medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (30. March) is the feast day of:
Quirinus the Jailer (d. c. 117) The "Passion of St. Alexander" reports
that Qurinus was jailer to Pope St. Alexander I. Al. converted both
Quirinus and his daughter Balbina. Q. was martyred shortly after that.
John Climacus (d. 649) John was a native of Palestine who became a monk
after his wife died. After some years he became a hermit, during which
time he wrote his treatise "The Ladder to Paradise," which gave him the
nickname "Climacus" (= ladder). When he was 70, John was elected abbot of
Mt. Sinai; he ruled the community for four years, before retiring to his
hermitage for the last six or so years of his life.
Zosimus of Syracuse (d. c. 660) Zosimus was a Sicilian, a child oblate to
the monastery of St. Lucia. He didn't enjoy monastic life and ran away,
only reconciled after being brought back by a vision of an angry Lucia
appeased by a gentle Virgin Mary. After 30 years of monastic life, the
bishop appointed Z. abbot, in which position he proved to be a model of
wisdom and charity. Therefore, after a disputed episcopal election, Z. was
made bishop of Syracuse, ruling well until he died at age 90.
Osburga (d. c. 1018) Nothing is known of Osburga's life, except that she
was abbess of Coventry. Her shrine became so popular in the late Middle
Ages, with so many miracles worked, that the clergy and people of Coventry
asked that a feast be established in O's honor in 1410, which was granted
by a synod.
Joachim of Fiore (blessed) (d. 1202) Joachim was a Cistercian abbot,
visionary, and reformer, whose prophecies of a coming age of the Holy
Spirit are among the most influential of the later Middle Ages. In c. 1190
he founded his own monastery at Fiore, which became the mother house of a
reforming congregation.
Dodo of Asch (d. 1231) Dodo retired, with his mother and wife, to the
Praemonstratensians of Asch (Frisia). He lived as a hermit in several
places, amazing everyone with his austerity. He received the stigmata,
perhaps even before Francis of Assisi did. Dodo died when his cell
collapsed, crushing him under a wall.
Amadeus IX of Savoy (blessed) (d. 1472) Amadeus was born in 1435 and
became duke of Savoy in 1455. He was an epileptic and very devout and
between the two it became so impossible for him to rule that he resigned in
favor of his wife Yolande. As soon as he died, A. was declared a saint by
his former subjects.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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