medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (16. October) is the feast day of:
Eliphius (d. c. 360) Eliphius was martyred in c. 360 in Toul.
Gall (d. c. 630) Gall was a monk of Bangor, who went with Columbanus to
the kingdom of the Franks in c. 590. He followed Columbanus to the area
around Lake Zurich, when the latter was exiled from Luxeuil. According to
tradition, however, Gall fell ill and therefore refused to go on to Italy
with his abbot. The angry Columbanus forbade Gall to say mass until after
Columbanus' death. Gall established himself in a hermitage, which he used
as a base for evangelizing the Alemanni. His later legend tells of how the
saint violently destroyed shrines, burning idols and even breaking a
container of beer dedicated to the Germanic god Woden. In other ways,
though, Gall fits the more peaceful image of an Irish evangelist. There
are accounts of him winning the favor of the local nobles, and going from
home to home to preach. Gall also won the friendship of wild animals: a
bear regularly supplied the saint with firewood in return for bread. The
great monastery of St. Gall was not founded by Gall; it grew up on the site
of his hermitage in the early eighth century.
Mummolenus (d. c. 686) Mummolenus was a monk at Luxeuil, then a missionary
and perhaps abbot of St-Omer. Together with St. Bertin, Mummolenus founded
the monastery of Sithiu (later St-Bertin) in c. 650; Mummolenus was the
first abbot. In 660 Mummolenus succeeded St. Eligius as bishop of Noyon.
Mummolenus is the patron saint of Noyon and Tournai, and is especially
invoked for aid with stuttering and other speech impediments.
Bercharius (d. 696?) According to tradition, Bercharius was a monk of
Luxeuil, later becoming abbot of Moutier-en-Der. He founded three
monasteries. His monks, however, annoyed by Bercharius' stern discipline,
murdered him.
Lul (d. 786) Lul was the first archbishop of Mainz. He was born in c. 710
in Wessex. He became a monk at Malmesbury, but in 738 joined his kinsman
Boniface in Germany.
Gaugerich of Perpignan (sometime before 10th cent.) All that is known of
Gaugerich is that he lived sometime before the tenth century in the
Languedoc, where he was a shepherd. He gained a reputation as a miracle
worker. His relics can still be found in Perpignan and Mirepoix. He is
invoked against rainstorms.
Bertrand of Comminges (d. 1123) Bertrand became bishop of Comminges
(Gascony) in 1083. He thoroughly reformed his diocese. He was canonized
in 1309.
Hedwig of Silesia (d. 1243) Hedwig was born probably in 1174 in Andechs,
the daughter of Count Berthold of Andechs-Meranien. She received a convent
education, and at the age of 12 married Duke Henry I of Silesia. Hedwig
bore seven children in what was apparently a happy marriage. Henry and
Hedwig together worked to Christianize Silesia. Hedwig was also a great
benefactor, founding hospitals, etc. The two together founded the great
Cistercian nunnery of Trebnitz in 1202, where Hedwig became a nun when her
husband died after fifty years of marriage. Her grave still attracts
pilgrims; she was canonized in 1267.
Luitgard of Wittichen (blessed) (d. 1348) Luitgard, born in 1291 in Baden,
began her life as a Beguine at the age of 12. She was commanded in a
vision to found a convent---Wittichen in the Black Forest, which she
founded in 1323. Luitgard lived there for the rest of her life. She was
already highly honored in her lifetime for her mystical experiences, and
her grave developed into a pilgrimage site.
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
|