23 May: William of (Perth and) Rochester: I thought that he was heading for
Canterbury, rather than Jerusalem, when he was murdered by his adopted son.
What is remarkable is that this murdered Scottish baker (I think he was),
venerated as a pilgrim-victim-martyr, helped, through offerings made at his
tomb, to build Rochester cathedral.
21 May: Godric: Isn't this the St. Godric who was Henri Pirenne's favourite
saint, because he went from beachcomber to merchant, supposedly
illustrating how early northern businessmen obtained their capital?
19 May: Celestive V: The pathetic end to Celestine V's career served to
blacken the reputation of his unsaintly but talented successor, Boniface
VIII. The cardinals made an unhappy choice with Celestine V, who was
personally unsuited for the demands of his office. Sanctity does not imply
administrative competence. Boniface VIII's achievements, on the other hand,
extended from canon law to outstanding religious innovation.
Gary Dickson
University of Edinburgh
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