medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
30 December is also the feast day of:
Lawrence of Frazzano' (d. 1162). Like Nicholas Politi (blessed; 17 August), Sylvester of Troina (2 January), and Conus or Cono of Naso (a.k.a. Conon or Cono of Nesi; 28 March) Lawrence is a poorly documented Greek saint from insular Sicily during its period of Norman and Swabian rule.
L. (who has both Latin and Greek legends) was born at Acri in northern Sicily, entered religion at the monastery of St. Michael the Archangel at Troina but at about age 29 left with his abbot's blessing to become a hermit on the slopes of Mt. Etna. He remained here for six years, growing in spiritual virtue and successfully resisting diabolic temptation. L. then returned to his monastery at Troina, but after a while moved on to that of St. Philip at Agira and finally, in about 1155, settled near his birthplace at the monastery of St. Philip at Fragala' (thus completing a hat-trick of famous Greek monasteries in the region). Called in 1158 to preach in Calabria, he performed various miracles there, especially at Reggio, where he healed people afflicted with the "plague" and upon his departure was acclaimed by notables and by a great crowd of ordinary folk.
A later trip to the mainland took him to Stilo, where he again saluted the faithful (and added another famous Italo-Greek monastery to his collection). He died at Frazzano' in 1162.
Giuseppe Alessandro's 4-page summary, based on our legendary sources, is at:
http://www.frazzanosulweb.it/
(click on "San Lorenzo").
L.'s absence from the Roman Martyrology together with his feast's falling on a day not covered by the _Acta Sanctorum_ has prevented his appearance in many calendrically organized handbooks of saints and other blessed.
Best,
John Dillon
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