(ABOUT 1259.)
[His life was compiled in Portuguese, by Didacus de Rosario, of the
order of Friar Preachers, from scattered notices and confused
accounts.]
S. Gonsalvus or Gonsalvo, was born of noble parents, at the little
village of Vizzella, in the diocese of Braga, in Portugal. Many little
incidents are related of his childhood, as how, when an infant at the
font, he stretched out his little hands to the crucifix; how his nurse
was wont to take him with her to church, and watch his little eyes fixed
intently upon the figure of Christ crucified, on the rood screen; how,
when nothing else would still his cries, the child was taken to church,
and there was content looking at the statues and pictures of the Saints.
When he grew to man's estate, he was ordained priest, and was appointed
rector of the church of S. Payo, near his father's estates. Here he
lived as a father to the poor, and was regular in the fulfilment of his
duties as parish priest. After a while the desire came upon him to visit
the Holy Land, and he left his nephew, a priest, who had been trained in
his house, and in whose principles he had confidence, to take charge of
the parish during his absence. He then started on his pilgrimage, and
was absent for fourteen years. In the meantime, his nephew, relieved of
the constraint of his uncle's presence, abandoned himself to the
indulgence of his ruling passion, a love of field sports. He filled the
parsonage house with dogs and hawks, and spent his time in hunting and
revelry. The poor were forgotten, and the church was neglected. At
length, Gonsalvo not returning, the nephew asked the Bishop to institute
him to the living, pretending that he had received authentic information
of the death of his uncle.
One day Gonsalvo, ragged, sunburnt, with grizzled locks and foot-sore,
returned to his parsonage; but the dogs, at the sight of a mendicant,
began to bark furiously, and when he attempted to pass them, bit him and
tore his rags, so that he was compelled to retire. The parish priest
hearing the noise, looked from his window, and seeing a poor man in
tatters defending himself against the dogs, sent a servant to call them
off, and tell the poor man that the owner of the house objected to
beggars.
Gonsalvo, filled with indignation against his nephew for the manner in
which he had betrayed his trust, rushed into the house, passed the dogs
which the servant restrained, and appeared in the door of the dining
apartment, as the nephew was seating himself to an abundant and
sumptuous meal.
Then the old pilgrim's wrath flamed forth, and he cried, "Was it for
this that thy uncle left his parish and committed the care of souls into
thy hands? A wolf now guards the sheep and devours them!"
The nephew, exasperated at the words of reproach, and angry at the
intrusion, caught up a stick, and running upon the old man, drove him
with many blows from the house, refusing to listen to him, and believe
him, when he declared his name.
Then Gonsalvo, full of grief, retired to a wild spot near Amarante,
where was an old shed, beside the river Tamego. Amarante was once a
small town; at this time it had fallen into complete ruin, and was
deserted. Here Gonsalvo erected a little oratory in honour of the
Blessed Virgin, and laboured to instruct the peasantry of the
neighbourhood in Christian doctrine, and to stir up in their hearts the
love of God. But he was not satisfied that he was serving his Master in
the way which He willed. He therefore prayed most earnestly to be guided
aright, and to have the will of God made clear to him. After long
fasting, one day, as he lay prostrate in supplication before the altar,
Our Lady appeared to him and said, "Rise, Gonsalvo, and enter that
religious order in which thou shalt hear the Angelic Salutation open and
close the offices of prayer."
Then Gonsalvo took his staff and wandered from city to city, and from
monastery to monastery, listening to the choir offices, but ever being
disappointed, for they closed with _Benedicamus Domino_, and not with
the _Ave Maria_. And when he came to Vinerana, where were four religious
houses, whereof one was Dominican, and another Franciscan, by chance he
sought shelter in the former. Then when the bells began to chime for
vespers, he went to the church, and heard the friars begin their office
with _Ave Maria_. With beating heart he waited for the conclusion of
vespers, and heard them close with the Angelic Salutation. Then he knew
that he had found the place of his rest; and he asked to be admitted
into the order, and was gladly received. But after awhile he desired to
go back to his poor peasants at Amarante; therefore he asked leave of
the superior, and it was accorded him. So he returned to his cell and
oratory, and there preached to the people the word of God.
Now it happened that at Amarante there was a ford of the Tamego, which
was much used, as it lay in the direct route from Braga to Lamego and
the south. It was, however, dangerous, and a great number of lives were
lost whilst Gonsalvo lived at Amarante. He considered much the necessity
there was that a bridge should be built, how many lives it would be the
means of saving, and what a great convenience it would prove to
travellers. He accordingly resolved on building one, and he went round
the country begging for his bridge. By many his project was regarded as
visionary, and he would himself have despaired of accomplishing his
undertaking, had he not been upheld by his strong confidence in the
goodness of God. This confidence was, moreover, sustained by signs and
wonders, showing him that God approved his undertaking. If we may
believe the life of him, written by De Rosario, on one occasion he
begged of a nobleman, who, as a rude joke, and to get rid of the beggar,
scribbled a couple of lines on a scrap of paper, and bade him take it to
his wife, who would give him something. The Saint walked to the
nobleman's castle, and was exhausted with fatigue when he reached it and
presented the note. The lady looked at it, and saw written therein,
"The bearer is a poor fool who wishes to build a bridge. Let him have
the weight of this paper in cash." She laughed, and showed the message
to Gonsalvo, telling him that her husband had been making sport of him.
"Be it so," said the priest, "yet give me the weight of that note in
money." She cast the paper into one scale, and into the other she put
silver; then, to her amazement, the note weighed a large sum of money.
Thus God compensated his servant for his labour, and punished the
nobleman for his bitter jest.
Little by little the money was begged, and at length the poor priest was
able to set masons to work, and to erect the desired bridge over the
Tamego.
S. Gonsalvo died, and was buried at Amarante, of which place he is
patron.
(Gonsalvus, in Portuguese, Gonçalo, Gonsallo, or Gonsalvo.)
In art, he is represented with a bridge in his hand.