Martin of Braga

Who they were

Martin, born in Pannonia about 520, became a monk in Palestine and came to Galicia in 550 to convert the Suevi, some still pagan and some Arian. He founded monasteries, including Dumio, of which he became abbot and bishop.

As Archbishop of Braga he presided at its council in 572, converted the Arian Galicians and rooted out paganism. St Gregory of Tours called him full of virtue and second to none in learning. He died at Braga in 580.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.

Why that counted as sanctity

The apostle of the Suevi, who brought Galicia to the Catholic faith.

Connected on this site

• Gregory of Tours Saint
  “According to his contemporary, the historian Gregory of Tours, Martin was plenus virtutibus ("full of virtue") and in tantum se litteris imbuit ut nulli secundus sui temporis haberetur ("he so instructed himself in learning that he was considered second to none in his lifetime").” — Wikipedia