medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today (27. July) is the feast day of: Pantaleon (d. c. 305) According to legend, Pantaleon was the son of a non-Christian father and a Christian mother. After being brought up as a Christian he relapsed for a while but then rejoined the Christian community. By that time he was a successful physician, and his patients included the emperor Galerius. When Diocletian's persecution began, Pantaleon was denounced by his colleagues, tortued, and beheaded. He is one of the great martyrs of the eastern Church, venerated as a wonder-worker. So it was quite a coup for Cologne to obtain his relics in the late tenth century. He's now counted as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers in Germany. Ravello has a phial of P's blood, which is believed to liquify like that of St. Januarius. Seven Sleepers of Ephesus (?) According to a sixth-century legend, seven early Christian Ephesians took refuge in a cave from the Decian persecution. They slept there for 200 years, discovered their city to be Christian, and gave testimony regarding the early persecutions before dying. The story was popularized by Gregory of Tours and Jacob of Sarugh. Celestine I (d. 432) Celestine, a Campanian, was elected bishop of Rome in 422. He is mostly remembered for his vigorous fight against Pelagians and Nestorians. Aurelius and Natalia (d. 852) A Spanish husband-and-wife team, martyred in the persecution of Cordoba. Both were half Moor/half Spanish, and both were secret Christians. Together with another couple, Felix and Liliosa, they publicly professed their Christianity, the women even going around unveiled as a statement of belief. They were arrested and beheaded as apostates from Islam, along with the monk George who had spoken openly against Muhammad. Seven Apostles of Bulgaria (9th-10th cents.) The seven apostles of Bulgaria are Cyril and Methodius (although neither actually preached among the Bulgars), Gorazd (who succeeded Methodius), Clement of Okhrida (the first Slav to become a bishop and founder of the diocese of Velica), Nahum, Sava, and Angelar. 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