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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today (15. January) is the feast day of: Paul the Hermit (d. c. 345) Jerome's Life of Paul, regarded as the "first hermit," was an influential work, but describes a life difficult to imitate since it's so full of miracles. The vita tells that Paul came from the lower Thebaid. During the Decian persecution he fled to the desert---and decided he liked it, so he didn't return to civilization, instead remaining in the desert for the remaining 90 (!) years of his life. Antony visited P shortly before P's death, burying his body in a grave dug by obliging lions. Alexander Akimetes (d. c. 430) Alexander settled in Constantinople and founded a monastery there dedicated to perpetual singing of the divine office. His monks got the nickname "sleepless ones" (akoemetae) (although they actually sang in rotating choirs). Ita of Killeedy (d. c. 570) One of the best-known female saints of early Ireland. Her late legend tells that Ita was of royal birth, refused to marry, gathered disciples, and founded a convent. Her name, Ita, means "thirst for holiness." She is known as the "foster-mother of the saints of Ireland" because she had a school for boys, many of whom won fame as saints. Maurus (6th/7th cent.) Maurus appears in the Dialogues of Gregory the Great. M. was turned over for his education to Benedict of Nursia; his faith was so great that when Ben. ordered him to help a drowning boy, M. ran on top of the water to pull the kid out. Later, Abbot Odo of Glanfeuil in France apparently invented a story that had M. come to Francia and found the first Benedictine monastery there. Peter of Castelnau (blessed) (d. 1208) A reminder of our Albigensian crusade discussion of a few days ago. Peter was the papal legate sent to Languedoc and there murdered, perhaps with the collusion of Count Raymond VI of Toulouse. Peter was almost immediately venerated as a martyr. ********************************************************************** 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