Celtic and Old English Saints 30 August =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Fiacre of Breuil * St. Rumon * St. Loarn of Downpatrick * St. Ayle of Bavaria * St. Modan of Killmodan * St. Guthlac of Crowland =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
St. Fiacre of Breuil, & Kilfiachra (Ireland) (Fiachra, Fiaker, Fiacrius, Fialer, Fevre) ------------------------------------------------- See yesterday's posting St. Rumon (Ruan) ------------------------------------------------- 6th century. This patron of the abbey of Tavistock and Romansleigh in Devonshire, and of Ruan Lanihorne, Ruan Major and Minor in Cornwall is reputed to have been a brother of Saint Tudwal (f.d. November 30). William of Malmesbury tells us that his "vita" was destroyed by the wars, but that Rumon was a bishop of an unidentified see. About this time a well-meaning canon provided a "vita" from Rumon by taking an abbreviated life of the Breton Saint Ronan (f.d. June 1) and changing the name to Rumon throughout. It does, however, describe the translation of Rumon's relics on January 5, 981, from Ruan Lanihorne, a Celtic monastery and the most ancient centre of his cultus, to Tavistock. Saint Rumon was highly venerated at Tavistock, the earl Ordulf built a church under his invocation in the 10th century and requested his relics, which remained there throughout the Middle Ages. Glastonbury also claimed Rumon's relics. He may have been a monk at Glastonbury, who founded a monastery on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. He is also venerated in Norwich and Ramsey (Encyclopaedia, Farmer, Husenbeth). St. Loarn of Downpatrick ------------------------------------------------- Born in western Ireland, 5th century. Saint Loarn was a disciple of Saint Patrick, whom some describe as a regionary bishop of Downpatrick (Benedictines). St. Ayle of Ireland, Missionary to Bavaria (Agilus Aile, Ail, Aisle, Ayeul, Ely) of Rebais, Abbot ------------------------------------------------- Born c. 580; died 650. Saint Agilus, son of Childebert II's courtier Agnoald, followed the models of virtue found in his family. Upon the advice of Saint Columbanus (f.d. November 23), his parents consecrated him to God in the monastery of Luxeuil. After his father's death, Saint Columbanus had no defender in the Austrasian court leaving the way open for Brunehault to persecute the saint for refusing admittance of women into his monastery. Saint Agilus intervened by seeking an audience with King Thierry and convinced him to leave the monks in peace. Eventually, however, Columbanus was forced out and made his way to Bobbio, Italy. Saint Agilus remained at Luxeuil even after Saint Eustatius (f.d. March 29) succeeded its founder. After studying Scripture and the ways to Christian perfection, he and Saint Eustatius responded to the call of the bishops for evangelists to preach the Gospel in Bavaria. After a successful mission, Saint Agil returned to France and resumed his penitential exercises, until he was called to undertake the governance of the monastery of Rebais in the diocese of Meaux near Paris, which had been founded by Saint Ouen (f.d. August 24), where he was abbot until his death (Benedictines, Husenbeth). St. Modan, Hermit of Killmodan, Ulster, Ireland -------------------------------------------------- St. Guthlac, Priest monk of Crowland, Lincolnshire Translation of his Relics -------------------------------------------------- His Life, 11th April, is archived at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints/message/1514 Sources: ======== Attwater, D. (1983). The Penguin Dictionary of Saints, NY: Penguin Books. Benedictine Monks of St. Augustine Abbey, Ramsgate. (1947). The Book of Saints. NY: Macmillan. Encyclopedia of Catholic Saints, August. (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. Montague, H. P. (1981). The Saints and Martyrs of Ireland. Guildford: Billing & Sons. Roeder, H. (1956). Saints and Their Attributes, Chicago: Henry Regnery. White, K. E. (1992). Guide to the Saints. NY: Ivy Books. For All the Saints: http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/ss-index.htm These Lives are archived at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints *****************************************
