E00335: Gregory of Tours writes the Life of *Monegundis (female recluse of Chartres and Tours, mid/late 6th c., S00150): she is presented as a wife who withdrew from the world to devote herself to God, a humble servant of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), and a miracle worker in life and from her grave. From Gregory's Life of the Fathers, written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 573/594. Overview of Gregory's Life of Monegundis.
Creators: name: Robert
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2015
Subjects: History

description: Gregory of Tours, Life of the Fathers, Book 19 (Life of Monegundis)<br><br>Summary:<br><br>Preface: God gives as models of sanctity not only men, but also women. Monegundis is compared to the Queen of Sheba who came to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, because she came to the church of *Martin in Tours [see $E00350]. <br><br>§ 1: Monegundis was from the city of Chartres. She married and had two daughters who both died as little children. She mourned them and finally enclosed herself in a room of her house, withdrew from her husband and devoted herself to God. She was rigourous in asceticism, fasted and baked for herself bread with ashes. Her servant left her because of the strict asceticism and Monegundis was without food and water. She prayed and snow fell on her house - she used water from the snow to bake bread. A woman observed her in her garden in an improper way and her eyes were blinded. Monegundis healed her; she also healed a deaf man. <br><br>§ 2: Monegundis, fearing vainglory from her growing reputation for sanctity, left her house and husband and came to the basilica of Martin in Tours. On the way she passed through the village of Esvres in the Touraine, which had relics of *Medard (bishop of Noyon buried at Soissons, ob. 557/558, S00168) [see $E00348]. During a mass celebrated there she healed a girl from a life-threatening pustule. At Tours, Monegundis venerated the tomb of Martin, settled in a small room near the basilica, and effected miracles, e.g. healing the contracted hands of a widow's daughter. Monegundis' husband, hearing of her reputation, took her back home to live in her old cell, but she returned to Tours and, thanks to St Martin, stayed there untroubled by her husband [see $E00350]. She gathered a small number of nuns around her, led a very ascetic life, and effected miracles. <br><br>§ 3: Further miracles: she cured with her saliva the sores of a young prostitute; she placed a vine-leaf moistened with her saliva on the stomach of a boy to drive out poison; a paralysed boy was healed. A blind woman asked her for healing and she first referred her to Martin, but finally effected the cure herself [see $E00350]. She performed many exorcisms. 'Of those to whom the holy woman allowed access, none had to wait long for a cure', nec morabantur ex his curari, quos ad se sancta permisit accedere. <br><br>§ 4: As her death approached, she commended her community to the protection of St Martin. At the urgent request of her nuns, she blessed some oil and salt to be used for the sick after her death. On dying she was buried in her cell. Many miracles are then described by Gregory, some at her tomb, others involving the blessed oil and salt [see $E00351]. <br><br>Text: Krusch 1969, 286-291. Summary: Marta Tycner.