The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

Life of Amator, Bishop of Auxerre (Vita Amatoris episcopi Autessiodorensis, BHL 352, CPL 2083)

Summary:

(I.1) Amator was born to noble parents, Proclidius, a native of Auxerre, and Usiciola, from the nobility of Autun. They owned vast landed property. Amator was their only child, and was highly educated in liberal studies. (2) At the time Valerianus was the bishop of Auxerre. He recognised Amator’s talents and learning. He encouraged Amator to devote himself to religion and educated him in theology.

(3) When Amator reached marriageable age his parents insisted that he should marry. They betrothed him to a girl named Martha, whose parents were nobles of the city of Langres. The house was lavishly decorated for the wedding. (4) According to custom, Bishop Valerianus was invited to bless the couple at the door of the bridal chamber, but through a sudden impulse from God he instead ordained them as deacons (sacro eos levitarum dedicavit officio). No one else present noticed this. Once they were alone in the chamber they agreed to preserve their virginity. They then spent their time reading scripture. (5) While they were reading, they perceived an extraordinarily sweet odour. Martha asked what it was, and Amator explained that it came from heaven. (6) During the night, Amator woke and saw an angel bearing a double garland. The angel admonished him and Martha to accept this gift from the Lord and always to preserve their commitment to virginity. Two maidservants saw what took place and were stunned by what they had seen. The both demanded to become servants of God (poscebant se ancillas Dei fieri).

(7) Some time after their wedding, Amator and Martha went to Eladius, Valerianus' successor as bishop of Auxerre. Amator asked to be become a cleric (clericum), Martha to be numbered among the women devoted to religion (religiosarum numero sociari). Eladius tonsured Amator, while making Martha part of a female religious community (castimonialium religionis coetui). He expressed his gratitude that they had devoted themselves to religion, because Bishop Valerianus had been grieved by his unintentional ordination of them. After giving them further advice on how to lead religious lives, he raised Amator from the rank of deacon to that of presbyter.

(II.8) There was a wealthy couple from Autun, named Eraclius and Palladia. Palladia had become a Christian and been baptised, while her husband was still a pagan. One Easter, Palladia was at Auxerre, visiting property she owned there. She came to church so covered with jewels that their brightness cut off the light of the sun. When she approached Amator (then still a deacon) to take communion, he refused to let her do so unless she took off her jewellery, telling that because she had sex the previous night, she was not fit to take communion unless she did so penitently. (9) Palladia was outraged at this rebuke: she went to her husband and complained about her public humiliation by the 'false deacon' (pseudodiaconus), calling on him to avenge her. Eraclius promised that he would take vengeance in the blood of the man who had insulted her. (10) Eraclius spent days seeking somewhere where he could ambush Amator. However, before his plan could be carried out he was possessed by an evil spirit and his wife was struck down by a disease that dissolved the binding of her limbs. God spoke to them in their sleep, warning that they were suffering because of their malice towards Amator, and that unless they went to him in contrition and sought his prayers, a worse illness would consume them. (11) They had to be brought to Amator because they were too weak to go on foot; when they reached him, they jumped down from the mules carrying them and prostrated themselves on the ground, crying in unison for him to release them from their punishment. They confessed that they had planned to kill an innocent man because he exposed their iniquity, and offered to hand over their entire wealth to Amator, to use as he wished, provided his prayers restored their health. Amator responded that if they believed with all their heart, whatever they wanted would be granted to them. (12) They called on God to witness their faith, as well as their past deeds. Then Eraclius was baptised. Amator warned them always to respect holy days in future, in case something worse happened to them. He then anointed their bodies with holy oil, and both were healed.

(13) When Auxentius, the enemy of the orthodox faith, was pursuing *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), Martin withdrew to the island of Gallinaria [Sulpicius Severus, Life of Martin 6: see E00692]. The island was inhabited by Beelzebub and his demons. They fled from Martin's presence and took refuge in the place called Altricus [present-day Mont Artre, a hill south-west of Auxerre, also the site of the main cemetery]. They began to infest the area, and terrified anyone who went there, so that people avoided the road that went through it, even though it was the straightest. One day, learning of this, Amator walked along the road. When the people saw this, they followed him in a crowd, making the sign of the cross on their foreheads, since it was through this that Amator triumphed. (14) The demons cried out against Amator for persecuting them, and driving them from the homes they had only recently occupied after being driven out by Martin. Amator commanded them in the name of Christ to leave, and they flowed away like smoke in the air.

(III.15) When Bishop Eladius died, the people clamoured for Amator to succeed him. Their wishes were carried out, and he was promoted to the rank of bishop.

(16) Three years after Amator became bishop, an archdeacon named Litinus began to stir up malice against him, by alleging that Amator and Martha were having conjugal relations. The rumour spread, and people begin to worry that Amator would not be able to grant them forgiveness for their sins, since he indulged in pleasure and luxury. Because it was forbidden to make accusations against a bishop, they decided that they must catch him in the act. (17) A large group therefore entered his bedroom and surrounded the bed. But Christ revealed the hidden chastity (latentem castitatem) of Amator and Martha: as a gift of the Divinity, to thwart the plotting of the proud, he slipped in between his servants [Amator and Martha] in the form of a lamb (in specie agni, donum divinitatis, ad evacuandam machinationem superborum, in medio famulorum suorum irrepsit), blazing with light. The archdeacon was blinded, and the others present were seized by the devil and began writhing. Amator immediately prayed for them and freed them by his intercession.

(18) At that time, the church (ecclesia) of Auxerre [i.e. the cathedral] was still next to the gate known as the gate of the baths (ad portam quae balnearis ... nuncupatur). Its front (prospectus) faced the River Yonne. It was not large, because it had been built when it was still rare for people to convert to God, but now many people were being converted by Amator's preaching and the church was no longer able to contain them. A man named Ruptilius, one of the noblest men of Auxerre, owned a large and charming house left to him by his father. Amator admonished him that since he had been regenerated by baptism, he had a duty to obey God in all things; he could see that the house of God was small and did not suffice for the congregation; furthermore, it was wrong for a servant to have a finer dwelling than God. He should therefore give up his house to be consecrated as a church, for which God would reward him. Ruptilius refused, because it was the house in which he had been brought up and which had been left to him by his parents. (19) Amator prayed for Ruptilius to be compelled by God's signs and prodigies (signis et prodigiis tuis compulsus) to donate his house. Ruptilius immediately fell sick and was wracked with pain. The Lord appeared to him in a dream and warned that unless he obeyed Amator he would suffer worse torments. On hearing this, Ruptilius ran to the bishop's house, and threw himself to the ground, begging Amator to receive his house, and offering to donate money to build the church if only he was cured. When Amator prayed and made the sign of the cross on his forehead he was immediately restored to health. (20) Subsequently, during the construction work, a hoard of coins was discovered in the foundations of Ruptilius' house. Amator immediately sent these to Ruptilius, but he returned them to Amator to use as he thought fit, asking only that Amator should pray for him. Amator spent some of the money on care for the poor and the rest on the new church, which he consecrated to Christ the Lord (Christo Domino consecravit). (21) This is, up to the present day, the church frequented by the Christian people (haec est hactenus ecclesia a Christianis populis confrequentata). From all sides the leading men and whoever belonged to the more respectable classes came together for the dedication of the church (concurrunt undique proceres et quicumque honorabiliores fuerant ad dedicationem ecclesiae) and gave thanks that God had received a new dwelling through his servant Amator.
      Soon after the church was completed, the virgin consecrated to God Martha fell ill with a fever. She moved to an estate called Arriachus, adjacent to that of her parents, where after a short illness she died. Amator received her body, and with much of the population accompanying him, buried her at Altricum [Mont Artre], in sight of the city.

(22) On the following day, Amator was visiting the shrines of the saints (loca sanctorum) when he came across the funeral of a boy aged eight. Unable to bear the cries of the mourners, he prayed for God to restore life to the boy as he had once done to Lazarus. The boy immediately revived. (23) One night, a raging fire was consuming Auxerre. A group of people went to Amator, and, throwing themselves to the ground, begged him to protect the city from the fire. Amator threw himself into the middle of the flames, where he might easily have lost his life. But God provided a cloud, whose rain extinguished the flames and confirmed in the presence of all that the servant of God had given safety to the people.

(IV.24) At this time, Auxerre was governed by a man of noble family named *Germanus (bishop of Auxerre, ob. c. 448, S00455). He was more concerned with frivolous pursuits than with religion and was particularly devoted to hunting. In the middle of Auxerre there was a pear tree (arbor pyrus), on which Germanus would hang the heads of the animals he killed. Amator chided him, warning him that this practice was more fitting for pagans than Christians and that it belonged to the culture of idolatry (idololatricae culturae). He tried to persuade Germanus to cut down the tree, so that it should no longer be an offence to Christians, but Germanus ignored him. Therefore, one day when Germanus was visiting a country estate, Amator himself cut down the tree and burned it. He ordered the heads which had hung from it to be thrown far from the boundaries of the city. When Germanus heard about this he was enraged, and, forgetting religion, he threatened to kill Amator and returned to the city accompanied by a crowd of rustics. (25) When this was reported to Amator he said that he judged himself worthy to be a martyr. Through a divine revelation, he knew the time of his death, and that Germanus would be his successor. He therefore set out for Autun, where Julius, 'the ruler of the state and governor of Gaul' (reipublicae rector ac gubernator Galliae) had his seat. On the way, he came to a place called Gubilium. When the locals saw him coming, they assisted him by clearing branches and thorns from his path: they did not know who he was but recognised that he was a servant of God from the beauty of his face and from the capsule of honour hanging round his neck in which he carried relics (capsellari honore quo reliquias inclusas pendulas collo gestabat). They invited him to share their food and drink; Amator accepted, and blessed them because of his joy at finding that the highest catholic faith and the fear of God were present even in such haunts of wild beasts. (26) A blind man threw himself at Amator's feet and asked for the restoration of his vision. After praying, Amator marked his forehead with the sign of the cross and his vision was immediately restored. At this the whole crowd rushed to Amator's feet and honoured him.

(27) When Amator renewed his journey, he encountered Suffronius, a man of noble birth from the town of Alesia. Suffronius jumped from his horse and embraced Amator's feet, weeping. He told Amator that he had been robbed of a large quantity of silver, but he trusted that he would recover it through Amator's prayers. Amator invited Suffronius to accompany him on the road. After about three miles, they came across one of the thieves, still carrying a sack on his shoulders. Suffronius thanked God for bringing about his meeting with Amator, whose prayers had restored what had been stolen from him. Amator replied that Suffronius' loss had now been restored, but he must not prosecute those responsible but should go with them to the shrine of *Andochius and Thyrsus (martyrs of Autun, S02094), and there bind them by the sacraments not to commit any more crimes, but should do this in secret, because of the rapacity and false accusations of greedy judges (propter avarorum iudicum rapacitatem atque calumnias). Amator then went on swiftly to the city of Autun.

(28) At Autun, Amator was welcomed by the bishop, Simplicius, and the prefect, Julius. After nightfall, he and Simplicius went to the shrine of *Symphorianus (martyr of Autun, S00322) and prayed there. Since the shrine had never been formally consecrated, Simplicius invited Amator to do so. On their way back to the city, Amator healed three lepers by anointing them with holy oil and sprinkling them with water from the River Jordan, brought to Autun by a past bishop, Reticius. For fuller discussion of this passage, see E08561.

(V.29) The next day, Amator went to Julius' headquarters. He informed Julius that God had revealed to him the time of his death and that Germanus would be his successor, and asked permission to tonsure him. Julius replied that although Germanus was necessary and useful to the state, since Amator attested that God has chosen him, he could not go against God's command. Amator returned to Auxerre and summoned the people to assemble at his house. He announced that God had revealed the day of his death and admonished them to choose a strong successor to be the watchman over the house of God. However, the people were silent and did not respond to his words. (30) Amator then went to the holy church (ad sanctam ecclesiam) [the cathedral]. He told the crowd to put down their weapons, then let them into the church; seeing that Germanus was unarmed, he ordered the doorkeepers to bar the doors of the church [the passage implies that Germanus was still accompanied by the armed band he assembled in § 24]; having gathered round himself a crowd of clerics and nobles, Amator seized Germanus, invoked the name of the Lord, then tonsured him and placed on him the habit of religion. He admonished Germanus that, through his death, God was entrusting the pastoral office to him. Amator immediately began to feel the pains of death. He announced that God was about to receive his soul, and called on the people to make Germanus his successor. The whole crowd shouted Amen. Everyone lamented because they were losing such a pastor, but took comfort because someone similar would succeed him.

(31) Amator grew weaker on the Kalends of May [1 May], a Wednesday. He never ceased preaching, and admonished the people not to mourn, since he would be succeeded by someone better than him. He asked to be carried into the church, so that his spirit should return to its maker in the place where he had preached day and night. He was brought into the church with crowds on all sides, clerics before him and matrons following him. After ascending the bishops' throne he died, at about the third hour. A chorus of saints carried his soul up to heaven in the form of a dove, with hymns and praises. This was seen and told by many, especially 'the most sacred girl *Helena (virgin of Auxerre, S02396) (Helena sacratissima puella), who at that time excelled in all virtues and miracles. (32) Amator's body was taken to be buried next to the tomb of Martha. The road went past a foul prison, where many people were held in chains. When Amator's bier was carried past, the locks on the doors broke and the chains fell from the bodies of the prisoners. Coming forth, they threw themselves under the bier, after which no guard or judge ever dared to lay a hand against them. There was joy among the people that the miracles of the living man were affirmed in the passing of his mortal body. His body was taken to his tomb in the place called Altricus [Mont Artre]. When the mourners were returning to Auxerre, they encountered some people carrying a paralysed man on their shoulders. He had been paralysed for thirty years, and had come from Bourges, drawn by Amator's reputation. When the man and his helpers discovered that the funeral they had seen in the distance was Amator's, the man asked for some of the water with which Amator's body had been washed. Germanus ordered some of the water to be poured on his limbs, and as it touched them they instantly regained their strength.

(33) What a glorious city [Auxerre] in what it has offered to the world! You have brought forth a twin protection not just for your own strength but for the world (non solum tuae firmitati geminum protulisti munimen, verum etiam mundo). Amator ministers the seeds of health to those in the south, Germanus always bestows the aid of safety to those in the West (Amator Australibus sanitatum semina subministrat, Germanus Occidentalibus sospitatis semper largitur auxilium). Auxerre is not unequal to Rome: there the populace rejoices in the triumphs of the apostles Peter and Paul; here it is governed by the aid of Amator and Germanus. Celebrate vigils at their tombs, where healings of every kind are displayed (ubi multifariae sanitatum formae evidentius declarantur). It is easier for a mortal tongue to list the floods of the sea or the sands of the shore than the miracles of Amator or Germanus, which are carried out through them by the indivisible Trinity, to which is honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.


Text: Duru 1850.
Summary: David Lambert.

Cult building - independent (church)
Burial site of a saint - tomb/grave
Martyr shrine (martyrion, bet sāhedwātā, etc.)

Prayer/supplication/invocation
Saint as patron - of a community
Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Visiting graves and shrines
Ceremonies at burial of a saint

Miracle during lifetime
Miracle after death
Punishing miracle
Power over elements (fire, earthquakes, floods, weather)
Power over life and death
Apparition, vision, dream, revelation
Miraculous sound, smell, light
Freeing prisoners, exiles, captives, slaves
Exorcism
Revelation of hidden knowledge (past, present and future)

Unspecified relic
Reliquary – privately owned
Contact relic - water and other liquids

Ecclesiastics - bishops
Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy
Women
Crowds
Aristocrats
Officials
Peasants
Prisoners
Angels
Demons

Source

Discussion

Bibliography