medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear John,
Of course, i forgot to say it was the translation, July 20 being a MUCH better date for people to travel in Iceland than Dec. 23! The link you sent stretches my ability in Italian. The first short statement looks OK, though the claims about Žs education abroad are educated guesses, though reasonable ones.
'Fljotshlio' is actually the district Fljótshlķš (the final sound is a voiced 'th', the name can be anglicized Fljotshlid) and the farm he was born on was Hlķšarendi, the home of Gunnar in Njįls saga.
We do have part of a penitential associated with his name.
Jón Loptsson was indeed living with Žorlįkr“s sister Ragnheišur as a concubine, but we have no idea of the date of the relationship nor does it appear to have occurred to anyone that Jón may have helped with Žorlįkr's education to do his mistress a favor. (There“s a historical novel there waiting to be written!)
Lifetime miracles are only mentioned, in the most general terms, after his death, and should be taken with several grains of salt.
If the longer piece says, as it seems to (remembering my Italian is not great), that the Icelandic national assembly had anything to do with Žs sanctification or translation, that is incorrect. The idea that he might be a saint was pushed in the northern diocese, Hólar, whose representatives convinced the Bishop of Skįlholt (who was also Žs nephew) to permit people to call on him at the national assembly in June. The success of these vows led to Žs translation in July. A year later, the national assembly announced the new feast (which would have been the 23rd Dec., not the 20th July at this time). In so doing they were simply adding a feast to the local calendar (as they had added feasts of St. Agnes and St. Cecilia in 1179, presumably at Žorlįkr“s instigation).
definitely NOT Molto venerato anche in Inghilterra e Scandinavia - as far as I know all we have is accounts of sceptics in those countries who are miraculously punished when they express doubt about his sanctity. I would LOVE concrete evidence that anyone in England had even heard of him!
A Norwegian is said (in a late miracle collection, but the miracle is set in the period immediately after his translation) to have brought news of the new saint to the Varangians, and encouraged them to vow to build a church to him if successful in battle. 'And when the heathens heard the blessed Žorlįkr bishop named they were struck with fear and didn“t know what they were doing, fought each other, but most fled. But many were captured and their hand bound behind their backs, also all their weapons and clothes, and they went back to Constantinople with the booty, and told the event to the king and his men, and the prisoners said the same. The king rejoiced and himself took the first stone and carried it to the church which was made in honor of Bishop Žorlįkr, and himself provided the masons and all the materials and then had the church that was built consecrated to the blessed Bishop Žorlįkr, and those who come from there say that many miracles take place there.'
Biskupa Sögur II Ķslenzk Fornrit XVI 202 ed. Įsdķs Egilsdóttir pp. 236-7
The king in question is called "Philip the Fleming", recently chosen king of and if anyone knows who that might be please let me know! It looks like something picked out of an inaccurate annal or chronicle
I would feel much happier about the story if someone could come up with independent evidence that such a church had, in fact, existed in Constantinople!
Obviously a good translation of Žorlįks life and miracles is to be desired, but the fact that various people have published bits and pieces means that undertaking the 'whole thing' is not an appealing task. Though I believe there is an interested graduate student in Durham.
As to the files, a service called YouSendIt does this quite well but as I said the picture is probably not worth it.
Meg
________________________________
From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture on behalf of John Dillon
Sent: Wed 7/20/2011 09:47
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [M-R] Feasts and Saints of the Day: July 20
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
On Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at 5:53 am, Meg Cormack wrote:
> And St. Žorlįkr (Thorlac) of Skįlholt, Iceland, one of the last
> locally canonized saints in 1198.
> 'Porlak' of the translation of Vauchez is a misreading of the letter
> Ž. Described in his life as a
> holy bishop, and immediately popular throughout Iceland (he was their
> first saint).
See also 23. December, this saint's day of commemoration in the RM (e.g. at <http://tinyurl.com/3m73bvc>). For a history of his feast today (originally a translation feast), see the "Santi Beati" notice here:
http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/92233
Meg, is that account substantially accurate?
Best,
John Dillon
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