medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (27. December) is the feast day of:
John the Evangelist (d. late 1st century (unless you agree with the
medieval legend that he never died at all)) John was a son of Zebedee and
brother of James. A tradition that goes back to the second century makes
the apostle John the author of the fourth gospel, and also of the book of
Revelation (which are so different stylistically that critics now doubt
that he could have written both). John played a prominent role in the
early Christian community, adopting the Virgin Mary as his mother,
preaching, etc. He is frequently shown in art holding a cup with a viper
in it, thanks to a legend that a high priest of Artemis at Ephesus
challenged him to drink poison---the poison came out of the cup in snake's
form.
Fabiola (d. 399) Fabiola was a patrician woman. She married, but then
divorced her husband for his vicious life. Then she married again, causing
a scandal. After her second husband's death she did public penance and
gave her great wealth to the poor. She visited Jerome in Bethlehem, but J
wouldn't accept her into his community of nuns---he said she was too
active. So Fabiola returned to Rome, where she founded a hostel for
pilgrims.
Theodore and Theophanes (d. 841 and 845) These brothers were born in
Jordan and became monks at St. Sabas', Jerusalem. Ardent defenders of
icons, they were sent by the patriarch to convince Emperor Leo not to
interfere in church matters. Not surprisingly, they were flogged and
exiled to an island in the Black Sea. T and T returned to their monastery
after Leo died in 820, but in 829 another iconoclast emperor had them
tortured and banished. After a time they were recalled to Constantinople,
but refused to even discuss matters with the iconoclasts. So a 12-line
verse was cut into their faces, condemning them as superstitious
trouble-makers, and they were banished to Bithynia. Theodore died of his
ill-treatment; Theophanus survived to become bishop of Nicaea.
Bonaventure Tolomei (blessed) (d. 1348) A native of Siena, Bonaventure was
a devout child, but a dissolute young man. After four years he repented,
and did penance by visiting all the major saints' shrines on foot. Then he
joined the Order of Preachers at Siena. BT died while tending plague
victims.
John Stone (d. 1539) John was a native of Canterbury, where he became an
Augustinian friar. He was an erudite man, a doctor of divinity, and highly
regarded. So he was a threat when he denounced from the pulpit Henry
VIII's claim to supremacy over the church in England. JS was arrested,
proved obdurate, and was hanged, drawn, and quartered.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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