Today, 7 November, is the feast of ...
* Herculanus, bishop of Perugia, martyr (c. 547)
- although he was beheaded, the Perugians who dug up his body 40 days
after the execution found the head attached to the rest of the body
* Florentius, bishop of Strasbourg (seventh century)
- an Irishman (supposedly) who settled as a hermit in Alsace; having
healed king Dagobert's deaf-mute daughter, he was granted land for a
monastery
* Willibrord, bishop of Utrecht (739) - native of Northumbria, he
studied in Ireland before going to Frisia, which he evangelized
- every Whit-Tuesday, the folkloric Dancing Saints ritual is held at
his shrine (even bishops have taken part)
* Englebert, archbishop of Koln, martyr (1225)
- although excommunicated at a young age for taking up arms against
emperor Otto IV, he was soon rehabilitated, and became archbishop
- killed by men sent by a cousin, whom Engelbert would not allow
to take lands from a convent
* Helen of Arcella, virgin (1242)
- Francis of Assisi led her to become a Poor Clare; known for her
patience with many ailments, and her visions of Purgatory
* Margaret Colonna, virgin (1280)
- another Poor Clare who suffered greatly and who had gift of miracles;
vita was written by her brother, John
* Matthia of Matelica, virgin (1300)
- ANOTHER Poor Clare; abbess for 40 years; miracles at her grave were so
frequent they moved it to a tomb next to the high altar; in 1756, on the
occasion of repairs to the church, her body was found to be incorrupt
and sweet-smelling
* Peter of Ruffia, martyr (1365)
- Dominican inquisitor-general of Piemonte, Upper Lombardy and Liguria,
killed in Susa (supposedly by Waldensians)
*******************
Carolyn Muessig
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
University of Bristol
3 Woodland Road
Bristol BS8 1TB
UK
fax: +44.117.929.7850
phone: +44.117.928.8168
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