Saint Marinus and Annianus Face the Vandals

Marinus and, his nephew, Annianus were (possibly) Scotch(?)-Irish monks who, according to legend, came to Rome in mid-7th century.  They were then sent by Pope Eugene I (which means this must have been between 654 and 657 when Eugene was Pope) to live as hermits to the area of Wilparting (Marinus) and Alb (Annianus) in today’s Oberbayern.  It was there that, forty or so years later in 697, they met their martyr deaths at the hands of…

Well, and that is where it gets interesting.

Irschenberg (contains Wilparting) coat of arms features our Saint

The pagan murderers were apparently Vandals. But… since this was the 7th century, it is more likely that the “Vandals” were Wends, i.e., Slavs and that has become the common interpretation of this legend – an interpretation that seems confirmed by a gloss in one of the sources describing these events.

So what are those sources?

One is called the Legenda Sancti Marini et Ammiani (the so-called Tegernsee Manuscript) and the other the Vita Sancti Marini et Ammiani (the so-called Rott Manuscript).

The Tegernsee version was originally published in volume 1 of the Moumenta Boica (pages 343-350).  It was discussed in the Beyträge zur teutschen Länder-, Völker-, Sitten- und Staaten-Kunde, Volume 1 (1825).  A portion of was also printed in the Monumenta Germaniae Historica (SS 15.2 at pages 1068 – 1070).  Another source for this is “Über einige bairische Heiligenviten” by Oswald Holder-Egger published in 1889.  Finally, Bernhard Sepp produced the whole work (Legenda and Vita) in an 1892 edition.

The Tegernsee Manuscript is dated to the 12th century whereas the Rott one to the 15th.  Nevertheless, Oswald Holder-Egger thought the Rott one to be the older version.  The Rott manuscript contains a gloss that explains the words gens… uuandalorum by uulgariter winden.  It also contains an additional sermon written in which has a third version of the events.

The Benedictine Abbey at Rott am Inn

Anyway, the Vita Marinus was terminated by the Slavs (probably) either while he was praying/ conducting prayers in the middle of a dale (burnt to death) – if you believe the Tegernsee version – or, in another variation, because he refused to give the Slavs directions (perhaps, if you want to combine the two, because he thought prayers were more important).  We translated a portion of the Tegernsee version – more to come.

Allegedly, the Wilparting church sits on the site of the hermit house of Saint Marinus

Legenda Sancti Marini et Ammiani
(Tegernsee Manuscript (12th century))
(Lat 18625 (Tegernsee 625), 68r–71v)

“…Temporibus ergo regum Pippini et Karolomanni, quando in Frantia regnaverunt, ipsi sancti predicti, ut suprascriptum est, mira sanctitate in Norica provintia in deserto quodam cis Alpinos montes sito per multos annos in Christo claruerunt.  Adventiente autem die eorum vocationis ad Christum, sicut eis jam dudum coelitus est promissum, simul ambo una die migraverunt de hoc mundo, licet hinc essent assumpti diverso modo.”

Igitur crudelissima gens Wandalorum eadem tempestate idolatriam colens ritu paganorum, de propria egrediens patria longe lateque plura desiderabilia loca vastaverat in provincia Bajoaria, quam circumquaque percurrens pervenit etiam ad cellam Sancti Marini, quem reperit nil hostilem incursionem formidantem intente officiis assistere serviminis divini.  Unde feroces homines nimio concitati furore sanctum Virum studuerunt maximo perturbare dolore.  Omnia namque eius utensilia primitus despoliando violenter ei abstulerunt, moxque illum, ut Christum negaret, plurimis tormentis compellere studuerunt.  Diutinis vero illum verberibus affligebant posteaque cum sevis ungularum lacerationibus eculeo suspensum usque ad nuditatem costarum constringebant.”  

“Therefore, the cruel nation of the Vandals who at the time cultivated pagan rites, emerged from its own lands, ravaged many excellent places in the province of Bavaria, traversing through which [province] they hastened also towards the Saint Marinus’ hut, who [Marinus] was assisting at holy service, expecting no hostile incursion.  Whence the ferocious men grew very furious and strove to cause the most fearsome pain to the holy man.  They violently destroyed all his belongings and carried him away yelling [and] so as to compel him to deny Christ, they invented many torments.  Truly a long time did they whip him and they beat him after and suspended him from hooks until his ribs constricted.”  

“Sanctus autem vir, inter tantas poenas corde et ore Christum confessus, hilari mente illud psalmigraphi carmen Domino canebat indefessus: Dominus mihi adiutor, non timebo, quid faciat mihi homo, et reliqua.  Illos etiam qui se cruciabant totis nisibus ad Dominum convertere desideravit; quibus verbum salutis constanter quasi nil mali sustinens predicavit.  Sed nullo modo durum eorum cor et inpenitens potuit salutiferis doctrinis emollire, qui, ut apostolus ait, sibi thesaurizaverunt iram in die irae.  Quid plura?  Supra modum ergo idem hostes ex patientia sancti viri truculentiores facti et plus quam ille beatus corpore torqueretur cordibus suis cruciati, novissimam hanc sententiam super ipsum fieri statuerunt, scilicet ut grandi igne eum comburerent, quem prefatis atrocibus poenis superare non valuerunt.  Tali quoque tormento martyr sanctus carnem relinquere optavit, qui cum sancto Laurentio et concedere Dominum sempter oravit.  Concupivit enim post obitum suum cum psalmista Domino gaudens concinere: Probasti, Domine, cor meum et visitasti nocte; igne me examinasti, et non est inventa in me iniquitas.”  

“Succenso itaque a Wandalis cumulo lignorum copioso immissus flammis vir Domini Marinus XVII. Kal. Decem. ad Christum migravit fine gloriosso.  Prius tamen, quam obiert, in medio incendiorum, more trium puerorrum a Chaldaeis olim iussu Nabuchodonosor Regis fornacem ignis missorum, quamdiu voluit, Dominmum laudans, per flammas illesus deambulavit. Denique cum gratiarum actione animam Domino reddens in manus sanctorum.  Angelorum eam commendavit.  Nullum vero eius membrum ignis potuit consumere, neque faltem vestimenta eius valuit comburere.  Profani autem Wandali, relicto in igne S. Martiris corpore diffcefferunt; sed Domino disponente ad cellam S. Aniani non venerunt…”  

“…Denique post felicem obitum forum ex divina revelatione quidam prebiter, nomine Priamus in eodem pago habitans sepelevit eos pariter in uno loco, ubi reuieverunt eorum sacra corpora longo tempore…”

They came too late for Marinus

Vita Sancti Marini et Ammiani autentica (written about 749 – 755)
(Rott Manuscript 15th century)
(Lat 15608 (Rot 108), fol. 4r–8v)

“Tempore Leoncii imperatoris contigit, quod gens nefandissima Wandalorum* de Italia fugientes et nescientes viam, et venerunt per viam per cis alpos montes, et illum virum sanctum, cum errando per montes ibant, invenerunt, precipientes ei, ut illis dux itineris esset.  Ille vero vir sanctus votum Deo suo factum habuit, be ab illa specu vivus recederet, non illis aquievit.  Illi vero nefandissimi hoc audientes indignati sunt valde et furore nimio repleti fecerunt ignem succendi ipsumque virum sanctum ligna vehere et ipsum vivum cum ipsa congerie lignorum incendebant eumque in medio posuerunt.  Hac de re vitam finivit XVII kal decembrium.  Prefatus vero sanctus Anianus stimplo cum hoc audiens eodem die, sedens et gaudens de martirio, quiod in socio vel in consobrino factum fuerat, et eucharistiam sibi petens dari, columbam auream de ore exeunte, omnibus astantibus et aspicientibus, ita finivit vitam.  Deinde corpora eorum in terra quiescentia centum quinquaginta annos, tunc revelata sunt viro magno atque sanctissimo Priamo presbitero, et merita illorum et locum in quo iacuerunt indicavit, et ille tunc episcopo nomine Tolusio omnia per ordinem, sicuti ostensum fuerunt, narravit.  Tunc episcopus magno repletus gaudio per viam iter carpere cepit, et ad locum veniens, omnia invenit, sicut sancto viro per visionem revelatum est.  Idcirco tunc prefatus episcopus triduanum ieiunium indicens populo, et tercia die cum omni clero psallencium cum crucibus et ymnis ad locum venientes, omnia repererunt sicut antea creverunt, et levaverunt reliquias cum summo honore, et exportate sunt in loco nuncupato Arrisio, sequentibus vero signis, et in ipsa ecclesia sunt condite cum aromatibus in sarcofago marmoreo niveoque candore et miro ordine polito.  Invencio preciosorum corporum Pipiny Karlomanni tempore, et ipsi Franciam regebant, et in Italia Egilolfi tempore.  Priamus presbiter iussus a domino episcopo Tolusio vidi omnia et scripso et testimoniis hiis gests perhibeo, et testimonium meum verum est, quod ipse scit qui est benedictus in secula seculorum.  Amen.  Expliccit legenda de sancto Marino et ce. de sancto Aniano et cet.  Dentur pro pena scriptori celica regna.  Amen.”

* The manuscript contains a note that explains the words gens… uuandalorum as follows: “uulgariter winden“.

The Rott Manuscript Sermon

The Rott manuscript also contains a sermon about Marinus and Anianus written in the same hand right before the above Vita which sermon provides yet another version of events:

“…Audivit autem, dum quadam die ad missarum sollempnia staret cumcapellano suo sancto Aniano, audivit cocem de celo dicentem sibi: ‘Marine, serve Dei, cito erit remuneracio tua et socii tui Aniani.  Et quia in hoc mundo unam vitam dilexistis, in uno die coronari digni estis.’  Quod et factum est, nam cum Wandali terram nostram vastaturi eo tempore intrarent, accidit, ut ad specum sancti Marini Domino permittente peruenirent, quorum tamen adventum sanctus Marinus prius in spiritu sancto cognouerat; ut autem proprius accesserunt, viderunt venerabilem senem genibus flexis orationibus insistentem; ad cuius caniciem primum exterriti sunt.  Deinde cellulam eius infringentes, interrogaverunt, ubi pecunias suas incole haberent absconditas, et nisi eas ipsis demonstraret, ipsum vivum incenderent.  Ille vero veras pecunias in celo querendas respondit, et quod contra votum suum vivus de antro non exiret.  Ad hanc cocem extrahentes eum et vestibus spoliantes, durissimis verberibus cum affecerunt.  Post hec vero corpus eius in eculeo suspenderunt et carnes eius ungulis laceraverunt, usque dum ossa eius nuda apparerent.  Deinde seponentes eum, facto igne copioso, eum in medium iactaverunt.  Sanctus vero Marinus Deo animam suam commendans oravit, ut eciam Anianum sibi sociaret, et quisquis auxilium eius de quacumque tribulatione peteret, Deus promptum ei ferret auxilium.  Hacque finita oratione, reddidit Deo animam.  Sanctusque Anianus, corporali inifrmitate correptus, diebus illis Sanctum Marinum visitare iuxta consuetudinem suam non potuit; unde per Spiritum sanctum intellexit sanctum Marinum e corpore emigrasse, et communicans de corpore Domini, animam tamquam niveam columbam de ore suo, videntibus qui aderant, ad celos emisit; sicque eo die quo sanctus Marinus per martirium sanctus Anianus vitam finivit per confessionem…”

Further we also read:

“…ita eciam vandali a romanis prouinciis ignominiose expulsi plus seuientes et propter spolia diripienda per eadem montana [Alpium] circumquaque discurrentes ad specum viri dei domino permittente ferebantur…”

And further:

“…Tortoribus ergo vandalicis sine mora per fugam amotis ex eorum relatione, qui eis seruire consueuerant, cognito martirio, quod in magistro et consobrino suo gestum fuerat, gaudens deo gratias agebat sanctam quoque dari eukaristiam post orationem ad deum beatam emisit animam aspicientibus illic astantibus, tanquam columbam auream de de niueo ore suo in celum emiserit…”

***

Note there is also the manuscript number Latin 23846 (ZZ 846) which may contain another version at f. 349 – 353.  We were unable to check.

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December 29, 2016

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