medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (12. March) is the feast day of:
Maximilian of Thebeste (d. 295) Maximilian's acta are very early.
They tell that M. was drafted into the army at Thebeste in Numidia.
But he refused to serve because of the religious ceremonies
(non-Christian) that formed an important part of army life. So he
was executed.
Peter of Nicomedia (d. 303) Diocletian seems to have particularly
disliked it when his own officials were discovered to be Christians
(or at least later legend found this a thrilling scenario). Peter
was a palace chamberlain in Nicomedia, and had the honor of being one
of the first victims of Diocletian's persecution. He was killed in a
particularly nasty way: bits of his flesh were torn off, salt and
vinegar were rubbed into the wounds, and then he was roasted to death
over a slow fire.
Paul Aurelian (d. c. 575) P.A. was a native of Wales who went (with
the traditional twelve companions) to Brittany, where he founded a
monastery on the island of Ushant. He ended his life as bishop of
what is know named Saint-Pol-de-Leon.
Mura McFeredach (d. c. 645) Mura was a native of Co. Donegal
(Ireland); Colum Cille appointed him abbot of Fahan in Co. Derry. M.
is the special patron saint of the O'Neills.
Theophanes the Confessor (d. 818) Theophanes was a native of
Constantinople, educated at the imperial court and married off at a
young age. But the couple decided in 780 to enter the religious
life. T. became a monk and later founding abbot of Mt. Sigriana near
Cyzicus. T's opposition to iconoclasm led to his exile and death
from bad treatment.
Alphege the Elder (aka Alphege the Bald) (d. 951) Alphege was a monk
who became bishop of Winchester in 934. He won his "the Bald"
nickname because monks were so rare in England at the time that a
monastic tonsure attracted attention.
Simeon the New Theologian (d. 1022) Simeon was a Studite monk at
Constantinople before becoming abbot of St. Mamas in 981. His
spiritual teachings were controversial enough to force S's
resignation and later exile; he was pardoned but never returned to
Constantinople. S. was one of the greatest Byzantine mystics.
Bernard of Carinola (d. 1109) Bernard was a native of Capua. He was
the first bishop of Carinola in Campania, transferring the see from
Forum Claudii in 1100.
Dionysius the Carthusian (d. 1471) A saint of unconfirmed cult, but
so impressive that his contemporaries gave him the nickname "the
Ecstatic Doctor" in honor of his many mystical works. Dionysius was
a native of Flanders who studied at Cologne and then became a
Carthusian at Roermond in the Netherlands.
--
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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