medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Happy St David's day to you all.
Apropos of Dewi Sant:
`Unfortunately some modern cynic has recently proven (I don't know how) that
the relics kept there aren't actually David's'.
- Radiocarbon dating, I fear, and it appears that the reliquary in fact
contains the bones of several individuals. The present Dean of St Davids is
a fine archaeologist; I quote from an article by him:
`David was internationally famous in the Middle Ages. Pope Calixtus II
(Pope from 1119 to 24) decreed that one pilgrimage to St Davids was equal to
two to Rome. A vast income was raised by visiting pilgrims ... Early
mediaeval Welsh Christians had little interest in the bones of the dead and
David's grave was not recorded. In 1275, John de Gamages, an Abbot based 60
miles from here, dreamt about the resting place of St David and following
his instructions a body was found in the cathedral grounds. It was placed in
a new shrine in 1275. King Edward I was one of the first to visit and make
an offering.
`The prosperity of St Davids continued with a steady traffic of visitors
until the sixteenth century. The Dean said: "In 1538, Protestant William
Barlow was appointed bishop at St Davids. He wanted to shut down the
cathedral and confiscated the reliquaries. As far as we know, they were all
destroyed. In the nineteenth Century some bones were found walled up in a
recess at the back of the High Altar and they were later believed to be
those of St. David. I had these carbon dated and it was revealed they are
actually from the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It would
appear that no relics have survived.'
_____________________
In the Welsh-language life of St David, a text recorded in the Book of the
Anchorite of Llanddewibrefi (compiled c. 1350), the redactor adds the
following to Rhygyfarch's *Vita*:
`Arglwydi, vrodyr a chwioryd, bydwch lawen a chedwch ych ffyd a'ch [c]red, a
gwnewch y petheu bychein a glywysawch ac a welsawch gennyf fi.'
[`Lords, brothers and sisters, be joyful and maintain your faith and the
integrity of your belief [/creed], and do the little things which you heard
from me and saw me do.'
Yours,
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Phyllis Jestice
Sent: 01 March 2004 00:48
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [M-R] saints of the day 1. March
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (1. March) is the feast day of:
Martyrs of Rome (d. 269) One of several groups of "Roman martyrs," this
group consisted of 260 Christians who were rounded up and put to slave
labor in sandpits on the Salarian Way. When they had finished their labors
they were used for archery practice in the amphitheatre.
Felix II (d. 365) An antipope who managed to make the Roman Martyrology,
although his cult was limited to local calendars in 1969. Felix was
elected ope by the Arian faction in Rome and confirmed by a council, but
when the exiled Pope Liberius returned F. was driven into exile. A
tradition reports that F. ended up martyred for opposing an emperor.
Albinus of Angers (d. 550) Albinus was a native of Vannes (France). He
became a monk and then abbot near Angers, then in c. 529 became bishop of
Angers. A. was important at the third council of Orleans (538) and also
won a significant posthumous cult: the monastery of St. Aubin at Angers was
dedicated to him and he also has a shrine at St. Aubin de Moeslain.
David (d. c. 600) David, the patron saint of Wales, is unfortunately a
figure only known through a much later vita (written c. 1090) that set out
to defend the rights of the bishop of St. David's against encroachment by
Canterbury. It is hard to doubt, though, that D. founded a monastery (at
the site of the city now named after him) and became its first bishop. D's
cult won papal approval in 1120, an interesting and rare case of seeking
papal approval for an early saint, and his shrine became a great center of
pilgrimage. Unfortunately some modern cynic has recently proven (I don't
know how) that the relics kept there aren't actually David's.
Marnock (d. c. 625) Marnock was an Irish monk at Iona who became a
missionary bishop in Scotland. He died in Annandale and had an active cult
along the Scottish border; Kilmarnock is named after him.
Monan (d. c. 874) Monan was a missionary in Fife (Scotland), associated
with St. Adrian of May. M. was killed by Danish raiders.
Leo Carentanus (d. 900) A somewhat dubious legend tells that Leo was
bishop of Rouen, but then became a missionary to the Basques, only to be
beheaded by pirates near Bayonne. He is now the patron of that city.
Rudesind (Rosendo) (d. 977) Rudesind was a Galician noble who became
bishop of Mondonedo at the age of eighteen (but later was transferred to
the see of Compostela after a bad bishop was kicked out. He organized
resistance to Viking and Muslim raids, but before long was deposed by the
bishop he had replaced. So R. went off and founded the monastery of
Celanova, where he became a monk, as well as other monasteries. R. was
canonized in 1195.
Christopher of Milan (d. 1484) (blessed) Christopher was a Dominican who
became a famous preacher in the territories of Genoa and Milan. A friary
was founded for him at Taggia (near Ventimiglia). His cult was confirmed
in 1875.
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
**********************************************************************
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
