The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

Collectio Hibernensis, 48, De Martyribus ('On Martyrs') (excerpts)


(The excerpts in italics appear only in the Hib. B recension of the text.)


De nomine martyris
In libris aethimologiarum: Martyres grece lingua, latine testes dicuntur. Vnde et testimonia, grece martyria nuncupantur. Testes autem ideo uocati sunt, quod propter testimonium Christi passiones sustenuerunt. Duo autem sunt martyrii genera: unum in aperta passionis, alterum in occulta animi uirtute.

Agustinus ait: Martyr graece, confessor latine. Ideo hoc nomen ponitur, quia confiteri sanguine et igni concremato conuenit. Confessor enim multis rebus pertinet.

Concerning the word 'martyrs'
'In the book of etymologies: They are called 'martyrs' in Greek, 'witnesses' in Latin. Whereas 'testaments' are called martyria in Greek. Witnesses are so called because they endure tribulations as testimony to Christ. There are two kinds of martyrdoms: one is found in overt suffering and the other in the hidden virtue of the soul.

Augustine said: What is 'martyr' in Greek is 'confessor' in Latin. It is given this name because it suits one who confesses by blood and burning fire. For 'confessor' denotes many things.'


48.1. De exordio martirum
Primus martir Abel, cuius sanguini terra aperitur, ut: Vox sanguinis fratris tui clamat ad me de terra. Hironimus: saecunda maledictio terrae fuit post primam illam, que dicitur ad Adam: Maledicta terra in opere tuo. Saecundus Zacarias Barachiae, qui inter templum et altare occissus est, cuius sanguis captiuitatem filiis Israel in tera mala intulit. Tertius Stephanus, cuius sanguis caelum aperuit.

'48.1. Concerning the origin of martyrs
The first martyr was Abel, for whose blood the earth opened, [as it is said]: The voice of your brother's blood cries to me from the earth. Jerome: This was the second curse on the land after the first, which is proclaimed to Adam: Cursed is the earth in your work. The second was Zechariah, the son of Barachias, who was slain between the temple and the altar, whose blood brought captivity in an evil land to the sons of Israel. The third is Stephen, whose blood opened the heavens.'


[...]


48.5. De transmigratione maritirum, hoc est reliquarum
Populus Dei ueniens de Aegipto ossa Ioseph secum asportauit in terram Canahan.

Liber Mathei, manu sua scriptus, cum reliquiis suis translatus est.

Ossa Lucae et Andreae translata sunt. Ossa Iohannis babtiste translata sunt ad Hierusalem et caput eius repertum est IIII miliario ab urbe.

Caput Pauli de lacu translatum est et Rome humatum est.

'48.5. Concerning the transmigration of martyrs, that is, of relics
The people of God returning from Egypt carried with it Joseph's bones to the land of Canaan.

The book of Matthew, written by his own hand, was translated together with his relics.

The bones of Luke and Andrew were translated. The bones of John the Baptist were translated to Jerusalem and his head was found at the fourth milestone from the city.

Paul's head was translated from a lake and buried in Rome.'


[...]


De eo quod duplex peccatum est malefacere iuxta martyres
Augustinus: Duplex est peccatum maleficendi iuxta martyres, et prohibendi angelorum duplex pena consequitur.

Item: Vbi giunt mali homines, ibi et maligni spiritus commorantur.

'That it is twice the sin to do evil near martyrs
Augustine: It is twice the sin to do evil near [the relics of] martyrs, and a double punishment of preventing [the presence] of angels follows.

Likewise: Where there be evil men, there also malignant spirits reside.'


48.6. De martiribus pro nobis intercedentibus
Gregorius: Tunc pro nobis sine ulla dubitatione sancti martires intercedunt, cum aliquid de suis uirtutibus in nobis recognoscunt.

'48.6. Concerning the martyrs interceding on our behalf
Gregory: when they recognise any of their virtues in us, then, without doubt, the holy martyrs intercede on our behalf.'


[...]


48.8. De III-bus modis, quibus transmutantur martires
Agustinus ait: Tribus causis martires transmurandi sunt. Prima, cum necessitas persequutorum loca eorum grauauerit; secunda, cum difficultas locorum fuerit; tertia, cum malorum societate grauantur.

'48.8. Concerning the three occasions on which martyrs are translated
Augustine said: There are three occasions on which martyrs should be translated. The first, when the force of persecutors weighs down on their loca; the second, when the loca are experiencing hardship; the third, when they are weighed down by the company of evil men.'


48.9. De honore martirum aliquando migrante cum reliquii, aliquando remanente
Hironimus: Notandum, cum transmutantur alii de martiribus, cum his honor cummigrant; aliis uero transmutatis honor in locis eorum non cessat.

'48.9. That the dignity of the martyrs sometimes migrates with their relics, sometimes stays behind
Jerome: Note that when some of the martyrs are translated, their dignity translates with them; but when others are translated, dignity does not depart from their loca.'


48.10. De resurrectione transmutatorum martirum
Origines ait: Alii putant eos in loco cineris resurrecturos, alii in loco ossuum. Vbi enim caput fuerit, illic omnia membra congregabantur.

Ezechiel uidit ossa accedisse ad ossa, unumquodque ad iuncturam suam, et prophetante eo succrescere neruos et carnes, et postea cutem extensam, inde spiritum a IIII uentis in ea flantem.

'48.10. Concerning the resurrection of translated martyrs
Origen said: Some believe they will resurrect in the locus of their ashes, others in the locus of their bones. Where the head shall be, that is where all the limbs shall be joined together.

Ezekiel saw bones drawing towards bones, each one to its joint, and he prophesied that they will grow nerves and flesh, and thereafter stretch skin, thence that spirit would blow into it from the four winds.'


[...]


48.12. De eo quod non intendit spiritus martirum, que aguntur in mundo
[...]
Hironimus: Omnes de corpore migrantes terrenorum obliuiscuntur. Cum enim preparationem sue beatitudinis conspiciunt, satiati intuitu caelestium, terrenae non recordantur passionis; et cum peccatores suppliciorum memores poenis torquentur, suauitatis terrenae et carorum recordari non possunt.

'48.12 That the spirit of the martyrs does not worry about the affairs of the world
[...]
Jerome: All who migrate from the body forget the affairs of the world. For when they see the preparation of their beatitude, being filled by the sight of heavenly things, they do not recall their worldly suffering; and when sinners remember their sufferings as they are tormented by punishments, they cannot recall the pleasures of the world and of loved ones.'


48.13. De eo quod necessitate uident, que hic agentur
Hironimus: Alii putant, quod spiritus mortuorum possunt uidere alia, que hic aguntur; quando necessarium est aut illis aut nobis, non solum presentia, sed et preterita et futura spiritu reuelante.

'48.13. That, when it is necessary, they see things that take place here
Jerome: Some think that the spirits of the dead can see some things that take place here; when there is need either for them or for us, not only the things of the present, but also past and future things are revealed by the spirit.'


48.14. De eo quod non omnes mortui hoc possunt
Hironimus: Non omnes mortui possunt uidere ea, que hic aguntur, sicut non omnes hic preuident, nisi prophete.

'48.14. That not all dead persons are capable of this
Jerome: Not all dead persons are capable of seeing the things that take place here, just as not all people here have foresight, except prophets.'


Text: Flechner 2019, 397-403.
Translation: Flechner 2019, 771-6.

Burial site of a saint - unspecified

Scepticism/rejection of the cult of saints
Scepticism/rejection of miracles
Condemnation/rejection of a specific cultic activity

Transmission, copying and reading saint-related texts

Miracle after death

Bodily relic - unspecified
Bodily relic - bones and teeth
Handwriting of a saint
Transfer, translation and deposition of relics
Transfer/presence of relics from distant countries
Bodily relic - head
Bodily relic - corporeal ashes/dust

Angels
Demons

Considerations about the veneration of saints
Considerations about the hierarchy of saints
Considerations about the validity of cult forms
Considerations about the nature of relics

Source

Discussion

Bibliography