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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today (30. March) is the feast day of: Martyrs of Constantinople (d. 353-9) Today is a joint feast celebrating the catholic Christians who were killed during the reign of the Arian emperor Valens. John Climacus (d. 649 or 605) John was a native of Palestine who became a monk, hermit, abbot at a very old age, then hermit again. His nickname comes from J's great ascetical treatise, *The Ladder of Perfection*. Osburga (d. c. 1018) Osburga was the first abbess of a convent founded at Coventry by King Canute. Her shrine was a popular pilgrimage attraction, and her cult was formally confirmed in 1410. Both her shrine and the cathedral it was in were destroyed during the Reformation. Joachim of Fiore (blessed) (d. 1202) The Middle Ages' most famous prophet, Joachim was venerated after his death, but the cult was never given a papal seal of approval. Joachim was a Calabrian who became a Cistercian and abbot of Corazzo. In 1192 he became a hermit and founded a reformed monastery at Fiore, the mother house of a reformed congregation. J. was a prolific writer, best known today for his commentary on the Apocalypse, which prophesied a coming "age of the holy spirit" and was especially adopted by the spiritual Franciscans (which might explain why J. was never canonized). Dodo of Asch (blessed) (d. 1231) Dodo was a married man but got over it, becoming a Premonstratensian. Later he became a hermit at Assen (Netherlands), practicing unbelievable austerities and, according to popular repute, receiving the stigmata. He was killed when a wall fell on him (which seems a rather ignominious end for a saint). Amadeus IX of Savoy (blessed) (d. 1472) Amadeus was born in 1435 and became duke of Savoy in 1455. He seems to have been a good ruler and most of his subjects loved him, but because of ill health he abdicated in favor of his wife. A's cult was confirmed in 1677. -- Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice [log in to unmask] History Department University of Southern Mississippi ********************************************************************** 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