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Today, 8 November, is the feast of ... * The Four Crowned Ones, martyrs (306?) - the original legend tells of five martyrs from Pannonia, but the better known one narrates the martyrdom of four Romans - one legend says the four were stone-masons; they have been adopted as patrons of such craftsmen (including English Freemasons, whose journal is entitled *Ars Quatuor Coronatorum*) - church where they are buried is one of the titular churches of the cardinal-priests of Rome * Cybi or Cuby, abbot (sixth century) - most information on him is from a thirteenth-century Latin vita - born in Cornwall, went to Ireland, until forced to leave over a dispute concerning a cow that kept straying - almost all places with his name are on or near the sea - quotable quote: 'There is no misfortune like wickedness' * Deusdedit, pope (618) - Roman, son of a subdeacon, he was pope for three years; said to be the first pope to have used the leaden seals called bullae (hence the term 'papal bulls') * Tysilio or Suliau, abbot (seventh century?) - abbot of Meifod, he was forced to flee from a widowed sister-in-law who wished to marry him; went to Brittany, near St-Malo, where he died * Willehad, bishop of Bremen (789) - Northumbrian, friend of Alcuin, went eventually to area of Utrecht, then to the court of Charlemagne; sent first to evangelize the Saxons in general, and Bremen in particular; last of the great English missionaries of the eighth century * Godfrey, bishop of Amiens (1115) - oblate of Mont-Saint-Quentin, became abbot of Nogent, a house that was almost abandoned; he built it up, before becoming bishop of Amiens - noted for his rigid discipline; became so discouraged with his critics that he considered resigning and joining the Carthusians, but did not do so * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%