Saint Wulmer

Such were the daily occupations by which the athlete of Christ exercised himself in the practice of Christian virtues at the Abbey of Hautm ont. But Heaven, w abbaye de Hautmont Place of the saint's initial formation. hich had greater designs for him and wished to reserve him for the guidance of souls and the founding of a new monastery, did not permit him to remain burdened with these humble duties for much longer. The Holy Spirit, who had made of this man a chosen temple, inspired in him the thought of devoting himself to the study of letters, in order to enable him to render greater services to the Church of God. Wulmer, docile to the inspiration of grace, had himself initiated by the brothers into this study, of which he did not even know the first principles. Without relaxing in any way his exactitude in performing the other tasks imposed upon him, he gave to this new type of occupation all the care of which he was capable.

One day, however, according to his habit, while driving his cart in the neighboring forest, he walked in front of his oxen, holding his tablets in his hand and studying with ardor. The deep meditation in which he was plunged absorbed him so much that his cart stopped without him noticing. After having walked alone for some time, he instinctively turned his head and saw what had happened. Then, understanding the warning that came to him from above, he retraced his steps, brought back his team, and occupied himself solely with the labor entrusted to him. The abbot, having learned of the fact and recognizing the impossibility of combining manual labor with that of the mind, gave to another the task of fetching wood and ordered Wulmer to apply himself exclusively to the study of letters. The rapid progress he made in a short time, as well as the good examples he gave to the community through his humility and gentleness, moved the abbot to raise him to the priestly dignity.

When, prostrate on the flagstones of the sanctuary, his forehead bowed under the hand of the consecrating pontiff, Wulmer rose as a priest for eternity, he felt the full weight of the burden that this dignity placed upon him. The great honor and deep respect that his holiness drew to him from the brothers frightened his humility. From that moment, a sublime resolution was taken by Wulmer. The silence of the cloister and the self-denial of the cenobitic life no longer sufficed for his soul. Henceforth consecrated to the service of the crucified Jesus, he felt the need to refresh himself in a harsher and more solitary life. This is why he strongly begged his abbot to allow him to retire into some dreadful solitude, to think only of God alone and to live there unknown to all. His virtue and merit easily gained him what he wished for with such ardor. Thus, after prostrating himself at the feet of his superior to receive his blessing, he departed, carrying with him the regrets of all the religious.

The Lord, in His marvelous designs for the growth of His Church and the civilization of peoples, inspired the men of that time with the desire to found numerous monasteries everywhere. The immense forests that then covered the surface of France were thus gradually cleared: the abbey became a center of population everywhere, when it did not give birth to a city or a capital. Saint Wulmer, guided by the Spirit of God, then headed toward the wooded regions of Flanders, taking with him only the objects necessary for the holy sacrifice, and an axe to clear a path through the thickness of the woods. As soon as he arrived in these forests, he hid in the hollow of an oak, where he fasted for three days and three nights, aspiring with long desires for eternal bliss, and unveiling to God the final fears of his soul.

But the Lord, who never abandons His own in need, took care of this noble recluse, of this illustrious penitent. Appearing in a dream to a man of quality who lived nearby, He said to him: "You are preparing delicious dishes and exquisite wines, while my servant Wulmer is dying of hunger, in the hollow of a tree where he has hidden." The latter was extremely surprised to hear such language; he felt such great fear that he communicated his vision to his wife. This lady, whose virtue was even greater than her nobility, strongly urged him not to delay in obeying the voice that had spoken to him. She herself joyfully set her hand to the work, and immediately prepared some food for the servant of God. Then, she pressed her husband to leave, to go and relieve this illustrious solitary; but, knowing neither the forest nor the retreat of the one whom the mysterious voice had announced to him, this lord was in great embarrassment. "Mount your steed," the noble and pious lady said to him, "and He who has spoken will lead you."

Then, persuaded by the advice of his wife, he left his dwelling and entrusted himself to Providence. After crossing the plain, his mount, heading toward the neighboring forest, advanced to the thickest part of the woods. There, he heard a voice singing the praises of God. "Is it you," he cried out, "who are the servant of Jesus Christ? Is it you whom the Lord has ordered me to seek?" Surprised to see himself discovered, Wulmer replied: "You ask me if I am the servant of Jesus Christ? Alas! What can I answer you? I am a criminal, who is doing penance for his faults, and a poor stranger, who is very far from the glorious quality you give him." This noble knight, moved, then explained to him the motive for his approach, begging him to come down to take the food that heaven was sending him. The Saint yielded to his desires.

After Wulmer had taken his refreshment, the gentleman, yielding to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, said to him: "Since you profess to be the servant of God, work then for the interests of His glory. Come to my lands to instruct my numerous vassals; I will give you a portion of my inheritance, where you will be able to build a cell and win souls for Jesus Christ." The saint at first made great difficulties about leaving his dear solitude. However, he yielded to the entreaties of the pious gentleman, and said to him: "Return to your home, and tomorrow come to take me; I will do all that you desire."

The following day, according to his promise, Wulmer followed his generous benefactor, and received from this faithful man a suitable location for the construction of a church. His good examples, his continual preachings, made the greatest impression on the inhabitants of this country. The success of it was such that the knight entrusted his own son to him, to instruct and raise him in the things that concern the service of God. Moreover, seeing that he was working the greatest wonders of conversion throughout the extent of his domain, he gave him all the goods he possessed, an example that was soon followed by two of his brothers and several other lords of the same country.

But that was not the end that the Lord had set for the career of his servant. There are peoples to whom the divine Shepherd of souls dispenses his graces with more generosity, his benefits with more abundance. The greater part of the blessings that heaven sowed in the footsteps of such a great saint was to return by right to Morinia, which had giv Morinie Historical region corresponding to the former diocese of Thérouanne. en him birth. Thus the Spirit of God, who disposes all things for the greater glory of the Church, inspired Wulmer with the resolution to withdraw once again from the company of men and to bury himself anew in the most solitary woods.

Noticing that he was respected and held in high regard because of the many miracles that God performed through his ministry, he thought again of retreat. "Wulmer, Wulmer," he said to himself, "you who glory in being a disciple of Jesus Christ, do not attach yourself to this world, nor to the vain esteem of men. The Master tells you that he lived unknown to the world, for it is written: He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not."

Thus, fleeing the praises and honors with which he was surrounded, he came to hide in that vast expanse of forests which covered the whole region currently comprised between Desvres and Tingry, and which, at that time, formed part of the territorial possessions of his fathers.

Happy in this retreat, which for him was the vestibule of heaven, happy to be dead to the world and to open his soul to the contemplations of solitude and the visions of the holy city, Wulmer lived in the calm and rest of the heart. His continual prayer, his assiduous fasts, the countless mortifications he practiced, rose unceasingly, like incense of a sweet odor, toward the throne of the Lamb. But God, who destined him for greater things, did not leave him long to himself.

While he was retired in a hut he had built for himself, and was devoting himself to these pious exercises of penance, it happened one day that his brother, while hunting, met him without recognizing him; but, astonished to see such a venerable hermit established on his domain without his knowledge, he asked him who he was, where he came from, and who had given him permission to inhabit the lands of his lordship. To these questions the Saint replied, not without some emotion, that he was a poor sinner who was hiding to do penance, and that he begged him, in the name of God, whose minister he was, to be willing to keep him on his domain. "Lord," he said to him, "praying to God for men, I feed on the herbs that grow in your woods, I quench my thirst at the streams that flow there, and have no other bed than the earth: have therefore the kindness to leave me where heaven has led me." Wulmer, whom this answer did not satisfy, pressed him more urgently to tell him who he was. "Since you attach so much importance," the hermit said to him, "to knowing who I am, I must yield to your requests and to the violence you do me; know then that I was born in these places, that my name is Wulmer." Wulmer, stunned, threw himself into his arms and urged him to return with him to the home of his ancestors. But the hermit was inflexible, and, despite all the happiness he would have had in seeing a mother inconsolable since his departure, he refused to accede to his request.

Wulmer, upon his return, informed the noble chatelaine of the arrival of Wulmer in his woods and the conversation he had had with him. Immediately, she, transported with unspeakable joy, ordered him to bring to his brother all the things he might need. Wulmer left at once, but no longer found the hermit in the place where he had left him. Then he began to roam the forest, making everything resound with the name of Wulmer, who came with kindness to meet his brother.

After having taken some food with him, the great saint seized this opportunity to speak to him of the indispensable obligation he had to work for the great work of his salvation. He spoke to him of the respectful submission he owed to the law of God, and touched him so much that Wulmer left this interview completely penetrated by the truths that his blessed brother had just revealed to him. He often returned to taste this spiritual nourishment of the holy word, which the servant of God dispensed with such sweetness. Others, following his example, wished to be instructed in the faith of Jesus Christ, and went to Wulmer. But the Saint, who needed special time to devote himself to prayer and contemplation, resolved to regulate the moments when he could, without leaving his solitude too much, preach to them the sublime precepts of the holy Gospel; and, to spare his listeners the trouble of looking for him in the forest, he attached a tablet and a wooden mallet to a nearby tree. "When you want," he told them, "me to come to you, strike this tablet: at this known signal, I will yield to your pious desires."

However, from all sides, rich and poor, lords and vassals, pressed around his cell; all wanted to learn to become imitators of his life and faithful copies of his penance. To satisfy the holy eagerness with which many of them aspired to become the companions of his labors in the service of God, the saint built a few cells, where he could practice with them the exercise of monastic virtues; and, after having tested their vocation, he clothed them in the religious habit.

Under the guidance of such a master, they became in a short time worthy servants of Jesus Christ; and soon he sent them to preach everywhere in the domains and dependencies of his father's castle. Their speeches were so lively, their words so full of eloquence and faith, and at the same time so well supported by the holiness of their lives, that the inhabitants abandoned the path of error; and, guided by the heavenly light, advanced with more assurance on the straight path of salvation.

As a result of these preachings, the crowd of those who wished to place themselves under the direction of Wulmer increased from day to day, to such an extent that the chapel and the cells he had built were no longer sufficient to contain them. The pious abbot formed the plan to build a more vast monastery, more in keeping with the number of his religious. He immediately set to work, and placed under the patronage of the Queen of Angels and the apostles Peter and Paul the new abbey that the munificence of the people allowed him to complete in a short time.

In the meantime, Caed walla, King of Wessex in Géadwalla, roi de Wessex King of Wessex on a pilgrimage to Rome. England, was passing through Morinia to go to the Sovereign Pontiff and receive from his hand the sacrament of baptism. Having learned of the rare merit and holiness of Wulmer, he wished to see him and gather from his lips some instructions suitable to guide him on the path of salvation and to strengthen him in such an arduous and glorious undertaking.

Wulmer responded to the honor shown to him by this monarch in a manner so grave, so noble, and so worthy of religion that the prince offered him immense treasures to complete his monastery. But the holy abbot refused them, showing as much modesty and generosity as the monarch had displayed liberality and magnificence. However, upon the repeated insistence of the royal neophyte, he accepted thirty gold sous, which were to be used for the decoration of his basilica. The prince then took leave of the man of God; and, having arrived safely in Rome, he was baptized on the eve of Easter in the church of Saint Peter (688).

In the midst of all these new institutions, Wulmer still wished to give to God faithful and affectionate servants for His service, and a retreat to the holy maidens who, abandoning the life of the world, wished to consecrate themselves entirely to the service of the Lord. This is why he raised, in a village called Wileria (Wierre-aux-Bois), a monastery for women, the care of which he entrusted to his niece Bertane or H Bertane ou Heremberthe Niece of Saint Wulmer and first abbess of Wierre. eremberthe. In choosing his brother's daughter, Wulmer did not allow himself to be determined by considerations of kinship: he only did justice to piety and virtue. The sequel showed that he had not been mistaken, for Heremberthe conducted herself with such wisdom that she became the perfect model for her sisters, and deserved, after her death, to be glorified eternally in heaven.

Reviving their faith and courage by the example of his virtues and by his vivid exhortations, the saint contributed much to the salvation of these pious maidens. If sometimes food happened to be lacking for them, he reassured them, urging them to trust in the providence of the almighty God. "Do not be troubled, my children," he said to them, "do not be troubled by the things of this world; always turn your heart toward God: He is a Father of mercy who will never abandon you." And these words spread the sweetest consolations in these fearful hearts, still preoccupied with the things of the earth. But God, watching over these sanctuaries of happiness and peace, supported the efforts of His servant. Thus, before the end of Wulmer's persuasive exhortations, the Lord often stirred up charitable souls, who came to bring bread and gifts to the community. Then the whole monastery resounded with thanksgiving, and the heavenly seed germinated with more fruit in their hearts.

The paternal kindness of the blessed Wulmer did not extend only to his children; all those who approached him, even his enemies, felt its influence more than once. A thief, having stolen a horse from the brothers, wandered all night without being able to find his home; and, after having traveled through the entire neighboring countryside, he found himself in the morning before the door of the abbey. Two monks, who were then going out to attend to their usual work, seized him immediately and begged the saint to keep him in prison. But the latter would have none of it, and contented himself with preaching the word of God to the wrongdoer. Then he sent him away, without seeking to punish him in any other way.

Thus passed, in the practice of all virtues, the days of the blessed servant of Jesus Christ. His exhortations became from day to day more vivid and more pressing. "How small is the gate," he often said to his monks, "how narrow is the way that leads to life, and how few find it! You, on the path to heaven and far from the life of the world, have immense thanks to render to Providence." It was above all by his examples that the holy abbot guided them on the path of virtue. Simple in his interior, ardent in prayer and in all the exercises of the community, always occupied with good works, he put into practice these words of the Psalmist: "I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall always be in my mouth."

Finally, old and full of days, the glorious athlete of Christ was about to receive the crown that his labors deserved. God made it known to him that his end was approaching. Then, gathering his disciples, he exhorted them to persevere with confidence in the service of the Lord. "For a long time," he told them, "I have aspired to death, and now I feel that it is near. The days of my pilgrimage are passed, I am finally leaving this land of exile; but, prostrate at the foot of the throne of God, I will never forget you."

As soon as the nuns of Wierre had learned this news, they desired to see their benefactor and father one last time. But, in order to occupy himself only with the things of heaven and to abandon at this supreme instant all earthly affections, the holy abbot refused to yield to their wishes and protested that no woman would ever be admitted to see him. The following night, the blessed Wulmer, rendering innumerable thanks to God, expired in the arms of his disciples (710).

The desolation was great in both monasteries. All wept for this excellent master, whose eloquent word had drawn them from the path of error, this shepherd full of kindness, who had directed their steps in the narrow way of salvation.

Soon, in the midst of an immense concourse of people, the funeral of the servant of God was celebrated. The body of Wulmer was placed, face uncovered, in a coffin around which pressed a crowd eager to contemplate once more the sweet serenity of his face. But, by a marvelous decree of the divine will, the nuns could not have this consolation. A thick cloud hid the body of the blessed founder from their eyes. Finally, in the midst of psalms and canticles, the Brothers entrusted to the earth the mortal remains of the holy abbot; and numerous miracles came to attest to the glory he enjoyed in heaven.

## CULT AND RELICS. — ABBEY OF SAMER.

The feast of Saint Wulmer was celebrated with the most religious exactitude. On that day, everyone suspended their work and flocked to the sepulcher of the holy founder to deposit the tribute of their praises and the homage of their prayers. Those who, through a culpable avarice, engaged in servile work, more than once felt the just effects of the wrath of God.

However, the men of the North, those terrible pirates of the Middle Ages, descended upon our country. Sacking cities, pillaging monasteries, and ransoming the poor people, they left nothing standing in their path. The abbey of Samer was engulfed in the turmoil; the convent of Wierre was buried under ashes (881); the religious of Samer, scattered in the woods, wandering and fugitive, perished for the most part from hunger and fatigue.

A few years later, those of the Brothers who had escaped all these disasters managed to restore the ancient basilica. The body of Saint Wulmer, which had been hidden from the fury of these barbarians, was restored to its former cult; but this precious deposit did not remain long at Samer. The Count of Flanders, Arnulf the Elder, suzerain of the Boulonnais, fearing with reason a second invasion by the Normans, had it transported to Ghent, along with all the holy relics that res Gand City where Livinus stayed and of which he is the patron saint. ted in the maritime cities of his domain (944).

The abbey was a long time in regaining its ancient splendor. The misfortune of the times and the difficulty of maintaining regular relations with other communities meant that at the end of the 11th century, the deplorable state into which it had fallen inspired the greatest compassion in the Counts of Boulogne.

Eustace III, brother of Godfrey of Bouillon, un Eustache III Count of Boulogne who reformed the Abbey of Samer. derstanding his inability to reform the monastery of Samer, resolved to place it under the direction and dependence of Saint Hugh, Abbot of Cluny. Under the influen ce of such a reform, religi saint-Hugues, abbé de Cluny Monastic order to which the monastery founded by Aderald belongs. on did not take long to flourish again in these places, illustrated by the heroic virtues of Saint Wulmer.

The goods that the Counts of Boulogne gave to the abbey of Samer were immense; and the Holy See, also wishing to favor the pious congregation, granted its abbot precedence over all other abbots of Morinia in diocesan synods. Stephen, Count of Boulogne and King of England, granted it the greatest franchises and added to its possessions a large number of villages located on his lands in France and even in England.

Despite all the adversities it had to endure during the centuries that followed, the abbey of Samer remained flourishing and pure until the appearance of the Reformation. It was then that Pierre Bisque, the last regular abbot of Saint-Wulmer-aux-Bois, ceded his abbey in commendam to his brother, François, chancellor to the king, apostolic protonotary, and archdeacon of Chartres (1539).

During the course of the 16th century, in addition to the loss of their freedom, the religious of Saint-Wulmer had to lament an irreparable misfortune. The relics of their holy founder, which had remained in Ghent since 944, and some parts of these sacred bones that the regular canons of Saint Augustine kept in Boulogne, were delivered to the flames and indignantly profaned by the Calvinists.

However, the abbey, devoured by the commendam, gradually collapsed upon itself. In vain did Mgr François de Perrechel, Bishop of Boulogne, introduce the reform of Saint-Maur there in 1658; the number of religious continued to decrease, and t here were no more tha réforme de Saint-Maur Learned monks who edited the works of Ambrose in the 17th century. n seven left at the end of the 17th century.

The monastic orders, stripped of all their means of action and discredited in the minds of the people, awaited only the punishment reserved for useless servants. The French Revolution came to consummate the iniquities of the commendam by confiscating the abbey of Samer, its revenues, and its dependencies. Since then, the church and the cloistral buildings have been transformed into private dwellings; the bones of the abbots of Saint-Wulmer have been cast to the winds; the rich library was dispersed and delivered to pillage.

Excerpt from the Legendary of Morinia.