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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today (29. April) is the feast day of: The Abbots of Cluny (Berno, Odo, Mayeul, Odilo, Hugh, Aymardus, and Peter the Venerable) Today is the corporate feast day of all the great and saintly early abbots of Cluny. Robert of Molesmes (d. 1110) Oddly, it's also the feast day of Robert, founder of Citeaux. Robert was a noble of Champagne. He became a monk at Moutier-la-Celle and soon displayed reforming tendencies when appointed abbot of St. Michael of Tonnere. He then became superior of a group of hermits, and founded Molesmes with them in 1075. But R. got discouraged with that community, so he left with several followers to found a new monastery at Citeaux in 1098. Robert himself was ordered back to Molesmes the next year, and finally succeeded in reforming the place. R. was canonized in 1222. Peter Martyr (d. 1252) Peter was a native of Verona, the son of Cathars or Waldensians (one of my saints' books says "Waldensian dualist heretics"(!)). He studied at the University of Bologna and became a Dominican. Peter became a famous preacher, and in c. 1234 was appointed inquisitor for northern Italy. He was very zealous in his preaching against all the Cathars there---so zealous that two Cathars ambushed and murdered him. P. was canonized the very next year. He is one of the very few saints formally canonized who was demoted to local/particular calendary standing in the great calendar purge of 1969. Catherine of Siena (d. 1380) Catherine was the daughter of a dyer, the youngest of 25 children. She started her life as a mystic at the age of 6. When she grew up she refused to marry and became a Dominican tertiary, living in her parents' home. As probably everyone on the list knows, C. became an extremely famous mystic, was recognized by many as a living saint, played a significant role as spiritual counsellor, and was a very persuasive peacemaker who even talked Pope Gregory XI into returning from Avignon to Rome. C. was canonized in 1461, named patron of Italy in 1939, and was declared a doctor of the church in 1970. ********************************************************************** 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