Translated & interpreted by Lucia Dorina PATRICHE
Ubaldo the Bishop used to have a servant who has been coming from the Northern Europe and to whom the bishop was so affectionate as he has promised the inheritance of the bishop ring, having nothing else left after offering all his things to the poors. When the bishop died, this servant decided to go back to his origin country (Lorena). Prior to his leaving, he wanted to take the promised ring. But, since the bishop's hand was too swelled and thus the ring had become too tight, when trying to remove it a part of the thumb occurred to be taken off together with the ring ! Considering all these as God's will, the servant has hidden the ring and the relic inside the handle of his pilgrim stick and then started going far away to his country.
On the 1st of July, 1161, after a long travel, he has reached the feet of Vosgi Mountains near the Thur river when he has decided to stop and take a nap under a fir-tree, leaning his pilgrim stick on the tree and laying himself for a rest. When he has awaken he realized that his pilgrim stick has already had roots and thus it could not be detached anymore out of the ground. While being very upset of what has just happened and thinking about what was to be done, three flames have risen out of that fir-tree under which he has been sleeping. From a window of his castle of Engelbourg, Engelhard de Ferrette the Earl noticed the flames and arrived in a hurry together with his guards. Asking the servant about what happened, the earl found out about the miracle occurrence. Thus, he decided instead of the relic to build a chapel at that very site, in the honour and respect of what seamed to be that Saint's will coming from so far away. At that very moment, the pilgrim stick detached itself ! This is the legend which was on everybody's lips at Thann and it is the Cathedral of the French town where the relic of S.Ubaldo is still preserved in a crystal rock, probably a little bottle for oriental perfumes of XIIth century (unfortunately, the ring has been lost or stolen).
Most of the numerous pilgrims coming from the Northern Europe constituted a prosperity source for the town of Thann. This was how in 1324 it became possible to start building around the primitive old chapel the actual Cathedral of St.Thiebaut, which represents a real jewel of the Gothic art. Every year three fir-trees are burnt (Cremation des trois sapins) ever since during a bit profane, a bit religious, but for sure great feast, always attended by thousand of people, which many have compared it to Saint Giovanni's fires or to the summer solstice.
In June 1593, Saint Ubaldo's relic was examined for the first time at Gubbio. After carefully examined the Saint's Body, the "gonfaloniere" and the "consoli" of Gubbio have formally ascertained and consigned that "the body has been found wholly intact, no part nor thumb were missing, yet more the distinct and plain nails were as if the Blessed Father was still alive".
It was quite on the basis of this very recorded minute that the various scholars have founded afterwards the theory according to which the Thann patronizing saint had been Saint Thibault of Provins, a hermit dead in 1068. This theory was firstly sustained by P.Papebrach the Belgian Jesuit in 1699, then by Mossmann (1873) and Lempfrid (1903) all historians, and finally by Louis Réau the iconographer (1959). However, some other scholars have doubted the authenticity of the relic preserved at Thann, but they put no doubt on the fact that the protector of Thann could have been the Bishop of Gubbio indeed. Yet some others have sustained that perhaps even God, in one further miracles of His, has made possible for another finger to grow... There is no doubt the mystery will last obscure for long !
The measurements of the missing parts of the right little finger, which were obtained during the reconstruction, correspond identically to those which Dr.Mangenay provided in 1947 after performing an examination of the relic of Thann, under the very eyes of J.J.Weber, the Bishop of Strasbourg. (Truncated cone of 35 x 9 x 4 mm thickness, very clear fingerprints) Therefore, there was not a thumb phalanges but a little bit of skin and underskin tissue of the Saint's right little finger, that one preserved within the relic crystal rock of Thann !
It is about a quite small fragment that could hardly be noticed in 1593, taking into account that the had being folded against the body, the arm could not be possibly folded. Anyway, the Eugubian authority of the time was for sure more interested in denying the lack of the thumb and carrying out other difficult researches.
The good will of the authorities of both towns, which mutually agreed upon the performance of the relic analysis using the outmost updated techniques, and the patient tenaciousness of the book author have allowed - after 8 centuries of doubts - to bring fully light upon the mystery of Saint Ubaldo's hand.
After all these centuries of doubts, the science ascertained the legend ! As for the rest, Don Ubaldo Braccini was firmly convinced that the one venerated at Thannes was Saint Ubaldo the Bishop of Gubbio indeed. While examining the ancient codes, he has discovered that the liturgy (antiphony, hymns, orations and Mass) used for centuries at Thann for Saint Thiebaut's feast was almost identically copied from the liturgical Mass used at Gubbio since 1300...Umbrian words and Alsatian music !
Once disclosed the misunderstanding between the two towns, both jealous on their relics, the last year delegations of CERAIOLI of Gubbio have brought their waxes (CERI) to Thann, making them running through the astonished celebrating crowd. Since then many delegations of citizens of Thann have been hosted at Gubbio on the occasion of FESTA DEI CERI (WAX FEAST) and lots of Eugubians went at their turn to Thann to attend the Cremation des sapins...
Don Ubaldo Braccini has been nominated as citizen of honour of the town of Thann and the two towns have been finally united in a bond cultural brothership. In fact, during the ceremony of May 16th, 1958, the mayor of Gubbio, Giuseppe Bei Clementi and the mayor of Thann, Pierre Schiélé, have undersigned the formal document of Gubbio - Thann brothership (gemellaggio), in the light of their friendship and good will and in the honour of the Saint of Miracles to whom the inhabitants of both towns are faithful.
The musical background of the Home Page of the site is my own record of Saint Ubaldo's hymn, which is performed at Gubbio during the Mass of every May 15th. The words are as follows: O lume della fede, della Chiesa splendore, sostegno d' ogni core, Ubaldo Santo. Voi che aborriste tanto ogni terreno affetto riempite il nostro petto d'amor superno. Fratello, Padre e Guida, Maestro nella fede, mostrate a chi non crede la vera vita. ....................... ....................... Sia gloria al Padre e al Figlio ed al divino Amore e noi col Protettore il Ciel coroni. Clicca qui per sentire la musica
O lume della fede, della Chiesa splendore, sostegno d' ogni core, Ubaldo Santo. Voi che aborriste tanto ogni terreno affetto riempite il nostro petto d'amor superno. Fratello, Padre e Guida, Maestro nella fede, mostrate a chi non crede la vera vita. ....................... ....................... Sia gloria al Padre e al Figlio ed al divino Amore e noi col Protettore il Ciel coroni.
Pagina creata da C. Fanucci SAINT UBALDO'S HAND Translated & interpreted by Lucia Dorina PATRICHE Searching the truth on the bonds between Thann and Gubbio Translated & interpreted by Lucia Dorina PATRICHE As we could have seen, strangely or - better - misteriously, Saint Ubaldo, the Bishop of Gubbio, seams to be venerated also to Thann, a bright French town at 1000 km far from Gubbio. Within his book "Saint Ubaldo's Hand", 1993 Edition of S.Ubaldo Sanctuary, the reverend Don Ubaldo Braccini, the Gubbio bishop's chancellor, succeeds to explain clearly the mystery, The text of about 150 pages, full of erudite bibliographical quotations is so highly interesting as one could read it with a breathe. The Legend Translated & interpreted by Lucia Dorina PATRICHE Ubaldo the Bishop used to have a servant who has been coming from the Northern Europe and to whom the bishop was so affectionate as he has promised the inheritance of the bishop ring, having nothing else left after offering all his things to the poors. When the bishop died, this servant decided to go back to his origin country (Lorena). Prior to his leaving, he wanted to take the promised ring. But, since the bishop's hand was too swelled and thus the ring had become too tight, when trying to remove it a part of the thumb occurred to be taken off together with the ring ! Considering all these as God's will, the servant has hidden the ring and the relic inside the handle of his pilgrim stick and then started going far away to his country. On the 1st of July, 1161, after a long travel, he has reached the feet of Vosgi Mountains near the Thur river when he has decided to stop and take a nap under a fir-tree, leaning his pilgrim stick on the tree and laying himself for a rest. When he has awaken he realized that his pilgrim stick has already had roots and thus it could not be detached anymore out of the ground. While being very upset of what has just happened and thinking about what was to be done, three flames have risen out of that fir-tree under which he has been sleeping. From a window of his castle of Engelbourg, Engelhard de Ferrette the Earl noticed the flames and arrived in a hurry together with his guards. Asking the servant about what happened, the earl found out about the miracle occurrence. Thus, he decided instead of the relic to build a chapel at that very site, in the honour and respect of what seamed to be that Saint's will coming from so far away. At that very moment, the pilgrim stick detached itself ! This is the legend which was on everybody's lips at Thann and it is the Cathedral of the French town where the relic of S.Ubaldo is still preserved in a crystal rock, probably a little bottle for oriental perfumes of XIIth century (unfortunately, the ring has been lost or stolen). The Relic Crystal Rock and the Fountain of Saint Thiebaut Piazza Most of the numerous pilgrims coming from the Northern Europe constituted a prosperity source for the town of Thann. This was how in 1324 it became possible to start building around the primitive old chapel the actual Cathedral of St.Thiebaut, which represents a real jewel of the Gothic art. Every year three fir-trees are burnt (Cremation des trois sapins) ever since during a bit profane, a bit religious, but for sure great feast, always attended by thousand of people, which many have compared it to Saint Giovanni's fires or to the summer solstice. The Entrance and the Interior of the Cathedral Controversies Translated & interpreted by Lucia Dorina PATRICHE The inhabitants of Thann were convinced to be in the possession of Saint Ubaldo's relic thumb while those of Gubbio could also prove having the entire body, perfectly mummified. This was how, for centuries, many debates and strange theories trying to explain the facts were possible. In June 1593, Saint Ubaldo's relic was examined for the first time at Gubbio. After carefully examined the Saint's Body, the "gonfaloniere" and the "consoli" of Gubbio have formally ascertained and consigned that "the body has been found wholly intact, no part nor thumb were missing, yet more the distinct and plain nails were as if the Blessed Father was still alive". It was quite on the basis of this very recorded minute that the various scholars have founded afterwards the theory according to which the Thann patronizing saint had been Saint Thibault of Provins, a hermit dead in 1068. This theory was firstly sustained by P.Papebrach the Belgian Jesuit in 1699, then by Mossmann (1873) and Lempfrid (1903) all historians, and finally by Louis Reau the iconographer (1959). However, some other scholars have doubted the authenticity of the relic preserved at Thann, but they put no doubt on the fact that the protector of Thann could have been the Bishop of Gubbio indeed. Yet some others have sustained that perhaps even God, in one further miracles of His, has made possible for another finger to grow... There is no doubt the mystery will last obscure for long ! Solving the mystery Translated & interpreted by Lucia Dorina PATRICHE Finally, after long years of studies and researches, the patience and tenaciousness of Don Ubaldo Braccini, the Bishop Chancellor, have been rewarded and the mystery has been definitely revealed. Between 1975 - 1976, a special task-force of Vatican Museums carried out a recognition of the saint's incorrupt body preserved at Gubbio followed by a cleaning - disinfection operation. This was the very opportunity Don Ubaldo has taken advantage of. Thus, he required a further scrupulous study on the integrity of all the hand fingers of the Saint. It was that the moment when Dr.Lolli, the team leader, realized that a fragment of the skin outward the right little finger was missing. Taking into account that trying to take the hand off the body could impede taking photos of the little finger without risking to break the arm and having no other way to document the fact, he decided to call one of his most famous technicians to skilfully reconstruct the missing part. The technician was the one who had reconstruct the nose of the Virgin within Michelangelo’s "Pieta" after a full having broken it with a hammer. Precaution and care were highly present when reconstructing the little finger of plastic material. There was easily noticed at that time that the skin removal, more or less deeper outward the finger from the base to the top of it where a front margin was missing too. The measurements of the missing parts of the right little finger, which were obtained during the reconstruction, correspond identically to those which Dr.Mangenay provided in 1947 after performing an examination of the relic of Thann, under the very eyes of J.J.Weber, the Bishop of Strasbourg. (Truncated cone of 35 x 9 x 4 mm thickness, very clear fingerprints) Therefore, there was not a thumb phalanges but a little bit of skin and underskin tissue of the Saint's right little finger, that one preserved within the relic crystal rock of Thann ! The Relic of Thann and the mould of the little finger Translated & interpreted by Lucia Dorina PATRICHE It is about a quite small fragment that could hardly be noticed in 1593, taking into account that the had being folded against the body, the arm could not be possibly folded. Anyway, the Eugubian authority of the time was for sure more interested in denying the lack of the thumb and carrying out other difficult researches. The good will of the authorities of both towns, which mutually agreed upon the performance of the relic analysis using the outmost updated techniques, and the patient tenaciousness of the book author have allowed - after 8 centuries of doubts - to bring fully light upon the mystery of Saint Ubaldo's hand. After all these centuries of doubts, the science ascertained the legend ! As for the rest, Don Ubaldo Braccini was firmly convinced that the one venerated at Thannes was Saint Ubaldo the Bishop of Gubbio indeed. While examining the ancient codes, he has discovered that the liturgy (antiphony, hymns, orations and Mass) used for centuries at Thann for Saint Thiebaut's feast was almost identically copied from the liturgical Mass used at Gubbio since 1300...Umbrian words and Alsatian music ! Once disclosed the misunderstanding between the two towns, both jealous on their relics, the last year delegations of CERAIOLI of Gubbio have brought their waxes (CERI) to Thann, making them running through the astonished celebrating crowd. Since then many delegations of citizens of Thann have been hosted at Gubbio on the occasion of FESTA DEI CERI (WAX FEAST) and lots of Eugubians went at their turn to Thann to attend the Cremation des sapins... Saint Ubaldo's Wax Translated & interpreted by Lucia Dorina PATRICHE Don Ubaldo Braccini has been nominated as citizen of honour of the town of Thann and the two towns have been finally united in a bond cultural brothership. In fact, during the ceremony of May 16th, 1958, the mayor of Gubbio, Giuseppe Bei Clementi and the mayor of Thann, Pierre Schiete, have undersigned the formal document of Gubbio - Thann brothership (gemellaggio), in the light of their friendship and good will and in the honour of the Saint of Miracles to whom the inhabitants of both towns are faithful. "Gemellaggio" Thann - Gubbio The musical background of the Home Page of the site is my own record of Saint Ubaldo's hymn, which is performed at Gubbio during the Mass of every May 15th. The words are as follows: Translated & interpreted by Lucia Dorina PATRICHE