Kenan administered to him all
necessary
sacraments.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
Where Airidh-fota was situated, we can hardly venture to decide.
There was an Ard- Fothadh,4 the name of a royal fort, on a hill near Ballymagrorty,5 in the
parish of Drumhome, barony of Tirhugh,^ and county of Donegal. 7
Article III. —St. Ciaran or Kieranus, of Uamh, or Vameu. To the present saint, we ought doubtless ascribe the misplaced entry Ciaran, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. ^ Ciaran, of Uamh, is registered in the Martyr- ology of Donegal,^ as having a festival at this date. There are many deno- minations of places, in various parts of Ireland, having in composition the
two distinct names, which should have been kept distinct. Thus,
wordUa? nh,^whichmeans,acave,den,grave,coveoroven. * Wearetold, ""
that the cave was a religious building in early Christian Ireland, and that it was built in the earth, as may be learned from several passages in the Lives of the Saints. s It was sometimes hollowed out of a rock, and some- times formed there by nature. In Scotland, likewise, this religious use of the cave was known to its saints. ^
Article IV. —Reputed Festival of St. Berectus, a Monk, in Scot-
land. At the 24th of February, Petrus Galesinus, from some Manuscript Kalendars, has entered a St. Berectus. ^ Arnold Wion states, he was a monk,
and a confessor, in Scotia, who excelled in a saintly life, and as a preacher ;
" See "Acta Sanctorum," tomusiii. , Feb- ruariixxiv. Amongthepretermittedsaints, p. 429,
s it is noted on the " Ordnance Survey
TownlandMapsfortheCountyofDonegal," Sheet 103.
^ This ancient called territory, previously
Sc7'eth, was named from tiie father of Domh- nail, who was the son of Aedli, Tir Acdha, now Tirhugh. It is the extreme barony of
^ gee Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," v—ol. i,, n. (e), pp. 256, 257.
3 Edited
by
Drs. Todd and
Reeves, pp.
56, 57.
* This denomination does not appear
among the Irish townland names. In this
place, there is a conical hill, locally known Donegal on the south-west. See ibid.
by the name A'ar^tf«. Its apex is entrenched like a rath. It contains an ancient cemetery, which is now used only for the interment of
Article hi.
'
Edited
the Rev. Dr.
'^
unbaptized children. This is the Rath- Kelly, p. xvi.
"=
cunga in Campo Sereth mentioned by Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Tirechan, Liber Armachanus, fols. ii. , bb, 56, 57.
15 a b. Here died Domhnall, Monarch of Ireland. His obit, is recorded in Dr.
^ \x^ Irish, UAnn.
•SeeO'Reilly'sIrish-EnglishDictionary, sub voce.
O'Donovan's
"
Annals of the Four Masters,"
" «'
at A. C. 639 [recte 642]. After Domhnall, son of Aedli, son of Ainmire, had been 16
*
5
Thus, in that of St. Brendan, in the Book of Lismore,' Bishop Ere is repre-
in the
years sovereignty
he died
Brendan into a— sending peni-
of
at Ard-Fothadh, in Tir Aedha, after the
victory of penance, for he was a year in his mortal sickness ; and he used to receive the
body of Christ every Sunday," vol. i. , pp.
256, 257. The latter part of this entry vol. i. , part ii. Fourth Series. January,
seems to have been borrowed, from a pass- age in the ancient preface to the Affthra re- lative to St. Columba's conduct at Druim-
ceatt. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adaftinan's
"
Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 10, n.
(e), p. 38.
Ireland,
"
See
sented as once
tential cave from night till morning. '
a commuuication of Mr. J. O'Beirne Crowe in "The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland,"
1871, p. 329. ""
See James Walsh's History of the Catholic Church in Scotland," chap, vi. , pp.
93, 94. —' Article iv.
"
See Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 279.
by
February 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 697
but, more he could not find, regarding the holy man. ^ He is said to have flourished, during the reign of Mordac, the fifty-ninth King of the Scots. 3 He
is said to have died, a. d. 720. '^ Menard, Dorgan and Wilson note his festival, at this date. The Bollandistss have a suspicion, that Berectus may be identical witli Berachius, who is venerated on the 15th of this month. ^ At the 2-4th of February, the festival of Berectus, a monk, in Scotia, is entered by Camerarius and by Dempster. 7 The latter acknowledges, that he does not know when the present holy man flourished, although attributing to him a Book of Homilies on the Sacred Scriptures. ^
Article V. —St. Mocadoc or Cadoc. Among the disciples of St.
Patrick,^ Colgan enumerates one Mo-chatoc, Mochadoc or Cadoc, and a festival is ascribed to him, at the 24th of February. ^ Yet, from the reference given, we are led to regard him, rather as one of the seven disciples of St. Fiach,3 Bishop of Sletty. ^ He is said to have been of Inis-fail.
Article VI. —Festival of C^cilius or C^elius Sedulius.
[Eiflk Century. '] In the Spanish Martyrology, written by Tamaius Salazarius,' Caecilius or Cselius Sedulius,^ the distinguished Christian poet and writer, is said to have been Bishop of Oretana,3 in Spain, and to have been a saint.
The Bollandists,^ at this date, have the foregoing statements.
Ctoentp-'jfiftfe ®aj) of jfehruarp^
ARTICLE I. —ST. CIENAN, OR KENAN, ABBOT. [PROBABL Y IN THE FIFTH CENTUR P. ]
sojourn of St. John in the Isle of Patmos, and the mysterious
THE
an constitute everlasting fame,
revelations that have to the
place
a portion of the apostle's life, around which there will ever be gathered an
absorbing and insatiable curiosity f and, in a no less secluded condition of society, many of the early British and Irish Saints engage the interest of religious persons, who feel emotion for their sacrifices and consolations. On
^"
See Lignum Vitce," pars, ii. , lib. iii,,
p. 57.
3 Yet Buchanan records him in the Cata-
logue of Scottish Kings as the sixtieth. See
"
Rerum Scoticarum 148.
Historia,"
lib.
v. , p.
p. 267.
^ ^qq ibid. Vita S. Patricii, lib. Septima
iii. , cap. xxii. , and n. 38, pp. 155, 185. Colgan thinks, he was the same as St. Cadoc, whose Life may be read at the 24th of Jan-
uary.
* See Camerarius' " De Fortitudine Sco- torum," p. 107.
5 See "Acta
" tomus
Feb- Among the pretermitted saints,
Sanctorum,
iii. ,
ruarii xxiv. p. 428.
^
7 See Menologium Scoticum," Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp.
*
his —at the 12th of
See Life, October,
See his Life, written for that date. "=
192, 235.
^ See "Historia
Ecclesiastica Gentis
His Acts will be found, at the I2th of this month.
3 The Oretani occupied the district, now known as La Mancha.
"
^ See
ruarii xxiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 429.
Scotorum," p. 76.
num.
See his Life, at the 17th
Article V.
—
*
tomus lib. i. ,
Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb*
ii. ,
132,
given
of March,
'^ See "Trias
Thaumaturga. " Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. ,
^
Article vi. To this is added, "ob
auctoritatem Chronici Dextri. "
698 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 25.
this day, our domestic Martyrologies commemorate the feast of a St. Cienan, Kenan or Kienan. The name is Latinized Kienaniis. Colgan has some brief notices regarding St. Kenan f while the Bollandists^ chiefly follow his statements, yet with some doubts as to their accuracy. He is called an abbot, but we are left uninformed, regarding that particular monastery he presided over, or the time, at which he flourished. After distinguishing this saint from St. Kenan, Bishop of Duleek,^ it is thought as not improbable,^ that he was a Kenan, whom St. loava"^ had made a priest and canon,7 and had placed over Plou-Kernaw parish, in the diocese of Leon, belonging to Armoric Britain. ^ It is remarked, by Colgan, that those who were called canons in his time, were simply monks, while those who had charge of par- ticular churches are chiefly designated as abbots. This, however, is a con- clusion, the Bollandists will not admit, in the universality of cases. 9 Colgan applies to St. Kenan of Duleek, what Ussher relates concerning his Kenan. ^° Harris" and Archdall" likewise adopt his statements, without much con- sideration. It has been suggested, that a certain Renanus spoken of may have been mistaken for a Kenanus. ^3 Ussher states, regarding this latter, that he went to Gaul, a. d. 450. ^4 In this year, however, Archdall makes St. Patrick baptize Kienan of Duleek. ^s it is considered probable,^^ that this saint was a different person from a Kenan, mentioned by Ussher. ^7 Although he speaks of that holy man, as having been in many other places, Ussher by no means insinuates, that his Kenan belonged to Duleek. Allowing our saint to have been identical with him, mentioned by Ussher, and that he must have been at least twenty years old, before leaving Ireland ; the present Kenan should have attained the great age of nearly 130 years, in such a hypothesis. Were we to suppose this saint identical with the Kenan of Plou-Kernaw, it follows, that he flourished about the middle of the sixth century, for, he was present at the death of loava, which took place, at this period. We read, in the Life of this latter holy person,^^ that three days be- fore his death, the illness of this bishop had been revealed to St. Pau^s at his monastery, in the Island of Baaz, and to St. Kenan, in Plou-Kernaw. This latter immediately went to St. Paul, who sent him to Brazparza to afford the dying bishop assistance, and to prepare his obsequies. St. Ioava^° was greatly comforted on the saini's arrival. St.
Kenan administered to him all necessary sacraments. The pious bishop departed to a better life, on the
• **
Article i. — See Life ofthe Apostle
St. John," translated from the French of M. L. Baunard.
= See *• Acta Sanctorum Hibernias," XXV. Februarii. De S. Kenano Abbate, p. 413. 3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
ruarii xxv. Among the pretermitted saints, pp. 484, 485.
See his Life, at the 24th of November.
vi. , n. 64, p. 345.
" See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of
Meath," p. 137.
*= See "Monasticon Hibernicum," at
Duleek, p. 533.
'^ In his " Britannicanim Ecclesiarum
Antiquitates," cap. xvi. , p. 411.
'-* See his "Index Chronologicus," at
A. D. ccccL. , p. 519. Ibid.
'5 See " Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 533.
s By Culgan.
** See his Life, at the 2nd of March. is said to liave died about the year 554.
He
'^ By Rev. Dr. Lanigan. "
7 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernian" ii. Martii. Vita S. loavre, Episcopi Leonensis, n. II, p. 444.
^ See Albert Le Grande, " Dc Sanctis Britannios Armoricae," at his Life of St. laova, chap, xiii. , at the 2nd of March.
' See " Acta Sanctorum," tomusiii. , Feb- ruarii xxv. Among the pretermitted saints, P- 485"
'° See Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical His- tory of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vii. , sect.
quitates. " Addenda quadaem omissa, p.
508. »8
3ee Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nice," ii. Martii. Vita S. laovce Episcopi
•Leonensis, cap. xiv,, pp. 442, 443.
'"^ His feast occurs, at the 12th of March.
-° This holy bishop accompanied St. Paul of Leon to Britanny. See Dom. Gui Alexis
"" Lobineau's Histoire de Bretagne, Tome
i,, liv. ii. , sect, ccix. , p. 76.
" Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvi.
^^ See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
February 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 699
2nd of March, a. d. 554. We have no further reliable account of St. Kenan. That name mentioned in the Martyrology of Tallaghj^*^ at this date, is Ciaran, Abbot—a mistake probably for Cianan. The Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman and of Maguire, likewise, commemorate St. Cianan, at
='-
the 25th of February. recorded,asbeingveneratedonthisday,Cianan,Abbot. Weknownotthe place, exactly, where his office had been discharged. An industrious cleric and countryman,^* in collecting the valuable remains of ancient literature, has re- marked, that he resembled poor Ruthj^'s who having no field of her own, went to glean in the fields of Booz, those ears which the reapers left behind them f^ and so, when we cannot satisfactorily gather all that might comprise a perfect account of our saints, the best that may be done is to collect what might otherwise be scattered and lost.
Article II. —St. Aldetrude, or Aldetrudis, Virgin and Abbess
OF Malbod, OR Maubeuge, Belgium. \_Seve? ith Ceiitury. \ This holy virgin is claimed as belonging to the Saints of Ireland, by Father John Colgan, who inserts her Acts at the 25th of February,' because on the father's side, her ancestral blood was Irish, even although she was born in Belgium, and con- stantlylivedthere. TheBollandists,^afteraScholiastintroduction,produce a brief Latin Life of the saint, adding some few notes, by way of elucidation. 3 The father of St. Aldetrude was Maelceadar* or Maldegarius, also called Vincent, the latter name having been received on account of numerous victories he obtained, and for this reason, too, he was created Count of Hainault, in the Low Countries, by Dagobert, the renowned King of the Franks. This latter monarch to increase those honours gave his relative St. Waldetrude,5 or Waldetrudis, in marriage. Their alliance was the happy occasion, for giving at a future time iour holy children to the Church, viz. : St. Landric,^ Bishop of Meaux ; St. Dentelinus,? Patron of Rosensis, in Cleves ; St. Aldetrude and St. Madelberta. ^ The sister of St. Waldetrude, called St. Aldegunde,9 had founded a religious establishment at Maubeuge,''' a town in French Flanders, and near the southern border line of Belgium. From her earliest infancy, St. Aldetrude, Avith her sister, St. Maldeberta, was distinguished for her pious dispositions ; and both were placed under the charge of their holy aunt Aldegunde, to receive a secular and a religious trainuig. The influence and precepts of this holy woman" soon brought her nieces to despise the vanities of this world, and to resolve on dedicating their virgin souls to Christ. Our saint especially loved to hear the Gospel
" See
ni^," XXV. Februarii, n. I, p. 413, and ii. Martii,n. 11,p. 443.
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- in the Monastery of Rubra Vallis, near Bruxelles, and inserted in the first part of theBrabantineHagiology; andagain,from Lessons of the Breviary, for the collegiate
=3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
56, 57.
^* I'homas de Hibernia, of the Order of
Preachers.
church ot Mons, founded by St. Waldetrude. -» See his Life, at the 14th of July.
s See her Acts, at the 9th of April.
See notices ol him, at the 17th of April.
^ =* ** 7
^s Ruth, ii.
See Introductio, p. ii. , a. , Manipulus
of
See notices of her, at the 7ih ol Sep-
Also, in the Martyrology of Donegal,'3 we find
See notices of him, at the I4ih Article IL—' See "Acta Sanctorum tember.
July,
riorum. " Venetiis,nodate,4to.
"
Hibernice," xxv. Februarii. De S. Aide- trude Abbatissa Malbodiensi, p. 412.
^ Her festival occurs, at the 30th of Jan*
uary.
'^ A canton and town of Nord Depart-
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
ruarii xxv. De S. Aldetrude Virgine Abba- ment, on the River Sambre, where an
tissa Malbodii, in Belgio, pp. 509 to 511.
•3 These Acts are made up from a Manu- script Codex of St. Aldetrude's Life, found
ancient college of noble Canonesses formerly
" ix. , pp. 161, 162.
stood. See
Gazetteer of the World," vol.
70O LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February25.
to the wise and foolish '^^ and to other sublime sentences, relating virgins,
maxims of religion. Filled with Divine faith, her thoughts were wholly absorbed in the ambition to enter heaven by the narrow gate. Inflamed with Divine love, she engaged in fervent and constant prayer, in continual vigils, in abundant alms-givings, and in the discharge of every ordinary duty, that devolved on the perfect religious. One interesting anecdote of her economical regard for the conventual state is related. Being resolved, that the wax used in the altar candles should not go to waste, Aldetrude gathered the scrapings, drippings, and fragments of tapers to put them again into the pot. When placed on the fire, however, and when the wax melted, it caught tire. Thinking there was danger from the blaze, and not wishing to lose the wax, Aldetrude boldly seized the pot, and lifted it in her hands from the fire, tothestonefloor. Althoughsomeofthemeltedwaxranoverherhandsand arms, she miraculously escaped without any burn or hurt, as a consequence of this brave adventure's This gave great edification to all the servants of the convent, who were present. Several sisters in her nunnery had remarkable visions,confirmingthesanctityofAldetrude. Oneofthesevisionsshoweda star descending and ascending, as if inviting the nuns to the marriage feast
of their heavenly bridegroom. When her holy aunt, Aldegunde, was sum- moned from earth to heaven,'-^ our saint was appointed to succeed her, in the administration of conventual affairs, at Maubeuge. Over this community shepresidedmostreligiously,foratermoftwelveyears. Duringthisperiod, St. Aldetrude ruled her nuns with great care and charity. One of her spiritual daughters, when the offices for the day had ended, and when all had retired to rest, enjoyed a vision of the Apostle St. Peter and of St. Aldetrude. They seemed to stand, at the corner of the altar, and engaged in conversation.
guardianship, and I shall bring to naught the efforts of the old enemy. " Again looking, the nun saw a honey-comb on the lips of her Abbess, and a ladder was near, by which she endeavoured to ascend towards heaven. The relation of this vision gave great comfort to Aldetrude's religious community. Another nun heard one Sunday night the sound. of men's voices speaking to the Abbess, whose hand she held in the courtyard of the nunnery. Yet could she see no person. But venturing to ask her superioress, what she had
With a benignant smile, the Apostle was heard to exclaim
amiable virgin, for I shall have thee and thy servants under my constant
"
shalt be wedded to an eternal king. " Aldetrude then fell upon her knees,
learned, the latter said,
I heard them say : because thou art a queen, thou
"
Another time, eagles were seen flying towards
heaven and bearing thither, as it were, St. Aldetrude and her prayers. Yet,
she had some doubts regarding their efficacy, and respecting her own merits ; but, she was re-assured in a nocturnal vision, when she saw a large and a bright crystal globe fly before her and towards the East. A few days, after- wards, a holy priest told her, that on the night of the Epiphany, he beheld a venerable long-haired man, coming as an Eastern King, with three wands, bearing flowers, in his hand. These he presented to Aldetrude, saying, " Thou shalt rule them with a wand, and they shall grow in her hand to the clouds. " The holy Abbess fell on her knees, and prayed with tears to God. Again, being in the open space, before the doors of her church, and alone,
" The Life of St. Aldegonde, also called " St. Matt, xxv. , I to 13.
Aldegondes and Orgonne, was written soon *3 gee Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of after her death. A second Life was com- the Saints," vol.
parish of Drumhome, barony of Tirhugh,^ and county of Donegal. 7
Article III. —St. Ciaran or Kieranus, of Uamh, or Vameu. To the present saint, we ought doubtless ascribe the misplaced entry Ciaran, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. ^ Ciaran, of Uamh, is registered in the Martyr- ology of Donegal,^ as having a festival at this date. There are many deno- minations of places, in various parts of Ireland, having in composition the
two distinct names, which should have been kept distinct. Thus,
wordUa? nh,^whichmeans,acave,den,grave,coveoroven. * Wearetold, ""
that the cave was a religious building in early Christian Ireland, and that it was built in the earth, as may be learned from several passages in the Lives of the Saints. s It was sometimes hollowed out of a rock, and some- times formed there by nature. In Scotland, likewise, this religious use of the cave was known to its saints. ^
Article IV. —Reputed Festival of St. Berectus, a Monk, in Scot-
land. At the 24th of February, Petrus Galesinus, from some Manuscript Kalendars, has entered a St. Berectus. ^ Arnold Wion states, he was a monk,
and a confessor, in Scotia, who excelled in a saintly life, and as a preacher ;
" See "Acta Sanctorum," tomusiii. , Feb- ruariixxiv. Amongthepretermittedsaints, p. 429,
s it is noted on the " Ordnance Survey
TownlandMapsfortheCountyofDonegal," Sheet 103.
^ This ancient called territory, previously
Sc7'eth, was named from tiie father of Domh- nail, who was the son of Aedli, Tir Acdha, now Tirhugh. It is the extreme barony of
^ gee Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," v—ol. i,, n. (e), pp. 256, 257.
3 Edited
by
Drs. Todd and
Reeves, pp.
56, 57.
* This denomination does not appear
among the Irish townland names. In this
place, there is a conical hill, locally known Donegal on the south-west. See ibid.
by the name A'ar^tf«. Its apex is entrenched like a rath. It contains an ancient cemetery, which is now used only for the interment of
Article hi.
'
Edited
the Rev. Dr.
'^
unbaptized children. This is the Rath- Kelly, p. xvi.
"=
cunga in Campo Sereth mentioned by Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Tirechan, Liber Armachanus, fols. ii. , bb, 56, 57.
15 a b. Here died Domhnall, Monarch of Ireland. His obit, is recorded in Dr.
^ \x^ Irish, UAnn.
•SeeO'Reilly'sIrish-EnglishDictionary, sub voce.
O'Donovan's
"
Annals of the Four Masters,"
" «'
at A. C. 639 [recte 642]. After Domhnall, son of Aedli, son of Ainmire, had been 16
*
5
Thus, in that of St. Brendan, in the Book of Lismore,' Bishop Ere is repre-
in the
years sovereignty
he died
Brendan into a— sending peni-
of
at Ard-Fothadh, in Tir Aedha, after the
victory of penance, for he was a year in his mortal sickness ; and he used to receive the
body of Christ every Sunday," vol. i. , pp.
256, 257. The latter part of this entry vol. i. , part ii. Fourth Series. January,
seems to have been borrowed, from a pass- age in the ancient preface to the Affthra re- lative to St. Columba's conduct at Druim-
ceatt. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adaftinan's
"
Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 10, n.
(e), p. 38.
Ireland,
"
See
sented as once
tential cave from night till morning. '
a commuuication of Mr. J. O'Beirne Crowe in "The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland,"
1871, p. 329. ""
See James Walsh's History of the Catholic Church in Scotland," chap, vi. , pp.
93, 94. —' Article iv.
"
See Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 279.
by
February 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 697
but, more he could not find, regarding the holy man. ^ He is said to have flourished, during the reign of Mordac, the fifty-ninth King of the Scots. 3 He
is said to have died, a. d. 720. '^ Menard, Dorgan and Wilson note his festival, at this date. The Bollandistss have a suspicion, that Berectus may be identical witli Berachius, who is venerated on the 15th of this month. ^ At the 2-4th of February, the festival of Berectus, a monk, in Scotia, is entered by Camerarius and by Dempster. 7 The latter acknowledges, that he does not know when the present holy man flourished, although attributing to him a Book of Homilies on the Sacred Scriptures. ^
Article V. —St. Mocadoc or Cadoc. Among the disciples of St.
Patrick,^ Colgan enumerates one Mo-chatoc, Mochadoc or Cadoc, and a festival is ascribed to him, at the 24th of February. ^ Yet, from the reference given, we are led to regard him, rather as one of the seven disciples of St. Fiach,3 Bishop of Sletty. ^ He is said to have been of Inis-fail.
Article VI. —Festival of C^cilius or C^elius Sedulius.
[Eiflk Century. '] In the Spanish Martyrology, written by Tamaius Salazarius,' Caecilius or Cselius Sedulius,^ the distinguished Christian poet and writer, is said to have been Bishop of Oretana,3 in Spain, and to have been a saint.
The Bollandists,^ at this date, have the foregoing statements.
Ctoentp-'jfiftfe ®aj) of jfehruarp^
ARTICLE I. —ST. CIENAN, OR KENAN, ABBOT. [PROBABL Y IN THE FIFTH CENTUR P. ]
sojourn of St. John in the Isle of Patmos, and the mysterious
THE
an constitute everlasting fame,
revelations that have to the
place
a portion of the apostle's life, around which there will ever be gathered an
absorbing and insatiable curiosity f and, in a no less secluded condition of society, many of the early British and Irish Saints engage the interest of religious persons, who feel emotion for their sacrifices and consolations. On
^"
See Lignum Vitce," pars, ii. , lib. iii,,
p. 57.
3 Yet Buchanan records him in the Cata-
logue of Scottish Kings as the sixtieth. See
"
Rerum Scoticarum 148.
Historia,"
lib.
v. , p.
p. 267.
^ ^qq ibid. Vita S. Patricii, lib. Septima
iii. , cap. xxii. , and n. 38, pp. 155, 185. Colgan thinks, he was the same as St. Cadoc, whose Life may be read at the 24th of Jan-
uary.
* See Camerarius' " De Fortitudine Sco- torum," p. 107.
5 See "Acta
" tomus
Feb- Among the pretermitted saints,
Sanctorum,
iii. ,
ruarii xxiv. p. 428.
^
7 See Menologium Scoticum," Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp.
*
his —at the 12th of
See Life, October,
See his Life, written for that date. "=
192, 235.
^ See "Historia
Ecclesiastica Gentis
His Acts will be found, at the I2th of this month.
3 The Oretani occupied the district, now known as La Mancha.
"
^ See
ruarii xxiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 429.
Scotorum," p. 76.
num.
See his Life, at the 17th
Article V.
—
*
tomus lib. i. ,
Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb*
ii. ,
132,
given
of March,
'^ See "Trias
Thaumaturga. " Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. ,
^
Article vi. To this is added, "ob
auctoritatem Chronici Dextri. "
698 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 25.
this day, our domestic Martyrologies commemorate the feast of a St. Cienan, Kenan or Kienan. The name is Latinized Kienaniis. Colgan has some brief notices regarding St. Kenan f while the Bollandists^ chiefly follow his statements, yet with some doubts as to their accuracy. He is called an abbot, but we are left uninformed, regarding that particular monastery he presided over, or the time, at which he flourished. After distinguishing this saint from St. Kenan, Bishop of Duleek,^ it is thought as not improbable,^ that he was a Kenan, whom St. loava"^ had made a priest and canon,7 and had placed over Plou-Kernaw parish, in the diocese of Leon, belonging to Armoric Britain. ^ It is remarked, by Colgan, that those who were called canons in his time, were simply monks, while those who had charge of par- ticular churches are chiefly designated as abbots. This, however, is a con- clusion, the Bollandists will not admit, in the universality of cases. 9 Colgan applies to St. Kenan of Duleek, what Ussher relates concerning his Kenan. ^° Harris" and Archdall" likewise adopt his statements, without much con- sideration. It has been suggested, that a certain Renanus spoken of may have been mistaken for a Kenanus. ^3 Ussher states, regarding this latter, that he went to Gaul, a. d. 450. ^4 In this year, however, Archdall makes St. Patrick baptize Kienan of Duleek. ^s it is considered probable,^^ that this saint was a different person from a Kenan, mentioned by Ussher. ^7 Although he speaks of that holy man, as having been in many other places, Ussher by no means insinuates, that his Kenan belonged to Duleek. Allowing our saint to have been identical with him, mentioned by Ussher, and that he must have been at least twenty years old, before leaving Ireland ; the present Kenan should have attained the great age of nearly 130 years, in such a hypothesis. Were we to suppose this saint identical with the Kenan of Plou-Kernaw, it follows, that he flourished about the middle of the sixth century, for, he was present at the death of loava, which took place, at this period. We read, in the Life of this latter holy person,^^ that three days be- fore his death, the illness of this bishop had been revealed to St. Pau^s at his monastery, in the Island of Baaz, and to St. Kenan, in Plou-Kernaw. This latter immediately went to St. Paul, who sent him to Brazparza to afford the dying bishop assistance, and to prepare his obsequies. St. Ioava^° was greatly comforted on the saini's arrival. St.
Kenan administered to him all necessary sacraments. The pious bishop departed to a better life, on the
• **
Article i. — See Life ofthe Apostle
St. John," translated from the French of M. L. Baunard.
= See *• Acta Sanctorum Hibernias," XXV. Februarii. De S. Kenano Abbate, p. 413. 3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
ruarii xxv. Among the pretermitted saints, pp. 484, 485.
See his Life, at the 24th of November.
vi. , n. 64, p. 345.
" See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of
Meath," p. 137.
*= See "Monasticon Hibernicum," at
Duleek, p. 533.
'^ In his " Britannicanim Ecclesiarum
Antiquitates," cap. xvi. , p. 411.
'-* See his "Index Chronologicus," at
A. D. ccccL. , p. 519. Ibid.
'5 See " Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 533.
s By Culgan.
** See his Life, at the 2nd of March. is said to liave died about the year 554.
He
'^ By Rev. Dr. Lanigan. "
7 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernian" ii. Martii. Vita S. loavre, Episcopi Leonensis, n. II, p. 444.
^ See Albert Le Grande, " Dc Sanctis Britannios Armoricae," at his Life of St. laova, chap, xiii. , at the 2nd of March.
' See " Acta Sanctorum," tomusiii. , Feb- ruarii xxv. Among the pretermitted saints, P- 485"
'° See Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical His- tory of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vii. , sect.
quitates. " Addenda quadaem omissa, p.
508. »8
3ee Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nice," ii. Martii. Vita S. laovce Episcopi
•Leonensis, cap. xiv,, pp. 442, 443.
'"^ His feast occurs, at the 12th of March.
-° This holy bishop accompanied St. Paul of Leon to Britanny. See Dom. Gui Alexis
"" Lobineau's Histoire de Bretagne, Tome
i,, liv. ii. , sect, ccix. , p. 76.
" Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvi.
^^ See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
February 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 699
2nd of March, a. d. 554. We have no further reliable account of St. Kenan. That name mentioned in the Martyrology of Tallaghj^*^ at this date, is Ciaran, Abbot—a mistake probably for Cianan. The Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman and of Maguire, likewise, commemorate St. Cianan, at
='-
the 25th of February. recorded,asbeingveneratedonthisday,Cianan,Abbot. Weknownotthe place, exactly, where his office had been discharged. An industrious cleric and countryman,^* in collecting the valuable remains of ancient literature, has re- marked, that he resembled poor Ruthj^'s who having no field of her own, went to glean in the fields of Booz, those ears which the reapers left behind them f^ and so, when we cannot satisfactorily gather all that might comprise a perfect account of our saints, the best that may be done is to collect what might otherwise be scattered and lost.
Article II. —St. Aldetrude, or Aldetrudis, Virgin and Abbess
OF Malbod, OR Maubeuge, Belgium. \_Seve? ith Ceiitury. \ This holy virgin is claimed as belonging to the Saints of Ireland, by Father John Colgan, who inserts her Acts at the 25th of February,' because on the father's side, her ancestral blood was Irish, even although she was born in Belgium, and con- stantlylivedthere. TheBollandists,^afteraScholiastintroduction,produce a brief Latin Life of the saint, adding some few notes, by way of elucidation. 3 The father of St. Aldetrude was Maelceadar* or Maldegarius, also called Vincent, the latter name having been received on account of numerous victories he obtained, and for this reason, too, he was created Count of Hainault, in the Low Countries, by Dagobert, the renowned King of the Franks. This latter monarch to increase those honours gave his relative St. Waldetrude,5 or Waldetrudis, in marriage. Their alliance was the happy occasion, for giving at a future time iour holy children to the Church, viz. : St. Landric,^ Bishop of Meaux ; St. Dentelinus,? Patron of Rosensis, in Cleves ; St. Aldetrude and St. Madelberta. ^ The sister of St. Waldetrude, called St. Aldegunde,9 had founded a religious establishment at Maubeuge,''' a town in French Flanders, and near the southern border line of Belgium. From her earliest infancy, St. Aldetrude, Avith her sister, St. Maldeberta, was distinguished for her pious dispositions ; and both were placed under the charge of their holy aunt Aldegunde, to receive a secular and a religious trainuig. The influence and precepts of this holy woman" soon brought her nieces to despise the vanities of this world, and to resolve on dedicating their virgin souls to Christ. Our saint especially loved to hear the Gospel
" See
ni^," XXV. Februarii, n. I, p. 413, and ii. Martii,n. 11,p. 443.
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- in the Monastery of Rubra Vallis, near Bruxelles, and inserted in the first part of theBrabantineHagiology; andagain,from Lessons of the Breviary, for the collegiate
=3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
56, 57.
^* I'homas de Hibernia, of the Order of
Preachers.
church ot Mons, founded by St. Waldetrude. -» See his Life, at the 14th of July.
s See her Acts, at the 9th of April.
See notices ol him, at the 17th of April.
^ =* ** 7
^s Ruth, ii.
See Introductio, p. ii. , a. , Manipulus
of
See notices of her, at the 7ih ol Sep-
Also, in the Martyrology of Donegal,'3 we find
See notices of him, at the I4ih Article IL—' See "Acta Sanctorum tember.
July,
riorum. " Venetiis,nodate,4to.
"
Hibernice," xxv. Februarii. De S. Aide- trude Abbatissa Malbodiensi, p. 412.
^ Her festival occurs, at the 30th of Jan*
uary.
'^ A canton and town of Nord Depart-
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
ruarii xxv. De S. Aldetrude Virgine Abba- ment, on the River Sambre, where an
tissa Malbodii, in Belgio, pp. 509 to 511.
•3 These Acts are made up from a Manu- script Codex of St. Aldetrude's Life, found
ancient college of noble Canonesses formerly
" ix. , pp. 161, 162.
stood. See
Gazetteer of the World," vol.
70O LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February25.
to the wise and foolish '^^ and to other sublime sentences, relating virgins,
maxims of religion. Filled with Divine faith, her thoughts were wholly absorbed in the ambition to enter heaven by the narrow gate. Inflamed with Divine love, she engaged in fervent and constant prayer, in continual vigils, in abundant alms-givings, and in the discharge of every ordinary duty, that devolved on the perfect religious. One interesting anecdote of her economical regard for the conventual state is related. Being resolved, that the wax used in the altar candles should not go to waste, Aldetrude gathered the scrapings, drippings, and fragments of tapers to put them again into the pot. When placed on the fire, however, and when the wax melted, it caught tire. Thinking there was danger from the blaze, and not wishing to lose the wax, Aldetrude boldly seized the pot, and lifted it in her hands from the fire, tothestonefloor. Althoughsomeofthemeltedwaxranoverherhandsand arms, she miraculously escaped without any burn or hurt, as a consequence of this brave adventure's This gave great edification to all the servants of the convent, who were present. Several sisters in her nunnery had remarkable visions,confirmingthesanctityofAldetrude. Oneofthesevisionsshoweda star descending and ascending, as if inviting the nuns to the marriage feast
of their heavenly bridegroom. When her holy aunt, Aldegunde, was sum- moned from earth to heaven,'-^ our saint was appointed to succeed her, in the administration of conventual affairs, at Maubeuge. Over this community shepresidedmostreligiously,foratermoftwelveyears. Duringthisperiod, St. Aldetrude ruled her nuns with great care and charity. One of her spiritual daughters, when the offices for the day had ended, and when all had retired to rest, enjoyed a vision of the Apostle St. Peter and of St. Aldetrude. They seemed to stand, at the corner of the altar, and engaged in conversation.
guardianship, and I shall bring to naught the efforts of the old enemy. " Again looking, the nun saw a honey-comb on the lips of her Abbess, and a ladder was near, by which she endeavoured to ascend towards heaven. The relation of this vision gave great comfort to Aldetrude's religious community. Another nun heard one Sunday night the sound. of men's voices speaking to the Abbess, whose hand she held in the courtyard of the nunnery. Yet could she see no person. But venturing to ask her superioress, what she had
With a benignant smile, the Apostle was heard to exclaim
amiable virgin, for I shall have thee and thy servants under my constant
"
shalt be wedded to an eternal king. " Aldetrude then fell upon her knees,
learned, the latter said,
I heard them say : because thou art a queen, thou
"
Another time, eagles were seen flying towards
heaven and bearing thither, as it were, St. Aldetrude and her prayers. Yet,
she had some doubts regarding their efficacy, and respecting her own merits ; but, she was re-assured in a nocturnal vision, when she saw a large and a bright crystal globe fly before her and towards the East. A few days, after- wards, a holy priest told her, that on the night of the Epiphany, he beheld a venerable long-haired man, coming as an Eastern King, with three wands, bearing flowers, in his hand. These he presented to Aldetrude, saying, " Thou shalt rule them with a wand, and they shall grow in her hand to the clouds. " The holy Abbess fell on her knees, and prayed with tears to God. Again, being in the open space, before the doors of her church, and alone,
" The Life of St. Aldegonde, also called " St. Matt, xxv. , I to 13.
Aldegondes and Orgonne, was written soon *3 gee Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of after her death. A second Life was com- the Saints," vol.
