Arnold and the Demons at his Deathbed

Father Giulio Cesare Auriemma, Affetti Scambievoli, vol. 1, ch. 7.

In Reisberg there lived a Canon regular named Arnold, who was deeply devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary. When he came to the point of death he received the sacraments and begged his brothers in religion not to leave him at the last moment.

He had hardly said this when he began to tremble violently and roll his eyes, cold sweat ran from him, and in a shaken voice he cried, "Do you not see those demons who want to seize me and carry me to hell?" Then he called out, "My brothers, call on Mary's help for me. I trust that she will give me the victory." They began at once to recite the Litany of Our Lady, and at the words "Holy Mary, pray for him," the dying man cried, "Repeat, repeat the name of Mary, for I am even now before the judgment seat of God." He paused, then said, "It is true that I did it, but I have done penance for it." Turning to the Virgin, he said, "Oh Mary, I will be delivered if you help me."

The demons attacked again, but he defended himself by making the sign of the cross with the crucifix and calling on Mary. He passed the whole night this way, and when morning came, restored to peace, he said joyfully, "Mary, my Lady and my refuge, has obtained pardon and salvation for me."

Then, seeing the Virgin beckon him to follow her, he said, "I come, oh Lady, I come." He tried to rise, and though his body could not follow her, he gently breathed his last and followed her with his soul, as we may hope, to the kingdom of glory.

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Source:

Simplified retellings of the "example" stories that St. Alphonsus Liguori placed at the end of each section of The Glories of Mary. These are paraphrased in plain modern prose, faithful to the substance of the 1888 English translation. Liguori himself, in his author's "Protest," noted that the miracles and apparitions in the book are offered on human authority only, not as articles of faith.