"LEGEND AND REALITY - A series of lectures on Saint Martin by archaeologist Dr. Gábor Kiss"
There are still many local legends in Szombathely about the most famous native of Savaria, Saint Martin, later Bishop of Tours. The lecture series follows in the footsteps of these colourful stories. It examines their claims and compares them with the surviving authentic written sources and available archaeological finds. The course, organised by the Saint Martin's Institute, which was founded last year, aims beyond the transfer of knowledge, to gather data to build a truly authentic picture of Saint Martin.
Location: the Saaria Museum, Stone Vault
Wednesday, 14 February 2018, 17.00.
Saint Martin's birth date
According to tradition, Saint Martin was born in 316 AD. In 2016, the city of Szombathely celebrated the 1700th anniversary of this remarkable date. But the exact date of his biography by Sulpicius Severus suggests a date two decades later. So what is the real year of his birth and what could be the reason for the mistake?
Wednesday 21 March 2018, 17.00
Saint Martin's birthplace
Everyone knows that Saint Martin was born in Savaria, a former Roman colony in the area of today's Szombathely. It is a pity that the author of his biography, Sulpicius Severus Martinus, did not write a word about his birthplace. But how, then, can we interpret his lines? And how did he come to be believed to have been born on the site of the chapel of St Martin, which is now part of the Church of St Martin?
Wednesday 11 April 2018, 17.00
Saint Martin returns home
Legend has it that after his military service, Martin returned to his birthplace to visit his elderly parents. However, this is not clear from the biography compiled by Sulpicius Severus, nor is it clear that his clash with the Arians took place in Savaria. What could have been the actual scene of these events?
Wednesday 16 May 2018, 17.00
Saint Martin's Baptism
From his biography we know that Martin came home mainly to convert his parents. He succeeded in part, as his mother was converted, but his veteran father remained faithful to his former beliefs. It is to this detail that the legend adds the scene of Martin's baptism of his mother. But did he even have the right to baptise her? And especially to do it at a simple well?
Friday 22 June 2018, 15.00 --- Meeting in front of St. Martin's Church
Walk in the "birthplace" of St. Martin
The legendary events recounted in the presentations are all said to have taken place in the area of the present-day St. Martin's Church. Martin was born in the house where he was born and returned to his elderly parents. He also baptised his mother at the well in the courtyard of their house. During our walk, we will visit these sites in particular, but we will also look around the birthplace!
Let your Martin be born ! - altarpiece (Varga Bernadett, 2005)
*** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***