Melega Miklós (szerk.): Remembering St Martin in his birth place (Szombathely, 2016)

A St martin and the beddar. bu an unknown painter (ША), micH7th centum (St martin Parisii)

St ttlartin s veneration at the Dominicans of Szombathely

^ith the Dominicans settling 7down in the village of W Szentmárton in 1638, the practice of St martin's veneration changed fundamentally. Deprived of its rank as a parish church, the church and the village lost a key link to Szombathely. Also, the new paraliturcjical customs introduced by the Dominicans such as the rosary, as well as the strengthened cult of other saints-St Dominic, the Virgin Шагу- changed local martin traditions. This is clearly shown by the fact that the church was re-dedicated from the ancient St tTlartin to Holy Trinity, rather popular in 18th century.'

The monks, however, tried to maintain and further develop also the old traditions. Soon after settling down here, they asked the master of the order for permission in 1658, to allow them to celebrate the Holy mass and say their prayers on Wednesdays to the honour of St martin, just like they do so to the honour of St Dominic on Tuesdays.2

They celebrated St martin’s Day with particular festivity. They would have two sermons, one in Hungarian and another one in German; the festive mass and the vespers the day before were held with music.0 This was the only day when the martin relic, held in the church and as attested by the Dominican's archives received from King tTlatthias’s treasury, was put on display.

After 1635 Szombathely joined the St martin celebrations. Kincj Ferdinand II granted the town exemption from royal taxes in a royal charter, provided the town paid 5 forints to the poor, 5 forints to the priest celebrating the daily mass on St martin's Day and 30 forints for the church's needs on this day.4

Fbpe Pius VI granted full pil^rima^e rights to the church in 1779, promising absolution of all their sins to those who visited the church, were to a confession, received Holy Communion, and prayed for the elimination of heresy and for the cjlory of the Church’ between the afternoon of

the day before St martin’s Day and the evening of the festival.5

The Dominicans committed to carry on the legacy of St martin’s care services when, encouraged by the monastery’s prior, Batthyány Srzsébet founded a hospital in Szentmárton. In 1929 the church became a parish agjain and was actively connected to the town’s life. During the Great Depression its first parish priest. Baoauk Bertalan was also appointed the chairman of the town committee for the destitute.

Literature and notes

ZsAitibsky ITlonika: A szombathelyi Szent tTlárton-templom 17. századi építéstörténete és berendezései. - művészettörténeti értesítő. 2001,3-4. sz. 241P2 Szalay dános: A szombathelyi Szent Domonkos-rendiek lelkipásztori működése. 1638-1938. Szombathely. I93S. (hereinafter-. Szalay, 1938.) 123. p.

3 Ibid.

4 Tóm Ferenc A szombathelyi várospolitika és a Szent ITIárton-kultusz. - Vasi Szemle, 2014.1. sz. lö. p.

5 Szalay, 1938.124. p.

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Remembering St martin

in his birth place