HE was of noble parentage in the diocese of Troyes in Champagne educated
under strict discipline in learning and piety, and a saint from his
cradle. In his youth, prayer, fasting, and alms-deeds were his chief
delight, and, embracing an ecclesiastical state, he took orders; but the
love of heavenly contemplation being always the prevalent inclination in
his soul he {478} preferred close retirement to the mixed life of the
care of souls. In this choice the Holy Ghost was his director, for he
lived in continual union with God by prayer and contemplation, and
seemed raised above the condition of this mortal life, and almost as if
he lived without a body. God glorified him by many miracles; but the
greatest seems to have been the powerful example of his life. We have
two pious panegyrics made upon this saint by St. Bernard, who says:[1]
"Now placed in heaven, he beholds God clearly revealed to him, swallowed
up in joy, but not forgetting us. It is not a land of oblivion in which
Victor dwells. Heaven doth not harden or straiten hearts, but it maketh
them more tender and compassionate it doth not distract minds, nor
alienate them from us: it doth not diminish, but it increaseth affection
and charity: it augmenteth bowels of pity. The angels, although they
behold the face of their Father, visit, run, and continually assist us;
and shall they now forget us who were once among us, and who once
suffered themselves what they see us at present laboring under? No: _I
know the just expect me till thou renderest to me my reward_.[2] Victor
is not like that cupbearer of Pharaoh, who could forget his
fellow-captive. He hath not so put on the stole of glory himself, as to
lay aside his pity, or the remembrance of our misery." St. Victor died
at Saturniac, now called Saint-Vittre, two leagues from Arcies in the
diocese of Troyes. A church was built over his tomb at Saturniac; but in
837 his relics were translated thence to the neighboring monastery of
Montier-Ramey, or Montirame, so called from Arremar, by whom it was
founded in 837. It is situated four leagues from Troyes, of the
Benedictin Order, and is still possessed of this sacred treasure. At the
request of these monks, St. Bernard composed an office of St. Victor,
extant in his works, (ep. 312, vet. ed. seu 398, nov. edit.) See the two
sermons of St. Bernard on St. Victor, and his ancient life in
Henschenius and others: from which it appears that this saint never was
a monk, never having professed any monastic Order, though he led an
eremitical life.
Footnotes:
1. Serm. 2, p. 966.
2. Ps. cxii. 8.