medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (4. July) is the feast day of:
Andrew of Crete (d. 740) Andrew was a native of Damascus. He became a
monk at Mar Saba and then Jerusalem, moving on from there to be a deacon in
Constantinople and finally archbishop of Gortyn (Crete) from 692 on. He
was a prolific writer on saints, and also invented the "canon"-a Byzantine
liturgical hymn form.
Oda of Canterbury (d. 959) Oda was of Danish heritage, born in East
Anglia. He became bishop of Ramsbury and then archbishop of Canterbury in
942. O. was active in restoring both secular and church institutions, and
won himself the historical nickname "the good."
Ulrich of Augsburg (d. 973) Ulrich seems an odd choice for the first saint
to be canonized formally by Rome (in 993). He seems to have been a pretty
typical Ottonian bishop: he was both bishop and secular ruler of Augsburg
from 923, a strong suporter of Otto I, and played an important role in the
fight against the Magyars. When he was old he retired to the monastery of
St. Gall (where he had been educated).
Hatto (d. 985) Hatto was a Swabian noble. He gave all his property to the
monastery of Ottobeuren and became a monk there. He became a hermit after
that, and got a chance to show his humility and obedience when the abbot
called him back to the community, arguing that H. was getting too attached
to his former property.
Procopius of Sazava (d. 1053) This Bohemian saint was educated at a
Basilian monastery in Prague, married and became a cathedral canon (I had
no idea Bohemia had such strong Orthodox influences). Later he became a
hermit and finally founded the Basilian monastery of Sazava near Prague.
William of Hirsau (d. 1091) William started out as a monk at Regensburg,
and was sent as abbot to the restored monastery of Hirsau in Wurttemberg.
He introduced Cluniac observance, founded a monastic school, and was in
general a good abbot. His saintly fame seems to rest mostly on his support
of Gregory VII against Emperor Henry IV, which was pronounced and
controversial.
Elizabeth of Portugal (d. 1336) A princess of Aragon, Elizabeth married
the king of Portugal when twelve years old. Her husband was a selfish and
immoral lout, it sounds, giving E. plenty of opportunities to show
Christian fortitude and good morals. She also tried to make peace between
the kingdoms of Iberia. After she was widowed, E. became a Franciscan
tertiary.
Peter of Luxembourg (blessed) (d. 1387) Peter was born to a noble family
of Lorraine. His family connections got him a large number of important
benefices, and at the age of 14 he was made bishop of Metz; by age 16 he
was a cardinal (created by Antipope Clemen VII). But Peter didn't want all
that. He retired to the Carthusian monastery of Villeneuve-les-Avignon,
where he died at the age of eighteen. He was beatified in 1527.
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice
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