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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today, February 17, is the feast day of: Benignus (2nd or 3rd century) Legend reports that Benignus was a disciple of St. Polycarp, sent on a preaching mission to Autun, Langres, and Dijon. There he was martyred. As is so often the case in saintly legend, the first effort failed: he was thrown in a pit with starved dogs, but the dogs refused to eat him. So the guards speared him. Julian of Caesarea (d. 308) Eusebius tells that Julian was a Cappodocian who was visiting Caesarea (Palestine) when Pamphilus and his ten companions were being martyred. He offered himself to the executioners to make the number up to an even dozen, and was slowly roasted to death. Mesrop (d. 441) Mesrop is an Armenian saint, St. Isaac the Great's main helper in the creation of an Armenian alphabet and literature. He is credited with translating the New Testament, Proverbs, the liturgy, and a variety of patristic writings. He went on to preach in George and created a Georgian alphabet, too. Finan (d. 661) An Irishman, Finan became a monk at Iona. He was sent to Lindisfarne in 651 to succeed Aidan as abbot and bishop. He seems to have been an active missionary, continuing Aidan's work in Northumbria, also sending missionaries to Mercia and East Anglia with the help of his friend King Oswy of Northumbria; he baptized both King Penda of the Middle Angles and King Sigebert of the East Saxons. Silvinus of Auchy (d. 718/20) Silvinus was a from Toulouse and started as a Frankish courtier. He gave that life up, and went as a penitential pilgrim to the Holy Land and other pilgrimage sites, according to tradition, carrying a pack filled with stones. When in Rome, though, S. was ordained and consecrated as bishop of Therouanne. He then spent the next 40 years preaching to the non-Christians in the area and ransoming slaves. During this time, he lived solely on herbs and fruit, refusing to even eat bread. In the years before his death, Silvinus became a monk at Auchy-les-Moines. Benedict of Dolia (d. 1120?) Peter the Deacon relates that Constantine, a king (we would say, judge) of the Sardinians, asked abbot Oderisius to select a bishop for him from one of the brothers. Oderisius selected Benedict, a man venerable in all things. While in office Benedict was noted - so Peter tells us - for two miracles. 1) A great crowd of sparrows was in the habit of defecating all over his cathedral, not even exempting the altar vessels. When Benedict adjured them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to depart and make a mess no more, they did so - and none has dared to return. 2) Saracen raiders in Sardinia reached Benedict's cathedral and asked for the bishop. Benedict was standing before the altar, offering prayers, but they could not see him. Everyone they found they led off into captivity. Constabilis/Constabile (d. 1124) Constabilis, from Lucania, entered the Cluniac monastery of Cava dei Tirreni near Naples in c1077. He was a child oblate, only seven years of age. He remained there for the rest of his life, holding a series of offices that culminated in the abbacy for the two years before his death. Constabilis was highly regarded and called the "shield of monks." He is credited with founding the town of Castelabbate. He is Cilento's only saint. His cult was confirmed papally in 1893. Evermod (d. 1178) One of the first Premonstratensians, Evermod was a canon under Norbert of Xanten in Antwerp and then became superior of the monastery of Gottesgnaden in 1134, then of a monastery in Magdeburg. He began to evangelize the Elbe Slavs. Finally, in 1154 he was consecrated as first bishop of Ratzeburg, building up a Christian flock by inviting Saxon colonists to dispossess the Slavs in the area. He is honored as one of the apostles of the Wends. Reginald of Orleans (1220)- one of the first Dominicans, he received the vision from the Virgin Mary that he and his companions should wear the white woollen scapular; the first of the original group of Preachers to die, he was buried in Paris, in Notre-Dame-des-Champs. Andrea d'Anagni/Andrew Conti of Anagni (1302)- related to popes Alexander IV (nephew) and Boniface VIII, he left his noble lifestyle behind and became a Franciscan lay brother and after that a hermit in the Apennines, refusing to be made a cardinal. He was so troubled by demons that he is invoked against them. One day, when he was ill and unable to take his ordinary food, a friend brought him some roasted birds. The saint, touched with pity at the sight of the innocent creatures, would not eat, but, making the sign of the cross over them, commanded them to resume their feathers and fly away. He was instantly obeyed, and the little birds, restored to life, took flight with chirps of joy.' His cult was confirmed in 1724. William Richardson, martyr (1603)- the last to be martyred during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. happy reading, Terri -- "Where the way is hardest, there go thou: follow your own path, and let people talk." - Dante Alighieri ********************************************************************** 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