Jewish Therapeutic Visits to the Tombs of Christian Martyrs in Late Antiquity.

The article examines Jewish therapeutic visits to the tombs of Christian martyrs in Late Antiquity, focusing on the testimony of Gregory of Tours, a sixth-century bishop and historian. It analyzes Gregory’s hagiographical accounts, particularly from Syria and Gaul, where Jews are depicted seeking healing at Christian martyr shrines, notably those of St. Domitius and St. Phocas in the eastern Mediterranean. Despite the polemical and stereotypical nature of these Christian sources, the article argues that Jews in the eastern provinces may have accepted visiting martyr shrines as a form of healthcare, reflecting a shared belief in the dead’s power to affect the living—a belief not present among Jews in Gaul until introduced by Christianity. The contrasting portrayals of Jewish attitudes in Gregory’s works suggest a geographical and cultural difference in late antique Jewish engagement with Christian sacred sites. [Extracted from the article]