Saints' Cults

The Martyrdom of Saint Margaret-Retold by Pastor Per Grunnet

by Per Grunnet

The cult of saints in the early Welsh March: aspects of cultural transmission in a time of political conflict

by John Reuben Davies

A Saint as a Mediator between a Bishop and his Flock. The Cult of Saint Bononius in the Diocese of Vercelli under Bishop Arderic (1026/7-1044)

by Immonen Teemu

Viator 39, 2 (2008), 65-92.

This article concentrates on the relation between the writing of hagiographical texts about Saint Bononius (d. 1026)... more This article concentrates on the relation between the writing of hagiographical texts about Saint Bononius (d. 1026) and their actual political, social, and religious contexts in the diocese of Vercelli. Bononius's cult came into existence at one of the crucial turning points in the history of the medieval Italy, when the structures of central government handed down from the Carolingian age were breaking down and new local centers of power were taking their place. Vercelli had traditionally held a privileged position in the German emperors' Italian policy, but as a consequence the agitation connected to the remodeling of society was more violent here than in many other regions of regnum Italiae. In this situation Arderic, the bishop of Vercelli, seems to have sought reconciliation with the local anti-imperial aristocracy, and it appears that the cult of Saint Bononius played a major role in the bishop's conciliatory politics. The author argues that Arderic used the cult to heal the wounds resulting from tumultuous recent history in two ways. First, references to the painful events of recent history, in which Bononius had also been involved, were omitted from the hagiographical texts and attention was directed to the less inflammatory aspects of the saint's life. Second, the saint was represented in the texts as an arbitrator between adversaries, protector of the powerless, and one who appeased the anger and the arrogance of the powerful. Thus, the article is directly connected to the discussion on the role of the literacy in the ways in which the societies of the medieval West contemplated their past, thus shaping their identity and their perception of the present.

Childbirth Miracles in Swedish Miracle Collections

by Anders Frojmark

In Journal of the History of Sexuality 21:2 (2012), 297–312. ISSN 1043-4070.

The chance of dying in pregnancy or childbirth was very real for medieval women, and still is in many Third World... more The chance of dying in pregnancy or childbirth was very real for medieval women, and still is in many Third World countries. In Medieval Catholic Western Europe, including Scandinavia, these risks, and the absence of medically schooled persons who could give efficient help, led many women to turn to the saints for intercession. The evidence produced by miracle accounts that this practice has generated allows us to look into the bedchambers of otherwise unknown medieval women, suffering the pains of extended labor or giving birth to seemingly lifeless children.
From their stories we may learn much about the situation at childbirth, and not least about the circle of women which normally surrounded the woman giving birth. The stories supplement information that may be gathered from other sources and shed light on questions that have been debated in earlier research, such as the professionalization of midwifery and the presence or non-presence of men and/or unwed women at childbirth. As a whole, miracle tales provide an interesting source material for many aspects of medieval everyday life, not least because it is—compared to other sources—more balanced in terms of gender.

Hagiographic and Hymnic Representations of Women, Dress, and Identity in the Early Christian East

by Jenny Bledsoe

Published in the undergraduate journal Pursuit: The Journal of Undergraduate Research at the University of Tennessee, 2012.

In the early Christian East, as now, dress indicated conformity or nonconformity to social norms, projecting and... more In the early Christian East, as now, dress indicated conformity or nonconformity to social norms, projecting and sometimes concealing the individual’s gender and religious identities in a social context and indicating their position in the Church hierarchy. In the vitae of female saints Pelagia of Antioch, Anastasia, and Mary of Egypt and the hymns of Ephrem the Syrian, dress also functioned as a textual device to illustrate fundamental changes in the life of the individual Christian and, especially in the case of Ephrem, to convey theological truths about virginity and the relationship between Christ and humanity to an audience of believers. Texts such as the hagiographies and hymns explored in this article were not merely enjoyable for readers or listeners. Rather, such texts were used in liturgy or at least closely associated with ecclesiastical life, and thus they were instructive of the proper ways in which the authors thought ordinary Christians ought to live.

Tírechán: Biography and Character Study

by Terry O'Hagan

Contribution to the Saint Patrick’s Confessio Hypertext Stack Project  - Royal Irish Academy http://www.confessio.ie

The biographical information which follows is primarily intended to provide a general overview of the limited details... more The biographical information which follows is primarily intended to provide a general overview of the limited details known about Tírechán and his work concerning St Patrick (conventionally known as the Collectanea). Secondly, it will attempt to place Tírechán within his contemporary seventh-century context and environment. Lastly, in a somewhat longer and discursive manner, it will try to shed some light on the character and individuality of the man. This will be expressed through a brief exploration of particular elements contained in his text and of certain implications suggested by the very fact of its having been compiled.

Xanten im Frühen Mittelalter

by Frank Siegmund

published in: G. Precht, H.-J. Schalles (eds.), Spurenlese. Beiträge zur Geschichte des Xantener Raums. Rheinland Verlag: Köln 1989. p. 191-208.

Sayyida Zaynab in the State of Exception: Shiʿi Sainthood as “Qualified Life" in Contemporary Syria

by Edith Szanto

International Journal of Middle East Studies 44 no. 2 (2012): 285-299.

According to Giorgio Agamben, a “state of exception” is established by the sovereign's decision to suspend the law,... more According to Giorgio Agamben, a “state of exception” is established by the sovereign's decision to suspend the law, and the archetypical state of exception is the Nazi concentration camp. At the same time, Agamben notes that boundaries have become blurred since then, such that even spaces like refugee camps can be thought of as states of exception because they are both inside and outside the law. This article draws on the notion of the state of exception in order to examine the Syrian refugee camp cum shrine town of Sayyida Zaynab as well as to analyze questions of religious authority, ritual practice, and pious devotion to Sayyida Zaynab. Though Sayyida Zaynab and many of her Twelver Shiʿi devotees resemble Agamben's figure of homo sacer, who marked the origin of the state of exception, they also defy Agamben's theory that humans necessarily become animal-like, leading nothing more than “bare lives” (or zoē) in states of exception.

St Bega – myth, maiden, or bracelet? An Insular cult and its origins

by Clare Downham

Britain's Medieval identity Crisis

by Clare Downham

Downham, Clare (2012) 'Britain's Medieval Identity Crisis'. BBC History Magazine, Immediate Media, March, pp 43-46 Downham, Clare (2012) 'Britain's Medieval Identity Crisis'. BBC History Magazine, Immediate Media, March, pp 43-46

"A Living Relic: Venice’s Doge and His Paradoxical Two Bodies"

by Michelle Laughran

Presented April 2, 2012 at the Royal Body Conference at Royal Holloway University of London, UK

Analysis of the dual role of the doge as titular ruler and yet simultaneously primus inter pares, following the lines... more Analysis of the dual role of the doge as titular ruler and yet simultaneously primus inter pares, following the lines of a Kantorowiczian political theology is, of course, not new in Venetian studies. Paradoxically, though, Kantorowicz is not seamlessly transferable to the Venetian context, however rampant dual-body imagery was in the city’s ceremonial life. After all, the king’s immortal body royal had to depend symbiotically on its body natural, relying upon the later’s unique capacity for biological reproduction in order to ensure continuity of the dynastic bloodline which would allow the monarchy, at least in theory, both to endure in perpetuity. In Venice, however, such a formulation was impossible, not least because, as part of the measures to limit potential ducal reigns, doges – like popes – tended to be elected at an advanced age. Hence, a different formulation of the two-bodies model had to be devised for the Venetian context. Only by becoming the living incarnation of the relics of Saint Mark could the otherwise constitutionally (and perhaps, for that matter, even biologically) largely impotent doge manage to embody both a widely-recognized, powerfully stabilizing influence and a monarchic sacrality.

Documenti storici sulla “abbazia” di San Michele di Cervignano

by Gabriele Caiazza

published in: Michele, il guerriero celeste. L’Abbazia di S. Michele Arcangelo di Cervignano del Friuli. La storia, lo scavo, il culto, atti del convegno (Cervignano del Friuli, 28-29 settembre 2008), Cervignano del Friuli (UD) 2010, pp. 188-217

The monograph "Michael, the celestial warrior. The Abbey of St. Michael the Archangel in Cervignano of Friuli.... more The monograph "Michael, the celestial warrior. The Abbey of St. Michael the Archangel in Cervignano of Friuli. The history, the digging, the worship" - published in 2010 - contains the proceedings of the homonymous conference held in Cervignano (Udine) at the end of September 2008 on the initiative of the Aquileia Archaeological Group. On pages 188-217, the author of the essay "Historical documents on the 'Abbey' of St. Michael of Cervignano" analyzes the (few) testimonies related to the michaelic 'monasterium' riverside Ausa, the "castrum Ciruiganum" and the surrounding 'silva', the "villa de Siruiana", the 'centa' encircling the 'plebs' with its 'platea', and the "Insula Cirvignani"; also talking about a possible mention of that 'monasterium' in the eighth century, about the ancient (bell) tower, about the presumed "little church" of the eleventh century, about the remains of mosaic floors, about the ambiguities of the term 'monasterium' before the twelfth century and finally about the main stages in the history of the local 'pieve' of St. Michael the Archangel

Nel 2010 è stata data alle stampe la monografia "Michele, il guerriero celeste. L’Abbazia di S. Michele Arcangelo di Cervignano del Friuli. La storia, lo scavo, il culto", contenente gli atti del convegno omonimo svoltosi a Cervignano (Udine) alla fine di settembre del 2008 su iniziativa del Gruppo Archeologico di Aquileia. Alle pagine 188-217, trova spazio il saggio "Documenti storici sulla 'abbazia' di San Michele di Cervignano": in esso l’autore analizza le (poche) testimonianze relative al 'monasterium' micaelitico in riva al fiume Ausa, al "castrum Ciruiganum" e alla 'silva' circostante, alla "villa de Siruiana", alla 'centa' attorniante la 'plebs' con la 'platea' antistante, e alla "Insula Cirvignani"; trattando pure dell’eventuale citazione del 'monasterium' nell’VIII sec., dell’antica torre (campanaria), dell’ipotizzata "chiesetta" dell’XI sec., dei resti musivi pavimentali, della non univocità del termine 'monasterium' prima del XII sec. e infine delle principali fasi della storia della locale 'pieve' di San Michele Arcangelo

Lo “sfondo” prezioso. Villa Bresciani e il suo “ospite” più grande

by Gabriele Caiazza

published in: Il Cristo ritrovato. Dalla basilica dei Santi Felice e Fortunato di Aquileia alla cappella Bresciani di Cervignano del Friuli: confronti e restauri (atti del convegno di studi: Cervignano, 3 dicembre 2005), ed. S. Blason Scarel, Aquileia 2007, pp. 84-129 [preprint]

The symposium “The found Christ” took place in Cervignano del Friuli (Udine) on Saturday, December 3, 2005, within the... more The symposium “The found Christ” took place in Cervignano del Friuli (Udine) on Saturday, December 3, 2005, within the homonymous multi-year project (coord. scient. S. Blason Scarel and P. Casadio) dedicated to the rediscovery of the "Christ of the Countess", a colossal medieval wooden crucifix preserved in the chapel of St. Cross, the gentilitial oratory of the villa Bresciani in Cervignano. The Conference Proceedings are published two years later, enriched by further updates: in the volume the author outlines – for the first time – the history of the residence founded by the noble Bresciani family in Cervignano (the precious 'background' of the ancient sculpture) and he describes the different buildings, the dependencies and the furnishings including his famous 'guest', suggesting again the proposal that he already put forth at the symposium: that it is to be identified with the "Christ of St. Felix", a gigantic wooden crucifix seen in 1570 by the apostolic visitor Bartolomeo of Porcia & Brugnera inside the Basilica of Sts. Felix e Fortunate in Aquileia, at that time still raised although no more flourishing

Sabato 3 dicembre 2005 a Cervignano si svolse il convegno “Il Cristo ritrovato”, nell’ambito dell’omonimo progetto pluriennale (coordinamento scientifico: S. Blason Scarel - P. Casadio) dedicato alla riscoperta del “Cristo della Contessa”, il colossale crocifisso ligneo medievale conservato nella cappella di S. Croce, l’oratorio gentilizio della villa Bresciani a Cervignano. A due anni di distanza vede la luce il volume degli atti – arricchito da ulteriori aggiornamenti – al cui interno l’autore per la prima volta delinea le vicende storiche della dimora cervignanese fatta costruire dalla nobile famiglia Bresciani (il prezioso ‘sfondo’ dell’antica scultura) e ne descrive i diversi fabbricati, le pertinenze e l’arredo compreso il suo celebre ‘ospite’, riproponendo la proposta già avanzata durante il convegno: che esso sia da identificare con il “Cristo di San Felice”, il gigantesco crocifisso in legno visto dal visitatore apostolico Bartolomeo di Porcia e Brugnera nel 1570 all’interno della basilica aquileiese dei Santi Felice e Fortunato, all’epoca non più fiorente ma ancora in alzato

Holy Bishops and political exiles: St Richard's cult and political protest in the late thirteenth-century

by Philippa Hoskin

Examination, in the light of the second dedication, to Stephen Bersted, bishop of Chichester, of the use of the life... more Examination, in the light of the second dedication, to Stephen Bersted, bishop of Chichester, of the use of the life of St Richard Wich as an expression of continued support for the aims of the Montfortian rebels after 1266.

Benisis, M. 2011. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain (1749–1809). The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization.

by Marios Benisis

The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization
Published Online: 25 NOV 2011

Benisis, M. 2011. Dionysius of Zakynthos (1547–1622). The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization.

by Marios Benisis

The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization
Published Online: 25 NOV 2011

Royal and Aristocratic Attitudes to Saints and the Virgin Mary in Twelfth- and Thirteenth-Century Scotland

by Matthew Hammond

Queen Ermengarde and the Abbey of St Edward, Balmerino

by Matthew Hammond

Anatomy of a Cargo Cult: Virginity, Relic Envy, and Hallowed Boxes

by Ryan Byrne

Resurrecting the Brother of Jesus, eds. Ryan Byrne and Bernadette McNary-Zak (University of North Carolina Press, 2009) pp. 137-186

Some Hagiographical Evidence for Templar Spirituality, Religious Life and Conduct

by Jochen Schenk

published in in Revue Mabillon, 22 (2011), 99–119