mardi 14 mai 2013

Saint BONIFACE de TARSE, martyr

St Boniface, martyr

Le culte de sainte Boniface est attesté sur l’Aventin au VIIe siècle. Le calendrier de Naples le fixe au 14 mai, celui des Byzantins au 19 décembre. Au XIème siècle, le monastère édifié près de la basilique de saint Boniface était l’un des plus importants, sinon le principal, de la Ville, une sorte de « séminaire » pour les pays slaves (Adalbert de Prague s’y réfugia à deux reprises entre 989 et 996). C’est ainsi que le culte du titulaire de la basilique se répandit dans Rome. Au XIIème siècle, il entre dans le calendrier du Latran et de Saint-Pierre.

Leçon des Matines avant 1960

Troisième leçon. Boniface, citoyen romain, avait eu des rapports illicites avec une noble dame, nommée Aglaé ; il fut saisi d’une telle douleur de cette faute que pour en faire pénitence, il se consacra à rechercher et à ensevelir les corps des Martyrs. Ayant quitté ses compagnons de voyage, et voyant que dans la ville de Tarse, on mettait à la torture et on tourmentait de diverses manières beaucoup de Chrétiens à cause de leur foi, il baisa leurs liens et les exhorta avec véhémence à supporter courageusement jusqu’au bout des supplices dont la douleur passagère serait suivie d’un repos éternel. Il fut arrêté, et on déchira son corps avec des ongles de fer ; on lui enfonça aussi des roseaux pointus sous les ongles des mains, et on lui versa du plomb fondu dans la bouche. Au milieu de ces tourments on ne lui entendait dire que ces paroles : « Je vous rends grâces, Seigneur Jésus-Christ, Fils de Dieu ». On jeta ensuite Boniface la tête en bas dans une chaudière de poix bouillante, mais il en fut retiré sain et sauf ; alors le juge transporté de colère, ordonna de lui trancher la tête. Au même moment il se fit un grand tremblement de terre, et ce prodige convertit beaucoup d’infidèles à la foi du Seigneur Jésus-Christ. Le jour suivant, ses compagnons qui le cherchaient, ayant appris qu’il avait souffert le martyre, rachetèrent son corps pour cinq cents pièces d’argent, et, l’ayant embaumé et enveloppé de linceuls, ils le firent transporter à Rome. Aglaé, qui, elle aussi, s’était vouée à la pénitence et aux œuvres de piété, ayant connu par un Ange ce qui s’était passé, alla au-devant des saintes reliques, et bâtit une église sous le nom de Boniface. Le corps du Martyr fut enseveli aux nones de juin ; son âme était partie pour le ciel, la veille des ides de mai, à Tarse, en Cilicie, sous les empereurs Dioclétien et Maximien.

Dom Guéranger, l’Année Liturgique

L’Apôtre des Gentils, expliquant le mystère de la Pâque, nous apprend que le baptême est le tombeau de nos péchés, d’où nos âmes s’élancent, glorieuses et rayonnantes de vie, à la suite du Rédempteur. La foi catholique nous enseigne que celui qui donne sa vie pour Jésus-Christ ou pour son Église, lave dans son propre sang toutes les taches de son âme, et ressuscite à la vie éternelle : obtenant ainsi une seconde fois le privilège du baptisé, bien qu’il ait déjà été marqué du sceau unique et ineffaçable de la régénération. Or voici qu’aujourd’hui un pécheur purifié par le martyre, baptisé de nouveau dans son sang, est admis à partager la gloire des compagnons de Jésus ressuscité. Boniface a scandalisé Rome par une vie coupable ; tout à coup il a entendu l’appel de la grâce divine, et sans regarder derrière lui, il est allé se placer au premier rang des athlètes du Christ, n’aspirant qu’à effacer sous l’effort des tourments les souillures que les voluptés de la chair lui avaient fait contracter. Transformé par la souffrance, il brille en ce jour, aux yeux de la chrétienté, d’un éclat non pareil, et vient ajouter au diadème de notre divin triomphateur une pierre précieuse d’un reflet tout nouveau.

Votre retour, ô Boniface, causa aux Esprits célestes une joie supérieure à celle qu’ils ressentaient de la fidélité de quatre-vingt-dix-neuf justes ; mais cette allégresse que leur inspirait votre conversion s’accrut encore, lorsqu’ils virent que ce n’était pas seulement un pénitent, mais un martyr, que le ciel acquérait en vous. Recevez les félicitations de la sainte Église, qui se glorifie de vos victoires. Rome conserve encore votre dépouille sacrée dans le sanctuaire qui s’élève, au mont Aventin, sur l’emplacement de la demeure de celle qui fut la complice de vos égarements et l’émule de votre pénitence. L’un et l’autre vous attestez la puissance des miséricordes de notre divin Ressuscité, qui vous a rappelés delà mort de l’âme à la vie de la grâce. Saint martyr, prenez pitié des pécheurs que la Pâque n’a pas ramenés aux pieds du Rédempteur. L’Alléluia a retenti, et leur sommeil de péché n’en a pas été troublé. Priez, ô saint martyr, priez pour leur réveil. Les heures sont comptées ; et qui sait s’il sera donné à ces morts volontaires de voir se lever une autre Pâque ? Nous espérons cependant encore en la miséricorde divine, qui a donné sa mesure en faisant de vous et d’Aglaé deux vases d’élection. Nous prions donc avec vous, ô Boniface, pour la résurrection de nos frères ; nous nous faisons de l’espérance une armure, dans cette lutte pacifique contre la divine justice qui aime souvent à être vaincue par la prière. Aidez nos vœux de votre suffrage, et plusieurs de ceux qui sont morts revivront, et ils réjouiront comme vous les saints Anges par leur retour.

Bhx Cardinal Schuster, Liber Sacramentorum

Ce Saint, mentionné dans le Hiéronymien — Romae Isidori, Bonefacii — et que les tardifs Actes de son martyre voudraient faire passer pour un citoyen romain martyrisé à Tarse, mais enseveli sur la voie Latine, n’apparaît jamais dans les anciens documents liturgiques de Rome. Si le titulaire du monasterium Sancti Bonifacii sur l’Aventin est différent du martyr Bonifatius ou Bonifacianus mentionné par les anciens Itinéraires sur la voie Salaria vetus, l’église de l’Aventin, déjà citée comme diaconie sous Léon III, dut être bâtie probablement grâce à l’influence des Orientaux résidant dans la Ville éternelle. En effet, la légende de saint Boniface révèle une main orientale ; de plus, ce martyr est célébré dans les Menées des Grecs le 19 décembre.

Malgré l’incertitude de l’identification de ce Boniface oriental avec l’un des nombreux martyrs de ce nom, sa basilique acquit pourtant très vite une grande renommée et, au temps de Benoît VII, on y annexa un monastère qui, en raison des nombreux saints qui l’habitèrent, fut salué par Baronius du titre de Séminaire des Saints. Il est certain que là-haut, sur cet Aventin qui avait eu une si grande importance dans la préhistoire de Rome, et sur lequel, au temps d’Athanase et de Jérôme, sainte Marcelle avait inauguré, dans la Ville reine du monde, la vie monastique, sous le patronage de Boniface, Ad limina sancti Martyris invicti Bonifatii, se déroulèrent les plus belles pages de l’histoire du monachisme romain.

La messe Protexisti est entièrement du Commun.

Une des pages de l’Évangile sur lesquelles on réfléchit trop peu de nos jours, et que les prédicateurs proposent trop rarement au peuple, est celle qui concerne les conseils évangéliques de perfection et qui, autrefois, peupla les déserts de monastères. Il est vrai qu’il s’agit de simples conseils ; mais il est bon de méditer ces paroles qu’écrivit un Romain, Grégoire le Grand, à l’empereur Maurice, alors que celui-ci tentait de s’opposer à l’entrée des soldats dans les monastères : « Un grand nombre d’âmes peuvent se sauver même dans le siècle ; mais beaucoup aussi ne parviennent à obtenir le salut éternel qu’à l’ombre du cloître. »

Dom Pius Parsch, le Guide dans l’année liturgique

Je te rends grâce, Jésus-Christ, Fils de Dieu.

Saint Boniface. — Jour de mort : inconnu. Tombeau : dans l’église de Saint-Alexis, à Rome. Vie : D’après des Actes qui ne sont pas entièrement sûrs, Boniface était un citoyen romain. Il vécut un certain temps dans des relations coupables avec une dame distinguée, nommée Aglaé. Mais il conçut un si vif regret de sa vie débauchée qu’il prit la résolution de rechercher les ossements des saints martyrs et de leur donner une sépulture convenable. Il vit à Tarse que beaucoup de chrétiens étaient torturés pour leur foi. Il baisait leurs chaînes et les encourageait à supporter avec constance leurs supplices parce qu’un repos éternel suivrait le bref combat. Il fut enfin arrêté lui-même et sa chair fut déchirée avec des crochets de fer. On lui versa ensuite du plomb fondu dans la bouche. Pendant tous ces supplices, on n’entendait sortir de la bouche de Boniface que ce cri : « Je te rends grâces, Jésus-Christ, Fils de Dieu ». Quand Aglaé qui, de son côté, avait fait pénitence et consacrait sa vie aux bonnes œuvres, apprit par un ange ce martyre, elle s’empressa d’aller recueillir le saint corps ; elle fit bâtir une église en son honneur et l’y déposa. Le martyre de saint Boniface eut lieu le 14 mai à Tarse, en Cilicie, sous les empereurs Dioclétien et Maximien.

Pratique : Pour expier ses péchés, saint Boniface rechercha les ossements des saints martyrs pour leur donner une sépulture honorable. Cette pénitence nous paraît aujourd’hui assez singulière. Et pourtant elle fut agréable au Seigneur. Ce pénitent fut lui-même martyr et, au milieu de ses plus terribles tourments, il disait sans cesse : « Je te rends grâces, Jésus-Christ, Fils de Dieu ». — La messe est du commun des martyrs (Protexisti).



Boniface of Tarsus M (RM)

Died c. 307. Saint Boniface was the chief steward of a beautiful, young and socially ambitious Roman noblewoman, named Aglae. Several times she entertained the entire city with public shows. Aglae held lascivious plans for her steward. Although Boniface was an alcoholic and addicted to debauchery, he also possessed virtues to a remarkable degree: hospitality, liberality, and compassion. He was known to assist any stranger in need and to wander the city streets at night seeking out those whose miseries he could relieve.


After several years of working for Aglae, she, moved by Divine grace, said to him, "You must realize how deeply mired we are in vice. We have not considered that we must appear before God to give an account of all our actions. I have heard it said that they who honor those that suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ shall have a share in their glory. In the East, the servants of Jesus Christ every day suffer torments, and lay down their lives for His sake. Go there and bring me the relics of some of those conquerors, that we may honor their memories, and be saved by their assistance."

Before he left he told Aglae: "I won't fail to bring back with me the relics of martyrs, if I find any; but what if my own body should be brought to you for that of a martyr?" She reproved him for joking about so serious a matter. Thus, Boniface travelled East to secure relics for his mistress, a man renewed in spirit and finally convicted in his faith. Sorrow for his past sins grew as he travelled, and so did his acts of penance.

He went to Tarsus in Cilicia, where the persecution of Christians was raging under governor Simplicius. Immediately upon arrival Boniface left his horses in the charge of his servants and went to the court, where he found Simplicius seated in his tribunal and many martyrs suffering. One was hung by his feet over a fire, another racked, a third being sawed apart, and another 17 suffering various cruel tortures. Boniface boldly saluted these champions of Christ, "Great is the God of the Christians, great is the God of the holy martyrs. I beseech you, the servants of Jesus Christ, to pray for me, that I may join with you in fighting against the devil."

This, of course, was considered an insult to the governor, who angrily asked who he was. Boniface replied that he was a Christian, and that having Jesus Christ for his master, he feared nothing the governor could inflict to make him renounce that sacred name. With that the enraged Simplicius ordered sharp reeds to be thrust under his nails and boiling lead to be poured into his mouth. Boniface called upon Jesus for assistance, then begged the prayers of the other martyrs, who all joined in petitioning God for him. The people, disgusted by so much cruelty, began to raise a tumult, and cried out, "Great is the God of the Christians." Alarmed, Simplicius withdrew.

But the next day he ordered Boniface to be brought before him a second time. The martyr appeared constant and undaunted. The judge commanded that he be cast into a caldron of boiling pitch; but he came out without receiving any hurt. Finally, Boniface was condemned to beheading. After saying a short prayer for the pardon of his sins and the conversion of his persecutors, he cheerfully presented his neck to the executioner.

Meanwhile his servants had gone searching for him. They finally ran into the jailer's brother who told them that a stranger had been beheaded the day before for his faith in Christ. They identified Boniface's dead body and head, and requested that they be allowed to take them home. This was permitted upon payment of 500 pieces of gold. They had the body embalmed and carried it back to Aglae, who met them outside Rome with priests, candles, and perfume in order to give him a Christian burial. Later she built a chapel on the site of his tomb. From that time Aglae led a secluded, penitential life and, dying fifteen years after, was buried near the relics of Boniface.

The body and head of Boniface were found in Rome in 1603. His relics are enshrined under the high altar in the church of SS. Alexius and Boniface on the Aventine, formerly called Saint Boniface. These acta are not entirely reliable; they are not contemporary sources (Benedictines, Husenbeth).


May 14

St. Boniface, Martyr

From his authentic Acta in Henschenius, p. 283, Fleury, &c.

About the Year 307.

THERE lived at Rome, about the beginning of the fourth century, a certain lady called Aglaë, young, beautiful, and well born, and so rich and fond of making a figure in the world, that she had entertained the city three several times with public shows at her own charge. Her chief steward was one Boniface, with whom she entertained a criminal commerce. This man, though addicted to wine and all kinds of debauchery, was however remarkable for three good qualities, hospitality, liberality, and compassion. Whensoever he saw a stranger or traveller, he would assist him very cordially; and he used to go about the streets and into the public places, in the night time, and relieved the poor according to their necessities.—After several years’ commerce in the vicious way already mentioned, Aglaë, touched with a motion of divine grace, and feeling some compunction within herself, called Boniface to her, and thus opened her mind to him: “You are sensible how deep we are plunged in vice, without reflecting that we must appear before God to give an account of all our actions. I have heard some say, that they who honour those who suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ, shall have a share in their glory. In the East the servants of Jesus Christ every day suffer torments, and lay down their lives for his sake. Go thither then, and bring me the relics of some of those conquerors, that we may honour their memories, and be saved by their assistance.” Boniface came into the proposal; and having raised a considerable sum of money to purchase the bodies of the martyrs from their executioners, and to distribute among the poor, said to Aglaë on his departure, “I will not fail to bring back with me the relics of martyrs, if I find any; but what if my own body should be brought to you for that of a martyr?” She reproved him for jesting in a matter so serious. The steward set out, but was now entirely a new man. Penetrated with sentiments of compunction, in all that long journey from Rome into the East, he neither ate meat nor drank wine; and his fasts he accompanied with prayers, tears and penitential works. The church, at that time, enjoyed peace in the West, but in the East the persecution, which had been begun by Dioclesian, was carried on with great cruelty by Galerius Maximianus and Maximinus Daie. It raged most fiercely in Cilicia, under an inhuman governor named Simplicius. Boniface, therefore, directed his journey to Tarsus, the capital of that country. He no sooner arrived at the city, but alighting, he sent away all his servants with the horses to an inn, and went himself straight to the court of the governor, whom he found seated on his tribunal, and many holy martyrs suffering under their tortures; one hanged up by the feet, with his head over a fire: another stretched almost to the tearing of his limbs on four planks or stakes: a third sawn asunder: a fourth had his hands cut off: a fifth was fixed to the ground by a stake run through his neck: a sixth having his hands and feet tied behind him, the executioners were beating him with clubs. There were no less than twenty tortured after this cruel manner, the sight whereof shocked the beholders, while their courage and resolution filled them with amazement. Boniface went boldly up to these champions of Christ, and having saluted them, cried out: “Great is the God of the Christians, great is the God of the holy martyrs! I beseech you, the servants of Jesus Christ, to pray for me, that I may join with you in fighting against the devil.” The governor thought himself insulted by so bold an action in his presence, and asked him in great wrath who he was? The martyr answered that he was a Christian, and that having Jesus Christ for his master, he feared nothing the governor could inflict to make him renounce that sacred name. Simplicius, in a rage, ordered some reeds to be sharpened and thrust under his nails: and this being done, he commanded boiling lead to be poured into his mouth. Boniface, after having called upon Jesus Christ for his assistance, begged the prayers of the other expiring martyrs, who all joined in putting up their petitions to God for him. The people, disgusted with so much cruelty, began to raise a tumult, and cried out: “Great is the God of the Christians.” Simplicius was alarmed, and withdrew. But the next day, being seated on his tribunal, he ordered Boniface to be brought before him a second time. The martyr appeared constant and undaunted. The judge commanded him to be cast into a caldron of boiling pitch; but he came out without receiving any hurt. Lastly, he was condemned to lose his head; and after a short prayer for the pardon of his sins, and the conversion of his persecutors, he cheerfully presented his peck to the executioner. His companions in the mean time not finding him return to the inn, searched for him in those parts of the city where they thought him most likely to be found. Being at last informed by the jailer’s brother, that a stranger had been beheaded the day before for his faith in Christ, and being shown the dead body and the head, they assured him that it was the very person they were in search of, and besought him to bestow the martyr’s relics upon them; this he refused to do without a reward: so they paid down five hundred pieces of gold; and having embalmed it, carried it home with them, praising God for the happy end of the blessed martyr. Aglaë, upon information of the affair, gave God thanks for his victory, and taking some priests with her, met the corpse with tapers and perfumes half a mile out of Rome, on the Latin road; 1 and in that very place raised a monument in which she laid them, and some years after built a chapel. She from that time led a penitential retired life, and dying fifteen years after, was buried near his relics. They were found in Rome in 1603, together with those of St. Alexius, in the church in Rome formerly called of St. Boniface, but now of St. Alexius. The bodies of both St. Boniface and St. Alexius lie under the stately high altar in two rich marble tombs. The martyrdom of St. Boniface happened about the year 307.
 Whilst we praise the divine mercy, who of sinners maketh saints, we ought earnestly to pray that he change our hearts from vessels of corruption into vessels of grace and his divine charity. Regret and sorrow for sin has many degrees; but till it has entirely subdued the corruptions, changed the affections, and purified the heart, it is not a saving repentance, 2 or that charity and love which animates or impregnates the new creature. 3 The certain proof of regeneration or of a real conversion is victory. He that is born of God, overcometh the world. 4 The maxims of the gospel, the rules of the church, and reason itself forbid us to look upon him as a sincere convert whose life is very uneven, inconstant, and contradictory to itself; if he be to-day a saint, and to-morrow a sinner; if he follow to-day the impulses of the Holy Ghost, and yield to-morrow to the temptations of the enemy; or if he has not courage to fly the dangers and renounce the occasions which are fatal to him.
Note 1. We cannot be surprised at this circumstance in the acts, on reflecting that the church at Rome then enjoyed peace. Consurgens Aglaës confestim accepit secum clericos et viros religiosos; et sic cum hymniis et canticis spiritualibus et omni veneratione obviavit sancto corpori. (Ruin. p. 290, fol.) The like is related of the martyr St. Cyprian, even in the heat of the persecution, that his disciples carried off his body with wax-lights and torches. Inde per noctem sublatum cum cereis, &c.—Ib. p. 218. [back]
Note 2. 2 Cor. vii. 10. [back]
Note 3. Gal. v. 6. [back]
Note 4. 1 John v. 4. [back]
Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73).  Volume V: May. The Lives of the Saints.  1866.
SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/5/141.html

The Holy Martyr Boniface.

From the Prologue

Martyrdom for Christ makes sinners into saints. This is shown by the example of St Boniface. He was at first servant to a wealthy and dissolute woman, Aglaïs, in Rome, and had unclean and unlawful relations with her. They were both pagans. Aglaïs evinced the desire to have the relics of some martyr in her house as an amulet against evil, so she sent her servant to Asia to find and buy for her what she desired. Boniface took some slaves with him and a fair amount of money and, at the moment of parting, said to Aglaïs: 'If I can't find any martyrs and if they bring you back my body, martyred for Christ, will you receive it with honour? Aglaïs laughed, and called him a drunken old sinner, and so they parted. Coming to the city of Tarsus, Boniface saw many Christians undergoing torture: some were having their legs cut off, some their hands, others their eyes put out, yet others were dying on the gallows and so forth. Boniface's heart was changed, and he repented of his sinful life with tears. He called out among the Christian martyrs: 'I too am a Christian!' The judge took him for interrogation and ordered that he be harshly flogged, then that boiling lead be poured into his mouth and, as this did him no harm, that he be beheaded. The slaves then took his body back to Rome. An angel of God appeared to Aglaïs and said: 'Take him who was at one time your servant, but is now our brother and fellow-servant; he is the guardian of your soul and the protector of your life.' Aglaïs went in wonder to meet them, took Boniface's body, built a church for his relics and placed them there. She then repented, gave away all her goods to the poor and withdrew from the world, living a further fifteen years in bitter penitence. St Boniface suffered in the year 290.

From The Prologue From Ochrid by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich

©1985 Lazarica Press, Birmingham UK