Celtic and Old English Saints 30 September =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Honorius of Canterbury * St. Midan of Anglesey * St. Enghenedl of Wales * St. Lery of Brittany * Ss. Tancred, Torthred, and Tova =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
St. Honorius of Canterbury, Bishop ------------------------------------------------ Born in Rome, Italy; died at Canterbury, England, on September 30, 653. Saint Gregory the Great (f.d. September 3) chose the monk Honorius to evangelize England because of his great virtue and learning. Honorius succeeded Saint Justus (f.d. November 10) as archbishop of Canterbury, was consecrated at Lincoln by Bishop Saint Paulinus (f.d. October 10). He received the pallium sent from Rome by Pope Honorius I, together with a letter by the Pope's hand stating that whenever the sees of York or Canterbury became vacant, the surviving archbishop should consecrated the duly selected successor of the other. During Honorius's episcopacy, the faith spread throughout the island and took root in many hearts. He carefully selected and trained his clergy to ensure their commitment to the Gospel (Bonniwell, Husenbeth). St. Midan (Nidan) ------------------------ Died c. 610. Two of those who accompanied Kentigern on his return from Cwymru (Wales) to Strathclyde were St Nidan and St Finan. Nidan is still remembered in Wales, having had his name attached to the parish of Llanidan on the Menai Strait in Anglesea. Nidan was the grandson of Pasgen, son of Urien Rheged, and was thus a cousin of St Kentigern who was the son of Owain, another of Urien's sons. This might suggest that he may have been one of Mungo's companions when he journeyed to Wales to escape from the dangers which threatened his safety in the kingdom of Strathclyde. It is also said that Nidan followed his master as ab of the Andat (parent community) of Kynor near Huntly. The two churches bearing Nidan's name, at Strathdon and Midmar, are certainly of ancient origin. Both, interestingly, lie near to, or as part of, a motte of Norman origin. There was a chapel within the walls of the Norman motte and bailey at Invernochty which is known to have served as the parish church for many years. However, the mound is known as the Doune of Invernochty - doune, from the Celtic word dun, a fort, tells us that this was a seat of power for the Picts long before the Anglo.Norman infiltration of Alba. It is entirely probable then that this dun would have been an irresistible magnet to the missionaries who came with Kentigern and who looked to found their churches at important Pictish settlements. At Midmar, the church lies a little to the east of a mound known as the Cunningar which served as the centre of administration for that part of the Pictish province of Mar known as Midmar. Somewhat to the north of this site there is a very ancient druidic stone circle with its recumbent stone. Obviously, this was an important centre of population for the local Pictish tribes and would have been a natural focus for the missionary work of Nidan. In the same way, Nidan's colleague St Finan established a church at another of the important administration centres of the province at Migvie, from which Cromar was governed. For a map and some photographs please see http://www.cushnieent.force9.co.uk/CelticEra/Saints/saints_nidan.htm Troparion of St Midan tone 8 Amongst Angelsey's adornment of Saints,/ thy virtuous life shines forth to illumine these islands, O Father Midan./ We pray thee to intercede with Christ our God/ that His mercy, and not our weakness, will prevail that our souls may be saved. St. Enghenedl of Wales --------------------------------- Died 7th century. Nothing is known about the life of the Welsh Saint Enghenedl to whom a church is dedicated in Anglesey (Benedictines). St. Laurus (Leri, Lery) of Brittany, Abbot ------------------------------------------------------- Born in Wales, 7th century. Saint Laurus migrated to Brittany, where he became the abbot-founder of the monastery later known as Saint-Lery on the Doneff River. He knew how to give all to God (Benedictines, Encyclopaedia). Ss. Tancred, Torthred, and Tova, Hermits ---------------------------------------------------------- Died at Thorney, Cambridgeshire, England, in 870. Very little is known of these hermits from Thorney, except that Tancred and Torthred were men; Tova, a woman. According to the 12th-century Pseudo-Ingulph, which may be based on older texts, they were martyred by Danish invaders. They were venerated at their shrine at Thorney before the end of the first millenium. Their bodies were translated by Saint Ethelwold (f.d. August 1) (Farmer). Sources: ======== Benedictine Monks of St. Augustine Abbey, Ramsgate. (1947). The Book of Saints. NY: Macmillan. Encyclopaedia of Catholic Saints, September. (1966). Philadelphia: Chilton Books. Farmer, D. H. (1997). The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Husenbeth, Rev. F. C., DD, VG (ed.). (1928). Butler's Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints. London: Virtue & Co. For All the Saints: http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/ss-index.htm These Lives are archived at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints *****************************************
