medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today, February 13, is the feast day of:
Agabus the Prophet (1st century) was a Jewish-Christian prophet from
Jerusalem. He foretold the great famine of the year 49 that devastated the
whole Roman Empire, and foretold Paul's imprisonment in Jerusalem (described
in Acts). Legend reports that he was martyred in Antioch. Medieval legend
made him a Carmelite monk.
Fusca/Fosauraca and Maura, martyrs (?). According to their legendary Passio
(BHL 3222, 3222c, 3223), Fusca was the fifteen-year-old daughter of a pagan
family in Ravenna who together with her nurse Maura was baptized in the
Christian faith. She could not be persuaded by her father to apostatize.
After she refused to sacrifice to pagan idols, she was tortured on the
orders of the governor Quintianus. Finally killed with a sword-thrust, Fusca
as she was dying asked that the same mercy be shown to Maura (who was being
tortured with her). Her request was granted and Maura met her end in the
same way.
Identifying the Quintianus of this story with the official of the same
name who in her Latin acta is said to have ordered the execution of St.
Agatha, early modern martyrologists ascribed the events in question to the
Decian persecution. But no version of this Passio that has reached print is
so specific about the time of these saints' suffering. Moreover, this seems
to be a very late Passio, in origin perhaps no earlier than the eleventh
century. Its earliest witnesses are said to be late eleventh- or early
twelfth-century (an unpublished text in a passionary at Bologna) and
twelfth-century (a fragmentary passionary from Rimini; BHL 3222c),
respectively. The Passio documents a cult of Fusca initially localized in
formerly Byzantine parts of northern Italy and later extended throughout the
Veneto, Friuli - Venzia Giulia, and Istria. The cult's oldest recorded
attestation is from the ninth-century Veneto. Our early sources from
Ravenna itself are silent about it.
Most versions of the Passio of Fusca and Maura end with a translation
story in which their bodies arrived, miraculously or by the action of
pirates, at Sabratha in Tripolitania (in today's Libya) and were there
buried; centuries later they were brought back to Christendom, either to
Ravenna (BHL 3233; thirteenth-century) or to Torcello in the northern part
of the Venetian lagoon (BHL 3222; sixteenth-century), and a church was built
to house their remains. As there is no evidence for the dedication of any
church to Fusca and Maura, it could be that both Maura ("Moor") and the
African locale from which their relics are said to have been returned are
hagiographic inventions inspired by the name Fusca ("Darkish One"). Maura
could also be the Maura venerated since at least the later Middle Ages in
the Ionian Islands of western Greece, where she's now identified as the M.
of Timothy and Maura, martyrs celebrated on May 3.
Fusca and Maura were dropped from the RM in its revision of 2001. Each is
venerated separately in the Veneto.
Castor of Karden/-of Koblenz (d. 4th cent., supposedly) In 836 archbishop
Hetto of Trier translated Castor from a place that's now Karden in
Treis-Karden in Rheinland-Pfalz into a church he had built for him at
Koblenz. According to Castor's rather later Vita (BHL 1642; oldest witness
is thirteenth-century), Castor thus became the patron saint of Koblenz,
which latter had not had one previously. The same Vita provides a legendary
back story for Castor in which he is trained up in the church at Trier under
bishop St. Maximinus (who ordains Castor deacon and then priest) and then
becomes at hermit at Karden, where he attracts disciples, dies on this day,
and is buried in a local church. Much later, in the time of bishop Weomad
(762-91), when Castor is already being honored with a cult, his remains are
miraculously revealed and he is given a formal elevatio in the church of St.
Paulinus at Karden.
Thus far the Vita, which also recounts a miracle whereby the crew of a
cargo vessel laden with salt denies some to Castor and is promptly sunk in
the Mosel by a violent storm. When the floundering crew repents, Castor
makes a sign of the cross and the vessel arises unharmed from underneath the
water.
Martinian the Hermit (4th cent.) Legend tells that Martinian was a native of
Caesarea in Palestine. He became a hermit at the age of eighteen. His
adventures include resisting the lustful advances of a town prostitute by
shoving his own feet in a fire to remind him of the pains of hell (he then
converted her and sent her off to become a recluse). When Martinian's legs
had healed, he went to live on a rock surrounded by the Mediterranean, where
he could see any temptation coming and had only one person bringing him
supplies every six months. Later he rescued a shipwrecked girl from
drowning, then swam to the mainland himself so he wouldn't be tempted by
her. He made his way to Athens and lived there the rest of his life.
Licinius (Lesin) of Angers (d. c. 618) Licinius was a Frankish courtier;
Chilperic made him count of Anjou in c. 578. Despite being a very pious
man, Licinius was persuaded to marry, but on his wedding day his new wife
contracted leprosy. Not surprisingly, he decided to renounce the world. He
was appointed bishop of Angers in 586, where he proved to be an excellent
bishop, moderate and patient in the care of his flock, with the added
advantage of being a notable miracle worker.
Beatrice d'Ornacieaux, virgin (1309) - Beatrice joined the Carthusian
convent at Parmenie when she was thirteen years old. Nun and mystic, she
would rake the hot coals out of the convent's kitchen fire and yet not burn
her hands; she would also drive nails through herself, yet only pure water
would come from these wounds, not blood. She was especially devoted to the
Passion, supplemented by demonic attacks.
Eustochium of Padua (blessed) (d. 1459) Born in 1444, Eustochium's mother
was a nun in Padua who forgot her vow of chastity rather badly. She was born
in the convent but an outraged bishop soon dispersed the community. Still,
Eustochium was educated at a convent and proved to be a very pious kid,
winning the bishop's support for her consecration as a nun (over the nuns'
objections) at age 17. She soon proved to be possessed by demons, or
mentally ill, suffering from severe psychosomatic illnesses, which were
interpreted as hysteria and demonic possession, as a result of which she was
imprisoned and treated harshly. She "bore all with great humility and
patience." At one point the townspeople even tried to storm the convent and
have Eustochium burned as a witch. She survived that crisis but continued to
have spells of violence and self-mutilation. She eventually fell so ill she
was bedridden, and died at the age of 26. At that time, the name "Jesus" was
found carved on her chest. A whole series of apparitions and miracles ensued
at her tomb, and her body was found to be incorrupt 3-1/2 years later. The
strong local cult that developed has never won official confirmation.
Arcangela Girlani, virgin (1494) - became prioress of a Carmelite convent in
Mantova at a young age; after her death, whenever a pear would fall off a
tree she had planted, someone in the community would die soon afterward
Caterina dei Ricci (1590) Catherine (originally named Alexandrina) was born
in Florence. She became a Dominican at the age of twelve and at age thirty
was elected prioress. From the age of 20 until she was 32 Caterina had a
series of visions every week of the events leading to the crucifixion. She
was a stigmatist, who received a wedding ring from Christ in a vision (as
the ring is described as golden, with a diamond, it was unlikely the same
sort of ring worn by Caterina da Siena), which appeared 'in normal times' to
be a red circle on her finger. Catherine was canonized in 1747.
happy reading,
Terri
--
'Many are chosen few are Pict.' - Gail Whitehouse
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