Madigan explains that the cult of saints played a crucial role in medieval Christianity by playing the mediator role between the sovereign, omnipotent God and the weak, vulnerable, and often suffering human. The saints were believed to be able to wield supernatural power and perform miracles for those who needed aid. The mighty miracle acts that were performed by saints would often have to do with physical health; fruitful fields and lands; the fertility of wives and livestock; and the safety of villages and families. The Christians understood the relationship between the saint’s physical body and their spiritual power as an inverse relationship. This would mean that as a martyr’s or monk’s natural powers dwindled down and then disappeared, his or her supernatural powers would increase massively. A martyr, one second a mutilated corpse, was the next a miracle performing saint capable of showing supernatural power. In the same way, the severe asceticism of ancient eastern monks that made them seem like a corpse, brought supernatural powers as their natural powers all but vanished into thin air. Gregory, in his discussion of saints, mentions about how saints held significant spiritual power and held high authority within the church because of it. The saints in medieval France, whether they were dead or alive, would often be sought out in churches, shrines, and monasteries by humble and hurting Christians who were seeking their miraculous healing power.

According to Gregory, the saints help those who are faithful Christians by helping them heal from any sort of physical pain or disease as well as avoid suffering. As seen in one of the stories he recalls, Gregory talks about Saint Gall stopped the plague of the groin (that had reached many other regions of the world) from reaching Clermont, which ultimately protected many faithful Christians. Also, Gregory explains how many miracles were made manifest at the tomb of Saint Martin, meaning that many healings occurred through dead saints. Saints helped Christians who were faithful, but also helped those Christians to see the importance of their faith and what happens if they do not remain faithful. In the case of Leunast, archdeacon of Bourges, he had lost his sight. He went to the church of St. Martin and continued to pray and when the feast of Martin came around, his eyes were made clear and he began to see. However, he lost his vision again when he brought in a Jew to check on his eyes after already experiencing the miraculous healing power of God. Gregory makes a good point when he says that this story is a great example of teaching “every Christian that when he has received the medicine from on high, he should not seek after worldly arts” (59). So through these examples, it can be seen that saints play the role of connecting faithful Christians to God through healing and protection, whether or not the saints are alive or dead. Those who are Christian but lack faith will ultimately not see, or temporarily not see the power of God and his miraculous deeds through saints.

In the case of Leunast, his actual healing came when the feast of Martin came around, and this shows the significance of the feast itself in addition to being at the church of Saint Martin. Another example that Gregory mentions, is about a man named Dominicus, who was blind from birth. He had traveled to a monastery and for about three months, he was in constant prayer and fasting, seeking to be healed of his blindness. A saint eventually plays the mediator role, puts oil on Dominicus’s eyes, and heals him through the name of Jesus Christ. The significance can be seen in how often times it is a holy place, and through devotion and dedication and investment, that gives the appropriate opportunity for healing and witnessing miraculous events. Another passage from Gregory that illustrates the sacralization of time and space is the story of Aredius. Aredius’s story is significant because it shows the importance of church building. Aredius was converted to Christianity and became an absolutely devout Christian who constantly prayed and fasted. He would go on to build churches of God in honor of saints, sought and gathered their relics, and even found a monastery in which the rule of Cassian and rules of Basil and other abbots who instituted the monastic life. Aredius invested much of his time to this, and eventually would perform miracles through the power of Jesus in places like this (Church, monasteries, etc.). There seems to be a strong significance with miracles being done at holy and sacred places (churches, monasteries) during important times (such as feast days) through the power of saints (spirit-led, mediators) and individual commitment (fasting and praying).

Gregory seems to rely on the sources of his friends (such as Aredius) and others like Namatius (bishop of Clermont) whom he had a relationship with to help him understand and showcase the miracles and powers of God through saints. He helps show the great interest medieval Christians had in saints because of their close spiritual connection to God that ultimately gave them the power of physical healing. Gregory’s stories would probably have greatly impacted those who heard them to the point where to the point where it encouraged and increased the need for churches, monasteries, and honoring saints. The stories probably also helped Christians seek out saints and holy places of worship that would ultimately lead to a life devoted to serving God.