medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (16. August) is the feast day of:
Armel (6th cent.) A Breton saint, who first appears in the
historical record in the twelfth century. Legend tells that he was
from Wales, but decided to become a monk and went to Armorica with a
group of companions. They lived together at Plouarzel and then
Plouarmel. More exciting accounts tell that he got a troublesome
dragon to kill itself by jumping in a river.
Stephen of Hungary (d. 1038) Vaik was baptized at the age of ten
(with the name Istvan/Stephen), when his father the Magyar duke
converted. When Stephen succeeded his dad he consolidated his lands,
got Pope Silvester II to declare him a king, and started the
ecclesiastical organization of his country. Besides making a lot of
new Christians, S. may actually have been a rather nice guy.
Admittedly hagiographical accounts tell that he liked to go around in
disguise and give alms. He also greatly strengthened central rule
with a code of laws and abolition of ancient tribal divisions.
Gregory VII declared him a saint.
Lawrence Loricatus (blessed) (d. 1243) The Apulian Lorenzio
accidentally killed a man and got very penitential. He went on
pilgrimage, then became a solitary near Subiaco. He lived in a cave
for 33 years practicing exceptional levels of self-torture, including
wearing mail with sharp points next to his skin (thus the nickname
"loricatus"). His cult was approved in 1778.
Roch (d. 1378) Roch is for the most part a figure of legend; his
cult became popular in Italy and France in the early fifteenth
century. He may have been born at Montpellier, and nursed plague
victims in Italy. The more legendary elements tell that he cured
large numbers of plague-sufferers by making the sign of the cross
over them. When he himself fell ill, he went out to the woods so he
wouldn't be a bother to anyone, but a dog brought him bread every day
and the dog's owner soon came to look after R. When he went back to
Montpellier, his uncle didn't recognize him, and R ended up in prison
for the last five years of his life. He was only recognized when a
cross-shaped birthmark was discovered on his body after death.
Beatrice da Silva (d. 1490) Beatrice (Brites) was born at Ceuta
(Portugal). She was brought up at court, but left and settled at a
Dominican convent in Toledo. The Virgin Mary told B. in a vision to
found a new order for women, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.
She did so. B. was canonized in 1976.
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