E05102: Paulinus of Nola, writing in Latin in c. 400 in Nola (southern Italy), describes the visit of *Melania the Elder (aristocrat of Rome, monastic founder in Jerusalem, ob. AD 410, S01185) to the shrine of *Felix (priest and confessor of Nola, S00000) at Nola/Cimitile. Her sanctity is referred to using hagiographic tropes and her clothes were believed to impart spiritual benefits.

Paulinus of Nola, Letter 29 (to Sulpicius Severus)

Throughout this letter, Paulinus draws attention to Melania’s asceticism and sanctity using hagiographic tropes. She is a ‘soldier of Christ with the virtues of Martin [of Tours]’ (virtutibus Martini miles Christi) (6) and is likened to *John (the Baptist, S00020) (7). Paulinus describes her childhood and ascetic conversion (8-10); her persecution under the Emperor Valens (ob. 378) (11); and her humility and ascetic virtues (12).

Paulinus contrasts her humble clothing with that of her children, who wore silk, and describes the spiritual benefits they hoped to gain from touching Melania and her garments (12):

Illi sericati et pro suo quisque sexu toga aut stola soliti splendere filii crassam illam uelut spartei staminis tunicam et uile palliolum gaudebant manu tangere, et uestimenta sua uelleris auro et arte pretiosa pedibus eius substernere pannis que conteri gestiebant, expiari se a diuitiarum suarum contagio iudicantes, si quam de uilissimo eius habitu aut uestigio sordem conligere mererentur.

‘Those silk clad children of hers, though accustomed to the splendour of a toga or a dress according to their sex, took joy in touching that thick tunic of hers, with its hard threads like broom, and her cheap cloak. They longed to have their woollen garments, so valuable with their golden embroidery, trodden down beneath her feet or worn away with the rubbing of her rags. For they thought that they were cleansed from the pollution of their riches if they succeeded in gathering some of the dirt from her tawdry clothing or her feet.’

Text: Hartel 1894. Translation: Walsh 1966-7.
Summary: Frances Trzeciak.