Today, 5 October, is the feast of...
Placid, martyr (sixth century): Not to be confused with the Placid
rescued from drowning by Maurus following Benedict's orders, this Placid
founded the monastery of St John the Baptist at Messina. He was martyred
with Eutychius and 30 companions by Moorish Moslem pirates from Spain;
this despite the fact that there were no Moors in Spain in the sixth
century, and no Saracen descents on Sicily until the middle of the
seventh century.
Apollinaris, bishop of Valence (520): Son of Hesychius, bishop of
Vienne; brother of Avitus, bishop of Vienne (both of them saints).
Venerated in Valence under popular name of 'Aplonay'.
Galla, widow (550): Gregory's *Dialogues* tells of her widowhood at an
early age, after which she joined group of women living near basilica of
St Peter. Suffering from breast cancer, she had a vision of St Peter
calling her, 'come follow me'; she said she would go only if accompanied
by her friend Benedicta, but Peter said Benedicta would have to wait 30
days; so, Galla died and Benedicta died 30 days after her.
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Jo Ann McNamara added this very useful piece of information:
Just an addition to the capsule life of Galla. As a widow, she fell
victim to that well-known medical problem of built-up sexual heat. The
temperature level of her metabolism rose so high that it ignited her
male hormones. She was warned that if she did not give up her celibate
life and re-marry she would grow a beard and she cheerfully accepted
this terrible condition of her continued fidelity to God. Now that I
think of this, I wonder if the breast cancer should be construed as a
more painful consequence of this renunciation of her womanhood. This is
the story recounted in Gregory the Great's Dialogues, IV.13,
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Magenulf or Meinulf, confessor (857): Godchild of Charlemagne - after
dying and while being carried to burial he sat up and exclaimed, 'Tell
the bishop of Paderborn not to interfere in the election of a new
superior!".
Flora of Beaulieu, virgin (1347): A levitating, spiritually discerning
nun who didn't eat much.
Raymund of Capua, Dominican (1399): Confessor of Catherine of Siena.
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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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