medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (23. February) is the feast day of:
Polycarp (d. c. 155) The account of Polycarp's martyrdom, told by a
contemporary, is an important early Christian source. It tells that
Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, was arrested at public demand, killed by
sword, and then his body burned in the town theatre. We also have
several of Polycarp's own letters. He may have been a disciple of
John the Evangelist.
Serenus the Gardener (d. c. 307) The Greek Serenus took to an
ascetic life, raising vegetables in his garden to feed himself and
visitors. When persecution broke out, S. was at first ignored. But
then, says legend, the wife of one of the imperial guardsmen fell in
lust with S. When he rejected her, she complained that he had
insulted her. The husband complained to the governor. S. was
acquitted of the charge---but in the course of examination it was
discovered that he was a Christian and he was beheaded.
Milburga (d. c. 715) A Mercian princess with a lot of saints in the
family, Milburga got family help to create a convent at Wenlock,
where she became second abbess. Her tomb was an important cult
center until vikings destroyed the convent; the cult was revived when
Cluniac monks built a monastery on the same site in 1079.
Willigis (d. 1011) Archbishop Willigis of Mainz, one of the great
ecclesiastical statesmen of the Ottonian era, was actually of fairly
low birth. He won notice through his intelligence, and was made a
canon at Hildesheim, imperial chaplain, chancellor, and in 975
archbishop of Mainz. Besides being a major statesman, W lived a life
of prayer and study, helped spread Christianity in Scandinavia,
rebuilt the cathedral of Mainz, etc. W. was venerated as a saint
immediately after his death.
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