medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
> - any information on Venantius Fortunatus's work and/or existence.
From the "Hymnal Companion to Worship: Third Edition" (Chicago: GIA, 1998)
p. 71-72
<<Fortunatus, Venantius Honorius Clemantianus was born about 530 at Ceneda,
near Treviso in northern Italy, and spent most of his adult life in Gaul.
He was converted to Chirstianity at an early age. Having already begun to
write poetry when he was young, he went on to train in oratory and poetry at
Milan and Ravenna. During his lifetime he wrote numerous poetic pieces,
ranging from trivial rhymes repaying hosts for dinner to some of the finest
of Christian hmns. Legend has it that Fortunatus developed a serious eye
disease and was nearly blind until he was miraculously cured by anointing
his eyes with oil from a lamb burning before the altar of St. Martin of
Tours in a church in Ravenna. Whatever the source of his cure, he did in
fact set out in gratitude on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Martin at
Tours in 565. In Gaul he met Queen Rhadegunda who convinced him to take
holy orders, after which he entered the Abbey of St. Croix at Poitiers.
(Rhadegunda had been taken as wife by the Frankish king Clothaire I after he
had captured her people in Thuringia. She separated herself from him and
entered the convent of St. Croix.) From 599 until hs death in 609,
Fortunatus was bishop of Poitier.>>
Author of (among others):
Pange lingua, gloriosi, lauream ceriaminis.
Tempora florigero rutilant distincta sereno (from which is taken "Salve,
festa dies")
Vexilla regis prodeunt
Quem terra, pontus aethera (disputed)
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