[MR] saints of the day 11. October

[Rowanwald Central]

Today (11. October) is the feast day of:

Nicasius of Rouen (d. c. 250)  Nicasius is credited as the first bishop of
Rouen, and was apparently martyred there.  One of the few certainties about
this saint is that his relics were raised in the ninth century.

Quirinus of Malmedy (or "of Rouen")  (d. 4th cent.)  [A good day for saints
in Rouen.]  Quirinus has had a significant cult since the thirteenth
century.  According to legend, he came from Rome to the region of Rouen as a
missionary and was killed in the Christian persecution.  (Not to be mistaken
with Quirinus of Siscia, who was drowned in the same persecution with a
millstone tied around his neck.)  His reputed bones were rediscovered and
elevated in 872; they were later removed to Malmedy.

Cainnech (Kenneth, Canice) (d. c. 600)  Cainnech is the most popular of the
Irish saints after Patrick, Columcille, and Brigid.  His cult also spread
widely in Scotland, and he was known on the Continent.  Cainnech, the son of
a bard, was educated by St. Finnian at Clonard.  He was famed at scriptural
interpretation---a skill learned directly from Jesus, say the vitae.
Cainnech traveled widely in Scotland, founding several churches there
besides his several monastic foundations in Ireland.  Tales of his travels
include the legend that, when mice on the island of Inish Ubdain gnawed the
saint's shoes, the irate Cainnech cast the mice permanently from the island.

Agilbert (d. 690)  A much-travelled saint.  By birth a Frank, Agilbert
studied in Ireland and perhaps there was consecrated as a missionary bishop.
In 650 he came to Wessex, where King Cenwalh made Agilbert bishop of
Dorchester.  After difficulties Agilbert gave up his diocese in 660. But
then in 668 he became bishop of Paris.  He was buried at Jouarre, where his
sister was abbess; his sarcophagus can still be seen there.

Theofred (d. 732) Theofred was abbot of the monastery of Carmery (now
St-Chaffre, France).  He was maltreated by raiding Moors in 732, and died of
his injuries.  His cult is still alive in both France and Italy.

Gummar (Gommar)  (d. c. 775) Gummar was an official at the court of Pepin
the Short.  Legend reports that he separated from his wife after discovering
that, while he was away on a campaign, she had maltreated the servants.
Gummar then became a hermit in Nivesdonck (Lier), and later founded a
monastery there.  Gummar is the patron saint of Anwerp and Lier, and also of
glovemakers and woodcutters---and against bad wives.

Bruno of Cologne (d. 965) Bruno was the brother of Otto I of Germany.  At
the age of fifteen he became his elder brother's chancellor, and in 953 (at
the age of 28) Bruno became archbishop of Cologne.  He introduced a variety
of reforms and founded several churches and monasteries, besides playing an
important political role in Lotharingia.

Jakob Griesinger of Ulm (blessed) (d. 1491)  Jakob was the son of a
prosperous merchant of Ulm.  After he had learned the art of stained glass
making, Jakob spent several years as a soldier in Italy, then in 1441
entered the Dominican order in Bologna.  There he took up his glass-making
trade again and, under the name "Jacopo Alemanno" produced outstanding works
of stained glass, including windows in the church of S. Petronio and in the
Palazzo Bentivogli.  His relics were elevated in 1576 and 1730, and in 1825
he was beatified.  He is the patron of glassmakers.

Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice