medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
The story on Scholastica duplicate bones seems to be somewhat as follows.
When the monks of Fleury went down to the ruined Monte Cassino in the mid
seventh century and retrieved the bones of St. Benedict, the bones of
Scholastica were also taken back got France. (Gregory the Great's Life of
Benedict states that the brother and sister were buried together). There
does not seem to have been however a cult of Scholastica at Fleury, though
it may have been subsumed under the devotion to Benedict. By the ninth
century the legend arose that her bones had been taken from Fleury to Le
Mans (a ways down the Loire from Fleury). (about the same time the claim was
raised by the abbot of nearby Glanfeuil to have discovered the bones of St.
Maurus, Benedict's first named disciple, according to Gregory) Charles the
Bald's wife demanded the relics of Scholastica for her foundation at
Jumieges from the townsmen of Le Mans. The local cult formed around the
bones she left behind.
Abbot Desiderius II of Monte Cassino 'discovered' the bones of Benedict in
the mid 11th century during his excavations to rebuilt Monte Cassino (thus
disputing the claims of Fleury). Scolastica's bones were declared to be
there as well, since the two had been buried together. The monks from
Fleury, one must assume, had gotten the wrong set of bones at Monte Cassino.
-----Original Message-----
From: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Phyllis Jestice
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 7:39 PM
To: John Wickstrom
Subject: saints of the day 10. February
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (10. February) is the feast day of:
Scholastica (d. c. 543) Scholastica was the sister of Benedict of Nursia.
She followed him to Montecassino and lived a religious life nearby. An
eleventh-century legend makes her the first Benedictine dove. She is one of
the saints blessed with two complete sets of relics, one at Montecassino and
another set at Le Mans.
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