E00692: The Life of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) is written in Latin by Sulpicius Severus in Primulacum (south west Gaul), c. 395 AD, before Martin's death. It presents him as an ideal monk, bishop, and miracle-worker. Overview entry.
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posted on 2015-09-03, 00:00 authored by robertSulpicius Severus, Life of Martin
Summary:
The Life of Martin is dedicated to a certain Desiderius, named in a dedicatory letter. In the prologue Sulpicius Severus presents his aim as describing the life of a most saintly man (sanctisimus vir) in order provide an example of Christian life to others (ch. 1).
Martin, the son of a soldier, is born in Sabaria (Pannonia, modern Hungary). In his childhood he longs for a monastic life, but has to enrol in the army. Yet he lives like a monk rather than a soldier (ch. 2). He shares his pay and goods with the poor and has a vision of Christ, clad in the cloak that Martin had cut in two in order to clothe a beggar (ch. 3). He refuses to fight in a battle against barbarians in Gaul, says so to the emperor Julian, and leaves the army (ch. 4). Hilary of Poitiers ordains him an exorcist (he refused to accept a higher clerical rank). Martin travels back to Pannonia, to convert his parents, and also converts brigands whom he met in the Alps (ch. 5). He confronts the devil close to Milan, and shortly afterwards fights against Arians. When forced to withdraw from the city, he lives as a hermit, first close to Milan, then on the island of Gallinaria (Liguria).
Martin founds a monastic community in Ligugé, near Poitiers, where he performs his first miracles. He raises a novice and a suicide from the dead (ch. 7-8; see $E00791). He is chosen as bishop of Tours (ch. 9), founds a new monastic community in Marmoutier close to Tours, and continues to live as a monk during his episcopate (ch. 10). He discovers that a man venerated as a martyr close to Tours was actually a brigand (ch. 11; see E00100). As a bishop he systematically destroys pagan shrines in the countryside, shows his power over elements, and so converts rural pagan populations (ch. 12-15). He heals the sick and demoniacs by prayer and administering oil (ch. 16) or touch (chs. 17-19). He heals a leper by kissing him; threads from his clothes heal the sick (ch. 18). Even a letter sent by Martin has healing power, and he is able also to cure the eyesight of Paulinus [of Nola] (ch. 19). He interrogates demoniacs in order to check whether gossip spread by evil spirits is true (ch. 18). Martin himself is healed by an angel (ch. 19). When meeting the emperor, Martin, unlike other bishops, keeps apostolic dignity (ch. 20). He fights against Satan who either tries to scare him by killing other people (ch. 21) or deceive him and other Christians by appearing to them in the form of pagan gods (ch. 22), angels (ch. 23), or Christ (24). Sulpicius Severus mentions his meeting with Martin (ch. 25) and emphasises his virtues which were all the greater as Martin was often despised and even persecuted by other Christians, including bishops (ch. 27)
Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.
Summary:
The Life of Martin is dedicated to a certain Desiderius, named in a dedicatory letter. In the prologue Sulpicius Severus presents his aim as describing the life of a most saintly man (sanctisimus vir) in order provide an example of Christian life to others (ch. 1).
Martin, the son of a soldier, is born in Sabaria (Pannonia, modern Hungary). In his childhood he longs for a monastic life, but has to enrol in the army. Yet he lives like a monk rather than a soldier (ch. 2). He shares his pay and goods with the poor and has a vision of Christ, clad in the cloak that Martin had cut in two in order to clothe a beggar (ch. 3). He refuses to fight in a battle against barbarians in Gaul, says so to the emperor Julian, and leaves the army (ch. 4). Hilary of Poitiers ordains him an exorcist (he refused to accept a higher clerical rank). Martin travels back to Pannonia, to convert his parents, and also converts brigands whom he met in the Alps (ch. 5). He confronts the devil close to Milan, and shortly afterwards fights against Arians. When forced to withdraw from the city, he lives as a hermit, first close to Milan, then on the island of Gallinaria (Liguria).
Martin founds a monastic community in Ligugé, near Poitiers, where he performs his first miracles. He raises a novice and a suicide from the dead (ch. 7-8; see $E00791). He is chosen as bishop of Tours (ch. 9), founds a new monastic community in Marmoutier close to Tours, and continues to live as a monk during his episcopate (ch. 10). He discovers that a man venerated as a martyr close to Tours was actually a brigand (ch. 11; see E00100). As a bishop he systematically destroys pagan shrines in the countryside, shows his power over elements, and so converts rural pagan populations (ch. 12-15). He heals the sick and demoniacs by prayer and administering oil (ch. 16) or touch (chs. 17-19). He heals a leper by kissing him; threads from his clothes heal the sick (ch. 18). Even a letter sent by Martin has healing power, and he is able also to cure the eyesight of Paulinus [of Nola] (ch. 19). He interrogates demoniacs in order to check whether gossip spread by evil spirits is true (ch. 18). Martin himself is healed by an angel (ch. 19). When meeting the emperor, Martin, unlike other bishops, keeps apostolic dignity (ch. 20). He fights against Satan who either tries to scare him by killing other people (ch. 21) or deceive him and other Christians by appearing to them in the form of pagan gods (ch. 22), angels (ch. 23), or Christ (24). Sulpicius Severus mentions his meeting with Martin (ch. 25) and emphasises his virtues which were all the greater as Martin was often despised and even persecuted by other Christians, including bishops (ch. 27)
Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.
History
Evidence ID
E00692Saint Name
Martin, bishop of Tours (Gaul), ob. 397 : S00050Saint Name in Source
MartinusRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Hagiographical - Lives of saintLanguage
- Latin
