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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Anonymous sermon in praise of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), delivered in Tours (north-west Gaul) on the feast of the saint's death (11 November) and stressing how fortunate Tours was to have him as its saint and patron. Written in Latin in Tours, probably 6th c.

Evidence ID

E08122

Type of Evidence

Literary - Sermons/Homilies

Sermon in praise of saint Martin (Sermo in laude sancti Martini)

1. The preacher exhorts his audience to rejoice on this, the day when the whole Church celebrates Martin's migration to Paradise. He, a former soldier, on this day joined the heavenly army.

2.
All are encouraged to celebrate such a great patron (patronus). His many miracles demonstrate his power, and his nature is revealed by his written Life (liber eius vitae).

3. Martin is asked to accept the praises of his servants, and to help them both with the troubles of this life and in obtaining God's pardon for their sins. Some of the miracles of Martin are referred to, including 'the great grace granted him after the Apostles' (post Apostolos tanta collata ... gratia) that enabled him to raise three men from the dead.

4. Beatam siquidem Romam dixerim, cui concessa sunt duo magna luminaria, Petrus scilicet et Paulus, per quos de tenebris infidelitatis mereretur ad lumen redire ueritatis. Non dissimiliter quoque Turonorum ciuitatem constat esse beatam, quae tanti patris praedictione instrui, insuper et corporali praesentia, Deo largiente, potuit insigniri. Beati parentes qui tam admirabilem genuerunt prolem: beati nihilominus praesulem habere. Felix terra quae hunc in ortum protulit, felicior quae hunc ad caeli palatium sui intercessorem praemisit. Felix igitur ciuitas Turonensis, quae tanti pastoris irradiata doctrinis, ac per ipsius almifluum corpus caput effici meruit totius Gallicae regionis. Per cuius meritum et benedictionis imbrem, non solum irrigantur mentes hominum, sed etiam terra adiacens accumulatur fertilitate fructuum. His vero omnibus felicior atque sublimior ille credendus est locus qui ipsius est sacratissimi corporis tumulo tam gloriose decoratus. O quam felices illi qui huic famulari, huius assistere mererentur celebritati, rectitudine iusti, simplicitate puri, sanctimonia interius et exterius omni religione perfecti. Denique beati qui hunc in carne videre praesentem, credidere praedicantem. Multo autem beatiores qui omnia quae de eo scripta sunt sequi et imitari prompto corde studuerint.

'4. I should indeed call Rome blessed, because to it have been conceded those two bright stars, namely, Peter and Paul, through whom that city was worthy to return from the darkness of unbelief to the light of truth. In a similar fashion it is obvious that Tours is blessed, because through God’s generosity it could be instructed by the teaching of such a great father and in addition distinguished by his bodily presence. Blessed are the parents who produced such an admirable son; blessed are the inhabitants of the holy see of Tours to whom it was permitted to have such a respected patron. Fortunate is the region that gave birth to him, and more fortunate [still is the region] that has sent him on ahead as its intercessor in the palace of heaven. Fortunate therefore is Tours, which was illuminated by the teachings of such a great shepherd and which has been worthy to become the head of the entire region of Gaul through [the possession of] his cherished body. Not only are men’s minds irrigated by his merit and the rainfall of his blessings, but adjacent regions too are overwhelmed by the fertility of their crops. But this place that is ornamented so gloriously with the tomb of his most holy body must be considered more fortunate and more exalted than all these others. Oh, how fortunate were those who were worthy to serve him and to attend his celebration, who were just in their righteousness, pure in their simplicity, chaste in their holiness, and both privately and publicly perfected in all devotion. Blessed finally were those who saw him present in the flesh and believed him as he preached. But much more blessed are those who have desired with a ready heart to follow and imitate everything that has been written about him.'

5.
The preacher again asks Martin to help those of his see, 'and the whole flock of the monastic order' (omnem quoque monastici ordinis gregem), in life and in the afterlife.


Text: Peebles 1961, 245-248.
Translation: Van Dam 1993, 305-307.
Summary: Bryan Ward-Perkins.

Liturgical Activities

Sermon/homily

Festivals

Saint’s feast

Non Liturgical Activity

Saint as patron - of a community

Miracles

Miracle during lifetime
Miracle after death

Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Ecclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits

Theorising on Sanctity

Considerations about the hierarchy of saints
Using saints to assert ecclesiastical/political status

Source

The sermon survives in two Italian manuscripts: one incomplete of the 11th/12th c.; the other complete, but more corrupt, of the 10th/11th c. (Peebles 1961, 238-242).


Discussion

The sermon was evidently delivered at Tours and explicitly on the feast of Martin's death and migration to heaven (11 November).

With its proud assertion of Martin's pre-eminence in Gaul, it can be dated with some degree of certainty to the period after the considerable efforts of Bishop Perpetuus of Tours, at the end of the 5th century, to advance the status of Martin. Its first modern editor, Lambert, believed that it must predate the time of Gregory of Tours (at the end of the 6th century); but this terminus ante quem is not secure (see Peebles 1961, 242-243 for a discussion of the dating and a summary of Lambert's arguments). A 6th c. date is, however, quite likely.

The sermon is most notable for its assertion of how Martin's ministry, and the presence of his body, have enhanced the status of Tours, and for its elevated hopes for what the people of his see can gain from his intercession in heaven.


Bibliography

Edition:
Peebles, P.M., "An early 'Laudatio sancti Martini': a text completed", in Saint Martin et son temps (Studia Anselmiana 46. Rome 1961), 237-249.

Translation:
Van Dam, R., Saints and their Miracles in Late Antique Gaul (Princeton University Press: Princeton, 1993), 305-307.


Record Created By

Bryan Ward-Perkins

Date of Entry

11/01/2021

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00050Martin, ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397MartinusCertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Bryan Ward-Perkins, Cult of Saints, E08122 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E08122