medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (4. December) is the feast day of:
Maruthas (d. c. 415) Maruthas was bishop of Maiferkat in
Mesopotamia. In 399 he petitioned Emperor Arcadius to intervene and
ask the Persian king to stop persecuting Christians. Maruthas did
indeed get the favor of King Yezdigerd and got permission to restore
a church organization in Persia and build churches. M. is regarded
as the father of the Syrian church. He wrote a record of the
Christian martyrs of Persia and accumulated so many relics that
Maiferkat was renamed Martyropolis.
John of Damascus (d. c. 749) John was the scion of a wealthy
Christian family of Damascus. He succeeded his father as counselor
of Caliph Abd al-Malik. Protected by the fact that he lived under
Muslim rule, John became a chief defender of icons against Byzantine
imperial iconoclasm. J. became a monk in c. 726. He is regarded as
the last of the Greek Fathers of the church, and was named a doctor
of the church in 1890.
Anno (d. 1075) Anno was a Swabian noble who became one of Emperor
Henry III's chaplains and in 1056 archbishop of Cologne and imperial
chancellor. A. served as regent during part of the minority of Henry
IV. As well as playing an important and at times rather sordid role
in German politics, A. founded monasteries, reformed other
monasteries, and gave generously to the poor. He spent the last
years of his life at his new monastery of Siegburg.
Osmund (d. 1099) Osmund is reputed to have been a kinsman of William
the Conqueror (son of his half sister). He came with the Normans to
England, served as chancellor, and in 1078 became bishop of
Salisbury. He was very busy about both the political and
ecclesiastical life of England, drawing up new liturgical books,
helping in the Domesday survey, introducing canons regular to his own
cathedral, etc. He was canonized in 1457---the last English saint to
be canonized until 1935.
Bernard of Parma (d. 1133) Bernard was a noble Florentine who became
a Vallombrosan. He rose quickly, becoming general of his order, a
cardinal in 1097, and bishop of Parma. He supported the reforming
popes, and was forced into exile as a result. Eventually B. was able
to establish himself in his see, but was driven out a second time in
1127.
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