medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (8. June) is the feast day of:
Maximinus of Aix-en-Provence (5th cent.?) The historical Maximinus
is completely unknown---a church was dedicated to him sometime early
in history, and there's evidence of a long cult. But in the eleventh
century, an imaginative Provencal came up with a great story for him.
He is supposed to have accompanied Mary, Martha, and Lazarus from
Palestine to Provence. Once there, M. set up headquarters in Aix,
where he became first bishop.
Medard of Noyon (d. 560) Medard is a farmers' saint, patron of the
grain harvest and vintage. The reasons behind this are obscure (at
least to me). M. was the son of a Frankish/Gallo-roman mixed
marriage who was a layman until age 33. Then he got himself ordained
and took to missionary work, in time succeeding to the bishopric of
St-Quentin. Legend (the same legend level that made M. an
agricultural saint, clearly) gives M. special power over the weather.
If it rains on his feast day, it will rain for the next 40 days; if
it's fair, there will be 40 days of good weather (shades of St.
Swithin).
William of York (d. 1154) William Fitzherbert was treasurer of York
cathedral before the king nominated him as archbishop in 1140. A
fight ensued, because the York clerics were divided on the election,
the archbishop of Canterbury refused to consecrate him, and several
popes refused to ratify Wm's consecration by the bishop of
Winchester. In 1147 Eugenius III went on to depose Wm. An
inaspicious beginning for a saint. William lived quietly at
Winchester for 6 years, then went to Rome, where he was granted the
pallium. He then returned to York and received a warm welcome, but
he died almost immediately, apparently of poison. He was canonized
in 1227.
--
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
Associate Professor & Chair
History Department
University of Southern Mississippi
118 College Dr. #5047
Hattiesburg, MS 39406
(601) 266-5844
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