medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>From: "Jones, Dr G.R." <[log in to unmask]>
Dear Francine
>A cause for veneration? Difficult.
You mentioned that at least one of the two was killed while accompanying a
king in battle, so I wondered what it was that made him "saintly." I assumed
that he was a warrior. Was he a priest, then, or was he hermit-ing as
penance for all his sins of the sword? If so, how did he end up in battle?
>A fourteenth-century poem describes the two saints as penitential hermits
>meeting for meditation during the final three hours of the night and the
>first three of the day and to say Matins. Both gave their names to the
>herbal plant known in English as speedwell (veronica). So
there's both piety and popular remedy.
Busy fellows. Hmm, end of one day and beginning of another? I'll have to
gnaw on that one.
>I thought you might be expecting me to comment on the likely derivation
>from *Lugus-belinos ;-)
Actually, I'd completely overlooked that. Thank you for mentioning it! And
if you'd like to comment further, please do! :)
>On the morrow of St Lucy, waiting for the solstice, late medieval
>Lugh-alikes ought to leave the stage to the Lady of Light herself...
<tee-hee> I like that--but since when do Celtic heroes know enough to wait
in the wings, especially for an Anglo-Norse lady?
>However, association with the morning is indicated. (That the feast day
>falls between the equinox and May Day (Beltain - Belinos) may be
>coincidence, I suppose.)
Hmm, the question is: does Beltaine come from Belenos or simply mean "bright
fire"? Intriguing, though. Why would somebody be named after Lugh and
Belenos if his feast were in midwinter? On the other hand, it's halfway
between Lughnasa (Lugh) and Imbolc (Bri/g). Seems like there should be
*something* but I'm not sure what.
>How Gwrnerth ('man of strength') would fit such an interpretation, I'm not
>sure.
If I were better at spotting Welsh-Irish cognates, I'd probably have someone
to suggest.
Best,
Francine
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