Mór

Legend of St Zoerard (Andrew) and Benedek
Prince Emeric
Tihany - Letter of foundation 2
The writer of the first Hungarian legend was Bishop Mór, who was the first Hungarian writer known by name. Under the title of "The Life of the Saint hermits, Zoerard, the Confessor and Benedict, the Martyr" (Vita sanctorum heremitarum Zoerardi confessoris et Benedicti martiris) he wrote the biography of hermit Andrew-Zoerard, who originated from Poland (or according to recent views, Istria), and hermit Benedict from Vágvölgy, the Nyitra region. Not only the legend of Prince Emeric and Bishop Gerald mention the author, but also a contemporary charter text contains his name: he was among those who signed the Letter of foundation of Tihany in 1055, and his name is mentioned in Palatine Radó's partly official charter.The short legend, which was written in a rather simple language, contains the biography and miracles of St Zoerard/Andrew, and also mentions the martyr death of his student, Benedict. He received the information about his hero from Philip, abbot of Zobor, and he saw Benedict personally during his years in Pannonhalma. By writing this legend he might have fulfilled Prince Géza's request: at the Easter of 1064 King Salamon, Princes Géza and Ladislaus met in Pécs, and on this occasion King Géza asked Bishop Mór for the half of Andrew, the confessor's penitent belt as a relic. In spite of the short text and plain content the author was an excellent stylist, who focused on the ascetic ideal rather than the chronological biography.

SzK