Primordi monastici d’Occidente: Martino da Sabaria « filosofo » illirico, « personaggio d’Europa »

Abstract

This essay opens an unusual perspective on the origins of the Christian monasticism in the Latin West and on Martin of Tours, European prominent figure, whose 17th centenary of the birth is commemorated this year 2016: the evidence of an independent Illyrian tradition about Martin leads us to point out that the homeland (patria) recognized by Martin himself as his own was in fact the Illyrian-Pannonian region, exposed to the evangelizing action of Aquileia and affected – at least since the mid-third century – by the widespread phenomenon of hermitical secessions from urban civilization, with the purpose of a preparation for martyrdom. St. Martin felt drawn to them already as a young boy during his stay in Sabaria, while adhering to Christianity preached according to the tradition of Aquileia, as it is revealed by some characteristic features of his spirituality; so when, returning from his patria, he undertook outside the walls of Milan the anachoresis that finally he propagated in Gaul, his monastic style, however, perpetuated the archaic model of these pre-Constantinian monasteria/tabernacula he had admired in his own region of birth, not far from Aquileia.