Today, 4 August, is the feast of ...
* Ia and companions, martyrs (c. 360) - shortest-named saint?; Ia and
companions were cruelly tortured in Persia
* Molua or Lughaidh, abbot (608) - when he died, the birds wept
Last year Francine Nicholas added this useful bit of info:
Actually, there were many saints named Molua and Lugaidh. Padraig O/
Ri/ain suggests that most of them, if indeed any were historical, took on
the attributes and mythology of the pre-Christian deity, Lugh (whose
festival, Lughnasa, occurred at the beginning of August in many
places).
Lugh was associated with two types of birds: ravens and wrens. Some
of the wren-day celebrations in Ireland resemble those done at Lughnasa.
* Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers (1221) - canonized in 1234
by his friend Gregory IX, who said he no less doubted Dominic's
sanctity than that of Peter and Paul
**************************
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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