E05132: Paulinus of Nola, writing in c. 405 in Nola (southern Italy), describes the translation to Constantinople of the relics of *Timothy (the disciple of Paul, S00466) and *Andrew (the Apostle, S00288), and how, at this time, small fragments of bone were detached and distributed.

Paulinus of Nola, Natalicium 11, verses 329-363, [AD 405]

Paulinus describes the translation of the relics of saints including Timothy and Andrew to Constantinople (see E04767). These relics effected miracles at the places where they stopped on the journey. When they arrived at their destination, the couriers were encouraged to take a fragment of the relics with them:

inde igitur suadente fide data copia fidis
tunc comitum studiis, quaedam ut sibi pignora uellent
ossibus e sanctis merito decerpere fructu,
ut quasi mercedem officii pretiumque laboris
praesidia ad priuata domum sibi quisque referrent.

ex illo sacri cineres quasi semina uitae
diuersis sunt sparsa locis, quaque osse minuto
de modica sacri stipe corporis exiguus ros
decidit in gentes, illic pia gratia fontes
et fluuios uitae generauit gutta fauillae.

'This, then, was the means by which the faithful and zealous escorts of the relics were afforded a chance at the prompting of faith to break off some keepsakes from the holy bones as their deserved reward, so that they could individually bear back home for their personal protection the reward for their service and payment for their toil. As a result, the sacred ashes have been scattered over different areas like life giving seeds. Wherever a drop of dew has fallen on men in the shape of a particle of bone, the tiny gift from a consecrated body, holy grace has brought forth fountains in that place, and the tiny drops of ashes have begotten rivers of life'.

Text: Dolveck 2015. Translation: Walsh 1975.
Summary: Frances Trzeciak.