A deceased man's account of his condemnation that led Saint Bruno to profoundly change his ways of life and found the Carthusian Order
Text collected in full from @na_comunhao_dos_santos and @templariodemaria:
“It is said that St. Bruno, later founder of the Carthusians, shortly before completing his higher education, experienced something that would change his course.
He knew a professor who enjoyed a good reputation and was much loved by everyone. However, he was struck down by an unexpected death, which shocked those who lived with the professor;
Could it be that this teacher was also loved by God? The facts would prove otherwise...
Hundreds of people attended the funeral; countless candles were lit and prayers were said by those who had admired the great knowledge and virtues of the illustrious deceased. His coffin, beautifully adorned with the symbols of his profession, was carried to the Cathedral with solemnity, accompanied by his fellow professors, a large group of students and many priests.
While the body was being veiled and the traditional Office of the Dead sung, young Bruno was present, attentive and engaged in the ceremony, and the choir reached the passage in the Office of the Dead, which prays:
'How many are my iniquities and sins? Let me know my crimes and offenses'.
Of course, the question is asked in a symbolic way, without expecting an answer from the dead person - but something quite different happened to the astonishment of those present.
At that very moment, suddenly, the corpse that lay exposed in its coffin moved before everyone's eyes and, raising his head a little, the deceased teacher answered in a deep, sad voice:
- 'I have been judged!
Frightened, the few people left in the room wondered what such a statement about having been judged would mean, since we know that all men will be defendants in the divine court, and not satisfied with the corpse's answer, they decided to meet the next day for a new ceremony.
At the appointed time, the ritual began again, and needless to say, this time it was crowded with onlookers, to see if such a dreadful episode would really happen again.
During the same part of the hymn, the teacher stands up and says:
- 'I have been judged and sentenced!
Everyone present was still afraid, and there was no doubt whatsoever as to what the deceased's sentence would be. Not content with what had been said so far by that dark voice from beyond, they decided to arrange new funeral ceremonies, because some said that the professor was condemned, while others said that he had said nothing about his eternal destiny, the simple fact that he had been judged and sentenced, because all men will be, whether they are sentenced to heaven or hell.
With even more people in attendance, the long-awaited question was asked for the third time.
In a desperate, terrified voice, the unfortunate man uttered the following statement, this time leaving no room for doubt:
- 'By the judgment of God, I have been accused, tried and condemned'.
Having said this, he fell backwards. The world-renowned professor had hidden his vice under the guise of virtue. But Our Lord, Almighty God, who searches hearts, knew his sins and punished him for them.
Horrified by this macabre sermon, the fact made such a deep impression on the young Bruno, who was there because he was a pupil of Professor Diocrès, that from then on he changed his life and began to take everything much more seriously and to think more about his novices, because if a person with a good reputation had such unfortunate luck, what will I have? He thought.
From that day on, St. Bruno of Cologne (1030-1101) decided to reject the pleasures of this world and founded the Carthusian Order. To this day, it is considered the strictest and most ascetic of all the cloistered orders.”