medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (5. February) is the feast day of:
Agatha (?) Agatha is a virgin martyr of Catania, Sicily. Her cult is
early but her Acta are late and fictitious. But they make a good story.
A. was of course wealthy, and of course vowed her virginity to Christ. The
Roman authorities tried to break her will power by handing her over to a
brothel. She was then tortured in various ingenious ways, including having
her breasts cut off (but they miraculously healed), then she died in
prison.
Abraham of Arbela (d. c. 3450 Abraham was bishop of Arbela, Assyria
(Iraq). He was martyred in the reign of Shapur II.
Indractus and Dominica of Glastonbury (d. c. 710) According to legend,
Indractus was an Irish chief who became the 21st abbot of Iona. He and his
sister Dominica made a pilgrimage to Rome, only to be foully slaughtered
(along with nine companions) near Glastonbury on their return journey.
There was a strong cult at Glastonbury; later legend made them contempories
of Patrick.
Fingen of Metz (d. c. 1005) Fingen was an Irish abbot. He moved to
Lotharingia, where he made quite a business of restoring old monasteries,
including St. Symphorian in Metz, and St. Vanne of Verdun.
Adelheid of Villich (d. c. 1015) Adelheid was abbess of Villich and then
of St. Maria in Capitol in Cologne---both convents founded by her parents.
She was very highly regarded by contemporaries and seems to have been a
progressive, reforming type of figure: not only did she care for the poor
during a severe famine, she insisted that her nuns be taught Latin so they
could understand their services better.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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