medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (20. June) is the feast day of:
Alban (3rd cent.) The protomartyr of Britain. Alban was a Roman citizen
of Verulamium. He sheltered a priest, and was converted and baptized by
him. When soldiers came looking for the priest, A. dressed up in his
clothes so he could escape. A. was condemned to decapitation: one
executioner was converted; the other did the job, only to have his eyes
fall out after he had struck the blow. A. was buried near the town; his
shrine became the focal point first of a monastery, then of the town of St.
Alban's that eventually replaced Verulamium.
Edward the Martyr (d. 979) Edward was the victim of a succession dispute.
He was the son of King Edgar of England and his first wife Aethelflaed.
When he was assassinated, it was to the advantage of an anti-monastic party
that favored his half brother Aethelred (the "Unready"). So, clearly (at
least to the pro-monastic party), Edward was a martyr for church rights.
Adalbert of Magdeburg (d. 981) Adalbert was a monk of the reforming
monastery of St. Maximin, Trier. When Duchess Olga of Kiev asked Otto I
for missionaries, Adalbert was chosen, much against his will, to lead the
missionary group sent to her. But Olga was deposed by her son and, in the
anti-Christian reaction, Adalbert barely escaped back to Germany with his
life. He then worked at Otto I's court for some years before being
rewarded with the abbacy of Weissenberg. Then in 968 he became first
archbishop of Magdeburg, spending the rest of his life organizing the new
archdiocese.
John of Matera (d. 1139) An Italian Benedictine, John found it hard to
settle down. He spent some time with St. William at Monte Voragine, then
became a popular preacher at Bari for a time. Finally J. founded a
monastery at Pulsano (near Monte Gargano), which became the mother house of
a new Benedictine congregation.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
[log in to unmask]
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|