The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

Wampach, Geschichte der Grundherrschaft Echternach (excerpts)

3. Trier, 1 November 697/8
Domino sancto ac uenerabili in Christo patri Willibrodo episcopo Ermina in Christo Deo sacrata abbatissa. Dum ab omnibus non habetur incognitum, quod ego, inspirante misericordia Christi, pro consilio uirorum apostolicorum patrum nostrorum, domni Basini et domni Leotwini episcoporum seu et pro consensu sororum nostrarum Christo seruientum, que nobiscum sunt congregatę, basilicas in nomine sanctę Trinitatis uel in honore gloriosissimę uirginis Marię,, genitricis Domini nostri Ihesu Christi, seu et beatissimorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli uel ceterorum sanctorum in uilla mea propria quę uocatur Epternacus, sita super fluuio Sura, seu et monasteriolum ibidem ad monachos peregrinos conuersandum uel paupaures ibidem alimoniam petendum pro diuino respectu uel pro animę meę remedio construxi, ut dum sanctitas et dilectio uestra erga me uel monasterium meum assidue agitur, ideo decreui apud animum meum, ut uos de rebus meis propriis in aliquo consolari deberem. Quod ita spontanea uoluntate feci. Iddcirco dono uobis donatumque esse uolo memoratas basilicas sanctorum ad gubernandum uel dominandum. Itemque dono uobis ad supradicta loca sanctorum portionem meam in ipsa uilla Epternaco, hoc est quantumcumque ex successione paterna uel materna michi obuenit [...] Actum Treberi sub Kalendas Nouembris. Anno IIII regni domini nostri Childeberti regis [...]

'To the holy lord and venerable father in Christ, Bishop Willibrord: Irmina, abbess consecrated to God. Since it is known to all that I – inspired by Christ's mercy, and upon the counsel of the apostolic men, our fathers Lord Basinus and Lord Leotwine, bishops, and with the consent of our sisters serving God with us – have constructed basilicas in the name of the Holy Trinity, and in honour of the most glorious virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and also the most blessed apostles Peter and Paul and other saints at my villa which is called Echternach, situated over the river Sûre, as well as a little monastery in that same place, out of thought for the divine and for the remedy of my soul, for the residence of foreign monks and for the poor seeking sustenance, and since it too is known that your beloved sanctity has worked constantly for me and my monastery, I have therefore decreed before my own soul, that you are to be consoled in some way by my properties. And I have made this decision of my own free will. Therefore, I grant to you, and wish to be granted, the aforesaid basilicas of the saints, so that you might govern them and be lord over them. And I also grant to you at the aforesaid places of the saints a portion of what is mine in this villa of Echternach, that is, whatever has come to me through paternal or maternal succession ... Enacted at Trier on the Kalends of November, in the fourth year of the reign of our lord, King Childebert [III] ...'


4. Trier, 1 December 697/8
Anno quarto regni domini nostri Childeberti regis, sub die Kalendas Decembris. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Ego Irmina [...] dono a die presenti pro remedio animę meę uel pro mercedis meę augmento in ęterna beatitudine uel retributione ad basilicam quę est in nomine sanctę Trinitatis uel in honore sanctę Marię genitricis Domini nostri Ihesu Christi uel beatorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli seu cęterorum sanctorum in uilla nostra Epternaco constructa [...] Actum Treberi die et regno superscripto [...]

'In the fourth year of our lord, King Childebert, on the Kalends of December. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. I Irmina ... grant from the present day, for the remedy of my soul and for the increase of my riches in eternal beatitude and reward, to the basilica which is constructed in our villa of Echternach in the name of the Holy Trinity and in honour of Saint Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and other saints ... Enacted at Trier on the day and in the reign written above.'


6. (Trier), 1 July 699
Domino sancto et in Christo patri Willibrordo episcopo Ermina abbatissa donatrix [...] dono ad monasterum uestrum in uilla Epternaco, constructo super fluuio Sura, quod ego a nouo de fundo proprio ędificaui, uel ad illa loca sanctorum que sunt in honore sanctę Trinitatis et sanctorum Petri et Pauli apostolorum ceterorumque sanctorum constructa [...] Facta est hęc cartula donationis sub die Kal(endas) Iulias anno V regni domini nostri Childeberti regis [...]

'To the holy lord and father in Christ, Bishop Willibrord: Abbess Irmina, donor ... I grant to your monastery in the villa of Echternach, constructed over the river Sûre, which I first built from my own estate, and where places of the saints which are in honour of the Holy Trinity, and Saints Peter and Paul and others saints are constructed ... This charter of donation was drawn up on the Kalends of July in the fifth year of the reign of our lord, King Childebert ...'


Text: Wampach, 1.2, 17-23, 24-6.
Translation: B. Savill.

Cult building - monastic

Construction of cult buildings
Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings

Women
Family
Ecclesiastics - bishops
Ecclesiastics - abbots
Ecclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits
Foreigners (including Barbarians)
Aristocrats
The socially marginal (beggars, prostitutes, thieves)

Source

Discussion

Bibliography