Les routes d'Orose et les reliques d'Etienne

The role played by the Spanish priest Orosius in the dissemination of protomartyr Stephen's relics and in the implantation of his cult in the West, has long been proved. However, the trips he undertook through the Iberian Peninsula, Africa, Palestine and the Baleares give rise to several hypothesis about the chronology of his movements, his stopping places, his transportation means and his motives. The present study intends to compare the most recent theories on those questions, especially those voiced by G. Finck, E. D. Hunt, C. Torres Rodriguez, M. - P. Arnaud- Lindet, J. Amengual I Bade, S. Bradbury and F. Dolbeau, and relies mostly on literary sources such as Augustinus' correspondance, Orosius written worts, the Revelatio sancti Stephani of Lucian, Avit of Braga's letter, Severus of Minorca's testimony and the Relatio from Evodius of Uzalis. Severus' letter puts Orosius' responsability in the dissemination of Stephen's relics into question. Moreover, it allows to question the chronology of Orosius' return journey to the West, as well as Bishop Severus'use of protomartyr Stephen's relics to undertake the conversion of the Jews in Minorca.