SAINT ILDEPHONSUS, BISHOP AND CONFESSOR

The Gothic Church of Spain deputes, to-day, one of her most glorious Prelates, to represent her at the Crib of the Divine Babe, and to celebrate his ineffable Birth. The praise, which falls from Ildephonsus’ lips, seems, at our first hearing it, to have the Mother’s dear honour for its only theme; but, who can we honour the Mother, without at the same time proclaiming the greatness of the Son, to whose Birth she owes all her greatness?

Among the glorious Pontiffs, who honoured the noble episcopate of Spain, during the 7th and 8th centuries—for example, Leander, Isidore, Fulgentius, Braulio, Eugenius, Julian, Helladius among them, and in the foremost ranks, stands Ildephonsus, with his glory of having been the Doctor of the Virginity of the Mother of God, just as Athanasius is the Doctor of the Divinity of the Word, Basil the Doctor of the Divinity of the Holy Ghost, and Augustine the Doctor of Grace. The holy Bishop of Toledo has treated the dogma of Mary’s Virginity in all its completeness. With profound learning and with fervid eloquence, he proves, against the Jews, that Mary conceived without losing her Virginity; against the followers of Jovinian, that she was a Virgin in her Delivery; against the disciples of Helvidius, that she remained a Virgin, after she had given birth to her Divine Son. Other holy Doctors had treated separately on each of these sublime questions, before our Saint; but he brought together all their teachings, and merited that a Virgin-Martyr should rise from her tomb to thank him for having defended the honour of the Queen of Heaven. Nay, Mary herself, with her crown pure, hands clothed in white raiment, would descend, which was an image of the robe of light wherewith Ildephonsus shines now in heaven, at the foot of Mary’s Throne.

The Mozarabic Breviary gives us the following Lessons, in the Office of our holy Bishop.

Ildephonsus was born at Toledo, in Spain, of most noble parents, whose names were Stephen and Lucy. He was brought up with great care, and instructed in all the liberal arts. His first master was Eugenius, Bishop of Toledo, who, though yet a youth of very great promise, sent him to Seville, that he might be under the guidance of Isidore, whose reputation for learning was well known. He lived with Isidore for twelve years, during which time he served to the full, imbued with sound doctrine; he returned to Toledo, to Eugene, whom he loved with great affection on account of his great virtues and learning. Ildephonsus, delighting above all others in the world, embraced the monastic life, in the Order of Saint Benedict, though his parents endeavoured to divert him from his holy resolution, by every sort of menace.

In Monachorum non multo post tempore, ordinatus est Diaconus, ac postea Presbyter, atque in monasterio agens, pietate ac doctrina floruit. He was remarkable for the austerity of his life, and for his continual prayer. His zeal for the glory of God was equalled only by his charity towards his neighbour. He was beloved by all, and respected even by those who were not of his faith.

The Abbot of the monastery dying not long after, the monks elected Ildephonsus as his successor. For they had observed in him, among his other virtues, a love of equity, affability of manner, prudence, and a simplicity of mind. But Ildephonsus had not desired this dignity, and such merit, and such resignation to virtue, should not be without reward; and therefore, on the death of Eugenius, of Toledo, by the will of the clergy, senate, and the whole people, Ildephonsus was chosen Archbishop of Toledo. It would have been easy for him to decline this office, but he accepted it as the will of God.

Church, then they beheld a dazzling light inside, at which they were seized with fear, and withdrew. St. Ildephonsus fearlessly entered and advanced to the altar, where he beheld the Blessed Virgin; he fell on his knees before her, and received from her a vestment, in which to offer up the Holy Sacrifice.

On another occasion, when the Clergy and a great concourse of people were assembled for the Feast of St. Leocadia, and Ildephonsus was kneeling at the Saint’s tomb, praying—he saw suddenly opened, and the Mother of God appear. The same miracle of the vestment was then repeated.

“Queen of Heaven, has given to her servant, a vestment, which, in Sacrifice, is worn.”

This miracle happened on the great day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, and it filled all Spain with devotion and love for the Mother of God.

The holy Prelate was unwearied in preaching the Word of God, and in defending the Catholic faith. He never ceased to labour for the salvation of souls, and to combat error with apostolic courage.

Ildephonsus, after having governed his Church for ten years and two months, fell asleep in the Lord on the 23rd of January, in the year 667. He was buried in the Basilica of Leocadia, near the tomb of Saint Eugenia. During the general persecution of the Christians, under the Moorish domination, his relics were preserved, and later restored to honour.

We salute thee with devoted hearts, O holy Pontiff! who standest pre-eminent in thy love of the Mother of God, even in that glorious Spain, where her honour has had such brave defenders. Come, and take thy place near the Crib of Jesus, where this incomparable Mother is watching over this Babe, who, being both her God and her Son, condescended to her virginity, but did not impair it. Pray for us to her, and remind her that she is our Mother also. Ask her to receive the hymns we sing in her honour, and to bless the offering we make of our hearts to her Son. That our prayer may find a readier welcome from this august Queen, we will make use of thy own words, O holy Doctor of Mary’s Virginity, and thus will we speak to her:

“Come, O thou blessed and sole Virgin-Mother of God; come and receive from me, O good Jesus, who alone art worthy to be the Mother of my Lord; I pray to thee, that thou pardon me all errors of my Son, that thou obtain for me the forgiveness of my sins, that thou procure for me the being cleansed from my evil deeds, that thou get me a love of thy great glory, that thou reveal unto me the exceeding sweetness of thy Son Jesus, that thou grant me to proclaim and defend the purity of our holy Faith. Grant that I may cling to my God and to thee, and be faithful to thy Son and to thee—to him as my Creator, to thee as Mother of my Creator; to him as my Lord of hosts, to thee as the Handmaid of the Lord; to him as my God, to thee as Mother of God; to him as my Redeemer, to thee as the instrument of my redemption.

“He became the price of my ransom, but he became so by his becoming incarnate from thy flesh. He assumed a mortal Body, but he took it from thee, and with his sacred Body he blotted out my sins. My own human nature, which he took to his kingdom, and set it above the Angels, on the right hand of his Father, he took from thy pure flesh and blood, when he humbled himself and was made Man.

“I, then, am thy servant, O Mary! because thy Son is my Lord. Thou art our Lady, because thou art the Handmaid of our Lord. I am thy servant of the Handmaid of my Lord, because thou art our Lady, wast made Mother of my Lord. I pray thee, I fervently pray thee, O Holy Virgin! that I may receive Jesus by that Holy Spirit, by whom thou didst become Mother of Jesus. May I be made to know Jesus by that Holy Spirit, by whom thou didst know, and possess, and bring forth Jesus. May I speak of Jesus in that same Holy Spirit, in which thou didst confess thyself the Handmaid of the Lord. May I love Jesus in that same Holy Ghost, in whom thou adoredst Him as thy God, and gavest up thy Son as a Sacrifice. May I obey this thy Jesus as faithfully, as he himself, though God, was subject to thee and to Joseph.”

Saint Ildefonsus by El Greco (1597-1603)

Related Articles: Saints Page