medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (17. February) is also the feast day of:
Benedict of Dolia (d. 1120?). Peter the Deacon's early twelfth-century
(ca. 1136) catalog of holy people associated with the abbey of
Montecassino, the _Ortus et vita iustorum cenobii Casinensis_, relates
in chapter 46 that Constantine, a king (we would say, judge) of the
Sardinians, asked abbot Oderisius (i.e., Oderisius I; 1087-1105) to
select a bishop for him from one of the brothers. O. selected
Benedict, a man venerable in all things. While in office B. was noted
-- so Peter tells us -- for two miracles. 1) A great crowd of sparrows
was in the habit of defecating all over his cathedral, not even
exempting the altar vessels. When B. adjured them in the name of the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to depart and make a mess no more, they
did so -- and none has dared to return. 2) Saracen raiders in Sardinia
reached B.'s cathedral and asked for the bishop. B. was standing
before the altar, offering prayers, but they could not see him.
Everyone they found they led off into captivity. But they did not find
B., who was right in front of them.
B. has been identified as the bishop of Dolia who in 1112 confirmed a
donation made by his predecessor Virgilius (still in office in 1089).
Dolia (accented on the first syllable) was incorporated into the
diocese of Cagliari (also accented on the first syllable -- but you
knew that!) early in the sixteenth century, but its medieval cathedral
of San Pantaleo remains as a parish church in today's Dolianova (CA).
Said to have been begun in the latter half of the twelfth century and
to have been consecrated in 1289, it was preceded by an early medieval
church traces of which have been found during restoration of the
present structure. An illustrated, Italian-language account of this
monument is here:
http://web.tiscali.it/itgnervi/pantaleo.htm
Expandable versions of the views in the previous account are here:
http://www.stilepisano.it/immagini4/index12.htm
Not all of those expand to the same degree, so here are a few other
views:
Exterior:
http://www.lamiasardegna.it/web/000/foto.asp?url=308/027
http://web.tiscali.it/romanicosardo/mioweb4/dolianova.jpg
http://www.lamiasardegna.it/web/000/foto.asp?url=308/028
Interior:
http://www.lamiasardegna.it/web/000/foto.asp?url=308/029
Best,
John Dillon
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