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

"Traces of the Cultus of St Fergus in Scotland"
by J.M.MacKinley, M.A., F.S.A. (Lond. & Scot.)

We cannot be on terms of intimacy with St Fergus as with St. Columba, the 
former having had no Cumine or Adamnan to supply particulars regarding his 
daily life. There are, however, some biographical details on record, and it 
may be interesting to connect these with the traces of his cultus in 
Scotland. For such details we are largely indebted to the lections given in 
the "Breviarium Aberdonense", under the Saint's festival day-the 17th of 
November.

Read the paper in full here:
 
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_038/38_445_453.pdfSt. 
Seachnall of Dunshauglin, Bishop(Secundinus, 
Sechnall)-----------------------------------------------------------Born c. 
375; died 447. Sechnall was sent from Gaul in 439(?) to assisthis uncle, Saint 
Patrick, in Ireland, together with Auxilius andIserninus. He became the first 
bishop of Dunslaughlin in Meath, andthen auxiliary bishop of Armagh. He wrote 
several hymns, notably thealphabetical hymn "Audites, omnes amantes Deum" (the 
oldest known Latinhymn written in Ireland) in honour of Patrick and the 
earliest Latinhymn in Ireland, and "Sancti, venite, Christi corpus sumite" 
(Attwater2, Benedictines, Coulson, Delaney, Husenbeth).Troparion of St 
Seachnall Tone 1Today we hymn thee, O Hierarch Seachnall,/ for as thou in thy 
pietydidst compose the praises of our Father Patrick,/ pray to God for usthat 
we may, with true piety, honour our saints./ And in praising thisglorious 
company may we be worthy oftheir 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 sumiteThis is a 
7th century Latin communion hymn found in the BangorAntiphoner, a rare Irish 
liturgical manuscript. From the Monastery ofBangor where it was written between 
680 and 691 it was carried toBobbio, the famous monastery founded on Italian 
soil by the Irishmissionary Columbanus after he and been driven out of Burgundy 
by thereigning 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 Seachnallhearing angels 
sing it first during the offertory before the communion,and adds; "So from that 
time to the present that hymn is chanted inErinn 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 
andPatrick threatening to run over Sechnall with his chariot. After 
beingreconciled to each other in the graveyard of their church, they 
suddenlyheard angels within the church singing this hymn.John Mason Neale 
translated the Latin text in 1851 and published it inhis 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 bowall 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 740intending to visit 
Palestine. With him were Dobdagrec, later abbot of amonastery at Chiemsee, and 
Sidonius, afterwards bishop of Passau. Hislearning 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 hisbrother-in-law, Duke Odilo of Bavaria, who, c. 745, 
appointed Virgilabbot of Saint Peter's Monastery at Salzburg, with jurisdiction 
over thelocal Christians, while Dobdagrec served its episcopal 
functions.Instead of visiting Palestine he remained in Bavaria to help 
SaintRupert (f.d. March 27), the apostle of Austria. For 40 years helaboured to 
convert Teutons and Slavs, founded monasteries, churches,and schools. (In 774, 
the council of Bavaria issued its firstpronouncement on the establishment of 
schools.)Virgil appears to have been a somewhat difficult character and 
heincurred the strong disapproval of Saint Boniface (f.d. June 5), whoseems to 
have detested him. (Perhaps because of differences in theinterpretations of 
Roman observance or jurisdiction, or because Virgilsucceeded John whom Boniface 
had as abbot of Saint Peter's, or justpersonal differences.) Boniface twice 
delated him to Rome. On thefirst occasion Pope Saint Zachary (f.d. March 22) 
decided in Virgil'sfavour. Through carelessness or ignorance, a priest had used 
incorrectLatin wording during a baptism. Virgil and Sidonius ruled that 
thebaptism was valid and need not be repeated; Boniface of Mainz 
disagreed.Zachary was surprised that Boniface should have questioned it and 
issueda statement to that effect.The other case concerned Virgil's cosmological 
speculations and theirimplications, which, as reported to Zachary by Boniface, 
the pope foundvery shocking. In 748, the pope directed Boniface to convene a 
councilto investigate the questionable views, but the council was 
neverconvened. The incident has been the subject of much discussion and hasbeen 
used and exaggerated for polemical purposes, but in fact it is farfrom clear 
what Virgil's ideas really were. It appears that Virgilpostulated that the 
world was round and that people might be living inwhat would now be called the 
Antipodes. He was both a man of learningand a successful missionary, and even 
after his cosmological views werecalled 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 areashe evangelized. In fact, 
Saint Samthann, who may have provided Virgilwith his early education, is better 
known in Austria than in herhomeland.Among his other good works, Virgil sent 
fourteen missionary monks headedby Saint Modestus (f.d. February 5) into the 
province of Carinthia, ofwhich he is venerated as the evangelizer. He baptized 
two successivedukes of Carinthia at Salzburg (Chetimar and Vetune). His 
influence isrevealed by the issuance during the time of duke Chetimar of 
aCarinthian coin, an old Salzburg rubentaler, with the images of SaintRupert, 
who built Saint Peter's monastery, and Virgil. He fell ill anddied soon after 
making a visitation in Carinthia, going as far as theplace 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). Virgilis the patron of Salzburg, Austria (Farmer).St. 
Cungar, Abbot(Congar, Cumgar, Cyngar, 
Docco),-----------------------------------------------------------Born in 
Devon; 6th century; feast day formerly on November 7 (althoughthis could be a 
different saint). There may be several saints with thisname or only one with 
two names. It's difficult to determine because ofthe paucity of documentary 
evidence. His "vita" was not produced untilthe 9th century, and it is 
moralistic rather than historical in nature.Nevertheless the memory of Saint 
Cungar survives in the monasteries hefounded 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 
thegreat monks who evangelized throughout the Celtic lands. It is amazingthat 
his name survived the influx of the heathen Saxons in his day,which again leads 
to the conclusion that he was an especially greatmissionary preacher. He is to 
be identified with Saint Docuinus(Doguinus). This seems to be the name that was 
later corrupted into Oueand Kew. Saint Cumgar was buried at Congresbury 
according to manymedieval records including pilgrim guides, to which town his 
own namewas given (Attwater 2, Benedictines, Coulson, Farmer).St. Edwold of 
Cerne, Hermit-----------------------------------------------------------Died 
871; Farmer gives him two feast days: August 29 and the feast ofhis 
translation, August 12. Saint Edwold is reputed to be the brotherof Saint 
Edmund the Martyr (f.d. November 20), king of East Anglia. Helived on bread and 
water as a hermit near Cerne in Dorsetshire. Heworked many miracles and was 
buried in his cell near which the abbey ofSaint Peter's was built. His relics 
were later translated into itschurch (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.htmThese Lives are archived 
at:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

Reply via email to