medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (9. March) is the feast day of:
Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (d. 320) Actually celebrated in the West on 10.
March, but the feast was suppressed in 1969; 9. March is the Eastern feast
day. These martyrs were soldiers, victims of Licinius' persecution. After
various efforts to force conformity to Roman religion, the governor of
Sebaste had these poor guys exposed naked all night on a frozen lake
outside the city---with a fire and warm bath on the bank to encourage their
capitulation. 39 of them died of exposure, the 40th gave in to temptation,
but was replaced by another soldier. Their cult was very widespread in the
East.
Gregory of Nyssa (d. c. 395) Gregory was a native of Caesarea
(Cappadocia), the younger brother of Basil. After an education at Athens,
G. became a rhetorician and married, but got fed up with his job and became
a priest in c. 362. In 371 he became bishop of Nyssa, but apparently
didn't do very well at that job; his "holy" status rests on his spiritual
writings, rather than any gift for pastoral care.
Constantine (?) Constantine was a Cornish chieftain and perhaps martyr.
According to legend, he was converted by St. Petroc, after which he became
a monk and church founder.
Bosa (d. 705) Bosa was a monk of Whitby. He became bishop of Deira
(approximately modern Yorkshire) in 678 and ruled until his death, except
for a 5-year hiatus when St. Wilfrid was restored to the see. According to
Bede, B. was a man of "singular merit and holiness."
Bruno of Querfurt (d. 1009) Bruno was related to Germany's Ottonian
dynasty. He was educated at Magdeburg and became an imperial chaplain, but
when in Rome decided to become a monk, at first at SS. Bonifacio & Alessio,
and soon as a follower of Romuald of Ravenna. In 1004 Bruno was
consecrated missionary archbishop to the Slavs, but he was unable to reach
the first group of missionaries who went from Italy to Poland until after
they died (they are commemorated in Bruno's splendid Vita quinque fratrum).
Finally making it to the mission field, Bruno was not only unsuccessful,
but martyred by the Prussians, along with 18 companions.
Frances of Rome (d. 1440) Frances was born in Trastavere to a wealthy
family. She married at age 13 and in time bore six (probably) children.
Besides caring for her household and children, F and her sister-in-law
worked to care for Rome's poor. She founded a society of women to minister
to the poor, and joined the community herself after her husband died. She
is credited with revelations and visions, most notably a continuous vision
for several years of her guardian angel. She is now the patron of
motorists.
Catherine of Bologna (d. 1463) After some time as a lady-in-waiting to
Margerita d'Este, at the age of 13 Catherine joined a convent of Franciscan
tertiaries in Ferrara. She convinced them to become a house of Poor
Clares, and in time she was sent as abbess to a new community in Bologna.
She is one of the more impressive visionaries of the fifteenth century.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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