Celtic and Old English Saints 27 November =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Fergus of Glamis * St. Seachnall of Dunshaughlin * St. Virgil of Salzburg * St. Congar of Somerset * St. Edwold of Cerne * St. Gallgo of Wales =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
St. Fergus, Bishop (Fergustus, Fergusianus), ----------------------------------------------------------- Died after 721; feast formerly on November 18. An Irish bishop, possibly of Downpatrick, and surnamed "the Pict," he went to Scotland as a missionary and preached in Caithness, Buchan (where there is a town called Saint Fergus), and Forfarshire. In Strogeth he founded three churches; in Caithness, two (presumably Wick and Halkirk). He may also have established churches at Inverugy, Banff, and Dyce. He finally settled at Strathearn, Perthshire, where he exerted a powerful influence in the area between Aberdeen and Wick. Saint Fergus is buried at Glamis, a central location of William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" and where a cave and well bear his name. During the reign of James IV (1488-1513), the abbot of Scone removed the head of Fergus and built a splendid marble tomb for his body relic at Glamis. Aberdeen had an arm relic. He may be the same as Fergustus, bishop of the Scots, who signed the Acts of the synod in Rome in 721, which condemned irregular marriages of various kinds, sorcerers, and clerics who grew their hair long. In the Aberdeen breviary he is called Fergustian. The feast of Saint Fergus, who was highly venerated by the Scottish kings, is kept in the dioceses of Dunkeld and Aberdeen. Although the Reformers attempted to suppress his cultus, Montague states that it is still growing, especially in the area around Paisley in Renfrewshire. A new church has been dedicated to his memory and the nearby town of Ferguslie is named after him (Attwater 2, Benedictines, Delaney, Farmer, Montague). Web site with a map of the monastic foundations of Saint Fergus http://www.cushnieent.force9.co.uk/fergus.html St. Seachnall of Dunshauglin, Bishop (Secundinus, Sechnall) ----------------------------------------------------------- Born c. 375; died 447. Sechnall was sent from Gaul in 439(?) to assist his uncle, Saint Patrick, in Ireland, together with Auxilius and Iserninus. He became the first bishop of Dunslaughlin in Meath, and then auxiliary bishop of Armagh. He wrote several hymns, notably the alphabetical hymn "Audites, omnes amantes Deum" (the oldest known Latin hymn written in Ireland) in honour of Patrick and the earliest Latin hymn in Ireland, and "Sancti, venite, Christi corpus sumite" (Attwater 2, Benedictines, Coulson, Delaney, Husenbeth). Troparion of St Seachnall Tone 1 Today we hymn thee, O Hierarch Seachnall,/ for as thou in thy piety didst compose the praises of our Father Patrick,/ pray to God for us that we may, with true piety, honour our saints./ And in praising this glorious company may we be worthy of their prayers and the great mercy of Christ our God. The Communion Hymn of Bangor ---------------------------------- "Draw Nigh and Take the Body of the Lord" Sancti, venite, Christi Corpus sumite This is a 7th century Latin communion hymn found in the Bangor Antiphoner, a rare Irish liturgical manuscript. From the Monastery of Bangor where it was written between 680 and 691 it was carried to Bobbio, the famous monastery founded on Italian soil by the Irish missionary Columbanus after he and been driven out of Burgundy by the reigning powers. It was first published by Muratori in his Anecdota (1697-98), when he discovered it in the Ambrosian Library in Milan. An old Irish legend tells of St. Patrick and his nephew Seachnall hearing angels sing it first during the offertory before the communion, and adds; "So from that time to the present that hymn is chanted in Erinn when the body of Christ is received." As the legend goes, St. Patrick and Sechnall had a terrible argument, with Sechnall accusing Patrick of preaching charity too little and Patrick threatening to run over Sechnall with his chariot. After being reconciled to each other in the graveyard of their church, they suddenly heard angels within the church singing this hymn. John Mason Neale translated the Latin text in 1851 and published it in his Medieval Hymns. Here is his text: Draw nigh and take the Body of the Lord, and drink the holy Blood for you outpoured. Saved by that Body and that precious Blood, with souls refreshed, we render thanks to God. Salvation's Giver, Christ, the only Son, by his dear Cross and Blood the victory won. Offered was he for greatest and for least, himself the Victim, and himself the Priest. Victims were offered by the law of old, which in a type this heavenly mystery foretold. He, Ransomer, from death, and Light from shade, now gives his holy grace his saints to aid; approach ye then with faithful hearts sincere, and take the safeguard of salvation here. He that in this world rules his saints and shields, to all believers life eternal yields. With heavenly bread makes them that hunger whole, gives living waters to the thirsting soul. Alpha and Omega, to whom shall bow all nations at the Doom, is with us now. St. Virgil of Salzburg, Bishop (Feargal, Fearghal, Fergal, Virgilius) ------------------------------------------------------------- Born in Ireland; died in Salzburg, Austria, November 27, c. 781-784. Virgil was an Irish monk, possibly of Aghaboe, who went abroad about 740 intending to visit Palestine. With him were Dobdagrec, later abbot of a monastery at Chiemsee, and Sidonius, afterwards bishop of Passau. His learning and ability attracted the attention of Blessed Pepin the Short (f.d. February 21), who kept him at the Merovingian court for two years. About 743, Pepin sent Virgil with letters of recommendation to his brother-in-law, Duke Odilo of Bavaria, who, c. 745, appointed Virgil abbot of Saint Peter's Monastery at Salzburg, with jurisdiction over the local Christians, while Dobdagrec served its episcopal functions. Instead of visiting Palestine he remained in Bavaria to help Saint Rupert (f.d. March 27), the apostle of Austria. For 40 years he laboured to convert Teutons and Slavs, founded monasteries, churches, and schools. (In 774, the council of Bavaria issued its first pronouncement on the establishment of schools.) Virgil appears to have been a somewhat difficult character and he incurred the strong disapproval of Saint Boniface (f.d. June 5), who seems to have detested him. (Perhaps because of differences in the interpretations of Roman observance or jurisdiction, or because Virgil succeeded John whom Boniface had as abbot of Saint Peter's, or just personal differences.) Boniface twice delated him to Rome. On the first occasion Pope Saint Zachary (f.d. March 22) decided in Virgil's favour. Through carelessness or ignorance, a priest had used incorrect Latin wording during a baptism. Virgil and Sidonius ruled that the baptism was valid and need not be repeated; Boniface of Mainz disagreed. Zachary was surprised that Boniface should have questioned it and issued a statement to that effect. The other case concerned Virgil's cosmological speculations and their implications, which, as reported to Zachary by Boniface, the pope found very shocking. In 748, the pope directed Boniface to convene a council to investigate the questionable views, but the council was never convened. The incident has been the subject of much discussion and has been used and exaggerated for polemical purposes, but in fact it is far from clear what Virgil's ideas really were. It appears that Virgil postulated that the world was round and that people might be living in what would now be called the Antipodes. He was both a man of learning and a successful missionary, and even after his cosmological views were called into question, he was consecrated bishop of the see of Salzburg (c. 766), whose cathedral he rebuilt. Saint Virgil brought relics and the veneration of Saints Brigid (f.d. February 1) and Samthann of Clonbroney (f.d. December 19) to the areas he evangelized. In fact, Saint Samthann, who may have provided Virgil with his early education, is better known in Austria than in her homeland. Among his other good works, Virgil sent fourteen missionary monks headed by Saint Modestus (f.d. February 5) into the province of Carinthia, of which he is venerated as the evangelizer. He baptized two successive dukes of Carinthia at Salzburg (Chetimar and Vetune). His influence is revealed by the issuance during the time of duke Chetimar of a Carinthian coin, an old Salzburg rubentaler, with the images of Saint Rupert, who built Saint Peter's monastery, and Virgil. He fell ill and died soon after making a visitation in Carinthia, going as far as the place where the Dravo River meets the Danube. His feast is kept throughout Ireland, although he is buried at St. Peter's in Salzburg. Virgil is widely venerated in southern Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, and northern Italy (Attwater, Attwater 2, Benedictines, Coulson, D'Arcy, Encyclopaedia, Farmer, Fitzpatrick, Gougaud, Healy, Husenbeth, Kenney, Montague). Sometimes he is paired with Saint Rupertus in artwork (Roeder). Virgil is the patron of Salzburg, Austria (Farmer). St. Cungar, Abbot (Congar, Cumgar, Cyngar, Docco), ----------------------------------------------------------- Born in Devon; 6th century; feast day formerly on November 7 (although this could be a different saint). There may be several saints with this name or only one with two names. It's difficult to determine because of the paucity of documentary evidence. His "vita" was not produced until the 9th century, and it is moralistic rather than historical in nature. Nevertheless the memory of Saint Cungar survives in the monasteries he founded at Budgworth, Congresbury (Somerset) and at Llangonys (Glamorgan). There are dedications to this Celtic saint in Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany, and legends that suggest his was one of the great monks who evangelized throughout the Celtic lands. It is amazing that his name survived the influx of the heathen Saxons in his day, which again leads to the conclusion that he was an especially great missionary preacher. He is to be identified with Saint Docuinus (Doguinus). This seems to be the name that was later corrupted into Oue and Kew. Saint Cumgar was buried at Congresbury according to many medieval records including pilgrim guides, to which town his own name was given (Attwater 2, Benedictines, Coulson, Farmer). St. Edwold of Cerne, Hermit ----------------------------------------------------------- Died 871; Farmer gives him two feast days: August 29 and the feast of his translation, August 12. Saint Edwold is reputed to be the brother of Saint Edmund the Martyr (f.d. November 20), king of East Anglia. He lived on bread and water as a hermit near Cerne in Dorsetshire. He worked many miracles and was buried in his cell near which the abbey of Saint Peter's was built. His relics were later translated into its church (Benedictines, Encyclopaedia, Farmer). St. Gallgo of Wales, Abbot ----------------------------------------------------------- 6th century. A Welsh saint, founder of Llanallgo in Anglesey (Benedictines). Lives kindly supplied by: For All the Saints: http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/ss-index.htm These Lives are archived at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
