mercredi 10 février 2016

Saint GUILLAUME (GUGLIELMO) de MALEVAL (MALVALLA), ermite bénédictin et fondateur


Antonio Nasini (1643-1715). La vision de San Guglielmo di Malavalle,
 Église de Saint Augustin de Massa Marittima

Saint Guillaume de Malavalle

Ermite en Toscane, fondateur de l'ordre des Guillemites ( 1157)

Il naquit dans le Brabant. La légèreté de la jeunesse l'empêcha de profiter de l'éducation donnée par d'honnêtes parents. Ils le placèrent chez un boulanger, pensant que sa vie serait plus régulière et surtout moins déréglée. Sous le prétexte d'apprendre le français qu'on ne parlait pas dans son pays il s'en fut, vagabond, et reprit sa vie désordonnée. 

Comme l'enfant prodigue, la misère et la faim le conduisirent à réfléchir. 

Il entra dans un monastère, se réconcilia avec Dieu et y reprit ses activités de boulanger. 

Mais il s'en lassa, reprit sa vie errante et libertine.

Dieu ne se lasse pas de poursuivre ceux qu'il aime. Guillaume rencontra un prêtre qui le remit sur le chemin de la vie spirituelle. Il étudia les Saintes Écritures, se retira dans la solitude, puis fonda un monastère près de Valenciennes. Il devint un prédicateur écouté. 

Un internaute nous communique: "Dans l'église Saint Thyrs de Labruguière (F-81290) il existe une chapelle au plafond de laquelle 12 médaillons peints au 19ème siècle par Morelli, semblent représenter la vie de Saint Guillaume de Malavalle: on le voit à la tête d'une armée de croisés, soumis à des tentations, en visite auprès du Pape, vie d'ermite dans un paysage de Toscane, terrassant des dragons ou encore accomplissant une guérison. Sur une peinture, le paysage au lointain représente une ville fortifiée (Jérusalem ou St Jean d'Acre)?"

À l’Étable-de-Rhodes sur le territoire de Sienne en Toscane, l’an 1157, saint Guillaume, ermite de Maleval, dont l’exemple a donné naissance à plusieurs congrégations d’ermites.

Martyrologe romain

SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/607/Saint-Guillaume-de-Malavalle.html


Hans Memling, Jeune homme en prière devant Guillaume de Maleval, 1470
Tempera sur panneau,  835 X 270
Guillaume de Maleval
Ermite, Fondateur, Saint
+ 1157
Ce Saint, dont on ne connaît point la famille, parait être né en France, et c'est pour cela qu'il est honoré dans le nouveau bréviaire de Paris. On croit qu'il prit le parti des armes dans sa jeunesse, et qu'il vécut d'abord, d'une manière fort licencieuse, comme cela n'arrive que trop souvent à un grand nombre de militaires. Les premiers traits que nous sachions sûrement de sa vie, nous le représentent comme un pénitent pénétré de la plus vive componction, qui fit un pèlerinage à Rome pour visiter les tombeaux des apôtres. Ayant prié le Pape Eugène III de lui imposer une pénitence pour l'expiation de ses péchés, ce Souverain-Pontife lui ordonna d'aller a 3érusalem. C'était ainsi qu'on en usait alors à l'égard des grands pécheurs. Guillaume partit en 1145, et passa huit ans dans les lieux où se sont accomplis les mystères de la rédemption. Il revint ensuite en Europe, et se retira, en 1153, dans un désert situé en Toscane. Quelque temps après, on le força de prendre le gouvernement du monastère de l'île de Lupocavio, dans le territoire de Pise; mais la tiédeur et le peu de régularité de ses moines l'affligèrent si vivement, qu'il résolut de s'éloigner d'eux : il les quitta donc pour aller demeurer sur le mont Pruno, où il trouva des religieux aussi ennemis de la règle que les premiers. Cela le détermina à mener seul un genre de vie qu'il avait tâché inutilement de faire embrasser aux autres. Pour cet effet, il se retira dans une vallée déserte, dont la seule vue était capable de glacer d'horreur les hommes mêmes les plus intrépides. Cette vallée, située dans le territoire de Sienne, au diocèse de Grosseto, s'appelait Malavalle ou Maleval.
Notre Saint entra dans cette affreuse solitude au mois de Septembre de l'an 1155. Il n'eut d'abord d'autre demeure qu'une caverne souterraine, mais le seigneur de Buriano l'ayant découvert au bout de quelque temps, lui fit construire une cellule. Il fut quatre mois sans autre compagnie que celle des bêtes, vivant des herbes qu'il leur voyait manger. Le jour de l'Epiphanie de l'année suivante, il lui vint un disciple nommé Albert, qui vécut treize mois avec lui, c'est-à-dire, jusqu'à sa mort, et qui écrivit ensuite les dernières circonstances de la vie de son maître, dont il avait été le témoin oculaire. Guillaume ne parlait jamais de lui-même que comme du plus misérable de tous les hommes, que comme d'un infâme pécheur qui méritait la plus cruelle de toutes les morts : de là ce zèle qui le portait à exercer sur son corps les plus grandes rigueurs de la pénitence. Il couchait sur la terre nue, et ne prenait pour toute nourriture qu'un peu d'eau et de mauvais pain ; encore se renfermait-il dans les bornes les plus étroites du besoin par rapport au boire et au manger, disant que la sensualité pouvait se glisser jusque dans la nourriture la plus commune. La prière, la contemplation et le travail des mains absorbaient tout son temps. C'était en travaillant qu'il instruisait son disciple dans les plus sublimes maximes de la perfection; mais il l'instruisait bien plus efficacement encore par ses exemples. Il fut honoré du don des miracles et de celui de prophétie. Sentant approcher sa fin, il demanda les sacrements, qui lui furent apportés par un prêtre de la ville de Châtillon-de-Pescaire, et mourut entre les bras de son cher disciple, le 10 Février 1157. Il est nommé en ce jour dans le martyrologe romain et dans les autres. Un médecin, nommé Renaud, s'était joint à Albert un peu avant la mort du Saint : ils enterrèrent ensemble le corps de leur bienheureux maître dans son petit jardin, et s'appliquèrent à conformer leur conduite aux maximes et aux exemples qu'il leur avait laissés ; ils eurent la consolation de voir plusieurs personnes pieuses venir embrasser le même genre de vie. Ces solitaires, dont le nombre augmentait de jour en jour, bâtirent un ermitage avec une chapelle sur le tombeau de notre Saint. Telle fut l'origine de l'ordre des Guillelmites ou ermites de Saint-Guillaume, lequel se répandit bientôt en Italie, en France, en Allemagne et dans les Pays-Bas. Ces ermites allaient nu-pieds, et jeûnaient presque continuellement : mais le Pape Grégoire IX mitigea l'austérité de leur règle, et les mit sous celle de saint Benoit, qu'ils suivent encore. Cette congrégation a été unie à celle des ermites de Saint-Augustin, à l'exception de douze maisons dans les Pays-Bas, qui suivaient encore l'ancienne règle des Guillelmites, c'est-à-dire, celle de saint Benoit. Ces religieux portent un habit blanc comme les Cisterciens. On faisait la fête de saint Guillaume à Paris dans l'église des Blancs-Manteaux.
SOURCE : Alban Butler : Vie des Pères, Martyrs et autres principaux Saints… – Traduction : Jean-François Godescard.

SOURCE : http://nouvl.evangelisation.free.fr/guillaume_de_maleval.htm


Hans Memling, Guillaume de Maleval en protecteur de la famille Moreel. 
Triptyque de Moreel. 1484, Huile sur panneau, 121 X 69

Guglielmo de Maleval

† - 1157

Même les Religieux guillemites n’ont pas conservé de souvenirs exacts de leur Fondateur, affirmant qu’il était ce Guillaume IX d’Aquitaine, converti par saint Bernard (v. 20 août). Les spécialistes avancent plutôt qu’il aurait été un gentilhomme français, passé du métier des armes à celui de la milice divine, et pour cela s’appellerait Guillaume.

Voulant expier ses fautes de jeunesse, Guglielmo se présenta au pape, qui lui imposa comme pénitence le pèlerinage de Jérusalem (1145).

A son retour en 1153, Guglielmo s’arrêta en Toscane ; sur l’île de Lupocavio (Pise) comme dans la forêt du mont Pruno, il s’attira des disciples qui, après avoir voulu écouter ses conseils, le méprisèrent et le chassèrent. Il vint alors près de Sienne et s’établit dans l’Etable de Rhodes, un endroit si affreux et peu accueillant qu’on l’appela par la suite Maleval (Vallée du Mal ou Mauvaise Vallée). C’était en 1155.

Il eut d’abord seulement un trou dans la terre. Le seigneur de l’endroit lui fit construire une cabane. Guglielmo vécut alors d’herbes et de racines.

En 1156, un certain Alberto se joignit à lui et ne le quitta jamais plus. Guglielmo lui affirmait n’être qu’un criminel, méritant les derniers tourments ; de fait, il s’imposait des austérités surprenantes, couchant par terre, jeûnant tous les jours ou presque, et ne prenant à l’occasion qu’un peu de nourriture et à peine de vin dans son verre d’eau. Il portait continuellement un cilice, vivait du travail de ses mains et, tout en travaillant, devisait avec Alberto sur les voies de la perfection.

Ce dernier fut témoin d’une des prophéties de Guglielmo. Il voyait en effet Guglielmo vieillir et désirait bien avoir un compagnon de vie. Guglielmo lui annonça la prochaine venue de quelqu’un. Arriva en effet un certain Rinaldo, médecin de son état, qui voulait se retirer avec eux. Guglielmo lui conseilla d’aller mettre en ordre ses affaires et de vite revenir.

Pendant son absence, Guglielmo sentit arriver sa dernière heure. Il se fit apporter les Sacrements de l’Eglise et expira bientôt dans les bras d’Alberto, assisté par le brave Rinaldo qui arriva à temps.
Guglielmo mourut le 10 février 1157, son dies natalis au Martyrologe Romain, et fut, croit-on, canonisé en 1202.

Les ermites de Saint-Guillaume ou Guillemites se répandirent dans toute l’Europe ; ils adoptèrent la règle bénédictine et le couvent de Maleval fut ensuite remis aux Ermites de Saint-Augustin.

SOURCE : http://www.samuelephrem.eu/2015/11/guglielmo-de-maleval.html


Salvator Rosa, Guillaume de Maleval pénitent, 1635
Huile sur toile, 75 X 58,5, Vienne, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Gemäldegalerie

William of Maleval, OSB Hermit (RM)

(also known as William of Malval or Malvalla)

Born in France; died at Maleval, Italy, February 10, 1157; canonized by Innocent III in 1202. After carefree years of licentious military life, William experienced a conversion of heart of which we are told nothing. The first real piece of information we have is that the penitent Frenchman made a pilgrimage to the tombs of the apostles at Rome. Here he begged Pope Eugenius III for pardon and to set him on a course of penance for his sins. Eugenius enjoined him to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1145. William followed his counsel and spent eight years on the journey, returning to Italy a changed man.


In 1153, William became a hermit in on the isle of Lupocavio (near Pisa) in Tuscany for a time. So many joined his until he was prevailed upon to undertake the governance. He wasn't well suited to lead other men. First he failed to maintain discipline at the abbey. Unable to bear the tepidity and irregularity of his monks, he withdrew to Monte Bruno. But same thing happened when he organized the disciples who had gathered around him into his own abbey on Monte Bruno.

Finally, in September 1155, he realized this was not God's plan for him and he embraced the eremitical life amid the solitude of Maleval (then called the Stable of Rhodes) near Siena. At Maleval he lived in an underground cave until the lord of Buriano discovered him some months later and built him a cell. For the first four months, William had only the beasts for company and only forage for food.

The example of his life soon attracted another of like mind. On the Feast of the Epiphany 1156, he was joined by a companion named Albert, who lived with him the rest of his life--only 13 months-- and recorded William's vita. Like most of the early hermits, William used extreme penances to atone for his earlier sinful life. He slept on the bare ground, ate sparingly of only the coarsest fare, and drank only limited amounts of water. Prayer, contemplation, and manual labor employed all his waking moments. William had the gift of working miracles and of prophecy.

Shortly before William's death, which he predicted, he and Albert were joined by a physician named Rinaldo. The two disciples buried William in his little garden, and together studied to live according to William's maxims and example. Later their number increased and they built a chapel over their founder's grave with a hermitage; however his relics were dispersed in the wars between Siena and Grosseto.

This was the origin of the Gulielmites, or Hermits of Saint William, which spread throughout Italy, France, Flanders, and Germany. Gregory IX, mitigating their austerities, gave the Rule of Saint Benedict to the group organized as the Order of Bare- Footed Friars, but they were eventually absorbed by the Augustinian hermits except for 12 houses in the Low Countries.

William is honored in the new Paris Missal and Breviary, where his feast is kept at the Abbey of Blancs-Manteaux, founded in 1257 as a mendicant order, called the Servants of the Virgin Mary, but bestowed on the Gulielmites after the second council of Lyons in 1297 (Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Husenbeth).

In art, William of Maleval is similar to William of Aquitaine but with no ducal coronet. He carries a pilgrim's staff and sometimes wears a monastic habit over armor. At times he may be shown (1) bearing a cross staff, one arm of which ends in a crescent, or (2) bearing a shield with four fleur-de-lys (Roeder). He is the patron of armorers and venerated in Siena, Italy (Roeder), and Paris (Husenbeth).

SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0210.shtml

St. William of Maleval

(Or ST. WILLIAM THE GREAT).

Died 10 February, 1157; beatified in 1202. His life, written by his disciple Albert, who lived with him during his last year at Maleval, has been lost. The life by Theodobald, or Thibault, given by the Bollandists is unreliable, having been interpolated with the lives of at least two other Williams. After a number of chapters in which he is confused with St. William of Gellone, Duke of Aquitaine, we are told that he went to Rome, where he had an interview with Eugene III, who ordered him to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in penance for his sins. Though Theodobald's account of his interview with the pope does not carry conviction, the fact of this visit and his subsequent pilgrimage to Jerusalem is supported by excerpts from the older life, which are preserved by responsories and antiphons in his Office. He seems to have remained at Jerusalem for one or two years, not nine as Theodobald relates. About 1153 he returned to Italy and led a hermit's life in a wood near Pisa, then on Monte Pruno, and finally in 1155 in the desert valley of Stabulum Rodis, later known as Maleval, in the territory of Siena and Bishopric of Grosseto, where he was joined by Albert.

Sources

Acta SS., II Feb., 435-91.


Webster, Douglas Raymund. "St. William of Maleval." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 10 Feb. 2016 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15633c.htm>.

SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15633c.htm


St. William of Maleval, Hermit, and Institutor of the Order of Gulielmites

From l’Hist. des Ordres Relig. t. 6. p. 155. by F. Helyot

A.D. 1157

WE 1 know nothing of the birth or quality of this saint: he seems to have been a Frenchman, and is on this account honoured in the new Paris Missal and Breviary. He is thought to have passed his youth in the army, and to have given into a licentious manner of living, too common among persons of that profession. The first accounts we have of him represent him as an holy penitent, filled with the greatest sentiments of compunction and fervour, and making a pilgrimage to the tombs of the apostles at Rome. Here he begged Pope Eugenius III. to put him into a course of penance, who enjoined him a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the year 1145. In performing this, with great devotion, the saint spent eight years. Returning into Tuscany in 1153, he retired into a desert. He was prevailed upon to undertake the government of a monastery in the Isle of Lupocavio, in the territory of Pisa: but not being able to bear with the tepidity and irregularity of his monks, he withdrew and settled on Mount Pruno, till finding disciples there no less indocile to the severity of his discipline than the former, he was determined to pursue himself that rigorous plan of life which he had hitherto unsuccessfully proposed to others. He pitched upon a desolate valley for this purpose, the very sight of which was sufficient to strike the most resolute with horror. It was then called the Stable of Rhodes, but since, Maleval; and is situated in the territory of Sienna, in the diocess of Grosseto. He entered this frightful solitude in September, 1155, and had no other lodging than a cave in the ground, till being discovered some months after, the lord of Buriano built him a cell. During the first four months, he had no other company but that of wild beasts, eating only the herbs on which they fed. On the feast of the Epiphany, in the beginning of the year 1156, he was joined by a disciple or companion, called Albert, who lived with him to his death, which happened thirteen months after, and who has recorded the last circumstances of his life. The saint in his discourses with others, always treated himself as the most infamous of criminals, and deserving the worst of deaths; and that these were his real sentiments, appeared from that extreme severity which he exercised upon himself. He lay on the bare ground: though he fed on the coarsest fare and drank nothing but water, he was very sparing in the use of each; saying, sensuality was to be feared even in the most ordinary food. Prayer, divine contemplation, and manual labour, employed his whole time. It was at his work that he instructed his disciple in his maxims of penance and perfection, which he taught him the most effectually by his own example, though in many respects so much raised above the common, that it was fitter to be admired than imitated. He had the gift of miracles, and that of prophecy. Seeing his end draw near, he received the sacraments from a priest of the neighbouring town of Chatillon, and died on the 10th of February, in 1157, on which day he is named in the Roman and other Martyrologies.

Divine Providence moved one Renauld, a physician, to join Albert, a little before the death of the saint. They buried St. William’s body in his little garden, and studied to live according to his maxims and example. Some time after, their number increasing, they built a chapel over their founder’s grave, with a little hermitage. This was the origin of the Gulielmites, or Hermits of St. William, spread in the next age over Italy, France, Flanders, and Germany. They went barefoot, and their fasts were almost continual: but Pope Gregory IX. mitigated their austerities, and gave them the rule of St. Benedict, which they still observe. The Order is now become a congregation united to the hermits of St. Austin, except twelve houses in the Low Countries, which still retain the rule of the Gulielmites, which is that of St. Benedict, with a white habit like that of the Cistercians.

The feast of St. William is kept at Paris in the abbey of Blancs-Manteaux, so called from certain religious men for whom it was founded, who wore white cloaks, and were of a mendicant order, called of the Servants of the Virgin Mary; founded at Marseilles, and approved by Alexander IV. in 1257. This order being extinguished, by virtue of the decree of the second council of Lyons, in 1274, by which all mendicants, except the four great Orders of Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Austin Friars, were abolished, this monastery was bestowed on the Gulielmites, who removed hither from Montrouge near Paris, in 1297. The prior and monks embraced the Order of St. Bennet, and the reformation of the Congregation of St. Vanne of Verdun, soon after called in France, of St. Maur, in 1618, and this is in order the fifth house of that Congregation in France, before the abbeys of St. Germain-des-Prez, and St. Denys.

Note 1. Villefore confounds this saint with St. William, founder of the hermits of Monte Virgine in the kingdom of Naples, who lived in great repute with King Roger, and is commemorated in the Roman Martyrology, June 25. Others confound him with St. William, duke of Aquitain, a monk of Gellone. He was a great general, and often vanquished the Saracens who invaded Languedoc. In recompense, Charlemagne made him duke or governor of Aquitain, and appointed Toulouse for his residence. Some years after, in 806, having obtained the consent of his duchess, (who also renounced the world,) and of Charlemagne, though with great difficulty, he made his monastic profession at Gellone, a monastery which he had founded in a valley of that name, a league distant from Aniane, in the diocess of Lodeve. St. William received the habit at the hands of St. Benedict of Aniane, was directed by him in the exercises of a religious life, and sanctified himself, with great fervour, embracing the most humbling and laborious employments, and practising extraordinary austerities, till his happy death in 812, on the 28th of May, on which day his festival is kept in the monastery of Gellone, (now called St. Guillem du Desert, founded by this saint in 804,) and in the neighbouring churches. See, on him, Mabillon, Sæc. Ben. 4. p. 88. Henschenius, diss. p. 448. Bulteau, p. 367, and Hist. Gen. du Languedoc par deux Bénédictins, l. 9. Many also have confounded our saint with William the last duke of Guienne, who, after a licentious youth, and having been an abettor of the anti-pope, Peter Leonis, was wonderfully converted by Saint Bernard, sent to him by Pope Innocent II. in the year 1135. The year following he renounced his estates, which his eldest daughter brought in marriage to Lewis the Young, king of France; and clothed with hair-cloth next his skin, and in a tattered garment expressive of the sincerity of his repentance and contrition, undertook a pilgrimage to Compostello, and died in that journey, in 1137. See Ordericus Vitalis, Hist. Norman. et Arnoldus Bonæ-Vallis, in vita Bernardi; with the Historical Dissert. of Henschenius, on the 10th of February; and Abrégé Chronol. des Grands Fiefs, p. 223. [back]

Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73).  Volume II: February. The Lives of the Saints.  1866.


SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/2/103.html