Martin of León, St.
MARTIN OF LEÓN, ST.
Ascetic and theologian; b. near León, Spain, c. 1125;d. León, Jan. 12, 1203. Martin's biography, attributed to Lucas of Túy, says that Martin spent his childhood in a monastery but then went on a long pilgrimage before returning to León. In 1185 he began a series of 58 sermons for his fellow canons regular of st. augustine, in which, at times, he argued vehemently against Jews and heretics. The many Biblical quotations in Martin's writings have caused them to be called a Concordia of the Bible. He relies heavily on isidore of seville, augus tine, gregory i the great, and cassiodorus, while his doctrine on the Trinity is copied from peter lom bard. He quotes no Arabic authors. His cult, authorized in 1632, was later suppressed and Martin has fallen into obscurity.
Feast: Feb. 11 (?).
Bibliography: Patrologia Latina, ed. j. p. migne, 271 v., indexes 4 v. (Paris 1878–90) 208–209. j. de ghellinck, L'Essor de la littéature latine au XII e siècle, 2 v. (Brussels-Paris 1946) 1:224–225. a. viÑayo gonzÁlez, San Martín de León y su apologética anti judía (Madrid 1948). bp. lucas of tÚy, Santo Martino de León: vida y obras narradas por el Tudense, tr. a. viÑayo (León, Spain 1984).
[e. p. colbert]