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| Not Saint Maimbod |
To paraphrase the late
Johnny Cochran, "If the gloves incite, you must incite." Then again, "If the saint can't live, you must forgive."
Maimbod (aka Mainboeuf, Maimbodus of Domnipetra) was a well-born, good-looking Irish kid with a mind for the holy life. He left his wealthy family, dressed like a pauper, and went to the Continent to spread the Word of the Lord. Although he had no particular destination nor intention to stay in one place, he made a habit of visiting the shrines and sacred spots as he traveled. He was celebrated for resisting all temptations offered by the Devil as well as for his strict asceticism.
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| With gloves like these... |
While he was staying in Burgundy, a nobleman sought to give him some valuable gift. Maimbod repeatedly declined, but the nobleman perceived that offering something of value to this living saint was akin to making an offering at a church or shrine -- a sort of proxy gift to God himself. Surely it made sense, since Jesus preached that the wealthy must share with the needy, and no one had less than this ragged preacher. At length he persuaded him to take a nice pair of gloves, since they would remind Maimbod to pray for the donor when he put his hands together in prayer. Sadly, a group of bandits caught sight of the gloves as the saint knelt in prayer. Figuring that only a rich man would have gloves like that, they murdered him, only to find nothing else of value on his corpse. His final words were to forgive the men who were attacking him.
Locals began reporting miracles at his tomb. Count Aszo of Montbeliard asked Bishop Berengarius of Besançon if he'd permit Saint Maimbod's relics to be translated to Montbeliard. The Bishop agreed, but being blind, asked his coadjutor Bishop Stephen to officiate. At some point during the ceremony, Berengarius' sight was restored to him, confirming Maimbod's place in the canon.
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