8.11

 

A brother of this man came to the Christmas vigils, and spoke to the presbyter, saying 'Let us keep the vigils together in the church of God, and let us pray devoutly to the power of the blessed Nicetius, so that through his intercession we may pass this year in peace.' Hearing this the presbyter joyfully ordered the signal for vigils to be given. This was done, and the presbyter came in with the clergy of his church and the rest of the people. But this man, a slave to gluttony, did not hurry to come. The presbyter sent to him several times, but he only replied 'Wait a little, I am coming.' What more need I say? The vigils were completed and the morning arrived, and he who had first thought of the celebration was not there. The presbyter finished the office and angrily hastened to the man, thinking to suspend him from communion. But the man had been corrupted by fever, just as he had been by wine, and he burned with divine heat. As soon as he saw the presbyter he begged him with tears to impose penance on him. The priest rebuked him, and said 'It is right that you burn by the power of Saint Nicetius in whose church you neglected to come to vigils,' and in mindst of these words the man died. Then, at the third hour, as the people were reassembling in the church for solemn Mass, the dead man was brought into the church. Nobody could doubt that it had all been accomplished by the power of the holy pontiff. The presbyter himself told it to us.

 

(trans. E. James: 62-63, slightly altered by J. Szafranowski)