medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (17. August) is the feast day of:
Mamas (d. 273/4) Mamas was a Cappadocian shepherd, apparently still
a boy when stoned to death in Aurelian's reign. M's cult was very
popular, and the legends he acquired included an Orpheus-like power
to charm beasts. He lived among the animals in the countryside in
harmony, and when the authorities tried to kill him in the arena the
animals received M as if they were his sheep. The lion was
particularly fond of him.
Eusebius (d. 310) Eusebius was elected bishop of Rome in 310 and
only reigned a few months. His pontificate was spent in argument
about how to treat the apostates of Diocletian's persecution. E.
argued for extensive penance before reconciliation; the apostates
disagreed, and even chose an anti-pope (named Heraclius, like my
cat). Emperor Maxentius got so fed-up with the brawling between the
parties that he banished both E. and Heraclius. E. went to Sicily
and died soon after.
Clare of Montefalco (d. 1308) Clare joined a community of Franciscan
tertiaries under her sister Giovanna. The group in time adopted the
Augustinian rule, and Clare became abbess in 1291. She lived a life
of extreme self-abnegation and was a noted miracle-worker and
ecstatic. She died in 1308 and an autopsy revealed that her heart
had an image of the cross imprinted on it. C. was canonized in 1881.
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