E00762: Prudentius in his Latin Crowns of the Martyrs (Peristephanon), in a poem on the martyrdom of *Emeterius and Celidonius (soldiers and martyrs of Calahorra, S00410), written c. 400 in Calahorra (northern Spain) mentions people seeking help at the place of their martyrdom.

Liber Peristephanon, Poem I.1-24

Hymnus In Honorem Sanctorum Martyrum Emeteri Et Chelidoni Calagurritanorum.

Scripta sunt caelo duorum martyrum uocabula,
aureis quae Christus illic adnotauit litteris,
sanguinis notis eadem scripta terris tradidit.

Pollet hoc felix per orbem terra Hibera stemmate,
5 hic locus dignus tenendis ossibus uisus deo,
qui beatorum pudicus esset hospes corporum.

Hic calentes hausit undas caede tinctus duplici,
inlitas cruore sancto nunc harenas incolae
confrequentant obsecrantes uoce uotis munere.

10 Exteri nec non et orbis huc colonus aduenit,
fama nam terras in omnes percucurrit proditrix
hic patronos esse mundi quos precantes ambiant.

Nemo puras hic rogando frustra congessit preces,
laetus hinc tersis reuertit supplicator fletibus
15 omne quod iustum poposcit inpetratum sentiens.

Tanta pro nostris periclis cura suffragantium est,
non sinunt inane ut ullus uoce murmur fuderit;
audiunt statimque ad aurem regis aeterni ferunt.

Inde larga fonte ab ipso dona terris influunt,
20 supplicum causas petitis quae medellis inrigant;
nil suis bonus negavit Christus umquam testibus,

testibus quos nec catenae dura nec mors terruit
unicum deum fateri sanguinis dispendio,
sanguinis sed tale damnum lux rependit longior.


'A Hymn in Honour of the Holy Martyrs Emeterius and Chelidonius of Calagurris

Written in heaven are the names of two martyrs. Christ has entered them there in letters of gold, while on earth He has recorded them in characters of blood. For this glory the land of Spain has the fortune to be held in honour through all the world. This spot has seemed to God worthy to keep their bones, pure enough to be host to their blessed bodies. It drank in the warm stream when it was wetted by the slaughter of the two, and now its people throng to visit the ground that was coloured with their holy blood, making petitions with voice and heart and gifts; (10) and dwellers in the outside world too come here, for report has run through all lands publishing the news that here are patrons of the whole earth whose favour they may seek by prayer. No man here in making his requests has offered sincerely prayer on prayer in vain; from here the petitioner returns happy, with his tears dried, and conscious that all his righteous requests have been granted. With such concern for our perils do they work for us that they suffer no whisper any man has uttered to go for naught; they listen to our prayer and straightway carry it to the ear of the everlasting King. (19) Hence gifts flow generously to earth from the very fountain-head, pouring on the petitioners' maladies the healing remedies they sought for. For Christ in his goodness has never refused anything to his witnesses,—witnesses whom neither chains nor cruel death deterred from confessing the one God at the cost of their blood; but such loss of their blood is repayed by life prolonged.'

Text: Cunningham 1966: 251-252. Translation: Thomson 1953, 98-101, lightly adapted.