E05202: Gregory of Tours, in his Miracles of Julian (24), recounts how his family attended the festival of *Julian (martyr of Brioude, S00035) in Brioude (central Gaul), and how his older brother Peter was healed from a fever with dust from Julian’s tomb, drunk or hung round his neck; AD 538/548. Written in Latin in Clermont and Tours (central and north-west Gaul), 570/587.

Gregory of Tours, Miracles of Julian (Liber de passione et virtutibus sancti Iuliani martyris) 24

Post multum vero tempus advenerat festivitas beati martyris, et pater meus cum omni domo sua ad huius solemnitatis gaudia properabat. Nobis vero iter agentibus, Petrus, frater meus senior, ab ardore febrium occupatur et tam graviter agit, ut neque vigere neque cibum sumere possit. Totumque illud iter cum grandi agitur maerore, et in discrimine res vertitur, utrum convalescat aut pereat. Denique cum isto labore pervenitur ad locum; ingredimur basilicam, adoramus sacrosancti martyris sepulturam. Prosternitur et aegrotus in pavimento, deprecans medellam a martyre glorioso. Post conpleta vero oratione ad metatum regressus, febris paululum conquievit. Veniente autem nocte, nobis ad vigilias properantibus, rogat se et ille deferri, incumbensque ante sepulchrum, tota nocte martyris suffragium deprecatur. Exactis deinde nocturnis excubiis, rogat, ut de pulvere, quod circa beatum erat tumulum, collecto vel potui darent vel collo suspenderent. Quo facto, ita omnis ardor febrium conquievit, ut ipsa die et cibum caperet incolomis et, ubi delectatio vertisset animum, ambularet.

‘Much later it was time for the festival of the blessed martyr, and with his entire household my father hurried to enjoy these celebration. As we were making this journey my older brother Peter was afflicted with a burning fever and suffered so badly that he was unable either to retain his strength or to eat. He completed the entire journey with great suffering and it was uncertain whether he would recover or die. Finally, with a great effort we came to the shrine, entered the church, and prayed before the tomb of the holy martyr. My ill brother too prostrated himself on the pavement and requested a cure from the glorious martyr. After he finished his prayer, he returned to our lodging; the fever moderated a bit. When night came we hurried to vigils, and Peter asked that he also be brought. He lay in front of the tomb, and throughout the entire night he prayed for the martyr’s assistance. At the completion of these nocturnal vigils he asked that they give him dust collected around the blessed tomb to drink, or to hang around his neck. Once this was done, the burning fever completely vanished. Hence, on that day he was healthy, took food and walked wherever fancy turned his spirit.’

Text: Krusch 1969, 124-125. Translation: Van Dam 1993, 180, lightly modified.