Saint Leander, Archbishop of Seville A Book on the Teaching of Nuns and a Homily in Praise of the Church

by Martyn, John R. C.

• ISBN13: 9780739127711
• ISBN10: 0739127713
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-12-16
• Publisher: Lexington Books

Summary

"Saint Leander, Archbishop of Seville describes the life of Leander, who brought the Catholic faith to Spain in the late sixth century and became a saint after his death in c. 600 AD. Despite inheriting great wealth and his sister's exposure to high society, Leander became a monk and persuaded his sister to give up wealth and opportunities for marriage in order to become a nun. Detailing how he persuaded her to join a convent and his celebration of his country's acceptance of the true faith, this book provides a new perspective on Leander's Byzantine parents and two brothers, Fulgentius and Isidore. When besieged by the Arian king, Liuvigild, Leander's parents and sister escaped to Carthage. Later in life, Leander taught Isidore to take over after him in Seville."--BOOK JACKET.

Author Biography

John R. C. Martyn is a senior fellow in the School of Historical Studies at the University of Melbourne.

Table of Contents

Leander's Background
Preface	p. 2
Summary of Leander's Life	p. 4
The Latin Text	p. 5
The Historical Evidence	p. 6
Leander's Literary Style	p. 13
Dates for Leander and His Family	p. 28
Biography of Leander	p. 35
Biographical Note (Notitia)	p. 36
Isidore of Seville's Biography of Leander	p. 41
Isidore's Latin Poems	p. 43
The Life and Works of Leander	p. 47
On the Teaching of Nuns and Contempt for the Other World	p. 61
Introduction	p. 62
Let laywomen be shunned	p. 87
Let holy men be avoided	p. 89
A nun should avoid young men	p. 90
On abstinence	p. 92
A nun must not talk to a man on her own	p. 95
A nun must pray and read continually	p. 96
Hebraic Scriptures not to be read literally	p. 97
On the degree of fasting	p. 99
On the use of wine	p. 100
How far should a nun bathe	p. 103
Laughter, a sin for a nun	p. 104
How should slaves be judged on becoming nuns	p. 106
On the choice of an older nun with regard to individuals	p. 107
A nun must be equable both in poverty and in abundance	p. 110
On the allowance and prohibition of meats	p. 114
A nun must stay in the convent where she started	p. 117
How may a private life be avoided	p. 119
A nun must not have anything of her own in the convent	p. 121
A nun must not swear an oath	p. 123
A nun on her own should not talk with another nun alone	p. 124
A nun must not want to return to the secular world	p. 125
Leander's Homily	p. 134
Homily in Praise of the Church (in eleven sections)	p. 135
An Epitaph for Saints Leander, Isidore and Florentine	p. 150
Leander's Links with Pope Gregory	p. 151
Letters between Pope Gregory, Leander and Reccared	p. 152
A poem praising Leander and Masona	p. 161
Addendum: Pope Gregory's Treatment of Nuns in Rome	p. 163
Bibliography	p. 165
Index of Names	p. 175
Author's Recent Biography	p. 182
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