Saint Martha (French)
Encyclopedia
Saint Martha was the wife of Saint Amator
. She is a locally venerated
(non-canonized
) saint
in Langres
, France
.
Martha and Amator were wed in order to please his parents. After their wedding, they mutually agreed to live together as brother and sister. Martha subsequently became a nun
and Amator received the clerical
tonsure
.
Saint Amator
Saint Amator Amadour or Amatre was bishop of Auxerre from AD 388 until his death on May 1, 418. He is also confused with a hermit of legend whose feast day is August 20. A tradition in Autun also designates him as its first bishop, with an occupancy date of AD 250 that is intended to tie him to...
. She is a locally venerated
Veneration
Veneration , or veneration of saints, is a special act of honoring a saint: an angel, or a dead person who has been identified by a church committee as singular in the traditions of the religion. It is practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic, and Eastern Catholic Churches...
(non-canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
) saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
in Langres
Langres
Langres is a commune in north-eastern France. It is a subprefecture of the Haute-Marne département in the Champagne-Ardenne region.-History:As the capital of the Romanized Gallic tribe the Lingones, it was called Andematunnum, then Lingones, and now Langres.The town is built on a limestone...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Martha and Amator were wed in order to please his parents. After their wedding, they mutually agreed to live together as brother and sister. Martha subsequently became a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
and Amator received the clerical
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
.