medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (17. August) is the feast day of:
Mamas (d. c. 274) Mamas was a shepherd, martyred at Caesarea (Cappadocia)
in the reign of Aurelian. His cult became very popular in the East, and
later stories report that the wild animals in the arena refused to touch
him, or alternatively that he was stoned to death while still a boy.
Eusebius (d. 310) Eusebius, of Greek birth, was a physician. He
eventually made his way to Rome and the priesthood, and was elected bishop
of Rome. His pontificate lasted only four months before he was sent into
exile by Maxentius; he died soon after in Sicily.
Liberatus (d. 483) Liberatus was an abbot in North Africa, where he
actively fought Arianism (a delicate matter, since the Vandal rulers were
Arians). According to legend, King Hunnerich had Liberatus and other
religious dissidents brought to Carthage, where he had them chained in a
ship and the ship then set on fire. But a strong wind put out the flames,
so L. and company were beaten to death with oars and their bodies then
thrown into the sea.
Karlmann (d. 754) Karlmann was a son of Charles Martel and brother of
Pepin the Vertically Challenged. He ruled with his brother for some years
as Frankish mayor of the palace, giving firm support to Boniface and the
reform of the Frankish church in the process. In 747, though, Karlmann
abdicated and became a monk at Monte Cassino.
Hyacinth of Cracow (d. 1257) Hyacinth, born in Silesia, became a Dominican
in Rome after he had already become a priest. In 1221 he was sent to
Cracow, where he established the order's first house in Poland. It's not
clear what he did for the rest of his life, but later hagiographers made
much of his reputation as a miracle worker and in the sixteenth century he
was credited with very extensive missionary work. It was one of these
later writers who altered our saint's name, originally Jacko or Jacek to
Jacinthus (Hyacinth).
Clare of Montefalco (d. 1308) At a young age, Clare joined a community of
Franciscan hermits (later refounded as Augustinians). She became abbess of
the community in 1291. Clare was famous for her great devotion to Christ's
passion. She practiced extreme asceticism, and enjoyed many ecstasies and
miracles. Her cult began immediately after her death, and gained great
strength when her body failed to decay (and still hasn't), when the marks
of the passion were found on her heart, and when her blood liquefied.
Clare was canonized in 1881.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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