On January 3rd, Saint Genevieve is commemorated. This fearless and confident virgin defeated Attila with the weapons of faith and cradled in her arms the civilization that was being born under the sign of the Cross.
Newsroom (January 3, 2021, 6:20 PM, Gaudium Press) When the Roman Empire was collapsing and barbarian invasions were shaking the world, God raised up a virgin. It was the year 423, a troubled time, sown with wars and invasions when a civilization was dying in its last gasps. The Roman Empire, once almost indestructible, threatened to collapse under the furor of the barbarian invasions.
In Gaul, a girl was born. Like many providential vocations, she is the child of waiting, prayer and promise. Gerontia and Severus had been married for some years and were asking Heaven for the gift of becoming parents. The child’s name, to some, means Janua Nova, New Door; to others, based on Celtic language roots, Geno Eff, Mouth of Heaven.
Chosen by God at an early age
Severus had, in his youth, held a high position in the Roman army in Gaulish lands, although he was of Germanic origin. Gerontia was the daughter of the commander, also a barbarian, under whose orders Severus fought.
Deeply Catholic, unmixed with Arianism – heresy that still raged at that time – faith was an important factor in the union between them. Having retired to look after his property in Nanterre, near Lutetia, now Paris, Severus was given the influential position of administrator of the empire in the region.
It was then that Genoveva came into the world. Her childhood was spent in the serenity and innocence of country life. One day, a great commotion took over the village, at the sight of an unexpected event.
Two bishops, St. Germano de Auxerre and St. Lupo, were on their way down the Seine in a small fleet, at the mandate of Pope St. Celestine, to Brittany to fight the Pelagian heretics, who were dragging the faithful with their errors.
A crowd was waiting for them on the banks of the river, to receive their blessing and accompany them to the church.
Severus and Gerontia, the civil authorities of that place, were their hosts; also the little seven year old Genoveva accompanied the holy bishops. Before they reached the church, St. Germanus looked at the little girl and, interrupting their journey, asked the audience
– What is this young girl’s name?
“Genoveva,” several answered; “she’s the daughter of Severus and Gerontia,” others added. What St. Germanus contemplated supernaturally, nobody knew. But it is certain that the Holy Spirit revealed to him that the Lord’s will rested on the girl in a special way, and reserved for her a great future.
– Is she your daughter? – asked the couple. “Happy are you who have begotten such venerable offspring! The Angels of Heaven celebrated her birth with joy and exultation. She will be great before the Lord.
The little girl came forward, and the Bishop put his hand on her head.
– Genoveva, my daughter, do you want to consecrate your virginity to God, and give your heart to Him alone?
– Yes, my father!
And, in a prophecy that would sum up Genoveva’s long itinerary on this earth, St. Germano continued
– The Lord will give power and strength to your impetus.
Early the next morning, Severus entered his daughter’s room and woke her up. St. Germanus and his retinue were leaving, and the bishop wished to see her before setting out on his journey. Genoveva stood up in a hurry and, before the prelate, promised once again to consecrate her virginity.
Maternal incomprehension and divine punishment
Gerontia, who had not accompanied her husband to his farewell and had not even heard that Genoveva had left, did not look kindly on their arrival. In a bad mood, she asked her daughter
– Where were you?
– I was with the holy bishops, Mama.
– And with whose permission?
– “Germano wanted to see our daughter before leaving, to confirm the promise she made yesterday,” explained her husband, who had to leave to fulfill his obligations.
Then lightning and thunder fell on the little girl.
– Look at me! What did you plot with your father? What did the two bishops tell you? I want to know. Come on, speak up!
Genoveva, who had never seen her mother in such a fit of anger, tried to explain, but Gerontia refused to understand and burst into tears. Appealing to Genoveva’s tender feelings, she squeezed her lovingly in her arms.
She, who had waited so long to become a mother, didn’t want to lose her daughter. Gently, the girl detached herself from her mother and headed for the door, as the church bells were ringing for the service.
Her mother, forgetting the affection she had just shown, tried with greater fury to stop her, but she fell down as if annihilated: she had become blind.
Despite her young age, the girl would fight to keep her word, and despite the mother’s repeated aggressions and insults, she stood firm. According to her oldest biography, Genoveva’s parents understood that God had punished Gerontia for becoming unworthy to be called Christian, by opposing their daughter’s vocation.
The dawn of a life of miracles
Since that terrible day, a year had passed. The unfortunate woman had been examined by doctors, but her eyes were healthy and nothing explained that she could not see. One morning, she asked her daughter to collect water from a well that, since time immemorial, had sometimes had a healing effect.
Kneeling, mother and daughter asked Heaven for a miracle. Genoveva traced the sign of the Cross on the water and gave it to her mother to wash. Opening her eyes, Gerontia saw the darkness dissipate and the figure of her daughter, grown and strong, appear before her. From that moment on, she never again opposed her vocation.
This was the first miracle that God worked through Genoveva’s hands, beginning a life of supernatural deeds, miracles, healings and exorcisms that would last until her death.
Years later, entering her youth, she effectively consecrated herself to God, joining the group of virgins of Nanterre. She lived in a cave near her parents’ home, and visited them regularly until they both died when she was about seventeen.
Humiliations and trials: Lutetia rejects her
Because of her young age, she was forced to leave her hometown and move to Lutetia, where her paternal aunt, and also her godmother at baptism, took her in.
The virtue that distinguished her soon cast its rays on those whom she would henceforth call her fellow citizens. She visited the sick, worried about the afflicted, and distributed her wealth widely to the needy; she had a kind word for everyone and a welcoming smile, which revealed the holiness that flooded her soul.
But envy began to eat away at the hearts of many. Excellent virtues are, as a rule, difficult to imitate; in some it causes admiration, but in many others, the desire to destroy. Thus, some malicious people began to raise the most infamous suspicions about the virgin of Nanterre.
The accusations multiplied: being of barbarian origin – and not Gallo-Roman – she was undoubtedly a spy for the invaders, who would hand over the city to the enemy; her liberality in giving alms proved her bad intentions, since in this way she bought the sympathy of the most humble; moreover, her hypocrisy went as far as not wearing the veil of virgins with dignity, leading a terribly debauched life. And, as usually happens in such cases, there was no lack of supposed witnesses to such sins?
When she went out into the street, she received insults and sometimes even stones. On the wall of her house, they wrote: “Vade retro Genovefa”. In fact, Lutetia no longer wanted her and was going to throw her out.
Saint Germanus defends her integrity
But a small fleet crossed the Seine and landed at Lutetia. Once again St. Germanus, already advanced in years, was on his way to Brittany to fight the Pelagians, who had been reborn.
The people welcomed him and made him aware of the horrors they imputed to Severus’ daughter. Inwardly, St. Germanus shuddered. Had this angelic little girl really lost her innocence? He hadn’t seen her for more than fifteen years and didn’t even know that she lived in that city.
Deeply moved, he told the crowd how he had met her and mystically seen the design that hovered over the girl, and how she had consecrated herself from childhood. He then went to the church where Genoveva used to pray. He found her kneeling and, when he saw her, the discernment with which she read hearts showed him that she was upright and pure.
From that day on, tempers calmed down in Lutetia. However, an even greater storm was brewing.
Saint Genevieve delivers Paris from Hun attack
Gaul was oppressed on all sides by the feuds of the invading peoples, and this was nothing new. This time, however, the most fearsome enemy was approaching: Attila, king of the Huns.
On Holy Saturday 451, he had seized Metz, and was already near Soissons, a hundred kilometers from Lutetia. Every day, dozens of refugees arrived in this town in terror, fleeing from the conquered areas.
The only one who remained confident was Genoveva.
Together with her fellow citizens, completely unreasonable with fear, she began to act. She first tried to persuade the ladies about the convenience of praying and imploring God’s help, without giving in to despair. She invited them to prayer, inspired them with serenity, and asked them to convince their husbands. But the latter, seeing their wives completely influenced by the servant of God, rose up against her once again and decided to put an end to her life.
“Attila will not attack us; he will not come near Paris,” Genoveva said. No one knows from where she got so much certainty; the fact is that her holiness made her abandon herself without fear to Divine Providence.
During the battle, which took place not far from there, she prayed, and the people, vacillating between trust and despair, piled up stones with which, if Attila won, he would kill Genoveva in revenge.
After a hard moment of uncertainty, the watchman, posted on top of the mountain, lit the fire: it was the sign that they were saved! The people ran to the church where Genoveva was and led her in triumph through the city. Their most effective shield was the faith of that virgin!
Indispensable role in the birth of the Firstborn Daughter of the Church
Since that memorable day, decades have passed. Genoveva had crossed the threshold of seventy years of age; in her eyes, however, the same fortitude of soul shone through. She had become the mother and protector of those people, she had watched the gradual and definitive fall of the Roman Empire, she had sustained wise diplomacy with the Franks.
Clovis, who had ascended to the throne after Childeric, had been gradually extending his reign and thought that, like his father, he would be able to maintain good relations with Genoveva.
She, however, had decided to close the doors of Lutetia to the pagan sovereign. Just as she had once protected the city from devastation, she now watched over its faith. And Paris, in Saint Genevieve, held out for ten long years.
Clovis, losing patience, laid siege to the city. All that remained was death or dishonorable surrender. Then, on a moonless night, the venerable old woman ordered some boats to sail up the Seine, in difficult navigation, and go to the neighboring city to get supplies, thus evading enemy surveillance.
On the way back, when the winds threatened to capsize, an order from her restored tranquility to the waters. Once in the city, he wisely managed the supplies, repeating the enterprise in such a way as to make it possible to survive the siege for a whole year.
Clovis, interested in other lands, finally moved his army to other battles and left Paris free. Some time later, in 496, the Frankish king ruled over almost all of old Gaul: only ancient Lutetia remained.
He sent emissaries to Genevieve, who replied, “Let her convert to Christianity, and Paris will open its doors to her.
Dissatisfied with this refusal, Clovis went off to war against the Alamans. In a moment of extreme difficulty, he prayed to the “God of Clotilde,” his wife – who was none other than the “God of Genoveva” – vowing to be baptized if he succeeded.
Victory, in a miraculous way, tended to his side. Returning from the battle, he found the gates of Lutetia open and the city decked out: the people welcomed him with cheers and Genoveva finally handed her over to the converted king.
In the arms of the venerable old woman, a new civilization arose, marked by the sign of the Cross and washed by the waters of Baptism, to which she handed over, as the most precious treasure, the burning flame of her own faith. Catholic France was born on her abandonment and trust in God, on her intransigence and fidelity to the Church: this would be the sure path that would lead the future Catholic nations to happiness and peace.
Text extracted, with adaptations, from the magazine Heralds of the Gospel n.241, January 2022.
Compiled by Zephania Gangl
