medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today, February 6, is the Feast Day of:
Dorothea/Dorothy, virgin and martyr (303/4?) The virgin Dorothea was
martyred in Caesarea (Cappadocia) by decapitation. The legend tells that
Dorothea, daughter of a Christian family, refused the advances of the Roman
governor. He therefore ordered her to be tortured and beheaded. On the way
to her place of execution, Dorothea repeatedly murmured the name of Christ,
her "bridegroom." A bystander named Theophilius Scholasticus mocked her,
suggesting that she ask her "bridegroom" for fruit and flowers. Thereupon an
angel (child) suddenly appeared with a basket containing three apples and
three roses. Theophilus was converted and martyred too - his feast day is
also today. Dorothy's medieval cult centered in Italy and Germany, being
especially popular in Germany. Although she died in Caesarea her body is in
the church of St Dorothy in Rome. Her cult was suppressed in 1969.
Mel and Melchu, bishops (488?) - Britons and nephews of St Patrick; Mel
preceded Melchu as bishop of Armagh. Along with two other of Patrick's
nephews, they went with Uncle Pat as missionaries to Ireland, where Mel
became the first abbot-bishop of Ardagh. Melchi became bishop of Ardagh and
then also Armagh following Mel's death.
Vedast/Vaast/Vedastus, bishop of Arras (539) - He settled in the diocese of
Toul in Francia at an early age to be a hermit but the bishop interfered
with his plans and ordained him, then sent him to give religious instruction
to King Clovis of the Franks. He accompanied Clovis to Reims; en route, he
confirmed the faith of the king and his courtiers by curing a blind man they
encountered. He became a cohort of St. Remigius of Rheims. Vedastus became
bishop of Arras (later Arras-Cambrai) in c. 500 and became a highly
successful missionary, serving for 40 years, and winning a popular esteem
that continues to the present in the Arras area. His tomb became a
much-visited pilgrimage site, and later the great monastery of St-Vaast
erected at the site became an important cultural center. In art he is often
shown with a wolf carrying a goose in its mouth - Vedast rescued &
resurrected the goose for its poor owners.
Under the name "Foster," Vedastus' cult was also popular in England.
Vaast's name, by the way, is the originating point for the English "Foster"
and the French "Gaston", hence the Church of St Vedast, Foster Lane in the
City of London.
Amand/Amandus of Elnone, bishop (c. 679)- born near Nantes in Gascony, he
became a monk over his father's protests and lived for fifteen years as a
recluse in Bourges, then went on to Luxeuil. In 636 he visited Rome, where
the pope consecrated him as bishop with no fixed see and sent him as a
missionary to northern Francia. Amandus also undertook missionary journeys
to the Slavs and Basques. In Belgium Amandus founded numerous monasteries,
all dedicated to St. Peter. An uncertain tradition reports that for some
years Amandus was also bishop of Tongeren-Maastricht. He is known as the
"apostle of the Belgians." His cult is popular in Flanders and Picardy and
reached England in the tenth century.
Andrew of Elnone (d. c. 690) Andrew was Amand's successor as abbot of
Elnone. Their relics were enshrined together.
Guarinus, cardinal-bishop of Palestrina (1159) He was born in Bologna c1080.
He became an Augustinian canon at Mortara against his family's wishes,
leading a strongly ascetic cloistered life. Then in 1144 he was elected
bishop of Pavia but refused to accept the seat, going into hiding until
someone else was selected. But Pope Lucius II made Guarinus cardinal bishop
of Palestrina instead, imprisoning him until he accepted the position, at
which time he sold all the pope's gifts to him and gave the money to the
poor.
Raymund of Fitero, abbot (1163)- founded the military order of the Knights
of Calatrava
happy reading,
Terri Morgan
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