Simão Álvares. Saint Theotonius et le le roi Afonso I du Portugal.
Saint Théotone de Coimbra
Archiprêtre de Viseu (Portugal)
Fête le 18 février
OSA
Gonfeo, Espagne, 1086 – † 1166
Autres graphies : [Theotonius] Théotone de Coimbra ou Théoton
Canonisé en 1167
Archiprêtre de Viseu, dans la Beira Alta, au Portugal, puis abbé du
monastère de chanoines réguliers de Coimbra dans la Beira litoral, il est très
honoré au Portugal. Il a été canonisé en 1167 par les évêques portugais et son
culte confirmé par le pape Benoît XIV.
Theotonius of Coimbra, OSA, Abbot (AC)
Born in Spain; died 1166; cultus approved by Benedict XIV. Theotonius, nephew
of Bishop Cresconius of Coimbra, Portugal, was educated in Coimbra and became
an archpriest of Viseu. He proved himself to be an outstanding preacher as well
as a man of holiness and austerity. He resigned that office to go on pilgrimage
to the Holy Land. On his return, he continued to work at Viseu. While the queen
and her husband, Henry, Count of Portugal, repeatedly urged him to accept a
bishopric, he was contemplating retiring further from the world. Theotonius had
a tremendous love of the poor and the souls in purgatory, for whom he sang
solemn Mass every Friday. This would be followed by a procession to the
cemetery in which to whole city joined and in the course of which large sums of
money were given in alms for him to distribute among the poor.
But he was no wimp.
He was outspoken in rebuking vice, and the greatest in the land feared and
respected him. When the widowed queen and Count Ferdinand (whose alliance with
her was causing scandal) were present at one of his sermons, Saint Theotonius
uttered stern words so obviously directed at them that they were both filled
with confusion and retreated hastily. Another time, he was vested to begin the
celebration of the Mass of the Blessed Virgin, when he received a message from
the queen, who was at the church, asking him to shorten the time he usually
took. He sent back word that he was offering Mass in honor of a sovereign who
was greater than any royal personage on earth, and that the queen was free to
leave or stay.
After a second
pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he found that his former preceptor, Tellus, was
founding a new Augustinian monastery at Coimbra, and Theotonius decided to join
them. He became its 12th prior. Theotonius was highly esteemed by King
Alphonsus of Portugal and his Queen Matilda, who lavished gifts on the
monastery of the Holy Cross. He was fearless in rebuking vice and exact in the
performance of divine service. He was remarkable for his insistence on the exact
and reverent recitation of the daily offices; he would never allow them to be
garbled or hurried. The king attributed victory over his enemies and recovery
from illness to the prayers of Saint Theotonius, and in his gratitude granted
the saint's request that he should liberate all his Mozarabic Christian
captives. When Alphonsus heard of Theotonius's death, he exclaimed, "His
soul will have gone up to heaven before his body is lowered into the
tomb." This saint is still highly venerated in Portugal (Benedictines,
Walsh).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0218.shtml
Saint Theotonius of
Coimbra
But Theotonius was not blind to the faults of the king and was quick to correct him. When Dom Alfonso took the city of Seville from the Moors, his soldiers in the midst of a vast plunder took captive as well a race of Christians called "Mozarabs" who were subjected under the Muslims, more than a thousand men, not counting their wives and children. According to the rules of war, Dom Alfonso took them as slaves.
Saint Theotonius of
Coimbra
Also known as
- Teotonio
Profile
Nephew of the bishop of Coimbra, Portugal. Educated at the University of Coimbra. Parish
priest, assigned to Viseu, Portugal. His powerful and outspoken preaching against vice gained him a great reputation, the animosity
of the ruling class, and the affection of the king and queen. Counselor to the throne. Rebuked the queen for adultery, and refused a bishopric from her, seeing it as an attempt to buy his affection. He
was once asked by the queen to shorten a Mass
so she could attend to other business; he send back word that he answered to
true sovereigns, and the queen was free to stay or go as she liked.
Theotinus had a
great devotion to the poor, and to souls in purgatory.
Each Friday he combined these devotions by singing a Solemn Mass
for the dead, leading a large procession to the cemetery to pray
for the local dead, collecting alms
there, and distributing the money to the local poor.
Twice a pilgrim to the Holy Lands. Augustinian Canon
Regular, which order he helped bring to Portugal in 1131, entering the monastery
at Coimbra. Spent his last 30 years there as monk and prior.
Devoted to the daily offices, never allowing the monks to hurry through them. King Alphonsus attributed his victories to the prayers
of Theotonius and his brothers, and in gratitude, free all his Mozarabic Christian captives. First Portuguese saints
canonized by the modern method.
Born
- 1166 of natural causes
- 1167 by the Portguese bishops
- cultus confirmed by Pope Benedict XIV
A Brief Biography of St. Theotonius
Co-Founder of the Order of Canons Regular of the Holy Cross
Early life and education
St. Theotonius, (1082-1162), co-founder of the Order of Canons Regular
of the Holy Cross, was the first Saint of the Order and of Portugal. He was
born in Ganfei (northern Portugal) around the year 1082 into a wealthy and
pious family. His father, Oveca (James), and his mother, Eugênia, were the
first to instruct him in the faith. His uncle Dom Crescónio, Abbot of the
Benedictine monastery near Tuy, was his first teacher. (The title
"Dom" was used for both nobility and clerics.) When Dom Crescónio
became bishop of Coimbra in 1092, he took the ten year old Theotonius
(literally, Godly) with him and entrusted his further education to the care of
a young seminarian, Tello, who was later to be the principle founder of the
Order.
After the death of Bishop Crescónio in 1098, Theotonius went to Viseu,
where another uncle of his named Teodorico was Prior of the Cathedral Chapter
of Sancta Maria. During the time of preparation for the priesthood, Theotonius
exercised the lower ministries with great diligence and piety. It is mentioned
expressly that he did not intrude himself into the priestly ministry, but let
himself be called by the Church. Holy Orders were conferred upon him sometime
before the year 1109, by the Bishop of Coimbra. The young priest was appointed a
canon of the Cathedral Chapter of Viseu, which was a college of clerics who
served as advisors to the Bishop.
Priesthood
As a priest, St. Theotonius fulfilled his duties with admirable
fidelity. In Viseu, he dedicated himself principally to the ordinary care of
souls. He avoided luxury, pride, ambition and the pleasures of the world. He
even denied himself things that were permissible, such as a bed, a bench, or
even a footstool in his room upon which he might rest or sit down. His conduct
with women was especially discreet, avoiding any imprudent familiarity. His
holiness, especially his moral purity, was universally acknowledged by all the
populace of Viseu, both noble and common, both men and women.
After the death of his uncle around the year 1112, the young priest, now
thirty years old, accepted – though not without reluctance – the office of the
Prior (Superior) of the Cathedral Chapter of Viseu at the request of the people
of Viseu and of the Bishop of Coimbra. Queen Teresa of Portugal and her husband,
a Count of Portugal, with the consent of the clergy and at the urging of the
people, often sought to restore the episcopal See of Viseu and have Dom
Theotonius appointed Bishop, but he always refused. Being a more contemplative
soul, the office of superior was already a great burden to him, and a bishopric
would have been even more onerous.
Hence, after only a short time, in an effort to flee such honors he
resigned his office as Prior of the Cathedral Chapter and embarked on his first
pilgrimage to the Holy Land in around the year 1116. After he returned to
Portugal, he resumed his work as a priest and Chapter member in Viseu, but
refused to take up again the office of Prior. His priestly life was
distinguished by a great love for the Mother of God, in whose honor he
celebrated the Holy Mass every Saturday. He also was generous towards both the
poor and the Poor Souls in Purgatory. Every Friday he celebrated a Holy Mass
for the Poor Souls at the chapel of St. Michael followed by a procession to the
cemetery; many noble families also participated and donated very large sums to
the priest, which Theotonius quietly distributed to the poor.
Having no human respect, Theotonius was fearless in rebuking sinful
behavior. In one instance, the now widowed queen was attending Holy Mass
celebrated by Dom Theotonius. She was accompanied by Count Ferdinand, and the
nature of their scandalous relationship had become well-known. Theotonius'
sermon, though not naming them, was unmistakably directed at their conduct.
They got the message and left in shame. On another occasion, Dom Theotonius was
about to begin Holy Mass when the queen had a message sent asking him to say
the Mass quickly. He replied simply that there was another Queen in heaven, far
more noble, for whom he ought to say the Mass with the greatest reverence and
devotion. If the queen did not wish to stay, she was free to leave, but he
would not rush. Upon receiving this response, Dona Teresa stayed for the Holy
Mass and afterwards with sincere contrition acknowledged her fault, asking
Theotonius for a penance.
Second Pilgrimage to Jerusalem
St. Theotonius made a second pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1126.
Throughout his stay, especially at Calvary, he meditated, prayed and wept. He
relived the mysteries of the life of Jesus from His birth to His Passion, death
and Resurrection, visiting the principal holy places. His great devotion to the
Passion would later be a great influence on the Order of the Holy Cross. While
in Jerusalem, he stayed with the fervent young community of the Canons Regular
of the Holy Sepulchre. The religious there, edified by his piety, asked him to
join their Order. Theotonius responded: "Brothers, I would gladly stay
here, but I have commitments in my own land. I shall go back to Portugal, but I
hope, by the grace of God, to return again to Jerusalem to finish my days of
pilgrimage here on earth." The return was never to be, for God had a great
mission awaiting His humble servant in Portugal.
Founding of the Order of Canons Regular of the Holy Cross
On his return to Portugal, Dom Theotonius first went to Coimbra where he
met his former teacher, the now Archdeacon Tello. Dom Tello had gathered ten
other men with the intention of founding a new monastery. They needed only one
more to complete the number of the twelve Apostles. Though he was reluctant to
abandon his plans to enter the Canons Regular of the Holy Sepulchre in
Jerusalem, Dom Tello argued that he was needed more in the West, where
religious life was degenerating. After praying and reflecting, Theotonius saw
in this invitation the will of God. Therefore he disposed of his inheritance,
giving one third to the poor, one third to the diocese, and one third for the
needs of the new monastery.
The cornerstone of the Holy Cross Monastery was laid on the vigil of
Saints Peter and Paul, June 28, 1131. Work advanced quickly being subsidized by
the king, the bishop of Coimbra and the most distinguished families of the
city. On Ash Wednesday, February 24, 1132 (then also the feast of St. Matthias),
in the presence of the king and a great multitude of people, the bishop gave
the habit of St. Augustine to the new Canons Regular. They were now a total of
seventy-two, for sixty candidates had since joined the original twelve
founders. That same day, the chapter for electing the Prior took place.
While Dom Theotonius suggested Dom Tello would be the natural choice for
Prior, Dom Tello in a serene, but inflamed discourse proposed Dom Theotonius
for election. The assembly approved the latter proposal with enthusiasm and
unanimity, against the will of Theotonius, who at first refused, claiming to
have neither the human qualities nor the virtues required for such an important
office. In the end, seeing God's own will in the will of his brothers, he accepted
in obedience the task confided to him. Nevertheless, Dom Tello continued to
play the more active role of Martha, administering most of the practical,
material concerns of the monastery, whereas Dom Theotonius became the
contemplative, spiritual leader and guide of his brethren. In his humility, he
never accepted the title of Abbot nor the episcopal insignia which went with
his office.
His first biographer, a contemporary religious of the community, says
that while others praise many things in him, such as his humility, his
sanctity, and the ardor of his faith, the one virtue which most impressed him
was the strong bond of charity that united Theotonius with the brethren. Like
the Good Shepherd he treated his flock with kindness, honor, and respect. He ruled
without pride and corrected with moderation, paternal affection and good
judgment. If he saw that one of his religious was overly distraught over some
correction, the Prior made it a point to soothe him with words of friendship
before the day was over. Like a wise superior he did not limit himself solely
to a negative approach, but by word and example led his community to the
practice of virtue. He urged his brothers that inasmuch as they had left the
world in body, they should leave it also in spirit and devote themselves to the
pursuit of virtue. He was solicitous and gentle towards the sick, but accepted
no special treatment when he himself was sick. He became also renowned for his
insistence that the Divine Office be reverently and precisely prayed, refusing
to allow it to be hurried.
During the period following the establishment of the first monastery,
the first king of Portugal, Dom Alfonso Henriques, was at this same time
militarily reclaiming the territory of Portugal from the Moors. The Order of the
Holy Cross was entrusted with the mission of re-evangelizing the territories.
In some parts the evangelization was entirely new because they had been cut off
from Christianity for so long. To accomplish this task, the Order was given
churches and properties to establish monasteries. St. Theotonius sent groups of
Canons to preach and instruct the people. In 1140, the Moors attacked the
Castle of Leiria. The Canons who were there to evangelize were captured and
martyred for their faith. This was but one incident among many where the Canons
gave their lives for the faith. During this same year, St. Theotonius
consecrated the entire country of Portugal to St. Michael the Archangel.
King Alfonso held St. Theotonius in profound veneration for his virtues
and was also keenly aware of how much the Order and its Prior could contribute
toward the unity of the new-born nation. This royal affection for the
"Cruzios" (Holy Cross priests) would never be lacking. The king
himself became a member of the Third Order and publicly received the linen
surplice of the Canons Regular from the hands of Dom Theotonius. Dom Alfonso
chose him as his confessor and spiritual director, confiding to him all the
difficult endeavors he undertook, with absolute certainty that they would be successful
if they had the support and prayers of the holy Prior. The biographer asserts,
"Every time the king undertook great things, he would always come to the
servant of God and very intently recommended his person and soul to the prayers
of the Saint. Theotonius, for his part, loved the king with such tenderness
that he seemed more solicitous for the king than for himself."
But Theotonius was not blind to the faults of the king and was quick to correct him. When Dom Alfonso took the city of Seville from the Moors, his soldiers in the midst of a vast plunder took captive as well a race of Christians called "Mozarabs" who were subjected under the Muslims, more than a thousand men, not counting their wives and children. According to the rules of war, Dom Alfonso took them as slaves.
As soon as he heard this, Theotonius was moved with deep compassion and
he, who never departed from the cloister, burning in the zeal of faith, went
out to meet the King and the whole army and said, "O King and all noble
men who are sons of Holy Mother Church, do you subject your brothers to the
condition of slaves and servant girls? By doing this you sin against the Lord
your God!" Hearing these words, everyone received them with a contrite
heart and they came down from their horses and reverently kissed Dom
Theotonius' hand as they promised to free the captives. Many of those freed
stayed close to the monastery, adding themselves to the number of the poor who
were daily helped by the Holy Cross fathers. He further founded, within the
monastery, a hospice to receive pilgrims and the sick, whom he himself along
with the other brothers served.
Gifts of healing and expelling demons
Already during Dom Theotonius' life, many miracles and extraordinary
facts were attributed to him. When the queen Dona Mafalda's life was in danger
during childbirth, he was called to her bedside, and with a blessing saved both
her and the life of the child. King Alfonso was also cured from a persistent
and life-threatening fever through the blessing of the Saint.
Several episodes of exorcism are also mentioned in the life of St.
Theotonius. One instance concerned a lay brother of the monastery who claimed
to see a black figure continuously shooting arrows at him. The man would point
to its shadow on the wall, but no other brother could see it. When Theotonius
came to visit him, he was relieved so long as the Prior remained with him.
Finally, St. Theotonius told the man to repent of the sin of adultery into
which he had fallen, for this was the reason why the devil tormented him.
On another occasion, a pious Canon was grievously tried by the devil.
One day while St. Theotonius was seated in the Church, he saw the brother being
tormented by the demon. He went to his aid, held his right hand and addressed
the devil saying, "Depart, unclean spirit, in the Name of Jesus Christ,
and by the power of the Holy Spirit I command you to disturb the servant of God
no longer." And so it was. The contemporary biographer adds that very
often he had seen sick brethren restored to health through the intercession and
prayers of Theotonius.
Preparing for Death
When Dom Theotonius had been Prior of the monastery of the Holy Cross
for twenty years, his strength began to fail. He was seventy years old and felt
the need to prepare for his final departure, no longer for the earthly
Jerusalem, but for the heavenly. He called the members of the community
together and informed them of the weaknesses that affected him and his great
desire to prepare himself better for the final encounter with God. His wish was
respected and his nephew, Dom John Theotonius, was chosen as his successor. He
was to rely frequently on the wise counsels of his uncle. Free from the duties
of prior, Dom Theotonius spent his time in continual prayer and reading. Besides
the normal prayers of the community, he prayed the entire Psalter (150 Psalms)
every day. When he was not praying, he occupied himself with the simplest
chores, such as sweeping the corridors. During this period, he intensified
correspondence with St. Bernard of Clairvaux who, as a token of great
friendship, offered him his own staff which became miraculous. It is said that
many who suffered from headaches or any other infirmity were healed if they had
the honor of touching it.
Final Passing and Glory
On his deathbed, he gave his final counsel to his brothers. "My
children," he said, "consider it as if you had embraced the religious
life and state this very day." All the brothers were gathered about him
filled with grief, and he consoled the mournful assembly. His first biographer
recounts, "As he gave us his abundant blessing…he joyfully beheld the
approach of death. We saw him rise up for the encounter with a joyful
countenance. So it was that we did not doubt, on account of the joy of his smiling
countenance, that the holy angels were there present. His face did not grow
pallid, but was filled with a dignity and gravity that made us clearly
understand that he was not dying, but going away; changing his friends, as it
were, but not forsaking them."
Just before his death "there appeared a great circle of stars which
filled the cloister, and the rays of the stars fell about him to the admiration
of all." It was Friday, February 18th, 1162, when he gave up his spirit;
he was in his eightieth year. The brothers took his body to the church where he
lay for two days, with a large, continuous flow of people accompanying him with
prayers, psalms and spiritual hymns. The whole city of Coimbra concurred that
he was one of the blessed and had gone straight to heaven. The King was taken
by such a great grief that his face lost its color. It is told that he said,
"His soul will be in Heaven before his body is in the tomb."
St. Theotonius was held in such great veneration and so many were the
graces obtained by his intercession that many, beginning with the king himself,
urged for his canonization. The process was one of the fastest in the history
of the Church. On the first anniversary of his death, February 18, 1163, he was
canonized by the Provincial Council of Portuguese bishops in Coimbra. The
canonization was approved and confirmed shortly thereafter by Pope Alexander
III. More than 360 years after his death, the body of St. Theotonius was
exhumed and found to be intact. Fifty years later it was again exhumed and
showed signs of decay, though it still exuded a sweet fragrance.
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San Teotonio
Sacerdote
Ganfei (Portogallo), 1080
circa – Coimbra (Portogallo), 18 febbraio 1166
Nato in Spagna intorno al 1080, fu affidato dai genitori allo zio
Cresconio, vescovo di Coimbra, in Portogallo. Poté così imparare, sotto la guida dell'arcidiacono
Tello, «l'arte della lettura e del canto secondo l'uso dei tempi». Morto lo
zio, ricevette gli ordini sacri a Viseo, diocesi suffraganea di Coimbra per poi
essere eletto priore della Cattedrale. Incarico cui rinunciò per recarsi
pellegrino a Gerusalemme. Al ritorno si dedicò all'attività pastorale,
soprattutto alla predicazione e alla confessione. Dopo qualche tempo tornò in
Terra Santa. Nel frattempo Tello con altri dieci sacerdoti aveva avviato la
costruzione del monastero di Santa Croce, vicino Coimbra. Teotonio aderì
entusiasta al progetto e fu eletto priore della nuova comunità di Canonici Regolari
di Sant'Agostino. Dopo 21 anni rinunciò alla carica di priore per passare gli
ultimi dieci anni di vita nella piena osservanza della regola agostiniana. Morì
il 18 febbraio 1166. (Avvenire)
Patronato:
Viseo
Emblema: Mitra
e pastorale abbaziali
Martirologio
Romano: A Coimbra in Portogallo, san Teotonio, che si recò due volte in
pellegrinaggio a Gerusalemme e, rifiutata la custodia del Santo Sepolcro,
tornato in patria fondò la Congregazione dei Canonici regolari della Santa
Croce.
Teotonio
nacque verso il 1080 a Ganfei, Valença do Minho, in Portogallo. I suoi
genitori, Oveco ed Eugenia lo educarono cristianamente ed in seguito lo
affidarono alla cura di suo zio Cresconio, vescovo di Coimbra, in Portogallo.
Poté così imparare, sotto la guida dell'arcidiacono Tello, “l’arte della
lettura e del canto secondo l’uso dei tempi”.
Morto lo zio, Teotonio fu accolto e ricevette gli ordini sacri a Viseo, diocesi
suffraganea di Coimbra. Divenuto sacerdote, eccelse nell’esercizio del suo
ministero per lo zelo pastorale e l’assidua pratica delle virtù cristiane,
tanto da meritarsi nel giro di pochi anni l’elezione a priore della cattedrale.
Rinunciò però assai presto a tale incarico per potersi recare in
pellegrinaggio a Gerusalemme. Al suo ritorno rifiuto l’episcopato,
ripetutamente ed insistentemente offertogli dal conte Enrico e dalla regina
Teresa che si facevano in tal modo portavoci del “consenso del clero e di tutto
il popolo”. Teotonio
preferì dedicarsi ad un’intensa attività pastorale, cimentandosi
prevalentemente nella predicazione e nella confessione. Il suo biografo ne
esaltò la carità, la castità e la libertà evangelica, che gli meritarono un
unanime senso di ammirazione.
Dopo qualche tempo intraprese un nuovo pellegrinaggio in Terra Santa, dove fu
invitato dai canonici regolari del Santo Sepolcro ad entrare a far parte della
loro comunità. Il santo non accolse però questa proposta, riservandosi di
accettare in un’eventuale altra occasione.
Nel frattempo il suo vecchio maestro Tello insieme ad altri dieci sacerdoti
aveva intrapreso la costruzione del nuovo monastero di Santa Croce, nei pressi
di Coimbra. Teotonio aderì entusiasta a questo progetto e fu addirittura subito
eletto priore di questa nuova comunità di Canonici Regolari di Sant’Agostino.
In questo nuovo ruolo assegnatogli poté rivelare le sue qualità di uomo di
governo, le sue virtù e la fama di santità e di miracoli che lo circondava, che
contribuirono al rapido sviluppo del neonato monastero. Dopo ben ventuno anni
rinunciò alla carica di priore, per poter trascorrere gli ultimi dieci anni
della sua vita nella più assoluta osservanza della regola agostiniana,
esercitandosi in particolar modo nella preghiera e nella penitenza.
San Teotonio morì il 18 febbraio 1166, ormai quasi nonantenne, e fu sepolto nel
capitolo del monastero di Santa Croce. Nel 1630 le sue reliqui furono traslate
nella chiesa e vennero sistemate sopra l’altare maggiore. Le ossa di un braccio
furono donate al monastero di San Vincenzo di Lisbona e l’altro alla cattedrale
di Viseo. Sin dal ‘500 il santo fu commemorato dai martirologi
nell’anniversario della sua morte e se ne celebrò la festa con Ufficio proprio
nelle cattedrali di Braga, Evora, Coimbra, Leiria e Viseo. In quest’ultima San
Teotonio è venerato come patrono. L’iconografia tradizionalmente gli
attribuisce la mitra ed il pastorale, non per l’episcopato che rifiutò, bensì
per la carica abbaziale chè ricoprì.
Autore: Fabio
Arduino
