medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (1. October) is the feast day of:
Piatus (d. c. 300) Piatus is venerated as the patron saint of the diocese
of Tournai. According to legend, Piatus was originally from Benevento. He
was sent to evangelize the area around Tournai by Dionysius of Paris,
perhaps becoming the first bishop of the region. He is supposed to have
been martyred in the reign of Diocletian and, like his sponsor, to have
carried his severed head under his arm to the place (Senclin, near Lille)
where he wished to be buried.
Germana (d. 406 or 452) Germana was servant to the priest of Bar-sur-Aube.
She was killed during an invasion, either that of the Vandals in 406 or
the Huns in 452. There is evidence of a prominent cult from an early
period. The church where she had served in Bar-sur-Aube was renamed after
her, and became a pilgrimage site. The pilgrim chapel still exists today.
Romanos the Melodist (d. c. 560) Romanos was one of the greatest Greek
poets of the Middle Ages. He is credited with writing over 1000 hymns,
many of which are still extant. According to legend, the Virgin Mary
personally gave him a scroll that gave him the instant ability not only to
compose poetry but to write at all. By birth Romanos was a Syrian from
Emesa. He became a deacon in Beirut and later a cleric in Constantinople.
Bavo (d. before 659) Bavo lived in Belgium, at first following the normal
life course of a layman. After his wife died, he became St. Amandus'
companion on the latter's missionary journeys. Later Bavo lived until his
death as a recluse in a hollow tree in Ghent near the monastery of St.
Peter (later renamed St-Bavon).
Mylor (unknown date) The legend of Mylor is spectacular and doubtful at a
historical level. Mylor seems to have been a saint of Brittany, with
Cornwall later substituted as his place of origin. The legend is that when
Mylor, a prince, was seven years old, the child's uncle killed his father.
The evil uncle wanted to kill Mylor too, but was dissuaded by a council of
bishops. Instead he chopped off Mylor's right hand and left foot (which
were replace with artificial limbs of bronze and silver). Mylor was sent
to a monastery, and within a few years his artificial limbs began to work
like real ones. This peeved the uncle, who had Mylor killed. The uncle,
by the way, touched Mylor's severed head and died within three days.
Amesbury had his relics.
Angelus de Scarpettis (of Sansepolcro) (blessed) (d. 1306) Angelus was
born in 1230 in Borgo Sansepolcro. He became an Augustininian Hermit in
1254. The main work of his life was to spread his order in England, where
he founded several convents. He was already greatly venerated in his life
time, but was not beatified until 1921.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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