'9 Since his return to Ireland in 1831, he
had endured incredible hardships, labours, and pains of all kinds, mental and physical,
in endeavouring to establish his community ; and he bore, with true Christian patience, the long and painful illness of which he died.
had endured incredible hardships, labours, and pains of all kinds, mental and physical,
in endeavouring to establish his community ; and he bore, with true Christian patience, the long and painful illness of which he died.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
From him the noble family of Butler de-
Dugdale's
Anglicanum, p. 1033.
its Taxation
origin.
"Its Taxation was 6s. 8d.
Alias,
also Latinized 106 Balliornan,
Dugdale's "Monasticon Anglicanum," p. 1029.
IO' See D'Alton's " of Ire- John History
land, from the earliest Period to the year 1245, when the Annals of Boyle, which are adopted, as the running Text authority terminate," vol. i. , pp. 179, 180.
June i2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 633
CHAPTER II.
SUPPOSEDPRIVILEGESOBTAINEDFROMPOPEINNOCENTII. , FORTHESEEOFCLOGHER— DEATH OF ST. CHRISTIAN O'MORGAIR—BURIED AT ARMAGH—COMMEMORATIONS— FOUNDATION OF MOUNT MELLERY IN IRELAND—AFFILIATE BRANCHES—CONCLU- SION.
Few additional particulars can be gleaned, in reference to St. Criostan or
Gillachrist O'Morgair. although he was such a distinguished prelate in the Irish
Church. It is remarked, as we are 1 in the of that informed, Registry Clogher,
the brother of the renowed St. Malachy obtained from Pope Innocent II. ,
that the fourth part of the Tithes, or the Episcopal part through all Ergall,
2 shouldbeallottedtotheBishopsofClogher. Ifsuchwerethecase,itmust
be observed, that his brother Christian had died before St. Malachy set out on his first visit to Rome, which was in the year n39 or 1 140. 3 Christian
O'Morgair's death took place in the year 1138. + Others have it at 1139, and again about ii4o;5 but, the first-mentioned date appears to be the correct one. We cannot doubt, but his departure from earth had proved an afflic- tion to his more renowned brother, the great St. Malachy O'Morgair, then Pri- mate of all Ireland. 6 Christian was buried in the church dedicated to Saints PeterandPaul,atArmagh. ? Thisholybishophasbeencommemoratedin the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, who flourished soon after his time. This St. Christinus has a place in Henry Fitzsimon's list of Irish Saints, but no date is there for his festival. 8 We find
in the
ology of Donegal,? at the 12th of June, that veneration was paid to Criostan
See at A. D. 1 1 quent. 37,
— White has Stephen
assigned
entered,
Martyr-
or Gillachrist Ua Morgair.
In a village called Melleray or Meilleraye in the Department of Loire- Inferieure,France,amonasteryofTrappistshadbeenestablished. 10 Incon- sequence of the French Revolution of 1830, which disturbed the kingdom, the venerable Abbot of the Cistercian Abbey of Melleray felt it to be his duty, as it was his most earnest desire, to make every effort to secure for his Irish children an asylum in their own country, for the institute had been threatened withdissolution. Hiscommunitythennumberednearlytwohundredmonks,and oftheseaconsiderablepartwasIrish. Withthisview,theAbbotdespatchedto Ireland his prior, the Very Rev. Father Vincent Ryan. " He arrived in Dublin inthemonthofJanuary,1831, andimmediatelywaitedonhisGraceMost
Chapterii. —' SeeHarris'Ware,vol. i. ,
"Bishops of Clogher," p. 180.
* The See of Clogher was situated in that
territory.
3 No doubt, Baronius in his "Annales
Ecclesiastici," places this visit of St. Malachy to Rome, in 1137, but his learned commen- tator Pagius has exposed the error of date, which he places at two or three years subse-
alsoadds,thatatthetimesthentreatedof,
there was no necessity for adding a year to those of the Irish Annals. See " Ecclesias-
tical History of Ireland," vol. iv. , chap. xxvii. , sect, ii. , n. 14, p. 107. But, Ur. Lanigan himself makes the same mis- take, in many of his dates, by the excess of a year, where there was no occasion for so
"
sect. \x. ,andnotes. 4 "The Age o: Christ, 1138. Gillachrist
Ua Morgair, Bishop of Clochar, a paragon in wisdom and piety; a brilliant lamp that en-
lightened the laity and clergy by preaching andgood deeds; a faithful and diligent servant of the Church in general, died, and was in- terred in the church of Peter and Paul at Ard-Macha. "—Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1058, 1059. Dr. Lanigan remarks, that Ware, although he found our saint's death noted down at 1138, yet thought that in reality it should be set down under 1 139. He
cap. iv. , p. 33.
6 See his Life, at the 3rd dayof November. 7 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xxiv. Martii, Vita S. Maccarthenni,
doing.
5 Father
circa annum salutis 1140. " "Apologia pro Hibernia,"
Appendix, cap. iv. , p. 742. 8"
See Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum
Ibernise. "—O'Sullivan
Catholicae Ibernise Compendium," tomusi. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 53.
9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
168, 169.
,0 See " Gazetteer of the World," vol. ix. ,
"
Beare's Historiae
634 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 12.
Rev. Dr. Murray, who warmly approved of the object he had view, and ex- pressed his desire that the enterprise might be successful. " Father Ryan had also an interview with the great Liberator of the Irish Catholics ; and Daniel O'Connell promised to assist by every means in his power, to build up his institute in Ireland. '3
A brief account of the Mount Melleray Abbey foundation of this order must prove interesting, especially to every Irish reader. Having but too much reason to apprehend, that the English-speaking portion of the com-
munity at Melleray in France should be forced by the revolutionary authori-
ties, to quit the monastery and the country, Father Vincent Ryan was obliged, after much anxious and fruitless search for a suitable place, to rent tempora-
rilyahouseandafarmatRathmore,inthecountyofKerry. These,how- ever, were not very well suited for the purposes of a monastery, nor were they to be had on very favourable terms. At length, towards the end of October, 1831, the Irish, English and Scotch monks of Melleray were violently torn from their peaceful dwelling, by the enemies of religion, and consigned for several days to a prison in Nantes. Finally, they were put on board a ship of war, and landed at Queenstown, on the 1st of December, 1831. In Queenstownand in Cork, the monks were most benignantly received. They were treated with greatest respect, kindness and hospitality by the inhabitants. In a few days, the whole fraternity were located in the house prepared for them at Rathmore. Meanwhile, the prior renewed his efforts to procure some site where he could establish his community and his order permanently. By the aid, and through the intervention of some ecclesiastical '* and other friends, Father Ryan finally came to terms with Sir Richard Kane for the present farm of Mount Melleray, stretching along the slopes of the Knock- maeldun mountains. It contain—s about 700 statute acres ; and, at that time, it was but a wild
—and barren waste no
any part of it for the soil was so light anil poor as to be deemed utterly irre- claimable. Not a single tree or hardly a shrub of any size grew upon it ; no- thingcouldbeseenallaroundbutthedarkbrownheath. Nohumanhabitation was there, except one small cottage in a glen at the southern extremity of the farm. Of this cottage—though anything but comfortable—Father Vincent Ryan took possession for his community, on the Eve of the Ascension, 30th ofMay,1832; and,onthefollowingday,hecelebratedtheDivineMysteries in it. He called the " because in it the Cistercian order
p. 197.
'u
Foremost among these were the Most
11
ford .
" At the same time, the Archbishop as-
sured Father Ryan, that it would be attended
with very great difficulties, which prediction
subsequent events fully verified—.
IJ The venerated founder for Father
Ryan became first Abbot of the Irish house of Mount Melleray—was received and enter- tained in Dublin during a period of five months, by Mr. and Mrs. Robert White of that city, while prosecuting the work of his mission,
Rev. Dr. Foran, then P. P. , of Dungarvan, and afterwards Bishop of Watei ford, and the Very Rev. Drs. Fogarty and Hally, curates to Dr. Foran, and afterwards Vicars- General and parish priests, the former of Lis- more, and the latter of Dungarvan.
'5
The Abbey of Mount St. Bernard, near Leicester in England, is, in some measure, a filiation of Mount Melleray, and it was from Mount Melleray also that the colony went forth which founded the Abbey of New Mel- leray, in the diocese of Dubuque, North America.
lie was a native of the city of Water-
attempthavingeverbeenmadetocultivate
cottage Bethlehem,"
receivedanewbirthinIreland; and,hegavethenameofMountMellerayto
the whole farm, in order to confound the wicked designs of the enemies of
religion in France, who had lately done their utmost to destroy Old Melleray, the mother house, and when they could not succeed in that, they had impiously
lopped off the Irish branch, with a view to its perishing. However, it took new root in native soil and flourished, while in a short time, it spread as a
June 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 635
tree and bore fruit in several subsequent foundations. 's The people of the
surrounding parishes, animated and encouraged by their pastors, resolved to aid the good work, at least by their labour ; and during some months, they came in bodies, varying from 200 to 2,000, of all ages and of both sexes. With great zeal and enthusiasm, they put up fences around and through the farm. SomeofthemonkswerecalledfromRathmoretoMountMelleray. Beforethe endof September, i832,theysucceeded in preparing about 25 acres of the moun- tain for cultivation. They built, likewise, near the site of the present Abbey, a house 120 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 17 feet high. On the 19th of Novem- ber, Mass and all the Canonical hours of the Divine Office were sung in that house; and thus did the praises of God resound for the first time on the desert waste. Incredible as it may appear, the monks planted, during two months of the spring in 1833, more than 17,000 trees of various kinds, and laid out a very extensive garden, in addition to their other labours of building, of breaking up, of preparing the ground, of burning lime, and of manuring. On the 20th of August, Feast of the great St. Bernard, the glory of the Cistercian Order, and in that same year, the first stone of the new abbey was solemnly blessed by the Most Rev. Bishop of the diocese, Dr. Abraham. It was laid by Sir Richard Keane, in presence of a considerable number of the clergy, and of not less probably than 20,000 of the people.
Towards the close of 1834, through the instrumentality of his Eminence Cardinal Weld, the new monastery was approved and erected into an Abbey by the Holy See. At the same time, it was recognised and affiliated to the Cistercian Family, by the Most Rev. Abbot General of the Order, residing at Rome. He confirmed the election of the Right Rev. Dom. Vincent Ryan as first Abbot, and delegated the Most Rev. Dr. Abraham to perform the ceremony of the Abbatial Benediction. This accordingly took place in the Bishop'sprivatechapelatWaterford,onSunday,the17thofMay,1835. It was the first time that this solemn and interesting ceremony had been performed
in for Ireland,
more than 200
16
Owing
to want of
probably
the building of Melleray Abbey proceeded but slowly. It was only towards, the end of 1838, that the interior works of the church were sufficiently ad-
vanced—though far from being completed—to admit of Divine service being
performed in it. On Saturday evening, the 21st of October, during that year, the Blessed Sacrament was solemnly placed in the tabernacle, and im- mediately after, vespers were sung for the first time in the new church. On
20th of August, and was received by the Abbot and community in the solemn manner prescribed by the Ritual of the Cistercian Order for the reception of distinguished per- sonagea in Church and State. The great Liberator spent a week on Retreat in the monastery, and extremely edified the whole community by his humble and modestdeport- ment, his fervent piety, his recollection, silence, and other virtues. He subsequently rendered important legal services to the community. A fuller account of O'ConnelPs visit to Mount Melleray, with an illustration of the interior of the church and the great Irish Agitator on Retreat there, may be found in Miss Mary F. Cusack's admirable biography, "The Liberator, his Life and
Masswas
itself could scarcely be said to be habitable before 1840, although the com-
the asolemnPontifical following day,
High
sung.
monastery
16 In 1837, the establishment at Rathmore was broken up, and all the monks— about 80 in number —were united at Mount Melleray. For some years, the New Abbey had a hard struggle for existence. The crops, sown with so much labour and care most generally failed ; and even when they did succeed, the ungrateful soil yielded but a poor return. The community was sometimes reduced to great straits —occasionally, even to abso- lute want. Yet, Almighty God did not abandon his servants, tie always sent them aid in reasonable time ; and the action of his merciful Providence in their regard was sometimes manifested in a most marvellous manner.
17 In 1838, Mount Melleray was honoured
with a visit from the illustrious Daniel Times, Political, Social and Religious," O'Connell. He arrived at the Abbey on the chap, xi. , pp. 629 to 633.
years.
funds,
1? The
6 3 6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June"
munity had been living in it, with great inconvenience, for some time pre- viously. However, the buildings were progressing to a state of completion,
duringtheyearssubsequent; althoughitrequiredgreateffortandpersever- ance, to bring them to their present convenient and useful extension. 18 The
venerable founder of Mount Melleray Abbey, Right Rev. Dr. Ryan, died on
the 9th of December, 1845, m the 57 tn vear °f his age, the 34th of his 1
religious profession, and the 10th of his Abbatial dignity. ?
Mount Melleray Abbey, County of Waterford.
The present Abbot of Mount Melleray, Right Rev. Dr. Bartholomew Fitzpatrick, was elected, and blessed by the Most Rev. Dr. Foran, Bishop of Waterford, in the Abbey Church, a. d. 1848. A long term of administration has since elapsed, and under it, the fraternity have enjoyed all the advantages
18 The accompanying illustration repre- sents the condition of the church and monas-
of thirty-five years since thewriterhad before
seen him ; and nearly a week spent on Retreat
tic buildings as they were presented over
forty years ago ; but, considerable additions
and improvements have since been made. It
is copied from a copperplate engraving of
that period, and executed by R. Hendiick,
Dublin. It was drawn by William F. At that time—as well as I recollect—a per- Wakeman on the wood, engraved by Mrs.
Millard.
'9 Since his return to Ireland in 1831, he
had endured incredible hardships, labours, and pains of all kinds, mental and physical,
in endeavouring to establish his community ; and he bore, with true Christian patience, the long and painful illness of which he died. A short time before he expired, he had all his brethren assembled around him, bade them an affecting farewell, and gave them his last benediction.
20 In August, 1876, an opportunity was afforded of visiting the Abbot of M—ount Mel-
Rev. Dr. —
leray, Right Fitzpatrick formerly
petual lease had been obtained, at 5s. per acre to the proprietor. As every cultivated spot on the grounds had been reclaimed from a state of nature, by the monks ; and, as that poor soil required the most unremit- ting toil, with constant manuring and tillage, to prevent its relapsing into barreness and waste ; it may well be inferred, that its pro- fitable occupation by the community under such conditions must be out of the question at the present time, subject to the original rentagreement. Oflateyears,anotherCis- tercian house, known as St. Joseph's Abbey, near Roscrea, county of Tipperary, has been
Rev.
Beardwood has been created its first Abbot.
Dean over Carlow College
after an absence
at Mount Melleray gave opportunities for ob- servation and information, regarding the ac- tual condition of the institute. Before leaving,
the guests are usually invited to inspect the farm and agricultural operations in progress.
founded. The'
Right
J.
Camillus
June 12. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
637
of his gentle, wise and holy guidance ; while the institute itself has progressed and improved in its circumstances and sphere of usefulness to a degree, that must fill the Irish Catholic heart with rejoicing and thankfulness, for the un- told blessings it has conferred on his own country and on the Church even far beyond our seas. 20 Ever since the settlement at Mount Melleray, the monks have persevered in their efforts to reclaim the land, and their labours have been partially successful ; many green fields and pleasing plantations of trees now occupy the place, where forty years ago, the dark brown heath could alone be seen. Yet, the vegetables and crops grown on the farm for the most part are of very inferior quality, and far from being sufficient to sup- ply the community requiremements, few and simply though these wants are. Manynecessaryorusefulbuildingshavebeenerectedaroundtheabbey; but, it is worthy of remark, as being in—dicative of the natural soil, that most of the stones used in all these — the with the walls and
itself.
There is a college with a classical and science school, in connexion with
the monastery, and they are directed by some of the Fathers. In those superior schools, hundreds of priests, now on the mission in the five divisions of the globe, and many who are members of religious orders, received their elementary education. Others of the Fathers are engaged, imparting to the poor male children of the mountain the rudiments of a good sound English education. 21 In a political and social point of view, they have practically shown, how readily the most unpromising of the waste lands in Ireland could be reclaimed and cultivated, with certain gain to landed proprietors an—d
Article II. —St. Ternan, Apostle among the Picts. {Fifth or
Sixth Century. '] The accounts left us of this holy missionary are evidently disfigured by legendary romance, while his acts and period have thus been rendered obscure and doubtful. His career, at least, seems chiefly to have
buildings including abbey,
fences around and through the farm have been taken from the land
— and
; religion, morality, order, industry, peace happiness
occupiers while
invaluablepossessionstoanynationorcommunity mightsoeasilydisplace the systematic mismanagement of properties, controlled by despotic agrarian laws and byoppressive local customs—fruitful incentives to crime—which are a reproach to modern economies and humane rule, while they are exceptional to any code of wise and beneficent land legislation, prevailing in every other civi- lized country of the old and new world.
had its course in Scotland. 1 The Metrical Calendar of 2
in the Leab- har Breac, celebrates with eulogy St. Torannan, at the 12th day of June; while the text of the Feilire seems to speak of him as a traveller^ and so, it
21 At a short distance from the Abbey, thereisafemaleschool,whichis underthe Irish National Board. It is patronized and superintended by the parish priest of Cappo-
Oengus,
£eil mchrve-oAil choemAin "OiAnSancclechanrlorrovro Corvan'o. an buan bAnnAch t)Ar\ler\ lechan longAch.
whowas
quin. —* " Article ii.
There seems no reason
" ofthe The feast
to doubt the tradition that this saint was the
High Bishop of the Picts, yet disti—nct traces of him are found in Ireland. " Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 450.
2 From the Leabhar Breac copy is the fob
pious Coeman, named vehement Sanct-lethan.
Torannan
lowing s—tanza, translated by Dr. Whitley observation, likewise, that Palladius was
Stoke*
:
sent by
Peter's successor into Ireland before
lasting, deedful, over a wide shipful sea. " —
"
of the Irish Transactions Boyal Academy,"
Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. xciii.
3 The Scholiast on this Calendar has the
638 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 12.
appears to identify him also with the Pictish bishop Ternan, who had visited Rome. There are lines * in the Bodleian copy of this Manuscript,* which differ from those in the Leabhar Breac. The Bollandists have the Acts of St.
Ternanus, Bishop of the Picts, at this day.
6
They are written or compiled by
Father Daniel Papebroke, yet his digression on the subject ' throws little light
on the personal biography of this early missionary, or even on that distant
periodofScottishhistoryinwhichhelived. Onlyshortanddoubtfulallusions
tothisholybishopcanbefoundintheearlyScottishChronicles; andamong
our modern writers, it is not to be expected they can enlarge on his career.
We find in Dean 8 Challoner 9 and Rev. Alban Butler I0 some
Cressy, Bishop
brief references to him, at the 12th of June. A few particulars regarding him,
will be found in Forbes' 11 as also in that of William F. 12 Bishop work, Skene;
but most of these are conjectural and somewhat conflicting. The Aberdeen
Breviary *s states, that St. Ternan was descended from noble Scotch parents,
in a province called the Mearns. '4 According to the Scottish accounts, St.
Ternan is said to have been baptized by St. Palladius, 15 who was admonished
by an angel to perform this ceremony, and who afterwards unde—rtook his in-
6
— If we are to credit some accounts,'? St. Ternan also called
Tervanus wasacolleagueofSt. Servanus,ApostleoftheOrkneys,whileheis
also called Apostle of the Picts, whom he converted from the worship of idols.
He is said to have spent seven years under the tuition of St. Palladius. 18
Again, we are told, he had sanctified himself many years in the Abbey of
struction. '
Culross, in Fifeshire, in which St. Kentigern had established a m—ost holy 1 20
Rome accord- ing to the Legend of the Aberdeen Breviary St. Ternan undertook a journey thither to follow his words and works. This may be regarded, however, as an unchronological statement, if we are to suppose our saint to have lived con-
—St.
manner of living. ' Hearing of the fame of Gregory at
temporaneously with St. Palladius ;
21
while with the latter he has been even
Patrick to teach them. He was not received
in Ireland, so he went into Scotland. He
was buried in Liconium. Or My-Toren of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, i. , Tulach Fortchirn in Ui-Felmeda and
of Druim Cliab in Cairpre. See ibid. ,
p.
—
u Latinized
cii.
4 They run thus:
Co]\AruiAn r>UAn bArmAch bAnnach barm beif ]-aij\
Aguf bAnn ]\eir" AnAip.
Pars Hyemalis, fol. cv.
Myrnia.
js See Hector Boece's "Scotorum Hysto-
rie," lib. vii. , fol. cxxxiii.
'6
See John Fordun's Scoiichronicon," tomus i. , lib. iii. , cap. ix. , p. 113.
They are translated into English, as follows:
" Torannan the long-famed voyager, a dash by him to the east, and a dash by him from
"
the east.
5 Classed Laud 610.
6 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Junii
xii. De Sancto Ternano, Pictorum in Bri- tannia Episcopo, Illorum Simul et Scoto- rum, limites, Apostoli, diceceses, pp. 533 to 535.
7 It is contained in 11 paragraphs.
8 See " Church History of Brittany," book ix. , chap, iii. , pp. 173, 174.
9 See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp.
366, 367.
10 See his " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other principal Saints," vol. vi. , June xn.
" See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp.
clesiastica Gemis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib.
xviii. , num. 1107, p. 607.
,8
Thus we read in the Breviaiy of Aber- deen, at the 12th of June: "A quo tanta sciencia septem annis erudiius est vt per eun-
"
dem ad pontiiicatus apicem promoueretur. —"Proceedings of the Society of Antiqua- ries of Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 264.
,9 See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. vi. , June xit.
TO St. Gregory L, surnamed the Great,
ruled over the Church from A. D. 590 to a. i>.
"
604. See Sir Harris Nicolas' Chronology
of History," p. 209.
" See his Life, in the Seventh Volume of
this work, at July 6th, the date for his fes- tival.
» See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot-
450, 451.
" See " Celtic Scotland : a History of
pp. 29 to 32.
I3 It devotes six Lessons to his history, in
17 See Thomas
Dempster's
" Historia Ec-
June 12. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
639
confounded, by a certain scholiast, who adds, moreover, that he was sent from the Coarb of Peter to Erin before Patrick. According to one opinion, Ter-
rananus or Ternan was probably a disciple of Palladius, and brought his relics either from Ireland or from Galloway, to his native district in the territories of
years, he was promoted to the Episcopal rank by Pope Gregory, who in- structed him to return for the purpose of evangelizing Scotland. A supposi- tion has been offered, that he was sent there to water the vineyard, planted
22 BlessedGregoryreceivedtheyouthwithgreathonour. 23 Attheendofseven
the southern Picts.
Knowing it to be his intention to visit Rome, the
St. 2* and that he became successor to the latter. 2^ by Ninian,
In the Missal
heavy and inconvenient to carry with him, that he left it at Rome. However, morning after morning, that bell was found lying beside the saint, while he and his companions proceeded on their journey. At last, through Divine
2
power, the bell and its owner reached their destination, in Scotland. 9 Accord-
ing to some accounts, St. Palladius made him bishop of the Picts in 431. 3°
Several of the ancient Scottish writers regard St. Terrenanus or Ternanus
x asthefirstBishopofthePicts,andamongtheseareFordun,3 Boece32 and
Lesley. 3^ At Abernethy 34- in Stratherne is said to have been the seat of the
° ;
jutorstothetwochiefbishops. 39 Theextensivewarsandforeignexpeditions
are thought to have hindered the canonical division of these kingdoms into
regular dioceses. The practice of ordaining bishops at large in Ireland, with- out fixed Sees and by one single bishop, appears to have prevailed down to
Church of St.
26 St. Terrenanus is
2 7 Archi-
of the
presul and Archbishop of the Picts, while his festival was annually celebrated
Metropolitan
Andrew's,
styled
and with on the 12th great solemnity,
28 The that legend relates,
of
he was presented by Pope Gregory, with a little bell, which he found so
Pictish bishops,3s as also of the Pictish kings in ancient times 3
diocese of those bishops included all the Pictish kingdom. In the early ages of Christianity in Scotland, it has been stated, that as there were two distinc- tive nations, one of Picts and the other of Scots ; so there were two head bishops for those people, one designated Archiepiscopus and Archipraesul Pictorum,37 and the other Primus or Summus Episcopus or Archiepiscopus Scotorum. 38 Underthesewereotherbishops,andsomeperhapsnotordained to any title, or for any fixed locality, seat or district, being suffragans or coad-
land : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. ,
book
ii. , chap, i. , p. 30
25 According to the Aberdeen Breviary. 24 His feast lias been assigned to the 16th
of September.
25 See Dean Cressy's "Church History of
Brittany," Book ix. , chap, iii. , pp. 173, 174.
36
Sancta," part i. , pp. 366, 367.
3I ix. See "Scotichronicon," lib. iii. , cap.
^ See " Scotorum Hystorie," lib. vii. , fol. cxxxiii.
33 See " De Origine, Moribus et Rebus Gentis Scotorum," lib. iiii. , p. 131.
^ " Fuit ille locus principalis Regalis et
Pontificalis— totius regni per aliqua tempora
This, with some other liturgical books,
Pictorum. " Fordun's "Scotichronicon," was in possession of the ancient and noble tomus i , liv. iv. , cap. xii. , p.
Dugdale's
Anglicanum, p. 1033.
its Taxation
origin.
"Its Taxation was 6s. 8d.
Alias,
also Latinized 106 Balliornan,
Dugdale's "Monasticon Anglicanum," p. 1029.
IO' See D'Alton's " of Ire- John History
land, from the earliest Period to the year 1245, when the Annals of Boyle, which are adopted, as the running Text authority terminate," vol. i. , pp. 179, 180.
June i2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 633
CHAPTER II.
SUPPOSEDPRIVILEGESOBTAINEDFROMPOPEINNOCENTII. , FORTHESEEOFCLOGHER— DEATH OF ST. CHRISTIAN O'MORGAIR—BURIED AT ARMAGH—COMMEMORATIONS— FOUNDATION OF MOUNT MELLERY IN IRELAND—AFFILIATE BRANCHES—CONCLU- SION.
Few additional particulars can be gleaned, in reference to St. Criostan or
Gillachrist O'Morgair. although he was such a distinguished prelate in the Irish
Church. It is remarked, as we are 1 in the of that informed, Registry Clogher,
the brother of the renowed St. Malachy obtained from Pope Innocent II. ,
that the fourth part of the Tithes, or the Episcopal part through all Ergall,
2 shouldbeallottedtotheBishopsofClogher. Ifsuchwerethecase,itmust
be observed, that his brother Christian had died before St. Malachy set out on his first visit to Rome, which was in the year n39 or 1 140. 3 Christian
O'Morgair's death took place in the year 1138. + Others have it at 1139, and again about ii4o;5 but, the first-mentioned date appears to be the correct one. We cannot doubt, but his departure from earth had proved an afflic- tion to his more renowned brother, the great St. Malachy O'Morgair, then Pri- mate of all Ireland. 6 Christian was buried in the church dedicated to Saints PeterandPaul,atArmagh. ? Thisholybishophasbeencommemoratedin the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, who flourished soon after his time. This St. Christinus has a place in Henry Fitzsimon's list of Irish Saints, but no date is there for his festival. 8 We find
in the
ology of Donegal,? at the 12th of June, that veneration was paid to Criostan
See at A. D. 1 1 quent. 37,
— White has Stephen
assigned
entered,
Martyr-
or Gillachrist Ua Morgair.
In a village called Melleray or Meilleraye in the Department of Loire- Inferieure,France,amonasteryofTrappistshadbeenestablished. 10 Incon- sequence of the French Revolution of 1830, which disturbed the kingdom, the venerable Abbot of the Cistercian Abbey of Melleray felt it to be his duty, as it was his most earnest desire, to make every effort to secure for his Irish children an asylum in their own country, for the institute had been threatened withdissolution. Hiscommunitythennumberednearlytwohundredmonks,and oftheseaconsiderablepartwasIrish. Withthisview,theAbbotdespatchedto Ireland his prior, the Very Rev. Father Vincent Ryan. " He arrived in Dublin inthemonthofJanuary,1831, andimmediatelywaitedonhisGraceMost
Chapterii. —' SeeHarris'Ware,vol. i. ,
"Bishops of Clogher," p. 180.
* The See of Clogher was situated in that
territory.
3 No doubt, Baronius in his "Annales
Ecclesiastici," places this visit of St. Malachy to Rome, in 1137, but his learned commen- tator Pagius has exposed the error of date, which he places at two or three years subse-
alsoadds,thatatthetimesthentreatedof,
there was no necessity for adding a year to those of the Irish Annals. See " Ecclesias-
tical History of Ireland," vol. iv. , chap. xxvii. , sect, ii. , n. 14, p. 107. But, Ur. Lanigan himself makes the same mis- take, in many of his dates, by the excess of a year, where there was no occasion for so
"
sect. \x. ,andnotes. 4 "The Age o: Christ, 1138. Gillachrist
Ua Morgair, Bishop of Clochar, a paragon in wisdom and piety; a brilliant lamp that en-
lightened the laity and clergy by preaching andgood deeds; a faithful and diligent servant of the Church in general, died, and was in- terred in the church of Peter and Paul at Ard-Macha. "—Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1058, 1059. Dr. Lanigan remarks, that Ware, although he found our saint's death noted down at 1138, yet thought that in reality it should be set down under 1 139. He
cap. iv. , p. 33.
6 See his Life, at the 3rd dayof November. 7 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xxiv. Martii, Vita S. Maccarthenni,
doing.
5 Father
circa annum salutis 1140. " "Apologia pro Hibernia,"
Appendix, cap. iv. , p. 742. 8"
See Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum
Ibernise. "—O'Sullivan
Catholicae Ibernise Compendium," tomusi. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 53.
9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
168, 169.
,0 See " Gazetteer of the World," vol. ix. ,
"
Beare's Historiae
634 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 12.
Rev. Dr. Murray, who warmly approved of the object he had view, and ex- pressed his desire that the enterprise might be successful. " Father Ryan had also an interview with the great Liberator of the Irish Catholics ; and Daniel O'Connell promised to assist by every means in his power, to build up his institute in Ireland. '3
A brief account of the Mount Melleray Abbey foundation of this order must prove interesting, especially to every Irish reader. Having but too much reason to apprehend, that the English-speaking portion of the com-
munity at Melleray in France should be forced by the revolutionary authori-
ties, to quit the monastery and the country, Father Vincent Ryan was obliged, after much anxious and fruitless search for a suitable place, to rent tempora-
rilyahouseandafarmatRathmore,inthecountyofKerry. These,how- ever, were not very well suited for the purposes of a monastery, nor were they to be had on very favourable terms. At length, towards the end of October, 1831, the Irish, English and Scotch monks of Melleray were violently torn from their peaceful dwelling, by the enemies of religion, and consigned for several days to a prison in Nantes. Finally, they were put on board a ship of war, and landed at Queenstown, on the 1st of December, 1831. In Queenstownand in Cork, the monks were most benignantly received. They were treated with greatest respect, kindness and hospitality by the inhabitants. In a few days, the whole fraternity were located in the house prepared for them at Rathmore. Meanwhile, the prior renewed his efforts to procure some site where he could establish his community and his order permanently. By the aid, and through the intervention of some ecclesiastical '* and other friends, Father Ryan finally came to terms with Sir Richard Kane for the present farm of Mount Melleray, stretching along the slopes of the Knock- maeldun mountains. It contain—s about 700 statute acres ; and, at that time, it was but a wild
—and barren waste no
any part of it for the soil was so light anil poor as to be deemed utterly irre- claimable. Not a single tree or hardly a shrub of any size grew upon it ; no- thingcouldbeseenallaroundbutthedarkbrownheath. Nohumanhabitation was there, except one small cottage in a glen at the southern extremity of the farm. Of this cottage—though anything but comfortable—Father Vincent Ryan took possession for his community, on the Eve of the Ascension, 30th ofMay,1832; and,onthefollowingday,hecelebratedtheDivineMysteries in it. He called the " because in it the Cistercian order
p. 197.
'u
Foremost among these were the Most
11
ford .
" At the same time, the Archbishop as-
sured Father Ryan, that it would be attended
with very great difficulties, which prediction
subsequent events fully verified—.
IJ The venerated founder for Father
Ryan became first Abbot of the Irish house of Mount Melleray—was received and enter- tained in Dublin during a period of five months, by Mr. and Mrs. Robert White of that city, while prosecuting the work of his mission,
Rev. Dr. Foran, then P. P. , of Dungarvan, and afterwards Bishop of Watei ford, and the Very Rev. Drs. Fogarty and Hally, curates to Dr. Foran, and afterwards Vicars- General and parish priests, the former of Lis- more, and the latter of Dungarvan.
'5
The Abbey of Mount St. Bernard, near Leicester in England, is, in some measure, a filiation of Mount Melleray, and it was from Mount Melleray also that the colony went forth which founded the Abbey of New Mel- leray, in the diocese of Dubuque, North America.
lie was a native of the city of Water-
attempthavingeverbeenmadetocultivate
cottage Bethlehem,"
receivedanewbirthinIreland; and,hegavethenameofMountMellerayto
the whole farm, in order to confound the wicked designs of the enemies of
religion in France, who had lately done their utmost to destroy Old Melleray, the mother house, and when they could not succeed in that, they had impiously
lopped off the Irish branch, with a view to its perishing. However, it took new root in native soil and flourished, while in a short time, it spread as a
June 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 635
tree and bore fruit in several subsequent foundations. 's The people of the
surrounding parishes, animated and encouraged by their pastors, resolved to aid the good work, at least by their labour ; and during some months, they came in bodies, varying from 200 to 2,000, of all ages and of both sexes. With great zeal and enthusiasm, they put up fences around and through the farm. SomeofthemonkswerecalledfromRathmoretoMountMelleray. Beforethe endof September, i832,theysucceeded in preparing about 25 acres of the moun- tain for cultivation. They built, likewise, near the site of the present Abbey, a house 120 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 17 feet high. On the 19th of Novem- ber, Mass and all the Canonical hours of the Divine Office were sung in that house; and thus did the praises of God resound for the first time on the desert waste. Incredible as it may appear, the monks planted, during two months of the spring in 1833, more than 17,000 trees of various kinds, and laid out a very extensive garden, in addition to their other labours of building, of breaking up, of preparing the ground, of burning lime, and of manuring. On the 20th of August, Feast of the great St. Bernard, the glory of the Cistercian Order, and in that same year, the first stone of the new abbey was solemnly blessed by the Most Rev. Bishop of the diocese, Dr. Abraham. It was laid by Sir Richard Keane, in presence of a considerable number of the clergy, and of not less probably than 20,000 of the people.
Towards the close of 1834, through the instrumentality of his Eminence Cardinal Weld, the new monastery was approved and erected into an Abbey by the Holy See. At the same time, it was recognised and affiliated to the Cistercian Family, by the Most Rev. Abbot General of the Order, residing at Rome. He confirmed the election of the Right Rev. Dom. Vincent Ryan as first Abbot, and delegated the Most Rev. Dr. Abraham to perform the ceremony of the Abbatial Benediction. This accordingly took place in the Bishop'sprivatechapelatWaterford,onSunday,the17thofMay,1835. It was the first time that this solemn and interesting ceremony had been performed
in for Ireland,
more than 200
16
Owing
to want of
probably
the building of Melleray Abbey proceeded but slowly. It was only towards, the end of 1838, that the interior works of the church were sufficiently ad-
vanced—though far from being completed—to admit of Divine service being
performed in it. On Saturday evening, the 21st of October, during that year, the Blessed Sacrament was solemnly placed in the tabernacle, and im- mediately after, vespers were sung for the first time in the new church. On
20th of August, and was received by the Abbot and community in the solemn manner prescribed by the Ritual of the Cistercian Order for the reception of distinguished per- sonagea in Church and State. The great Liberator spent a week on Retreat in the monastery, and extremely edified the whole community by his humble and modestdeport- ment, his fervent piety, his recollection, silence, and other virtues. He subsequently rendered important legal services to the community. A fuller account of O'ConnelPs visit to Mount Melleray, with an illustration of the interior of the church and the great Irish Agitator on Retreat there, may be found in Miss Mary F. Cusack's admirable biography, "The Liberator, his Life and
Masswas
itself could scarcely be said to be habitable before 1840, although the com-
the asolemnPontifical following day,
High
sung.
monastery
16 In 1837, the establishment at Rathmore was broken up, and all the monks— about 80 in number —were united at Mount Melleray. For some years, the New Abbey had a hard struggle for existence. The crops, sown with so much labour and care most generally failed ; and even when they did succeed, the ungrateful soil yielded but a poor return. The community was sometimes reduced to great straits —occasionally, even to abso- lute want. Yet, Almighty God did not abandon his servants, tie always sent them aid in reasonable time ; and the action of his merciful Providence in their regard was sometimes manifested in a most marvellous manner.
17 In 1838, Mount Melleray was honoured
with a visit from the illustrious Daniel Times, Political, Social and Religious," O'Connell. He arrived at the Abbey on the chap, xi. , pp. 629 to 633.
years.
funds,
1? The
6 3 6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June"
munity had been living in it, with great inconvenience, for some time pre- viously. However, the buildings were progressing to a state of completion,
duringtheyearssubsequent; althoughitrequiredgreateffortandpersever- ance, to bring them to their present convenient and useful extension. 18 The
venerable founder of Mount Melleray Abbey, Right Rev. Dr. Ryan, died on
the 9th of December, 1845, m the 57 tn vear °f his age, the 34th of his 1
religious profession, and the 10th of his Abbatial dignity. ?
Mount Melleray Abbey, County of Waterford.
The present Abbot of Mount Melleray, Right Rev. Dr. Bartholomew Fitzpatrick, was elected, and blessed by the Most Rev. Dr. Foran, Bishop of Waterford, in the Abbey Church, a. d. 1848. A long term of administration has since elapsed, and under it, the fraternity have enjoyed all the advantages
18 The accompanying illustration repre- sents the condition of the church and monas-
of thirty-five years since thewriterhad before
seen him ; and nearly a week spent on Retreat
tic buildings as they were presented over
forty years ago ; but, considerable additions
and improvements have since been made. It
is copied from a copperplate engraving of
that period, and executed by R. Hendiick,
Dublin. It was drawn by William F. At that time—as well as I recollect—a per- Wakeman on the wood, engraved by Mrs.
Millard.
'9 Since his return to Ireland in 1831, he
had endured incredible hardships, labours, and pains of all kinds, mental and physical,
in endeavouring to establish his community ; and he bore, with true Christian patience, the long and painful illness of which he died. A short time before he expired, he had all his brethren assembled around him, bade them an affecting farewell, and gave them his last benediction.
20 In August, 1876, an opportunity was afforded of visiting the Abbot of M—ount Mel-
Rev. Dr. —
leray, Right Fitzpatrick formerly
petual lease had been obtained, at 5s. per acre to the proprietor. As every cultivated spot on the grounds had been reclaimed from a state of nature, by the monks ; and, as that poor soil required the most unremit- ting toil, with constant manuring and tillage, to prevent its relapsing into barreness and waste ; it may well be inferred, that its pro- fitable occupation by the community under such conditions must be out of the question at the present time, subject to the original rentagreement. Oflateyears,anotherCis- tercian house, known as St. Joseph's Abbey, near Roscrea, county of Tipperary, has been
Rev.
Beardwood has been created its first Abbot.
Dean over Carlow College
after an absence
at Mount Melleray gave opportunities for ob- servation and information, regarding the ac- tual condition of the institute. Before leaving,
the guests are usually invited to inspect the farm and agricultural operations in progress.
founded. The'
Right
J.
Camillus
June 12. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
637
of his gentle, wise and holy guidance ; while the institute itself has progressed and improved in its circumstances and sphere of usefulness to a degree, that must fill the Irish Catholic heart with rejoicing and thankfulness, for the un- told blessings it has conferred on his own country and on the Church even far beyond our seas. 20 Ever since the settlement at Mount Melleray, the monks have persevered in their efforts to reclaim the land, and their labours have been partially successful ; many green fields and pleasing plantations of trees now occupy the place, where forty years ago, the dark brown heath could alone be seen. Yet, the vegetables and crops grown on the farm for the most part are of very inferior quality, and far from being sufficient to sup- ply the community requiremements, few and simply though these wants are. Manynecessaryorusefulbuildingshavebeenerectedaroundtheabbey; but, it is worthy of remark, as being in—dicative of the natural soil, that most of the stones used in all these — the with the walls and
itself.
There is a college with a classical and science school, in connexion with
the monastery, and they are directed by some of the Fathers. In those superior schools, hundreds of priests, now on the mission in the five divisions of the globe, and many who are members of religious orders, received their elementary education. Others of the Fathers are engaged, imparting to the poor male children of the mountain the rudiments of a good sound English education. 21 In a political and social point of view, they have practically shown, how readily the most unpromising of the waste lands in Ireland could be reclaimed and cultivated, with certain gain to landed proprietors an—d
Article II. —St. Ternan, Apostle among the Picts. {Fifth or
Sixth Century. '] The accounts left us of this holy missionary are evidently disfigured by legendary romance, while his acts and period have thus been rendered obscure and doubtful. His career, at least, seems chiefly to have
buildings including abbey,
fences around and through the farm have been taken from the land
— and
; religion, morality, order, industry, peace happiness
occupiers while
invaluablepossessionstoanynationorcommunity mightsoeasilydisplace the systematic mismanagement of properties, controlled by despotic agrarian laws and byoppressive local customs—fruitful incentives to crime—which are a reproach to modern economies and humane rule, while they are exceptional to any code of wise and beneficent land legislation, prevailing in every other civi- lized country of the old and new world.
had its course in Scotland. 1 The Metrical Calendar of 2
in the Leab- har Breac, celebrates with eulogy St. Torannan, at the 12th day of June; while the text of the Feilire seems to speak of him as a traveller^ and so, it
21 At a short distance from the Abbey, thereisafemaleschool,whichis underthe Irish National Board. It is patronized and superintended by the parish priest of Cappo-
Oengus,
£eil mchrve-oAil choemAin "OiAnSancclechanrlorrovro Corvan'o. an buan bAnnAch t)Ar\ler\ lechan longAch.
whowas
quin. —* " Article ii.
There seems no reason
" ofthe The feast
to doubt the tradition that this saint was the
High Bishop of the Picts, yet disti—nct traces of him are found in Ireland. " Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 450.
2 From the Leabhar Breac copy is the fob
pious Coeman, named vehement Sanct-lethan.
Torannan
lowing s—tanza, translated by Dr. Whitley observation, likewise, that Palladius was
Stoke*
:
sent by
Peter's successor into Ireland before
lasting, deedful, over a wide shipful sea. " —
"
of the Irish Transactions Boyal Academy,"
Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. xciii.
3 The Scholiast on this Calendar has the
638 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 12.
appears to identify him also with the Pictish bishop Ternan, who had visited Rome. There are lines * in the Bodleian copy of this Manuscript,* which differ from those in the Leabhar Breac. The Bollandists have the Acts of St.
Ternanus, Bishop of the Picts, at this day.
6
They are written or compiled by
Father Daniel Papebroke, yet his digression on the subject ' throws little light
on the personal biography of this early missionary, or even on that distant
periodofScottishhistoryinwhichhelived. Onlyshortanddoubtfulallusions
tothisholybishopcanbefoundintheearlyScottishChronicles; andamong
our modern writers, it is not to be expected they can enlarge on his career.
We find in Dean 8 Challoner 9 and Rev. Alban Butler I0 some
Cressy, Bishop
brief references to him, at the 12th of June. A few particulars regarding him,
will be found in Forbes' 11 as also in that of William F. 12 Bishop work, Skene;
but most of these are conjectural and somewhat conflicting. The Aberdeen
Breviary *s states, that St. Ternan was descended from noble Scotch parents,
in a province called the Mearns. '4 According to the Scottish accounts, St.
Ternan is said to have been baptized by St. Palladius, 15 who was admonished
by an angel to perform this ceremony, and who afterwards unde—rtook his in-
6
— If we are to credit some accounts,'? St. Ternan also called
Tervanus wasacolleagueofSt. Servanus,ApostleoftheOrkneys,whileheis
also called Apostle of the Picts, whom he converted from the worship of idols.
He is said to have spent seven years under the tuition of St. Palladius. 18
Again, we are told, he had sanctified himself many years in the Abbey of
struction. '
Culross, in Fifeshire, in which St. Kentigern had established a m—ost holy 1 20
Rome accord- ing to the Legend of the Aberdeen Breviary St. Ternan undertook a journey thither to follow his words and works. This may be regarded, however, as an unchronological statement, if we are to suppose our saint to have lived con-
—St.
manner of living. ' Hearing of the fame of Gregory at
temporaneously with St. Palladius ;
21
while with the latter he has been even
Patrick to teach them. He was not received
in Ireland, so he went into Scotland. He
was buried in Liconium. Or My-Toren of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, i. , Tulach Fortchirn in Ui-Felmeda and
of Druim Cliab in Cairpre. See ibid. ,
p.
—
u Latinized
cii.
4 They run thus:
Co]\AruiAn r>UAn bArmAch bAnnach barm beif ]-aij\
Aguf bAnn ]\eir" AnAip.
Pars Hyemalis, fol. cv.
Myrnia.
js See Hector Boece's "Scotorum Hysto-
rie," lib. vii. , fol. cxxxiii.
'6
See John Fordun's Scoiichronicon," tomus i. , lib. iii. , cap. ix. , p. 113.
They are translated into English, as follows:
" Torannan the long-famed voyager, a dash by him to the east, and a dash by him from
"
the east.
5 Classed Laud 610.
6 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Junii
xii. De Sancto Ternano, Pictorum in Bri- tannia Episcopo, Illorum Simul et Scoto- rum, limites, Apostoli, diceceses, pp. 533 to 535.
7 It is contained in 11 paragraphs.
8 See " Church History of Brittany," book ix. , chap, iii. , pp. 173, 174.
9 See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp.
366, 367.
10 See his " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other principal Saints," vol. vi. , June xn.
" See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp.
clesiastica Gemis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib.
xviii. , num. 1107, p. 607.
,8
Thus we read in the Breviaiy of Aber- deen, at the 12th of June: "A quo tanta sciencia septem annis erudiius est vt per eun-
"
dem ad pontiiicatus apicem promoueretur. —"Proceedings of the Society of Antiqua- ries of Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 264.
,9 See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. vi. , June xit.
TO St. Gregory L, surnamed the Great,
ruled over the Church from A. D. 590 to a. i>.
"
604. See Sir Harris Nicolas' Chronology
of History," p. 209.
" See his Life, in the Seventh Volume of
this work, at July 6th, the date for his fes- tival.
» See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot-
450, 451.
" See " Celtic Scotland : a History of
pp. 29 to 32.
I3 It devotes six Lessons to his history, in
17 See Thomas
Dempster's
" Historia Ec-
June 12. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
639
confounded, by a certain scholiast, who adds, moreover, that he was sent from the Coarb of Peter to Erin before Patrick. According to one opinion, Ter-
rananus or Ternan was probably a disciple of Palladius, and brought his relics either from Ireland or from Galloway, to his native district in the territories of
years, he was promoted to the Episcopal rank by Pope Gregory, who in- structed him to return for the purpose of evangelizing Scotland. A supposi- tion has been offered, that he was sent there to water the vineyard, planted
22 BlessedGregoryreceivedtheyouthwithgreathonour. 23 Attheendofseven
the southern Picts.
Knowing it to be his intention to visit Rome, the
St. 2* and that he became successor to the latter. 2^ by Ninian,
In the Missal
heavy and inconvenient to carry with him, that he left it at Rome. However, morning after morning, that bell was found lying beside the saint, while he and his companions proceeded on their journey. At last, through Divine
2
power, the bell and its owner reached their destination, in Scotland. 9 Accord-
ing to some accounts, St. Palladius made him bishop of the Picts in 431. 3°
Several of the ancient Scottish writers regard St. Terrenanus or Ternanus
x asthefirstBishopofthePicts,andamongtheseareFordun,3 Boece32 and
Lesley. 3^ At Abernethy 34- in Stratherne is said to have been the seat of the
° ;
jutorstothetwochiefbishops. 39 Theextensivewarsandforeignexpeditions
are thought to have hindered the canonical division of these kingdoms into
regular dioceses. The practice of ordaining bishops at large in Ireland, with- out fixed Sees and by one single bishop, appears to have prevailed down to
Church of St.
26 St. Terrenanus is
2 7 Archi-
of the
presul and Archbishop of the Picts, while his festival was annually celebrated
Metropolitan
Andrew's,
styled
and with on the 12th great solemnity,
28 The that legend relates,
of
he was presented by Pope Gregory, with a little bell, which he found so
Pictish bishops,3s as also of the Pictish kings in ancient times 3
diocese of those bishops included all the Pictish kingdom. In the early ages of Christianity in Scotland, it has been stated, that as there were two distinc- tive nations, one of Picts and the other of Scots ; so there were two head bishops for those people, one designated Archiepiscopus and Archipraesul Pictorum,37 and the other Primus or Summus Episcopus or Archiepiscopus Scotorum. 38 Underthesewereotherbishops,andsomeperhapsnotordained to any title, or for any fixed locality, seat or district, being suffragans or coad-
land : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. ,
book
ii. , chap, i. , p. 30
25 According to the Aberdeen Breviary. 24 His feast lias been assigned to the 16th
of September.
25 See Dean Cressy's "Church History of
Brittany," Book ix. , chap, iii. , pp. 173, 174.
36
Sancta," part i. , pp. 366, 367.
3I ix. See "Scotichronicon," lib. iii. , cap.
^ See " Scotorum Hystorie," lib. vii. , fol. cxxxiii.
33 See " De Origine, Moribus et Rebus Gentis Scotorum," lib. iiii. , p. 131.
^ " Fuit ille locus principalis Regalis et
Pontificalis— totius regni per aliqua tempora
This, with some other liturgical books,
Pictorum. " Fordun's "Scotichronicon," was in possession of the ancient and noble tomus i , liv. iv. , cap. xii. , p.
