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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today (23. February) is the feast day of: Polycarp (d. c. 155) The account of Polycarp's martyrdom, told by a contemporary, is an important early Christian source. It tells that Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, was arrested at public demand, killed by sword, and then his body burned in the town theatre. We also have several of Polycarp's own letters. He may have been a disciple of John the Evangelist. Serenus the Gardener (d. c. 307) The Greek Serenus took to an ascetic life, raising vegetables in his garden to feed himself and visitors. When persecution broke out, S. was at first ignored. But then, says legend, the wife of one of the imperial guardsmen fell in lust with S. When he rejected her, she complained that he had insulted her. The husband complained to the governor. S. was acquitted of the charge---but in the course of examination it was discovered that he was a Christian and he was beheaded. Milburga (d. c. 715) A Mercian princess with a lot of saints in the family, Milburga got family help to create a convent at Wenlock, where she became second abbess. Her tomb was an important cult center until vikings destroyed the convent; the cult was revived when Cluniac monks built a monastery on the same site in 1079. Willigis (d. 1011) Archbishop Willigis of Mainz, one of the great ecclesiastical statesmen of the Ottonian era, was actually of fairly low birth. He won notice through his intelligence, and was made a canon at Hildesheim, imperial chaplain, chancellor, and in 975 archbishop of Mainz. Besides being a major statesman, W lived a life of prayer and study, helped spread Christianity in Scandinavia, rebuilt the cathedral of Mainz, etc. W. was venerated as a saint immediately after his death. ********************************************************************** 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