medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (31. August) is the feast day of:
Aristides the Apologist (2nd cent.) Aristides was an Athenian philosopher
who in 125 addressed an apology for Christianity to Emperor Hadrian. The
text was preserved by being incororated into the story of Barlaam and
Josaphat (which seems to have incorporated quite a range of material; it
also includes the story of the Buddha's enlightenment, crediting it to a
Christian saint).
Paulinus of Trier (d. 358) A native of Gascony, Paulinus became bishop of
Trier in 349. He supported Athanasius in his fights with the Arians, for
which the Arian emperor Constantius exiled him to Phrygia. P. died in
exile, but his relics were brought back to Trier in 396.
Aidan of Lindisfarne (d. 651) The Irish Lindisfarne was a monk of Iona,
sent in 635 to evangelize Northumbria. He founded a monastery at
Lindisfarne that became the home base of his highly successful missionary
efforts. Aidan also seems to have been a singularly saintly saint; even
Bede, quick to condemn Irish monks in England, could find nothing at all
bad to say of A (except that he celebrated Easter on the wrong day).
Cuthburga and Quenburga (d. c. 725) Sisters of a king of Wessex, the two
founded the great double monastery of Wimborne in Dorset.
Raymund Nonnatus (d. 1240) A biography with strong legendary elements
tells that Raymund, scion of a Catalonian noble family, was cut from his
dead mother's womb, thus his nickname "Unborn." He joined the Mercedarian
order and set about ransoming captives from the Muslims, becoming in time
second master-general of the order. When Raymund rn out of money, he gave
himself up as a hostage in exchange for a Christian slave, and was very
badly treated until his was ransomed. He was named a cardinal in 1239, but
died on his way to Rome. His cult was reduced to local status in 1969.
Dominic de Val (d. 1250) A Spanish case of the Jewish "blood libel,"
Dominic was a sweet little seven-year-old altar boy, supposedly kidnapped
by Jews at Saragossa and nailed to a wall. His cult was popular.
Benedict of Arezzo (d. 1281) (blessed) Benedict was an early companion of
Francis of Assisi. He served as one of the first Franciscan provincials
and went on missions to the Holy Land and the Byzantine Empire (where he
gave a Franciscan habit to the emperor as a present (!)).
Andrew Dotti (blessed) (d. 1315) Andreas Dotti was a noble military
commander from Borgo San Sepolcro. He joined the Servite order in 1278 and
went on preaching expeditions with St. Philip Benizi before becoming a
hermit.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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