Melega Miklós (szerk.): Remembering St Martin in his birth place (Szombathely, 2016)
-A-A owe the revival of St 7tTlartin’s cult to PadAnYi \t Bíró tTlárton, the Bishop of Veszprém (1745-1762), who dedicated several churches to his patron saint in the era of the Catholic renewal. PadAnyi probably contributed to the fact that Szombathelye first secondary grammar school, founded by Zichy Ferenc, the Bishop of Győr, was named after the city's renowned native, St ITlartin. The foundations of St martin's cult in the Diocese of Szombathely were laid by the first bishop of the Diocese, SzilY János when he offered the Diocese, founded in 1777, to the Saint's patronage, and also when he worked hard to spread the Saint’s veneration. In addition to the Diocese, he offered the seminary founded in 1781 to the Saint's patronage, and made sure that as many and as renowned as possible scientists and artists look into or work with the life of the Saint. This is how St martin inspired Stephan Dorfmaister, Anton fTlaulbertsch, or Josef Wnterhalder. Commissioned by Bishop Schönvisnsr István - the eminent Jesuit historian- published a book about Szombathely in 1791, paying áreat attention to the bishop of Tours.1 Using! the bell of the previously demolished Virgin Шагу parish church, the bishop had a new bell weighing; 1077 kg! made in 1795, with the inscription: Divo tTlartino Spiscopo Sabariae nato Sacrum.' Also in 1795 he established a foundation to fund payers in the Cathedral on the fifth day of 'St martin's ei^ht' and on St John of Nepomuk's Dayf After Szily’s death St martin's cult diminished, although Bishop Hipasy Kornél had Storno Ferenc paint his figure in the new chapel of the Seminary in 1884. His veneration was picked up agjain during the term of Bishop ITIikss János, who published a book about St martin in addition to organising! the reception celebrations of the relic in 1913/ The publishing! house of the Diocese was also named after the Saint and at the Bishop's request the monarch donated ornamental canon's crosses to the members of the chapter, depicting St martin.4 His successor, űrősz József, had St martin painted in the centre of the new, third chapel of the Seminary by Kontuly Béla. In the Communist 6ra the Saint’s cult nearly vanished, and could be rekindled in his native town only after the changing! of the political system. Literature and notes 1 Gófin Gyula: A szombathelyi egyházmegye története. 1. köt. Szily János, H&rhan Ferenc c(róf bíboros, SomcwY Lipót. és Bőis András püspökök, élete és működése. Szombathely. 1929. (hereinafter: Gófin, 1929.) 134. p. • 1 Go™. 1929,58. p. \ 0 For further information see ГПа&ЗА ITliklós: Az 1913. évi Szent tTlárton-ünnep. In-. Slőadások Vas me^ye történetéről. 6. Szerk. tTÍAY&R László, Tilcsik György. Szombathely, 2015,149-176. p. (Archivum Comitatus Castriferrei: 7.) 4 Bakó Balázs: „Non confundar" - „Nem szé- ^yenülök me<f. megemlékezés ^róf tTliKes János püspökről. - Vasi Szemle, 2005.6. sz. 747. p. 32 Remembering St martin in his birth place
