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Today 13 July is the feast of ... Silas, (first century): Silas is first mentioned in chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles. At Philippi, along with Paul, Silas was beaten and imprisoned; and with Paul, he was miraculously delivered. Maura and Brigid, (fifth century): According to various legends, these two British princesses from Northumbria while making their way to Rome on a pilgrimage were murdered by Frankish raiders in Balagny-sur-Therain. Here they were buried and a popular cult soon developed. Louis IX was a great benefactor of their shrine. Eugenius, Bishop of Carthage, (505): Involved in the debate between Catholics and Arians. Mildred, abbess of Minster-in-Thanet (700): Second daughter of Merewald, an Anglian ruler, and Ermenburger. Mildred was famous for her fasting, humbleness, and her mercy to widows and orphans. James of Voragine, archbishop of Genoa (1298): Author of the *Legenda Aurea*, the best legends of saints ever. However, according to Butler the *Legenda Aurea* "from the point of view of history is entirely uncritical and worthless - except as a sidelight on the unsophistication and simple mentality of the folk for whom it was written." In response to the James of Voragine entry a few years ago, Sherry Reames wrote: **** Well, yes and no. . . He may have *retold* the best legends of saints, but they changed quite a bit (and lost quite a bit of their original meaning and value) in the process. (I wrote a whole book in support of this thesis about ten years ago, if anybody's interested in such matters.) Sherry Reames (Dept. of English, Univ. of Wisconsin) **** Dr Carolyn Muessig Department of Theology and Religious Studies University of Bristol Bristol BS8 1TB UK phone: +44(0)117-928-8168 fax: +44(0)117-929-7850 e-mail: [log in to unmask] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%