Agapitus of Praeneste, Magnus of Füssen and Bernardus of Clairvaux

On the left in this miniature we see Agapitus of Praeneste, whose feast day is celebrated on 18 August. A devout Chrisitan at only 15 years of age, he was tortured and killed during the reign of Emperor Aurelius. In the middle stands Magnus of Füssen, a Benedictine monk who was initiated into the order at the famous monastery of Sankt Gallen. He is also known for founding the monastery that was named after him in the Southern German town of Füssen (Sankt Mang). The staff he is holding is probably the staff of Saint Gallatius, which he used to defeat bears and snakes, symbolising the heathens he converted to Christianity. Magnus’ feast day is on 6 September. The saint on the right, who can only be identified through the accompanying prayer, has a remarkable look about him. He is Bernard of Clairvaux, and is usually depicted as a Cistercian monk. Before he entered the monastery, however, Bernard was a nobleman from Burgundy, which might explain why he is shown as such in this miniature. His feast day is on 20 August.