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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today (15. January) is the feast day of: Efisio of Cagliari (d. c. 303) Efisio was martyred in Cagliari (Sardinia). Beyond that, his life is not known. His cult was established early and lasted through the Middle Ages, but really took off in the late eighteenth century, when the Sardinians attributed their defeat of the French to Efisio's aid. He was even named commander-in-chief of the Sardinian army. Macarius the Great (d. 390) Macarius was a native of upper Egypt. In c. 330 he founded a monastery in the desert of Skete. He is an important figure in the early collections of deeds and sayings of the desert saints. John Calybites (d. c. 450) John was born in Constantinople, and became a monk when he was twelve. After some years he returned home, so altered in appearance that nobody recognized him. Dressed as a beggar, he then lived in a small hut near his parents' door. He wasn't recognized until his death. Ite (d. c. 570) One of the great female saints of Ireland. According to a late vita, she was of royal blood, born near Waterford. She eventually moved to Limerick and founded a convetn at Killeedy (Church of Ite). She is called the foster-mother of the saints of Ireland, especially Brendan. The Irish lullaby for the infant Jesus attributed to her is a particularly lovely example of early Irish spirituality. Maurus (d. c. 580) Maurus was the son of a Roman senator and particularly beloved disciple of Benedict of Nursia. Legend describes him as a model of humble obedience; he is supposed to have walked (or rather ran) on water to rescue a fellow novice at Benedict's command. M. succeeded Benedict as abbot of Subiaco when the latter relocated to Monte Cassino. Supposedly he was later sent to the kingdom of the Franks, where he founded the monastery of Glanfeuil. Ceolwulf (d. 760 or 764) Ceolwulf became king of Northumbria in 729, but was captured and forcibly tonsured in 731; despite that, he continued to rule after his release until 737. Then he abdicated and became a monk at Lindisfarne. Bede dedicated his Ecclesiastical History to C., praising his piety. And his fellow monks had reason to praise him, too---he endowed Lindisfarne so well that the monks had the resources to drink beer or wine, instead of water or milk. Peter of Castelnau (blessed) (d. 1208) Peter became archdeacon of Maguelonne in 1199, a Cistercian at Fontfroide in c. 1202, and from 1203 on papal legate. He was given the impossible task of ending the Cathar threat in the Languedoc. His assassination, in which the count of Toulouse was implicated, was the catalyst for the Albigensian Crusade. 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