VITA S. MARTINI TURONENSIS

657DAfter our Lord Jesus Christ ascended in triumph to the heights of the heavens, and as God took his seat in the majesty of the Father, he granted to the ages many lights of teachers, so that, the darkness of ignorance being put to flight, he might turn the nations everywhere to the acknowledging of the true light [ Al., converterent]: that just as the stars shine out in different parts of the sky, so also holy teachers might give light through the various parts of the world, so that the way of salvation might lie open to all, and the light of truth shine out. Whence also he led [ Al., 658Ddirected] the most blessed Martin into the regions of Gaul, that he might shed the light of truth upon peoples numb with foul gloom, and might draw very many nations out of the jaws of the ancient enemy, and graft them into the most sacred body of Christ.

The holy man's homeland and military service. He loves to follow the warfare of Christ. As a catechumen he clothes a poor man. -- The most blessed man, then, was born of pagan parents in the region of Pannonia, in the town of Sabaria; but he was brought up within Ticinum in Italy, and was bound to the belt of military service, according to the nobility of his parents, by the governor [ Al., by the faithless] Julian. 659ABut the holy man chose rather to serve the heavenly God than to soldier under an earthly emperor; and he was specially chosen to carry the standard of the holy cross into the western parts of the world, and to exchange the oaths of soldiering for the edicts of the Gospel: not to contend with worldly arms for the Roman kingdom, but by particular teachings to enlarge the Christian empire; nor to subdue fierce peoples by the hard law of the Romans, but to lay the light yoke of Christ upon the neck of very many nations. After the mystery of holy baptism he shone in the world with great miracles, and gleamed far and wide over the earth with his teachings; and these are read as his first distinctions. While he was still a catechumen, in the winter cold, he clothed a poor man with half of his own cloak. And with that same part 659Bof his cloak he beheld the Lord Jesus clothed, amid the angelic hosts, on the following night, being divinely enlightened; so that he might understand as true what the Lord Jesus himself thunders forth in the pages of the Gospel: As long as you did it to one of these my least ones, you did it to me (Matth., XXV, 40).

As a young man, staying at Milan, he withstood the Arians. He withdraws into Gaul and joins St. Hilary. --This man passed the flower of his youth in the city of Milan, which at that time the Arian faithlessness, with Auxentius favoring it, greatly stained; and holy Martin, like a strong athlete of Christ, manfully withstood it, and undaunted taught the true faith of the holy Trinity. But from there [ Al., thereafter], driven out by the savagery of the Arian princes, he withdrew into the parts of Gaul, and was joined to the venerable 659Cbishop of the city of Poitiers, Hilary, who at that time stood forth as praiseworthy to all, like a most firm pillar of the faith: and as [ Forte, and just as] Lucifer in the sky shines brighter than the other stars, so that holy man in the Church of Christ blazed forth more excellent than all in greatness of renown, in holiness of life, and in the truth of holy teachings. To this man's discipline holy Martin joined himself, after he had left the belt of soldiering, so that, taught by the examples of so great a man, he might go forth the stronger to the Christian battle, armed with the helmet of faith and girded with the breastplate of righteousness, armed with the sword of the word of God, and fortified as an undaunted warrior against all the darts of the evil one.

Visiting his parents, he converts his mother to the faith. 659DAnd likewise a robber. --This same holy man, admonished also by a divine oracle, converted his parents to the profession of the sacred faith; and his mother, who bore him for the world, he himself regenerated for Christ. On this journey too he suffered the ambushes of robbers; and while he was handed over to one of them to be kept, by evangelical preaching he converted the robber to Christ: and he who [ Al., and he to whom] had been handed over for punishment became for him unto salvation.

160 V He returns to the Gauls. He builds a cell. He raises three dead. He heals a mute girl. --Returning from there he met a malignant spirit, who pledged himself to be a companion to the holy man wherever he should go; to whom he replied undaunted: The Lord is my 660Ahelper, I will not fear thy threats. But enduring many tribulations from the Arians, he made his way back again to the Gauls, and joined to holy Hilary of Poitiers he built himself a little cell near the city, in which he might more freely gather the fruits of contemplation. A certain catechumen clinging to him was carried off by sudden death, the holy man being absent; and the man of God, with prayers poured out, raised him, and baptized him when he had been restored to life; and he lived many years afterward. Another too, hanged by a noose in the field of a certain Lupicinus, he restored to life by holy prayers. A third, in the town of Chartres, the weeping son of a certain woman, that same holy man raised by prayer alone in the sight of the people. Seeing which miracle, very many of the people believed in Christ. Likewise in the time that followed, in the same town, 660Bhe healed by the anointing of blessed oil a girl who had been mute from infancy.

He is chosen bishop of Tours. He shone forth in all virtues. --But lest the lamp of the Lord should lie hidden covered by a bushel, he was drawn away from his most sweet dwelling, and bound by the prayers of many, he was chosen bishop of the city of Tours, where he performed very many distinguished works of holy virtues, and scattered abroad many teachings of the heavenly life; yet he did not lose the self-restraint of the private life amid the crowds of the peoples. Humble in dress, cheerful in speech, devoted in preaching, truthful in judgment, venerable in his ways, ever watchful in prayers, constant in reading, steady in countenance, loving in affection, honorable in the priestly ministry, an untiring 660Csower of the word of God, tireless in multiplying the money he had received from his Lord; rejoicing with those who rejoice, mourning with those who mourn, made all things to all men, that he might gain all for Christ; distinguished in virtues, praiseworthy in goodness, lovable in devotion, shining in his episcopate with many virtues.

Miracles. --For a crowd of pagans tumultuously carrying out their rite in attendance upon a certain corpse, he bound in one place by a word of prayer; and loosing them again he allowed them to have control of their own steps. A pine tree falling upon him he turned aside by setting against it the sign of the cross, and made the astonished crowd believe in Christ. He set himself against the flames on the roof of a certain house, lest the fire that burned the shrine of idolatry should harm harmless roofs. Another temple too, dedicated to demons by the ancient error, 660Dsince he could not do it by human hand, he overthrew supported by angelic help. And in another place also, while he was overthrowing the rites of the heathen, when he was attacked with a sword by a certain pagan, he set his bare neck against the striker's blow; but the impious man, falling backward and perceiving his own impiety, begged pardon of the saint; and when another poised a blow at the holy head, the blade escaped from his hands. At Trier he restored to her former health, by the sacred pouring of blessed oil, in the presence of the people, a paralytic girl whose limbs were wholly slackened. He freed the servant of Tetradius, a man of proconsular rank, from a demon by the laying on of his hand. Whence that Tetradius too, with his whole household, was converted to the Christian profession. The boy of a certain 661Ahead of a household, seized by a most savage demon, he compelled — putting his fingers into the mouth — to let the malignant spirit go out through the sufferer's private parts. A leper at the gate of the city of Paris he saved from the deformity of his body by a kiss alone; and it is known that the hems of his garment too, and the threads of his hairshirt, healed many diseases. The daughter of Arborius the prefect was freed from most grievous fevers by the laying on of a letter of holy Martin. He healed Paulinus's eye from pain and dimness by laying a sponge upon it.

He is visited by angels, by the Blessed Virgin, and by other saints. He was renowned for the spirit of prophecy. --This same holy Martin, falling down the steps and gravely bruised in almost all his limbs, was in the night restored by an angel to entire health: and very often he enjoyed angelic visitations 661Band familiar conversation. And on a certain day the man of God was honored and strengthened by a visitation of the most blessed Mother of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and also of the holy virgins Thecla and Agnes. For, fearing nothing of the phantasms of demons and their horrible appearances in various shapes, he could not be mocked by any of their deceits. And in the spirit of the prophets he so shone that he foretold many things to come to many people 161 — as, for instance, he foretold to the emperor Maximus victory in Italy and destruction at Aquileia. And while that same blessed man was celebrating the holy mystery at the altar, a globe of fire suddenly gleamed from the crown of his head. A certain Evantius, being sick, received health before holy Martin entered the house, while the blessed man was hastening to him. In 661Cthat same house too he snatched from the peril of death, by the touch of his holy fingers, a boy struck by a serpent.

The holy man's patience. He drives out demons, etc.--For the man of God was of such patience that he did not grieve at insults, nor feel reproaches: nay, he even bore the lashes of certain country folk with a calm mind, and by a word alone he loosed from the ground their beasts that had been fixed to the earth. He flattered no one by fawning; to no prince did he keep silent the words of truth, always running back to the familiar helps of prayer. Whence, if worldly power refused him anything, the divine mercy soon granted it. A certain girl seized by a demoniac spirit was snatched from the enemy's power by the straw where holy Martin was sitting. Freeing not only men but also animals from the power of demons, he commanded them to return, tame, to their own flock. 661DHe was also of such compassion that he ordered the dogs pursuing a little hare to stand still; and he snatched the wretched little creature from present death. A certain estate in the Sens country, laid waste rather often by hailstorm, was at the prayers of holy Martin set free for many years. A woman was healed of an issue of blood by the touch of his garments.

He died. --With such miracles too the chosen priest of God shone before the world; and, perfect in his whole life and manner of living, 662Amost illustrious in all devotion and religion, delightful in all goodness and kindness, in the eighty-first year of his age and the twenty-sixth of his episcopate, ripe in years and in merits, he was called to the heavenly kingdoms; so that, along with the manifold wage of his labor, he might receive the everlasting crown from Christ the Lord. But knowing well the day of his death long beforehand, and foretelling it to certain of his brethren, and when the hour drew near, touched by the pain of fevers, joyful in the praise of God, amid the divine words of preaching, amid the angelic voices of heavenly hymns, with his disciples standing by, he rendered his holy soul to God and Christ.

He is buried at Tours. --His holy body was carried by the clergy of the cities, and by crowds of the peoples, with praises and hymns, to the city of Tours, and there 662Bhe was buried in the public burying-ground, where afterward the blessed bishop Perpetuus built, with praiseworthy work and venerable devotion, a church worthy of the merits of so great a Father: in which even to this day many signs of miracles, very many healing powers, consolations of the sorrowing, and mercies for the glad, are wont to be done, our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, who lives and reigns with God the Father [ and the Holy Spirit in the unity of the divine majesty, through all ages].

Saint Martin's holiness, miracles, and gift of prophecy. --It behooves us all with one mind to rejoice, dearest brethren, and faithfully to venerate the illustrious day of the death of holy 662CMartin; but chiefly those faithful of Christ who are in the western parts of the world, who have been enlightened alike by his teachings and by his examples: because whatever he preached in words he showed forth in works. For in his whole life and in his whole manner of living he was perfect, most illustrious in all devotion and religion, delightful in all goodness and kindness, praiseworthy to all, lovable to all; a virgin among the choirs of virgins, an eminent man among priests, an imitator of the apostles, and a preacher of Christ. Whom the Lord deigned to choose in apostolic grace, as it is written of him: « This is Martin, the chosen bishop of God, upon whom the Lord after the apostles deigned to confer such grace that, in the power of the holy Trinity 662Dwhich makes gods, he should be worthy to become the magnificent raiser of three dead men. » After the example of the Lord he raised three dead: and by the spirit of prophecy he foreknew many things also before they came to pass. For he was full of the spirit of prophecy, and therefore by divine inspiration he foreknew his own death, and revealed to certain of the brethren that the dissolution of his body had drawn near. 162

He restores peace among clerics at odds. He commands the birds. -- Now at that time a cause had come upon him for which he found it necessary to go to the village of Candes in his own diocese, 663Ato restore peace among the clerics of that Church who were at odds with one another. And although he was not ignorant that the end of his days was at hand, yet he did not refuse to set out for a cause of this kind, recalling that word of the Gospel: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God: and wishing to leave peace to all, after the example of the Lord saying to the apostles on the day of his ascension: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. In peace I have sent you away, in peace I shall find you. And when for this cause he was making the journey with a familiar company of disciples, he saw divers in the river catching a multitude of fish, and said: This is the shape of demons. Then with the mighty power of his words he commanded them to leave that pool and to make for dry and deserted places. And at once, in a wonderful manner, all of them gathered into one flock, 663Bleft the river and made for the mountains and the woods. And those who were present together marveled that such power was in Martin, that by the grace of God he commanded even birds, or demons.

He falls sick: he refuses to have a softer bed spread for him. --And when, having stayed a few days in that village to which he had gone, peace having been restored among the clerics, he was already thinking of returning to the monastery, he began suddenly to be forsaken by the strength of his body; and calling together his disciples, he showed them that the time was now at hand for his spirit to be released from the body. Then indeed there was grief and sorrow of all, one voice of those lamenting and saying: Why, Father, dost thou forsake us, or to whom dost thou leave us desolate? For ravening wolves will fall upon thy flock. And who, when thou art gone, will defend us from their ravenings? We know 663Cindeed that thou desirest Christ, but thy rewards are kept safe for thee, nor will they be lessened by being deferred; have mercy rather upon us. Then he, moved by their weeping, is reported to have wept; and turning to the Lord he said in a suppliant voice: Lord, if I am still needful to thy people, I do not refuse the labor; thy will be done. Doubtless he did not know which he would rather: because he wished neither to forsake these, nor to be separated longer from Christ. For putting nothing in his own choosing, he left all these things to God's decision, saying: Lord, if thou still willest me to remain in the body, I do not refuse the labor: and if thou sparest my age, it is good for me: thy will be done. But do thou thyself guard these for whom I fear. O man beyond words, neither conquered by labor 664Anor to be conquered by death; who neither feared to die nor refused to live. But when he was asked by his disciples to have straw put beneath him, as he labored for some days under the force of the fevers, It is not fitting, he said, my sons, it is not fitting that a Christian should die save in ashes and haircloth; for if I have left you any other example, I myself have sinned. And when again he was asked by the priests who had come to his sickness to relieve his poor body by a change of side, Suffer me, he said, suffer me, brethren, to look upon heaven rather than upon earth, that my spirit, now about to go to the Lord, may be set straight upon its journey.

Amid angelic hymns he yields up his soul. --In the eighty-first year of his age, therefore, and the twenty-sixth of his episcopate, ripe in years and in character, at the village of Candes in his own diocese, as we have said, he happily departed from the world. 664BBut amid the divine words of holy preaching, with the angelic voices of heavenly hymns, his disciples standing about him, full of grace and holiness, he handed over his holy soul to Jesus Christ. For many at his passing heard the voices of angels praising holy Martin. And how great a multitude came together for his funeral rites cannot be told. For many came with tears from the neighboring cities and monasteries and villages, mourning holy Martin with one voice. O how great was the grief of all! how great above all the laments of the monks and the virgins, saying that it is a holy thing to rejoice for Martin, and a holy thing to weep for Martin. For it was a holy thing that he had lived, and a holy thing that he died; because in his life he had pleased God.

He is buried at Tours. -- His body indeed 664Cwas carried by the clergy of the cities, and by crowds of the peoples, with praises and hymns, to the city of Tours, and there was buried with great veneration, a heavenly throng following him with heavenly hymns as far as the place of the tomb. In which place afterward the blessed bishop Perpetuus built a new church with praiseworthy work, worthy of the merits of so great a patron and such a man. In which even to this day many signs of miracles, very many healing powers, consolations of the sorrowing, and mercies for the glad, are wont to be done, our Lord Jesus Christ granting it: who lives and reigns in the unity of majesty, through all ages of ages. Amen.