medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (12. July) is the feast day of:
Veronica (1st cent.?) Legend reports that Veronica was a woman of
Jerusalem (in some versions, she was the "woman with a flow of blood"
healed by Jesus; or perhaps the wife of Zachaeus, or a princess of Edessa,
or even identical with Martha) who had pity on Jesus as he was led to his
execution and wiped his face with a cloth---the cloth was left with an
image of Jesus. A cloth claimed to be Veronica's original veil has been
kept at St. Peter's, Rome perhaps since the early eighth century. Needless
to say, the fact that V's name means "true image" casts additional doubt on
the historicity of this event.
Hermagoras and Fortunatus (d. c. 66) According to tradition, St. Mark sent
Hermagoras to tend to his converts in Aquileia; Peter is supposed to have
made H the first bishop of Aquileia, and Fortunatus became his deacon.
They were tortured and beheaded in the reign of Nero.
Paulinus of Antioch (?) Legend makes Paulinus the first bishop of Lucca,
sent there by St. Peter and martyred there in c. 67 (along with a priest, a
deacon, and a soldier). More historically, Paulinus was probably bishop of
Lucca c. 355-65.
Nabor and Felix (d. c. 304) Early martyrs of Milan. The relics of
Gervasius and Protasius were found in the church of N and F in 386.
John the Iberian (d. c. 1002) John was in the service of the ruler of
Iberia (Georgia). He gave up this position and entered a monastery,
afterwards migrating to Mt. Athos with his son and a rich brother-in-law.
The three founded a monastery for Iberian monks on Athos, called Iviron.
John Gualbert (d. 1073) One of the most interesting Italian reformers of
the eleventh century (in my humble opinion). John, born to a noble
Florentine family, converted to the religious life when he met with his
brother's murderer---but the man begged for forgiveness and prostrated
himself in the shape of a cross. John couldn't bring himself to take his
vengeance, and soon became a monk. But John became discontented when a new
abbot won his post by simony. He left and soon established his own
monastery at Vallombrosa. John himself gained a great reputation as a
preacher against clerical abuses, as a prophet, and as a miracle worker.
He was canonized in 1193 (despite all the trouble he had caused back in the
1050s and 1060s by ignoring papal gag orders).
Andrew of Rinn (d. 1462) Andrew of Rinn (near Innsbruck, Austria) died at
the age of three, supposedly killed by the Jews and venerated by the locals
as a martyr. Pope Benedict XIV allowed continuation of the local cult, but
refused to proceed with a canonization.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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