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The
Life of St. Martin of Tours
St.
Martin
When
Sulpicius Severus first met Martin of Tours he was stunned. Not only did the
bishop offer him hospitality at his residence -- a monk's cell in the
wilderness instead of a palace -- but Martin also washed Sulpicius' hands
before dinner and his feet in the evening. But Sulpicius was just the kind of
person Martin showed the greatest honor to -- a humble man without any rank
or privilege. People of nobility and position were turned away from his abbey
by chalk cliffs, out of fear of the temptation to pride. From that visit,
Sulpicius became Martin's disciple, friend, and biographer. Little is known
of many of the saints who died in the early years of Christianity but thanks
to Sulpicius, who wrote his first biography of Martin before the saint died
and who talked to most of the people involved in his life, we have a
priceless record of Martin's life in 27 chapters.
Martin
Restores a Catechumen to Life As
Hilarius had already gone away, so Martin followed in his footsteps; and
having been most joyously welcomed by him, he established for himself a
monastery not far from the town. At this time a certain catechumen joined
him, being desirous of becoming instructed in the doctrines and habits of the
most holy man. But, after the lapse only of a few days, the catechumen,
seized with a languor, began to suffer from a violent fever. It so happened
that Martin had then left home, and having remained away three days, he found
on his return that life had departed from the catechumen; and so suddenly had
death occurred, that he had left this world without receiving baptism. The
body being laid out in public was being honored by the last sad offices on
the part of the mourning brethren, when Martin hurries up to them with tears
and lamentations. But then laying hold; as it were, of the Holy Spirit, with
the whole powers of his mind, he orders the others to quit the cell in which
the body was lying; and bolting the door, he stretches himself at full length
on the dead limbs of the departed brother. Having given himself for some time
to earnest prayer, and perceiving by means of the Spirit of God that power
was present, he then rose up for a little, and gazing on the countenance of
the deceased, he waited without misgiving for the result of his prayer and of
the mercy of the Lord. And scarcely had the space of two hours elapsed, when
he saw the dead man begin to move a little in all his members, and to tremble
with his eyes opened for the practice of sight. Then indeed, turning to the
Lord with a loud voice and giving thanks, he filled the cell with his
ejaculations. Hearing the noise, those who had been standing at the door
immediately rush inside. And truly a marvelous spectacle met them, for they
beheld the man alive whom they had formerly left dead. Thus being restored to
life, and having immediately obtained baptism, he lived for many years
afterwards; and he was the first who offered himself to us both as a subject
that had experienced the virtues of Martin, and as a witness to their
existence. The same man was wont to relate that, when he left the body, he
was brought before the tribunal of the Judge, and being assigned to gloomy
regions and vulgar crowds, he received a severe sentence. Then, however, he
added, it was suggested by two angels of the Judge that he was the man for
whom Martin was praying; and that, on this account, he was ordered to be led
back by the same angels, and given up to Martin, and restored to his former
life. From this time forward, the name of the sainted man became illustrious,
so that, as being reckoned holy by all, he was also deemed powerful and truly
apostolical. SULPITIUS
SEVERUS ON THE LIFE OF ST. MARTIN, CHAPTER VII, Translation and Notes by
Alexander Roberts, 1894 Christ
Appears to St. Martin Accordingly,
at a certain period, when he had nothing except his arms and his simple
military dress, in the middle of winter, a winter which had shown itself more
severe than ordinary, so that the extreme cold was proving fatal to many, he
happened to meet at the gate of the city of Amiens a poor man destitute of
clothing. He was entreating those that passed by to have compassion upon him,
but all passed the wretched man without notice, when Martin, that man full of
God, recognized that a being to whom others showed no pity, was, in that
respect, left to him. Yet, what should he do? He had nothing except the cloak
in which he was clad, for he had already parted with the rest of his garments
for similar purposes. Taking, therefore, his sword with which he was girt, he
divided his cloak into two equal parts, and gave one part to the poor man,
while he again clothed himself with the remainder. Upon this, some of the
by-standers laughed, because he was now an unsightly object, and stood out as
but partly dressed. Many, however, who were of sounder understanding, groaned
deeply because they themselves had done nothing similar. They especially felt
this, because, being possessed of more than Martin, they could have clothed the
poor man without reducing themselves to nakedness. In the following night,
when Martin had resigned himself to sleep, he had a vision of Christ arrayed
in that part of his cloak with which he had clothed the poor man. He
contemplated the Lord with the greatest attention, and was told to own as his
the robe that he had given. Ere long, he heard Jesus saying with a clear
voice to the multitude of angels standing round -- "Martin, who is still
but a catechumen, clothed me with this robe." The Lord, truly mindful of
his own words (who had said when on earth -- "Inasmuch as ye have done
these things to one of the least of these, ye have done them unto me"),
declared that he himself had been clothed in that poor man; and to confirm
the testimony he bore to so good a deed, he condescended to show him himself
in that very dress which the poor man had received. After this vision the
sainted man was not puffed up with human glory, but, acknowledging the
goodness of God in what had been done, and being now of the age of twenty
years, he hastened to receive baptism. He did not, however, all at once,
retire from military service, yielding to the entreaties of his tribune, whom
he admitted to be his familiar tent-companion. For the tribune promised that,
after the period of his office had expired, he too would retire from the
world. Martin, kept back by the expectation of this event, continued,
although but in name, to act the part of a soldier, for nearly two years
after he had received baptism. SULPITIUS SEVERUS
ON THE LIFE OF ST. MARTIN, CHAPTER III, Translation and Notes by Alexander
Roberts, 1894 Martin
is Tempted by the Wiles of the Devil It
was found, again, that about the same time there was a young man in Spain,
who, having by many signs obtained for himself authority among the people,
was puffed up to such a pitch that he gave himself out as being Elias. And
when multitudes had too readily believed this, he went on to say that he was
actually Christ; and he succeeded so well even in this delusion that a
certain bishop named Rufus worshiped him as being the Lord. For so doing, we
have seen this bishop at a later date deprived of his office. Many of the
brethren have also informed me that at the same time one arose in the East,
who boasted that he was John. We may infer from this, since false prophets of
such a kind have appeared, that the coming of Antichrist is at hand; for he
is already practicing in these persons the mystery of iniquity. And truly I
think this point should not be passed over, with what arts the devil about
this very time tempted Martin. For, on a certain day, prayer [39] having been
previously offered, and the fiend himself being surrounded by a purple light,
in order that he might the more easily deceive people by the brilliance of
the splendor assumed, clothed also in a royal robe, and with a crown of
precious stones and gold encircling his head, his shoes too being inlaid with
gold, while he presented a tranquil countenance, and a generally rejoicing
aspect, so that no such thought as that he was the devil might be
entertained--he stood by the side of Martin as he was praying in his cell.
The saint being dazzled by his first appearance, both preserved a long and
deep silence. This was first broken by the devil, who said:
"Acknowledge, Martin, who it is that you behold. I am Christ; and being
just about to descend to earth, I wished first to manifest myself to
thee." When Martin kept silence on hearing these words, and gave no
answer whatever, the devil dared to repeat his audacious declaration: "Martin,
why do you hesitate to believe, when you see? I am Christ." Then Martin,
the Spirit revealing the truth to him, that he might understand it was the
devil, and not God, replied as follows: "The Lord Jesus did not predict
that he would come clothed in purple, and with a glittering crown upon his
head. I will not believe that Christ has come, unless he appears with that
appearance and form in which he suffered, and openly displaying the marks of
his wounds upon the cross." On hearing these words, the devil vanished
like smoke, and filled the cell with such a disgusting smell, that he left
unmistakable evidences of his real character. This event, as I have just
related, took place in the way which I have stated, and my information
regarding it was derived from the lips of Martin himself; therefore let no
one regard it as fabulous. SULPITIUS
SEVERUS ON THE LIFE OF ST. MARTIN, CHAPTER XXIV, Translation and Notes by
Alexander Roberts, 1894 Life
of St. Martin The
life of St. Martin is depicted in a series of 20 paintings in the front of
the building, 10 on each side. These were created circa 1998. Click on each of the images below to see a
larger image and to read the story from the life of St. Martin of Tours that
accompanies it.
Click on the Links Below for More Information on the Life and Works of Saint Martin of Tours:James Kiefer's Christian
Biographies Eternal Word Television
Network Elizabeth
T. Knuth's Home Page, SULPITIUS SEVERUS ON THE LIFE OF ST. MARTIN
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