Anonymous sermon ('Eusebius Gallicanus', Sermon 3), on *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030). Preached in Latin in Gaul, probably in the 5th century.
E06051
Literary - Sermons/Homilies
Eusebius Gallicanus
Eusebius Gallicanus, Sermon 3 (De sancto Stephano protomartyre)
Summary:
(§§ 1-2) Why should martyrs, who are in paradise, have any need for human praise? 'Why are they celebrated with such great efforts by people, why are their relics brought forth to the world so much through God's revelation?' (Cur tantis hominum studiis celebrentur, cur tantopere mundo huic eorum reliquiae deo reuelante prodantur?) There are many reasons. First so that they should act as patrons for those who honour them faithfully (ut sedulis cultoribus suffragentur). Second, to be an example of devotion and faith to future generations. Then, to punish the devil for the malice by which he thought he had triumphed over the martyrs, by showing that in fact they have triumphed over him.
(§§ 3-5) The preacher enlarges on parts of the account of Stephen's martyrdom in Acts, focussing especially on the verses, They saw his face as if it was the face of an angel (Acts 6:15), I see the heavens open and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God (Acts 7:55), and Lord, do not count this sin against them (Acts 7:59). He praises Stephen for praying for his persecutors in the latter verse and states that this shows how much the martyrs promise to those who honour them: 'when he prays for his persecutors, he clearly promises his patronage to his venerators' (dum pro persecutoribus deprecatur, manifeste cultoribus suffragia pollicetur).
(§ 6) It is testified that when Stephen's tomb was discovered, it was filled with a heavenly scent, breathing the odour of roses and crocuses. Now Stephen's glory is celebrated everywhere, as if that scent has been shaken throughout the world; then it was the site of his tomb that gave off an odour of sweetness, now it fills the whole world.
Text: Glorie 1970.
Summary: David Lambert.
Service for the saint
Sermon/homily
FestivalsSaint’s feast
Cult PlacesBurial site of a saint - unspecified
Non Liturgical ActivityTransmission, copying and reading saint-related texts
MiraclesMiraculous sound, smell, light
RelicsUnspecified relic
Source
This sermon on Stephen was preached in Gaul, probably at some point in the 5th century. It survives as part of the large collection of anonymous Gallic sermons known as 'Eusebius Gallicanus'. This was compiled in southern Gaul at some point between the late 5th and early 7th centuries, but the precise date and circumstances remain uncertain. For a detailed examination of the collection, see Bailey 2010.Discussion
This sermon would have been preached on Stephen's feast day, 26 December. It dates from after the discovery of Stephen's relics in 415, but there is no further indication as to its date, nor to the exact place where it was preached.Most of the sermon is devoted to drawing lessons for the congregation from the account of Stephen's martyrdom in the book of Acts. However, the closing passage, referring to the discovery of Stephen's tomb, directly echoes the Latin translation, extant in two recensions, of the account of the discovery by Lucian of Caphar Gamala (E07606 or E07864). Both versions (Recensions A and B, § 45) say that there was a heavenly odour when the tomb was discovered, although the specific reference to roses and crocuses mentioned in the sermon actually comes earlier in the text, in the account of one of Lucian's visions (Recensions A and B, §§ 22-3).
Bibliography
Edition:Glorie, F., Eusebius 'Gallicanus'. Collectio Homiliarum I (Corpus Christianorum Series Latina 101; Turnhout, 1970), 33-37.
Further Reading:
Bailey, L.K., Christianity's Quiet Success: The Eusebius Gallicanus Sermon Collection and the Power of the Church in Late Antique Gaul (Notre Dame, 2010).
David Lambert
28/11/2023
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00030 | Stephen, the First Martyr | Stephanus | Certain |
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