The Life of *Melania the Younger (aristocratic ascetic in Jerusalem, ob. 439, S01134), by Gerontius, a monk at her monastery, recounts how, in 436, she stopped at the martyrion of *Euphemia (martyr of Chalcedon, S00017) in Chalcedon (north-west Asia Minor, close to Constantinople), and found comfort there. Written in Greek or Latin, probably in Jerusalem, c. 450.
Evidence ID
E02002
Type of Evidence
Literary - Hagiographical - Lives of saint
Gerontius, Life of Melania the Younger 53
Καὶ καταλαμβάνομεν τὸ μαρτύριον τῆς ἁγίας Εὐφημίας ἐν Χαλκηδόνι, ἔνθα ἡ ἀθλοφόρος σφόδρα παρεμυθήσατο τὴν ἁγίαν πολλὴν αὐτῇ ποιήσασα εὐωδίαν καὶ παράκλησιν.
'We came to the martyrion of Saint Euphemia in Chalcedon where the Victorious One greatly comforted the saint, providing her with much cheer and encouragement.'
The Latin and Greek texts do not differ significantly.
Text: Gorce 1962, p. 228.
Translation: Clark 1984, p. 64.
Cult PlacesCult building - independent (church)
Protagonists in Cult and Narratives
Cult building - independent (church)
Martyr shrine (martyrion, bet sāhedwātā, etc.)
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesWomen
Source
The Life of Melania the Younger was composed in the middle of the 5th century, shortly after Melania’s death (439 AD). It is extant in Latin and Greek versions. There are some small differences between these texts, but, in relation to the cult of saints, nothing of great significance. Both texts contain 70 chapters. Scholars discuss the question of the Life’s original language. It is currently thought that neither of the preserved versions is original, but that the Greek Life is closer to the archetype.The author of the Life of Melania was Gerontius, a monk and a superior in her monastery on the Mount of Olives after her death. Gerontius presents his protagonist as an extraordinarily generous benefactor of the church, as a perfect (but not excessive) ascetic, and as a humane founder and superior of monasteries, while in no way playing down the high status of his subject and the contacts that this gave her. Although Melania effects a few cures (in chapters 59-61), and is described as being received into heaven at her death, the miraculous plays very little part in the text and there is no account of posthumous miracles at her grave.
Discussion
Melania was travelling from Jerusalem to Constantinople, pausing at the burial-church of Euphemia at Chalcedon shortly before her arrival at the capital. Her journey is dated to 436.Bibliography
Edition, French translations and commentary:Vie de Sainte Mélanie, ed. and trans. D. Gorce, Sources Chrétiennes 90, Paris 1962. (Greek text)
La vie latine de Sainte Mélanie, ed. and trans. P. Laurence, Jerusalem 2002.
English translations:
The Life of Melania the Younger, trans. E. Clark, New York 1984. With commentary.
Lives of Roman Christian Women, trans. C. White, Penguin Classics 2010, pp. 182-230.
Record Created By
Katarzyna Wojtalik
Date of Entry
11/11/2016
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00017 | Euphemia, martyr of Chalcedon | Εὐφημία | Certain | S01134 | Melania the Younger, aristocratic ascetic in Jerusalem, ob. 439 | Certain |
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