medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (1. April) is the feast day of:
Agape, Chionia, and Irene (d. 304) Three Thessalonikan sisters who
were arrested in the great persecution. Agape and Chionia were
burned to death. Irene was imprisoned, and when she continued
obdurate in her Christianity was sentenced to imprisonment in a
soldiers' brothel. The soldiers declined to molest her, though, and
she was later executed.
Mary of Egypt (5th cent.?) The legend of Mary tells that she was an
Alexandrian whore who went along on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to
entertain the travellers. She had a rude shock, though, when she
tried to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and an invisible
force held her back. M. then repented. She went out to the
Palestinian desert and lived there as a hermit for 47 years, covering
herself with her own long hair when her clothe rotted.
Walaricus (Valery) (d. c. 620) The Avergnat Walaricus became a monk
at a young age, transferring to Luxeuil in 594. When Columbanus was
expelled from Francia, W. became a missionary. After years of
successful work, he became a hermit. But, like so many saintly
hermits, he soon attraced followers and founded a monastery
(Leuconay).
Hugh of Grenoble (d. 1132) Hugh was a canon of Valence cathedral
before being appointed bishop of Grenoble in 1080. He did a great
deal of reforming, although he was so depressed by his flock's
unwilling response that he tried to run off and become a monk, and
had to be ordered back to his diocese by the pope. H. is most famous
for his support of St. Bruno and the foundation of the Grande
Chartreuse.
Gilbert of Caithness (d. 1245) The noble Scot Gilbert served as
archdeacon of Moray, then became bishop of Caithness in 1223. He
built a cathedral at Dornoch, undertook clerical reform, built
hospices for the poor, and succeeded in dying a natural death (unlike
his two predecessors).
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