Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 977
Clerics from a church in the diocese of Tours are visited by their bishop, Martin of Tours. Account in Letter 1 of Sulpicius Severus, writing in Primuliacum (Gaul), AD 397.
Chapter 10
 
Cum ad dioecesim quandam pro sollemni consuetudine sicut episcopis visitare ecclesias suas moris est media fere hieme Martinus venisset mansionem ei in secretario ecclesiae clerici paraverunt.
 
(ed. Fountaine 1967-1969: v. 1, 320-322)
Chapter 10
 
When Martin had come in the middle of winter to a certain parish, following the regular custom in which it is the practice of bishops to visit their churches, the clergy had prepared a place for him in secretarium inside the church.
 
(trans. Goodrich 2015: 57, changed by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

The world 'secretarium' is not easily translated, as it can mean a ''council chamber'', as well as a sanctuary (i.e. the place in the church where the altar stands), or a sacristy. What can add to reader's confusion is the fact that both the latter places could have served as a place for an ecclesiastical gathering. In the context of this letter, it was likely a sacristy, small room adjacent to the sanctuary, where priests prepared for the Mass. However, it was certainly not a ''private room'' as Goodrich suggests.

Place of event:

Region
  • Gaul
City
  • Tours

About the source:

Author: Sulpicius Severus
Title: Letter 1, Epistula prima
Origin: Primuliacum (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
Sulpicius Severus` hagiographical corpus concerning Martin of Tours consists of his Life, three letters, and three Dialogues. Letter one was written after the Life and just before Martin`s death, thus early in 397. It was addressed to Eusebius who, as we learn from the Dialogues (2.9.5) was then a presbyter [1014].
Edition:
Sulpicius Severus, Vie de saint Martin, ed. and transl. J. Fontaine, Sources Chrétiennes 133–135, Paris 1967–1969.
 
Translation:
Sulpicius Severus, The Complete Works, transl. R.J. Goodrich, Ancient Christian Writers 70, New York 2015.
 

Categories:

Food/Clothes/Housing - Type of housing
    Functions within the Church - Parish presbyter
      Described by a title - Clericus
        Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
          Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER977, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=977