medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (13. May) is the feast day of:
Abban of Abingdon (2nd cent.) Legend tells that Abban was an Irishman, in
fact the first Irish saint. He is supposed to have come to Britain, where
he was baptized in c. 165. He was so successful there that he was granted
land to build a monastery (!)
John the Silent (d. 558) The Armenian John was the son of wealthy parents;
they died when he was 20 and he used his inheritance to build a monastery
in Nicopolis. The monastery was such a success that at the age of 28 he
was (much against his will) made bishop of Colonia. After nine years of
mixed success, John resigned. He went to St. Sabas' monastery near
Jerusalem and became a monk there, hiding his episcopal status. After a
time doing the monastery's heavy work, Sabas tried to have John ordained
(whereupon he had to confess that he was not just a priest but a bishop).
Sabas kept the secret, and allowed John to become a hermit for the last 40
years of his life.
Euthymius the Illuminator (d. 1028) Euthymius was the son of St. John the
Iberian (= Georgia, not Spain). After a time as a hostage in
Constantinople, E. went with his father to Mt. Athos, where the two built
Iviron Monastery for their fellow Iberians; E. succeeded his dad as abbot
in c. 1002. But E. is best known for his work after he resigned from the
abbacy. He devoted himself to translating religious works into Iberian,
including the Bible, 60 treatises of Church fathers, commentaries, vitae,
liturgies, etc.
Julian of Norwich (d. c. 1423) Not formally canonized, but certainly
venerated by many. The most famous and accessible of the late medieval
mystics, we don't even know "Julian's" name---she took the name of the
church where she was enclosed as a recluse. J. had a series of visions
when deeply ill; when she recovered, she became a recluse and spent the
rest of her life explaining her "showings" to others and acting as a
spiritual guide.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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