medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (16. November) is the feast day of:
Eucherius of Lyons (d. 449/450) Eucherius was born in c. 380 in Gaul. He
was married, he and his wife producing two sons, both of whom became
bishops. In 422, though, Eucherius abandoned his high political office and
became a monk at Lerins (his wife Galla became a nun). Eucherius occupied
himself with prayer and writing theology, and in 434 became bishop of
Lyons.
Otmar of St. Gallen (d. 759) Otmar is the founder of the monastery of St.
Gall. He was a priest and missionary who in 719 settled on the site of
Gall's hermitage (Gall had died in 640), and a small community of hermits
still lived there. Otmar built the hermitage up into a monastery following
the Benedictine Rule. But Otmar himself came into conflict with both the
state and his diocesan bishop over the new monastery's rights. He was
falsely accused by enemies, and ended up exiled for life to the Rhine isle
Werd, where he died.
Margaret of Scotland (d. 1093) For centuries, Margaret has been regarded
as an ideal Christian queen, mother, and wife. She was born in c. 1046 in
Hungary, where her father the English Edward Atheling lived in exile. From
1057 on she and her family lived at the court of her uncle, Edward the
Confessor. In 1066 Margaret fled from William the Conqueror to Scotland,
where in 1070 she married King Malcolm III. As queen, she supported
churches and monasteries, cared for the poor, and gave a thoroughly
Christian upbringing to her six sons and two daughters. During the
Reformation her relics were removed from the monastery of Dunfermline
(which she had founded) and taken to the Escorial; her head went to the
Jesuits in Douai.
Hugh of Lincoln (of Avalon) (d. 1200) Hugh was born in c. 1140 in Avalon
(France), and at about the age of 26 became a Carthusian monk. At the wish
of Henry II of England, in 1180 Hugh came to found the first Carthusian
house in England (at Witham). In 1186 Henry named Hugh bishop of Lincoln.
Hugh was the first Carthusian to be canonized, in 1220. In art, he is
sometimes shown with a swan---which, according to legend, always
accompanied the saintly bishop and told him the future.
Edmund of Abingdon (d. 1240) Edmund Rich was born in c. 1180 in Abindon.
He became a professor of theology at Oxford, a crusade preacher, and from
1233 on was archbishop of Canterbury. Edmund was an indefatigable defender
of Church rights, which led to serious conflict with King Henry III. In
1240 Edmund resigned his office and left England, settling at the
Cistercian abbey of Pontigny. He died on this day in the same year, and
was canonized only six years later. Sometimes Edmund is regarded as a
martyr, because he died in exile.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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