medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (8. October) is the feast day of:
Simeon "Senex" (1st cent.) Simeon makes a cameo appearance during the
presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:25-35) and it's thanks to this
that we have that most beautiful of hymns, the Nunc Dimittis. He attracted
a later body of legend, but I couldn't find any details.
Palatias and Laurentia (d. 302) Laurentia was a slave of Ancona; Palatias
was her owner. Laurentia converted her mistress, and the two were martyred
at Fermo near Ancona.
Demetrius of Thessalonika (d. c. 303) Demetrius was probably a deacon,
martyred at Sirmium (modern Srem Mitrovica, Serbia). His cult became
extremely important in Thessalonika, whose patron he is. Legend made him a
military hero, and in that form he became one of the most popular eastern
saints, with the nickname "the Great Martyr." In art he appears on a horse
fighting a dragon.
Thais the Penitent (4th cent.?) Thais' probably-fictional story tells that
she was a wealthy prostitute of Alexandria, converted by St. Paphnutius.
She then joined a convent (in the fourth century?), where she lived as a
recluse for three years, only leaving her cell shortly before her death.
Pelagia the Penitent (d. c. 457) A good day for penitents. A popular
fiction tells that Pelagia was an actress of Antioch (Syria), converted by
St. Nonnus. She then spent the rest of her life as a hermit, disguised as
a man, on the Mount of Olives. Perhaps just fiction, but her cult dates
back to the sixth century in Jerusalem.
Triduana (Tradwell, Trallen) (8th cent.?) Legend tells that Triduana came
to Scotland with St. Regulus in the fourth century; it is more likely that
she was a later Irish hermit. Her tomb at Restalrig (near Edinburgh) was a
major pilgrimage center before it was destroyed in 1560.
Martin Cid (d. 1152) Martin was a native of Zamora, Spain. He was the
founding abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Valparaiso, which was staffed
with monks from Clairvaux.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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