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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today (19. October) is the feast day of: Ptolomaeus and Lucius (d. c. 150) We still have Justin's early acta of these saints, an important source for early Christianity. Ptolomaeus converted a married woman to Christianity, after which she was no longer willing to put up with her husband's perverted sexual practices and demanded a divorce. Her husband filed a complaint against both his wife and Ptolomaeus as Christians. Pt. avowed his Christianity and after a long time in prison to think the matter over was executed. Lucius, a Christian bystander, protested this execution for no crime except the mere fact of his Christianity, according to Justin with the interesting statement: "Your sentence. . . does not befit the Emperor [Antoninus] Pius nor his philosopher son [Marcus Aurelius] nor the holy senate" (Farmer)---whereupon he too was executed. Altinus of Orleans (1st or 4th cent.) Altinus established the churches of Orleans and Chartres. Legend claimed that he was a first-century contemporary of Jesus; more likely he was a fourth-century martyr. Ethbin (6th cent.) Ethbin was a noble, born in Britain. His mother turned him over to St. Samson for education. Later Ethbin became a monk in Brittany, then after his monastery was destroyed went to Ireland and lived for twenty years as a hermit. His cult was in Brittany, not Ireland. Aquilinus of Evreux (d. 695) Aquilinus served the Merovingian Clovis II for forty years, after which he and his wife retired to Evreux to devote themselves to good works. When his piety became known, A. was made bishop of the city, but continued to live as a hermit while doing the work of his office. Frideswide (d. 727) Frideswide is the patron of Oxford. She was a daughter of a sub-king named Dida, who founded several monasteries---he put his daughter in charge of the double monastery at Oxford. Later legend is much more exciting: Aethelbald of Mercia planned to seduce Frideswide, but she escaped and took refuge in Oxford---Aethelbald was struck blind, but cured by her intercession. John of Rila (d. 946) John was one of the earliest native monks of Bulgaria. He lived for sixty years in the mountains south of Sofia, where he founded the great monastery of Rila (which by the way survived until 1947, when the Communist government of Bulgaria converted it to a meteorological station). 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