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

Known all over the world

\\ ^ith his biography on martin /Sulpicius Severus practically W made the Saint's popularity spread all across Surope. His birth town. Sabaria was indicated on numerous maps and several old pictures. The earliest example is the world map from the late 15th century, kept now at Hereford Cathedral, Sngland. The clarifying description (‘Sabaria sancti martini’) underlines its significance the place owes to one of the most popular saints in Surope. Although placed somewhat incorrectly in Lázár's map printed in 152S.2 but the town is dearly identified as St martin's town and an important locatioa Based on Severus, historians such as Kézai, Ransanus, Bonfini and many more never failed to mention Pannonias pride place. Reporting about the town of Kőszeg besieged by the Ottoman army in 1552 and the victory of the Hungarian defending forces, Paolo űiovio described a legend in which he explained an intercession by martin, patron saint of Szombathely. The Ottomans said that they heard the

yelling of the guards rushing out of the castle when they glimpsed a rider with his sword drawn, threatening them. Beyond doubt, it was the figure of St martin, who always protected the people of Szombathely in difficult times with his shining powers of safety and security: this miracle is also attested by Nicolizza (captain Лишен tttiklós) from whom l heard this story in Vienna once they were freed from the siege after a long inquiry.’3

Within the territory of theKingdom of Hungary the connection between martin and Sabaria has always been seen as a given thing. Already King St Stephen prayed to him and the Synod of Szabolcs county ordered he be venerated as one of the most important patron saints of Hungary. In 1395 King Sigismund made a Holy mass donation for the St martin Chapel of the church in Brassó, (Brasov, Romania), underlining that martin was born in Sabaria and his significance for the nation.4 The chronicles cf the Spis (Szepes) Diocese mentions Szombathely in its 1508 section: In diser Sted ist der Heil ITlartinus gebohren dessen Fest mit gebratenen Gänsen gefeyert

vird', that is. 'St martin was born in this town whose day is celebrated with roast geese? The fact that St martin's veneration spread beyond Szombathely is attested by the Cantor Book of Vép, Vas county, from the 18th century0 and also by the hymn book of Varsány, Nógrád county, from roughly the same period.7

Literature and notes

1 Hereford, Cathedral (photo by Gróf László)

2 Országos Széchényi Könyvtár Régi Nyomtatványok Tára App. m. 136

3 Paolo űiovio - Pedro de Velasco - Augustin Friess: Pauli louii Nouocomensis Spiscopi Nucerini Historiarum sui temporis. Tom. 2. Argentorati(?) apud Agustinum Frisium{?)]. 1555. https:// catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/0Q9313724. B&lus Ibolya .fordítása.

+ Rlagyar Nemzeti Levéltár Országos Levéltára Diplomatikai Fényképtár 286591 J Pt-KÁR Károly-. A szepesi egyház történetére vonatkozó kivonatos krónika tru Történelmi Tár. Úf. ,1904.1. fűz. 52. p.

0 Berzsenyi Dániel Könyvtár Savariensia Hb. 1058: mikrofilm: FFlagyar Tudományos Akadémia Könyvtára 2663/V.

1 Pannonhalmi Főapátság Könyvtár 10a 6 29/2

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Remembering $t martin

in his birth place