MarianusScotusrelatesapropheticdeclarationofthis
Helias, respecting the death of Piligrinus, bishop of Cologne,'* who had threatened him and the Scots under his rule, that if they did not remove from
the monastery of St.
Helias, respecting the death of Piligrinus, bishop of Cologne,'* who had threatened him and the Scots under his rule, that if they did not remove from
the monastery of St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
, pp.
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 5 See ibid. , pp. 422, 423.
472, 473-
5 For the foregoing statement, the Life of
St. Mochua, chap, x. , is quoted; and Fionnchu's Life, of Bri-gobhann, venerated at the 25th of November, seems that, to which allusion has been made.
Kelly, p. xxi. The Franciscan copy has Sen<iin.
Articleix. —' Theiracts
with great spiritual profit, in the admirable
rilis xi. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 2.
3 See " Trias " Thaumaturga, Quartft Ap
may bestudied,
pendix
Acta S. Columbx, cap. x. , num.
'
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Ap-
ad 105, p. 492.
124 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April ii,
a disciple of St, Columkille. * Among the religious of that house, a holy monk, so named, is noticed ;5 and, he is thought to have been the Senan, com- memorated in one of St. Columb's Poems, in which it is predicted, that he. should be buried at Durrow. * This day is recorded, in the Martyrology of* Donegal,' as being a festival, held in honour of a St. Senan.
Article XI. —Reputed Festival of a St. Senan. The name of Senan is entered a second time, on this day, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' as hav- ing been venerated. But no locality or pedigree occurs, in connexion with him.
Article XII. —Reputed Festival of Maccaeus Vates, Island of Bute,'
phet, as also, a disciple to St. Patrick,' Apostle of the Irish, and, at the i ith of April. For this account, he quotes a Scottish Breviary. By Dempster, Maccseus is called, likewise, a sweet poet, a medicus, and a distinguished mathematician. ^ He is said to have written, De Recipiendis Lapsis, Lib. i. , De Fide Perseve- rante, Lib. i. , De Indiciis Nativitatum, Lib. i. * His life ended, according to Dempster, in the year 460. 5 Ferrarius follows the foregoing account, in his.
'
notes, and the Bollandists
Lesley's nephew, and his work,^ the Rev. Alban Buder enters St. Maccai,. Abbot, at the nth of April, when his feast is found, likewise, in the Circle of the Seasons. Some notices of him are to be met with, in the work of Bishop Forbes. 9
Article XIII. —Commemoration of St. Dympna's and of St. Gere- bern's Arrival, at Antwerp. Such is the festival, found in a Carthusian' Martyrology, at Bruxelles, for the i ith of April, as the Bollandists inform us. '
Their actions and final martyrdom, in the city of Gheel, will be found, at the
Scotland. IntheIslandofBute,ThomasDempsterplacesMaccjeus,apro- ^
15th of May, which is assigned for their chief feast.
'
;
Article xii.
lume Third, at the 17th of March.
' Edited
Drs. Toddand
other
'See KalendarsoftheScottishSaints,"
'
His Life
in Vo-
= Thus : "Insula Buta Macciei Vatis S. Patricii Hibernorum Apostoli discipuli. "—• Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish
Saints," p. 196.
3 Antonius Possevinus is quoted, for this
statement, by Dempster.
* We are told, that these tracts are to be
tomus ii. , Aprilis xi. Among the pretermitted •
by
principal Saints," vol. iv. , April xi. "
occurs,
p. 380.
Article xm. —' See "Acta Sanctorum,"
record him, at the present date. Quoting Bishop
Article XIV. —Reputed Festival of Laustranus. At the nth of April,
Thomas ' hastherecordofLaustranus,who his to" Dempster persuaded Scots,
aicceptthetrueobservanceofthePasch. " Andagain,thesamewritercalls
* See his Life, at the 9th of June.
iSeeiiirl. , Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. iv. , sect, ii. , p. 508.
' See idid. , Tertia Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, pars, ii. , num. 12, p. 472.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. ^829. , p. 447.
*
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Ap- rilis xi. Among the pretermitted saints, i p. 2.
:
100,loi. Article xi.
See LivesoftheFathers,Martyrsand
— Reeves,pp. 100,—loi.
lendars of Scottish Saints," p. 196. """
found, in Bibliotheca Sanctorum Patrum. " For this, he cites the Scotichronicon,'
5 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco- a "MagnoMacullone excriptum. " 7
' " De Vitis Sanctorum Scotiae. " ^"
saints, p. 3. — Article xiv.
'
In his "Menologium
"
Scotorum," it runs thus : xi.
qui Scotis suis veram paschatis observa-
tionem persuasit. "—Bishop
Forbes' "Ka-
Laustrani,
April i 2. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 1*5
him a Bishop of the Scots, but he is uncertain regarding the See. Ac- cording to Dempster, he wrote Epistles to Hilarius and others. He flourished, during the controversy, about the Paschal observance and the cleri- cal tonsure, having lived a. d. 664. 3 Ferrarius follows Dempster, in this notice ; and the Bollandists * record Laustranus, at this date, furnishing the
foregoing particulars.
Article XV. —Reputed Festival of Helias Scottus, or Ailill, Abbot of St. Pantaleon and of St. Martin, Cologne, Germany.
—
\Tenth and Elrcenth C<nturiesl\ Although the 3rd of April Ides
'
corres-
ponding with the nth of the month—
holy man, in the year 1042 ; yet, his festival has been more usually noted for the following day, where a further account of him will be found.
CtuelftI) ©ap of apni.
ARTICLE I. —ST. HELIAS, OR AILELL, OF MUCNAMH, AND ABBOT OVER ST. MARTINS MONASTERY, COLOGNE, GERMANY.
[TENTH AND ELVENTH CENTURIES. }
among our Irish Saints, seem to have heard a voice resounding
of April ; and, he is distinguished, as having been a beatified * and a chief servant of God. ' According to the Martyrology of Donegal,* there was a festival held on this day, to commemorate Helias, or Ailell. It is probable, thisholymanwasbom,inthelatterpartofthetenthcentury. Accordingto >larianus, he was a Scot by descent, as also a prudent and religious
" ears, speaking Abraham,
in their like that to MANY,
Go out of thine own country, and from thy Father's house, into the land which I shall show thee. "' Those holy men left their native land, not to acquire riches, but to follow Christ, and to bear his sweet yoke. Some Acts of St. Helias, or Ailill, seem to have been arranged by Colgan ' for publication, at the i)resent date. The Bollandists 3 insert some particulars, regarding Helias Scotus, at the i zth
"3 See Thomas Dempster's "HistoriaEc-
clesiastica Gentis Scotonim," tomus ii. , lib.
xi. , num. 791, p. 429.
'See "Acta Sanctorum," tomns ii. , Ap- rilis xii. Among the pretermitted saints,
See
ii. , Ap- Among the pretennitted saints,
p. 2.
Article XV.
5 Lamtjertus calls him "Servus Dei prae- cipuus," in his Vita S. Heriberti Archiepis- copi, num. xxviii. The Feast of this holy
Archbishop of Cologne is celebrated, at the i6th of March.
° Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 100, loi.
"Acta tomus Sanctorum,"
p. 65-
«
/Egidius Gelenius, in sis," styles him hiatus.
"
Fastis Colonieli-
«
rilis xi.
Chronicon, p. 557.
Article i. — Genesis xii. i.
» See " Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum
quae Ms. habentur, ordine Mensium et Diernm. "
—
manix Historica," tomus v. , Mariani Scotti
'See
"
Monumenta Ger-
has been for the death of this assigned
126 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 12.
man. He belonged to the family,7 or religious house of Mucnamh. This
place is now known as Mucknoe,* a parish in the barony of Cremorne, and
county of Monaghan. 9 The present holy man must have been very much
the Four " head of the monks of Masters,
since he is called
the Gaeidhil ;" and, it seems most likely, that his religious training was re- ceived in Ireland, where he dwelt for some time, before setting out for the Continent. His course was directed to Cologne, where a religious foundation, for men of the Irish or Scottish race, had been long established. It seems pro- bable, that he lived under direction of the Scottish Abbot Kilian, wlio ruled the house of St. Martin there, from a. d. 986, to the day of his death, a. d.
by
1003. '° Helias left Ireland, to embrace a solitary life.
distinguished,
over the Scots house, at Cologne," having succeeded Kilian, a. d. 1004, and
he governed St. Martin's Monastery, in that city, for twenty years. Some of
his Scottish countrymen lived there, and in the monastery of St. Pantalion. " The discipline he enforced was strict and rigorous ; and, as we learn, some immortified inmates of the latter house contrived to prejudice the mind of Piligrinus, bishop of Cologne, against their Irish abbot and their fellow monks of Scottish birth. In the year 1027, it is stated, that the cause of religion was
greatly promoted, by this holy man, according to Sigebert ;'3 but, it seems
doubtful, that he survived to this latter year. He was regarded as a prudent
andreligiousman.
MarianusScotusrelatesapropheticdeclarationofthis
Helias, respecting the death of Piligrinus, bishop of Cologne,'* who had threatened him and the Scots under his rule, that if they did not remove from
the monastery of St. Pantaleon, before he returned from a royal station, they should be expelled. They replied to his threat: "If Christ be for the strangers, Bishop Piligrinus himself should not return from that place alive to Cologne. " It so happened, that his death took place, on the 8th of the September Kalends, a. d. 1037, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Helias. We are told, that Ailill died, a. d. 1042 ;'5 and, at the same year, on the second of the April Ides, corresponding with the i2tli day of this month, the death of Helias Scotus is noted, by Marianus Scotus, according to the Bollandists. '* According to Thomas Dempster, he edited many tracts, but all perished,
"
except a small one, intituled,
Imperatorem. "'? John Major has a notice about two Scots' monasteries, erected at Cologne, and others in different parts of Germany, by a certain
Guillemus, a brother to King Achaius, in the time of Charlemagne j'^ but
' In a note, Dr. Reeves says, at this word,
of July.
'^ See "Monumenta Germaniae Historica,"
" tomusvi. SigebertiGemblacensis Chrono-
graphia," edidit D. Ludowicus Conradus
Bethmann, p. 356.
''See "Monumenta Germanise Histo-
rica," tomus v. Mariani Scotti, Chronicon,
pp. 556, 557-
"S See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 840, 841.
'^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Ap- rilis xii. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 65.
'? See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. viii. , num. 631, pp.
family,
" That is the
religious family
or con-
gregation. "
' It is shown, on the "Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of Monaghan," as a parish, sheets 15,20,25.
9 See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 407, 408. And Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Mas-
ters," vol. i. , n. (d), p. 445.
'o He died, on the 19th of January Ka-
lends, or 7th of December, according to Marianus Scottus, in his "Chronicon," where the chronology appears varied, in G. Waltz's edition, contained in "Monumenta Germa-
nise Historica, "tomus v. , p. 555.
"See Trithemius, De Viris lUustribus
Ordinis S. Benedicti," lib. iii. , cap. cxli.
" The feast of St. Pantaleon, physician, and martyr, in Nicomedia, occurs, at the 27th
De Scotorum Peregrinorum Innocentia ad
335. 336- ""
He became Abbot
"See
Anglia; quam Scotiae, lib. ii. , cap. xiii. , fol. xxxv. Prelum Ascensianum. a. d. 1521, sm. 4to.
Historia Majoris Biitannias, tarn
April 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 127
there appears to be much more of imagination than of reality, in this state- ment. Among the illustrious men of the Benedictine Order, Helias is classed, by Trithemius. 's who styles him a saint, and who states, that after death, his many-sided merits became recognised by indubitable evidence. ''" His tem- per or habits of thought must have been moulded, in extreme views of duty ; for, we are told, that a French monk, having written a beautiful Missal with- out his leave, in the monastery of St. Pantalion, Helias ordered it to be pub- hcly burned, in presence of the monks, so that no other should transgress, in a like manner, without permission. " His death may be assigned, to the year 1042, if we follow the computation ofG. Waitz, and on the 3rd of the April Ides," as found in the Chronicle of Marianus Scottus. "3 Dempster has an entry '* of Helias the Solitary, and Abbot of the Scots, as also Arnold Wion, at the i2th of April. »5 He was succeeded by Maiobus Scottus, a chaste, patient and wise man, who niled eighteen years. '* Besides the foregoing writers, Dorgan, Menard, Bucelin, and Ferrarius, in his General Catalogue oftheSaints,havethesamedateforhisfeasf Bothathomeandabroad, its commemoration seems to have been observed.
Article II. —St. Conda, or Connath, said to have been Abbot OF DoiREDHA-CoNNA, CouNTY OF LouTH. When this saint flourished is unknown ; but, it is probable, not later than the eighth century. The name Connath, Abbot, occurs, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 12th of April. He was of the race of Conall Gulban, son to Niall, according to the Calendar of the O'Clerys. His place is not well known. The following
account is from Jocelyn's Life of our great Irish Apostle. It is mentioned, "
thatSaintPatrick visitedthecountryoftheTurturi,whereheabodeforthe durationofsevenweeks. Inthatlittlespace,heerectedsevenchurches,one whereofhecalledtheLord'sChurch. Forthiswashiscustom,thatwhere- soever he dwelt on the Lord's day, if he founded a church there, he called it Doranhach, that is, belonging to the Lord. Over one of these seven churches, he appointed a disciple, named Conncdus, a good and holy man, indegreeaPresbyter,orPriest,andlearnedinthedivinelaw. Undertaking the government of this church, rather from obedience than from ambition, he spent there only one week, and then quitting it, he hastened to St. Patrick. The saint inquiring the cause for his speedy return, Connedus answered, that he could not patiently endure the absence of his beloved father. " Nor is it to
"
saint,
of life, but men of blood, and devourers of cattle, of whose sword thou
standest in dread, and fearest that thy blood will be poured out. Return, re- turn securely, nor tremble before their face ; for the blood of no man shall in
be the wondered," replied
since,
in that there are not children place,
"See "De Viris Illnstribns Ordinis S.
Benedicti," lib. iii. , cap. 141. *"
bes' " Kalendarsof Scottish Saints, p. 196.
»3 See in " Lignum Vitae," lib. iii. , p. cxxxiii.
By Rupert, he is simply styled Abbot. "See "Monumenta Germaniac Histo- rica," tomus v. Chronicon Mariani Scotti,
"See "Monumenta GennaniKHistorica," tomus v. Chronicon Mariani Scotti, p. 557. "^ See the BoUandists' "Acta Sanctorum," "Dempster has it, at ii Idus April. tomus ii. , Aprilis xii. Among the preter-
P- 557-
"
anno Salulis MXLII. "—" Ilistoria Ecclesi- asticaGentisScotorum,"tomusii. ,lib. viii. , num. 621. , p. 336.
mitted saints, p. 65.
Articleii. —' EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xxi. In the Franciscan copy, I find '*See "Monumenta Germaniae Histo- Cotiachi <Jb •Oo,1|M, with another word
rica," tomus v. , p. 557. *"
added, which seems to read LauIcu, or La
ulcu.
In the SolitariiScotorumAbbatis. " Bishop
following way,
Natalis Helix
—
For-
'
SeehisLife,atthe17thofMarch.
X28
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 12.
that place be shed, even from generation to generation. " Therefore, receiving this answer of St. Patrick, the venerable Connedus returned to the govern- mentofhischurch; andasdwellersinthatcountrydeclared,thewordofSt. Patrick has been confirmed, by many proofs. 3 Colgan has not been able to indentify this saint, with any recorded in our Calendars. He remarks, how- ever, that there isaConna, orConda, at the 8th of March, and at the 12th of April; thatthereisaCondanus,orConnanus,atthe12thofJune,andatthe ist of July; while there is a Connatus, orCondatus, at the 15th of November. Again, in the An—nals of the Four Masters. ^ it is stated, that Tighernach, lord ofLochGabhar nowknownasLoughGower,orLagore,nearDunshaughlin
atDaire
ofMeath—— a overthe
county gained victory foreigners.
It
Disirt-Dachonna s identified with Diseart-Dachonna, Dysart, in Feara-. -Vrda, Ferrard, a barony in the county of Louth. ^ This victory was achieved, a. d. 846, As the locality appears to have taken its denomination from a saint Dachonna, or Mochonna, venerated at the 8th of March,' it may be asked, if the pre-
sent saint must be distinguished from him ? He flourished, at a period, long anterior to the event already recorded, if such were the case. In the Annals of Ulster and of the Four Masters, his death is referred to a. d. 704, or 705. We read, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ that on this day was venerated, Conda,Abbot,ofDaireDachonna,inUlster. TheRev. WilliamReeveshas placed St. Conna, in a Calendar, and the inference wouldjseem to be, that he is supposed to have been connected, with the north-east parts of Ireland. '
Article III. —St. Ernin, Bishop. A record of Erngn, a Bishop, is
found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at this date. On the same authority, the Bollandists = insert a notice of him, at the 12th of April. The festival of
Ernin, Bishop, was celebrated, on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. 3
Article IV. —Reputed Festival of St. Dobanus. In his Commemora- tions of the Scottish Saints, Camerarius has inserted the name of a saint Dobanus, as a companion of St. Boniface. ' The Bollandists,'' who make the entry, at this day, and on his authority, remark, that he was unknown to them, and to Dempster ; unless, indeed, reference had been to St. Bonifa- cius Kiritinus, venerated at the i6th of March, where there is no mention madeofDobanus. AbriefnoticeofDobanisgiven,byBishopForbes. 3
3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " lOO, lOI.
Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. xci. , p. 86, and
nn. loi, I02, p. 113.
< . See Ur. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. , pp.
476,477.
5 This is rendered, " The Oak Wood of
' See "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore, Appendix LL, p. 377-
St. Dachonna's desert or wilderness. " Dr.
O'Donovan had not been able to identify the
exact place. See n. (c), ibid. Yet, there
seems to me no good reason, for not associa-
ting this saint with the present parisli of
'Dysart, in the barony of P'errard, county of
Louth. Some vestiges of an ancient church
still remain, in the burial ground of this heren,-is is added, by Camerarius, to dis- parish. See Lewis' "Topographical Die- tinguish him.
tionary of Ireland," vol. i. , pp.
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 5 See ibid. , pp. 422, 423.
472, 473-
5 For the foregoing statement, the Life of
St. Mochua, chap, x. , is quoted; and Fionnchu's Life, of Bri-gobhann, venerated at the 25th of November, seems that, to which allusion has been made.
Kelly, p. xxi. The Franciscan copy has Sen<iin.
Articleix. —' Theiracts
with great spiritual profit, in the admirable
rilis xi. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 2.
3 See " Trias " Thaumaturga, Quartft Ap
may bestudied,
pendix
Acta S. Columbx, cap. x. , num.
'
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Ap-
ad 105, p. 492.
124 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April ii,
a disciple of St, Columkille. * Among the religious of that house, a holy monk, so named, is noticed ;5 and, he is thought to have been the Senan, com- memorated in one of St. Columb's Poems, in which it is predicted, that he. should be buried at Durrow. * This day is recorded, in the Martyrology of* Donegal,' as being a festival, held in honour of a St. Senan.
Article XI. —Reputed Festival of a St. Senan. The name of Senan is entered a second time, on this day, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' as hav- ing been venerated. But no locality or pedigree occurs, in connexion with him.
Article XII. —Reputed Festival of Maccaeus Vates, Island of Bute,'
phet, as also, a disciple to St. Patrick,' Apostle of the Irish, and, at the i ith of April. For this account, he quotes a Scottish Breviary. By Dempster, Maccseus is called, likewise, a sweet poet, a medicus, and a distinguished mathematician. ^ He is said to have written, De Recipiendis Lapsis, Lib. i. , De Fide Perseve- rante, Lib. i. , De Indiciis Nativitatum, Lib. i. * His life ended, according to Dempster, in the year 460. 5 Ferrarius follows the foregoing account, in his.
'
notes, and the Bollandists
Lesley's nephew, and his work,^ the Rev. Alban Buder enters St. Maccai,. Abbot, at the nth of April, when his feast is found, likewise, in the Circle of the Seasons. Some notices of him are to be met with, in the work of Bishop Forbes. 9
Article XIII. —Commemoration of St. Dympna's and of St. Gere- bern's Arrival, at Antwerp. Such is the festival, found in a Carthusian' Martyrology, at Bruxelles, for the i ith of April, as the Bollandists inform us. '
Their actions and final martyrdom, in the city of Gheel, will be found, at the
Scotland. IntheIslandofBute,ThomasDempsterplacesMaccjeus,apro- ^
15th of May, which is assigned for their chief feast.
'
;
Article xii.
lume Third, at the 17th of March.
' Edited
Drs. Toddand
other
'See KalendarsoftheScottishSaints,"
'
His Life
in Vo-
= Thus : "Insula Buta Macciei Vatis S. Patricii Hibernorum Apostoli discipuli. "—• Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish
Saints," p. 196.
3 Antonius Possevinus is quoted, for this
statement, by Dempster.
* We are told, that these tracts are to be
tomus ii. , Aprilis xi. Among the pretermitted •
by
principal Saints," vol. iv. , April xi. "
occurs,
p. 380.
Article xm. —' See "Acta Sanctorum,"
record him, at the present date. Quoting Bishop
Article XIV. —Reputed Festival of Laustranus. At the nth of April,
Thomas ' hastherecordofLaustranus,who his to" Dempster persuaded Scots,
aicceptthetrueobservanceofthePasch. " Andagain,thesamewritercalls
* See his Life, at the 9th of June.
iSeeiiirl. , Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. iv. , sect, ii. , p. 508.
' See idid. , Tertia Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, pars, ii. , num. 12, p. 472.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. ^829. , p. 447.
*
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Ap- rilis xi. Among the pretermitted saints, i p. 2.
:
100,loi. Article xi.
See LivesoftheFathers,Martyrsand
— Reeves,pp. 100,—loi.
lendars of Scottish Saints," p. 196. """
found, in Bibliotheca Sanctorum Patrum. " For this, he cites the Scotichronicon,'
5 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco- a "MagnoMacullone excriptum. " 7
' " De Vitis Sanctorum Scotiae. " ^"
saints, p. 3. — Article xiv.
'
In his "Menologium
"
Scotorum," it runs thus : xi.
qui Scotis suis veram paschatis observa-
tionem persuasit. "—Bishop
Forbes' "Ka-
Laustrani,
April i 2. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 1*5
him a Bishop of the Scots, but he is uncertain regarding the See. Ac- cording to Dempster, he wrote Epistles to Hilarius and others. He flourished, during the controversy, about the Paschal observance and the cleri- cal tonsure, having lived a. d. 664. 3 Ferrarius follows Dempster, in this notice ; and the Bollandists * record Laustranus, at this date, furnishing the
foregoing particulars.
Article XV. —Reputed Festival of Helias Scottus, or Ailill, Abbot of St. Pantaleon and of St. Martin, Cologne, Germany.
—
\Tenth and Elrcenth C<nturiesl\ Although the 3rd of April Ides
'
corres-
ponding with the nth of the month—
holy man, in the year 1042 ; yet, his festival has been more usually noted for the following day, where a further account of him will be found.
CtuelftI) ©ap of apni.
ARTICLE I. —ST. HELIAS, OR AILELL, OF MUCNAMH, AND ABBOT OVER ST. MARTINS MONASTERY, COLOGNE, GERMANY.
[TENTH AND ELVENTH CENTURIES. }
among our Irish Saints, seem to have heard a voice resounding
of April ; and, he is distinguished, as having been a beatified * and a chief servant of God. ' According to the Martyrology of Donegal,* there was a festival held on this day, to commemorate Helias, or Ailell. It is probable, thisholymanwasbom,inthelatterpartofthetenthcentury. Accordingto >larianus, he was a Scot by descent, as also a prudent and religious
" ears, speaking Abraham,
in their like that to MANY,
Go out of thine own country, and from thy Father's house, into the land which I shall show thee. "' Those holy men left their native land, not to acquire riches, but to follow Christ, and to bear his sweet yoke. Some Acts of St. Helias, or Ailill, seem to have been arranged by Colgan ' for publication, at the i)resent date. The Bollandists 3 insert some particulars, regarding Helias Scotus, at the i zth
"3 See Thomas Dempster's "HistoriaEc-
clesiastica Gentis Scotonim," tomus ii. , lib.
xi. , num. 791, p. 429.
'See "Acta Sanctorum," tomns ii. , Ap- rilis xii. Among the pretermitted saints,
See
ii. , Ap- Among the pretennitted saints,
p. 2.
Article XV.
5 Lamtjertus calls him "Servus Dei prae- cipuus," in his Vita S. Heriberti Archiepis- copi, num. xxviii. The Feast of this holy
Archbishop of Cologne is celebrated, at the i6th of March.
° Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 100, loi.
"Acta tomus Sanctorum,"
p. 65-
«
/Egidius Gelenius, in sis," styles him hiatus.
"
Fastis Colonieli-
«
rilis xi.
Chronicon, p. 557.
Article i. — Genesis xii. i.
» See " Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum
quae Ms. habentur, ordine Mensium et Diernm. "
—
manix Historica," tomus v. , Mariani Scotti
'See
"
Monumenta Ger-
has been for the death of this assigned
126 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 12.
man. He belonged to the family,7 or religious house of Mucnamh. This
place is now known as Mucknoe,* a parish in the barony of Cremorne, and
county of Monaghan. 9 The present holy man must have been very much
the Four " head of the monks of Masters,
since he is called
the Gaeidhil ;" and, it seems most likely, that his religious training was re- ceived in Ireland, where he dwelt for some time, before setting out for the Continent. His course was directed to Cologne, where a religious foundation, for men of the Irish or Scottish race, had been long established. It seems pro- bable, that he lived under direction of the Scottish Abbot Kilian, wlio ruled the house of St. Martin there, from a. d. 986, to the day of his death, a. d.
by
1003. '° Helias left Ireland, to embrace a solitary life.
distinguished,
over the Scots house, at Cologne," having succeeded Kilian, a. d. 1004, and
he governed St. Martin's Monastery, in that city, for twenty years. Some of
his Scottish countrymen lived there, and in the monastery of St. Pantalion. " The discipline he enforced was strict and rigorous ; and, as we learn, some immortified inmates of the latter house contrived to prejudice the mind of Piligrinus, bishop of Cologne, against their Irish abbot and their fellow monks of Scottish birth. In the year 1027, it is stated, that the cause of religion was
greatly promoted, by this holy man, according to Sigebert ;'3 but, it seems
doubtful, that he survived to this latter year. He was regarded as a prudent
andreligiousman.
MarianusScotusrelatesapropheticdeclarationofthis
Helias, respecting the death of Piligrinus, bishop of Cologne,'* who had threatened him and the Scots under his rule, that if they did not remove from
the monastery of St. Pantaleon, before he returned from a royal station, they should be expelled. They replied to his threat: "If Christ be for the strangers, Bishop Piligrinus himself should not return from that place alive to Cologne. " It so happened, that his death took place, on the 8th of the September Kalends, a. d. 1037, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Helias. We are told, that Ailill died, a. d. 1042 ;'5 and, at the same year, on the second of the April Ides, corresponding with the i2tli day of this month, the death of Helias Scotus is noted, by Marianus Scotus, according to the Bollandists. '* According to Thomas Dempster, he edited many tracts, but all perished,
"
except a small one, intituled,
Imperatorem. "'? John Major has a notice about two Scots' monasteries, erected at Cologne, and others in different parts of Germany, by a certain
Guillemus, a brother to King Achaius, in the time of Charlemagne j'^ but
' In a note, Dr. Reeves says, at this word,
of July.
'^ See "Monumenta Germaniae Historica,"
" tomusvi. SigebertiGemblacensis Chrono-
graphia," edidit D. Ludowicus Conradus
Bethmann, p. 356.
''See "Monumenta Germanise Histo-
rica," tomus v. Mariani Scotti, Chronicon,
pp. 556, 557-
"S See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 840, 841.
'^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Ap- rilis xii. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 65.
'? See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. viii. , num. 631, pp.
family,
" That is the
religious family
or con-
gregation. "
' It is shown, on the "Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of Monaghan," as a parish, sheets 15,20,25.
9 See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 407, 408. And Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Mas-
ters," vol. i. , n. (d), p. 445.
'o He died, on the 19th of January Ka-
lends, or 7th of December, according to Marianus Scottus, in his "Chronicon," where the chronology appears varied, in G. Waltz's edition, contained in "Monumenta Germa-
nise Historica, "tomus v. , p. 555.
"See Trithemius, De Viris lUustribus
Ordinis S. Benedicti," lib. iii. , cap. cxli.
" The feast of St. Pantaleon, physician, and martyr, in Nicomedia, occurs, at the 27th
De Scotorum Peregrinorum Innocentia ad
335. 336- ""
He became Abbot
"See
Anglia; quam Scotiae, lib. ii. , cap. xiii. , fol. xxxv. Prelum Ascensianum. a. d. 1521, sm. 4to.
Historia Majoris Biitannias, tarn
April 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 127
there appears to be much more of imagination than of reality, in this state- ment. Among the illustrious men of the Benedictine Order, Helias is classed, by Trithemius. 's who styles him a saint, and who states, that after death, his many-sided merits became recognised by indubitable evidence. ''" His tem- per or habits of thought must have been moulded, in extreme views of duty ; for, we are told, that a French monk, having written a beautiful Missal with- out his leave, in the monastery of St. Pantalion, Helias ordered it to be pub- hcly burned, in presence of the monks, so that no other should transgress, in a like manner, without permission. " His death may be assigned, to the year 1042, if we follow the computation ofG. Waitz, and on the 3rd of the April Ides," as found in the Chronicle of Marianus Scottus. "3 Dempster has an entry '* of Helias the Solitary, and Abbot of the Scots, as also Arnold Wion, at the i2th of April. »5 He was succeeded by Maiobus Scottus, a chaste, patient and wise man, who niled eighteen years. '* Besides the foregoing writers, Dorgan, Menard, Bucelin, and Ferrarius, in his General Catalogue oftheSaints,havethesamedateforhisfeasf Bothathomeandabroad, its commemoration seems to have been observed.
Article II. —St. Conda, or Connath, said to have been Abbot OF DoiREDHA-CoNNA, CouNTY OF LouTH. When this saint flourished is unknown ; but, it is probable, not later than the eighth century. The name Connath, Abbot, occurs, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 12th of April. He was of the race of Conall Gulban, son to Niall, according to the Calendar of the O'Clerys. His place is not well known. The following
account is from Jocelyn's Life of our great Irish Apostle. It is mentioned, "
thatSaintPatrick visitedthecountryoftheTurturi,whereheabodeforthe durationofsevenweeks. Inthatlittlespace,heerectedsevenchurches,one whereofhecalledtheLord'sChurch. Forthiswashiscustom,thatwhere- soever he dwelt on the Lord's day, if he founded a church there, he called it Doranhach, that is, belonging to the Lord. Over one of these seven churches, he appointed a disciple, named Conncdus, a good and holy man, indegreeaPresbyter,orPriest,andlearnedinthedivinelaw. Undertaking the government of this church, rather from obedience than from ambition, he spent there only one week, and then quitting it, he hastened to St. Patrick. The saint inquiring the cause for his speedy return, Connedus answered, that he could not patiently endure the absence of his beloved father. " Nor is it to
"
saint,
of life, but men of blood, and devourers of cattle, of whose sword thou
standest in dread, and fearest that thy blood will be poured out. Return, re- turn securely, nor tremble before their face ; for the blood of no man shall in
be the wondered," replied
since,
in that there are not children place,
"See "De Viris Illnstribns Ordinis S.
Benedicti," lib. iii. , cap. 141. *"
bes' " Kalendarsof Scottish Saints, p. 196.
»3 See in " Lignum Vitae," lib. iii. , p. cxxxiii.
By Rupert, he is simply styled Abbot. "See "Monumenta Germaniac Histo- rica," tomus v. Chronicon Mariani Scotti,
"See "Monumenta GennaniKHistorica," tomus v. Chronicon Mariani Scotti, p. 557. "^ See the BoUandists' "Acta Sanctorum," "Dempster has it, at ii Idus April. tomus ii. , Aprilis xii. Among the preter-
P- 557-
"
anno Salulis MXLII. "—" Ilistoria Ecclesi- asticaGentisScotorum,"tomusii. ,lib. viii. , num. 621. , p. 336.
mitted saints, p. 65.
Articleii. —' EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xxi. In the Franciscan copy, I find '*See "Monumenta Germaniae Histo- Cotiachi <Jb •Oo,1|M, with another word
rica," tomus v. , p. 557. *"
added, which seems to read LauIcu, or La
ulcu.
In the SolitariiScotorumAbbatis. " Bishop
following way,
Natalis Helix
—
For-
'
SeehisLife,atthe17thofMarch.
X28
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 12.
that place be shed, even from generation to generation. " Therefore, receiving this answer of St. Patrick, the venerable Connedus returned to the govern- mentofhischurch; andasdwellersinthatcountrydeclared,thewordofSt. Patrick has been confirmed, by many proofs. 3 Colgan has not been able to indentify this saint, with any recorded in our Calendars. He remarks, how- ever, that there isaConna, orConda, at the 8th of March, and at the 12th of April; thatthereisaCondanus,orConnanus,atthe12thofJune,andatthe ist of July; while there is a Connatus, orCondatus, at the 15th of November. Again, in the An—nals of the Four Masters. ^ it is stated, that Tighernach, lord ofLochGabhar nowknownasLoughGower,orLagore,nearDunshaughlin
atDaire
ofMeath—— a overthe
county gained victory foreigners.
It
Disirt-Dachonna s identified with Diseart-Dachonna, Dysart, in Feara-. -Vrda, Ferrard, a barony in the county of Louth. ^ This victory was achieved, a. d. 846, As the locality appears to have taken its denomination from a saint Dachonna, or Mochonna, venerated at the 8th of March,' it may be asked, if the pre-
sent saint must be distinguished from him ? He flourished, at a period, long anterior to the event already recorded, if such were the case. In the Annals of Ulster and of the Four Masters, his death is referred to a. d. 704, or 705. We read, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ that on this day was venerated, Conda,Abbot,ofDaireDachonna,inUlster. TheRev. WilliamReeveshas placed St. Conna, in a Calendar, and the inference wouldjseem to be, that he is supposed to have been connected, with the north-east parts of Ireland. '
Article III. —St. Ernin, Bishop. A record of Erngn, a Bishop, is
found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at this date. On the same authority, the Bollandists = insert a notice of him, at the 12th of April. The festival of
Ernin, Bishop, was celebrated, on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. 3
Article IV. —Reputed Festival of St. Dobanus. In his Commemora- tions of the Scottish Saints, Camerarius has inserted the name of a saint Dobanus, as a companion of St. Boniface. ' The Bollandists,'' who make the entry, at this day, and on his authority, remark, that he was unknown to them, and to Dempster ; unless, indeed, reference had been to St. Bonifa- cius Kiritinus, venerated at the i6th of March, where there is no mention madeofDobanus. AbriefnoticeofDobanisgiven,byBishopForbes. 3
3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " lOO, lOI.
Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. xci. , p. 86, and
nn. loi, I02, p. 113.
< . See Ur. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. , pp.
476,477.
5 This is rendered, " The Oak Wood of
' See "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore, Appendix LL, p. 377-
St. Dachonna's desert or wilderness. " Dr.
O'Donovan had not been able to identify the
exact place. See n. (c), ibid. Yet, there
seems to me no good reason, for not associa-
ting this saint with the present parisli of
'Dysart, in the barony of P'errard, county of
Louth. Some vestiges of an ancient church
still remain, in the burial ground of this heren,-is is added, by Camerarius, to dis- parish. See Lewis' "Topographical Die- tinguish him.
tionary of Ireland," vol. i. , pp.
