Martin of Braga

A pilgrim from the Hungary/Austria region in Europe became an archbishop in Portugal and wrote prolifically, including a piece that was borrowed and re-written more than once for centuries afterward.

Born c.518, Martin of Dumio made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where he became a monk. From there he joined a ship that traveled to Galicia in northern Portugal.

Galicia at the time was populated by a Germanic tribe called the Suevi, who were Christians but followed Arianism (considered heretical), and Martin brought Chalcedonian Christianity (what we now think of as Roman Catholicism) to the people.

Martin started by befriending King Theodomir of the Suevi, and ingratiated himself to the court at the Suevi capital of Braga. Using his personal connections, he persuaded the king and court to convert from Arianism. (The illustration shows Martin and King Miro of the Suevi, Theodomir's successor.)

He then founded a monastery at Dumium (and others), after which the king named him bishop of Dumium (modern Dume). In 561 he attended the First Council of Braga, which determined that the same liturgy should be used by all churches for Masses and vigils. Also, that Dominus vobiscum was how priests should greet the congregation, which should reply with Et cum spiritu tuo. (This greeting and response is lifted from the Book of Ruth 2:4.) It also condemned Priscillianism, declared that priests should not be vegetarians (a Priscillian doctrine), but if they did want to eat just vegetables, those vegetables should be cooked in meat. Astrology was soundly condemned, being also a part of Priscillianism.

Martin was named archbishop of the Diocese of Braga, hence the name by which he is more commonly known. Besides his duties, he wrote prolifically, and translated numerous treatise from Greek to present to the Suevi.

One of his works was a letter written to a bishop, De correctione rusticorum ("on the correction of rural people"). That bishop, Polemius of Astorga, had asked Martin to address the origin of idols. That letter can be seen here with Latin and English side-by-side. Martin explains pagan gods and spirits as demons and devils, allowing no credit to other divine beings except God.

This letter, an example of euhemerism, influenced Æfric of Eynsham's "On False Gods," which in turn was used by Archbishop Wulfstan of York in a similar work.

He also presided over the Second Council of Braga in 572, which I want to talk about tomorrow.