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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today (2. April) is the feast day of: Apphianos (d. 306) Apphianos was of a non-Christian family in Lycia (Asia Minor) that, however, allowed him to receive instruction in Christianity. After baptism, Apphianos lived with a group in Caesaria that also included Eusebius the historian. It is from Eusebius that we have the account of Apphianos' arrest as a Christian, tortures, and final drowning. Theodosia of Caesarea (d. 307/308) The Christian Theodosia was born in c. 290. She was caught up in the Christian persecution, was flayed, and then drowned in the sea. Mary of Egypt (d. c. 430?) Mary was a penitent and hermitess in Palestine, whose grave became a pilgrimage center in the early Middle Ages. Refugees from Palestine in the seventh century took the cult with them to Italy, where relics of Mary are still held in Naples. According to legend, Mary was from Alexandria and became a prostitute. One day she offered her services on a pilgrimage ship bound for the Holy Land. Mary wanted to visit the church of the Holy Sepulcher, but was halted by a mysterious force and a voice that said to her: "You are not worthy to see the cross of him who died for you in unspeakable pain." Mary immediately repented; she crossed the Jordan and became a hermit for the last 47 years of her life. After her clothes rotted away, she dressed herself in her own long hair. Nicetius of Lyons (d. 573) Nicetius was born in 513 in Burgundy, and in 552 became bishop of Lyons. He was famed for his deep belief and care for the ecclesiastical discipline of his diocese. In the fourteenth century Nicetius' cult revived, when his bones were found in the church dedicated to him (St-Nizier) in Lyons. Eustasius of Luxeuil (d. 629) Eustasius, born sometime in the sixth century in Burgundy, succeed Columbanus as abbot of the monastery of Luxeuil. Besides leadership of the community, Eustasius was very active as a missionary in Bavaria. Ebba the Younger of Coldingham (d. 870) Ebba was abbess of the major nunnery of Coldingham in Northumbria. During the great onslaught of the vikings in 870 Ebba mutilated her face (to make herself so repulsive that the vikings would respect her virginity) and convinced the other nuns to do likewise. So the vikings did them no harm except to sack the nunnery and then burn it with the nuns inside. Francis of Paola (d. 1507) Francis was from Paola in Calabria, born in 1436. From the age of 14 he lived as a hermit; when more and more like-minded people gathered around him, Francis created an eremitical congregation, the order of Minim Friars, which won papal approval in 1474. Francis was famed as a miracle worker and spiritual advisor. He was canonized in 1519. 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