medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (29. June) is the feast day of:
Peter (d. 64?) Simon Peter, prince of the apostles, etc. is
doubtless familiar to all on the list. He played a leading role in
the early Christian community, appearing prominently in the book of
Acts, accepting non-Jews as members, wandering widely to other
Christian communities, being miraculously released from prison.
Ancient tradition says that P founded the church at Antioch. P's
time in Rome is subject to much more debate; the main textual
evidence is 1 Peter, in which Peter says he is writing from
"Babylon"---a code word for Rome. The Acts of Peter (2nd cent.)
tells of Peter fleeing Rome to escape persecution, only to meet Jesus
on the road (the "Quo vadis?" story). A very old tradition tells
that P. was then imprisoned in the Mamertine prison (now site of the
church of St. Peter in Carcere). Tertullian says P. was crucified,
and Eusebius adds that he asked to be crucified upside down.
Paul (d. 64? or 67) And where would Christianity be without Paul?
Source of our earliest information about Christianity, apostle to the
gentiles, undertaker of herculean missionary journeys. It's not
certain what he did after 57-8---he may have traveled as far as
Spain, and certainly ended in Rome, where after a long period of
house arrest he was executed.
Salome and Judith (9th cent.?) Salome was an Englishwoman who became
a recluse at Altaich in Bavaria; she was joined by her widowed
kinswoman Judith. Legend made them princesses
Emma (d. 1045) Emma was raised at the German court by Empress
Kunigunde. She was married off to the landgrave of Friesach and had
two sons. The sons got into trouble with a group of miners, who
rebelled and murdered both of them. Emma turned to the religious
life, founded several monasteries, and became a nun at the double
monastery of Gurk. A canonization process was begun in 1464, but was
never concluded; her status as a "beata" was confirmed in 1938.
Ramon Lull (blessed) (d. 1316) A native of Majorca, Ramon entered
royal service and was happily married until, at the age of 30, he had
a vision that decided him to devote his life to conversion of the
Muslims. He went about the job thoroughly, spending nine years
learning Arabic, setting up a missionary college, writing
prolifically. When he finally made it to Tunisia as a missionary he
was imprisoned and beat up before being deported. He went and was
deported again. Finally on the third occasion he was stoned.
Genoese sailors rescued him, but he died shortly afterward. L.
hasn't been formally beatified.
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