ON SAINT MARTIN
BISHOP OF TONGRES IN BELGIUM.
ABOUT CCLXXVI
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY
On the cultus, age, acts whether he was also Bishop of Trier?
Martinus, Bishop of Tongres, in Belgium (S.)
G. H.
On the thirteenth day of May we illustrated the Life of S. Servatius, who is believed to have transferred the See from Tongres to Maastricht, and then before the second Tome of May we gave a preliminary Exegesis on the Episcopate of Tongres and Maastricht, Natalis 21 June with Molanus where in chapter one we treated of the antiquity of the city of Tongres and its ten first Bishops, of whom the seventh was S. Martin. To him John Molanus arranged such an elogium in the Natales of the Saints of Belgium, on this day XXI June. At Tongres the deposition of S. Martin, Bishop and Confessor of the same Church, who converted the Hasbanians. He is written to have died at Tongres in the year of salvation CCLXXVI, in the eleventh of his administration. The most holy Servatius indeed, who transposed the See of Maastricht, is asserted to have enclosed the same shining with many miracles in a silver shrine there. He is rightly called the Apostle of the Hasbanians, because, as the lessons of his feast have, by preaching Christ in many villages of Hasbania, he freed the people from deep blindness. He is celebrated with a long encomium in the Ms. Florarium of the Saints, in the Ms. Florarium, from which we give these things: Natalis of S. Martin Bishop of Tongres and Confessor, and of the Brabantians toward the South Apostle. This man converted the Hasbanians to the faith. He died in the year of salvation CCLXXVIII, XI Kalends of July. The Tables of the Roman Martyrology have thus: Among the Tongrians of S. Martin the Bishop. Roman Mrlgy, Where in Notes Baronius adds: In the tables of the Bishops of Tongres he is placed seventh in order, and is called Apostle of the Hasbanians, and they hand down that he died in the year of the Lord CCLXXVI. Miraeus agrees in the Belgian Fasti in this manner: S. Martin, Bishop of Tongres, Fasti of Miraeus, is rightly named Apostle of the Hasbanians, because he seriously preached the doctrine of Christ in many villages of Hasbania (which is reckoned partly of Liège, partly of Brabantian jurisdiction). In said Brabant the first city of Hasbania are estimated Thenae, with neighboring towns and fields toward Liège: in which the village Hespen near Lunda retains a vestige of the name of Hasbania, which also in German is called Hespengau. and others. With said Martyrologies agree Galesinius, and Saussay and with a long encomium Bartholomew Fisen in the Flowers of the Church of Liège.
[2] Acts of S. Martin we have obtained double, the earlier from the Ms. of Utrecht of the Church of S. Salvator, and another from the monastery of Rouge-Cloître of Regular Canons, Double Life from Mss. where they are had in the second part of the Hagiologium of the Brabantines, to which John Gillemann, who flourished there two hundred years ago, prefixed a Prologue. The later Acts from the Ms. Passional of the illustrious Maastricht Church the most ample Lord William Lyssen took care to have described for us, there of the Church of S. Servatius Dean, attesting by his subscription that the copy sent to us agrees with its original. From these latter Acts have been taken the nine lessons, which in the very ancient Breviary of the Church of Tongres at Matins used to be recited. The earlier alone however we give, because the later do not differ from these except by the prolixity of phrase; nor does it please to multiply Acts gratuitously, especially written several centuries after the matter done; and therefore (these are) of not great faith. The same were translated into German, which from them in elegant style by someone of ours rendered into Latin we have, but we prefer to retain the ancient writing.
[3] In the aforecited Exegesis we showed S. Martin, and seven other Bishops of Tongres, to have been thrust into the catalogue of Bishops of Trier, The Episcopate of Trier seems affixed to him. by the authority of a certain Chronicle of Trier, fabulous about its beginning. Brower in the Annals of Trier, that he might find a place for these Bishops, assigns to S. Martin one year, and that of the vulgar era the three hundred and eighth, at which time S. Agritius is observed to have presided there. The year of death, with Molanus, Baronius and others we assign, two hundred seventy-sixth; and we hold that he presided at least eleven years, or perhaps many more; since the earlier Acts num. 6 have him to have traversed his Episcopate to the borders of a long age. Meanwhile that the Episcopate of Trier was also afterwards thrust into the Acts of S. Martin, is clear from this, that the predecessor Florentius is said sixth of the Tongrians and Trevirorum the Bishop, S. Martin seventh, and the successors Maximinus eighth and Valentinus ninth, who meanwhile with Brower and others are reckoned Bishop of Trier above the twenty-third, fourth, fifth and sixth, which necessarily would have to have been indicated. Hence we do not delete the thrust name of the Trevirians, but take care to print it in smaller character.
[4] The feast of S. Martin in the Church of Tongres under the triple rite, as they called, was wont to be recited, with this collect added, which is also referred to in the Maastricht Breviary: Omnipotent eternal God, indeficient conservator of your faithful, Collect. who deigned to glorify this day with the solemnity of your glorious Confessor and Pontiff Martin; hear the prayers of the supplicant Church, and grant, that what it devoutly seeks by his suffrage it may deserve to obtain.
LIFE
From ancient Mss. codices.
Martinus, Bishop of Tongres, in Belgium (S.)
BHL Number: 5607
FROM A MS.
PROLOGUE
Of John Gillemann.
[1] Of blessed and glorious Confessor of Christ Martin, Pontiff of the Tongrians, the life and morals gathering few from many, Martin to be praised for the Brabantians illustrated by faith, but in few comprehending many, here now I judged worthy to insert: for the fact that he too the Brabantians, still blinded by the shadows of ignorance and infidelity, recently in spiritual war assaulting, subjected them to the Christian faith, and the dark cloud of theirs illustrated with the rutilant light of his holy preaching. Who although certainly with all virtues was adorned;
especially however the admirable patience by which he prevailed (as the diligent reader from what I am about to subjoin will be able clearly to recognize) it is fitting to commend and expedient to imitate: and his patience to be proposed, so that by his contemplation both our impatience may be blunted, and our pride confounded. Finally this blessed Pontiff, and charity even toward enemies, not only loved friends in God, but even his enemies for God; and to them always, notwithstanding the injuries frequently inflicted by them on him, he was solicitous to charitably impart gifts of salvation and aid without acceptance of persons. Whence it happened, that from the Lord, by whose gift he had obtained this grace, he deserved sublimely to be crowned. crowned by God. Which without our confusion cannot be said, because since the hand of the Lord is not shortened, that similarly it can endow us; if we should exhibit ourselves such, by keeping the vessels of our hearts unshaken against all adverse assaults, we would also perceive the same grace from the Lord.
HISTORY OF THE LIFE.
[2] After Blessed a Florentius who as sixth from S. Maternus the churches of the Tongrians and Trevirians b ruled, blessed Martin, a man adorned with virtues, by the Clergy and people of either sex, although much resisting, was elected; Famous for sanctity and miracles he is created Bishop, and consecrated as seventh Pontiff of both. This man before the Episcopate giving himself solely to God, in hidden places, after he had assiduously visited the holy places, lived: and prevailed in such sanctity of life, that miracles often shone forth through him, and in his acts he appeared as angelic. Whence on account of his preceding merits and miracles not so much assumed, as compelled by the whole people as is said; he underwent the Pontifical dignity.
[3] When indeed through his whole diocese he insisted on preaching, preaching in Hasbania, and converted very many still given over to idolatry, especially in the parts of Hasbania, to the faith of Christ; it happened that he turned aside to a village, which is called c Horion: whose inhabitants, as villagers of hard neck, rejecting his preaching, drove him from themselves affected with contumelies: and scarcely restraining their hands from blows, forbade, that anyone, under the penalty of body and goods, is afflicted with contumelies. should receive him in hospitality or exhibit to him the solace of humanity. With him however turning aside from the village, the rustics persecuted him, hurling words of derision and mockery after him, until with night coming on they being wearied and affected with tedium, in groups returned to their own.
[4] But the man of God patiently bearing all things, and commending himself to the Lord, now feeble in body, withdrew into the solitude of a vast grove with a few disciples, the rock provides a sleeping place to him expelled, and reclining his weary limbs for nocturnal rest upon a rock, lay down. And behold the rock by God's nod, showing in itself vital motion, in this part where the holy man reclined his head, swelled like a pillow; pressing itself there, exhibited a quiet place of rest. After sleep however, when with head raised he had sat on the same rock; the same place exhibiting an idoneous seat, with verdant herbs in the manner of a chair d fitted itself to him. Nor only these things to the praise of his faithful servant the Lord exhibited, and fits a chair for him: but he himself also shone with very many miracles. For as many as from the blessed man's enemies though at first, and others weak and sick devoutly afterwards visited the said rock, thence brought back plenary health: and there were done such great prodigies, namely the illumination of the blind, and the restoration of lost senses of whatever kind, the cleansing of lepers and energumens, then shining with miracles and such great care of other diseases; that through diverse spaces of lands far and wide his name was spread and his merit: so that scarcely human tongue suffices to narrate, whence also the place itself even today is called the Pass or Crossing of S. Martin, from which it happily first drew its name.
[5] Meanwhile this holy man approached a village, which is called e Aquiria: where the people had been perplexed with much error, wherefore seeing them ardently insisting on theatrical vanity; Leads the Aquirians to faith and modesty, and especially on festive days, on which it was right to give themselves to the Lord, leading dances around, and giving their effort to pompous spectacles; he groaned and said to his Brothers more secretly: Behold how Christian religion is perishing. Are we not for the souls of these to render account before the strict Judge? It is fitting certainly, fitting also that to these through me be demonstrated the way of eternal salvation, lest these vain ones not destroying all things, with them I become reproved by the Lord. Without delay, in the same place he instituted a church to be built, and constructs a church for them in which the inhabitants had committed themselves to voluptuous delights and enticing frequentations to the slavery of demons, and into a place of prayer suddenly transformed. The people also where before songs of theatrical softness had resounded, he thoroughly taught for guilt to offer tears with groans to the Lord. So with the Aquirians corrected, the second church was thus established for them, for before for some time the blessed Martin himself, from another part of the same village, had constructed a Church, and so finally he returned to Tongres.
[6] But how great and what things in that city the Lord through him operated, if I should pursue all, the day (as I judge) will cease before the speech. For through him what virtues did the Lord not produce? When he restored sight to the blind, step to the paralytic, hearing to the deaf, cleanness to the lepers, and to those oppressed by demons restored health. When the blessed Martin, among the Tongrians famous for miracles in the way which has been said, had passed to the limits of a long age, by doing good and healing all those oppressed by various languors; finally with the course of his life happily completed, knowing the day of his death was imminent on him, wonderfully arranged ecclesiastical business. long-lived dies, Finally with disciples called together, and diligently informed about the perfection to be followed, and the people moreover entrusted to him commended to the Lord by prayers; he the most holy man, on the eleventh Kalends of July, migrated to Christ. At whose obsequies from almost all places of the whole fatherland, June 21 every age, and every sex came together, professing the sorrow of heart by the tears of body: and there was an abundance of the poor, whose assiduous father and procurator he had stood out, with weepings wetting their faces, and lamenting themselves destitute of the pious Pastor's presence. Throngs of Monks also f and bands of Consecrated women, with uncultivated habit attesting contempt of the world, in the church of S. Mary buried. hastened to the obsequies of the man of God with sad countenances. Finally the holy body in the Church of B. Mary g Virgin, next to his predecessor Pontiffs of the Tongrians and of the Trevirians, they buried with the greatest honor, in which by his merits to God's praise the greatest miracles were done.
[7] When indeed after the death of B. Martin the Bishop, the city of the Tongrians most flourishing and most famous, among all the cities of Africa and at the same time of Europe long had flourished, having h seventy-two churches of congregations; is said the Body and over the pledges of the Saints, especially of the most blessed Martin the Bishop, on account of the daily frequency of miracles at his tomb had exulted under i Maximinus the eighth from B. Maternus, and Valentinus the ninth Pontiff of the Trevirians and Trungrians, finally with Blessed Servatius presiding, the tenth from blessed Maternus; by S. Servatius brought to Maastricht, when he had most certainly known the city of the Tongrians on account of the multiplicity of sins was to be devastated by the Huns by a revelation divinely made to him; the treasure of the Tongresian Church, with the bodies of the holy Pontiffs of the same, namely Martin, k Navitus, Marcellus, Metropolis, Severinus, and Valentinus to Maastricht he transferred, together with a number of many Saints buried through the whole city in individual colleges: who when in the crypt of the church, which he had erected for this, the brought treasure had most diligently placed l, among the other Relics which he had brought with him, in a higher place, namely behind the altar, on which then the blessed Father Servatius daily celebrated, and rather than others in a more honored place deposited: the body of the most blessed Martin singularly exalted; by such a deed prophesying, that he himself of those brought would be of the greatest merit in the heavens, on account of which on earth he ought rightly to be more honorably elevated. For this honor posterity by the example of Father Servatius not without the greatest showing of prodigies, by which the merits of blessed Martin the Lord deigned to reveal, observed for his Relics: so that also afterwards with many times passed and B. Servatius's translation completed, to his body for the heap of greater excellence, the body also of Most Blessed Martin in a greater capsule was held worthy to be placed laterally m. Let us recognize therefore, O dearest, those who are of this kind, and let us pray with pure heart, afterwards placed at the side of S. Servatius. that this blessed and glorious Pontiff Martin, who is recognized to have shone with so many notable miracles, all the burdens of our sins from us, with the suffrage of his prayers may deign to repel. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns God; through all ages of ages. Amen.