What happens when a persecuted faith becomes a favored
religion? The story of Saint Martin of Tours, whose feast day is November 11,
provides some clues.
Martin was born in Pannonia (modern-day Hungary), of
pagan parents, some three years after the emperor Constantine had made
Christianity a favored religion. At the age of 15 he was conscripted into the
Roman army, where he was eventually stationed at Amiens, in Gaul. By this time
he had become a catechumen, or inquirer into the Christian faith. One winter
day, according to legend, he met a half-naked beggar outside the city gates.
Moved with compassion, he cut his military cloak in two and gave half to the
beggar. In a dream that night, Christ appeared to him wearing the half cloak.
Martin then appealed to be released from the army.
When he was accused of cowardice, he offered to face the enemy armed only with
the cross of Christ. Before the battle began, the enemy sued for peace, and
Martin was allowed to leave the army.
Martin eventually made his way to Poitiers, in
southern Gaul, to become a disciple of Bishop Hilary. He lived as a hermit, but
he attracted so many followers that he had to establish a monastery. Legend
says that he did not want to become the Bishop of Tours in 371, but was
persuaded to visit the city to give last rites to a dying woman, and was there
made bishop by acclamation. As bishop, Martin had no qualms about destroying
pagan shrines. But he would not accede to the taking of human life.
And Christians authorities began their own
persecutions of heretical Christian sects. One was Priscillianism, named for Priscillian,
bishop of Avila, who preached vegetarianism, teetotalism, and celibacy. His
call for the renunciation of marriage brought him the censure of Church
authorities. The Council of Saragossa condemned his teachings in 380, the same
year the Edict of Thessalonica made Nicene Christianity the official religion
of the empire. After unsuccessfully appealing to Pope Damasus and Ambrose of
Milan, Priscillian and six of his followers appealed to western Emperor Magnus
Maximus at Treveris (modern-day Trier, Germany). It wasn’t a good move.
Maximus, at the urging of Bishop Ithacius of Ossanova, had Priscillian and his
disciples condemned to death.
For Martin, excommunication, not execution, was the
proper punishment for heresy. He made the long journey to Trier, where he
persuaded the emperor to remove Priscillian and his companions from imperial
jurisdiction. But soon after Martin left Trier, Ithacius prevailed on the
emperor to have the men beheaded. They were among the first, though sadly not
the last religious dissenters to be executed at the behest of church
authorities.
Martin refused to communicate with Ithacius after
learning of his treachery. But later, when Martin returned to Trier to plead
for the release of two rebels held by the emperor, Maximus would agree to the
pardon only if Martin would make peace with Ithacius. Martin did so to save the
lives of the men, though he later reproached himself for his weakness. For me,
Martin’s compassion was his greatest strength.
Martin is the patron of soldiers and beggars.
Because his feast day coincided with the pagan feast of Bacchus, he is also the
patron of drunkards and innkeepers. But he also needs to be remembered as a man
of Christlike love, who stood against the abuse of power by church and imperial
authorities.
Image: El Greco: Saint Martin and the Begggar, c. 1577-1579, Wikimedia Commons
