medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (16. January) is the feast day of:
Priscilla (d. c. 98) Priscilla, according to tradition, was St. Peter's
hostess during the time he spent in Rome. She was married to Mancius
Aelius Glabrio, who was executed by Domitian, maybe for being a Christian.
The catacomb under her house was named for her.
Sigebert (d. 635) S. was king of the East Angles. Before coming to the
throne he spent time in the kingdom of the Franks, where he became a
Christian. On his return he established churches, monasteries, and
schools. He then abdicated and became a monk. But when King Penda of
Mercia invaded, S. was forced to leave his monastery to lead the East
Anglian army---he went, but refused to bear weapons. The East Anglian army
was totally defeated, and Sigebert won glorious martyrdom.
Fursey (Fursa) (d. 650) Fursey became a monk in Ireland but went in
peregrinatio to East Anglia in c.630. King Sigebert welcomed him and
companions and gave them a fortress for a monastery. When Sigebert was
killed (see above), F went on to France, where the mayor of Neustria gave
him land for another monastery at Lagny-sur-Marne. His body was buried at
Peronne in Picardy, which became a major pilgrimage site. His relics
mostly didn't make it through the French Revolution, but his head is still
around. Fursey appears in Bede, who recounts F's vision of heaven and
hell.
Henry of Coquet Island (d. 1127) Henry was a Dane who went abroad to
become a hermit to avoid marrying at home. He settled on Coquet Island at
Tynemouth. There he lived an ascetic life, had visions (including a whole
address to him by Christ on the cross), and had many visitors who were
attracted by H's gift of prophecy and counsel. Farmer includes the
interesting example that H reproved and punished a man who had refused his
wife's request to have sex during Lent.
Conrad of Mondsee (blessed) (d. 1145) Conrad was from the area of Trier
and became a monk at Siegburg. In 1127 he was named abbot of Mondsee in
Austria. He was very firm in reclaiming monastic possessions that had been
usurped by local nobles. The nobles resented this and murdered him.
Mondsee immediately began Conrad's veneration as a martyr.
Berard and companions (d. 1220) In 1219 Francis of Assisi sent five
friars---Berard, Otho, Peter, Accursio, and Aiuto---to preach in Morocco.
They started in Seville, where as soon as they started preaching they were
imprisoned and then driven from the city. Then the preached some more in
Marrakesh (Berard knew some Arabic). At first the Muslims thought they
were madmen and didn't trouble them, but when they continued to offer
public insult to Islam they were beaten and then killed. Legend says that
the sultan himself struck the blows. They were the first Franciscan
martyrs, canonized in 1481.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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