Today, 12 May, is the feast of ...
Nereus, Achilleus, and Domitilla, martyrs (first century):
Pancras, martyr (304) - Augustine dedicated in his honour
the first church he erected in Canterbury. Fifty years
later Pope St Vitalian sent to Oswy, king of
Northumberland, a portion of the martyr's relics, the
distribution of which seems to have propagated his cult in
England.
Epiphanius, bishop of Salamis (403) - Jerome described him
as 'a last relic of ancient piety'.
Modoaldus, bishop of Trier (640) - One of the few facts
that we have about Modoaldus is that he attended the
Council of Reims in 625.
Rictrudis, widow (688) - After her husband had been
murdered by her relatives, she retired to a double monastery
which she had founded in Marchiennes.
Germanus, patriarch of Constantinople (732) - Spoke out
fearlessly against the iconoclasts. He wrote: 'Pictures are
history in figure and tend to the sole glory of the
heavenly father. When we show reverence to representations
of Jesus Christ we do not worship the colours lain on the
wood: we are venerating the invisible God who is in the
bosom of the Father.'
Dominic of the Causeway (1109) - Dominic de la Calzada 'of
the Causeway' was so called on account of the road which he
made for pilgrims on their way to Compostela.
Francis Patrizzi, Servite (1328) - He had a wonderful gift
for preaching moving sermons with little or no preparation.
He foresaw that he would die on the feast of the Ascension,
1328, but he went out to preach anyway because he had been
invited to do so. He died on his way to the pulpit.
Gemma of Sulmona, shepherdess and recluse, (1429) - Born in
Sulmona - the birth place of Ovid. Her parents were
peasants and encouraged their precocious daughter's piety.
They charged her with minding the sheep - an occupation
which gave her ample leisure for prayer and contemplation.
She lived in a cell attached to the church of St John in
Sulmona.
Jane of Portugal, princess (1490) - Daughter of Alphonsus
V, Jane wanted to become a Dominican nun. She was allowed to
live in the Dominican convent of Aveiro but her parents
forbade her to take vows.
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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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