medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
saints of the day 5. December
Today (5. December) is the feast day of:
Sabas the Great (d. 532) Sabas was from Cappodocia.
At a young age he became a monk, finally founding a laura in the
Judaean Desert (named Mar Saba)---which, by the way, has been a
continuously functioning monastery from Sabas' time to the present.
S. served as archimandrite over all the monasteries of the Holy Land,
in which position he played an important role fighting monophysites.
The Venetians stole S's incorrupt body in the Middle Ages, but it was
returned to his monastery in 1965; in 1969 his cult was confined to
local calendars in the Roman church.
Nicetius of Trier (d. 566) Nicetius was a monk and abbot, a
Gallo-Roman who became bishop of Trier in 532. He didn't get
along well with the Frankish rulers of the region, excommunicating two
for "disgusting behavior" (says my source) and getting
exiled in return. He also founded a school and rebuilt the
cathedral in Trier.
John the Thaumaturge (d. c. 750) John was bishop of
Polyboton (Phrygia). He was a very outspoken opponent of the
imperial iconoclast policy---but was so famous as a miracle worker
that the emperor didn't dare attack him.
Gerald of Braga (d. 1109) Gerald was from near Cahors; he
became a monk at Moissac. He went on from there to be chief
cantor at the cathedral of Toledo and in 1096 became archbishop of
Braga (Portugal), reestablishing the ecclesiastical hierarchy in
Portugal as Muslim rule there ended.
Christina of Markyate (d. 1161) Christina was a noble
Englishwoman whose parents wouldn't let her become a nun, so she ran
off and became a recluse instead. In time she gathered enough
disciples to form a convent of her own.
Galganus (d. 1181) Galganus was a native of Siena, a
wastrel as a young man until he converted to the religious life.
He became a hermit near the city, and a popular spiritual figure for
the area. A church was built on the site of his hermitage, which
became a Cistercian monastery two decades after G's death.
Bartholomew Fanti (blessed) (d. 1495) This famed
preacher, spiritual director, and healer was a native of Mantua and
member of the Carmelite order.
--
Phyllis G. Jestice
Associate Professor
History Department
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5047
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