E02455: Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Confessors (5), recounts how *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) gained entry to heaven for *Vitalina (pious virgin of Artonne, ob. before 397, S01221), and visited Clermont (central Gaul), where he healed some of the sick but did not enter the city. Vitalina appeared in visions to people and revealed the day of her death; they kept vigils in her honour, and she provided wine and fish for her feast. 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 5<br><br>Martin came to Artonne, a village in the territory of Clermont, and visited the tomb of a religious woman (quaedam religiosa) Vitalina, who could not reach heaven since she had insulted Good Friday by washing her face on that day. He journeyed to Clermont and was approached by the senators of Clermont, who had come out to greet him. Appalled by this ostentatious welcome, Martin turned back, but they followed him and begged him to enter their city. Martin did not change his mind, but cured some of the sick of Clermont (the spot where he is said to have stood is now marked by a railing: 'Extat nunc in hoc loco [ille] cancellus, in quo sanctus dicitur stetisse'.). He then returned to Artonne, again visiting the tomb of Vitalina and prophesying that she would reach heaven after three days. She appeared in a vision to different people and told them the day of her death, on which they should celebrate her memory.<br><br>Quodam autem tempore celebratis in eius honore vigiliis, cum archipresbiter loci Eulalius clericos convivio invitasset, Edatius vero alius presbiter viduis ac pauperibus reliquis aedulium praepararet, et uni pisces deessent, alteri vinum bonum, commonitus piscator quidam per visum a virgine est, ut archipresbitero piscium copiam deferret. Surrexitque e lectulo, invenitque inmanem esocem in lapsum suum, quem ubi iussus fuit exhibuit. Edatio autem presbitero apparuit similiter per visum, dicens: 'Vade, et sub una arbore atrii invenies unum triantem; ipsum donans, vinum dignum aepulis pauperum conparabis'. At ille nulli quae viderat narravit; abiit, inquesivit et repperit; coemptumque vinum, pauperes Christi refecit. Sicque virtus virginis utrique apparens, de speciebus, quae minus erant, utrumque locoplantavit.<br><br>'Once, after the vigils had been celebrated in her honor, Eulalius, the archpriest of the place, invited the clerics to a meal, while another priest named Edatius prepared food for widows and other poor people. One [Eulalius] lacked fish, the other [Edatius] good wine. In a vision the virgin advised a fisherman to bring a supply of fish to the archpriest. The fisherman rose from his bed and discovered in his weir a huge pike which he brought where he had been ordered. Likewise the virgin appeared in a vision to the priest Edatius and said: ‘Go, and you will find a small gold coin [a trians] beneath a tree in the courtyard. After presenting the gold coin you will purchase wine worthy of a meal for the poor.’ The priest mentioned what he had seen to no-one; but he went out, looked, and found [the gold coin]. He bought wine and nourished the poor of Christ. In this way the power of the virgin appeared to both men and enriched both with the commodities that were lacking.'<br><br>Text: Krusch 1969, 301-302. Translation: Van Dam 2004, 6-8, lightly modified.