medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (19. January) is the feast day of:
Messalina (d. c. 251) According to legend, Messalina was a consecrated
virgin of Foligno. When her bishop (St. Felician) was imprisoned in the
Decian persecution, she went to visit him, was spotted as a Christian, and
was clubbed to death.
Agrecius (d. c. 335) Agrecius (Agricius) was bishop of Trier. He is known
to have attended the council of Arles in 314. An eleventh-century vita
says that it was A. who obtained Trier's most precious relic, Christ's
robe, from St. Helena in Jerusalem.
Remigius of Rouen (d. c. 772) Remigius was a bastard son of Charles
Martel. He became bishop of Rouen in 755 and played an important role in
introducing Roman liturgy and chant in Francia.
Arsenius of Corfu (d. 959) Arsenius was of Jewish descent, born in
Constantinople. He became the first bishop of Corfu (Greece) and is patron
saint of the island.
Knut IV of Denmark (d. 1086) Knut (Canute) was a bastard son of King Sweyn
III of Denmark. When he became king he zealously set about establishing
the church in Denmark in accordance with canon law and sending missionaries
to the Balts. In his spare time he tried to invade England twice. His
introduction and enforcement of tithing helped encourage a revolut by his
brother, which led to K's death at Odense. He was regarded as a martyr and
canonized in 1101, but his cult was demoted to local status in 1969.
Wulstan (d. 1095) Wulstan was from a place with the charming name of
Itchington in Warwickshire, England. He became a monk at Worcester and
eventually bishop of that city in 1062. He was so successful that he was
the only Anglo-Saxon bishop to survive in office after the Norman Conquest.
He rebuilt Worcester cathedral and was noted as the first English bishop
to hold a regular visitation of his diocese. W. was canonized in 1203.
Henry of Uppsala (d. c. 1156) The "apostle of Finland" Henry was an
Englishman, but it's not clear how he got there; one manuscript connects H.
to a trip Nicholas Brakspear (the future Pope Hadrian IV) made to
Scandinavia. Henry was made bishop of Uppsala (Sweden) in c. 1152, and
received help for his missionary work from King St. Eric IX. H. joined a
colonizing expedition to Finland, where he was murdered by a Finn in what
was regarded as a martyrdom. H. was canonized in 1158.
Anthony Fatati of Ancona blessed) (d. 1484) Anthony was born in Ancona,
became archpriest at Ancona, vicar-general of Siena, canon of St. Peter's
in Rome, bishop of Teramo, and finally went back home as bishop of Ancona.
He is venerated in all these cities.
Andrew of Peschiera (blessed) (d. 1485) Andrew was from the Verona region;
he became a Dominican at age fifteen and after studying in Florence became
a missionary in the Valtellina on the Swiss border (to Waldensians?
surviving Cathars?)
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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