Today, 19 November, is the feast of ...
* Pontian, pope and martyr (c. 236)
- exiled to Sardegna by emperor Maximinus, he resigned his
office; some sources state he was beaten to death with
sticks
* Nerses I, Katholikos of the Armenians, martyr (c. 373)
- poisoned at dinner hosted by king Pap
* Barlaam, martyr (fourth century?)
- a judge tried to get this pious peasant to sacrifice to
pagan gods in this way: he set up an altar with burning
coals and incense upon it; Barlaam's hand was placed on it,
so that in shaking the embers off his hand, it could be
said that he was offering sacrifice; but Barlaam kept his
hand in the fire, until the rest of his body was consumed
by the fire
* Elizabeth of Hungary, widow (1231)
- promised in marriage at age of four to Louis, son of the
landgrave of Thuringia; eventually did marry him, and with
his help she worked with the poor; after his death, she
joined the Franciscan Third Order (of which she is now
patron); canonized four years after her death
* Mechtildis, virgin (1298)
- German mystic, known for her singing as a 'nightingale of
Christ', she wrote *Book of Special Grace* (also known as
*Revelations*); some have identified her with the Donna
Matelda in Dante, *Purgatorio* 27-28
* * * * * * * * *
Dr Carolyn Muessig
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
University of Bristol
Bristol BS8 1TB
UK
phone: +44(0)117-928-8168
fax: +44(0)117-929-7850
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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