Celtic and Old English Saints 12 December =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Finnian of Clonard * St. Columba of Tyrdaglas * St. Cormac * St. Edburga of Thanet * St. Colman of Glendalough * St. Corentin * St. Agatha of Wimborne =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
St. Finnian of Clonard, Bishop (Finian, Finden, Vennianus, Vinnianus) -------------------------------------------------------- Born in Leinster, Ireland, c. 470; died at Clonard (Cluain-Irard) Abbey in Meath, Ireland, December 12, c. 552 (but the date ranges from 549-564). Saint Finnian was an Irish monk who followed in the path of Saint Patrick, whose disciples, including Saint Fortchern (f.d. February 17), instructed him in the essentials of Christian virtue, and himself initiated a strict form of Irish monasticism. Along with Saint Enda of Aran (f.d. March 21), he is regarded as the founder of Irish monasticism. He had close relations with the British Church. He is said to have been born into a noble family at Myshall, County Carlow, Ireland. He probably also received his education in that district, where he also made his first three foundations at Rossacurra, Drumfea, and Kilmaglush. Thereafter, he spent several years in Wales, where he was trained in monasticism by Saints Cadoc of Llancarfan (f.d. September 25), David of Menevia (f.d. March 1), and Gildas (f.d. January 29). He lived on bread, herbs, and water, and on the bare ground with a stone for his pillow. About 520, Finnian returned to Ireland, armed with the sanctity and sacred learning to reinvigorate the faith of his countrymen. To further God's work, he founded churches and several monasteries, including Aghowle (County Wicklow) and Mugna Sulcain. His most notable foundation was Clonard on the Boyne in Meath, which was the greatest school of the period, renowned for several centuries for its biblical studies (Finnian was a great Biblical scholar). During his abbacy, he is said to have gathered 3,000 disciples at Clonard. As each left the monastery to preach, he took with him a Book of the Gospels, a crozier, and a reliquary around which he would built a church or monastery. The rule of Clonard is believed to be based on the Rule of Lerins. Finnian corresponded with Saint Gildas on matters of monastic discipline, who had deplored the intrusion of wealth and power into the episcopal office in Britain. Perhaps this was an influence in development of a monastic rather than episcopal government within the Irish Church. He is often called the "Teacher of Irish Saints." At one time his pupils at Clonard included the so-called Twelve Apostles of Ireland: Brendan of Birr (f.d. November 29) Brendan the Voyager (f.d. May 16) Cainnech (f.d. October 11) Ciaran of Clommacnois (f.d. September 9) Columba of Iona (f.d. June 9) Columba of Terryglass (f.d. today) Comgall of Bangor (f.d. May 11) Finian of Moville (f.d. September 10) Kieran of Saigher (f.d. March 5) Mobhi (f.d. October 12) Molaise (Laserian) of Devendish (f.d. August 12) Ninidh of Inismacsaint (f.d. January 18) Ruadhan of Lothra (f.d. April 15) Sinell of Cleenish (f.d.October 12). (You might note that this is more than 12; this is a very elastic twelve with different saints added at different times) He died at Clonard of the yellow plague, which swept the country. According to his biographer: "As Paul died in Rome for the sake of the Christian people lest they should all perish in hell, so Finnian died at Clonard for the sake of the people of the Gael, that they might not all perish of the yellow pest." His relics were enshrined at Clonard until they were destroyed in 887. His monastery at Clonard survived the Viking raids, Norman aggressions, and native strife, but not the Reformation, at which time it was suppressed. At one point Clonard was converted into a house of Augustinian canons, from whom there survives an office of Saint Finnian with some elements taken from an otherwise unknown source. The Protestant church of Clonard now houses an 11th-century, grey marble baptismal font with figures from the Scriptures sculpted on its eight panels as well as a stone head from the former abbey. All other traces of Finnian's tomb, church, and abbey have been eradicated. The contemporary collection of regulations for penitents, ascribed to Vinnianus, was probably not the work of this Finnian but perhaps by Finnian of Moville (f.d. September 10; d. c. 579). This oldest surviving penitentiary is based on Welsh and Irish sources, as well as on those of Saints Jerome (f.d. September 30) and John Cassian (f.d. July 23), and influenced a similar work by Saint Columbanus (f.d. November 23). The feast of Saint Finnian is observed throughout Ireland (Attwater, Attwater 2, Benedictines, Coulson, D'Arcy, Delaney, Encyclopaedia, Farmer, Healy, Husenbeth, Montague, Ryan). Troparion of St Finnian of Clonard tone 8 Truly thou art the 'Tutor of the Saints of Ireland', O Founder of Clonard, great Father Finnian./ As thou didst tirelessly teach the faith in thy native land,/ so teach us to follow thy example that many may come to know Christ and be led into the Way of Salvation. St. Columba (Colm) of Tyrdaglas, Abbot -------------------------------------------------------- Born in Leinster, Ireland; died 548; feast may also be December 13. Saint Columba, son of the Leinster noble named Crimthain, was a disciple of Saint Finnian (f.d. today) and himself became a great master of the spiritual life. Finnian often had Saint Senach (f.d. March 8) keep an eye on the younger seminarians at Clonard. Once Senach reported back to the holy abbot that he found Columba kneeling in prayer, oblivious to everything about him, with his arms stretched out to heaven and the birds alighting on his shoulders. Finnian replied, "He is the one who will offer the Holy Sacrifice for me at my death." After founding and governing the monastery of Tyrdaglas on the Shannon in Munster, Saint Columba died of the plague. He is generally described as one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is also the co-founder of Clonenagh with Saint Fintan (f.d. February 17) who became its second abbot, and of Iniscaltra (Holy Island in the Shannon) (Benedictines, D'Arcy, Healy, Husenbeth, Montague, Ryan). Troparion of St Columba of Leinster tone 8 O pious Columba, as a disciple of our Father Finnian and a renowned struggler, thou didst shine forth in the ascetic life./ O Ireland's treasure, cease not to pray for those who labour, weeping and repenting, for the salvation of their souls. St. Cormac, Abbot -------------------------------------------------------- 6th century. The eminently holy, ancient Irish abbot, Saint Cormac, was friend of Saint Columba (f.d. June 9), according to Adamnan (Benedictines, Husenbeth). St. Edburga (Eadburh) of Thanet, Abbess & Virgin -------------------------------------------------------- Died 751. Saint Edburga, one of the royal family of Kent, succeeded Saint Mildred (f.d. July 13) as abbess of Minster in Thanet. She is known chiefly from Saint Boniface's (f.d. June 5) letters to her, in which he thanks her for books, altar vestments, and other 'tokens of affection' she had sent him and for the 'spiritual light' conveyed in her letters. She had a new church built for her convent at Minster to which she translated the relics of Saint Mildred. Edburga is also known for her talent as a calligrapher. Her own relics were translated to Saint Gregory's Church in Canterbury in 1055 (Attwater, Attwater 2, Benedictines, Coulson, Husenbeth). St. Colman of Glendalough, Abbot -------------------------------------------------------- Died 659. An abbot Colman of Glendalough is mentioned in the Irish calendars (Benedictines, Husenbeth). Troparion of St Colman of Glendalough tone 8 Giving thy life to Christ in monastic poverty, thou didst teach us a God-pleasing set of values, O Father Colman./ Wherefore intercede with Christ our God that He will instil in us constancy of faith, patience in trials and freedom from worldliness that we may be found worthy of His great mercy. St. Corentin (Cury) -------------------------------------------------------- Died c. 490 (though some claim him for the 6th century); a second feast day on May 1 is probably in honour of his translation. There may be some confusion between Corentinus, first bishop of Cornouaille (Quimper), Brittany, and the saintly founder and patron of Cury (Corentin) on Lizard Island of Cornwall (died 401?) whose feast is also today, and whose cultus spread throughout southwestern England and Wales. This second was a hermit at the foot of Mount Menehont in Devonshire, who preached with great success and is said to have died there. They may be two people or one; however, in 1890, a fresco was discovered at Breage (the mother-church of Lizard), which depicts Saint Corentin/Cury in a cope and mitre with the pastoral staff of a bishop. Beside him is a fish, from which he was reputed to have cut and eaten one slice each day, without any diminution in the size of the fish. The story that unites the two claims that Corentin was a Celtic hermit who retired to the forest of Plomodiern, where he lived in solitude for several years. After the death of Marcellus, who had subscribed to the first council of Tours, and the several other British bishops who migrated to Brittany, new pastors were needed for the British in Armorica who were familiar with the language and customs. Thus, Corentin was recruited and consecrated bishop by Saint Martin of Tours ((f.d. November 11), who had been dead for some time). It is said that Count Grallo I of Cornouaille (died c. 445) gave his palace at Quimper to serve as the home and cathedral of the new bishop. An ancient cross stands near his church. Corentin participated in the council of Angers in 453 and signed the canons under the name Charaton. He was said to have been a friend of Guennole (?). Corentin's relics were translated to Marmoutier at Tours in 878 to protect them from destruction at the hands of the Normans (Attwater 2, Benedictines, Coulson, Encyclopaedia, Farmer, Husenbeth). St. Agatha of Wimborne, Nun -------------------------------------------------------- Died c. 790. Saint Agatha, a Benedictine nun at Wimborne, crossed the English Channel to Germany with her mentor Saint Lioba (f.d. September 28) in order to help Saint Boniface (f.d. June 5) in his missionary labours (Benedictines). Sources: ======== Attwater, D. (1983). The Penguin Dictionary of Saints, 2nd edition, revised and updated by Catherine Rachel John. New York: Penguin Books. Benedictine Monks of St. Augustine Abbey, Ramsgate. (1947). The Book of Saints. NY: Macmillan. Coulson, J. (ed.). (1960). The Saints: A Concise Biographical Dictionary. New York: Hawthorn Books. 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. New York: Doubleday Image. Encyclopaedia of Catholic Saints, October. (1966). Philadelphia: Chilton Books. Farmer, D. H. (1997). The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Oxford: Oxford University 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. Montague, H. P. (1981). The Saints and Martyrs of Ireland. Guildford: Billing & Sons. Ryan, J. (1931). Irish Monasticism. Dublin: Talbot Press. 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 ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
