medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (10. January) is the feast day of:
Nikanor (d. c. 76) Nikanor (a Jew, despite his Greek name) was one of the
first seven deacons of the nascent Christian church in Jerusalem.
Tradition reports that he undertook social services among the
Greek-speaking Christians, and later evangelized on Cyprus. Either he was
killed there in a persecution ordered by Vespasian, or died
peacefully---accounts differ.
Paul the First Hermit (d. c. 345) Traditionally the first Christian
hermit, Paul was an Egyptian of wealthy family who fled to the desert to
escape persecution (perhaps that of Decius) and lived there until he was
well over 100 years old. He was visited and later buried by Antony of
Egypt; according to Jerome's Life of Paul, two lions obliged Antony by
digging Paul's grave. Today was Paul's traditional western feast day
(although he was removed from the calendary in 1969); he is celebrated on
January 5 or 15 in the eastern church.
Pietro Orseolo (d. 987) Pietro was born in Venice in 928. At the age of
20 he became the admiral of the Venetian fleet, and in 976 was elected doge
of Venice. He worked very hard to restore internal peace to his city,
which had suffered considerable destruction in a series of battles and
rebellions, and rebuilt the church of St. Mark and the doge's palace. In
978 Pietro secretly abandoned both his family and his office and entered
the Benedictine monastery of Cuxa, where he conducted a highly ascetic
penitential life until his death. His cult was formally approved in 1731.
William of Bourges (d. 1209) William was a scion of the family of the
counts of Nevers, born in c. 1150. In 1176 he entered the Cistercian
order, and from 1184 on became abbot of various monasteries. In 1200
William became archbishop of Bourges (France). He was a strong defender of
church rights. At the papacy's behest, William also started the crusade
against the Albigensians.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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