Dr. John (Ellsworth) Hutchison-Hall

Eastern Orthodox Christian theologian, historian, philosopher, and cultural commentator.

            

Home » Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism See of Rome 17th July (NS) — 4th July (OS) 2023


Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism
See of Rome
17th July (NS) — 4th July (OS) 2023

by | 17th July 2023 | Orthodox Western Saints

4th July (OS)

AURELIAN of LYONS, a monk and later Abbot the Abbey of St. Martin of Ainay (abbaye Saint-Martin d'Ainay) in Ainay (part of present-day Lyons, France). St. Aurelian later served as 47th Archbishop of Lyons from 875 until his repose in 895.

BERTHA of BLANGY, a daughter of Count Rigobertus and Princes Ursanna of Kent. Following the repose of her husband in 672, St. Bertha founded and served as first Abbess of what was later known as the Abbey of St. Bertha of Blangy (Abbaye Sainte Berthe) in Artois (north-eastern France). Towards the end of her life she resigned as Abbess in favour of one of her daughters and spent the rest of her life as a hermitess in the abbey. St. Bertha reposed circa 725.

FINBAR of WEXFORD, a sixth century Abbot of Innis-Doimhle (most likely present-day Inch, Co. Wexford), Ireland. The English Roman Catholic priest and renowned hagiographer Fr. Alban Butler (†1773) describes him as the founding abbot of a monastery on the Isle of Crimlen, between Hy Kinsellagh and the Decies of Munster. He also cautions us not to confuse this St. Finbar with St. Finbar (Barr) of Cork (25th September).

HATTO of OTTOBEUREN, a Swabian noble who, upon reaching majority, donated all his property to the Abbey of Saint Alexander of Bergamo (Kloster Ottobeuren) in Ottobeuren in the Bavarian Allgäu (southern Germany), and received monastic tonsure. St. Hatto spent the rest of his life as a monk at Ottobeuren, reposing in 985.

JUCUNDIAN, (Date Unknown), a martyr in North Africa, of whom nothing is known save he was martyred by drowning at sea.

LAURIANUS, (LAURIAN) of SEVILLE, the extant information on St. Lauianus is completely unreliable. However, according to tradition, he was a native of Pannonia (Hungary), who was most likely ordained to the deaconate in Milan (north-west Italy), and later served as Archbishop of Seville (southern spain). He was probably martyred in Bourges (central France). The head of Saint Laurianus is amongst the relics venerated at Seville.

NAMPHAMON the ARCHMARTYR and COMPANIONS, an early (circa 180?) group of martyrs at Madaura in Numidia in North Africa, often counted as amongst the first to be martyred in that region. The name Namphone is of Punic or Carthaginian derivation, however, no further firm information is extant.

PROCOPIUS of SÁZAVA, a native of Bohemia (western Czech Republic), who lived for some time as a monk somewhere in present-day Hungary. St. Procipius returned to his native Bohemia circa 1029, living at first as a hermit in the Sázava Valley. His holiness and wonderworking soon attracted many disciples. With a local nobleman as benefactor, St. Procopius founded a monastery, and served as its founding-Abbot until his repose in 1053.

ULRIC (ULDARICUS, UDALRIC) of AUGSBURG, a native of Augsburg in Bavaria (south-eastern Germany), who was educated at St. Gall in Switzerland. St. Ulric, having been nominated by Henry I the Fowler, King of East Francia (r. 919–936), was consecrated Bishop of Augsburg on 28th December, 923. During his episcopacy, St. Ulric was an indefatigable pastor, visiting the sick, building churches, and caring for his priests. St. Ulrich's courage and leadership served his See well when faced with Magyar invaders, rallying his flock to hold off the Magyars until the arrival of Otto I the Great, Holy Roman Emperor (r. 936–973) and his troops. In 971, after nearly a half century as primate, St. Ulric resigned his See, and with the Emperor’s consent appointed his nephew his successor. The appointment was subsequently ruled un-canonical, and St. Ulric was charged and convicted of nepotism, for which St. Ulric apologised and did penance.

St. Ulric reposed on 4th July, 973. He was canonised on 3rd February 993 by Pope John XV; the first western saint canonised by the Pope of Rome and not a local council, serving as the foundation of the church of Rome’s canonisation process of today.

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17th July (NS)

ALEXIS (ALEXIUS, ALEXIOS) the Man of God, (Early Fifth Century), a native of Rome, who, most likely, with the consent of his bride, left her at the altar to devote his life to serving God. He is said to have left Rome and settled in Edessa. There he entered a monastery and spent close to two decades in prayer and writing on various aspects of Christianity. His fame grew and seeking to continue a life of anonymity, St. Alexis returned to Rome, where he spent the rest of his life, living, unrecognised, on his parents’ estate, as a simple beggar. When he felt death drawing near, St. Alexis wrote a letter, which was found following his repose, to his family in which he revealed his true identity and his love for them. The title ‘Man of God’ is generally said to have been bestowed upon him by either an icon or vision of the Theotokos, who in calling attention to his devotion in Edessa, used that appellation.

ANDREW ZORARD, a Pole who was a missionary in the area of Olawa, Silesia (present-day Poland), and later lived as an anchorite on Mount Zobar in Hungary, where he reposed circa 1010.

Orthodox Christian Icon of English Saint, King St. Cynehelm (Kenelm) of Mercia

Icon of King St. Cynehelm (Kenelm) of Mercia

CYNEHELM (KENELM), the son of Cenwulf, King of Mercia (r. 796–821). According to most common legends, all of which are based upon a twelfth century passio (account of martyrdom) at Winchcombe Abbey, King St. Cynehelm, who at the age of seven had already ascended to the throne, was murdered by beheading at the instigation of his sister Cwenthryth who sought to assume the throne. His body was buried in an unmarked location in the Forest of Clent. King St. Cynehelm’s soul is then said to have arisen in the form of a dove carrying a scroll, which flew to Rome where it dropped the scroll at the feet of the Pope. The message on the scroll read: ‘Low in a mead of kine under a thorn, of head bereft, lieth poor Cynehelm king-born’. The Pope then wrote the Archbishop of Canterbury, who commissioned a party from the Mercian capital, Winchcombe, to seek the body. As they searched, they saw a pillar of light shining over a thicket in Worcestershire. Buried beneath it they found the body of King St. Cynehelm. The monks transported his relics to Winchcombe Abbey, where they were enshrined, and remained for several hundred years.

However, the wider historical record supports none of this. St. Cynehelm was most likely aged twenty-five when he reposed from unknown causes. His sister Cwenthryth, who had received monastic tonsure by the time of her father's death in 821, was the Abbess of Minster-in-Thanet when her brother is said to have been martyred.

Regardless of the accuracy of the legend, St. Cynehelm was universally venerated as a saint and martyr in Mediæval England. He is mentioned in the Canterbury Tales (the Nun's Priest's Tale, lines 290–301), and the distinguished twelfth century English historian, man of letters, and monk, William of Malmesbury (†c. 1142) recounted that "there was no place in England to which more pilgrims travelled than to Winchcombe on Cynehelm’s feast day".

CYNLLO, St. Cynllo seems to have been a late fifth century Welsh saint, though there is no reliable information on his life extant. There are several churches dedicated to him in Wales. According to a local tradition, his knee imprints are in a rock near Felin Gynllo farm, just outside of Llangoedmor in Ceredigion.

ENNODIUS of PAVIA (MAGNUS FELIX ENNODIUS), a well-educated Gallo-Roman whose wife was from a wealthy noble family. After recovering from a serious illness, St. Ennodius dedicated the rest of his life to the service of the Almighty. He was ordained to the diaconate, and his wife retired to a monastery. In 510, St. Ennodius was consecrated Bishop of Pavia (Lombardy in northern Italy). He was appointed a Papal Legate to Emperor Anastasius I Dicorus (r. 491–518) in Constantinople where, on two separate trips, St. Ennodius endeavoured to convince the emperor to repudiate Eutychianism. On his second trip, St. Ennodius was met by angry mobs and only just managed to escape with his life. St. Ennodius was also a prolific writer, and some of his works are still extant. St. Ennodius reposed in 521.

FREDEGAND (FREGAUT) of KERKELODOR, a disciple of St. Foillan of Fosses (31st October) and later Abbot of Kerkelodor near present-day Antwerp in Belgium. St. Fredegand reposed circa 740.

GENEROSUS, (Date Unknown), venerated in Tivoli in Lazio (central Italy) as a martyr where his relics are enshrined in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Lawrence the Martyr (Basilica Cattedrale di San Lorenzo Martire). Nothing further is known of St. Generosus’ life.

MARCELLINA, the elder sister of St. Ambrose of Milan (7th December) and St. Satyrus of Milan (17th September). St. Marcellina received monastic tonsure from Pope Liberius (r. 352–366) though she never entered any monastery, living instead in private homes. She also served as an assistant to her brother following his consecration as Bishop of Milan. St. Marcellina reposed circa 398, her relics were enshrined in the Basilica of Ambrose in Milan.

SCILLITAN MARTYRS, twelve martyrs, seven men and five women, who suffered at Scillium in Numidia (predominantly present-day Algeria) in 180 by order of the proconsul Saturninus, for refusal to renounce Christianity. Their names are: Speratus, Narzales, Cythinus, Veturius, Felix, Acyllinus, Laetantius, Januaria, Generosa, Vestina, Donata, and Secunda. The Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs is considered to be the earliest document of the church of Africa as well as the earliest specimen of Christian Latin extant.

THEODOSIUS of AUXERRE, the Bishop of Auxerre in Burgundy (France) from circa 507 until his repose circa 516. St. Theodosius is listed amongst the attendees of the First Council of Orléans held in 511.

TURNINUS, (Eighth Century), an Irish missionary priest and fellow worker of St. Foillan of Fosses (31st October) in Flanders (northern France).

Prior to the Schism the Patriarchate of Rome was Orthodox, and fully in communion with the Orthodox Church. As Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco +1966 said “The West was Orthodox for a thousand years, and her venerable Liturgy is far older than any of her heresies”.

Details of British Saints excerpted from Orthodox Saints of the British Isles.
Details of continental saints from these sources.

In many cases there are several spelling versions of the names of saints from the British Isles. I use the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography version as the primary version with the more prevalent version in parenthesis e.g. Ceadda (Chad) of Lichfield.