The Lives of the Saints, Volume 01 (of 16): January — John Shaqi
The Lives of the Saints, Volume 01 (of 16): JanuaryBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
The Lives of the Saints, Volume 01 (of 16): January
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Christian saints
Saint Elvan of Avalon, or Glastonbury, was brought up in that school
erroneously said to have been founded by S. Joseph of Arimathea. He
vehemently preached the truth before Lucius, a British king, and was
mightily assisted by S. Mydwyn of Wales (Meduinus), a man of great
learning. Lucius despatched Elvan and Mydwyn to Rome, on an embassy to
Pope Eleutherius, in 179, who consecrated Elvan bishop, and appointed
Mydwyn teacher. He gave them, as companions, two Roman clerks, Faganus
and Deruvianus; or, according to some, Fugatius and Damianus. They
returned with these to King Lucius, who was obedient to the word of God,
and received baptism along with many of his princes and nobles. Elvan
became the second archbishop of London. He and Mydwyn were buried at
Avalon. S. Patrick is said to have found there an ancient account of the
acts of the Apostles, and of Fugatius and Damianus, written by the hand
of S. Mydwyn. Matthew of Westminster gives the following account of the
conversion of Lucius, under the year 185:--"About the same time, Lucius,
king of the Britons, directed letters to Eleutherius, entreating him
that he would make him a Christian. And the blessed pontiff, having
ascertained the devotion of the king, sent to him some religious
teachers; namely, Faganus and Deruvianus, to convert the king to Christ,
and wash him in the holy font. And when that had been done, then the
different nations ran to baptism, following the example of the king, so
that in a short time there were no infidels found in the island."
There is a considerable amount of exaggeration in this account of
Matthew of Westminster, which must not be passed over. Lucius is known
in the Welsh triads by the name of Lleurwg, or Lleufer Mawr, which means
"The great Luminary," and this has been Latinized into Lucius, from
_Lux_, light. He was king of a portion of South Wales only. The Welsh
authorities make no mention of the alleged mission to Rome, though, that
such a mission should have been sent, is extremely probable. Some
accounts say that Medwy and Elfan were Britons, and that Dyfan and
Ffagan (Deruvianus and Faganus) were Roman priests. But both these names
are British, consequently we may conjecture that they were of British
origin, but resided then at Rome.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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