Celtic and Old English Saints 24 July =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Declan of Ardmore * St. Germoc of Cornwall * St. Lewina of Berg * St. Menefrida of Cornwall * Ss. Wulfhade and Ruffinus * St. Christiana of Termonde =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
St. Declan of Ardmore, Bishop & Abbot ------------------------------------------ Born at Desi (Decies), Waterford, Ireland, 5th century. Declan, an Irish monk, was baptized by and a disciple of Saint Colman. He appears to have been an Irish evangelist before the arrival of Saint Patrick. He may have made two pilgrimages to Rome and later became the first bishop of Ardmore, a see confirmed by Patrick during the synod of Cashel in 448. Many miracles are attributed to Declan, who is much honoured in Dessee (formerly Nandesi) (Benedictines, Delaney, Encyclopaedia, Husenbeth). St. Declan, son of Erc, chief of the Desii, was born at the beginning of the fifth century near Lismore, Co. Waterford. As a young boy he was sent to fosterage with a certain Dimma, who is said to have been a foreigner and a Christian. While under Dimma's guardianship, Declan was converted and baptised by one of the several Irish saints named Colman. After leaving Dimma, Declan went to Rome, where he studied for the priesthood and was later consecrated bishop. On his return to Ireland, he established a monastic community at Ardmore and was later confirmed in this office by St. Patrick himself. Declan was well known as an active missionary in Ireland prior top the coming of St. Patrick, the great organiser of Irish Christianity. Many miracles are attributed to the intervention of St. Declan. He is credited, in particular, with having arrested a serious plague by his prayers and fasting. He is reputed to have been a very close friend of St. David (patron saint of Wales) and, perhaps more importantly, to have been on very good terms with Aengus, king of Munster. His influence, therefore, would have been considerable. According to tradition, Declan made a miraculous return from Rome by crossing the sea on a large flagstone. Popular belief has it that this flagstone ran aground at Ardmore, where he decided to establish his monastery. To this day the flagstone is pointed out by the locals on the popular beach at Ardmore. St. Declan's day is still actively celebrated by the Ardmore parishioners on 24 July. Until recent times it was the custom, on this day, for those suffering from back ailments to crawl under the flagstone as a method of obtaining relief. One nineteenth century commentator, however, voiced a certain amount of disapproval of the practice on the grounds that participating ladies would, of necessity, reveal their ankles in the process. Such a display could, conceivably, lead the onlooking menfolk into temptation! The described treatment for backache, however, was said to have been ineffective if the patient had anything borrowed or stolen on his/her person at the time. The waters of St. Declan's well (which was restored in 1951) are said to posses miraculous powers of healing. Those who suffer from sprains, injuries or rheumatism, it is said, will obtain relief by bathing the injured limb in its cool waters. Each year, the week including his feast day is known as "Pattern Week". Pilgrims still come to pray at the site of Declan's church on the headland of Ardmore, adjacent to the round tower which is in an excellent state of preservation . St. Declan died in the latter half of the fifth century. He was laid to rest in his beloved Ardmore, and his burial place is marked by the ruins of an oratory built over his grave. The Irish Life of Saint Declan of Ardmore http://www.ccel.org/d/declan/life/declan.html The Round Tower of St. Declan's Cathedral (12th. century) http://www.vitruvio.ch/arc/ingrandimenti/g_stdeclans.htm A Map of Irish Monasteries http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints/files/Monasteries650AD.gif http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=irishmonasteriesew0.png Troparion of St Declan tone 4 Thou wast a bright light in Ireland before the days of Saint Patrick,/ O holy Father Declan./ Thou didst travel in Europe and return to found a monastery/ where thou wast ever kind to the poor./ We praise thee, O glorious Hierarch. St. Germoc of Cornwall (Germoe) -------------------------------- 6th century. Bishop Gwinear, an Irish prelate made an expedition to Cornwall he had news of heathenism among the people. This expedition ended in disaster for St Gwinear and his followers were massacred possibly on the spot where Gwinear parish church now stands. By the heathen chieftain Teudar. The chief stronghold of Teudar was at Riviere, and now lies buried under the sands at Hayle Towens. The disciples of St Patrick do not seem to have been greatly discouraged by the massacre of Gwinear and his companions. A fresh band of missionaries was formed to go to Cornwall. St Germoe was chosen among many others (inc St Breaca ) to take part in this expedition. A landing was effected at St Ives but no sooner had this intrepid band reached land than it was violently assailed by the heathen Teudar, and many missionaries were slain at Conetconia, now buried under the Hayle Towens. St Germoe escaped, and eventually found safety in the distraction the south side of Tregonning, possibly amongst a Cornish clan which had successfully resisted Teudar's power. There in the course of time he founded and consecrated after the Brito-Celtic manner, during a period of Forty days fasting and prayer, the site upon which the ancient Church of St Germoe stands. http://homepages.tesco.net/~k.wasley/CH_Germoe.htm St Germoe is a near relative, possibly brother, of St Breaca. We have found this information in the Celtic Year By Shirley Toulson but at present are unable to know the wall painting to which she is referring to. Quote "In a wall painting in the church in Breage he is shown wearing a Crown and Sceptre no doubt because he appears as a monarch in the legends connected with Breaca". St. Lewina of Berg, Virgin & Martyr ------------------------------------------------ 5th century. The first extant record of Saint Lewina dates from 1058, when her relics were translated from Seaford (near Lewes) or Alfriston in Sussex, England, with those of Saint Idaberga (not sure which one) and portions of Saint Oswald, to Saint Winnoc's Abbey Church in Bergues, Flanders, where she had been venerated and her relics honoured by numerous miracles, especially at the time of the translation. A history of these miracles was written by Drogo, an eyewitness to several of them. Lewina is reputed to have been a British maiden martyred by the invading Saxons (Benedictines, Encyclopaedia, Farmer, Husenbeth). St. Menefrida of Cornwall, Virgin --------------------------------------------- 5th century. Another saintly progeny of the prolific Saint Brychan of Brecknock, Menefrida is the patron of Menver in Cornwall (Benedictines). Ss. Wulfhade and Ruffinus, Martyrs ------------------------------------------------ Died 675. Although the legend that grew up around the names of these martyrs contradicts the known facts of history, they may well have been genuine martyrs. It is said that these two Mercian brothers, sons of King Wulfere who had succeeded Peada, were converted and baptized by Bishop Saint Chad of Litchfield about 670. While at prayer, they were martyred by their then-pagan father, who later underwent remarkable penance for his crime. Their mother, Queen Emmelinda, had their bodies buried at Stone, Staffordshire, and covered their tombs with stones in the Saxon manner. These stones were later used to build a church over the spot. Wulhere's father Penda had persecuted Christians, but his elder brother Peada had allowed Christianity to be established in his realm. There is much speculation as to the date of Wulfere's conversion and whether he actually committed the crime or took responsibility for the acts of some of his courtiers. The procurator of the Peterborough Abbey built at Stone travelled to Rome and prevailed upon the pope to enrol the martyrs among the saints. He left the head of Saint Wulfhade, which he had taken with him, in the church of Saint Laurence at Viterbo (Benedictines, Encyclopaedia, Farmer, Husenbeth). In art, these two are a pair of princely huntsmen who pursue a stage, which takes refuge with Saint Chad, sitting by a pool (Roeder). They are venerated at Lichfield, York, England (Roeder) and are patrons of the town and monastery of Stone (Husenbeth). St. Christiana of Termonde, Virgin ----------------------------------------------- 7th century. Saint Christiana is said to have been the daughter of an Anglo-Saxon king. She crossed over to Flanders where she lived until her death. She is the patron saint of Termonde, Belgium (Benedictines). Sources: ======== Benedictine Monks of St. Augustine Abbey, Ramsgate. (1947). The book of saints: NY: Macmillan. Delaney, J. J. (1983). Pocket dictionary of saints, NY: Doubleday Image. Encyclopaedia of Catholic saints, July. (1966). Philadelphia: Chilton Books. Farmer, D. H. (1997). The Oxford dictionary of saints. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Husenbeth, Rev. F. C., DD, VG (ed.). (1928). Butler's lives of the fathers, martyrs, and other principal saints. London: Virtue & Co. Roeder, H. (1956). Saints and their attributes, Chicago: Henry Regnery. For All the Saints: http://users.erols.com/saintpat/ss/ss-index.htm These Lives are archived at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints *****************************************
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