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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Name

Medard, bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560

Saint ID

S00168

Number in BH

BHL 5863-5874

Reported Death Not Before

557

Reported Death Not After

558

Gender
Male
Type of Saint
Bishops , "Confessors"
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E00348Gregory of Tours, in his Life of *Monegundis (female recluse of Chartres and Tours, mid/late 6th c., S00150), tells how she visited a church in the Touraine (north-west Gaul) that held relics of *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), and celebrated vigils there. From Gregory's Life of the Fathers (19.2), written in Latin in Tours, 573/594.
E00674Bishop Nicetius of Trier, in a letter to Chlodosinda, queen of the Lombards (Austrasian Letter 8), describes the posthumous healing power of the Gallic saints *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), *Germanus (bishop of Auxerre, ob. c. 448, S00455), *Lupus (bishop of Troyes, ob. 479, S00418), *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), *Remigius (bishop of Reims, ob. c. 533, S00456), and *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), and contrasts this with the alleged absence of miracles in Arian churches. Written in Latin, presumably at Trier (eastern Gaul), 561/569.
E02097Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (4.19), tells of the death of *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, S00168) in c. 560, his burial by King Chlothar at Soissons (north-east Gaul), the church built over his grave (completed by Chlothar's son, Sigibert), and the broken chains preserved by the tomb as proof of his miraculous freeing of prisoners. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
E02103Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (4.51), records the burial in 575 of the Frankish king Sigibert, in the church of *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168) at Soissons (north-east Gaul). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
E02120Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (5.3), records a gift in 575 by King Chilperic to the church of *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168) outside Soissons (north-east Gaul). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
E02148Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (5.34), records in the year 580: the death of Dagobert, son of King Chilperic and Fredegund, and his burial in Paris in the church of *Dionysius/Denis (bishop and martyr of Paris, S00349); how Chilperic and Fredegund carried their sick elder son, Chlodobert, to the church of *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168) at Soissons (north-east Gaul) and made vows for their child's recovery; his death and burial at Soissons, in the church of *Crispinus and Crispinianus, (martyrs of Soissons, S01174). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594.
E02333Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (9.9), recounts how in 587 the wife of Rauching was on her way to the church of *Crispinus and Crispinianus (martyrs of Soissons, S01174) at Soissons (north-east Gaul), to celebrate mass on their feast day, when she heard of her husband's death; she then sought sanctuary in the church of *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), also at Soissons. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/594.
E02448Gregory of Tours writes the Glory of the Confessors, in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588. Overview entry.
E02751Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Confessors (93), tells of the broken fetters he has seen by the tomb of *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168) at Soissons (north-east Gaul); a woman with crippled hands, inspired to visit by a book of the saint's miracles, was cured there; and slivers of wood from the original wooden building over his grave, and even a piece from the door of the current church, are effective in curing toothache; Gregory has in his own possession the staff of Medard, which effects miracles. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588.
E04845The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 8 June.
E05555Venantius Fortunatus writes eleven books of Poems in Latin, mainly in western and north-western Gaul, 565/600; many of them with reference to saints. Overview entry.
E05641Venantius Fortunatus, in a poem (2.16) On saint *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168) recounts miracles during his lifetime, and after his death at his tomb outside Soissons (north-east Gaul), where King Sigibert completed the construction of his church. Written in Latin in Gaul, 565/575.
E05936The Chronicle of Fredegar (4.54) describes how in 626 Godinus, son of the Mayor of the Palace Warnacharius, took refuge from the anger of King Chlothar II in the church of *Aper (bishop of Toul, ob. 6th c., S02195) in Toul (eastern Gaul). He is later forced to visit various churches, ostensibly to strengthen his fidelity to Chlothar by swearing oaths in them. Includes references to the burial churches of *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), *Denis/Dionysius (bishop and martyr of Paris, S00349), *Anianus (bishop of Orléans, ob. 454, S01206), and *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050). Written in Latin in Gaul/Francia, 659/700.
E06095The will of Bertram/Bertrand, bishop of Le Mans, of 27 March 616, establishes as the bishop's heirs two churches at Le Mans (north-west Gaul), one dedicated to *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), the other to the Apostles *Peter and *Paul (S00036 and S00008), which Bertram himself had built; and makes provisions concerning numerous properties across Gaul, including churches associated with various saints, mostly in or around Le Mans. Written in Latin at Le Mans.
E06146An authentic Merovingian royal diploma records the immunities guaranteed by Childebert III, king of the Franks, to the monastery in Angers (north-west Gaul) dedicated to *Sergius (soldier and martyr of Rusafa, S00023) and *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168). Written in Latin in Gaul/Francia, 694/711.
E06301Audoin's Life of *Eligius (bishop of Noyon, ob. 660, S02032) records across two books the saint's lay and then episcopal career, his posthumous cult, and many miracles. It provides further evidence for many other cults in 7th-century Gaul. Written in Latin in Gaul, possibly in 660/86, with later additions and emendations.
E06315The Latin Life of *Gaugeric (bishop of Cambrai, ob. 623/9, S02205) records the bishop's life, death and miracles, mentioning also the shrines of other saints of northern Gaul. Written perhaps at Cambrai (north-east Gaul), probably c. 640/700.
E06474The Latin Life of *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), possibly by Venantius Fortunatus, briefly recounts the life of the saint and records miracles during his lifetime, at his funeral and at his grave. Written in northern Gaul, possibly in 595/612.
E06895Will of Aredius of Limoges and his mother Pelagia, of 572, containing bequests to churches or oratories dedicated to *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), *Martialis (first bishop of Limoges, S01168), Hilary/Hilarius (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), *Maximinus (bishop of Trier, ob. c. 347, S00465), and *Julian (martyr of Brioude, S00035); the clauses of the will are placed under the protection of St Martin. Written in Latin in Limoges (western Gaul).
E07074In the Latin Life of Lady *Balthild (queen of the Franks, ob. 680, S02359), the author reports that the saint gave special privileges to the 'senior basilicas' in Gaul, dedicated to *Dionysius (bishop and martyr of Paris, S00349), *Germanus (bishop of Paris, ob. 576, S01166), *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), *Anianus (bishop of Orléans, ob. 453, S01206), and *Martin (bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050). Written in Gaul/Francia, possibly at the monastery at Chelles (near Paris), 680/90.
E07754Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (4.21), reports the burial of King Chlothar I in the church of *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168) at Soissons (north-east Gaul) in 561. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
E07766Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (5.49), describes how during Gregory's trial in 580 for slandering Queen Fredegund, a man named Modestus, who had been imprisoned after criticising Gregory's accusers, was miraculously freed through the intervention of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) and *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), and joined Gregory at vigils in Medard's church at Soissons (north-east Gaul). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594.
E08203Chilperic, Frankish king (r. 561-584) writes a Latin hymn in honour of *Medard (bishop of Vermand, buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), praising his holy life and extolling his many and diverse miracles. Written in northern Gaul, perhaps at Soissons, 561/584.
E0831535 relic labels at Sens (northern Gaul), datable by their script to the 7th or 8th c., for relics of a great diversity of saints. Written in Latin, perhaps at Sens, or at an earlier stage in their transmission.
E08349Venantius Fortunatus writes the Life of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050). It is an adaptation in epic verse of the Life of Martin and of books 2 and 3 of the Dialogues of Sulpicius Severus; in a final envoi, the book travels from Poitiers to Fortunatus' home city of Ravenna, stopping at the shrines of many saints along the way. Written in Latin, in Poitiers (western Gaul), between 573 and 576. Overview entry.
E08397The will of Somnatius, bishop of Reims (c. 613 - after 626), leaves property and money to many churches at Reims and elsewhere in northern Gaul. Will of c. 620; summary, written in Latin in the 940s by Flodoard, in his History of the Church of Reims (2.5).
E08398The will of Lando, bishop of Reims (mid-7th c.), leaves property to many churches of Reims. Will of mid-7th c.; summary, written in Latin in the 940s by Flodoard, in his History of the Church of Reims (2.6).
E08485Venantius Fortunatus, at the end of his verse Life of St Martin (4.638-40), sends the personified book on a pilgrimage, from Poitiers to the poet's home city of Ravenna, venerating various saints along the way; its third and fourth such stops are at the grave of *Remigius (bishop of Reims, ob. c. 533, S00456) and the church of *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), at Reims and Soissons respectively (both north-east Gaul). Written in Latin in Poitiers (north-west Gaul), 573/576.