JISCMail - MEDIEVAL-RELIGION Archives

Apollonius (d. 185) Apollonius was probably from Greece or Asia Minor; Jerome says he was a Roman senator. A disgruntled servant denounced A. as a Christian, and he was tried by the senate. Two versions of his passio exist, in Greek and Armenian. They agree that A. made an impassioned defense of Christianity's moral superiority. The Greek text says he died after prolonged torture; the Armenian says simply that he was beheaded. In the Middle Ages this A. was confused with the Apollonius who died with St. Philemon and with the Apollos who is connected with Paul in Acts and 1 Corinthians.

Anastasius I of Antioch (d. 599) Anastasius became patriarch of Antioch in 559. He was well-educated and pious, but spent 23 years in exile thanks to imperial religious politics.

Beuno (6th or 7th cent.) Beuno was a saint active in northern Wales. He founded the monastery of Clynnog Fawr (in modern Gwynedd), and probably other monasteries or churches. His Welsh vita dates to the fourteenth century. It tells that B. was the uncle of St. Winifred and credits him with a lot of legendary miracles.

Anselm (d. 1109) Anselm was a native of Aosta. He went to Burgundy to study, then moved to the monastery of Bec in Normandy, where he became a monk in 1060. He became one of the great scholars of the era, was elected abbot in 1078, and was made archbishop of Canterbury in 1093. Anselm was soon embroiled in controversy with the English king and spent some of his episcopate in exile. Which perhaps gave him more time to write his many letters and major treatises. Anselm appears never to have been formally canonized; Thomas Becket tried to arrange it in 1163, but no decision appears to have been made at the time. His cult did well, though, especially in Flanders. A. was declared a doctor of the church in 1720.

John I of Valence (d. 1146) John was a native of Lyons and was made a cathedral canon there when young. He left to become a monk at Cîteaux and was sent on to help found the monastery of Bonnevaux, which he served as first abbot. In 1141 J.was appointed bishop of Valence. His cult was approved in 1903.

Bartholomew of Cervere (blessed) (d. 1466) The Piedmontese Bartholomew became a Dominican and ended up as inquisitor in Pedmont. He was ambushed and murdered by heretics on his way to Cervere. His cult was confirmed by Pius IX.

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