medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (26. February) is the feast day of:
Dionysius of Augsburg (d. c. 304) Perhaps purely legendary, Dionysius is
suposed to have become the first bishop of Augsburg in c. 300; he is
supposed to be the brother of St. Hilaria and the uncle of St. Afra.
Legend reports that he was martyred with this two women in Augsburg by
being burned at the stake. His relics were honored at St. Afra, Augsburg
on this day at least as early as 1070, and the relics were formally raised
in 1258. There has been an oficial festival since 1508.
Alexander of Alexandria (d. 328) Alexander became patriarch of Alexandria
in c. 312. He was one of the strongest opponents of Arius and his
teachings.
Porphyrios of Gaza (d. 420) The vita of Porphyrios is an important source
for 5th-cent. Christianity. P. was from Greece and lived as a hermit
first in the Egyptian desert and then in Palestine. Against his will he
was elected bishop of Gaza (Palestine) in 395, where he worked with great
success. He destroyed all the pre-Christian temples in Gaza, fought
heresy, and built numerous churches.
Ottokar (d. 771) Ottokar and his brother Adalbert founded the monastery of
Tegernsee (Bavaria) in c. 750, settling it with monks from St. Gallen.
Tegernsee quickly became famous, especially after the brothers obtained the
relics of the martyr St. Quirinus for their foundation, and became an
important cultural center.
Edigna of Puch (d. 1109). A popular folk saint, Edigna's life is strongly
overlaid with legend. She is supposed to have been a daughter of King
Henry I of France. Her parents tried to force her to marry, so she fled in
c. 1075 to Puch (Bavaria). There she lived in a hollowed-out linden tree
as a hermit until her death. Many farmers of the area and pilgrims from
further afield came to Edigna for advice (apparently especially when they
had problems with their cattle). In 1979 a tomb was discovered that has
been claimed as Edigna's, and her relics are now in a shrine in the church
of St. Sebastian in Puch. The "1000 year linden" is still standing, and
the citizens of Puch stage an "Edigna play" every ten years.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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