Celtic and Old English Saints 16 October =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Gall of Ireland * St. Kiara of Kilkeary * St. Lull of Mainz * St. Conogan of Quimper * St. Eliphius of Toul =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
St. Gall of Ireland, Abbot and Hermit, Enlightener of Switzerland ------------------------------------------------------------ Born in Ireland; died at Arbon, Switzerland, c. 640. Saint Gall studied at Bangor under Saints Comgall (f.d. May 11) and Columban (f.d. November 23), became versed in Scripture, and was ordained. He was one of the 12 who accompanied Saint Columban to Gaul (France) and helped him found the abbey of Luxeuil. He continued to follow Columban into exile in 610 and then to Austrasia, where he preached with little success in the region around Lake Zurich, and for two years in the area near Bregenz. When Columban went to Italy in 612, Gall remained behind because of ill health and on his recovery became a hermit on the Steinach River, attracting numerous disciples. In time, Saint Gall Monastery occupied this site and during the Middle Ages was a leading centre of literature, the arts, and music. According to one story Columban and Gall parted ways because the leader suspected Gall of malingering, and imposed on him a penance, which Gall faithfully observed, of not offering the Holy Sacrifice during the continuance of Columban's life. Reputedly he was twice offered bishoprics by King Sigebert, whose betrothed he had freed of a demon. He is also reported to have been offered the abbacy of Luxeuil on the death of Saint Eustace (f.d. March 29) but declined, to remain a hermit. He died sometime between 627 and 645 at Arbon, Switzerland, and is considered the apostle of that country (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney, Encyclopaedia). In later times many legends grew up about him which had little basis in fact. He was not, for instance, the founder of the renowned monastery which bore his name; this was inaugurated about a century after his death, on the site of his settlement, and is now represented by the cathedral at Sankt Gallen and the very famous monastic library there (Attwater, Encyclopaedia, Joynt). In art, Saint Gall is portrayed as an abbot blessing a bear that brings him a log of wood. He may be shown holding a hermit's tau staff with the bear or carrying a loaf and a pilgrim's staff (Roeder). Gall is venerated as an apostle of Switzerland and as the patron of geese and poultry (Roeder). Troparion of St Gall tone 8 As a companion of the great Columban,/ thou didst travel throughout the lands of the Franks, O Father Gall,/ thy ascetic life contrasting with that of the worldly prelates whom thou didst encounter./ Open to us, we pray thee, the treasures of sacrifice and struggle,/ that we too may attain the joy of eternal salvation. Icons of Saint Gall http://www.allmercifulsavior.com/icons/Icons-Gall.htm##1 St. Kiara (Chier, Ciara) of Kilkeary, Virgin ------------------------------------------------------------- Died c. 680. An Irish maiden, directed in the religious life by Saint Finian (f.d. October 21). She lived near Nenagh, County Tipperary, at a place now called after her: Kilkeary (Benedictines). St. Lull (Lullus) of Mainz, Bishop ------------------------------------------------------------ Died at Hersfeld, 786. Probably a native of Wessex, England, he was educated at Malmesbury Monastery, where he became a deacon. At 20 he travelled to Germany, where he laboured as a missionary, noted for his learning, under Saint Boniface (f.d. June 5), who ordained him. He was sent to Rome on a mission to Pope Saint Zachary (f.d. March 15) by Boniface, was consecrated his coadjutor when he returned, and succeeded to the see of Mainz on Boniface's death. He was a most worthy successor, a good pastor and zealous missionary. Letters to and from him show that he was anxious to form a good library, and he in turn was asked to send books to other people. He became involved in a long jurisdictional dispute with Saint Sturmi (f.d. December 17), abbot of Fulda, deposed him, but saw him restored and the abbey declared independent by King Pepin. This led to Lull refounding the monastery of Hersfeld in Hesse c. 768, where he retired late in life (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney). St. Conogan (Gwen, Albinus) of Quimper, Bishop ------------------------------------------- Died 460. This is one of those saints that is next to impossible to locate. Conogan is one spelling of 'Gwen,' which means 'white,' and so in turn is translated into the Latin 'Albinus.' Conogan was the successor to Saint Conentin (12-12) in the see of Quimper, Brittany. His memory is still held in great veneration there (Benedictines). St. Eliphius (Eloff) of Toul, Martyr --------------------------------------------------------------- Died 362. An Irishman--or Scot--by birth, Saint Eliphius preached the Gospel of Christ in Toul, France, and won about 400 souls for Christ. Eliphius, his brother Eucharius, and two sisters were beheaded at Toul under Julian the Apostate. Mount Eliph, where they were buried, honours his memory. Their relics were translated to Cologne, Germany, in the 10th century (Benedictines, D'Arcy, McManus, Montague). Sources: ======== Attwater, D. (1983). The Penguin Dictionary of Saints, NY: Penguin Books. Benedictine Monks of Saint Augustine Abbey, Ramsgate. (1947). The Book of Saints. NY: Macmillan. D'Arcy, M. R. (1974). The Saints of Ireland. Saint Paul, Minnesota: Irish American Cultural Institute. [This is probably the most useful book to choose to own on the Irish saints. The author provides a great deal of historical context in which to place the lives of the saints.] Delaney, J. J. (1983). Pocket Dictionary of Saints, NY: Doubleday Image. Encyclopaedia of Catholic Saints, October. (1966). Philadelphia: Chilton Books. Joynt, M. (tr.). (1927). The Life of Saint Gall. McManus, S. (1944). Story of the Irish Race. New York: Devin-Adair. Montague, H. P. (1981). The Saints and Martyrs of Ireland. Guildford: Billing & Sons. Roeder, H. (1956). Saints and Their Attributes, Chicago: Henry Regnery. For All the Saints: http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/ss-index.htm These Lives are archived at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤