medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

Had a quick look at two articles on Felix of Cantalice, possible candidate for the Bugslag mystery saint: by M. da Alatri in Bibliotheca Sanctorum 5:538-540, and by S. Rivabene in Dizionario biografico degli Italiani 46:40-42. (He was born prob. 1515, died 1587. His rapid canonization was called for by his fame in Rome and by his friend Pope Sixtus V, who opened the canonical process immediately, but in any case he was not beatified until 1625 and canonized in 1712).

In favour: F. worked as shepherd and farm labourer (farming scenes; the staff); slept little and spent nights in church, meditating mainly on the mysteries of the life of Jesus (depicted before the altar); devoted to the Child Jesus (voilą!); Capuchin (as discussed); from about 1600 his image was widely propagated in various forms through religious art shops (cf. Jim B.'s last post).

Against: his decision to join the Capuchins was sparked by an attack by a herd of steers (not Hitchcockian birds); his vision of the Child Jesus was not of the child alone, but being of the child being presented to him by the Virgin Mary; it seems that he is usually depicted with the Child in his arms, and there's nothing much in these brief articles that helps explain the mysterious background scenes, which one would expect to be defining incidents.

So it's far from a knock-down case, and I look forward to the play-off with St Fiacre or to another candidate emerging. -- Paul Chandler.


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Paul Chandler, O.Carm.  |  Institutum Carmelitanum
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