like some most radiant star. At this sight, everyone was filled with indescribable delight and, without any prompting, vying with each other to dig the earth. Then his holy head appeared. Everyone cried out to heaven with tears, sending up praise and thanksgiving to God. If we cannot imagine this joy, how much more can we describe it; for everyone was so delighted, both by the discovery of the holy relics and by the fragrance, that they dreamed of being in heaven. Then they began to work again and, tearing off particle by particle, they dug everything out. Finally, the very anchor with which he was thrown into the sea was found. 5. And so, with universal unspeakable joy about the great blessings of God, after the sacraments were performed at that place by the holy high priest, the holy man himself, having placed the holy relics on his own head, with the exclamations of all those accompanying him, entered the ship and then, with songs of praise, transferred them to the capital Gloria. Meanwhile, as they approached the city, the valiant Nikephoros, the prince of that city, met them with many others, and, having bowed to the holy relics, joyfully preceded them, hastening to the city. There, still amidst general exclamations, he arrived, bowed to the holy and honorable body and told publicly the mysterious discovery of it. When it was already beginning to get dark and it was impossible to go further because of the countless multitude of people, then with zealous care they laid the body in the church of St. Sozont, on the outskirts of the city, and finally moved to the church of St. Leontia. The next day, in the morning, in the presence of all the people, having taken the holy relics, they went around the whole city with great praises and thus brought them to the cathedral church, placed them there with honor, and then everyone returned home rejoicing. 6. After this, the aforementioned Philosopher set off and, arriving to the people where he was sent, preached God, the Redeemer of all, and with the power of his word he turned away all those from errors who had been deceived by the treachery of the Saracens or Jews. Confirmed in the Catholic faith and taught, they with great joy thanked Almighty God and his servant Constantine the Philosopher. Moreover, they sent letters to the Emperor, thanking him for trying to convert them to the true and Catholic faith, and asserting that for this they would always remain most faithful and obedient to his authority. Releasing the Philosopher with great honor, they brought him the most precious gifts, which he, as a true philosopher, did not accept, but asked instead of all the gifts to release with him, as many foreign captives as he had. This was done immediately. 7. When the Philosopher returned to Constantinople, the Moravian Prince Rostislav heard about what the Philosopher had done in the Khazars. Wishing the same to his people, he sent messengers to the mentioned Emperor, reporting that his people had abandoned idolatry and wanted to observe the Christian law, but did not have a teacher who would instruct them to read and completely understand the law itself; and for this he asks to send such a person who could clearly show the people the faith and order of the Law of God and the path of truth. The Emperor, heeding Rostislav's request, summoned the same mentioned Philosopher to himself and sent him there, that is, to the country of the Slavs, together with his brother Methodius, giving them generous travel expenses. When they arrived there, the residents were very happy when they heard that they and the relics of the bl. They carry Clement with them and the Gospel is translated into their language by the aforementioned Philosopher. And so, going out of the city to meet them, they received them with honor and great joy. The holy men immediately got to work, began to teach children to read and write, instruct them in the law of God and refine their eloquence to correct various errors found among the people, and thus clearing this harmful field from the various roots of vices, they sowed the seeds of the word of God. They stayed in Moravia for four and a half years, taught the people the Catholic faith and left there various scriptures needed for church services. 8. Hearing all this, the famous Pope Nicholas was very happy and invited them to his place with apostolic letters. Delighted by this news, they thanked God that they were worthy of the high priestly invitation. Setting off immediately, they took with them some more of their disciples, whom they considered worthy of receiving the episcopal rank, and thus, a few days later, they arrived in Rome. 9 . But the aforementioned Pope Nicholas recently moved to the Lord. Adrian the second, who took his place as high priest, hearing that the Philosopher was carrying with him the body of St. Clement, gained through his labors, was very happy about this, and, going out to meet the clergy and people outside the city, he received them with great honor. Meanwhile, in the presence of the holy relics, by the power of almighty God, miraculous healings began to take place: whoever was possessed by any disease was immediately healed by the touch of the holy relics of the martyr. Therefore, the high priest, as well as all the people, bringing great praise and thanksgiving to God, rejoiced that for a long time he was worthy to receive into their capital the holy and apostolic man and successor of Peter, the head of all the apostles, and not only all of Rome, but also the entire Roman Empire to enlighten him with signs and virtues. And so, thanking the aforementioned Philosopher for the good deed rendered, they ordained him and Methodius as bishops, and their other disciples as presbyters and deacons. 10. When the Philosopher, or Constantine, felt the approach of his death, then, with the permission of the high priest, he gave himself the name Cyril, saying that this name was inspired in him from above, and thus, after forty days, he fell asleep in the Lord on March 17. The Holy Father, the Pope, ordered both the Roman and Greek clergy to gather for his burial with psalms and hymns, candles and incense, and to bury him with the same honor as the high priest himself. 11. Then the aforementioned brother Methodius, coming to the high priest and throwing himself at his feet, said: I consider it worthy and necessary to impress upon your Holiness that when leaving our house for the service, which we performed with the help of God, the mother with tears asked one brother who was still alive to bring the deceased to his monastery and bury him there with due honor. So let your servant fulfill his duty, so that I do not disobey my mother. The pope, although with difficulty, nevertheless agreed to his demand: having carefully placed the body of the deceased in a marble coffin and sealed it with his own seal, after seven days he released Methodius. Then the Roman clergy, in consultation with the bishops, cardinals and nobles of the city, approached the high priest and spoke as follows: we consider it an unworthy thing to release to other lands, for any reason, a man so famous, through whom Rome and the church were honored to acquire such a precious treasure, which God, from distant and foreign countries, by his mercy, was pleased to bring to us, and even from this place raptured into his heavenly kingdom. It is better that he be buried here with honor, for it is very fitting for such a famous man to be buried in such a famous city. The high priest liked this advice: he ordered it to be placed in the church of St. Peter, that is, in his own monument. 12. Methodius, seeing his intention not fulfilled, came again with a request: when you did not want to satisfy my demand, then I pray to you, lords, that my brother may be buried in the church of St. Clement, whose body was found through his labors and brought here. The Holy Father heeded this prayer and, at a gathering of the clergy and a large crowd, with great joy and reverence, they laid Cyril, together with the marble coffin, where the pope had previously enclosed him, in a monument prepared for this with hymns and great thanksgiving to God, who works miracles in this place, for the glory and praise of his name, for the sake of the merits and prayers of his saints, blessed and glorified in forever and ever. Amen. Note. The proposed translation of the so-called Italian Legend is made for Count Η.Π. Rumyantsev, probably Rev. I. Grigorovich, one of the closest collaborators of the famous philanthropist in his historical works. In this manuscript, in addition to the Italian Legend, there is a translation of other Latin legends related to the history of the Slavic Apostles, as well as a preface and comments to them. Sl. Vostokova Description Room. Museum, p. 199. The Russian translation of the Italian Legend is printed from the Rumyantsev manuscript without any corrections. For comparison, below the lines is attached the Latin original taken from the Acta SS. Further, using the same translation and also with the appendix of the original, an excerpt from the preface of the Bollandists is offered, relating to the question of the origin of the Italian Legend. From the Moskov manuscript. Publ. Museum, No. 151. L. 12–13 § 15. The history of the transfer of his (St. Clement's) body, which we intend to offer here, was written, as we suspect, by Goderic, Bishop of Velitern, whom others call Gaudentius. For we did not receive from the same Abbot Ugell the complete life or history of St. Clement. The preface of this history to Pope John VIII begins as follows: “Preface by Goderic, Bishop of Velitern, to the Most Holy Pope, Most Blessed Bishop of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Roman Church, Supreme Pontiff and Universal Pope John, Goderic, the least of the bishops, ever rejoicing in Christ the Lord Jesus. To the honor and praise of your predecessor, Bl. Clement, the martyr turned high priest, I decided to collect something about his life, to find out what noble origin he was, how he defeated idols with the weapon of philosophy, how he came to know the truth through the Inspiration of God, especially when I ruled the Church of Christ of this valiant martyr in the city of Veliterna.” And then: “Not so precisely, how fearing of God I collected this and divided it into three books. In the first book we showed the origin of Clement, fatherland, birth, upbringing, intention, way of life, conversion to the Christian faith in the way he learned the truth. In the second, with the help of God, we proposed the depth of teaching, the rank of bishopric, the power of the high priesthood and the courage with which we struck idols with philosophical arguments. In the third book we are surprised by miracles. Here we tried to collect everything related to the cruel exile, the martyr’s crown and his miraculous return to his own throne city.” Finally, he says this: “Out of many things, we have compiled very little regarding what is happening through the prayers of the martyr of Christ for the glory of the Almighty, as much as we remembered, saw and heard.” § 16. And so there seems to be no doubt that this story of the acquisition of Ev. Clement was brought to you by the letter of Duchesne, drawn and can be abbreviated from the third book, composed by Goderic and containing the acts of the same holy high priest. He himself admits that he himself collected news regarding the transfer of St. Clement in Rome and miracles that seem to date back to the time of Adrian II, successor of John VIII, to whom the work is dedicated. This same Goderic, or Ganderic, Bishop of Velitern, was present at the VIII Ecumenical Council, as is clear from many places. Vita cum Translatione S. Clementis Ex Ms. Francisci Duchesne Y. C.L. (Acta Sanctorum Bolland. Martii Tom. II. p. 19–21.) 1. Tempore igitur quo Michaël imperator Novae Romae regebat imperium, fuit quidam vir nobili genere, civitate Thessalonica ortus, vocabulo Constantinus, qui ob mirabile ingenium, quo ab ineunte infantia mirabiliter claruit, veraci agnomine Philosophus est appellatus. Hic cum adolevisset, atque a parentibus fuisset in urbem regiam ductus, essetque insuper magna religione et prudentia praeditus, honorem quoque sacerdotii ibidem, ordinante Domino, est adeptus. Tunc temporis ad praefatum imperatorem Cazarorum legati venerunt, orantes ac supplicants, ut dignaretur mittere ad illos aliquem eruditum virum, qui eos fidem catholicam veraciter edoceret; adjicientes inter cetera, quoniam nunc Judaei ad fidem suam, modo Saraceni ad suam nos convertere e contrario moliuntur. Verum nos ignorantes ad quos potissimum nos transferamus, propterea a summo et catholico Imperatore consilium quaerere nostrae fidei ac salutis decrevimus, in fide vestra ac veteri amicitia plurimum confidentes. Tunc Imperator, simul cum Patriarcha consilio habito, praefatum Philosophum advocans, simul cum legatis illorum ac suis, honorificentissime transmisit illuc, optime confidens de prudentia et eloquentia ejus. 2. E vestigio igitur praeparatis omnibus necessariis, iter arripiens venit Cersonam, quae nimirum terrae vicina Cazarorum et contigua est, ibique gratia discendi linguam gentis illius est aliquantulum demoratus. Interea Deo inspirante, qui jam jamque tantum tamque pretiosum thesaurum, corporis videlicet s. Clementis, fidelibus suis revelare decreverat, coepit praefatus vir, ac si curiosus explorator, ab incolis loci diligentissime perscrutari ac solerter investigare illa, quae ad se tum litterarum traditione, tum quoque vulgari fama, de corpore B. Clementis, de templo angelicis manibus praeparato sive de arca ipsius, pervenerant. Ad quem praefati omnes, utpote non indigenae, sed diversis ex gentibus advenae, se quod requireret omnino nescire professi sunt. Siquidem ex longo jam tempore, ob culpam et negligentiam incolarum, miraculum illud marini recessus, quod in historia passionis praefati pontificis celebre satis habetur, fieri destiterat, et mare fluctus suos in pristinas stationes refuderat. Praeterea et ob multitudinem incursantium barbarorum locus ille desertus est, et templum neglectum atque destructum, et magna pars regionis illius fere desolata et inhabitabilis reddita; ac propterea ipsa sancti martyris arca cum corpore ipsius fluctibus obruta fuerat. 3. Super quo responso miratus valde ac tristis Philosophus redditus, ad orationem conversus est, ut quod per homines explorare non poterat, divina sibi revelatio meritis praefati Pontificis dignaretur ostendere. Civitatulae ipsius Metropolitam, nomine Georgium, simul cum clero et populo ad eadem de caelo exspectanda invitans: super hoc etiam referens illius gesta passionis, seu miraculorum ejusdem beatissimi martyris, plurimos eorum accedere et tam pretiosas margaritas tamdiu neglectas requirere, et in lucem Deo juvante reducere, suis adhortationibus animavit. Quadam autem die, quae in III Calendarum Januariarum inscribitur, tranquillo mari navem ingressi, Christo duce iter arripiunt, praedictus videlicet Philosophus cum episcopo ac venerabili clero, nec non cum nonnullis de populo. Navigantes igitur cum ingenti devotione ac fiducia psallentes et orantes, pervenerunt ad insulam, in qua videlicet aestimabant sancti corpus Martyris esse. Eam igitur undique circumdantes, et multo luminum splendore lustrantes, coeperunt magis ac magis precibus sacris insistere, et in acervo illo, quo tantum thesaurum quiescere suspicari dabatur, curiose satis et instantissime fodere. 4. Ubi diu multumque desiderio sancto cunctantibus, et de spe divinae miserationis plurimum confidentibus, tandem ex improviso velut clarissimum quoddam sidus, donante Deo, una de costis martyris pretiosi resplenduit. Ad quod spectaculum omnibus immensa exultatione repletis, magisque ac amplius sine aliqua jam excitatione terram certatim eruderantibus, sanctum quoque caput ipsius consequenter apparuit. Quantae jam omnium voces in coelum, quantae laudes et gratiarum actiones in Deum ab universis cum lacrymarum effusionibus datae sunt, si vel aestimare quidem vix possumus, quanto minus exprimere? Tanta siquidem in omnes tum de sanctarum inventione reliquiarum, tum de immensissimi odoris suavitate erat innata laetitia, ut cum jubilo ineffabili gratulantes in paradiso extra sese putarentur consistere. Cum ecce post paullulum rursus quasi ex quibusdam abditis sanctarum reliquiarum particulis paullatim et per modica intervalla omnes repertae sunt. Ad ultimum quoque ipsa etiam anchora, cum qua in Pontum est praecipitatus, apparuit. 5. Omnibus igitur pro tantis Dei bonis immensa repletis laetitia, celebratis ibidem a sancto pontifice sacrosanctis mysteriis, ipsemet sanctus vir super proprium caput sanctarum reliquiarum loculum levans, ad navim cum ingenti universorum subsequentium tripudio detulit; ac deinde Gloriam metropolim cum hymnis et laudibus maximis transportavit. Interea cum jam civitati appropinquarent, vir nobilis Nicephorus ejusdem civitatis dux, illis cum pluribus aliis obviavit, et adoratis sacrosanctis reliquiis, cum multis gratiarum actionibus praecedens sanctum loculum, ad urbem cum gaudio remeare properabat. Ibi etiam cum ingenti universorum tripudio sanctum ac venerabile corpus receptum adoravit, et recitato coram omni populo inventionis ejus mysterio, cum jam advesperasceret, et prae nimia populi frequentia ingredi ultra non posset, in templo s. Sozonis, quod urbi erat contiguum, cum diligenti custodia posuerunt; demum vero ad ecclesiam s. Leuntii transtulerunt. Inde cum mane factum esset, universa civitatis multitudo conveniens, assumpto sanctarum reliquiarum loculo, totam cum magnis laudibus in circuitu lustraverunt urbem, et sic ad majorem basilicam venientes, in ea ipsum honorifice locaverunt; sicque omnes demum ad sua gaudentes reversi sunt. 6. Post haec praedictus Philosophus iter arripiens, et ad gentem illam, ad quam missus fuerat, veniens, comitatus Redemptoris omnium Dei praedicationibus et rationibus eloquiorum suorum convertit omnes illos ab erroribus, quos tam de Saracenorum quam de Judaeorum perfidia retinebant. Unde plurimum exhilarati, et in fide catholica corroborati atque edocti, gratias referebant omnipotenti Deo et famulo ejus Constantino Philosopho. Litteras insuper Imperatori cum multis gratiarum actionibus transmiserunt, quia eos studio suo ad veram et catholicam revocare studuerit fidem; affirmantes se ob eam rem imperio ejus semper subditos et fidelissimos de cetero velle manere. Deducentes autem Philosophum cum multo honore, obtulerunt ei munera maxima, quae ille omnia, ut revera Philosophus, respuens, rogavit ut pro muneribus illis, quot captivos externos haberent, sibi secum mox reversuro dimitterent. Quod protinus completum est. 7. Philosopho autem reverso Constantinopolim, audiens Rastilaus princeps Moraviae, quod factum fuerat a Philosopho in provincia Cazarorum, ipse quoque genti suae consulens, ad praedictum Imperatorem nuntios misit, nuntians hoc, quod populus suus ab idolorum quidem cultura recesserat, et Christianam legem observare desiderabat; verum doctorem talem non habent, qui ad legendam eos et ad perfectam legem ipsam edoceat; rogare se ut talem hominem ad partes illas dirigat, qui pleniter fidem et ordinem divinae legis et viam veritatis populo illi ostendere valeat. Cujus precibus annuens imperator, eundem supernominatum Philosophum ad se venire rogavit; eumque illuc, id est, in terram Sclavorum, simul cum Methodio germano suo transmisit, copiosis valde illi de palatio suo datis expendiis. Cumque ad partes illas, Deo praeparante, venisset; cognoscentes loci indigenae adventum illorum, valde gavisi sunt; quia et reliquias B. Clementis secum ferre audierant, et Evangelium in eorum linguam a Philosopho praedicto translatum. Exeuntes igitur extra civitatem obviam, honorifice et cum ingenti laetitia receperunt eos. Coeperunt itaque ad id quod venerant peragendum studiose insistere, et parvulos eorum litteras edocere, officia ecclesiastica instruere, et ad correptionem diversorum errorum, quos in populo illo repererant, falcem eloquiorum suorum inducere; sicque abrasis et extirpatis de agro illo pestifero multifariis vitiorum sentibus, divini verbi gramina seminare. Manserunt ergo in Moravia per annos quatuor et dimidium et direxerunt populum illum in fide catholica, et scripta ibi reliquerunt omnia, quae ad Ecclesiae ministerium videbantur esse necessaria. 8. His omnibus auditis, papa gloriosissimus Nicolaus valde laetus super his quae sibi ex hoc relata fuerant redditus, mandavit et ad se venire illos litteris apostolicis invitavit. Quo nuntio illi percepto valde gavisi sunt, gratias agentes Deo, quod tanti erant habiti, quod mererentur ab apostolica sede vocari. Mox igitur iter aggressi, duxerunt etiam secum aliquos de discipulis suis, quos dignos esse ad episcopatus honorem recipiendum censebant; sicque post aliquot dies Romam applicuerant. 9 . Sed cum ante non multos dies supradictus papa Nicolaus transiisset ad Dominum, secundus Adrianus, qui illi in romano pontificatu successerat, audiens quod praefatus Philosophus corpus B. Clementis, quod studio suo repererat, secum deferret, valde nimis exhilaratus est, et extra urbem cum clero et populo procedens obviam illis, honorifice satis eos recepit. Coeperunt interea ad praesentiam sanctarum reliquiarum per virtutem omnipotentis Dei, sanitates mirabiles fieri; ita ut quovis languore quilibet oppressus fuisset, adoratis pretiosi martyris reliquiis sacrosanctis, protinus salvaretur. Quapropter tam venerabilis Apostolicus quam et totius romani populi universitas, gratias et laudes Deo maximas referentes, gaudebant et jucundabantur in ipso, qui eis post tam prolixi temporis spatia concesserit in diebus suis sanctum et apostolicum virum, et ipsius apostolorum principis Petri successorem, in sede sua recipere; et non solum urbem totam, sed et orbem quoque totum romani imperii, signis ejus ac virtutibus illustrare. Multis itaque gratiarum actionibus praefato Philosopho pro tanto beneficio redditis, consecravunt ipsum et Methodium in episcopos, nec non et ceteros eorum discipulos in presbyteros et diaconos. 10. Cum autem Philosophus, qui et Constantinus, diem transitus imminere sibi sensisset, ex concessione summi pontificis imposuit sibi nomen Cyrillum, dicens hoc revelatum sibi fuisse; et sic post quadraginta dies dormitionem accepit in Domino sexto decimo Kalendas Martias. Praecepit autem sanctus apostolicus, ut omnes tam graeci quam romani clerici ad exequias ejus accurrerent cum psalmis et canticis, cum cereis et thuris odoribus, et non aliter ei, quam ipsi quoque apostolico, funeris honorem impenderent. 11. Tunc supradictus frater ejus Methodius accedens ad sanctum pontificem, et procidens ad vestigia ejus, ait: “Dignum ac necessarium duxi suggerere Beatitudini Tuae, Apostolice Pater, quoniam quando ex domo nostra ad servitium, quod auxiliante Domino fecimus, sumus egressi, mater cum multis lacrymis obtestata est, ut si aliquem ex nobis, antequam reverteremur, obiisse contingeret, defunctum fratrem frater vivens ad monasterium suum reduceret, et ibidem illum digno et competenti obsequio sepeliret. Dignetur igitur Sanctitas Vestra hoc munus meae parvitati concedere, ne precibus matris vel contestationibus videar aliquatenus contraire. Non est visum apostolico, quamvis grave sibi aliquantulum videretur, petitioni et voluntati hujuscemodi refragari; Sed clausum diligenter defuncti corpus in locello marmoreo, et proprio insuper sigillo signatum, post septem dies dat ei licentiam recedendi. Tunc romanus clerus simul cum episcopis ac cardinalibus et nobilibus urbis consilio habito convenientes ad apostolicum coeperunt dicere: Indignum nobis valde videtur, venerabilis Pater et Domine, ut tantum tamque magnificum virum, per quem tam pretiosum thesaurum urbs et ecclesia nostra recuperare promeruit, et quem Deus ex tam longinquis regionibus et exteris ad nos sua gratuita pietate perducere, et adhuc etiam ex hoc loco ad sua regna est dignatus assumere, qualibet interveniente occasione in alias patiamini partes transferri; Sed hic potius placet, honorifice tumuletur, quia et dignum valde est, ut famae tam celebris homo, in tam celeberrima urbe, celebrem locum habeat sepulturae.” Placuit hoc consilium apostolico, et statuit ut in B. Petri basilica poneretur, in suo videlicet proprio monumento. 12. Cernens Methodius jam suum defecisse propositum, oravit iterum dicens: "Obsecro vos Domini mei, quandoquidem non est placitum vobis, meam petitiunculam adimplere, ut in ecclesia B. Clementis, cujus corpus multo suo labore ac studio repertum huc detulit, recondatur." Annuit hujusmodi petitioni praesul sanctissimus, et concurrente cleri ac populi maxima frequentia, cum ingenti laetitia et reverentia multa, simul cum locello marmoreo, in quo pridem illum praedictus papa condiderat, posuerunt in monumento ad id praeparato in basilica B. Clementis ad dexteram partem altaris ipsius, cum hymnis et laudibus, maximas gratias agentes Deo, qui in loco eodem multa et miranda operator, ad laudem et gloriam nominis sui, per merita et orationes sanctorum suorum, qui est benedictus et gloriosus in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Acta SS. Martii T. II b. 15 § 15. Quam porro nos hic daturi sumus Translationis eius (S. Clementis) historiam, eam suspicamur a Gauderico Velitrarum episcopo, quem alii Gaudentium vocant, esse conscriptam. Accepimus enim ab eodem abbate Ughello vitam sive historiam S. Clementis, sed mutilam. Cujus praefatio ad Joannem VIII papam ita incipit: Praefatio Gauderici Veliterni episcopi ad sanctissimum papam Ioannem, sanctae catholicae et apostolicae romanae ecclesiae Domino semper beato, summo Pontifici et universali Papae Ioanni, Gaudericus episcoporum novissimus, perenne gaudium in Domino Jesu Christo. Dignum esse putavi ad honorem et laudem Tui praedecessoris B. Clementis martyris atque pontificis, aliqua de genere vel vita ipsius, Deo institutore, in unum colligi; et quam generosa fuerit oriundus prosapia, quamque philosophando contra idola disputans, divino praesagio veritatem cognoverit, enucleatius inveniri; praesertim cum ego valde inutilis, hujus eximii martyris Christi ecclesiae, apud Veliternam oppidum sitae, praefuerim. Et aliquanto post: Non tam strenue quam devote collegi, et in tribus libris conglutinans ordinavi. In primo siquidem libro Clementis genus, patriam, nativitatem, institutionem, propositum, vitam, conversionem, et qualitatem recognitionis ejus innuimus; in secundo vero, Deo auxiliante, profunditatem doctrinae, dignitatem episcopalis apicis, auctoritatem singularis pontificatus, et audaciam contra idola sophistice disputantis, subdidimus. Ast in tertio miramur prodigia, exulationis angustias, martyrii laureas, reversionis ejus ad propriam sedem miracula colligere procuravimus. Ac demum: Quae nos, ut meminimus, inquit, quae vidimus et legimus, ipsius Christi martyris fieri orationibus, colligentes transcripsimus, et ad laudem Dei omnipotentis ex multis paucissima defloravimus. § 16. Haudquaquam ergo dubium nobis videtur, quin ea narrative inventionis s. Clementis, quam nobis suppeditavit Duchesnii codex, ex illo tertio libro de ejusdem sancti pontificis rebus gestis a Gauderico ep. composito, decerpta sit, ac fortassis contracta. Ipse certe se reversionem s. Clementis ad propriam sedem, factaque tunc miracula, collegisse profitetur, quae spectasse videtur, sub Hadriano II, Ioannis VIII decessore facta, quorum et huic narrationem dicat. Interfuit autem idem Gaudericus sive Gaudericus Veliternensis episcopus concilio oecumenico VIII, ut multis ex locis patet.