medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (28. August) is the feast day of:
Pelagius of Aemona (d. c. 283) According to legend, Pelagius was beheaded
during the Christian persecution of Emperor Numerian in Aemona (Croatia).
A strong cult of this saint evolved in southwestern Germany after his
relics were translated to Constance in 904 (or perhaps 850); they had
already been in Rome since 641.
Julian of Brioude (d. c. 306) Julian's tomb in Brioude was for centuries
one of the most important pilgrimage goals of France. Julian was a
nobleman from Vienne. In c. 300 he secretly became a disciple of the
Christian Ferreolus. He was imprisoned and then executed by beheading in
Diocletian's persecution.
Moses the Ethiopian (d. c. 395) Moses was born to a slave woman in what is
now Ethiopia. He himself was a slave, but was freed and joined a robber
band. After a sudden conversion he became a monk in the Egyptian desert,
collecting numerous disciples. He is supposed to have been kiled by
Berbers.
Augustine of Hippo (d. 430) After Paul, Augustine was probably the person
most responsible for fixing the doctrine of the Christian church. Born in
Tagaste (North Africa), he received a good education and intended to make a
name for himself in imperial service. But then came his conversion (after
many years as a Christian catechumen, then a lapsed Christian catechumen,
then a Manichaean "hearer" (following a syncretic religion predominantly
Zoroastrian, with Christian and Buddhist elements). He found public
service (and also marriage) incompatible with a true religious life.
Instead he returned to Africa and established a monastic community with
friends. When going through Hippo one day he was drafted as
priest--successor to the reigning bishop. As his hagiographer says, he
became a very voluminous Christian apologist, so much that "if anybody says
he has read all of Augustine's works, he's a liar."
Elmer (d. c. 700) Elmer was a missionary bishop in the area around Liege
in the late seventh century.
Aelfric (d. 1005) Aelfric was a leader in the tenth-century reform of the
English church. He was a Benedictine monk at Abingdon, then in 990 became
bishop of Ramsbury. In 996 he went on to the archbishopric of Canterbury.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
[log in to unmask]
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|