Matteo Giovanetti
St. Peter Gives his Staff to St. Martial
1344-45
Fresco
Chapel of St. Martial, Palace of the Popes
Avignon, France
In the legends, St. Peter sends St. Martial and his companions Alphinian and Austridinian on mission to Gaul. But along the way the latter falls sick and dies. When Martial returns to Rome with this news, Peter gives him his staff, telling him to touch the corpse with it and Austridinian "shall arise and go in thy company as he did tofore."
On the Wikimedia source page the photographer refers to this as Martial's giving back of the staff. Perhaps he is aware of a version that I have not seen. In all the legends I have consulted there is no mention of the saint's returning to Rome at any time. Indeed, several of the miracles attributed to Martial in Caxton's version involve his use of the staff.
Above St. Martial is the inscription matial; above St. Peter, petr. Curiously, Martial wears a mitre but Peter is bare-headed. The man in gray on the right is not identified.
Read more about images of St. Martial.
Read more about images of St. Peter.
Source: this page at Wikimedia Commons..
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