A letter from Elisabeth of Schoenau ()

Translated letter:

To lord Gerlach, venerable abbot of the church of God in Deutz, Elisabeth of Schonau, humble handmaid of Christ, sends greetings and prayers. Be consoled and rejoice in the Lord. Strengthen the hearts of the brothers who are with you, because the Lord has heard your groans. He has looked upon the tribulation of your heart which afflicts you in His sight, that lamentable dropping of the divine sacrament which happened in your midst. He has acted according to His customary kindness and deigned to announce certain words to me through His angel to console you. It happened on the first Sunday of the Lenten fast, when the lord abbot was celebrating the divine office with us. While I was intent in prayer after the reading of the Gospel, I suddenly languished and went into a trance. And behold the angel of the Lord, my kind consoler, came and stood in my sight. Then, among other matters which I discussed with him, I reminded him of you, just as I had been advised by my brother. I inquired of him, saying, “My lord, what happened to that venerable sacrament which was sneezed forth from a boy’s throat? Was it trampled by the feet of those standing around and destroyed?” He answered, saying, “The sanctity of that sacrament vivifies the spirit of the one receiving it. When it fell from his mouth, it was caught up by an angel of God who was present and he hid it away in a secret place.” I said, “Lord, dare I ask where it was placed?” “Don’t ask,” he replied. In turn I said, “Lord, what service should those brothers offer to God for this negligence?” He responded, “For this offense they should offer to God a sacrifice of praise for forty days in their convent.” He continued, “For Jesus Christ our Lord, I establish this penance so that whenever the body of the Lord should fall upon the earth or the blood of the Lord be spilled out in such a way that it cannot be placed among the relics, a sacrifice of praise is to be offered for this sin for forty days.”(1) Lastly, he added, “The more bodies of saints that the brothers gather for themselves and keep with them, the more useful and even necessary it is for them to strive to minister to them honorably and lovingly.(2) Likewise it is useful and necessary for them to improve their life with fear of God and diligently observe their rule. In order to warn them about this, the Lord allowed to happen what was done in their midst. If they obey His warning and do what I have said, they shall be assured that those precious martyrs will clamor for them in the presence of the Lord and assist them in every need. But if they do not obey, those martyrs will make accusations and complaints against them.” (3)

Original letter:

Domino G, venerabili abbati ecclesie dei, que est in Tuicio, humilis ancilla Christi E. Sconaugiensis salutem et orationes. Consolamini et gaudete in domino, et confortate corda fratrum, qui sunt vobiscum, quia suscepit dominus gemitus vestros, et respexit tribulationem cordis vestri, qua afflicti fuistis in conspectu pro lacrimabili iactura dominici sacramenti, que accidit in medio vestri. Fecit enim secundum consuetudinem benignitatis sue, et dignatus est annuntiare mihi per angelum suum verba quedam, ex quibus recipere potestis consolationem. Factum est in dominica prima quadragesimalis ieiunii, celebrante domino abbate divinum officium apud nos, post lectionem evangelii, cum essem intenta orationi, subiti elangui, et veni in mentis excessum. Et ecce angelus domini benignus consolator meus adveniens stetit in conspectu meo. Tunc inter ceteros sermones, quod contuli cum eo, feci memoriam vestri apud eum, sicut premonita fueram a fratre meo, interrogravique eum, dicens: Domine mi, quid factum est de venerando illo sacramento, quod in ecclesia Tuiciensi de gutture pueri sternutantis excussum est? Nonquid pedibus circumstantium coculcatum est et periit? Qui respondens ait: Sacramenti illius sanctitas vivificavit spiritum suscipientis se, quod autem ab ore eius elapsum est, ab angelo dei, qui presens aderat, susceptum est, et in archano loco reconditum. Et dixi: Nunquid domine interrogare audeo, in quo loco sit repositum? Et ait: Noli interrogare. Rursus dixi: Domine, quid servitii pro hac negligentia deo exhibere convenit fratres illos? Et respondit: Quadraginta diebus immolent dei sacrificium laudis pro delicto hoc. Adiecit autem adhuc dicens: Ego autem vice domini nostri Jesu Christi hanc satisfactionem constituo, ut ubicunque cediderit super terram corpus domini, sive effusus fuerit dominicus sanguis, ita ut postea inter reliquias non possit reponi, pro peccato hoc immoletur sacrificium laudis quadriginta diebus. Si vero inter reliquias potest reponi, triginta diebus idipsum fiat. Novissime et hec adiecit: Expedit fratribus illis et necesse habent, ut quanto amplius sanctorum corpora apud se congregant, et iuxts se locant, tanto amplius studeant honorifice et amabiliter eis ministrare, et ut vitam suam cum timore dei emendent, ac diligentius ordinem suum observent. Nam, et ad hec eos commoneret, dominus permisit fieri, quod factum est in medio eorum. Quod so ammonitioni eius obedierint, et fecerint, que dixi, certum habeant, quoniam preciosi illi martires interpellabunt pro eis coram domino, et in omni necessitate eis subvenient. Si autem non fecerint, accusationem et querelam facient adversus eos.

Historical context:

The letters transmitted as chapters 5, 6, and 11 of the book of letters were originally appended to the end of Elisabeth’s revelations about the holy army of the virgins of Cologne. In this letter, Elisabeth describes a vision to comfort the abbot about an accidental mishap with the Eucharist.

Scholarly notes:

(1) For another example of concern about accidental profanation of the Eucharist, see First Book of Visions, ch.25-26. (2)This is probably a reference to the bones identified as those of Ursula and her 11,000 virgin martyr companions described in book 5 of Elisabeth’s revelations. (3) This translation is copyrighted by Anne Clark. For permission to reproduce, contact Paulist Press.

Printed source:

Die Visionen der hl. Elisabeth und die Schriften der Aebte Ekbert und Emecho von Schönau, ed. F.W.E. Roth (Brünn: Verlag der Studien aus dem Benedictiner- und Cistercienser-Orden, 1884), Bk.6, ch.6, p.141-42; trans. Anne L. Clark, The Complete Works of Elisabeth of Schönau (New York: Paulist Press, 2000), 6.