medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (1. June) is the feast day of:
Justin Martyr (d. 165) Often called the "first Christian
philosopher," Justin was from Nablus in the Holy Land. He studied
philosophy, but was converted to Christianity when about 30. J. was
martyred in Rome. Only two of his many writings survive.
Pamphilus of Caesarea (d. 309) Pamphilus was from Beirut and in time
became a priest at Caesarea (Palestine), where he headed the
theological school. He was a great biblical scholar, and while in
prison awaiting martyrdom wrote a defense of Origen.
Candida of Whitchurch (?) Nothing is known about this saint except
that she was about 40 when she died. But I thought her worth a
mention since C's shrine (at Whitchurch Canonicorum in Dorset) was
the only one to survive the English Reformation intact.
Caprasius of Lerins (d. c. 430) Caprasius was a hermit on the
Riviera island of Lerins, where he was joined by Honoratus and
Venantius. The three did a monastic tour of the east, and on their
return Honoratus established a monastery at Lerins, where Caprasius
succeeded him as abbot.
Clarus (d. c. 875) A great variant on a common hagiographical topos.
Clarus, according to legend, was from Rochester. He became a hermit
near Cherbourg (France). A noblewoman fell in lust with him, and
killed him when he chastely rejected her advances. C's shrine was at
Saint-Clair-sur-Epte.
Simeon of Trier (d. 1035) Simeon was a Greek from Syracuse who
studied at Constantinople and became a monk and eventually a hermit
on Mt. Sinai. He was chosen to travel to Europe to collect alms, and
ended up as a recluse in Trier. He was canonized in 1042. That
great Roman survival, the Porta Nigra, survived because that was
where Simeon's cell was and a church dedicated to him was established
there---as holy ground, it couldn't be razed along with the rest of
the wall in modern times.
Eneco (d. 1057) Eneco was from near Zaragoza, and became a Cluniac
monk at San Juan de la Peņa. He went on to be a hermit, but the king
of Aragon made him abbot of Oņa near Burgos. E. was canonized in
1259.
Conrad of Pfullingen (d. 1066) Conrad's uncle, Archbishop Anno of
Cologne, arranged for C's appointment as bishop of Trier. The Trier
cathedral chapter was upset at this high-handedness, and on his way
to Trier, C was seized, thrown from a castle's wall, and then
finished off by stabbing. Clearly a case of martyrdom.
Bernard, Mary, & Grace (d. c. 1180) B, M, and G (aka Ahmed, Zoraida,
and Zaida) were children of the emir of Lerida (Catalonia). Ahmed
converted and became a Cistercian monk under the name Bernard. When
he was old he tried to convert his siblings. His two sisters were
cooperative, but a brother then got the three Christians executed as
apostates.
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