Martin of Braga

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Image of St Martin of Braga in a 10th century manuscript.

Saint Martin of Dumio (c. 520 – 580) was an archbishop of Braga in Portugal, a monastic founder, and an ecclesiastical author. Born in Pannonia, he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where he became a monk. While there, Martin may have met some pilgrims from Hispania who convinced him to return with them to Gallaecia in order to convert the Suevi, most of whom were either pagans or Arians.

He arrived in Galicia -which then comprised also most of Northern Portugal to the river Douro- in 550 and founded several monasteries, including the famous one at Dumium (modern Dumio), from which he takes his name. In May 561, at the provincial First Council of Braga, he signed the minutes as bishop of Dumio. At some later date, Martin was elevated to the archdiocese of Braga and presided over the Second Council of Braga (573). Under his watch, most of the populace was converted to Catholicism. For this, he was canonised and his feast day is 20 March. He converted the Celtic Bishopric of Britonia in Northern Galicia- to Roman Catholicism. According to the famous Frankish bishop Gregory of Tours (Historia Francorum, V.37-38), Martin was plenus virtutibus (full of virtue) and in tantum se litteris imbuit ut nulli secundus sui temporis haberetur (second to none in learning). His masterpiece is a short treatise entitled Formula vitae honestae about the four cardinal virtues.