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E02847: Gregory of Tours, in his Miracles of Martin (1.11), recounts how Chararic, a king of Galicia (north-west Spain), converted from Arianism when his servants brought relics (a silk cloth placed on the tomb) of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) to Galicia, in 550/559, most probably in 556. *Martin (bishop of Braga, ob. 580 AD, S01176) arrived in Galicia on the same day as the relics. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 573/576.

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posted on 26.05.2017, 00:00 by kwojtalik
Gregory of Tours, Miracles of Martin (Libri de virtutibus sancti Martini episcopi) 1.11

Chararici cuiusdam regis Galliciae filius graviter aegrotabat, qui tale taedium ineurrerat, ut solo spiritu palpitaret. Pater autem eius faetidae se illius Arrianae sectae una cum incolis loci subdiderat. Sed et regio illa plus solito, quam aliae provintiae, a lepra sordebat. Cumque rex videret, urgueri filium in extremis, dicit suis: 'Martinus ille, quem in Galliis dicunt multis virtutibus effulgere, cuius, quaeso, religionis vir fuerit, enarrate?' Cui aiunt: 'Catholicae fidei populum pastorali cura in corpore positus gubernavit, adserens, Filium cum Patre et sancto Spiritu aequali substantia vel omnipotentia venerari; sed et nunc caeli sede locatus, assiduis beneficiis non cessat plebi propriae provideri'.

'The son of Chararic, a king in Galicia, was seriously ill and had fallen into such weakness that he moved only with his breathing. But his father had subjected himself and the inhabitants of the region to that disgusting sect of Arianism. This region also was afflicted with more leprosy than was usual in other provinces. When the king saw that his son was pushed to his last moments, he said to his servants: “Some say that Martin is distinguished by his many miracles in Gaul. Tell me, I ask, what was that man’s religion?” They said to him: “While he was alive in his body, he governed his people with pastoral care in the Catholic faith, and he declared that the Son was venerated with the Father and the Holy Spirit because of his equal substance and omnipotence. But now, although living in the heavenly abode, he does not cease to care for his own people with his constant favors.”'

Chararic ordered men to bring gifts to Martin's church. They arrived in Tours and prayed at Martin's tomb, but the boy was not cured. The men returned and told the king that they had seen many miracles at the tomb of Martin.

At ille intellegens, non ante sanari posse filium, nisi aequalem cum Patre crederet Christum, in honorem beati Martini fabricavit miro opere eclesiam, expeditamque, proclamat: 'Si suscipere mereor viri iusti reliquias, quodcumque praedicaverint sacerdotes, credam'. Et sic iterum suos dirigit maiori cum munere. Qui venientes ad beatum locum, reliquias postulabant. Cumque eis offerrentur ex consuetudine, dixerunt: 'Non ita faciemus, sed nobis, quaesumus, licentia tribuatur ponendi quae exinde iterum adsumamus'. Tunc partem pallii sirici pensatam super beatum sepulchrum posuerunt, dicentes: 'Si invenimus gratiam coram expetito patrono, quae posuimus plus in sequenti pensabunt, eruntque nobis in benedictione quaesita per fidem'. Vigilata ergo una nocte, facto mane, quae posucrant pensitabant. In quibus tanta beati viri infusa est gratia, ut tam diu elevarent in sublimi aeream libram, quantum habere poterat quo ascenderet momentana.

'But the king perceived that his son could not be cured until he believed that Christ was equal with the Father. He constructed a church of marvelous workmanship in honor of the blessed Martin, and upon its completion he announced: 'If I am considered worthy to receive relics of this just man, I will believe whatever the bishops have proclaimed.' And so he again sent his messengers with a larger gift. They came to the blessed spot (at Tours) and asked for relics. When relics were as usual offered to them, they said: 'We won't do it this way; we ask that instead permission be given us to place [on the tomb] something we might later take from it.' Then they weighed a piece of a silk cloak, placed it on the blessed tomb, and said: 'If we have found favor before the patron whom we have sought, the [silk cloak] that we have placed [on the tomb] will weigh more tomorrow, and what we sought in faith will be a blessing for us.' Then they kept vigils during the night, and at daybreak they weighed what they had placed [on the tomb]. So much favor from the blessed man had been soaked into these relics that for a long time they raised the bronze weight in the air as far as the scale could have [leeway] to ascend.'

When these relics (reliquiae) were held up, prisoners in the city jail heard men chanting Psalms. Being informed that relics of Martin were being sent to Galicia, they called upon Martin to free them. This happened and, weeping, the prisoners kissed the relics (osculantes flendo beatas reliquias). When they were carried to Galicia, the sea was calm and their voyage was protected. Martin [later bishop of Braga] entered the port in Galicia on the same day as the relics.

Quae pignora cum summa veneratione suscipientes, fidem miraculis firmant. Nam filius regis, amissa omni aegritudine, sanus properat ad occursum. Beatus autem Martinus sacerdotalis gratiae accepit principatum. Rex unitatem Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti confessus, cum omni domo sua crysmatus est. Squalor leprae a populo pellitur, et omnes infirmi salvantur, nec umquam ibi usque nunc super aliquem leprae morbus apparuit.

'The relics that they received with great veneration strengthened their faith with miracles. For after his illness vanished entirely, the king’s son hurried to meet them. Then the blessed Martin [of Braga] accepted the sovereignty of episcopal grace. The king confessed the unity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and was baptized along with his entire household. The people were freed from loathsome leprosy, and all ill people were cured; to the present day the disease of leprosy has never again appeared on anyone there.'

Text: Krusch 1969, 144-146. Translation: Van Dam 1993, 211-213. Summary: Katarzyna Wojtalik.
Evidence -  The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity




Evidence ID


Saint Name

Martin, ascetic and bishop of Tours (Gaul), ob. 397 : S00050 Martin, bishop of Braga, ob. 580 AD : S01176

Saint Name in Source

Martinus Martinus

Type of Evidence

Literary - Hagiographical - Collections of miracles



Evidence not before


Evidence not after


Activity not before


Activity not after


Place of Evidence - Region

Gaul and Frankish kingdoms

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc


Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)


Major author/Major anonymous work

Gregory of Tours

Cult activities - Liturgical Activity

  • Chant and religious singing

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - independent (church)

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Oral transmission of saint-related stories

Cult activities - Rejection, Condemnation, Scepticism

Uncertainty/scepticism/rejection of a saint

Cult Activities - Miracles

Miracle after death Punishing miracle Miracles causing conversion Healing diseases and disabilities Freeing prisoners, exiles, captives, slaves Miraculous protection - of people and their property

Cult Activities - Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Monarchs and their family Heretics Slaves/ servants Other lay individuals/ people The socially marginal (beggars, prostitutes, thieves) Children

Cult Activities - Relics

Contact relic - cloth Transfer, translation and deposition of relics Touching and kissing relics Transfer/presence of relics from distant countries




Chararic, king of the Sueves, is known only through this passage in the Miracles of Martin.





Evidence -  The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity