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CHAPTER XXX.
THE TOMB OPENED A SECOND TIME; REMOVAL OF THE
SACRED REMAINS; PROGRESS
"The Lord keepeth all their bones, not one of them shall be broken." — Ps. XXXIII, 21.
The renown of the virtues of the Venerable Sister continued to increase. Thirty-five years had passed since her death, and her Cause, interrupted by the events of those troubled times, was about to be once more taken up. All hearts were filled with eager desire to witness if the prodigy of preservation still existed. We will now see under what happy auspices our Lord granted the wishes of the community.
Pius VII, returning to Rome after the coronation of Napoleon I, passed through Florence. The regent, who was so kind to our Carmel, obtained for us the unusual honor of a visit from the Sovereign Pontiff. The Holy Father — whose noble mother, Countess Joanna Ghini de Cesene, died a Carmelite nun at Fano — willingly accepted, and his Holiness, on the 8th of May, 1805, appeared at the monastery of Saint Teresa. He was received by all the religious, who were of course filled with joy. Mother Anna Maria, who was the Prioress, prostrate at the feet of the Holy Father, humbly begged him to authorize the translation of the precious body to a more suitable place, a place which the Archbishop wished to select himself. Pius VII turned towards Mgr. Martini and questioned him. "Most Holy Father," replied the prelate, "I am old, and I have labored much for this Cause." He would have continued, but the Pope said kindly: "Yes, I understand, do whatever you think fitting." After this permission an opening was made in the wall of the choir to be used for the resting place of the holy body.
The translation took place on the 21st of June, 1805, feast of the Sacred Heart and Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. What a coincidence, worthy of remark and admiration! On this memorable day, at four o'clock in the afternoon, Mgr. Martini entered the monastery accompanied by the King and Queen, the Bishop of Fiesole, the King's chaplain M. Bronzoli, the Queen's confessor, the chancellor of the diocese, several physicians and surgeons, and finally notaries to record the act officially. Shortly before the tomb was opened the pious Queen descended to the crypt to see the prodigy with her own eyes. The dampness, which had penetrated the interior of the tomb, had covered the face and limbs of the Venerable Sister with moisture like a thick veil. Dr. Roniti, with the aid of a brush, delicately uncovered the sweet countenance of Sister Teresa Margaret, which was perfectly recognizable by those who had known her in life, and who had assisted at her burial, in 1770, and at the first opening of the tomb, in 1783. Her clothing was very well preserved, the interior tunic particularly, though of very fine linen, had not changed in the least. Her flesh, though dried, preserved its natural color, and her limbs their flexibility. Her hair and eyebrows, of bright gold color, had the freshness of youth. The right foot still showed the scar from the bleeding practiced the very day of her death. In presence of the precious remains, examined carefully in the chapter room, a detailed account was written, which is preserved with the judicial acts of the Cause. His Majesty, Charles Louis, Infanta of Spain and King of Etruria, considered it an honor to assist at all these formalities, and gave, on this occasion, evidence of a piety far superior to his time.
After having clothed the body once more with new garments of taffeta, the double coffin was closed, and it was legally protected by ecclesiastical seals in the presence of witnesses. Finally, the precious burden was placed in an angle of the choir, hidden from view and safe from disturbance.
We will here finish with the hope, that He who knows how to glorify His faithful servants, may soon, if such is His holy will, cause the aureole of the Blessed to shed its rays about the pure brow of this humble Carmelite. This is our most ardent wish, as the process of Beatification is about to be presented for the last time to the Sacred Congregation of Rites. Unceasing are the favors reported as miraculous, granted by the All-Powerful One, to the prayers of the humble virgin. May she protect all those who interest themselves in her Cause! May she obtain for us, above all — for us her humble Sisters — the inestimable grace of living and dying as she did, in the exact fulfillment of all the rules of our holy Order, hidden from all eyes, and known only to Him, who, for having deigned to choose us as His Spouses, merits glory and honor forever and ever. Amen.
Praise be to God! |
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