THE PLAGUE AT MILAN. A.D. 1575.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 237, 16 November 1877, Page 19

THE PLAGUE AT MILAN. A.D. 1575.

At the breaking out of the plague, St. Charles Borromeo found himself at Lodi, in order to assist at a requiem- mass for the deceased bishop of that city. Being made acquainted by a messenger with the appearance of this horrible visitant, he hastened back to Milan. When the crowd of despairing people saw in their midst their faithful archbishop, they cast themselves at his feet, crying, "Mercy, mercy, O father ! " At once he proceeded to the cathedral, the tears streaming down his cheeks, and casting himself before the Most Holy, he prayed for his people and for strength to aid them in their dire necessity. But the Lord, who desired to recall that frivolous people to Himself, did not withdraw His chastening hand ; but He gave His servant such strength and courage that not only was he himself undaunted by danger, but he knew also how to communicate this heroic courage to his priests, who, full of holy zeal, hurried to the side of the dying in order to give them the last Sacraments. One of the parish priests especially proved, on this occasion, that he had received for the purpose supernatural strength.

A poor plague-stricken man was, through carelessness, cast out amongst the rest of the victims, and in the middle of the night carried away in the dead carts to the open graveyard. Here he lay in the midst of a heap of fifty or sixty bodies, which, according to the orders of the archbishop, were to be buried the following morning with all the religious ceremonies of the Church At break of day this pious parish priest started in order to take the Blessed Sacrament to some of the sick. When the poor dying fellow heard the sound of the bell, which was being rung by the hand of a server before the Blessed Sacrament, he summoned all his remaining strength, and rising upon his knees, exclaimed in a dying voice, " Father, for God's sake, I pray thee give me yet once again the Most Holy Sacrament ! " Great was the astonishment of the priest to hear this living voice from the midst of that heap of the dead. For a moment he shuddered, then in the strength of God all natural fear vanished. Full of divine courage, he stepped over dead .bodies, removed others out of the way with his hands, and finally succeeded in satisfying the desire of his fellowChristian and brother. He gave the Blessed Sacrament to the dying man, who received it with every mark of fervent devotion* and whilst he stood over him, the poor sufferer sank gently back on one of the dead bodies, and, in the presence of the priest and bis Divine Saviour, sweetly and joyfully expired. — E. M. Chapcote, in Catholic Jti'viae.