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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today (4. January) is the feast day of: Dafrosa (d. 362) Dafrosa, according to a legendary passio, was married to Flavianus (prefect of Rome), and was the mother of saints Bibiana and Demetria. After her husband was martyred, Dafrosa too was killed by beheading, after having been exiled for a time. Pharaildis of Ghent (d. c. 740) Possibly there were three different women named Pharaildis (unlikely though that may sound, with a name like that) who have been mixed in legend. According to legend, Pharaildis was married against her will after vowing herself to virginity. She was abused by her husband for her stand-offishness during the marriage and her tendency to sneak off to pray in church at night. After a 30-year marriage, the widowed Pharildis dedicated herself to penance, prayer, and good deeds. She is sometimes depicted in art with a goose (because in legend she resurrected one). Rigobert (d. c. 742) Rigobert was a monk, who in c. 700 became archbishop of Rheims. He strongly defended church property against lay encroachments, including those of his godson Charles Martel. Charles banished Rigobert to Gascony in 717 and gave the archbishopric to Milo of Trier. Milo later allowed Rigobert to engage in pastoral care in the region of Rheims. Michael Synkellos (d. 846) Michael Synkellos (the Advisor) was born in c. 760 in Jerusalem. He became a priest and monk. From 811 he was advisor to the patriarch of Jerusalem. During a journey he was imprisoned in Constantinople (part of the iconoclast controversy) and held for many years. In c. 842 he became advisor to the patriarch of Constantinople. Roger of Elan (d. after 1162) Not formally canonized, but still venerated in the region of Rheims, and there's still an active pilgrimage in his honor. Roger was an Englishman, a Cistercian who in 1148 became first abbot of the new monastery of Elan in the diocese of Rheims. He was already honored as a saint in his lifetime for his virtues, his extremely penitential life, and his miracle-working powers. Angela of Foligno (d. 1309) (blessed) Angela was born in Foligno in 1248 or 1249. She married and had children. During a pilgrimage, however, she decided to leave her family and dedicate herself to works of charity. She became a Franciscan tertiary and created a convent of tertiaries in Foligno. Angela experienced many visions, which were committed to writing. She was beatified in 1693. Christiana of Lucca (d. 1310) (blessed) Christiana founded the convent of S. Croce am Arno in her hometown of Lucca. She was a famed mystic, credited with the gift of wisdom and many miracles. From her death until 1515 her body remained uncorrupted. Her cult was approved in 1776. Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice [log in to unmask] ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html