77. SAINT NEOT, ABBOT OF CORNWALL
Our holy Father Neot was born in the first half of the ninth century. He was of royal stock. When he had reached the age of military service, he decided instead to become a monk in the monastery of Glastonbury. There, by fasting, vigil and prayers he was counted worthy of great spiritual gifts. He cast out demons and healed both physical and spiritual illnesses. He became famous for his virtues, his learning, eloquence and wisdom.
St. Neot was short of stature, like Zacchaeus; and he used to celebrate the Divine Liturgy standing on an iron stool. Once this became the occasion for the working of a miracle. A noble came to the monastery and sought admittance. Neot, as the sacristan, came to the door; but the lock was too high for him to reach. Then by Divine power the lock was brought down to the level of his girdle, and he was able to open the door.
Now the saint felt oppressed by the crowds of people who came to see him, and, guided by God, he retreated with a single companion called Barry to a secluded valley in Cornwall, today's Neotstoke. This was surrounded by woods and hills, not far from the sea, and about ten miles from the monastery of St. Petroc at Bodmin. After about seven years, the saint made a pilgrimage to Rome to receive the Popés blessing and seek his advice about his way of life. The Pope exhorted him to preach the Word of God to the people. And so, on his return, Neot built a monastery and gathered together some monks.
The saint used to chant the psalms standing in a pool of water, like St. Aldhelm and several of the Celtic saints. One day, while he was chanting thus, he heard many horsemen riding through the woods. Not wishing to be seen, he fled to his cell. But he left his shoe behind in the process, and so sent his cell-attendant to fetch it. However, a crafty fox had in the meantime come to the spot and taken the shoe. But the fox suddenly fell into a deep sleep and died, having the thongs of the shoe will in his mouth. When the saint's servant brought it back to his master, he was told to tell no one about the incident until after his master's death.
Another time, when the saint was again psalmodising in the pool, a trembling doe bounded out of the thick forest and fell at the saint's feet as if imploring his help. This was granted; for when the dogs came up, they immediately fled back into the wood, and Neot dismissed the doe unharmed. The huntsman was so astonished at the miracle that he threw away his arrows and implored the hermit's advice. Then, in accordance with the saint's word, he left the world and became a monk in the monastery of St. Petroc.
Near his cell there was another pool in which there lived three fish. It was revealed to the saint by an angel that he should take one fish from the pool every day, leaving the other two, whose number would be restored by Divine power. One day, however, he was so ill that he could hardly eat anything; and his attendant, feeling compassion for him, caught two fish, and, broiling the one and boiling the other, urged the saint to eat. When asked where they had come from, Barry told the truth. The saint said: «Why have you done this? Why have you rashly presumed to act contrary to God's command?» Then, having ordered him to restore the fish to the pool, he prostrated himself in prayer, and did not rise again until he was told that the fish were alive and swimming again in their usual way. After that, he told Barry to bring one of the fish and prepare it for eating; and no sooner had he eaten it than he was healed of his disease.
Another time, some thieves came and stole the saint's oxen. After that some stags came out of the forest and tamely approached the brethren. When Neot saw this, he ordered the yoke to be placed upon the stags, and for a long time they did the work of the oxen. When the thieves heard of this, they repented, restored what they had stolen, and humbly came to the saint asking his forgiveness. And through the saint's advice they reformed their lives.
Sometimes King Alfred of Wessex came to the man of God asking for his blessing. The saint severely criticised the king for his proud harshness, bringing before him the humility of David as an example, and pointing out that Saul, who had been placed at the head of the tribes of Israel when he was small in his own eyes, was later condemned for his pride. Then he prophesied that the barbarians would invade the land and triumph by God's permission, and he would be the only one to escape, wandering as a fugitive over the land. «O King,» he said, «you will suffer much in this life; no man can say how much you will suffer. But now, beloved child, hear me if you are willing, and turn your heart to my counsel. Forsake your wickedness; redeem your sins by almsgiving, and wipe them out through tears.» And he urged him, when he would see his words fulfilled, not to despair, but to act like a man and strengthen his heart. For through his intercessions he had obtained from God that Alfred would again be restored to his former prosperity, so long as he ceased from doing evil and repented of his sins. And he further urged him to send gifts to the Pope, beseeching him to give freedom to the English School in Rome. This good deed would help him in his troubles. Alfred then sent the Pope as he had been advised, and obtained his request, together with several holy relics and a portion of the True Cross.
At length the holy man, exhorting the brethren to live in peace and showing them the way of salvation, lifted his hands to heaven and committed his soul into the hands of his Creator, on July 31, 877. A wonderful fragrance came from his body, which brought comfort and healing to many coming from far and wide. And even the earth from his grace, when received in faith, was found to give healing to both men and animals.
It came about that when the saint's prophecy had been fulfilled, and Alfred was fleeing from the barbarians, the saint appeared to him in his misery one night, and told him that he would triumph over the enemy in the seventh week after Pascha (878), and that the Danish King Guthrum and his nobles would be baptised. Then, on the night before the battle of Ethandune, in the village of Iley, the saint again appeared to the king. He looked like an angel, his hair white as snow, his garments glistening and fragrant. He was carrying armour with him, and said to the king: «Arise quickly and prepare for victory. When you came here, I was with you, I helped you. So now you and your men go out to battle tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, Who gives victory to kings. And I will go before you to the battle, and your enemies shall fall by your arm before my eyes, and you will smite them with the edge of the sword.» The next morning, during the battle, an invisible hand seized Alfred's standard and waved the English on. As a result, the Danes faltered and fled in confusion. Then the Danish King Guthrum surrendered and was baptised, in accordance with the prophecy.
Many years later, when a monastery was being founded at Eynesbury in Cambridgeshire, it was found that they did not have any relics. So a conspiracy was formed with the warden of St. Neot's shrine at Neostoke in Cornwall. On November 30, 974, he stole the body of the saint, and arrived with it at Eynesbury (later renamed St. Neot's) on December 7. But the Cornishment soon discovered the theft and traced the body to Eynesbury. So angry were they that King Edgar was forced to send out an armed force to drive the Cornishmen out of the village.
The relics of St. Neot at Eynesbury were inspected by Archbishop Anselm in 1086, who declared them authentic and also complete except for one arm left in Cornwall. Anselm himself gave his monastery in Bec a relic of St. Neot's cheekbone.
John Leland, travelling through England in the 1540s, saw the tunic of the saint in St. Neot's and his comb «made of a little bone of two fingers» width, into which were inserted small fishes» teeth, the whole having the appearance of a pikés jaw».
St. Neot is commemorated on July 31.
Holy Father Neot, pray to God for us!
(Sources: An early twelfth-century Vita S. Neoti in Latin, and an eleventh-century homily on the saint in Anglo-Saxon, in Whitaker, The Life of Saint Neot, 1809; David Farmer, The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1978, pp. 289-290)