medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (14. January) is the feast day of:
Felix of Nola (d. c. 260) We know about Felix thanks to Paulinus of
Nola, bishop of Nola about 2 centuries later. Felix' shrine at Nola
was a major pilgrimage center from the fourth century on. Paulinus
tells that F was a Syrian whose father bought land at Nola (near
Naples) after his discharge from the army. F. gave all his goods to
the poor, became a priest of Nola, was imprisoned and tortured in the
Decian persecution, but miraculously escaped.
Nino of Georgia (early 4th cent.) Rufinus tells how Christianity
reached the kingdom of Georgia thanks to a young woman named Nino,
captured and brought to the kingdom. She made a very good
impression, and soon people started asking about her Christian
beliefs. It helped that she started working a lot of miracles,
including healing the queen. Both king and queen were converted.
They built a church and gave N. permission to preach and teach; they
also sent to Constantine, asking for bishops and priests.
Macrina the Elder (d. c. 340) The grandmother of SS Basil the Great,
Gregory Nazianzen, and Macrina the Younger. M. the Elder raised
these holy grandchildren She and her husband had had to live in the
wilderness for seven years to escape the great persecution. Gregory
Nazianzen tells that the wild beasts thoughtfully allowed themselves
to be killed to provide them with food.
Odo of Novara (blessed) (d. 1200) Odo was a Carthusian, noted for
his piety. He apparently had the gift of healing, and many miracles
were reported at his tomb. An inquiry into his life ordered by
Gregory IX is still extant, including accounts from people who knew
O. personally; there is also a detailed account of the miracles
worked at his tomb. His Carthusian cult was confirmed by the papacy
in 1859.
Sava of Serbia (d. 1237) Sava was the youngest son of the Serbian
prince Stephen I. Sava became a monk at Mt. Athos at the age of 17;
when his father abdicated in 1198 he joined S. there. The two
founded a monastery for Serbian monks, where S. became abbot. S.
went home in 1206 to settle an inheritance dispute and ended up
staying, after discovering how little Christianity had penetrated the
populace. S and his brother Stephen II organized a church hirerarchy
in Serbia and S. was consecrated archbishop of Zica.
Odoric of Pordenone (blessed) (d. 1331) Odoric was a native of
Friuli. He became a famous Franciscan preacher. In c. 1317 O. set
off on a journey to Asia; the account is still extant. On his
journeys, O. visited Malabar, Sri Lanka, the shrine of St. Thomas at
Mylapore, Sumatra, Java, China, and Tibet. And then he went home.
Healing miracle were reported at his tomb, and his cult was confirmed
in 1755.
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