medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (14. January) is the feast day of:
Felix of Nola (d. c. 260) We know quite a lot about Felix because
the much more famous and highly literary Paulinus of Nola was very
devoted to F's cult. He tells that Felix was born at Nola (near
Naples) and on his father's death gave everything he had to the poor.
He was imprisoned during the Decian persecution---but released by an
angel. Later F. was unanimously elected as bishop but refused. His
tomb was famous for miracles.
Macrina the Elder (d. 340) Macrina was the grandmother of Basil the
Great and Gregory of Nyssa. She was a fervent Christian who went
into hiding with her husband during Diocletian's persecution---but I
suspect that the saint's cult came about because her grandsons wrote
about her piety.
Barbasymas and companions (d. 346) Barbasymas was metropolitan of
Seleucia and Ctesiphon. He and sixteen priests were imprisoned and
tortured for eleven months by order of Sapur II of Persia. They were
finally executed, after all rejected the state religion of
Zoroastrianism.
Sava (d. 1237) Sava (or Sabas) was a son of the ruler of Serbia. He
became a monk on Mt. Athos. His father abdicated and joined him in
1196, and the two founded Khilandrai Monastery on Athos. S. went
home in 1207 when his brothers caused a civil war, taking monks to
establish several monasteries, and setting about the reform and
education of Serbia. S became metropolitan of Serbia. He played a
vital role uniting the Serbians, translating religious works into
Serbian, establishing a native clergy and hierarchy, and supporting
the monarchy of his brother Stephen II. He is the patron saint of
Serbia.
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