Page 49 - October1997

0ctober 1997 NATIONAL BUTTON BULLETIN 231

A Possible New Identity:

The Corpse in the Grotto or

The Reburial of St. Hubert

The editor is always elated when he secs a button for the first time. That
was the case with this button. While Bob Folsom was photographing full trays
at the recent convention. a nice ladv came up to me and showed me
this button. I said I had never seen it before but it looked like a
corpse in a grotto to me. Since all the equipment has to be
changed to switch from photographing full trays to individual
buttons. we had to ask her to come back later. If she did, we
were not aware of it. but we would like to mention her narne if
she will let us know her identity.
The stag with the luminous within an hour. we were approached by Ron Cole
crucifix between its antlers'
with the very same button (shown below), only he
called it "The Reburial of St. Hubert" and lrave us
the following story to go with it.
St. Hubert died about 721 . Ar the tirne he was bishop of Maastricht and
Liege. Most of us are faniliar with the legend about him. An official of the
Austrasian couft, he was passionate about hunting. In spite
of the solemnity of the day, he went hunting on Good
Friday. lt is said that on this hunting expedition, a
miraculous stag with a luminous crucifix
between its antlers appeared before him. This
was such a miracle to Huberl that he convefted
to Christianity and gave up his worldly ways to
devote the rest ofhis life to the holy orders.
He is credited with manv conversions and
earned the title "Apostle of the Ardennes". It was
said that he cured hydrophobia with a rniraculous
stole received from heaven.
The Reburial of St. Hubert-a
Some 100 years after his death, his remains large brass button. Note body
were moved from Liege to a Benedictine Abbey in lower left.
which had been built on the site of the apparition.
The abbey and neighboring village are now
known as St. Hubert. Patron saint of hunters, St. Hubert's feast is celebrated on
November 3.