Martyrius

ON ST. MARTYRIUS, MONK IN THE PROVINCE OF VALERIA IN ITALY.

Sixth Century.

Martyrius, Monk in Italy (Saint)

From St. Gregory.

[1] Valeria is reckoned by Paul the Deacon in his work On the Deeds of the Lombards, chapter 20, as the thirteenth province of Italy, which, as he says, lies between Umbria and Campania and Picenum, and to the east borders the region of the Samnites... The province of Valeria in Italy. It has the cities of Tibur, Carseoli, Reate, Furco, and Amiternum, and the region of the Marsi, and their lake which is called Fucinus. It was so named, as Baronius writes in his Notes on the Martyrology, from the Via Valeria, which, beginning at Tibur, passing through the Marsi, led all the way to Corfinium; and on that same road there was a city called Valeria. Leander Albertus thought that the region of the Marsi surrounding that city was given the name Valeria in the Gothic era. But it is more probable that the name was given to the region from the road, as elsewhere in the same Italy. Concerning the Via Valeria and the city of Valeria, Strabo writes in book 5: The Via Valeria begins at Tibur (where, namely, the Tiburtina ends) and leads to the Marsi and to Corfinium, the chief city of the Paelignian people. On it are the Latin towns of Valeria, Carseoli, and Alba. Others call the city of Valeria "Varia," now Vico Varo, and it lies on the right bank of the Anio.

[2] In this province of Valeria, St. Martyrius the monk flourished. For although there are provinces named Valeria in Pannonia and elsewhere, The feast of St. Martyrius. St. Gregory, who mentions him, treats in his Books of the Dialogues only of Italian Saints, as is clear from the preface. Martyrius is inscribed in the Roman Martyrology on January 23 with these words: In the province of Valeria, St. Martyrius the monk, whom Blessed Pope Gregory mentions. He is also recorded by Peter de Natali, book 11, chapter 98; Galesinnius, Wion, Ghinius, Menard, and Ferrarius in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, who writes that he was a disciple of St. Severus the Priest, and unlettered. St. Severus is honored on February 15. Molanus, in his first edition of Usuard, had added the following under June 2, which was omitted in the subsequent editions: Of the monk Martyrius, about whom Blessed Gregory writes in his Dialogues. Canisius has the same entry on that day.

[3] Concerning St. Martyrius, St. Gregory writes in book 1 of the Dialogues, chapter 11: A certain man in the same province He signs loaves from a distance and truly impresses a cross: (of Valeria), Martyrius by name, proved himself a most devout servant of almighty God, and he gave this sign as testimony of his virtues. When one day the brethren had made him a bread baked under ashes, and had forgotten to impress upon it the sign of the cross, as in this province raw loaves are customarily marked with a sign* so that they appear divided into four quarters, the same servant of God arrived and, when they reported that it had not been signed, learned of the omission. And although that loaf was already covered with coals and ashes, he said: Why did you not sign this? And saying this, he made the sign of the Cross with his finger toward the coals: at whose signing the bread immediately gave forth an immense crack, as if a great pot had burst in the flames. When it was afterwards cooked and drawn from the fire, it was found marked with that cross which not touch but faith had made. So writes St. Gregory.

[4] Ferrarius adds: When he had no vessel for carrying fire, he took it up in his own garment and carried it, without any damage to his clothing, all the way to the mountain where the brethren were. He carries fire in his garment, unharmed. And with the same cloak in which he had carried the burning coals, having covered a leper, he healed him at once, and lifting him upon his shoulders and carrying him, as he approached the monastery, he called out to the brethren, crying: Run and quickly open the gate of the monastery, for Brother Martyrius carries the Lord! When these words were spoken, the leper said to Martyrius: Martyrius, you were not ashamed of me on earth; nor shall I be ashamed of you in heaven, and immediately disappeared. Moreover, Ferrarius considers this to be the same Martyrius who impressed the cross upon the loaves from a distance and who carried Christ in the form of a leper, on account, as he says, of the identity of the miracle.

[5] Baronius considered them different men, and this is clear from St. Gregory, who writes in Homily 39 on the Gospels as follows: But since the hearts of hearers are more often aroused to the love of God and neighbor by examples than by words, Another Martyrius I am eager to relate to your charity what my son Epiphanius the Deacon, who is present here, born in the province of Isauria, is accustomed to narrate as a miracle that occurred in the neighboring land of Lycaonia. For he says that there was in that region a certain monk named Martyrius, of a very venerable life, who was traveling from his own monastery to visit another monastery, over which a spiritual Father presided. He carries Christ on his shoulders in the form of a leper, Going on his way, therefore, he found in the road a certain leper, whom the elephantine disease had disfigured through his limbs with thick sores, wishing to return to his lodging but unable on account of weariness. Moreover, he claimed to have his lodging on the very journey to which the same monk Martyrius was hastening. The man of God, therefore, taking pity on the weariness of that leper, immediately threw upon the ground and spread out the cloak with which he was clothed, and placed the leper on top of it, and, binding him tightly on every side in his cloak, lifted him upon his shoulder and, carrying him, returned with him. As he was now approaching the gates of the monastery, the spiritual Father of that same monastery began to cry out with loud voices: Run, open the gates of the monastery quickly, for Brother Martyrius comes bearing the Lord! Immediately, as soon as Martyrius reached the entrance of the monastery, (Which a certain Abbot divinely perceives) he who had been thought a leper leapt from his neck, and, appearing in the form in which the Redeemer of the human race, God and man Christ Jesus, is accustomed to be recognized by men, returned to heaven as Martyrius looked on, He is blessed by Christ. and as He ascended He said to him: Martyrius, you were not ashamed of me on earth; I shall not be ashamed of you in the heavens. The holy man, as soon as he had entered the monastery, was asked by the Father of the monastery: Brother Martyrius, where is the one you were carrying? To which he answered: If I had known who he was, I would have held onto his feet. Then the same Martyrius related that when he had carried him, he had felt no weight at all. And no wonder: for how could he have felt a weight, when the one he was carrying was the one who carries all things?

[6] We have nowhere found the name of this Martyrius written in the Calendars of the Saints. Ferrarius has not reported the matter with the best fidelity, as is clear to anyone who compares the texts.

Side Note* Others read: with wood. Pope Zacharias simply translates σφραγίζειν (to seal).