[celt-saints] 20 October #2
Celtic and Old English Saints 20 October =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Bradan of the Isle of Man * St. Orora of the Isle of Man * St. Aidan of Mayo * St. Acca of Hexham * St. Fintan Moeldubh of Durrow =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Saint Fintan or 'Fintan Moeldubh', who may have been especially venerated as a patron of Ossory, a kingdom and diocese of south-central Ireland. Confusion arises, as we shall see, because some of the Irish calendars list 'Fintan Moeldubh' as a single individual, while others suggest that there is both a Fintan and a Moeldubh commemorated on this day as two separate individuals. Saint Fintan Moeldubh is traditionally held to have been the second abbot of the monastic school of Clonenagh. The evidence, and the difficulties it presents, has been examined by a 19th-century writer on the history of the Diocese of Ossory, Father Edward Carrigan: St Fintan of Durrow, Co Laois DURROW In the Annals of the Four Masters, Durrow is referred to as Daurmhagh Ua nDuach; and, in the Martyrology of Donegal, as Dermhagh Ua nDuach. Both forms of the name signify the same thing, viz., the Oak Plain in [the territory of] Ui Duach. St. Fintan was formerly the Patron of Durrow. His feast was celebrated here, according to Bishop Phelan's List, on the 16th Nov. It is impossible, however, to identify the Saint with any degree of certainty. The likelihood is, that he is identical with a St. Fintan, by some, surnamed Moeldubh. St. Fintan Moeldubh was the second Abbot of Clonenagh, having been appointed to that office by the founder of the monastery himself, St. Fintan macGaibhrene ui Echach, as he lay on his death-bed: "When, therefore, his [i.e. St. Fintan macGaibhrene's] death was near at hand, knowing the day of his departure, he called his people around him, and, with the permission and blessing of the brethren and the saints who had come to visit him, their holy father, he himself appointed in his seat after him, a man noble by race and morals, and named by the same name, i.e. Fintan Moeldubh." In 599 or 600. St. Fintan Moeldubh administered the last rites of the Church to St. Canice, when dying, at Aghaboe. At this time he may have been in charge of the monastery of Durrow for he cannot have succeeded to the abbacy of Clonenagh till some years later, if it be true, as recorded in the Three Fragments of Annals, that St. Fintan macGaibhrene ui Echach did not die till 610. St. Fintan Moeldubh died, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, in 626. The difficulty of a satisfactory identification of the Patron of Durrow is rather increased than otherwise by our Irish Martyrologies, as will appear from the following: (a) The text of the Calendar of Aengus, at Oct. 20th, has the quatrain: "Fintan Moeldubh-great that shout!- A fair sun at that mountain Of those splendid Eoganacht." On this passage, Aengus's scholiast, in the Leabhar Breac, comments as follows: "Fintan Moeldubh, i.e. Fintan Moeldubh in Ui Duach in Ossory, and of the Eoganacht Chaisil is he, and at Dermag Hua nDuach in the north of Ossory he is. Or, Fintan and Maeldubh are two saints, and in Cluain Immorroiss in Offaly is Maeldubh, and, quod verius [est], he was also brother of St. Comhghan of Glenn Uissen. "Now as to Maeldubh, some say that he was of the Eoganacht Chaisil. However, according to the truth of the history of the men of Ireland, he is of the seed of Brian, son of Echaid Muidmedon. .Maeldub, son of Amalgaid, son of Fothad, son of Conall glun, son of Brian, son of Echaid Muidmedon. "And it is that Maeldub that took Fechin of Fore into fosterage with him, and sent him to learning." (b) The Martyrology of Donegal, at the same day (Oct. 20), commemorates Fintan and Maeldubh, as two distinct saints, thus: "Maeldubh, son of Amhalgaidh, of Cluain-Immorrois in Ui Failghe; or of Dermagh in Ui Duach in the north of Ossory. He was of the race of Brian, son of Eochaidh Muighmedhoin. "Fionntain, of Derrnagh in Ui Duach." (c) Similarly, at the same day, the Martyrology of Tallaght has the two separate entries: "Fintani. Maelduibh." (d) Again, on the same day, the Calendar of Cashel has: "St. Fintan Maeldubh of the territory of Eoghanacht Cassil, and the instructor of St. Fechin: that he is also sprung from the same territory of Munster, Marianus O'Gorman and Aengus Increased, testify at the cited day." These extracts help to establish one point, at least, and that is, that the feast-day of the St. Fintan, venerated as patron at Durrow, was not the 16th Nov., as Bishop Phelan's List states, but the 20th of October. The traditions of Durrow throw no light on St. Fintan's history; neither do they preserve the memory of his festival day. His holy well, called "Fintan's Well," or rather " Fantan's Well," is within Lord Ashbrook's demesne, at the distance of about 100 yards from Durrow bridge. At its head, firmly embedded in the
[celt-saints] 20 October
Celtic and Old English Saints 20 October =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Bradan of the Isle of Man * St. Orora of the Isle of Man * St. Aidan of Mayo * St. Acca of Hexham =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= St. Bradan.Bishop of the Isle of Man and St. Orora of the Isle of Man (Crora ) --- Dates unknown. Bradan and Orora are venerated in the Isle of Man, but their story has been lost. Bishop Mark of Sodor held a synod in the church of Saint Bradan (Kirk-Braddan), near Douglas, in 1291. A 16th-century map references the churches of SS Patrick and Crora (Benedictines). St. Aidan, Bishop of Mayo --- Died 768. Aidan was an Irish bishop in Mayo of whom nothing more is known (Benedictines, Husenbeth). St. Acca, Bishop of Hexham, Friend of Saint Bede Born in Northumbria, England, c. 660; died 742; feast day can be October 19; feast of translation is February 19. From his youth Acca had been close to other saints of the time. He was raised in the household of Saint Bosa of York and became a disciple and constant companion of Saint Wilfrid, whom he accompanied for 13 years to England, Frisia, and Rome (and in the last, says Bede, 'learning many valuable things about the organisation of the church which he could not have found out in his own country'). When Wilfrid was ill at Meaux in 705, he told Acca the story of his vision. Later, on his deathbed, Wilfrid named Acca abbot of Saint Andrew's in Hexham. Acca was also a friend of the Venerable Bede, who described him as "great in the sight of God and man" and who dedicated several works in his honour. For his part, Acca urged Bede to write a simple commentary on Luke because that completed by Saint Ambrose was too long and diffuse. He also supplied material to Bede for the Ecclesiastical history and to Eddius for his life of Saint Wilfrid. Saint Wilfrid was the first English prelate to appeal to Rome in a dispute. Acca, who succeeded Wilfrid in the see of Hexham in 709, also believed that the English Church needed to be brought into line with Roman customs--liturgically rather than legally. Bede writes, "He invited a famous singer named Maban, who had been trained by the followers of Pope Gregory's disciples in Kent, to come and teach him and his clergy." Maban, a monk of Canterbury, taught church music for 12 years--reviving old forgotten chants as well as bringing new ones. Acca also sang beautifully, according to Bede, and encouraged this revival by his own example. Acca loved the Scriptures and studied them diligently. He refurbished the churches with sacred vessels and lights. Above all he enlarged and beautified the cathedral of Saint Andrew in Hexham, and adorned it with altars, relics, and sacred vessels. He also finished three of Wilfrid's smaller churches. He also established a fine library to which scholars and students were drawn, all of whom received the patronage of Bishop Acca, one of the most learned Anglo-Saxon prelates of his day. Bede considered this library one of the finest collections available. For some reason Acca was forced out of his diocese in 732. He was exiled to Withern (Whithorn), Galloway (and may have been its bishop); but he returned before his death and was buried at Hexham. Two stone crosses decorated with grape vines adorned his tomb in the cathedral's east wall. The relics were translated in the late 11th century, at which time a portable altar inscribed "Almae Trinitati, agiae Sophiae, sanctae Mariae" was found in his coffin. They were again translated in 1154 and 1240 (Benedictines, Bentley, Encyclopaedia, Farmer). He is generally depicted in art as an abbot or bishop in a library with monks, sometimes with the Venerable Bede (Roeder). Lives kindly supplied by: For All the Saints: http://users.erols.com/saintpat/ss/ss-index.htm These Lives are archived at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints *
[celt-saints] 20 October
Celtic and Old English Saints 20 October =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Bradan of the Isle of Man * St. Orora of the Isle of Man * St. Aidan of Mayo * St. Acca of Hexham =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= St. Bradan.Bishop of the Isle of Man and St. Orora of the Isle of Man (Crora ) --- Dates unknown. Bradan and Orora are venerated in the Isle of Man, but their story has been lost. Bishop Mark of Sodor held a synod in the church of Saint Bradan (Kirk-Braddan), near Douglas, in 1291. A 16th-century map references the churches of SS Patrick and Crora (Benedictines). St. Aidan, Bishop of Mayo --- Died 768. Aidan was an Irish bishop in Mayo of whom nothing more is known (Benedictines, Husenbeth). St. Acca, Bishop of Hexham, Friend of Saint Bede Born in Northumbria, England, c. 660; died 742; feast day can be October 19; feast of translation is February 19. From his youth Acca had been close to other saints of the time. He was raised in the household of Saint Bosa of York and became a disciple and constant companion of Saint Wilfrid, whom he accompanied for 13 years to England, Frisia, and Rome (and in the last, says Bede, 'learning many valuable things about the organisation of the church which he could not have found out in his own country'). When Wilfrid was ill at Meaux in 705, he told Acca the story of his vision. Later, on his deathbed, Wilfrid named Acca abbot of Saint Andrew's in Hexham. Acca was also a friend of the Venerable Bede, who described him as "great in the sight of God and man" and who dedicated several works in his honour. For his part, Acca urged Bede to write a simple commentary on Luke because that completed by Saint Ambrose was too long and diffuse. He also supplied material to Bede for the Ecclesiastical history and to Eddius for his life of Saint Wilfrid. Saint Wilfrid was the first English prelate to appeal to Rome in a dispute. Acca, who succeeded Wilfrid in the see of Hexham in 709, also believed that the English Church needed to be brought into line with Roman customs--liturgically rather than legally. Bede writes, "He invited a famous singer named Maban, who had been trained by the followers of Pope Gregory's disciples in Kent, to come and teach him and his clergy." Maban, a monk of Canterbury, taught church music for 12 years--reviving old forgotten chants as well as bringing new ones. Acca also sang beautifully, according to Bede, and encouraged this revival by his own example. Acca loved the Scriptures and studied them diligently. He refurbished the churches with sacred vessels and lights. Above all he enlarged and beautified the cathedral of Saint Andrew in Hexham, and adorned it with altars, relics, and sacred vessels. He also finished three of Wilfrid's smaller churches. He also established a fine library to which scholars and students were drawn, all of whom received the patronage of Bishop Acca, one of the most learned Anglo-Saxon prelates of his day. Bede considered this library one of the finest collections available. For some reason Acca was forced out of his diocese in 732. He was exiled to Withern (Whithorn), Galloway (and may have been its bishop); but he returned before his death and was buried at Hexham. Two stone crosses decorated with grape vines adorned his tomb in the cathedral's east wall. The relics were translated in the late 11th century, at which time a portable altar inscribed "Almae Trinitati, agiae Sophiae, sanctae Mariae" was found in his coffin. They were again translated in 1154 and 1240 (Benedictines, Bentley, Encyclopaedia, Farmer). He is generally depicted in art as an abbot or bishop in a library with monks, sometimes with the Venerable Bede (Roeder). Lives kindly supplied by: For All the Saints: http://users.erols.com/saintpat/ss/ss-index.htm These Lives are archived at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints *
