E05150: Gregory of Tours, in his Miracles of Julian (9), recounts the construction of the church of *Julian (martyr of Brioude, S00035) in Brioude (central Gaul); how people were cured there from various diseases; a paralytic woman was healed after Julian appeared to her in a dream. Written in Latin in Clermont and Tours (central and north-west Gaul), 570/587.
Creators: name: Kwojtalik
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2018
Subjects: History

description: Gregory of Tours, Miracles of Julian (Liber de passione et virtutibus sancti Iuliani martyris) 9<br><br>Pro quibus ac talibus virtutum ornamentis magna ibi basilica fabricata a fidelibus, virtutibus, ut praefati sumus, martyris beati refulget, in qua paralyticorum, clodorum, caecorum et aliorum quoque morborum saepius petita remedia conquiruntur. Fedamia quaedam mulier paralysi humore constricta, quae nullum corporis membrum sine dolore vigebat, exhibita est, deferentibus propinquis, ad beatam basilicam, ut vel stipem a largientibus mereretur. Quae dum in porticu illa, quae sanctae basilicae coniungitur, decubaret noctem dominicam, dum sacrosanctis vigiliis populi fides devota concelebrat, et illa quiescens lectulo paululum obdormisset, a viro quodam per visum correpta atque increpita est, dicente sibi, cur, reliquis excubias nocturnas Deo exhibentibus, illa deesset. Respondit, se ab omni membrorum parte debilem nec penitus gressum agere posse. Tunc quasi sustentata a viro qui loquebatur ei et ad sepulchrum usque deducta, dum in sopore fundit orationem, visum est ei, quasi multitudo catenarum ab eius membris solo decidere. <br><br>A quo etiam sonitu expergefacta, sensit omnium artuum recepisse plenissimam sanitatem. Protinus surrexit a lectulo, et stupentibus cunctis, cum gratiarum actione vociferans, sanctam est ingressa basilicam. Ferunt etiam quidam, solitam fuisse eam referre habitum viri qui eam fuerat adlocutus. Dicebat, eum statura esse procerum, veste nitidum, elegantia eximium, vultu hilarem, flava caesariae, inmixtis canis, incessu expeditum, voce liberum, allocutione blandissinium, candoremque cutis illius ultra lilii nitorem fulgere, ita ut de multis milibus hominum, quae saepe vidisset, nullum similem conspicaret. Unde multis non absurde videtur, ei beatum martyrem apparuisse. Quae mulier post decim et octo annos sanata est.<br><br>'Because of these and other comparably distinguished miracles the believers constructed a great church there. This church was celebrated because of the miracles of the blessed martyr, as I said; in it cures were often requested and received for people suffering from paralysis, lameness, blindness, and other illnesses. A woman named Foedamia was restricted by swelling due to paralysis and felt pain whenever she moved any part of her body. Her relatives brought her and put her on display at the blessed church, so that she might gain alms from the generous. On the night before a Sunday she was lying in the forecourt attached to the holy church. While the people were faithfully and piously celebrating the sacred vigils, and while she was peacefully dozing a bit on her bed, a man admonished and rebuked her in a dream. He asked her why she was not with the others who were offering vigils to God during the night. She replied that she was disabled in all her limbs and that she could not walk at all. Then [she felt] as if the man who was speaking to her supported her and led her all the way to the tomb. While she was praying in her sleep, it seemed to her as if a load of chains fell from her limbs to the ground. <br><br>Awakened by this sound, she knew that she had received complete health in all her limbs. Immediately she got up from her couch and to everyone’s surprise shouted out her gratitude and entered the holy church. Some say that this woman used to describe the appearance of the man who had addressed her. She said that the man was tall, well dressed, and exceptionally elegant, with a smiling face, his blond hair streaked grey, moving gracefully, speaking openly and most pleasantly, the gleam of his skin surpassing the whiteness of a lily. And out of the thousands of men she had often observed, she had seen no-one else like him. To many people it seemed quite reasonable that the blessed martyr had appeared to her. This woman was cured after eighteen years.'<br><br>Text: Krusch 1969, 118-119. Translation: Van Dam 1993, 170, modified.