medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (11. November) is the feast day of:
Menas (d. c. 300) Menas (or Mennas) was highly venerated from an
early period---but his story was lost. All we have is a much later
account that re-uses an account of another martyr, adding a great
deal of embellishment. M. was an Egyptian and martyred in Egypt. A
shrine was built over his tomb at Bumma (Karm Abu-Mina), southeast of
Alexandria. It was a major pilgrimage center until the
seventh-century Arab invasion. The ruins were excavated 1905-1908.
Martin of Tours (d. 397) One of the most popular saints of the
Middle Ages, thanks in large part to his hagiographer Sulpicius
Severus, Martin was a key religious figure of late antique Gaul. He
was born in Pannonia (modern Hungary) and followed his father into
military life (serving in the imperial guard). He distinguished
himself by giving half his cloak to a beggar and by refusing to bear
arms. He then went off to become a hermit and in 372 was forced to
become bishop of Tours (after which, Sulpicius says, M. worked fewer
miracles). M. was a zealous evangelist, prolific miracle-worker, and
strong defender of orthodoxy against a variety of heretical threats.
Theodore the Studite (d. 826) Theodore was one of three brothers who
went off with their dad to live as monks near Mt. Olympus. Theodore
was eventually sent to study in Constantinople and became a priest
there, returning to become abbot. T. was a great monastic reformer
and a fervent iconodule (for which he was imprisoned several times).
Bartholomew of Grottaferrata (d. c. 1050) Nilus of Rossano founded
the Greek-rite monastery of Grottaferrata near Rome in 1004.
Bartholomew was one of Nilus' disciples; as fourth abbot, he
completed the establishment of the community. Under his leadership,
G. became a center of learning.
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