medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (22. May) is the feast day of:
Castus and Aemilius (d. c. 250) These two martyrs sound much more lifelike
than the average "stiff upper lip while thrown to the lions" early
Christians. Castus and Aemilius were Africans, arrested early in the
Decian persecution. Under torture they gave way, sacrificed to the state
gods, and were released. They then repented their weakness. Arrested
again, they were burned to death.
Julia of Corsica (4th cent.?) This patron saint of Corsica has a rather
odd legend. Julia is said to have been a noble Carthaginian woman, sold as
a slave after the Vandal sack of her city in 439. The Syrian merchant who
bought her stopped in Corsica on his way home, where a celebration was
going on (this is when I start wondering about the chronology). J. refused
to join in the pagan sacrifice. Her master was angry, and crucified her.
Helen of Carnarvon (Elen Luyddog) (d. c. 390) Helen was the wife of
would-be emperor Magnus Maximus, who ruled Britain, Gaul, and Spain 383-8.
According to Welsh tradition, Helen had roads built, and also led a
military expedition to north Wales.
Humilitas of Faenza (d. 1310) Rosanna (her original name) was born to
wealthy parents in Faenza, Italy. She was married off at the age of 15 to
a frivolous wastrel. He, however, had a change of heart after nine years
of marriage. They then both turned to the religious life, at the double
monastery of St. Perpetua, Faenza. Humilitas, as she now called herself,
soon became a recluse, living for 12 years a life of what sounds like truly
excessive asceticism. But then she was talked into leaving her reclusion
to become the founding abbess of the first Vallombrosan convent, a job she
did very well. She died at age 80.
Hemming of Abo (d. 1366) The Swedish Hemming studied theology and canon
law at Paris, after which he became a cathedral canon in Helsinki, and
bishop of Helsinki in 1339. He was a very active bishop, holding synods to
assure proper celebrations, caring for church property, suppressing the
mandatory payment by poor people for dispensations and funerals. Miracles
were recorded at H's tomb in Abo cathedral, and his relics were enshrined
in 1514. (Just from curiosity: what confession is Finland now? Did it go
Protestant?)
Rita of Cascia (d. 1447) Rita was a native of Umbria. She wanted to
become a nun in her childhood, but obediently married at her parents'
wishes. Parents chose badly: her husband was violent and unfaithful.
After 18 years, R's husband was murdered in a vendetta; this left her free
to become an Augustinian nun. She cared for her sick fellow nuns, provided
spiritual counsel, and became a noted mystic (for fifteen years she bore
the wounds of the crown of thorns on her forehead). After R's death of
tuberculosis, her cult developed rapidly, although formal beatification
only came in 1626 and canonization in 1900.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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