Antonio Belda
Venancio Fortunato, was born in cenada (the actual Valdobiadene), in Treviso (Italy) in the year 530/40. die in the 600/10. He is a famous poet, author of beautiful hymns that the Catholic liturgy has prayed for centuries. Peregrina a Tours, in fulfillment of a vow, to the tomb of Saint Martin Bishop for the cure of an ophthalmia obtained through his mediation.
He goes to his destination taking a huge detour: we found it in Inn, in mainz, in Tréveris... In his wake he leaves the mark of some poetic gifts in poems dedicated to the bishops of these cities and to the saints.
in mainz (Germany), to his bishop Sidonius, build a basilica in honor of Saint George. The poet sings like this:
"The hall shines with the polish of the excellent martyrs
Georgi,
which is scattered into this world
high honors.
Prison, cede, fame, bonds, site,
cold, with flames,
he confessed and led Christ into
star head
who is powerful in virtue, East in
buried with an ax,
behold, under the hinge of Ocidus
provides help…
These were founded by the ancestors of Sidonius
decently,
souls that are new will prosper
his temples".
“The rich basilica of Jorge martyr egregio shines, from him in this world spreads a sublime honor. by jail, The whips, hunger, the chains, the but, cold, the flames, having confessed Christ, was taken to glory that being mighty, buried in a corner of the East, here at this point in the West he manifests his power... Bishop Sidonio built this elegant basilica, May the new temple benefit your soul.". Book 2, poem 13.
In the book 10, poem 10, the same sacred poet, dealing with the temple that Saint Gregory himself, Obispo of Tours, built in Artona and enumerating the relics of the saints with whom the piety of the residents of Auvergne is enriched, capital episcopal de Clermont-Ferrand, dice:
“Here, too, the remnants flash
that George Almis
who returns with honest fire, nor pitch
he dies by drowning.”
"Jorge also shines here with his venerable relics that he virtuously returns from the fire, nor submerged in the fish does he die".
The same aforementioned Saint Gregory, in Book I, Chapter 101 of the Glory of the Martyrs, says of the glorious martyr George these words: "We know of many miracles performed by Saint George the martyr of which I will speak little" (part of the relics of the saint are deposited in a temple in Limousin, Aquitaine province), “One fragment is in the outskirts of Maine, where many miracles are often performed, so blind, lame, colds and other sick people are graced with healing.”
The cult of our Saint George is ancient in Europe. Irrefutable testimonies that fill us with joy. The thesis that the Crusaders were the first introducers of their devotion is false.. The cultural world of the Roman Empire was an excellent transmitter and propagator -as well as efficient- of the gospel.
