E02582: Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Confessors (29), describes how the deacon Cautinus had a vision of a celebration at the neglected tomb of *Austremonius/Stremonius (first bishop, and martyr of Clermont, S01255) at Issoire (central Gaul), and subsequently ordered that the tomb be properly venerated. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588.
Creators: name: Kwojtalik
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2017
Subjects: History

description: Gregory of Tours, Glory of the Confessors 29<br><br>Per sanctum enim Stremonium, qui et ipse a Romanis episcopis cum Catiano beatissimo vel reliquis quos memoravimus est directus, primum Arverna civitas verbum salutis accepit, eoque praedicante, salutare mundi redemptoremque omnium Christum, Dei filium, credere coepit. Huius autem sepulchrum apud Iciodorensim vicum habetur; ad quod cruda [priorum] rusticitas, licet sciens, quo quiesceret, nullum tamen ibi exhibebat honoris cultum. Post longinqua vero annorum curricula Cautinus, qui ipsius Arvernae urbis episcopus datus est, in diaconato suo eclesiam vici illius rexit. Igitur dum nocte quadam in lectulo cellulae suae, quae huic basilicae adhaerebat, decumberet, audivit psallentium, quasi parum resonantibus vocibus; et surgens, vidit templum magno splendente lumine. Obstupefactus aspicit intrinsecus, erat enim cellula illa in superiore contra fenestras templi, et vidit, et ecce<br>circa tumulum multitudo albatorum tenentium cereos et psallentium! Quod diutissime cernens, cum discessissent, statim, facto mane, iussit tumulum cancello vallari ac paleolis nitentibus obvelari, praedixitque, reverentiam loco illi inpendi. Ex hoc enim oratio super tumulum funditur, et auxilia antestitis inpetrantur.<br><br>'Clermont first received the message of salvation from St Stremonius, who also had been sent by the Roman bishops with the most blessed Catianus and the others whom I have mentioned. Because of his preaching, Clermont began to believe that Christ, the Son of God, was the salvation of the world and the redeemer of all. Stremonius’ tomb is in the village of Issoire. Coarse rusticity, even though it knew where he was buried, never offered any cult of respect there at his tomb. But after a long circuit of years, Cautinus, who was [later] given as a bishop of Clermont, governed the church of this village while he was a deacon. One night while he was lying in the bed of his cell that was attached to the church, he heard the chanting of psalms, as if from voices singing quietly. Upon getting up he saw the church shining with a bright light. He was astounded and looked inside (his cell was on an upper floor across from the windows of the church). He looked, and behold, there was a crowd of people dressed in white, holding candles, and chanting psalms around the tomb of Stremonius. He watched this spectacle for a long time. Once they departed, immediately at dawn Cautinus ordered that the tomb be surrounded with a railing and covered with white cloths. He announced that respect would be shown to that place. Thereafter prayers were offered over the tomb and the assistance of the bishop was requested.'<br><br>Text: Krusch 1969, 316. Translation: Van Dam 2004, 24, lightly modified. <br>