Eugippius

“After the destruction of the towns in the upper region of the Danube, Severin constantly warned all the people who, obeying his instructions, had migrated to the town of Lauriacum not to trust in their own power but, being intent on prayer, fasts and almsgiving, to fortify themselves rather with spiritual weapons. One day the man of God ordered all the poor to be assembled in a basilica in order to deal them out their ration of oil. This commodity [spice] was hard to obtain in those places because merchants had great difficulty in importing it. Now, as if a blessing was to be gained, a big crowd of needy people had gathered; since this liquid was precious food, it had greatly increased the number of beggars. When the holy man had finished the prayer and had made the sign of the cross, in the presence of all he uttered the words of sacred Scripture: "Blessed be the name of the Lord!" Then he began to deal out the oil with his own hand to the ministers who carried it around, imitating, as a faithful servant, his Lord, who had come not to be served but to serve, and, following in the footsteps of the Savior, he saw to his joy that the substance that his right hand poured out without his left hand knowing was increased. For while the vessels of the poor were filling, there was no less in the hands of his ministers.”

“He addressed them piously. "Have you not read," he said, "what divine authority has prescribed to a sinful people through the prophet: 'Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting and in weeping,' and a little later: 'Sanctify a fast,' he says, 'call an assembly, gather the congregation,' and all that follows? Therefore, fulfill with worthy actions what you teach, that you may perhaps escape the evil of the present time. And let nobody, on any account, go out on his field as if he could ward off the locusts by human effort, lest God's wrath be provoked even more." Without delay everybody gathered in the church, and they all, each in his place, recited the psalms, as was the custom. Every age and sex, even those who could not yet speak, offered a prayer to God with tears, alms were given unceasingly, and every good work that the present emergency demanded was carried out as had been prescribed by the servant of God.”