medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (19. June) is the feast day of:
Gervasius and Protasius (2d cent.?) Nothing is really known of these
supposed martyrs, except that Ambrose of Milan found their relics at
a very convenient time (386) and really pushed their cult. Ambrose
wrote about their discovery, telling that bloodstains were still
visible on their bones (recently speculated to be ochre, and evidence
that the bones actually were a neolithic burial). Their cult was
confined to local calendars in 1969.
Deodatus of Nevers (d. 679) Legend tells that Deodatus was bishop of
Nevers in Francia for three years before becoming a hermit at
Jointures (in the Vosges). He founded a monastery, later named
Saint-Die after him.
Bruno (or Boniface) of Querfurt (d. 1009) Bruno was from near
Paderborn (Germany). He is one of the Middle Ages' great
hagiographers, and a rarity in practicing what he preached so
effectively that he made his way onto this list. Bruno was a
relative of the Ottonian rulers of Germany, but gave up a privileged
church career to become a Camaldolese monk (under the name Boniface).
He planned to take part in a Camaldolese missionary venture in Slavic
lands, but his companions went ahead and were martyred before B.
caught up with them (the subject of his quite moving Vita quinque
fratrum). B. himself was consecrated as a missionary archbishop in
1004, set out to evangelize the Prussians, and was killed by them
along with eighteen companions (emulating his chief hero, Adalbert of
Prague).
Romuald of Ravenna (d. 1027) Romuald was born to a good family of
Ravenna and became a monk out of feelings of expiation after he saw
his father commit a murder. But he was a very discontented monk,
especially when the monks of Classe made him abbot. So R. resigned
and took to a very rambling sort of eremitical life, founding
hermitages and monasteries at a number of locations in Italy. His
most famous foundation is Camaldoli, founded in 1009. He played an
important role in turning public opinion against simony.
Odo of Cambrai (d. 1113) Odo was from Orleans, and became head of
the cathedral school at Tournai. In c. 1090 he restored the
monastery of St. Martin in Tournai, becoming abbot, and was made
bishop of Cambrai in 1105. O. replaced a deposed simoniac and ended
up not being able to hold onto the see, so he ended up spending the
rest of his life exiled to the monastery of Anchin.
Juliana Falconieri (d. 1341) Juliana was a Florentine noblewoman.
Her uncle was a co-founder of the Servite Friars and J. became a
tertiary of the order at the age of sixteen. When the tertiaries
formed a formal community in 1304 she became its first superior. J.
was canonized in 1737, but demoted to local calendars in 1969.
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