medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (21. January) is the feast day of:
Fructuosus of Tarragona (d. 259) Fructuosus was bishop of Tarragona
(Spain), arrested during Valerian's persecution along with two
deacons. They were burned to death in the city amphitheater.
Agnes (d. c. 304) An early martyr, Agnes' legend grew as she was
taken as a prime example of virginal innocence (helped by the fact
that "agnus" = "lamb"). Legend tells that she was a luscious,
beautiful Christian girl (12 or 13 years old) of Rome, vowed to
virginity but still attracting the lust of a large number of suitors.
When she refused them all, the suitors denounced her to the
authorities as a Christian. Agnes refused to be intimidated by the
judge, even when he sentenced her to a brothel (where she managed to
keep her virginity intact). So she was sent back to the judge and
beheaded (or stabbed in the throat; accounts vary).
Epiphanius of Pavia (d. 496) Epiphanius was a native of Pavia, where
he was elected bishop in 467. He rebuilt the city after it was
destroyed by the Gothic king Odoacer. E. was famous for holiness and
eloquence; he mediated peace, helped famine-sufferers, and in general
seems to have done a very good job in a very awkward period of
Italy's history.
Meinrad (d. 861) Meinrad was a monk of Reichenau who became a
hermit. So many people came to him for advice that he fled further
away from his monastery, to the site in what is now Switzerland where
the monastery of Einsiedeln ("the hermitage") was founded after his
death. M. lived in his hermitage for 25 years, but was finally
killed by two thieves who had heard a false rumor that M. was keeping
treasure.
A modern saint: Alban Roe (d. 1642) Alban Roe was an Englishman who
converted to Roman Catholicism while a student at Cambridge. He went
on to the seminary at Douai, but was dismissed for a disciplinary
problem, so he became a Benedictine monk in France instead. Roe was
sent as a missionary to England, arrested and banished, sent back
(arrested and imprisoned, then banished), sent back and arrested
again in 1625. He spent 17 years in prison after that, finally
convicted of being a Catholic priest, and hanged, drawn, and
quartered at Tyburn. Roe was canonized in 1970.
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