The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

Déléage, Receuil des actes du prieuré de Saint-Symphorien, 1

Actoribus ecclesiae sancti Nazarii martyris Augustidunensis et sancti Symphoriani martyris, ubi ipse pretiosus in corpore requiescit, Ansebertus peccator episcopus [...] Ergo dono ad suprascriptam ecclesiam sancti Nazarii martyris, ubi ego, ac si indignus, cura pastorali deseruio, de alodo parentum meorum uillam cui uocabulum est Hauxiaco, in pago Belnense [...] Basilica sancti Symphoriani martyris, quae mihi ab adolescentia mea in omnibus unde substantia mea protexit, unde credimus ut futura eius intercessio apud aeternam pietatem pro remissione peccatorum meorum intercessor assistat [...] uilla uero Tres Valles in pago Maginontense [...] ecclesia sancti Symphoriani ad suos clericos pascendos in eleemosina nostra ut habeat uolo. Similter ad oratorium sancti Leodegarii qui sub habitu Symphoriani constructus esse uidetur, ubi, si Deo placuerit, corpusculus insuper requiesciturus erit, colonicas in pago Maginontense, in Tauiniaco [...] sic tamen inde lumen et sacrificum ipso oratorio stabiliat et omnia sub potestate fratrum ipsius ecclesiae sancti Symphoriani in omnibus esse debeat. Et quattour matricularios, qui ad ipsum oratorium domni Leodegarii desersuiunt, ibidem instituimus [...] Et pro eo quicquid in ista epistola delaguimus, in usuario germane nostrae Sicolinae concessimus, illos martricularios et illud lumen ad oratorium domni Leodegarii et in hoc usu teneat et debeat procurare. Et post [ea] <eius> discessu, tam pontifex suprascriptus haec ecclesiae sancti Nazarii quam clerici Dei ecclesiae sancti Symphoriani, quantum in ipso strumento instituimus, in Dei nomen procurare [...] De suprascripta facultate, quam ad supradictas ecclesias sancti Nazarii uel sancti Symphoriani delegauimus, dum ipsa germana mea Sigolina saeculum contempsit et dum cognouimus iugiter se Christo obtulit et sanctae Mariae in ancillam se tradidit, sub usu et beneficio hoc debeat tenere et, post eius discessum, ad suprascriptas ecclesias pro ista epistola integra soliditate delegauimus, cum re meliorata, ad ipsas ecclesias debeat peruenire [...] Notaui quod fecit mensis Augusti die V, anno II regnante domino Childeberto rege.

'To the agents of the church of Autun of Saint Nazarius the martyr, and of Saint Symphorianus the martyr, where his precious body rests, Bishop Ansbert, sinner, [...] Therefore I grant to the aforesaid cathedral of Nazarius the martyr, where I, although unworthy, serve my pastoral office, the villa from the alod of my parents which is called Auxey, in the Beaunois [...] As for the basilica of Saint Symphorianus the martyr, which from my youth protected me in all things concerning my property, I therefore trust in his future intercession before the Eternal Piety, so that he might stand as an intercessor for my sins <text missing> and I wish the church of Saint Symphorianus to have the villa of Trouhaut in the pagus of Mesmont, for the provision of its clerics in our alms. Similarly, to the oratory of Saint Leudegar, which is seen to have been constructed under the rule of Symphorianus, where, if it pleases God, my own little body will find rest, the estates in the pagus of Mesmont, in Tauiniaco [...] And thus should the light and sacrifice [of the mass] in that oratory be provided for, and all things should in all ways be under the power of the brothers of that church of Saint Symphorianus. And we have established in the same place four who receive poor-relief (matricularii), to serve in that oratory of the Lord Leudegar [...] And whatever we have delegated for this purpose in this document, we have granted to the usufruct of our sister Segolana, so that she should both hold for this purpose and procure those matricularii and that light for the oratory of Lord Leudegar. And after she dies, it is up to both the above-written pontiff of this church of Saint Nazarius, as well as the clergy of God of the church of Saint Symphorianus, to procure in the name of God what we have established in this document [...] Concerning the above-written properties, which we have granted to the above-said churches of Saint Nazarius and Saint Symphorianus, while my sister Segolena holds the world in contempt and, as we recognise, continually offers herself to Christ, having handed herself over as a handmaiden to Saint Mary, she ought to keep hold of these in her use and benefice and, after her death, we then grant them in their entirety to the above-written churches through this document, and so they ought to come to those churches with their resources improved [...] I have put to writing what has been enacted, on the fifth day of August, in the second year of the reign of our lord, King Childebert [III].'


Test: Déléage 1936, 5-9.
Translation: B. Savill.

Other liturgical acts and ceremonies
Eucharist associated with cult

Cult building - independent (church)
Cult building - oratory
Burial site of a saint - unspecified

Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Consecrating a child, or oneself, to a saint
Burial ad sanctos
Renovation and embellishment of cult buildings

Bodily relic - entire body

Women
Family
Ecclesiastics - bishops
Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy
Ecclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits

Source

Discussion

Bibliography