An epidemic of ergotism, the so-called Saint Anthony's fire or sacred fire (i.e. Mal des Ardents) raged through provinces of France, Germany, Spain and Sicily several times from the10th to the12th centuries. In 994, heavy rains devastated Aquitaine, at a time when rye was the people's staple foodstuff. Ergotism reached epidemic proportion in the midst of a population with hard and precarious living condition. It affected Limoges and spread throughout Aquitaine, Touraine and as far as Burgundy.

With the deeply-rooted faith that prevailed in those days, the Lémovices implored their saint fervently. Faced with the mounting despair and suffering of his folk, Hilduin bishop of Limoges since 990, in agreement with Géoffroy, the Abbot of Saint-Martial's, convened all the bishops of Aquitaine to concelebrate a Mass of intercession. Fasting and prayers were held for three days prior to the great gathering which took place on the 12th of Novembre 994.

On that day, Abbot Geoffroy, Bishop Hilduin, Archbishop Gondebaud from Bordeaux and the Archbishop of Bourges, the bishops of Angouleme, Clermont, Mende, Périgueux, Poitiers, Le Puy and Saintes, the Monks of Saint-Martial Abbey, the Duke of Aquitaine William the Fourth followed by a multitude of pilgrims, carried the relics of the Limousins saints in an impressive procession, from Our Saviour's Basilica up to the top of a hill overlooking the City.

The epidemic stopped abruptly after the procession and exibition of the relics had taken place. The site has borne the name of Mount Joy ever since (today's Montjovis). As a mark of gratitude and to perpetuate the memory of such a great miracle, a chapel was erected, named Saint Martial de Mont-Jauvy (on- the-Mount Joy). It was to be demolished soon after the Revolution. A memorial stands now on the site.

The Bishops availed themselves of their being assembled and of health being restored to the thankful population to decide on imposing a Pact of Justice and Peace on the feudal lords - a covenant which enjoined them to restrict war to the soldiery and respect the civilians and their property. Those who refused to comply incurred an interdict (i.e. being restrained from the sacraments). In a cruel world, seeds of pacification were being sown, the first token of what was to become 'the Truce of God' in 1040, on Saint Odilon's initiative.

Those events of our remote past bring about two remarks; first, the Monks derived enhanced prestige on behalf of the Saint. Second, the Bishops, pledging themselves socially in favour of peace and the defence of the weakest, remained loyal to their sacred mission, particularly as they, themselves, were the offsprings of the feudal system.

Above, left, the tomb thought to have been Martial's, and next to it St Valérie's. Upon closer reading of a text by Grégoire de Tours (538-594) and from what is currently known of the pilgrimages to Saint Martial's tomb, it is more likely that the two tombs are those of  Martial's companions. Martial's stone coffin is probably the one lying further to the right, according to Tève-le-Duc, a chronicler whose name was not mentioned until the end of the first millenium.Whatever the case, there are enough grounds for placing the saint's tomb in the vault discovered during the archeological digs.

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