E07737: Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (2.1), tells how *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) foresaw that *Bricius (bishop of Tours, ob. 444, S01170), would succeed him as bishop but suffer many things when in office. As bishop, Bricius is accused of fathering a child. He proves his innocence by two miracles, but is driven into extended exile, before he is eventually restored. Two bishops appointed in his place die through God's judgement. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.

Gregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 2.1

Summary:

Gregory describes how during Martin's lifetime, Bricius, then a young cleric, frequently treated him with disrespect. On one occasion, when a sick man asked Bricius for help in finding Martin, Bricius referred to Martin as 'mad' and 'deranged' (delerus and amens). Martin rebuked him, and announced that God had revealed to him that Bricius would succeed him as bishop but would suffer many things during his episcopate (te in episcopatu multa adversa passurum).

After Martin's death, Bricius is indeed chosen as his successor, and serves as bishop for many years. Gregory says that although arrogant and vain, he was considered to be chaste in the body (quia quamquam esset superbus et vanus, castus tamen habebatur in corpore). However, in the thirty-third year of his episcopate [= about 430], the woman who washed the bishop's clothes gave birth to a child. The people of Tours universally believed that Bricius was the father; they rose up and wished to stone (lapidare) him. Bricius ordered the baby to be brought to him and commanded it in the name of Jesus Christ to say if he was its father. The baby replied, 'You are not my father'. The crowd accused him of using magic to do this. To prove himself, Bricius then put burning coals in his cloak (byrrus). He went with the crowd to Martin's tomb, where he threw down the coals in front of the tomb, then showed the crowd that his cloak was undamaged. He announced that just as his cloak was unharmed by the coals, so his body was untouched by intercourse with women. However the crowd did not believe him, but seized him, insulted him, and threw him out of the city. Thus Martin's words were fulfilled.

After Bricius' expulsion from Tours, the citizens chose a bishop named Justinianus. Meanwhile Bricius travelled to Rome and sought out the Pope, to whom he confessed that he deserved his suffering because he had treated Martin with disrespect and had not believed in his miracles. Justinianus set out to follow Bricius to Rome, but died at Vercelli in northern Italy, 'struck by the judgement of God' (iudicio dei percussus). When the news reached Tours, the people chose a new bishop named Armentius. After spending seven years in Rome, Bricius returned to Tours, with the authority of the Pope. He stayed at a village named Laudiacum, about six miles from the city. One night it was revealed to Bricius in a vision (per visum revelatum est) that Armentius had just died of a fever. He roused his companions and they hurried to Tours, entering the city by one gate just as Armentius' body was carried out by another. Bricius then resumed the office of bishop, and held it until his own death seven years later.


Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 37-38. Summary: David Lambert.