medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (15. August) is the feast day of:
The Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The earliest known accounts of
this event are in fifth-century apocrypha. They fall into two
categories: 1) statements that Mary's soul was taken straight to
heaven and her body carried off by angels to be kept incorrupt, and
2) that M. died but her body was resurrected 3 days later and carried
to heaven. M's death was celebrated in the eastern church by the
fifth century, on this day by c. 600. Belief reached western Europe,
but some theologians argued against bodily assumption until the
thirteenth century. The twentieth century saw a long international
campaign to have the Assumption formally defined as dogma. In 1940
millions of signatures were collected on a massive petition (over 8
million in Italy, Spain, and Latin America). Pius XII is said to
have written to all Catholic bishops, polling their opinion. Finally
he formally declared the Assumption an article of faith in 1950---one
of the two "infallible" papal pronouncements to date.
Simplician (d. 401) Simplician was a priest of Milan, a
correspondent of Augustine of Hippo---who praised his learning and
faith. He served as bishop of Milan for the last three years of his
life.
Alypius (d. 430) Alypius was a much closer friend of Augustine. He
figures prominently in the Confessions, as a childhood friend and
fellow seeker. A. followed Gus through Manichaeism, philosophy, and
Christianity. After there mutual conversion, the friends went to
Africa and lived together at Tagaste; when Gussie became a priest the
little monastic circle moved to Hippo. Alypius went on pilgrimage to
the Holy Land and returned to become bishop of Tagaste in c. 393.
Athanasia (9th cent.) Athanasia was a perhaps fictional citizen of
Aegina. She married an army officer who was killed sixteen days
later while fighting Muslim raiders. Her parents talked her into
marrying again. She and husband #2 undertook good works together,
and eventually both embraced the religious life. A. was a famous
miracle-worker, called to Constantinople by the empress.
Hyacinth (Jacek) (d. 1257) Hyacinth was a Silesian noble, venerated
as one of the apostles of Poland. His vitae are of dubious
historicity. They tell that he studied in Italy and became a
Dominican. Returning to Cracow, he preached crusade against the
Prussians and did an awful lot of missionary work. He was canonized
in 1594.
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