Edition 6: Saints, Saints... And More Saints?

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From Luke Daly

Firstly, it is a privilege to announce that 'Saints and their Sins: A New History of the Middle Ages' will soon be going to PRINT!

Synopsis: Step into the captivating world of the Middle Ages with Saints and Their Sins, a ground-breaking exploration of history like no other. In this remarkable narrative, each chapter takes you on an immersive journey through time, unveiling the vibrant tapestry of events that shaped the medieval era told through the stories of the saints who underpinned them.

Gone are the distant voices of emperors and kings; instead, we hear from ordinary people who witnessed the changing world around them, sharing their intimate thoughts and feelings. Experience the anxiety, fear, and paranoia that accompanied the threats to the kingdom of heaven.

But, as the Church solidifies itself as the apex of society, see how it then utilised its saints to control and shape public order...

You can find excerpts of the book here.

The Latest: The Discovery of a Long Lost Saint

In a stunning revelation, a long-forgotten entry within a 15th-century manuscript has come to light, reshaping our understanding of medieval England and catapulting one of its influential figures, Archbishop Thurstan, into the realm of sanctity. Long thought to have been overlooked for sainthood, a discovery by English Heritage Senior Properties Historian Dr Michael Carter has uncovered an entry in a service book from Pontefract Priory that lists St Thurstan in a calendar of saints' feast days.

This newfound evidence, discovered in the archives at King’s College Cambridge, is written in Latin and designates February 6th as:

'Death of Saint Thurstan, archbishop of York, year of grace, 1140.'

The use of red ink in this entry signifies its paramount importance and underscores its significance to the monks of that era.

St Thurstan, who served as Archbishop of York from 1114 to 1140, was not merely a religious figure but a powerhouse of influence involved in both ecclesiastical and state affairs. His advocacy for religious reform left an indelible mark, as he played a pivotal role in founding some of Northern England's most revered monasteries, including Furness Abbey, Gisborough Priory, Kirkham Priory, Rievaulx Abbey, and Byland Abbey. Politically astute, Thurstan marshalled the English army to victory in the Battle of the Standard in 1138 and put an end to the longstanding dispute of precedence between Canterbury and York.

Dr Carter emphasizes the historical significance of this revelation, stating,

“The entry in this manuscript is unambiguous proof that Thurstan was indeed a saint and that his name should be seen alongside other religious contemporaries in Northern England."

Born in Normandy in 1070, Thurstan's journey took him to the Abbey of Cluny, where he vowed to become a Cluniac monk. Fulfilling this vow in 1140, he resigned as Archbishop of York and retired to the Cluniac priory at Pontefract, passing away less than two weeks later, aged almost 70. His burial before the high altar at Pontefract Priory reflected his esteemed status.

While Dr Carter's research marks the first concrete proof of Thurstan's sainthood, other sources hinted at his sanctity. Following his death, the archdeacon of Nottingham experienced a visionary dream, confirming Thurstan's place among the saints. Reports also surfaced that upon opening Thurstan's tomb, neither his body nor his vestments had decayed, accompanied by a sweet fragrance—an unmistakable medieval sign of sainthood.

Professor Janet Burton, a specialist in medieval history, remarked on the newfound dimension to Thurstan's legacy, noting his European influence and transformative impact on his diocese. She said,

"Dr Carter’s discovery has added an extra dimension to our understanding of Thurstan’s legacy and his place in the religious culture of the medieval north."

The revelation of Thurstan's sainthood not only reshapes historical narratives but also sheds light on the intricate interplay of politics, religion, and personal sacrifice during a pivotal period in medieval England.

The Thousand Year Legend of Saint James

In June, a spirited group of 36 pilgrims, myself included, will embark on an exhilarating two-week odyssey across both land and sea, tracing the captivating Camino Ingles from Fowey to La Coruna, and ultimately reaching the famed Santiago. This extraordinary expedition holds a profound significance as we, modern pilgrims, set sail on a majestic tall ship — an unprecedented nod to the pilgrimage traditions dating back to the Late Middle Ages. Our journey echoes the footsteps of countless others, spanning across generations, all united by the shared aspiration of reaching the revered shrine of St James the Apostle.

Legend states that after St. James was martyred in Jerusalem around 44 AD, his disciples transported his body by sea to the Iberian Peninsula. Despite this, however, the legend that the apostle James was buried in the far north-west of Spain gained currency from the ninth century during the time of the Reconquista (the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule). It was here that the tomb of St. James was said to have been miraculously discovered, which elevated Santiago as a significant pilgrimage destination in medieval Europe, second to Jerusalem. Very quickly the shrine began to attract pilgrimage to Compostela, which in time connected to a host of places along the major routes leading to it. Among them were Limoges, Conques, Le Puy and Noblat (the shrine of the hermit St Leonard). 

Whilst the first pilgrim known to have gone to Compostela from France was bishop Gottschalk of Le Puy, in 951, it was not only Churchmen who would walk the paths. Like our own host of pilgrims, they were of different ages and backgrounds. Monks shared the road with merchants, peasants, noblemen, knights, and even kings. In 1331, the constable of France  ‘vowed personally to visit the shrine of St James, and relying on the fact that several magnates and other nobles were undertaking an armed expedition against the Saracens in the kingdom of Granada, and agreed to go with the said constable, he vowed he would not bear arms until he had reached the goal of that journey."

A common pilgrim found on the Camino was the penitent. Pilgrimage as penance and punishment remained a weapon in the hands of both ecclesiastical and secular authorities in the later middle ages. From the mid-thirteenth century onwards, the inquisition worked with a list of pilgrimages, ‘major’ and ‘minor’, on which convicted heretics were sent according to the gravity of their offence. Given England's ease of access to Santiago via the sea, it was not unreasonable that the inquisitors should classify Santiago as a favourable place for redemption. Bishop Hamo of Rochester sentenced John Laurence clerk of London, for involvement in the murder of Walter de Stapledon, bishop of Exeter. When a ‘general passage’ to the east next took place, he was to join it; and he was to go not only to Compostela, but to the shrines of the Virgin at Le Puy and Boulogne, and also to Canterbury, all of which could obviously be effected in one return journey.

Whether an imposed penance or self-made vow, what linked these people who were, by the structures of feudalism, so different in society was this shared experience. To represent this, the making and marketing of the pilgrim symbol emerged in the twelfth century:

"People bring a cross back from Jerusalem, a Mary cast in lead from Rocamadour, a leaden shell from St James; now God has given St Thomas this phial, which is loved and honoured all over the world, to save souls; in water and in phials he has the martyr’s blood taken all over the world, to cure the sick. It is doubly honoured, for health and as a sign."

This passage from Garnier’s Life of St Thomas Becket bears witness to the new development. Naturally occurring objects served, for example, the palms which were blessed and distributed at the Palm Sunday services in Jerusalem and became treasured mementoes. Beatrice tells Dante to commit to memory what she is telling him as pilgrims bind palm about their staffs in remembrance of their pilgrimage (Purgatorio XXXIII, 76–8). The scallop-shell emblem of Compostela too began its career as a natural object which came to be identified with the shrine and which some enterprising craftsman or entrepreneur must have seen the possibilities of reproducing in tin or pewter. 

The earliest reference to the marketing of pilgrim ‘signs’ in the west occurred in the stalls in the plaza before the church of St James, where they were sold, together with a lot of other useful items. The words cruscille piscium suggest that these were natural shells. Towards the end of her life St Bona of Pisa (d. 1207), a passionate devotee of St James, was transported by the saint himself on a last pilgrimage to Compostela; bringing her back by the same miraculous means, he was careful to supply her with ‘those things, which pilgrims are accustomed to bring back from St James of Galicia’. We are not told whether these were natural or man-made shells, but by this time, on Garnier’s evidence, they were clearly being reproduced in metal. 

We will be taking with us the pilgrim passport and other symbols, such as the shell, to pay homage to the centuries of traditions we will be immersed in. Yet, not all in history have been kind to the Camino. Franciscan Preacher, Berthold of Regendburg (1270-72), was often recorded as being critical of what people had seen on their sea voyages or their journeys to Rome or St James. In one particular sermon, he addressed that the Christian can at any time obtain more pardon, more grace, at home than by going to St James. He humorously announced, "What did you find when you came to Compostela? St James’s head. That’s a dead man’s bone, a dead man’s skull; the better part is in heaven." Yet, what he warns in this critique is the strong implication that charity begins at home, that pilgrimage should not be undertaken at the expense of others but rather enrich the mind and soul. From having the pleasure of working behind the scenes with the pilgrimage group, ferry company, Confraternity of St James, and other supporters, I do not doubt that this pilgrimage will change our lives for the better - all of which I believe we will convey in the documentary film we will be producing. 

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Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to unravelling more historical wonders with you in the coming months. Until next time!

Warmest regards,

Luke