medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (3. January) is the feast day of:
Gordios (d. early 4th cent.) According to tradition, Gordios lived in
Caesarea in Cappadocia. At first he was a Roman soldier, then a hermit.
During a chariot race in honor of Mars in Caesarea Gordios publicly
proclaimed his Christian beliefs, upon which he was immediately beheaded.
A strong cult developed at the site of his burial.
Kyrinos (d. c. 320) Kyrinos was a soldier in the Roman army. He and his
companions, after converting to Christianity, were imprisoned. According
to legend, they were kept 40 days in a dungeon without food. When they
failed to die, they were drowned in the Hellespont.
Ia (Ives) (d. c. 450) According to legend, Ia was an Irish virgin, who
came with a group of missionaries to Cornwall. Or actually *after* the
group of missionaries---they left her behind, so she floated there on a
leaf. The whole group is supposed to have been martyred. According to
Breton tradition, though, she and her group came to Armorica in 777 and
were martyred there.
Genovefa (Genevieve) of Paris (d. c. 502) Genovefa is one of the most
important saints of France. She was born in c. 422 in Nanterre near Paris.
After her parents' death, she moved to Paris and gave herself up to good
works. She is credited with convincing Attila and his horde to spare Paris
in 451. She was highly regarded by the people and also by the Frankish
kings, especially Clovis. Clovis had a church dedicated to the apostles
built over Genovefa's tomb; in 1791 the successor of that church was
profaned and rebuilt as the Pantheon. Genovefa's relics were burned in
1793.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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