Saint (Hierarch) Martin of Braga

St Martin of Braga (of Dumium) was a 6th-century bishop and the enlightener of the Sueves of north-western Iberia. Tradition, going back to Venantius Fortunatus and Gregory of Tours, says he was born in Pannonia and travelled to the East before coming, around 550, to the Suevic kingdom with its capital at Bracara Augusta (Braga). His arrival coincided with the translation of relics of St Martin of Tours to Braga, after which the king's son was healed and the royal court accepted Orthodoxy; Isidore of Seville credits Martin with the conversion of the Sueves from Arianism.

Martin founded the monastery of Dumium near Braga and became its bishop, took part in the First Council of Braga (561), later succeeded Lucretius as bishop of Braga and presided over the Second Council of Braga (572). He wrote the sermon "On the Correction of Peasants" against pagan survivals, the "Rule for an Honest Life" for King Miro, and a Latin collection of Eastern canons. He died on 20 April 579/580 and was buried at Dumium. His Western feast is 20 March; in 2018 the Russian Church included him in the Synaxis of the Saints of Spain and Portugal.