medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (12. October) is the feast day of:
Maximilian of Lorch (d. 284) Maximilian founded the church of Lorch (near
Passau) and became its first bishop. He was martyred in Cilli (Austria).
Felix, Cyprian, and companions (d. c. 484) F and C were North African
bishops. According to Victor of Vita, the Arian King Hunneric had the two,
along with 4966 (!) companions driven into the Sahara to starve, part of
his attempt to wipe out Catholicism in his kingdom.
Pantalus (5th cent.?) Pantalus may have been the first bishop of Basel.
In 1157 an inscription was found in that city reporting his martyrdom. By
the end of the twelfth century, he had been incorporated into the legend of
St. Ursula; he is supposed to have accompanied Ursula and her band of
virgins on their return journey from Rome, and was killed with them in
Cologne by Huns.
Edwin (d. 633) Before becoming king of Northumbria, Edwin spent many years
in exile in Wales and East Anglia. He became king in 616, and decided to
marry Princess Ethelburga of Kent---the hitch was that she was a Christian
and he wasn't. After Edwin promised Ethelburga liberty of conscience the
wedding took place, and Edwin soon converted (many of his thanes followed
his example). His main claim to sanctity, though, seems to be that he was
killed in battle against the pagan king Penda (who, by the way, was allied
to a Christian king of Wales).
Wilfrid (d. 709) Wilfrid was a Northumbrian, educated at Lindisfarne,
Canterbury, and Rome. On return to England he became abbot of Ripon and
became a champion of Roman ecclesiastical practices, leading the pro-Roman
party at the synod of Whitby. Wilfrid went on to become bishop of York;
his disagreements with Theodore of Tarsus over the division of the diocese
led to Wilfrid becoming the first known Englishman to appeal to the pope
against more local authority. On his way to Rome, he stopped for a year to
preach in Frisia----the beginning of the Anglo-Saxon mission in that
region. The pope restored Wilfrid to his see, but the king of Northumbria
kicked Wilfrid out anyway; he went to Sussex to preach there for some
years, only reinstated in Northumbria in 686. In 703 a synod again decreed
that Wilfrid should resign his see and accept confinement; Wilfrid appealed
successfully to the pope a second time.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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