medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
(Apologies for being somewhat belated. I was inundated with
end-of-the-semester grading)
Today (14. December) is the feast day of:
Spyridon (d. 348?) There has been a cult of Spyridon on Cyprus since the
fourth century; his relics have been on Corfu since the fifteen century.
Spyridon was born in the late third century on Cyprus. he married and
worked as a shepherd. During Diocletian's persecution, Spyridon was
blinded and put to labor breaking stone. After the persecution ended,
Spyridon was highly venerated among the people as a confessor, and in c.
315 was elected bishop of Trimithon on Cyprus. He is highly venerated in
Greece, where his feast is celebrated on 12. December.
Nicasius (Nicaise) of Rheims (d. 407 or 451) Nicasius has been highly
honored in the region of Rheims and also in Spain since the sixth century.
From c. 400 on he was bishop of Rheims. He died as a martyr, killed either
by Vandals in 407 or by Huns in 451.
Fingar and Piala (d. c. 455) According to legend, Fingar and his sister
Piala were the children of an Irish king. Both were converted to
Christianity by Patrick. They were driven into exile by their pagan
father, and were killed in Cornwall (or according to other sources the
kingdom of the Franks).
Venantius Fortunatus (d. 610) Venantius is accounted the most important
poet of the Merovingian era and the last continuer of Latin poetic
traditions in the kingdom of the Franks. Born in Italy, Venantius studied
music, poetry, and the classics. In his wanderings, he reached Poitiers in
547 and settled there, becoming a priest. In c. 600 he was elected bishop
of Poitiers. Several of his poems entered the liturgy, and his numerous
vitae are an important source for the religious history of his era.
Bertold of Regensburg (d. 1272) Bertold is a popular saint, uncanoized
(although there was an elevatio of his relics in 1626). Bertold was one of
the greatest popular preachers of the Middle Ages. He was born in c. 1210
in Regensburg, and in 1226 entered the Franciscan order. He went on to
study probably at Magdeburg, and from 1240 on worked as a popular preacher
in southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia,
Hungary, and even Paris. He attracted crowds of up to 40,000 listeners,
and many of his sermons were published. His tomb in Regensburg was a very
popular pilgrimage site in the Middle Ages.
Also John of the Cross, who doesn't fall within the chronological limits of
this list.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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