medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (28. October) is the feast day of:
Jude (Judas Thaddeus) (1st cent.) Jude was one of the Big Twelve
(apostles, that is), a brother of James the Less and related to Jesus in
some way. Traditions regarding J's life after Pentecost are confused and
imaginative. The most popular legend is that he went as a missionary to
Persia, where he was martyred along with Simon the Zealot (see below). J.
is the patron of difficult or hopeless problems; I confess that I don't
know why.
Simon the Zealot (1st cent.) Simon is the most obscure on the lists of
apostles in the New Testament. Nothing is known about his life after
Pentecost (although one of several legends tells that he was martyred in
Persia with Jude (see above). The lack of clear tradition about his
martyrdom can be seen in the variety of his iconographic attributes,
including a fish (or two), a boat, an oar, or a saw (one legend says he was
sawed in half).
Anastasia and Cyril (d. c. 253) The old Roman Martyrology tells that
Anastasia was a Roman woman, publicly mutilated as a Christian in the reign
of Valerian. Cyril was a bystander who showed kindness to her, only to be
martyred along with her. Their historic existence is doubted.
Faro (d. 675) The Frankish Faro, brother of Sts. Burgundofara and
Cagnoald, was a royal chancellor who decided to separate from his wife and
take up the religious life. He became a monk and then bishop of Meaux, and
was a great supporter of monasticism.
Hainmar (d. c. 731) Hainmar was bishop of Auxerre, but quarreled
catastrophically with the king of the Franks (or perhaps Charles Martel?)
and was executed.
Edsin (d. 1050) Edsin was chaplain to the king of Denmark. Thanks to
Cnut's conquest of England, that put E. in a good position to become bishop
of Winchester and then archbishop of Canterbury in 1038.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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