E02023: Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (2.14), records how Perpetuus, bishop of Tours (c. 458-489), built a large new church over the tomb of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, 00050), because of the success of his cult; and used part of the old chapel for a new church of the Apostles *Peter and *Paul (S00036 and S00008). Gregory stresses the importance of 4 July as a threefold feast: the day of Martin's ordination as bishop of Tours, of the dedication of the new church, and of the translation into it of the saint's body; 11 November is the feast of Martin's death. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
Creators: name: Robert
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2016
Subjects: History

description: Gregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 2.14<br><br>Apud urbem vero Turonicam, defuncto Eustochio episcopo septimo decimo sacerdotii sui anno, quintus post beatum Martinum Perpetuus ordinatur. Qui cum virtutes assiduas ad sepulchrum eius fieri cerneret, cellulam, quae super eum fabricata fuerat, videns parvulam, indignam talibus miraculis iudicavit. Qua submota, magnam ibi basilicam, quae usque hodie permanet, fabricavit, quae habetur a civitate passus 550. Habet in longo pedes 160, in lato 60, habet in alto usque ad cameram pedes 45; fenestras in altario 32, in capso 20; columnas 41; in toto aedificio fenestras 52, columnas 120; ostia 8, tria in altario, quinque in capso. Sollemnitas enim ipsius basilicae triplici virtute pollet: id est dedicatione templi, translatione corporis sancti vel ordinatione eius episcopati. Hanc enim quarto Nonas Iulias observabis; depositionem vero eius tertio Idus Novembris esse cognoscas. Quod si fideliter celebraveris, et in praesenti saeculo et in futuro patrocinia beati antistitis promereberis. Et quoniam camera cellulae illius prioris eleganti opere fuerat fabricata, indignum duxit sacerdos, ut opera eius deperiret, sed in honore beatorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli aliam construxit basilicam, in qua cameram illam adfixit. <br><br>'In the city of Tours Bishop Eustochius died in the seventeenth year of his episcopate. Perpetuus was consecrated in his place, being the fifth bishop after Saint Martin. When Perpetuus saw how frequently miracles were being performed at Saint Martin’s tomb and when he observed how small was the chapel erected over the Saint's body, he decided that it was unworthy of these wonders. He had the chapel removed and he built in its place the great church which is still there some five hundred and fifty yards outside the city. It is one hundred and sixty feet long by sixty feet broad: and its height up to the beginning of the vaulting is forty-five feet. It has thirty-two windows in the sanctuary and twenty in the nave, with forty-one columns. In the whole building there are fifty-two windows, one hundred and twenty columns and eight doorways, three in the sanctuary and five in the nave. The great festival of the church has a threefold significance: it marks the dedication of the building, the translation of the Saint's body and his ordination as a bishop. You should observe this feast-day on 4 July; and you should remember that Saint Martin died on 11 November. If you celebrate this faithfully you will gain the protection of the saintly Bishop in this world and the next. The vault (camera) of the small chapel which stood there before was most elegantly designed, and so Bishop Perpetuus thought it wrong to destroy it. He built another church (basilica) in honour of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and he fitted this vault over it.'<br><br>Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 63-64. Translation: Thorpe 1974, 130-131.