medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (8. February) is the feast day of:
Martyrs of Constantinople (d. 485) On this day, the whole community of the
Dion monastery were massacred for delivering the notice of excommunication
to Patriarch Acacius during the Acacian schism.
Nicetius of Besancon (Nizier) (d. 611) Nicetius was elected bishop of
Nyon, but re-established his see at Besancon. He was a supporter of
Columbanus. His cult was formally confirmed for Besancon in 1900.
Paul of Verdun (d. c. 649) One of the multitude of Frankish courtiers who
got fed up with secular life and became a hermit, in this case on the
Paulsberg near Trier. He went on from there to be a monk at Tholey, then
bishop of Verdun from c. 630 until his death.
Elfleda of Whitby (d. 714) Elfleda was a daughter of King Oswy of
Northumbria, given to the convent of Hartlepool when she was still a
toddler (a thanksgiving offering for dad's victory over the Mercians).
Elfleda went to Whitby with St. Hilda and succeeded H. as abbess. E.
became very influential in Northumbria, among other feats succeeding in
reconciling Saints Wilfrid and Theodore.
Cuthman (9th cent.) Who said the Normans didn't appreciate Anglo-Saxon
saints? Cuthman was a hermit at Steyning in Sussex. When the church there
was granted to the monastery of Fecamp in Normandy they absconded with the
relics.
Peter Igneus (blessed) (d. c. 1089) Peter was a Florentine noble who
became a Vallombrosan monk---and the monastery's champion in its fight with
the simonist Bishop Peter Mezzabarba. Peter volunteered to walk through
fire to prove the Vallombrosan case---which he successfully did (as is
described in vivid detail in Andreas of Strumi's vita of John Gualbert).
The bishop fled the city; Peter won his nickname of "fiery" and was soon
appointed cardinal-bishop of Albano.
Stephen of Muret (d. 1124) Stephen was a noble of the Auvergne. At the
age of twelve he went on pilgrimage to Italy with his father, but fell ill
and had to be left behind. He lived with hermits in Calabria, eventually
returning to France to become a hermit at Muret when he was about 30. He
attracted a group of disciples that eventually moved to Grandmont and
became the core of the Grandmontine order. The order survived until it was
suppressed shortly before the French Revolution.
Antonio dei Vici (blessed) (d. 1461) Antonio was from Stroncone (Italy).
He became a Franciscan lay brother at the age of eleven. A. was chosen to
help Thomas Bellacci's anti-Fraticelli campaign in Tuscany, after which he
returned to a penitential life at the friary. His cult was confirmed in
1687. In an interesting case of modern relic theft, the citizens of
Stroncone forcibly seized A's relics in 1809.
Isaias Boner (d. 1471) The subject of an unconfirmed cult, Isaias was a
native of Cracow who studied theology, then joined the Augustinian hermits
at Kasimiercz. He spent his career mostly teaching scripture, with great
success.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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