[celt-saints] 28 September #2
Celtic and Old English Saints 28 September =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Conwall of Scotland * St. Machan of Scotland * St. Lioba of Bischoffsheim * St. Tetta of Wimborne * St. Sinach Mac Dara =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= St. Sinach Mac Dara September 28 is the feastday of an island hermit saint of the west, Sinach Mac Dara. Mac Dara is still used today as a Christian name for Irish males in the Connemara Gaeltacht area. Below is an account of Saint Mac Dara's life and some interesting folk traditions associated with him, from O'Hanlon's Lives of the Irish Saints. ST. SINACH MAC DARA, OF INIS CRUACH MAC DARA, COUNTY OF GALWAY. OF this holy anchorite little is positively known, and yet his name and veneration have survived for many ages. He is much venerated by inhabitants on the western shores of Galway. He must have flourished at a very early period, however, and most probably at a time, when his remote position secluded him from cognizance of our ancient chroniclers. Tradition asserts, that the name of our Saint's father was Dara ; and Sinach, his own peculiar name, was placed before Mac Dara, that by which he is now popularly known. However, the St. Mac Dara of the western coasts should be called Sionnach, which was his real name. At the 28th of September, Marianus O'Gorman sets down Sinach in his Festilogy. His commentator has a note appended to his name which states, that he was from Cruach mac Daro. From other Irish Martyrologies regarding this saint, we can glean no particulars. On the south-western shore of a peninsula, anciently called Iorrasainteach, lies a small Island, presenting to the sea on all sides rocks which are high and precipitous, except towards the eastern part, where boats can safely touch. The appearance of this Island from a distance, coupled with its relation to our saint, gave it the name of Cruach Mac Dara, which when anglicised means, "The Rick of Mac Dara," or ''The Island of Mac Dara." Near the landing place on this Island, St. Sinach Mac Dara is supposed to have built a small stone church, the ruins of which yet remain, and are in a good state of preservation. Besides this ruin, a circular or rather oval stone-house, twenty-four feet by eighteen, with walls seven feet in thickness, is yet to be seen, although in a very dilapidated condition. This was probably our saint's usual habitation, and the church might have been chiefly in use, as an oratory. At the distance of 300 feet from this church, and on its northern side, a square altar, surmounted by a cross, and a holy well near it, are pointed out to strangers. Both are dedicated to St. Mac Dara. He seems to have led a secluded life on the Island bearing his name, and one devoted to the practice of most austere religious rules and duties. According to a custom, usual in our old Irish churches, the wooden statue of this saint was preserved in his chapel for many centuries subsequent to his death-this image being commemorative of the founder and patron, whose intercession was invoked. However, for special weighty reasons, the Archbishop of Tuam, Malachy Queely, caused its removal during the time of his incumbency, and had it buried under the ground. Besides the veneration paid our saint on this Island, the inhabitants of Moyrus Parish, on the shore of the opposite mainland, point out the ruins of an old parish church, which is dedicated to him. There, in the time of Roderick O'Flaherty, [i.e. the 17th century] "his altar stone, by the name of Leac Sinach," was kept as a venerable relic... Here, the coast inhabitants, who are principally fishermen, assemble on the 16th of July each year, to celebrate the festival of their patron of Moyrus parish. At this date, however, we find no mention of Sinach Mac Dara, in our Martyrologies. The principal festival of our saint is noted in the Irish Calendar, as occurring on the 28th day of September. This day may probably be assigned, as that for his departure. Many miraculous occurrences are recorded, and some superstitious observances are said to have been practised in connection with this saint's memory by recurring to local tradition. One of the latter practices was the collection of Dunleasg or salt sea-leaf, at low water, by women, in order to obtain the release of some friend in captivity : this reprieve, however, they expected should be obtained chiefly through the intercession of our saint. This practice of gathering Dunleasg has been disused for many years past ; although old people are yet living, who remember its frequent observance. In the time of Roderick O' Flaherty, it was customary for all boats, passing between Mason-head and the Island, to lower their sails three times, in honour of Mac Dara. In the year 1672, a certain captain of Galway garrison, passing without the usual mark of reverence, experienced such a violent g
[celt-saints] 28 September
Celtic and Old English Saints 28 September
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
* St. Conwall of Scotland
* St. Machan of Scotland
* St. Lioba of Bischoffsheim
* St. Tetta of Wimborne
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
St. Conwall (Conval) of Scotland
Died c. 630. The Irish priest, Conwall, was a disciple of Saint
Kentigern (f.d. January 14) who preached and died in Scotland
(Benedictines).
Troparion of St Conwall tone 8
Taking to heart Christ's holy command, thou didst preach His Gospel to
the nation of the Picts,/ O Father Conwall, setting us a laudable
example./ Pray that we may be granted strength also to witness for
Christ until our last breath,/ that having lived only for Him, we may be
made worthy to enter His Kingdom.
St. Machan of Scotland, Bishop
---
Date unknown. A Scottish saint trained in Ireland and consecrated
bishop in Rome (Benedictines). St. Machan, who is commemorated in
Ecelesmachan in Linlithgowshire, is said to have been a disciple of St.
Cadoc of Llancarvan; if so, he was contemporary with Kentigern.
We know almost nothing about him. There was a fair formerly held at
Ballasalla on September 29th, which, though held on St. Michael the
Archangel's day, may have been previously dedicated to St. Machan.
In the Inquest of David I made about 1116 AD when he was Prince of
Cumbria, concerning the lands belonging to the Church of Glasgow a
number of old churches can be recognised.Among them is the name
Mecheyn, i.e. Machan. 'When Cadoc quitted Scotland, on his way back to
Wales, he left behind him an earnests worker to develop his mission
among the Britons and the Picts. He was Machan , who had been trained in
Ireland, but who now devoted the rest of his life...to the Clyde Valley.
One of his centres was Dalserf, a parish formerly known as Machanshire.
In the north end of the parish there is a property still called Machan,
or Auld Machan, while t he whole of the higher and bleaker lands to the
south, between Auld Machan and Draffan in the parish of Lesmahagow, are
still entitled Machanshire or Machanmuir.
St. Lioba (Liobgytha) of Bischoffsheim, Abbess Virgin
--
Born at Wimborne, Dorsetshire, England; died at Schornsheim (near
Mainz), Germany, c. 779.
Saint Lioba's mother, descended of an illustrious family and closely
related to Saint Boniface (f.d. June 5), had been barren
for a long time before the saint was born. Nevertheless, Ebba
immediately offered her to God and raised her in piety. She
received her first education at Minster-in-Thanet. While Lioba was
still young, she was placed in the care of the king's sister Saint Tetta
(f.d. today) at the Benedictine convent in Wimborne (Winburn or
"fountain of wine"). Lioba matured spiritually and emotionally under
Tetta's tutelage, and eventually took the religious veil.
Tetta also ensured that she had a good education. Letters to Boniface
reveal that Lioba understood and wrote verse in Latin. She limited her
reading, however, to books that would stir her spirit to love of God.
She knew by heart the divine precepts of the Old and New Testaments, the
principal canons of the Church, the holy maxims of the Fathers, and the
rules of the monastic life.
Boniface kept in touch with his young relative through frequent
correspondence. Recognising her virtue and abilities, in 748, he
requested of her bishop and abbess that she be sent to him with about 30
pious companions to undertake charitable work with women in Germany.
Although Tetta regretted the loss of her protege, she could not refuse.
Upon their arrival in Germany, Boniface settled the women religious at
Tauberbischofsheim ("bishop's home," possibly his own previous
residence). Lioba's zeal attracted so many vocations that her convent
was populating many other foundations throughout the country. Lioba's
convents were one of the most powerful factors in the conversion of
Germany.
The saint organised her convents in the true monastic tradition with a
combination of manual labour (in scriptorium, kitchen,
bakery, brewery, and garden), intellectual study (all had to learn
Latin), community devotions, and leisure. No extreme austerities were
permitted to interfere with the corporate life established by the Rule.
Her love of God was so appealing. She was always ready to set her hand
to any task she might ask of others and did it with cheer and modesty.
It is said that she was beautiful, that her countenance was angelic, and
that her nuns loved her. Perhaps this is so because Lioba took to heart
Saint Paul advice: "Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves"
(Philippians 2:3) and "anticipate one another in showing honour" (Romans
12:9b). Thus, Lioba often washed the feet of her sisters in emulation
of her Lord. The corporal acts of mercy were her del
[celt-saints] 28 September
Celtic and Old English Saints 28 September
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
* St. Conwall of Scotland
* St. Machan of Scotland
* St. Lioba of Bischoffsheim
* St. Tetta of Wimborne
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
St. Conwall (Conval) of Scotland
Died c. 630. The Irish priest, Conwall, was a disciple of Saint
Kentigern (f.d. January 14) who preached and died in Scotland
(Benedictines).
Troparion of St Conwall tone 8
Taking to heart Christ's holy command, thou didst preach His Gospel to
the nation of the Picts,/ O Father Conwall, setting us a laudable
example./ Pray that we may be granted strength also to witness for
Christ until our last breath,/ that having lived only for Him, we may be
made worthy to enter His Kingdom.
St. Machan of Scotland, Bishop
---
Date unknown. A Scottish saint trained in Ireland and consecrated
bishop in Rome (Benedictines). St. Machan, who is commemorated in
Ecelesmachan in Linlithgowshire, is said to have been a disciple of St.
Cadoc of Llancarvan; if so, he was contemporary with Kentigern.
We know almost nothing about him. There was a fair formerly held at
Ballasalla on September 29th, which, though held on St. Michael the
Archangel's day, may have been previously dedicated to St. Machan.
In the Inquest of David I made about 1116 AD when he was Prince of
Cumbria, concerning the lands belonging to the Church of Glasgow a
number of old churches can be recognised.Among them is the name
Mecheyn, i.e. Machan. 'When Cadoc quitted Scotland, on his way back to
Wales, he left behind him an earnests worker to develop his mission
among the Britons and the Picts. He was Machan , who had been trained in
Ireland, but who now devoted the rest of his life...to the Clyde Valley.
One of his centres was Dalserf, a parish formerly known as Machanshire.
In the north end of the parish there is a property still called Machan,
or Auld Machan, while t he whole of the higher and bleaker lands to the
south, between Auld Machan and Draffan in the parish of Lesmahagow, are
still entitled Machanshire or Machanmuir.
St. Lioba (Liobgytha) of Bischoffsheim, Abbess Virgin
--
Born at Wimborne, Dorsetshire, England; died at Schornsheim (near
Mainz), Germany, c. 779.
Saint Lioba's mother, descended of an illustrious family and closely
related to Saint Boniface (f.d. June 5), had been barren
for a long time before the saint was born. Nevertheless, Ebba
immediately offered her to God and raised her in piety. She
received her first education at Minster-in-Thanet. While Lioba was
still young, she was placed in the care of the king's sister Saint Tetta
(f.d. today) at the Benedictine convent in Wimborne (Winburn or
"fountain of wine"). Lioba matured spiritually and emotionally under
Tetta's tutelage, and eventually took the religious veil.
Tetta also ensured that she had a good education. Letters to Boniface
reveal that Lioba understood and wrote verse in Latin. She limited her
reading, however, to books that would stir her spirit to love of God.
She knew by heart the divine precepts of the Old and New Testaments, the
principal canons of the Church, the holy maxims of the Fathers, and the
rules of the monastic life.
Boniface kept in touch with his young relative through frequent
correspondence. Recognising her virtue and abilities, in 748, he
requested of her bishop and abbess that she be sent to him with about 30
pious companions to undertake charitable work with women in Germany.
Although Tetta regretted the loss of her protege, she could not refuse.
Upon their arrival in Germany, Boniface settled the women religious at
Tauberbischofsheim ("bishop's home," possibly his own previous
residence). Lioba's zeal attracted so many vocations that her convent
was populating many other foundations throughout the country. Lioba's
convents were one of the most powerful factors in the conversion of
Germany.
The saint organised her convents in the true monastic tradition with a
combination of manual labour (in scriptorium, kitchen,
bakery, brewery, and garden), intellectual study (all had to learn
Latin), community devotions, and leisure. No extreme austerities were
permitted to interfere with the corporate life established by the Rule.
Her love of God was so appealing. She was always ready to set her hand
to any task she might ask of others and did it with cheer and modesty.
It is said that she was beautiful, that her countenance was angelic, and
that her nuns loved her. Perhaps this is so because Lioba took to heart
Saint Paul advice: "Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves"
(Philippians 2:3) and "anticipate one another in showing honour" (Romans
12:9b). Thus, Lioba often washed the feet of her sisters in emulation
of her Lord. The corporal acts of mercy were her del
