medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (8. February) is the feast day of:
Paul of Verdun (d. c. 649) Paul was a courtier who became a hermit
near Trier (the Paulsberg is named after him). Then he entered the
monastery of Tholey. In c. 630 Dagobert I appointed P bishop of
Verdun, in which position he furthered missionary work to the east.
Elfleda (d. 714) The daughter of King Oswy of Northumbria and St.
Enfleda, Elfleda was dedicated to God by her dad, in thanks for
winning a battle against the Mercians in 654 (E. was about one year
old at the time). She was given to St. Hilda and ended up succeeding
her as abbess of Whitby (after her widowed mother had served a term).
She was known as a mediator.
Cuthman (8th cent.) Cuthman was an English hermit. He became a
hermit at Steyning near Bosham (West Sussex). His legend especially
emphasizes that he was a good son, carting his paralyzed mother
around in a specially-constructed wheelbarrow.
Peter Igneus (blessed) (d. 1089) Peter was an early Vallombrosan
monk who won fame by volunteering for an ordeal to prove that the
bishop of Florence was a simonist. He successfully walked through
fire---the accounts in the vita of John Gualbert are very impressive.
Peter was made a cardinal and served as a papal legate.
Stephen of Muret (d. 1124) Stephen was founder of the Grandmontine
order. He renounced his inheritance to become a hermit near Ambazac.
As so often happened, disciples joined him in time, and he formed
them into a monastery---Muret. They lived by an extremely severe
rule. After S's death, his monks moved to Grandmont in Normandy, and
the order spread well. It only ended with the French Revolution. S.
was canonized in 1189
Girolamo Emiliani (d. 1537) The Venetian Girolamo Emiliani was a
soldier, taken prisoner and given ample opportunity to reconsider his
life while chained in a dungeon. Thanks to his conversion, he was
vouchsafed a miraculous escape. Back home, GE took to caring for
orphans and in 1531 set out to found houses to care for
unfortunates---he found support to found a series of orphanages, a
home for reformed prostitutes, and a hospital. He and his helpers
formed the Congregation of the Clerics Regular of Somasca. The order
was recognized in 1540 and GE himself was canonized in 1767. In 1969
his feast was moved from 20. July to the current day.
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