R.Rinaldi
St.Radegund’s hagiography that reflects her virtues as an ascetic was written by Venantius Fortunatus, who was an educated that became a priest and a close ally to the Queen Radegund. His recounts of her life reflect his viewpoint and praise on her piety, charity and ascetic practices. St.Radegund’s second account that reflects her actions as a relic collector was written by a fellow nun at the Holy Cross, Baudonivia. This reflection on St.Radegund’s life describes more of the miracles she participated in, while also adding more discussion on the relics that caught the Saint’s interest. St. Radegund was the Queen of the royal house of Thuringia which was a country bordering on Frankish Territory. When Thuringia was invaded by King Clothar I, she became his wife. However, due to the death and execution of her brother, which is assumed to be of Clothar’s doing, Radegund retired from her position to live in a monastery at Poitiers, which is also known as Holy Cross. It was then that she practiced her piety, charity and passion for asceticism that Fortunatus admired and praised.
In Fortunatus’ account of St.Radegund’s life, he highlights on her virtuous gift of serving those less fortunate than she. He gives countless examples of her selflessness and giving nature that consumed everything she did. Not once did she put herself first and she even refused certain food and drink to reflect her devotion to God and her determination to not indulge. She gave every garment and riches she had as queen as a sacrifice to God at to alter and clothed the sick and needy in the same clothing and blessed them with jewels and treasures. Her actions reflect her desire to pour her heart out to the Lord through her serving and she hoped to receive her joy and salvation through her sacrifices. Fortunatus highlights her extraordinary character even before she becomes a monk. He recognizes her earthly rank versus her spiritual and heavenly rank with God and displays her as beyond devout. In other words, he focuses on her desire to fulfill the ascetic lifestyle, while serving others to encounter God. However, this contrasts with Baudonivia’s account in the sense that her desire wasn’t completely focused on serving her community through her selfless actions of service, but through her dedication for acquiring relics to heal and provide for the sick, as well as perform great miracles that helped protect her monastery and servants, while glorifying God. This account reflects St.Radegund interest in collecting relics and steps away from viewing her as an honorable ascetic. Baudonivia portrays St.Radegund as less of a Saint, and more of a Jesus figure, or a part of the trinity. Some even prayed in her name to receive blessings or healings, just as they would to Jesus. However, interestingly, St.Radegund declared her authority but always prayed in the name Jesus Christ, which elevates her status, but also puts her beneath God, while her admirers put her on the same level as God. (57) In both accounts, St.Radegund values life to the fullest and wants to honor everyone around her with the life and blessings she is able to provide. Death is tragic in her eyes, even if it is justly so. She believes strongly that salvation is the key to life and that everyone has a right to encounter it, even a guilty criminal. (50)
In Baudonivia’s account, it is highlighted that St.Radegund had full access to God, which gave her an even more elevated status as an elite Saint. She is compared to the great Helena who glorified god through good works. This contrasts with Frotunatus’ account because he only focused on her giving out of love from God, not her success or the significance of her giving. Fortunatus links her conception of martyrdom with the physical turmoil that she forced upon herself, so that she could be a martyr, even though it wasn’t the age for persecution. (53) She still felt the need to give not only her works, but her physical body to God, through her fasting, praying, lack of sleep and physical pain through burning and binding of her limbs. In a way, this could be seen as a tactic for her to join in Christ’s suffering, because she had no reason to suffer due to her great connection to God and her giving and selfless heart. Baudonivia also emphasized the Saint’s interest in relics and described St.Radegund as ecstatic when she received a relic from an emperor and described the pieces of flesh or garments as a gift. The desire for relics was great in this time and when St. Radegund’s prayers were answered and she acquired the Lord’s Cross, she “clapped both her hands”, because she felt a sense of accomplishment and victory. (55) Relics were seen as collectors items but St.Radegund knew the power and blessings that arose from them and used her determination to obtain the relics to bless those around her in need.
St.Radegund’s hagiography that reflects her virtues as an ascetic was written by Venantius Fortunatus, who was an educated that became a priest and a close ally to the Queen Radegund. His recounts of her life reflect his viewpoint and praise on her piety, charity and ascetic practices. St.Radegund’s second account that reflects her actions as a relic collector was written by a fellow nun at the Holy Cross, Baudonivia. This reflection on St.Radegund’s life describes more of the miracles she participated in, while also adding more discussion on the relics that caught the Saint’s interest. St. Radegund was the Queen of the royal house of Thuringia which was a country bordering on Frankish Territory. When Thuringia was invaded by King Clothar I, she became his wife. However, due to the death and execution of her brother, which is assumed to be of Clothar’s doing, Radegund retired from her position to live in a monastery at Poitiers, which is also known as Holy Cross. It was then that she practiced her piety, charity and passion for asceticism that Fortunatus admired and praised.
In Fortunatus’ account of St.Radegund’s life, he highlights on her virtuous gift of serving those less fortunate than she. He gives countless examples of her selflessness and giving nature that consumed everything she did. Not once did she put herself first and she even refused certain food and drink to reflect her devotion to God and her determination to not indulge. She gave every garment and riches she had as queen as a sacrifice to God at to alter and clothed the sick and needy in the same clothing and blessed them with jewels and treasures. Her actions reflect her desire to pour her heart out to the Lord through her serving and she hoped to receive her joy and salvation through her sacrifices. Fortunatus highlights her extraordinary character even before she becomes a monk. He recognizes her earthly rank versus her spiritual and heavenly rank with God and displays her as beyond devout. In other words, he focuses on her desire to fulfill the ascetic lifestyle, while serving others to encounter God. However, this contrasts with Baudonivia’s account in the sense that her desire wasn’t completely focused on serving her community through her selfless actions of service, but through her dedication for acquiring relics to heal and provide for the sick, as well as perform great miracles that helped protect her monastery and servants, while glorifying God. This account reflects St.Radegund interest in collecting relics and steps away from viewing her as an honorable ascetic. Baudonivia portrays St.Radegund as less of a Saint, and more of a Jesus figure, or a part of the trinity. Some even prayed in her name to receive blessings or healings, just as they would to Jesus. However, interestingly, St.Radegund declared her authority but always prayed in the name Jesus Christ, which elevates her status, but also puts her beneath God, while her admirers put her on the same level as God. (57) In both accounts, St.Radegund values life to the fullest and wants to honor everyone around her with the life and blessings she is able to provide. Death is tragic in her eyes, even if it is justly so. She believes strongly that salvation is the key to life and that everyone has a right to encounter it, even a guilty criminal. (50)
In Baudonivia’s account, it is highlighted that St.Radegund had full access to God, which gave her an even more elevated status as an elite Saint. She is compared to the great Helena who glorified god through good works. This contrasts with Frotunatus’ account because he only focused on her giving out of love from God, not her success or the significance of her giving. Fortunatus links her conception of martyrdom with the physical turmoil that she forced upon herself, so that she could be a martyr, even though it wasn’t the age for persecution. (53) She still felt the need to give not only her works, but her physical body to God, through her fasting, praying, lack of sleep and physical pain through burning and binding of her limbs. In a way, this could be seen as a tactic for her to join in Christ’s suffering, because she had no reason to suffer due to her great connection to God and her giving and selfless heart. Baudonivia also emphasized the Saint’s interest in relics and described St.Radegund as ecstatic when she received a relic from an emperor and described the pieces of flesh or garments as a gift. The desire for relics was great in this time and when St. Radegund’s prayers were answered and she acquired the Lord’s Cross, she “clapped both her hands”, because she felt a sense of accomplishment and victory. (55) Relics were seen as collectors items but St.Radegund knew the power and blessings that arose from them and used her determination to obtain the relics to bless those around her in need.