Celtic and Old English Saints 24 March =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Caimin of Lough Derg * St. Macartin of Clogher * St. Cairlon of Cashel * St. Domangard of Maghera * St. Hildelid of Barking =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
St. Caimin of Lough Derg (of Inniskeltra), Abbot (Camin, Cammin) ---------------------------------------------------------- Died 653; in some places his feast is celebrated on March 25. The Irish Saint Caimin was half-brother to King Guaire of Connaught and Cumian Fada (f.d. November 12), and himself a distinguished scholar. But he retired from the vanities of the world to live asa hermit on Inish-Keltra (Caltra) in Lough Derg near Galway. Although Saint Columba of Terryglass (f.d. December 12) had founded a monastery on the island a century earlier, Saint Caimin is the reason the people call it "Holy Island" after many disciples were drawn there because of his reputation for holiness. Later in life he founded a monastery and church, named Tempul-Cammin, on the island of the Seven Churches. The monastery on Inish-Keltra thrived through 1010 (when its last recorded abbot died) despite its being in the direct path of the Danish invaders. The abbey was plundered c. 836 and again in 922. Brian Boru restored the church c. 1009. Now, however, only ruins recall the grandeur of Inish-Keltra's past: the 80-foot tall round tower, early grave markers, and ivy-covered church ruins. Saint Caimin was a fellow-worker with Saint Senan (f.d. April 29). A fragment of the "Psalter of Saint Caimin," claimed by some to have been copied by his own hand, still exists in the Franciscan library at Killiney, County Dublin. He is also credited with authorship of the "Commentary on the Hebrew Text of the Psalms" (Benedictines, D'Arcy, Healy, Husenbeth, Montague, Muirhead, Neeson). St. Macartin of Clogher, Bishop (Macartan, MacCartan, Maccarthen) ---------------------------------------------------------- Died c. 505; feast day formerly March 24. Saint Macartin (in Irish - Aedh mac Carthin) was an early disciple and companion of Saint Patrick during the latter's missions into pagan territory. He is said to have been consecrated bishop of Clogher in Tyrone by Patrick in 454. It is said the Saint Brigid, Macartin's niece, was present at the founding of the see. Tradition names Macartan as the "strong man" of Saint Patrick, who established the church in Clogher and spread the Gospel in Tyrone and Fermanagh. Macartin is also one of the earliest Irish saints to be known as a miracle-worker. His holiness is revealed not so much by any "vita," which are non-existent, but by the high veneration in which he is held. Saint Bede records that the earth was taken from his grave as holy relics. His Office is the only one to survive from an Irish source. A reliquary, called the Great Shrine of Saint Mac Cairthinn, which was designed to contain relics of the True Cross as well as his bones, has been altered over the centuries but still survives as the "Domnach Airgid" in the National Museum. It's inner yew box was given to Macartin by Patrick together with the latter's episcopal staff and Bible. The Cloch-Oir (Golden Stone), from which this ancient diocese takes its name, was a sacred ceremonial stone to the druids, It was given to Macartin by an old pagan noble, who had harassed Macartin in every possible way until the saint's patient love won the local ruler to the faith. The stone is still preserved and the noble's son, Tighernach of Clones, succeeded Macartin as bishop (Benedictines, D'Arcy, Farmer, Healy, Kenney, Montague, Muirhead, Needham). See "Cumdachs and Polaires Medieval Irish Book Shrines and Book Satchels" http://www.eskimo.com/~hmiller/cumdachs.html *** Hymn in honour of St. MacCarthen, at bottom of this e-mail St. Cairlon (Caorlan) of Cashel, Bishop ---------------------------------------------------------- 6th century. Saint Cairlon was an Irish abbot who died and was raised again to life by Saint Dageus (f.d. August 18). Afterwards, when Saint Cairlon had been made archbishop of Cashel, Saint Dageus placed himself and his monks under his rule (Benedictines). Troparion of St Cairlon tone 4 O holy Cairlon, thou didst repose in the Lord/ and wast raised to life by Saint Daga./ Then living the risen life while yet on earth/ thou didst spend thy years in apostolic labours./ Pray to Christ our God to save our souls. St. Domangard (Donard) of Maghera, Hermit ---------------------------------------------------------- Died c. 500. The patron saint of Maghera, County Down, Ireland, lived as a hermit on the mountain now called after him Slieve-Donard (Benedictines, Montague). St. Hildelid of Barking,Abbess (Hildelitha, Hildeltha, Hildilid, Hildelida) ---------------------------------------------------------- Died c. 717; other feasts are on December 22, September 3, March 7 (translation), and September 23 (translation). Though English, the young Anglo-Saxon princess Saint Hildelid was raised in France. She took the veil there either at Chelles or Faremoutier. Saint Erconwald (f.d. April 30) recalled her to England to train her sister, Saint Ethelburga (f.d. October 12), to be abbess of Barking. It seems, however, that her association as Ethelburga's sister is in the religious, rather than familial, sense, even though Barking was a family monastery that belonged to Erconwald. When Ethelburga took the reins as abbess, Hildelid remained there as one of her nuns, and eventually succeeded her about 675. She ruled well for many years, enlarged the rather cramped monastic buildings, and translated the relics of holy nuns from the cemetery to the church. Hildelid won the admiration of Saints Aldhelm (f.d. May 25), Bede (f.d. May 25), and Boniface (f.d. June 5); Saint Aldhelm dedicated his book "On Virginity" to her and her sisters. The work presupposed advanced Latin reading skills, which indicates the erudition of the nuns. Boniface mentions one of her visions that she described to him. In the diocese of Brentwood, her feast is kept together with that of Saint Cuthburga (f.d. September 3) (Attwater2, Benedictines, Encyclopaedia, Farmer, Gill). ================== *** THE following Hymn in honour of St. MacCarthen was recently discovered in an old MS. of the Diocesan Library of Cashel, and was inserted in the Cashel Gazette, December 19th, 1868. It is probably the hymn which, as we learn from Ware, was composed by Patrick Culin, Bishop of Clogher, who died in 1534. " Our prelate (writes Ware) was accounted a person of considerable knowledge, both in antiquities and poetry, and was the author of a hymn of ten stanzas in metre, in praise of St. MacCarthen, first Bishop of Clogher, which is extant in manuscript among the collections of the late Archbishop King" (Ware's Bishops, page 187). HYMN TO ST. MAC-CARTEN.* I. A NOBLE feast we celebrate, A holy man we venerate, Great Mac-Carten it is he, Hear us, blessed Trinity. II. A confessor in faith was he, A virgin in his chastity, A martyr too in heart and will, An Apostle preaching still. III. Most innocent of sinful guile, He guided others, and the while Many wonders wrought in praise Of his Maker all his days. IV. By carnal thought he never sinned, Riotous fools he disciplined, And in his holy life enwrought, The pattern fair of all he taught V. No suppliant ever came in vain, Oppressed by toil or weary pain, But by the grace his blessing shed, He departed comforted. VI. Sight and hearing were restored) Fled the leper's spot abhorred, The dying from their deathbed rose, As the priest Mac-Carten chose. VII. Oftimes the sick he visited, And raised to life the nearly dead, And many tribes baptized he In St. Patrick's company. VIII. Upon the earth he lived to God, And in his Master's footprints trod. Thus conquering the world at last, He to eternal glory passed. IX. He could do much on earth before, Happy in heaven he can do no more. May Mac-Carten keep us free >From pain of endless misery ! x. Thee God as three in one we own, >From whom the precious grace comes down, By which thy clergy here are blessed With earnest of eternal rest. Irish Ecclesiastical Review, Vol 6, 1869, 275-276 http://www.archive.org/details/irishecclesiasti06dubluoft and the Latin original which appeared in the previous volume: HYMNUS IN LAUDEM ST. MAKARTINI, Episcopi Clocherensis et fundatoris Monasterii Clocherentis, qui obiit 9 Calend. Aprilis An. 506. Festum dignum celebrantes Sanctum virum venerantes Makartinum et laudantes Exaudi nos Trinitas. Est confessor fide plane Virgo fertur castitate Martyr fatur sponte fame Apostolus preedicans. Qui peccati nescit fraudem Et praelati vita tandem Trinitati tulit laudem In multis miraculis. Sordes mentis formidabat Stultas gentes castigabat Quod exemplis solidabat Per virtutis opera. Laborantes in dolore Supplicantes cum amore Sed laetantes sunt favore Precibus que praesulis. Caecos surdos salutavit Et iinmundos lepra lavit Moribundos suscitavit Makartinus Pontifex. Infirmantes visitabat Expirantes suscitabat Plures gentes baptizabat Cum Sancto Patricio. Sancto Deo quasi vivit Jeeu Christo obedivit Mundo victo post exivit Ad aeternam gloriam. Hie in terris fuit fortis Nunc in coelis bonae sortis Nos a poena dirae mortis Makartinus liberat. Deus Trinus qui est unus Quique nobis praestat munus Quo sit clerus hie securus In perenni gloria. Amen. Irish Ecclesiastical Review, Vol 5, 1869, 185-187 http://www.archive.org/details/irishecclesiasti05dubluoft Sources: ======== Attwater, D. (1958). A Dictionary of Saints. New York: P. J. Kennedy & Sons. [Attwater 2] 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.] Encyclopaedia of Catholic Saints, March. (1966). Philadelphia: Chilton Books. Farmer, D. H. (1997). The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Gill, F. C. (1958). The Glorious Company: Lives of Great Christians for Daily Devotion, vol. I. London: Epworth Press. Healy, J. (1902). Ireland's Ancient Schools and Scholars. Dublin: Sealy, Bryers and Walker. Husenbeth, Rev. F. C., DD, VG (ed.). (1928). Butler's lives of the fathers, martyrs, and other principal saints. London: Virtue & Co. Kenney, J. F. (1929). Sources for Early History of Ireland, vol. 1, Ecclesiastical. New York: Columbia University Press. Montague, H. P. (1981). The Saints and Martyrs of Ireland. Guildford: Billing & Sons. Muirhead, L. R. (ed.). (1962). Benn Blue Guide to Ireland. London: Ernest Benn Limited. Needham, K. (1963). Life of Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick Fathers. Neeson, E. (1967). Book of Irish Saints. Cork: Mercer Press. A Beginner's Guide to Irish Gaelic pronunciation http://www.standingstones.com/gaelpron.html For All the Saints: http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/ss-index.htm An Alphabetical Index of the Saints of the West http://www.orthodoxengland.btinternet.co.uk/saintsa.htm These Lives are archived at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
