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XXI. How, when the Pelagian heresy began to spring up afresh, Germanus, returning to Britain
CHAP. XXI. How, when the Pelagian heresy began to spring up afresh, Germanus,
returning to Britain
with Severus, first restored bodily strength to a lame youth, then spiritual
health to the people of God, having condemned or converted the Heretics [447
A.D.]
NOT long after, news was brought from the same island, that certain persons were
again attempting to teach and spread abroad the Pelagian heresy, and again the
holy Germanus was entreated by all the priests, that he would defend the cause
of God, which he had before maintained. He speedily complied with their request;
and taking with him Severus, a man of singular sanctity, who was disciple to the
blessed father, Lupus, bishop of Troyes, and at that time, having been ordained
bishop of the Treveri, was preaching the Word of God to the tribes of Upper
Germany, put to sea, and with favouring winds and calm waters sailed to Britain.
In the meantime, the evil spirits, speeding through the whole island, were
constrained against their will to foretell that Germanus was coming, insomuch,
that one Elafius, a chief of that region, without tidings from any visible
messenger, hastened to meet the holy men, carrying with him his son, who in the
very flower of his youth laboured under a grievous infirmity; for the sinews of
the knee were wasted and shrunk, so that the withered limb was denied the power
to walk. All the country followed this Elafius. The bishops arrived, and were
met by the ignorant multitude, whom they blessed, and preached the Word of God
to them. They found the people constant in the faith as they had left them; and
learning that but few had gone astray, they sought out the authors of the evil
and condemned them. Then suddenly Elafius cast himself at the feet of the
bishops, presenting his son, whose distress was visible and needed no words to
express it. All were grieved, but especially the bishops, who, filled with pity,
invoked the mercy of God; and straightway the blessed Germanus, causing the
youth to sit down, touched the bent and feeble knee and passed his healing hand
over all the diseased part. At once health was restored by the power of his
touch, the withered limb regained its vigour, the sinews resumed their task, and
the youth was, in the presence of all the people, delivered whole to his father.
The multitude was amazed at the miracle, and the Catholic faith was firmly
established in the hearts of all; after which, they were, in a sermon, exhorted
to amend their error. By the judgement of all, the exponents of the heresy, who
had been banished from the island, were brought before the bishops, to be
conveyed into the continent, that the country might be rid of them, and they
corrected of their errors. So it came to pass that the faith in those parts
continued long after pure and untainted. Thus when they had settled all things,
the blessed prelates returned home as prosperously as they had come.
But Germanus, after this, went to Ravenna to intercede for the tranquillity of
the Armoricans, where, after being very honourably received by Valentinian and
his mother, Placidia, he departed hence to Christ; his body was conveyed to his
own city with a splendid retinue, and mighty works attended his passage to the
grave. Not long after, Valentinian was murdered by the followers of Aetius, the
patrician, whom he had put to death, in the sixth year of the reign of Marcian,
and with him ended the empire of the West.
