medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Prof. Jestice wrote:
Oderisius (blessed) (d. 1105) Oderisius was born in c. 1025 to the comital
family of Marsio in Italy. He was educated at Montecassino, and became a
monk there in c. 1040. In 1059 he was made a cardinal, and from 1087 on
was also abbot of Montecassino. Oderisius was especially known as a peace
mediator, and as a poet.
I was quite surprised to see Oderisius honored with the title of "Blessed".
Succeeding the legendary Desiderius II as abbot of Monte Cassino in 1087,
when the latter was named pope, he was much more retiring abbot, with
liturgical book production replacing the celebratory histories of Monte
Cassino and the sumptuous church building that his famous predecessor
patronized. Oderisius later fell afoul of a papacy grown hostile to its
former allies, the great Benedictine abbeys. He was deposed by Pope
Honorius II, ostensibly for disobeying a papal order, but various writers
attribute other motives to the papal action. Some argue that a newly
ascetic papacy was cracking down on the increasingly worldly and wealthy
Benedictine monasteries, noting that abbot Pontus of Cluny was deposed for
similar reasons about the same time. Others argue that the move was a power
play: to destroy the independence of Monte Cassino which had always been
problematic for the nearby papacy. Honorious attempted (unsuccessfully) to
have Oderisius's successor rule under paper authority, a struggle which went
on for almost a decade thereafter. Oderisius struck back by being one of the
more powerful supporters of the "anti-pope", Anacletus II, whose title to
the papal office, historians agree, was legally quite strong.
However most accounts agree that the great Benedictine monasteries began
their long decline in this period, being replaced by the Cistercians in
popular (and Roman) favor. Thus my surprise at the 'blessed' title accorded
to Oderisius. I'm guessing that the papacy had nothing to do with this
title, but that it was bestowed by the Benedictines of MOnte Cassino in the
more informal, grass-roots "canonization" still typical of the 12th century,
and so might well have been an anti-papal canonization in some aspects.
John B. Wickstrom
Kalamazoo College
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-----Original Message-----
From: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Phyllis Jestice
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2001 8:50 PM
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Subject: [M-R] saints of the day 2. December
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (2. December) is the feast day of:
Bibiana (d. 365) Legend reports that Bibiana was a young Christian woman,
martyred in Rome in 365 (which seems very strange). She is supposed to
have been tortured for months, and ended by being flogged to death. A
hundred years later the church of S. Bibiana was built on the site of her
tomb, in which is still preserved the column to which Bibiana was supposed
to have been bound during her flogging.
Silverius (d. 537) Silverius became pope in 536. After the death of
Agapetus I the Gothic king Theodahat chose Silverius, a son of Pope
Hormisdas (514-523) as successor. Silverius was soon entangled in the
struggle between the Byzantines and the Ostrogoths. When Belisarius took
Rome, he deposed Silverius, and his successor (Vigilius) banished Silverius
to the island of Ponza (near Naples). Silverius soon died of the
mistreatment he had suffered, and is therefore honored as a martyr.
Oderisius (blessed) (d. 1105) Oderisius was born in c. 1025 to the comital
family of Marsio in Italy. He was educated at Montecassino, and became a
monk there in c. 1040. In 1059 he was made a cardinal, and from 1087 on
was also abbot of Montecassino. Oderisius was especially known as a peace
mediator, and as a poet.
John of Ruysbroek (blessed) (d. 1381) John was one of the greatest Belgian
mystics, winning the nicknames "the wonderful," "the second Dionysius," and
"doctor divinus." He was born in 1293 in Ruysbroek (near Brussels). His
career began as chaplain in the cathedral of Brussels. In 1343, however,
John and several companions retreated to the forest near Waterloo, founding
the Augustinian canonry of Groenendael, with John as prior. John had a
great many mystical experiences, which he wrote down. His cult was
approved in 1908.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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