medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (6. July) is the feast day of:
Calimerus of Milan (d. c. 190) Calimerus was the fourth bishop of Milan.
During his long episcopate Milan's Christian community became the second
largest in Italy (after Rome). Calimerus was imprisoned, tortured, and
then exiled in the reign of Marcus Aurelius. He was able to return for
some years, but then was martyred in the time of Commodus.
Monenna (Darerca) (d. c. 518) Monenna was founder and abbess of Killeevy
(Co. Armagh, Ireland). Legend associates her closely with both Brigid and
Patrick, and reports that she founded Killeevy with eight virgins and one
widow.
Sexburga (d. c. 700) Sexburga was a princess of East Anglia and was
married to King Erconbert of Kent. While the king's wife, Sexburg founded
a nunnery at Minster-in-Sheppey, to which she retired as abbess after her
husband died in 664. In 679, when her sister Etheldreda died, Sexburga
went on to become abbess of Ely, where she did much to promote her sister's
cult.
Godelive (d. 1070) Godeliva, born near Boulogne in c. 1045, married a
Flemish nobleman who deserted her almost at once, leaving her to be abused
by her mother-in-law. Under pressure by Godelive's father and the local
bishop, the husband eventually returned but decided to get rid of Godelive
by having two of his henchmen drown and strangle her. Miracles at her tomb
convinced people that Godelive was a martyr of the faith.
Camilla Gentili (blessed) (d. 1486) Oddly, a second case of uxoricide on
the same day. Camilla was the daughter of a wealthy family of San Severino
(Italy). After she was murdered by her husband, word spread of her
goodness and piety, and a strong cult developed. Camilla was beatified in
1841.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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