257:) on which to live without, as the law demanded, compensating his church for their loss of services. The archdeacon Eleutherius, whom Masona had commended the diocese to until a successor was chosen, would probably have negated the bishop's actions by forcibly seizing and destroying the documents of emancipation had not he actually (miraculously) predeceased Masona, who survived the illness. The grants of small estates to the slaves was meant to confirm their new liberty.
17:
207:(separateness) which considered Masona, as a Catholic Goth, to be the worst heresy of all. The context of the revolt of Hermenegild was a sudden change in the relations between the Arian and Catholic churches, with each denomination vying for supremacy and political power in the cities. Masona, for instance, had preached a series of anti-Arian sermons on the eve of his city's capture, but this was probably unrelated. While in exile, Masona received 2,000
238:. Since Witteric was later king, it has sometimes been presumed that his rise to power represents an Arian resurgence, but it is more likely that he was a nominally Catholic king who clung to old Arian beliefs and that he redressed the grievances of those who had suffered under Leovigild without reversing any of the religious transformations of Reccared's reign.
183:
Later
Leovigild tried by persuasion and argumentation as well as by threats and bribes to convert Masona back to Arianism, but unsuccessfully. Leovigild ordered a commission to examine the rival claims of Arians and Catholics to the Eulalian basilica, but the majority Arian commission found in favour
118:, facts which his biographer clearly thought commendable. He built many churches and monasteries in and around the city, including one dedicated to the Virgin Mary whose foundation stone still survives and fragments, probably from three distinct churches, which survive as components of the current
83:
around 560. Masona is said to have had such a close relationship with
Eulalia that by his prayers, and her intercession, a plague ravishing all Lusitania was lifted. Though no writings of his are known to have survived, Masona was probably educated in a manner similar to men of classical learning,
74:
probably in the middle of the 6th century, though some have supposed as late as 579. His biographer says he "was indeed a Goth, but was wholly devoted to God with very ready heart," i.e. Catholic. He entered the church young and served from an early period in the
Basilica of
202:
Masona, for noncompliance with the king's last order, was banished. The reason behind Masona's banishment was probably due to his power in the city and his association with the revolt of
Hermenegild then being suppressed, rather than any desire for racial
848:
Between Royal Power and
Legitimacy – The Bishops of Mérida (6th– 7th c.), in: S. Panzram and P. Poveda Arias, eds., Bishops under Threat: Contexts and Episcopal Strategies in Late Antique and Early Medieval West (Arbeiten zur Kirchengeschichte
215:. Furthermore, he was not deprived of the right of correspondence. Masona returned to his see by permission of the king, who purportedly had a vision of Saint Eulalia, after three years, in 585. This was the same time at which
199:. Leovigild then increased his demands, ordering Masona to hand over the tunic of Eulalia, the most sacred relic of the city, to the Arian faction in Toledo. Masona successfully tricked the king and kept the tunic.
133:. Physicians visited each section of the city to find the sick and bring them to the hospital. The main source of travellers to MĂ©rida was in the form of pilgrimages to the shrine of Saint Eulalia, the city's
195:. Sunna and Masona had co-existed peacefully during the 570s. Leovigild ordered certain basilicas held by the Catholic Church be transferred to Sunna's church and when Masona resisted he was called to
167:
with the deacon
Redemptus at the basilica for the citizens to take out loans. A system of public bonds was probably a function of the diocese before the episcopate of Masona, however.
188:
264:
to Masona, and dated to 606, would place the latter's death sometime after that date, but the authenticity of the letter is debatable. The chief source for Masona is the
291:
875:
137:. The food of the hospital was derived from farms dedicated to the hospital by the bishop. Masona also initiated a programme for the distribution of free
179:. According to his early biographer Paul of MĂ©rida, he even preached a sermon to compare Leovigild to God, the true King, in that both are to be feared:
212:
187:
Leovigild then threw his support behind the Arian faction in MĂ©rida. In 582 Leovigild entered MĂ©rida, appointing an Arian bishop,
253:
During a serious illness, when he thought he lay dying, Masona manumitted some of his church's slaves and granted them property (
20:
The theatre of MĂ©rida was still usable in Masona's day, when the heavily
Romanised city was prospering and in splendid condition.
856:
266:
250:
in 589, the first
Catholic bishop in order of precedence. At a limited synod in Toledo in 597, Masona was still bishop.
836:
808:
789:
770:
226:, Sunna and his accomplices plotted the murder of Masona and the setting up of a rival king in the person of
80:
122:. The decor preserved on the fragments is an indicator of the splendour of Masona's building projects.
76:
191:, following the two years from 580 to 582 when the city's Arian community was possibly suppressed by
279:
758:
296:
247:
397:, 54) points out that it was technically illegal for Christians to eat with Jews, since the
211:
on which to live from his supporters. During his exile he was replaced by another
Catholic,
880:
282:
and
Fidelis. The portion of the work covering Masona alone is sometimes referred to as the
278:, which devotes more space to Masona than to either of the other "holy fathers of MĂ©rida",
8:
219:, the only other known Catholic Visigoth of the reign of Leovigild, returned from exile.
36:
32:
261:
85:
593:, 36) mentions that Eulalia often comforted Masona during his troubles with Leovigild.
852:
832:
804:
785:
766:
275:
130:
71:
157:(rustics, that is, peasants of the countryside, not the city). Masona established a
321:
216:
48:
825:
398:
43:
from about 570 (certainly by 573) until his death. He is famous for exercising
869:
799:
Collins, Roger (1992). "King Leovigild and the Conversion of the Visigoths".
196:
158:
134:
192:
146:
98:
16:
235:
223:
181:
Si regem, ecce regem quem timere oportet; nam non talem qualis tu es.
176:
175:
In his early years, Masona was not on poor terms with the Arian king
63:
40:
231:
119:
115:
67:
52:
719:, 206 and n2) places its creation in Toledo, late seventh century.
106:) for travellers, with a hospital for the sick incorporated. The
51:
during his tenure as bishop and for founding the first confirmed
163:
103:
227:
150:
142:
56:
290:. Fidelis was Masona's predecessor; he was succeeded by one
138:
111:
114:, and Masona is also recorded as showing kindness even to
817:
El Concilio III de Toledo: XIV Centenario, 589–1989
170:
801:
Law, Culture, and Regionalism in Early Medieval Spain
91:
520:
518:
79:at MĂ©rida, which had been rebuilt in her honour by
824:
413:
411:
409:
407:
241:
867:
515:
404:
222:In 588, following the conversion of the king,
876:6th-century bishops in the Visigothic Kingdom
681:
679:
677:
504:
502:
500:
498:
496:
88:, with whom he shared an exile for a time.
674:
493:
234:and Sunna undertook a voluntary exile in
845:
822:
443:Paul of MĂ©rida, (Joseph N. Garvin, ed.)
15:
798:
779:
445:The Vitas sanctorum patrum Emeritensium
868:
819:. Toledo: Arzobispado de Toledo, 1991.
171:Conflict with Leovigild and the Arians
757:
765:. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
267:Vitas sanctorum patrum Emeritensium
13:
687:Freedmen in the Visigothic Kingdom
92:Government and patronage of MĂ©rida
14:
892:
230:. The plot was betrayed by count
784:. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
763:Visigothic Spain: New Approaches
343:MĂ©rida and Toledo: 550–585
129:, Masona instituted a system of
782:Visigothic Spain, 409–711
735:
722:
709:
692:
661:
648:
635:
622:
609:
596:
583:
570:
557:
544:
531:
480:
467:
450:
320:, 155), his name is of African
242:Later years, illness, and death
437:
424:
387:
374:
361:
348:
335:
310:
1:
751:
803:. Great Yarmouth: Variorum.
7:
831:. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
689:, in Edward, 177–178.
161:system by depositing 2,000
10:
897:
270:, roughly modelled on the
31:(died c. 600/610) was the
260:A letter supposedly from
84:such as the contemporary
846:Grotherr, Kevin (2023).
823:Thompson, E. A. (1969).
815:Originally published in
401:had forbidden it in 506.
304:
780:Collins, Roger (2004).
702:, 48–49. Claude,
255:exiguas possessiunculas
248:Third Council of Toledo
851:. Berlin: De Gruyter.
316:According to Collins (
21:
153:for the citizens and
19:
246:Masona attended the
47:rule of the city of
70:, but converted to
39:of the province of
827:The Goths in Spain
743:The Goths in Spain
704:The Goths in Spain
700:The Goths in Spain
669:The Goths in Spain
656:The Goths in Spain
643:The Goths in Spain
604:The Goths in Spain
578:The Goths in Spain
552:The Goths in Spain
488:The Goths in Spain
475:The Goths in Spain
462:The Goths in Spain
395:The Goths in Spain
356:The Goths in Spain
345:, in Edwards, 201.
262:Isidore of Seville
184:of the Catholics.
86:Leander of Seville
66:and originally an
22:
858:978-3-11-076953-1
730:MĂ©rida and Toledo
717:MĂ©rida and Toledo
685:Dietrich Claude,
565:MĂ©rida and Toledo
539:MĂ©rida and Toledo
526:MĂ©rida and Toledo
458:MĂ©rida and Toledo
432:MĂ©rida and Toledo
419:MĂ©rida and Toledo
382:MĂ©rida and Toledo
369:MĂ©rida and Toledo
276:Gregory the Great
131:public healthcare
72:Roman Catholicism
888:
862:
842:
830:
814:
795:
776:
746:
739:
733:
726:
720:
713:
707:
696:
690:
683:
672:
665:
659:
652:
646:
639:
633:
630:Visigothic Spain
626:
620:
617:Visigothic Spain
613:
607:
600:
594:
591:Popular Religion
587:
581:
574:
568:
561:
555:
548:
542:
535:
529:
522:
513:
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491:
484:
478:
471:
465:
460:, 211. Thompson,
454:
448:
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428:
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415:
402:
391:
385:
378:
372:
365:
359:
352:
346:
339:
333:
318:Visigothic Spain
314:
300:
217:John of Biclarum
33:Bishop of MĂ©rida
896:
895:
891:
890:
889:
887:
886:
885:
866:
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859:
839:
811:
792:
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399:Council of Agde
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366:
362:
353:
349:
341:Roger Collins,
340:
336:
315:
311:
307:
294:
244:
173:
102:(580), an inn (
96:Masona built a
94:
12:
11:
5:
894:
884:
883:
878:
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863:
857:
843:
837:
820:
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771:
753:
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748:
747:
734:
721:
708:
691:
673:
660:
647:
634:
621:
608:
595:
582:
569:
556:
543:
530:
514:
492:
490:, 79–80.
479:
466:
449:
436:
423:
403:
386:
373:
360:
347:
334:
308:
306:
303:
288:Life of Masona
243:
240:
172:
169:
93:
90:
81:Bishop Fidelis
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
893:
882:
879:
877:
874:
873:
871:
860:
854:
850:
844:
840:
838:0-19-814271-4
834:
829:
828:
821:
818:
812:
810:0-86078-308-1
806:
802:
797:
793:
791:0-631-18185-7
787:
783:
778:
774:
772:0-19-822543-1
768:
764:
760:
759:James, Edward
756:
755:
744:
738:
731:
725:
718:
712:
705:
701:
695:
688:
682:
680:
678:
670:
664:
657:
651:
644:
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631:
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612:
605:
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586:
579:
573:
566:
560:
553:
547:
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527:
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159:public credit
156:
152:
148:
144:
140:
136:
132:
128:
123:
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
100:
89:
87:
82:
78:
77:Saint Eulalia
73:
69:
65:
60:
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
34:
30:
26:
18:
847:
826:
816:
800:
781:
762:
742:
737:
729:
724:
716:
711:
703:
699:
694:
686:
668:
663:
655:
650:
645:, 38 and 95.
642:
637:
629:
624:
616:
611:
603:
598:
590:
585:
577:
572:
564:
559:
551:
546:
538:
533:
525:
509:
487:
482:
474:
469:
461:
457:
452:
444:
439:
431:
426:
418:
394:
389:
381:
376:
368:
363:
355:
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342:
337:
329:
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317:
312:
287:
284:Vita Masonae
283:
271:
265:
259:
254:
252:
245:
221:
208:
204:
201:
186:
180:
174:
162:
154:
135:patron saint
126:
125:Besides his
124:
110:was open to
107:
97:
95:
61:
44:
37:metropolitan
28:
24:
23:
881:600s deaths
589:Hillgarth (
447:, 1946:216.
295: [
193:Hermenegild
127:xenodochium
108:xenodochium
99:xenodochium
870:Categories
752:References
741:Thompson,
698:Thompson,
667:Thompson,
654:Thompson,
641:Thompson,
602:Thompson,
576:Thompson,
550:Thompson,
486:Thompson,
393:Thompson (
354:Thompson,
236:Mauretania
224:Reccared I
728:Collins,
715:Collins (
628:Collins,
615:Collins,
563:Collins,
537:Collins,
524:Collins,
510:Leovigild
508:Collins,
473:Thompson,
456:Collins,
430:Collins,
417:Collins,
380:Collins,
367:Collins,
292:Renovatus
272:Dialogues
205:apartheid
177:Leovigild
62:He was a
41:Lusitania
761:(1980).
324:origin (
232:Witteric
120:alcazaba
64:Visigoth
53:hospital
45:de facto
330:Massuna
326:Massona
213:Nepopis
155:rustici
29:Mausona
855:
835:
807:
788:
769:
732:, 193.
706:, 181.
658:, 113.
567:, 207.
528:, 214.
434:, 208.
421:, 195.
384:, 194.
371:, 197.
322:Berber
209:solidi
197:Toledo
164:solidi
149:, and
116:pagans
104:hostel
49:MĂ©rida
25:Masona
745:, 24.
671:, 48.
632:, 73.
619:, 68.
606:, 91.
580:, 32.
554:, 33.
541:, 211
477:, 78.
464:, 78.
358:, 25.
305:Notes
299:]
228:Segga
189:Sunna
151:honey
68:Arian
57:Spain
853:ISBN
849:150)
833:ISBN
805:ISBN
786:ISBN
767:ISBN
280:Paul
143:corn
139:wine
112:Jews
35:and
328:or
286:or
274:of
147:oil
55:in
27:or
872::
676:^
517:^
495:^
406:^
332:).
301:.
297:es
145:,
141:,
59:.
861:.
841:.
813:.
794:.
775:.
512:.
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