| ST. BENEZET, OR LITTLE BENNET, PATRON OF AVIGNON. |
| Feast: April 14
|
| He kept
his mother's sheep in the country, being devoted to the practices of piety
beyond his age; when, moved by charity to save the lives of many poor persons,
who were frequently drowned in passing the Rhone, and being inspired by God, he
undertook to build a bridge over that rapid river at Avignon. He obtained the
approbation of the bishop, proved his mission by miracles, and began the work in
1177, which he directed during seven years. He died when the difficulty of the
undertaking was over in 1184. This is attested by public monuments drawn up at
that time, and still preserved at Avignon, where the story is in everybody's
mouth. His body was buried upon the bridge itself, which was not completely
finished till four years after his decease, the structure whereof was attended
with miracles, from the first laying the foundations till it was completed in
1188. Other miracles, wrought after this at his tomb, induced the city to build
a chapel upon the bridge, in which his body lay near five hundred years: but, in
1669, a great part of the bridge falling down, through the impetuosity of the
waters, the coffin was taken up, and being opened, in 1670, in presence of the
grand vicar, during the vacancy of the archiepiscopal see, it was found entire,
without the least sign of corruption; even the bowels were perfectly sound, and
the color of the eyes lively and sprightly, though, through the dampness of the
situation, the iron bars about it were much damaged with rust. The body was
found in the same condition by the archbishop of Avignon, in 1674, when,
accompanied by the bishop of Orange, and a great concourse of nobility, he
performed the translation of it, with great pomp, into the church of the
Celestines, (a house of royal foundation,) who had obtained of Louis XIV. the
honor to be intrusted with the custody of his relics, till such time as the
bridge and chapel should be rebuilt. See the description of this pompous
translation in the Bollandists. April, t. 2, pp. 958, 959, and Papebroke's
remarks on his life, p. 255.
(Taken from Vol. IV of "The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints" by the Rev. Alban Butler, the 1864 edition published by D. & J. Sadlier, & Company) |
|
Provided Courtesy of:
|