E02598: Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Confessors (35), tells of several tombs in and around the church of *Venerandus (bishop of Clermont, ob. 423, S01261) in Clermont (central Gaul): at the tombs of *Alexander (monk with miraculous tomb in Clermont,S01267) and of an unknown person, miraculous things happen; at that of *Liminius (martyr of Clermont, S01193) there is no cult, although an account of his martyrdom survives. 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 35<br><br>There are many tombs of believers in and around the church of Venerandus in Clermont. On the left of the tomb of the *Anonymous girl (see E02595), there is a tomb with the inscription: 'SANCTAE. MEMORIAE. GALLAE.'<br><br>Est et illud nihilominus sepulchrum sculpti meritis gloriosum, inter egressum basilicae sancti Illidii et ingressum templi beati Venerandi in edito positum, in quo ferunt Alexandrum quendam religiosum fuisse sepultum. De quo frequens infirmorum necessitas, eraso pulvere, hausta delutione, extimplo consequitur sospitatem. Unde tam frequens exegitur medicamentum, ut pro assiduis beneficiorum commodis transforatum ab aspicientibus cernatur.<br><br>'Another tomb is no less noteworthy for the quality of its sculptures. It has been placed on a mound between the exit from the church of Illidius and the entrance to the church of the blessed Venerandus, in which it is said that a monk named Alexander was buried. Often the dire needs of the sick obtained health from this tomb immediately after they scratched off some dust and drank it in a potion. As a result, this medicine has been sought so often that [the tomb] seems to those who see it to have been perforated because of the constant profit from these benefits.'<br><br>E regione autem huius sepulehri, si ingrediaris per ostium in basilica sancti Venerandi, dextra de parte sepulchrum<br>parvulum contemplabis super terram situm, rusticiori formatum lapide, sed ignotum est omnibus, qui quiescat in eo. Nam haberi in eo divinum aliquid, res ipsa, quae dicturus sum, pandit. Mendicus quidam, ut ipsi oculis nostris inspeximus, super eum erat solitus consedere; sed credo eum, ut fragilitas humana praebet, in aliquod indignum facinus obvolutum, quia virtute quiescentis cum sonitu magno excussus, longe proiectus est, sepulchrumque medium erepuit, quod usque nunc, ita cernitur. Indignum sibi utputer hominem humatus exaestimans, qui super his artubus deberet facere sessionem. In hac enim basilica et beatus martyr Liminius est sepultus, cuius agonis historia cum ab incolis teneatur, nullus tamen ei cultus venerationis inpenditur.<br><br>'Leaving this tomb, if you walk through the door into the church of Saint Venerandus, you will see on the right side a small tomb placed above ground. This tomb is constructed from rougher stone, but no one knows who lies in it. The event that I am about to relate demonstrates that there is something divine in it. A beggar was accustomed to sit on top of the tomb, as I myself saw with my own eyes. But I believe that this man, led by human weakness, was involved in some improper misdeed, because with a loud explosion he was struck by the power of the man lying [in the tomb] and was tossed far away. The tomb split down the middle, as can still be seen. In my opinion, the buried man thought that the man who usually sat on his limbs was unworthy of himself. The blessed martyr Liminius is also buried in this church. Although the inhabitants possess the history of his contest, no ritual of veneration is offered to him.'<br><br><br>Text: Krusch 1969, 319-320. Translation: Van Dam 2004, 29, modified. <br>