Today 13 July is the feast of ...
Silas, (first century): Silas is first mentioned in chapter 15 of the
Acts of the Apostles. At Philippi, along with Paul, Silas was beaten and
imprisoned; and with Paul, he was miraculously delivered.
Maura and Brigid, (fifth century): According to various legends, these
two British princesses from Northumbria while making their way to Rome
on a pilgrimage were murdered by Frankish raiders in
Balagny-sur-Therain. Here they were buried and a popular cult soon
developed. Louis IX was a great benefactor of their shrine.
Eugenius, Bishop of Carthage, (505): Involved in the debate between
Catholics and Arians.
Mildred, abbess of Minster-in-Thanet (700): Second daughter of Merewald,
an Anglian ruler, and Ermenburger. Mildred was famous for her fasting,
humbleness, and her mercy to widows and orphans.
James of Voragine, archbishop of Genoa (1298): Author of the *Legenda
Aurea*, the best legends of saints ever. However, according to Butler
the *Legenda Aurea* "from the point of view of history is entirely
uncritical and worthless - except as a sidelight on the unsophistication
and simple mentality of the folk for whom it was written."
In response to the James of Voragine entry a few years ago, Sherry
Reames wrote:
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Well, yes and no. . . He may have *retold* the best legends of saints,
but they changed quite a bit (and lost quite a bit of their original
meaning and value) in the process. (I wrote a whole book in support of
this thesis about ten years ago, if anybody's interested in such
matters.)
Sherry Reames (Dept. of English, Univ. of Wisconsin)
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Dr Carolyn Muessig
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
University of Bristol
Bristol BS8 1TB
UK
phone: +44(0)117-928-8168
fax: +44(0)117-929-7850
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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