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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today (11. August) is the feast day of: Philomena of Rome (?) For 150 years, Philomena was highly honored as a saint. The cult, however, rested on a false assumption---the Roman Catholic Church thus eliminated her from thecalendar in 1961. In 1802 excavators in the Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome found a grave with the inscription "Pax tecum, Filemena," with the bones of a girl and a pottery jar with traces of blood that had been broken in two. Immediately it was assumed that Philomena was a virgin martyr. According to the legend that arose, Philomena's father was a Greek king who had converted to Christianity. When Diocletian declared war against him, the king journeyed to Rome with his daughter Philomena to negotiate. Diocletian fell in lust with Philomena at first sight, but Philomena declared that she had consecrated herself to Christ. So Diocletian had her flung in the Tiber with an anchor tied around her neck, and set his men to shooting arrows at her. When she survived unscathed, he ordered that she be beheaded. Later research has established that the gravestone in the catacombs had belonged to another grave. Susanna of Rome (d. c. 300) According to her Passio, Susanna refused to marry a son of Emperor Diocletian, whereupon she was murdered by him. Possibly she was also the founder of the Roman church of S. Susanna, where her relics are still kept. There was a strong cult of Susanna in Rome by c. 430. Taurinus of Evreux (4th/5th cent.) Taurinus was the first bishop of Evreux. According to tradition, he was sent as a missionary from Rome. Blane (6th cent.) Blane was a Scot. He studied in Ireland, and then returned to his native land as a preacher and priest. He founded the monastery of Kingarth, where he was buried. Gaugerich of Cambrai (d. 625) Gaugerich became bishop of Cambrai in 585. According to legend, he freed the region around Brussels from a dragon. Rusticula (d. 632) Rusticula is supposed to have been kidnapped from her parents' house in Provence as a child. After that, at her own wish the five-year-old girl entered a nunnery in Arles. She was made abbess at the age of 18, and ruled until her death at about the age of 75. Clare of Assisi (d. 1253) Clare was canonized only two years after her death. Clare was born to a good family in Assisi in 1194. She was deeply influenced by her friend Francis of Assisi, and at the age of eighteen she left home and fled to Portiuncula, where Francis accepted her as the first member of what became the Poor Clares. Francis wrote a rule for them, which depended heavily on the Franciscan rule. Clare herself later wrote the definitive rule for the order, which received papal approval two days before her death. Popes, cardinals, and bishops came to Clare for advice (she was mostly bedridden after 1224). Her patronage includes the Clarissen order, washwomen, embroiderers, and TV. Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice [log in to unmask] ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html