medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (30. June) is the feast day of:
the martyrs of Rome under Nero (d. 64-68). This feast commemorates
all the martyrs of the Neronic persecution who weren't either Paul or
Peter. Apparently the feast existed previously, but in 1969 was
moved to the day after the feasts of P&P. It started with the great
fire of Rome, which burned down about 2/3 of the city. Nero
apparently started denouncing Christians to avert the suspicion that
he had started the fire himself. Christians were hunted down and
killed in nasty ways, including being smeared with wax and lit as
candles during a party, crucifixion, and beast shows. The number of
victims is unknown.
Martial of Limoges (d. c. 250) Gregory of Tours tells that Martial
was one of seven missionaries sent from Rome to Gaul. M. founded the
see of Limoges. Early liturgies celebrate him as a confessor. In
the eleventh century Adhemar of Chabannes made him much more
interesting, fabricating the story that M. was one of the original 72
disciples, and even forging a papal bull authorizing the veneration
of M. as an apostle.
Bertrand of Le Mans (d. 623) Bertrand was a cathedral cleric in
Paris before becoming bishop of Le Mans. He supported the Neustrian
kings in the bloody wars that make the Merovingians so colorful, and
also endowed a number of religious foundations.
Theobald of Provins (d. 1066) Theobald (Thibaut) was a son of the
comital house of Champagne. He decided at a young age to become a
desert father, and, after finally winning his father's consent, T and
a friend took to wandering around dressed as beggers. They settled
down in the forest of Pettingen (Luxembourg), hiring themselves out
in nearby villages as day laborers. Eventually they fled their
admirers by going on a number of pilgrimages and then settling at
Salanigo near Vicenza. His parents finally found T there, after
believing him to be dead for years, and his mother became a recluse
attached to the small community that had formed around him. T. then
died slowly of leprosy or a leprosy look-alike, and was canonized
within seven years of his death.
--
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
Associate Professor & Chair
History Department
University of Southern Mississippi
118 College Dr. #5047
Hattiesburg, MS 39406
(601) 266-5844
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