E00414: The Piacenza Pilgrim records his visit to the house in Nazareth of *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), now a basilica; also miracles performed by her clothes, the beauty and kindness of the Jewish women of Nazareth (Palestine), and the general well-being of the region. Account of an anonymous pilgrim, written in Latin, probably in Placentia (northern Italy), c. 570.

Pilgrim of Piacenza, Itinerarium 5

First recension
Deinde uenimus in ciuitatem Nazareth, in qua sunt multae uirtutes... Domus sanctae Mariae basilica est, et multa ibi fiunt beneficia de uestimentis eius. In ciuitate uero illa tanta est gratia mulierum Hebraeis, ut in terra illa inter Hebraeas pulcriores non inueniantur, et hoc dicunt, quia a sancta Maria sibi hoc concessum; nam et parentem suam dicunt eam fuisse; et dum nulla sit caritas Hebraeis circa christianos, illae uero omne sunt caritate plenae. Prouincia similis paradiso, in tritico et in frugis similis Aegypto, modica quidem, sed praecellit Aegyptum in uino et oleo et poma. Melium extra natura altum nimis, super statum hominis talea grossa.

'We travelled on to the city of Nazareth, where many miracles take place ... The house of saint Mary is now a basilica, and her clothes are the cause of frequent miracles. The Hebrew women of that city are better-looking than any other in the whole country. They declare that this is saint Mary's gift to them, for they also say that she was a relation of theirs. Though there is no love lost between Hebrews and Christians these women are full of kindness. The region is a paradise, with corn and fruit like Egypt. The region is small, but in its wine, oil and apples it is superior to Egypt. The millet is abnormally tall, and the stalks are bigger than the height of man.'

The second recension follows the text of the first without important modifications.


Text: Geyer 1898, 161 and 196. Translation: Wilkinson 2002, 131-132.