medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (11. January) is the feast day of:
Leucius of Brindisi (d. 180) According to tradition a missionary
from Alexandria, Leucius was the first bishop of Brindisi. Another
Leucius, officially "of Alexandria" is also celebrated today---that
one was martyred in c. 309.
Eithne and Fedelmia (c. 433?) Legend tells that Eithne and Fedelmia
were daughters of King Leoghaire "of Ireland." They met St. Patrick,
were deeply impressed, were baptized, and at their first communion
died in a state of religious ecstasy.
Theodosius the Cenobiarch (d. 529) Theodosius was a Cappadocian who
went off to Jerusalem on pilgrimage and then became a monk. He
became a hermit and attracted disciples, whom he formed into a
monastery near Bethlehem. The patriarch of Jerusalem appointed T.
head of all monastics living in Palestine. T. ran into trouble with
Emperor Anastasius by opposing the Eutychian heresy, for which he was
exiled several years.
Vitalis of Gaza (d. 625) Vitalis was a monk and hermit. At the age
of 60 he decided to move to Alexandria and minister to the
prostitutes there. His methods were controversial: he worked as a
day laborer, and used the proceeds to hire a whore for the
evening---keeping her away from other clients and giving her as much
spiritual exhortation as she would put up with. He is supposed to
have visited every prostitute in Alexandria in this way, often
accused of misconduct but always exonerated. His unconventional
methods caught up with him at the end, though: a man saw V. leaving a
brothel one day and was so offended that he whacked the saint on the
head---V. died soon afterward.
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