Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman and Gallican Martyrologies. Usuardus. Ado on Dec. 9. Same day the ancient Kalendar of the Abbey of S. Maen. Authority: — A Life written by an unknown author. A second Life, somewhat later, by another unknown author, with a book of miracles wrought by the saint This latter Life and collection of miracles was written at the end of the 9th cent.] According to the earliest and most trustworthy Life of this saint, he was a native of Nantes, of noble birth, ordained deacon by Felix, bishop of that city (550-583), and sent to preach to the ignorant peasants of the neighbourhood. The chief seat of his labours was a city called by the second biographer, Herbadillo.1 He could convert only his host and hostess. Every one else laughed at him. Then his wrath was kindled, and he bade his host and hostess flee for their lives, for God would overthrow the city. As they went forth, an earthquake rent the ground, the city was swallowed up, and the sea flowing in, converted the valley into a lake. The woman looked back and was turned into a pillar of stone. The story of submerged cities is common among all Celtic peoples. This incident is a combination of a national myth with the Scripture story of Lot's wife, to explain the existence of a rude stone obelisk or menhir on a Breton moor near the Lac de Grand Lieu.
1 Herbauges is the name of a village on the Lac de Grand Lieu, which covers, or is supposed to cover, the submerged city; so Killamey lake flows over a city buried beneath its waters. A city lies under the sea near Dol. S. Martin of Vertou.
Martin is said to have been sent for by a British king to heal his demoniac daughter. This is adopted from the history of S. Martin of Dumetum, near Braga, in Portugal, as told by Gregory of Tours [bishop and historian of the Franks (d. 594)]. Martin of Brittany inhabited the forest of Dumen, near Nantes. Thus several of the acts of the Life of Martin of Dumetum have passed over to Martin of Dumen. He retired into the forest of Men-dhu, or Dhu-men (the Black Rock) and founded the abbey of Vertou. His staff, which he planted there, grew, and was regarded as miraculous till the 17th century, when it died. He founded a nunnery at Durieu. Ordericus Vitalis says that he established another at Bayeux which was called “ Des Deux Jumeaux,” because he restored to life there two twins who were dead. This was on his return from Britain, where he had cured the princess possessed with a devil. But the second biographer tells a wonderful story of the king giving Martin a marble slab for his altar, and this he launched on the sea, and stepping on the altar-slab sailed across the sea, coasted Finisterre, and brought it to anchor in the Loire.
The Martin who founded the convent at Bayeux must have been a different person. Our saint died at Durieu shortly after completing the building. The monks of Vertou went over to Durieu, and agreed with the nuns to take alternate nights in watching the body and chanting psalms over it. The nuns kept their wake, and resigned the following nightwatch to the monks. When the nuns were in bed and asleep, the monks stole away, carrying off the body to Vertou, leaving one of their number in the church to shout the psalms for the dead at the top of his voice throughout the night, and thus prevent the nuns from suspecting that their treasure was being made away with.
The relics [the bodily remains of a saint, or objects they used, kept with honor] were scattered by the Calvinists in the 16th century. None now remain. October 35. S. Miniates, M at Florence; a.d. 350.* SS. Chevsamthus amo Daela, MM. at Rama; a. a. «B> SS. Ceiseim AMD CsiSflMlAM, MM. at Seasons; a_d. 385. SS. MAJtmtius AND Marcian. Iflf. at Constantinople; a.d. 351. S. From TO, 5. tf/ Peripeux; 4th cant.
SS. Seamus, Lurus, and Others, MM. at Taarx and Bourpes; 4th or 5 th cent. S. Gaudemtius, B. of Brescia; arc. ajx 41& S. Boniface [English missionary to Germany, martyred 754] I., Pofe, C. at Rome; a.d. 42a. SS. Camma, Sadweem, and Crallo, CC. in Wales, 6th cent. S. Caidim, C. in Ireland; 6th cent.
S. Marnock, B.C. at Kilmarnock in Scotland. S. Lasriam, C. in Ireland; circ. a.d. 650. S. Gouezmou, B. in Brittany; circ. A.D. 675. S. Margaret, M. at Roskilde in Denmark; A.D. 1176. B. Louis, Count of A mheim; aj>. 1185.
