medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
These two Frankish missionaries in Flanders (Vedastus and Amandus), whose reported dates of death are over a century apart, have a joint elogium in the ninth-century martyrologies of Florus, Ado, and Usuard.
The Amandus in question (not to be confused, e.g., with the Limousin saint of this name) is said to to have died ca. 676. As is also the case with Vedastus, he is in his largely fictional Vitae subordinated to a figure of central authority in west Francia (V. to St. Remigius of Reims, A. to king Dagobert I). Numerous monasteries, mostly in today's Belgium, claimed foundation by him. For an analysis of these claims, see Walter Mohr, _Studien zur Klosterreform des Grafen Arnulf I. von Flandern: Tradition und Wirklichkeit in der Geschichte der Amandus-Klöster_ (Leuven: Leuven University Press, 1992).
Vedastus' hagiographic tradition begins with a brief Vita by Alcuin. A.'s as presented in the AA.SS. begins with one by a less familiar figure, his alleged disciple Baudemund, abbot of St. Peter's at G(he)ent (one of several major houses A. is said to have founded). Rich in details (such as the youthful, terrified, but quick-thinking A.'s driving away with the sign of the cross a huge, threatening, and clearly diabolic serpent), this was reworked by other talented writers (Milo, the author of A.'s verse Vita; Heriger of Lobbes; Philip of Harvengt). Parts of A.'s dossier can thus be a real pleasure to read.
A. is said to have died at Elnon (near Tournai). The abbey here, which also claimed to have been his foundation and which came in time to be named Saint-Amand, had what were said to be his remains. A fictitious testament of A. made it clear that these were not to leave Elnon. A.'s reliquary shrine conjecturally from Elnon is now in the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore (whose transcription of its identifying inscription seems to have been made by someone ignorant of Latin grammar):
http://tinyurl.com/2yl2th
For an extended account of this object see see Marvin Chauncey Ross, "The Reliquary of St. Amandus", _The Art Bulletin_ 18 (1936) 186-197.
Here's a fourteenth-century illumination of A. and the serpent (for which latter Philip of Harvengt uses the term _draco_):
http://saints.bestlatin.net/gallery/amandus_bnfms.htm
And here's a view of the originally thirteenth-century manorial chapel dedicated to him at East Hendred, Berkshire (restored in 1687):
http://www.berkshirehistory.com/churches/st_amands_chapel.html
Best,
John Dillon
On Wednesday, February 7, 2007, at 5:36 am, John Briggs wrote:
> John Dillon wrote:
> >
> > Today (6. February) is the feast day of:
> >
> > Vedastus (d. ca. 540).
>
> Vedast and Amand
>
> In the York Calendar, a Feast of three lections.
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|