medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Herewith a link to an earlier 'Saints of the day' for 14. April (including Sts. Tiburtius, Valerian, and Maximus; Sts. Berenice, Prosdoce, and Domnina; St. John of Montemarano; St. Bernard of Tiron; St. Lidwina):
http://tinyurl.com/7pj84yq
Further to Bernard of Tiron:
In that earlier post's notice of this saint, the link to the "visite virtuelle" of the abbaye de la Sainte-Trinité at T(h)iron-Gardais no longer functions. Use this instead:
http://tinyurl.com/7zbvv8g
In the same notice, the links to views of the abbey church's fifteenth(?)-century choir stalls also no longer function. Three smallish views of these are here:
http://tinyurl.com/7gfohjo
Other views of the stalls, as well as of medieval survivals of the cloister and of sculptural bits on the exterior of the abbey church, are here:
http://tinyurl.com/6lp4eqq
Today (14. April) is also the feast day of:
1) Tassach (fl. ca. 480). In the early Vitae of St. Patrick this saint of Ulster (also Tassac, Tassagus, Asacus [the form used in the RM], Asicius, Assicus, etc.) is associated either with what is now Racoon in county Donegal or Raholp in county Down, is said to have been Patrick's goldsmith, is sometimes referred to as a bishop, and is said to have administered the last rites to Patrick. His feast today is recorded in the Martyrology of St. Oengus the Culdee, in which latter he is also styled bishop.
Some views (mostly slightly expandable) of the partly restored ruin of the originally tenth-/eleventh-century St. Tassach's Church in Raholp, one of Ireland's oldest buildings:
http://www.saintsandstones.net/saints-tassach-2009c.htm
http://www.earlychristianireland.org/down/down_raholp.html
http://tinyurl.com/7ddverh
2) Thomais of Alexandria (d. later 6th cent., supposedly). Thomais' story is recounted in one of the narratives concerning St. Daniel of Skete (d. ca. 576). A virtuous and pious young woman of Alexandria who was married to a fisherman, she had the misfortune of having her father-in-law succumb to diabolical influence by falling in lust with her. One night, when her husband was out fishing, the father-in-law sought to have sexual relations with Thomais; reminding him of the divine judgment that waits sinners, she refused steadfastly, saying that she would not sin even were he to cut her in pieces. Whereupon he took a sword and killed her by cutting her in two; discovered on the following morning, he confessed his crime, asked to be brought before a judge, and was condemned to death by beheading. St. Daniel, who was in Alexandria at the time, instructed the monks of an extramural monastery bury her in their cemetery; when they objected he insisted that as a martyr for chastity she deserved veneration. Later he sent one of his own monks who was sexually troubled to pray at Thomais' grave. When the monk fell asleep whilst praying there, Thomais appeared to him in a vision, gave him her blessing and told him to go in peace, after which he was cured of his torment and St. Daniel proclaimed the strength of those who struggle for chastity.
Thomais of Alexandria is commemorated both in the SynCP and in the RM. Visitors to later medieval Constantinople sometimes identified as those of this Thomais relics venerated there that seem more likely to have been believed at least initially to have been those of her homonym the battered spouse St. Thomais of Lesbos (1. January).
Best,
John Dillon
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