medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (29. July) is the feast day of:
Lazarus (1st cent.) A friend of Jesus and brother of Mary and Martha of
Bethany, Lazarus appears spectacularly in John's gospel when he is raised
from the dead. Greek tradition says he eventually became bishop of Kition
(Cyprus). The more spectacular French legend (which seems to date from the
eleventh century) tells that he and his sisters traveled to southern Gaul,
where L. became first bishop of Marseilles.
Martha of Bethany (d. c. 80?) Sister of Lazarus and Mary, Martha has won
the spiritual patronage of housewives, thanks to her work when Jesus was a
houseguest (while Mary just sat and listened). Martha and Mary are often
used as symbols of the active and contemplative lives.
Felix II (d. 365) A strange case of an anti-pope (an Arian, no less!) who
made it into the Roman Martyrology, Felix was elected pope by the Arian
faction a split election in 355, but was driven into exile when Pope
Liberius returned from exile. There *is* an old tradition that he opposed
the emperor and was martyred, but still Felix was reduced to local calendar
status in 1969.
Lupus of Troyes (d. 478) Lupus was a native of Toul. He married a sister
of St. Hilary, but they separated and he became a monk at Lerins, going on
to be bishop of Troyes in 426. Legend (probably false) says he accompanied
Germanus of Auxerre to Britain to fight Pelagianism; another legend
(probably false) tells that he saved Troyes from Attila the Hun.
Olaf of Norway (d. 1030) Olaf was a viking. He converted to Christianity
in France in 1010. In 1015 he became king of Norway, where he encouraged
missionary work. Otherwise a pretty mean character, though, he was soon
deposed and exiled. His invasion to regain his throne led to his death at
Stiklestad. His opponents were Christians, too, but Olaf is still regarded
as a martyr.
Urban II (blessed) (d. 1099) Urban (aka Odo of Lagery) was a noble of
Chatillon-sur-Marne. He studied at Rheims, where he became archdeacon,
then in 1070 became a monk of Cluny. He soon rose to the position of grand
prior, and in 1080 was made cardinal bishop of Ostia. Elected pope in
1088, Urban had the unenviable task of putting the pieces together again in
the wake of Gregory VII's lively pontificate. Perhaps his most brilliant
step in uniting Europe behind his pontificate was to call the first crusade
in 1099. (would he have gotten the news that the crusaders had taken
Jerusalem before he died?)
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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