Hagiography—sacred writing—became, as Clifford Backman refers to it, “[…] the passion of Western Monks.” The template for such writings was exemplified in Sulpicius Severus’ Life of St. Martin, which commemorated the life and achievements of St. Martin, Bishop of Tours (d. 397). Unlike previous hagiographies, Life of St. Martin not only included the idealized portrait of Martin’s Christian virtues, but also his ability to perform divine miracles. Because of the similarities shared in education, values, and lifestyle, by the mid-4th century, the line between devote Christians and non-Christians was almost indistinguishable. As such, the adoption of an ascetic lifestyle became a dominant form of authentic Christian commitment. This is evident
