medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (21. September) is the feast day of:
Matthew (1st cent.) According to Matthew's gospel, Matt the apostle
was a tax-collector; Mark and Luke call him Levi. He worked in
Capernaum. The "first" of the gospels was attributed to Matthew the
apostle from a very early time. One tradition tells that after
Pentecost M. preached in Judea and went east; Ethiopia, Persia,
Syria, Macedonia, and Ireland have all been claimed for him at
various times. We don't know how he died; earliest sources suggested
he died of natural causes, which of course broke the symmetry of the
apostles (except John) so later tradition made him a martyr. Matthew
is the patron of Salerno, which claims to have his relics.
Cadoc (d. c. 575) Cadoc was a major Welsh saint; unfortunately his
vita was only written half a millennium after his death. This
legendary account tells that Cadoc was a song of King St. Gundleus of
southern Wales and his wife St. Gwladys. He studied in Ireland and
then became a monastic leader.
Michael of Chernigov and Theodore (d. 1246) These are the first
popular martyrs of the Russian church. Michael was duke of
Chernigov. Legend tells that he and a boyar named Theodore were
ordered to present themselves to the Mongol Bati Khan as a vassal.
They did so (after all, the Mongols had overrun Kiev, etc. by this
time) and were ordered to deny their faith (which doesn't seem very
likely). They were then tortured and beheaded. Their bodies were
thrown to the dogs, but were miraculously preserved and removed by
Christians.
Mark of Modena (blessed) (d. 1498) Mark was a famous Dominican
preacher. He became prior of the Dominicans of Pesaro, where he
became famous for his thaumaturgical abilities. His cult was
approved in 1857.
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