Thepresentholymanwasdestinedtopassthrough that ordeal, because he felt it to be a great
pastoral
duty to reprove vice, and topromotevirtue.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v7
198 to 204.
A Life of Archbishop Thomas Becket, in Icelandic, with English Translation, Notes and Glossary. Edited by Eirikr Magnusson, Sub-Librarian of University Library, Cambridge, vols, i. , ii. London, 1875, et seq. 8vo.
39 is related as This incident by Domyns,
occurring in 11 74.
4° After the death of Pope Adrian IV. , in
1159, Alexander III. ruled until August 30th, A. D. 1 181, when he died. The events of his pontificate are chronicled by Abbe
"
37 He is venerated as a saint and martyr,
at the 29th of December. A very complete
account of him maybe found, in "Ma-
terials for the History of Thomas Becket,
Archbishop of Canterbury (Canonized by Norwilius Hugo, Gullelmus Frachi, Regi-
Pope Alexander III. , a. d. 1173). Edited by James Craigie Robertson, M. A. , Canon of Canterbury, vols, i. , ii. , iii. , iv. , v. London,
1875,etseq. ,8vo.
38 His Life in Icelandic with an English
translation has been published under the fob lowing title : Thomas Saga Erkibyskups.
Domynsio, cap. viii. , pp. 45, 46.
exclaimed in a u O sacred transport :
Histoire Ecclesiastique," liv. lxx. , lxxi. , lxxii. , lxxiii. , pp. 66 to
Fleury, in his
437.
4I The following epitaph was inscribed on
"
naldus filius Ursi, Thomam martyrium fecere
subire beatum. "—Vita S. Rumoldi, authore
places
this event at A. D. I3°3-.
43 In his work, lib. iii. , sect. 5.
** Probably from the name an Anglo-
their tomb :
Kichardus Brito, necnon
42 " Mechliniense " The Chronicum
24 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July i.
a relic, when one of the martyr's ribs was presented to him. This he fastened to his shield, relying on the protection of God and of St. Rumold. The townsmenoffereduppublicprayerstoobtaintheDivineassistance; andthey brought our saint's shrine in solemn procession, through their city. When they came towards the gates, this shrine was deposed within the walls, and their whole army went forth to fight Their enemies were then conquered. As a token of gratitude for their victory thus obtained, and at his own cost, theirleaderhadSt. Rumold'srelicscoveredwithgoldandsilver. Theother citizens of Mechlin offered such treasures in token of public gratitude, that the saint's silver shrine was replaced by a golden one. They made a vow, likewise, that on each returning year, St. Rumold's body should be brought in solemn procession through their city with lighted tapers. This ceremony was annually performed, on the recurrence of every Easter Tuesday. But, their miraculous victory appears to have taken place, on the feast of Holy Thursday. 45 A beautiful silver shrine was prepared for the saint's remains, and on April 3rd, a. d. 1369,46 these were solemnly placed therein.
In the year 1479, on tne ^east °f tne Blessed Virgin's Annunciation, while
John of Burgundy, brother to Phillip, Duke of Brabant, presided over the See of Cambray, St. Rumold's relics were exhibited to the people, by Godofrid, a monkoftheCarmeliteInstitute. HewasafterwardselectedtotheSeeofCam- bray. In the shrine was found a wooden case, in which the sacred bones of Rumold lay, being wrapped in a silk covering, inwoven with golden threads. Theskullwasalsotobeseen,markedbyafracture. Anumberofphysicians were present, who examined the saint's body. This was found to be entire, eventothemostminute— SevenAbbotswere atthis
St. Bernard, John of St. Michael, Bartholomew Aveibod, Guernerus of Ton- gerloo, Marcus Grimberganus. The relics were publicly exhibited for the
whole Octave, morning and evening, and this exposition took place before the Pascal days. The old garment was then removed from our saint's body, and a new one of a green colour was substituted. In this, our saint's remains werewrapped. Theformergarmentcontinuedtobeshown. Therelicsof this holy martyr were reposed within a shrine, on which a seal and a suitable inscription were placed. *? The great church of Mechlin was much frequented bypiouspilgrims,whocametoprayatthetombofoursaint. TheSovereign Pontiff, Paul IV. , who ruled from a. d. 1555 to 1559,48 raised Mechlin to the metropolitical dignity. **
That beautiful shrine, which had been prepared for St. Rumold's relics, in
joint. present, exposi- tion. Their names were Francis Villariensis, Livinus Boulous, Martin of
1 was two centuries 1 the troubles that 369,5° destroyed later^ during
agitated the Low Countries in 1578. Through all the province of Mechlin, the Feast of St. Rumold had been celebrated as a Double Festival, with an Office of Nine Lessons. 52 In 1631, a rich and a new silver shrine 53 had been pre-
Norman.
45 See Vita S. Rumoldi, authore Domyn-
so It i s said, this had been prepared at an expense of 66,000 florins. See John D'Alton's
" This is represented, in "Acta S. Ru- p. 23.
sio, cap. iii. , pp. 42, 43. 46
Memoirs of the Archbishops of Dublin,"
moldi et et Episcopi Martyris, Apostoli
Patroni Mechliniensium," by John Baptist Solier, sect, xv. , p. 42.
* See Les Petits
Saints," tome vii.
p. 583.
^SeeHarris' vol. Ware,
47 SeeVitaS.
"
of
48
Rumoldi, cap. iv. , pp. 43, 44. See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chronology of
i. ,
Bishops
History," p. 211.
49 See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of
the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July i.
Dublin," p. 305.
53 a representation of this fine object of
art and devotion may be seen, in John Bap- tist Seller's " Acta S. Rumoldi Episcopi et Martyris, Apostoli et Patroni Mechlinien-
" Vies des Premiere Jour de Juillet,
Bollandistes,
July i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 25
pared for the relics of St. Rumold, and it was placed over the high altar in the cathedral. Once more, during the French Revolution, and when Belgium had been invaded by the Republican army, a. d. 1794, the valuable shrine whichhadbeenplacedinthecathedralofMalines,54 wascarriedofftothe treasury of Bruxelles, and it was broken up to satisfy the exactions of the invaders. 55 At this period, the French soldiers were badly provided for, by the administration in Paris, and the assignats or paper money, in which they had been paid, were greatly depreciated in value, so that they requisitioned eighty millions of francs from Belgium alone, and this sum was levied from the clergy, the churches, the abbeys, nobles and corporations. 56 In the year 1825, there was a great semi-seculaire jubilee of St. Rumold celebrated at Malines, when the diocese voluntarily contributed funds to prepare a new silver shrine,5? which is to be seen at the present day,58 and it is placed over the high altar.
In order that our saint's festival should not interfere with that of St. John
the Baptist, 5 ? the anniversary of St. Rumold's death was commemorated, on the
of 60 ThisdatefallsontheOctaveofSt. feast. TheTrans- istday July. John's
lation ofSt. Rumold's Relics is kept, moreover, on the 27th of October, although
61
it took place, within the festival of St. Luke, the Evangelist.
chief feast of St. Rumold has been set down, at the 1st of July, in the ancient
Martyrology
oftheCarthusiansat 62 andinHermannGreven'stran- Cologne,
of 63 in the script it,
known as Usuardus Auctus,64 in
old^Cologne Martyrology
John Molanus,65 as also, in the ancient Martyrology written in German,66 and
edited by Rev. P. Petrus Canisius. According to the Martyrology of Done-
6? a festival was celebrated at the 1st of in honour of Rumoldus, July,
gal,
Bishop of Duibhlinn, which was called Ath-cliath. He is likewise called
68
Rumoel, in a table appended to that Martyrology.
Calendar of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare, the name Rumoldus occurs at this date, as also in the list of Henry Fitzsimon, Rumoldus, Bishop and Martyr, is found. 60 Throughout the province of Dublin before the Refor- mation, as we are informed, St. Rumold's was a Double Festival, with an
sium," sect, xvii. , p. 47.
54 A. D. 1631.
55 See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des
e
Saints," tome vii. , ie Jour de Juillet, p.
583.
s9 Held on the 24th of June.
Saints," tome vii. , i
6o a Decree of This transference was by
Jour de Juillet, p.
56 See Thiers' " Histoire de la Revolu- vol. i. , Bishops of Dublin, p. 305.
583.
tion Francaise," tome vii. , chap, xxvi. , p. 2.
S70nit, St. Rumold is represented as having a crown on his head, assuming him to be son of a Scottish or Irish king ; as raising to life the young son of the Duke of Malines as
;
preaching in a wood ; as healing a blind
man
58 See Les Petits " Vies des Bollandistes,
Pope Alexander IV. See Harris' Ware,
as giving up the episcopal insignia to become a monk; as healing a possessed person ; as engaged building a monastery ; as protecting by his prayers a religieuse cap- hired by pirates ; as striking the earth with his staff, and causing a fountain of water to spring up; as being struck with a spade, pick, axe and club by the criminal workmen he had employed ; as being found in the water, owing to the miraculous light shining over his corpse; and as standing glorious and treading the assassins beneath his feet.
Thus: Sancti Rumoldi Episcopi et
Martyris, filii Regis Hibernise, et Archiepis- copi Dubliniensis.
63Noticedthus "MechliniseS. Rumoldi :
Episcopi Hiberniensis et Martyris. "
6* Thus " In Brabantia S. Rumoldi Epis- :
copi Hibemiseet Martyris, qui passusquidem et 8 Kal. Julii ; sed ejus celebritas hie festi- vius recolitur. "
;
6t
See Vita S. Rumoldi, auctore Domyn-
sio, cap. v. , p. 44. 6* "
65 Both in his Belgii," and in Belgii. "
"
Indiculus Sanctorum " Natal es Sanctorum
66 In this, St. Rumold is regarded as Bishop of Dublin, and of royal race,
67 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 184, 185.
68
See ibid. , pp. 462, 463.
C9 The latter Johannes Donnius— quotes
However, the
In the anonymous
26 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July i,
Office of Nine Lessons. 7° By a decree of the Congregation of Rites, 8th of July, 1 741, it was decided, that the office of St. Rumold should be celebrated
l
as a Duplex Majus, on the 1st of July, with Nine Lessons. 7
Heroically many martyrs of God were linked together in a common Faith, a common danger, and a common suffering. In the majority of cases, the struggle between the natural and supernatural element must have been a terrible one, even when Christian fortitude and Faith sustained them in the victoryofmartyrdom.
Thepresentholymanwasdestinedtopassthrough that ordeal, because he felt it to be a great pastoral duty to reprove vice, and topromotevirtue. Envyandavarice,bothbaseandodiouscrimes,prompted to revenge and murder ; but, a holy life had been well spent, when the martyr's crown became the reward of this glorious and apostolic prelate, in a
country, where he had zealously laboured.
Article II. —St. Servan, Serb, Serf, or Seran, Apostolic Mis- sionary in Scotland. [Fifth or Sixth Century. '] One of the most cele- brated saints, connected with the early missions of Scotland, was the holy man, who is called Serb, by Irish writers, and about whom so many inconsistent accounts have received circulation. According to one account, his original name was Malachias, which at the time of his baptism was changed into Servanus. Serf is another form of this name. He is also called
1 or Seran. In some of the have
Servan, parts Scotland, people corrupted
his
name to Sair or Sare. 2 The Festival of St. Servanus or St. Serf 3 has been
assigned to the 20th day of April, where we have already given the legendary Acts and the conjectures of several writers regarding him, as also the specu-
lations referring to his period and locality. * Again, there is a notice of him, atthe13thofMay. 5 Itmustbeunnecessarytorepeatwhathasbeenalready stated, but as this holy man has another festival assigned at the 1st of July,
we can only briefly subjoin what serves to amplify, yet hardly illustrate, his proceedings. Onthisday,theBollandistshaveseveralunsatisfactorynotices
regarding him,6 in a previous commentary7 to his Life, as found in the Breviary of Aberdeen. The early history of St. Servan seems to be involved in con-
siderable obscurity.
Already has allusion been made to the Manuscript
8
Life of St. Servanus, as found in the so-called Codex Kilkenniensis,? and to
which Archbishop Ussher refers, where he styles it a compound of foolish
portents and of lying fables. 10 Indeed, for all historical purposes, it is not
only utterly worthless, but it is flagrantly in opposition to well-established facts of church history. " The Aberdeen Breviary seems to contain the prinii-
probably Joannes Domyns is meant. See
* See at that date, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. iv.
" Ibernia? Compendium," tomus
O'Sullevan Beare's
Historic Catholicse
cap. xi. , xii. , pp. 50, 56.
See Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
Dublin," J). 305.
"6 Bishops of
" Officia
torum Hibernise," Die prima Julii.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Julii i. De S. Servano Epis. et Conf. Orcadum In-
f See De
Burgo's
Propria
Sane- In
sularum to Apostolo, pp. 55
Festo S. Rumoldi, pp 63 to 68.
Article ii. — ' This is usually written
Servanus, by the Latin compilers of accounts,
Kalendars of
3 See an account of him in Rev. Dr. J. F.
John Baptist Soller.
8 In the Fourth Volume of this work, at
the 20th of April, Art. iv.
9 i n Archbishop Marsh's Library, Dublin, and classed vol. 3, 4, 16.
relating to him. a"
See Bishop Forbes' Scottish Saints," p. 447.
«o << gee
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
S. Gordon's "
quitates," cap. xv. , p. 353.
Scotichronicon," pp. 42, 43.
" The reader find the full version of may
i. ,
lib.
iv. ,
s See the Fifth Volume of this
that date, Art. vi.
work,
at
58.
7 in thirteen paragraphs, written by Father
July i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 27 tive legends, regarding the origin and career of this holy Bishop and Co—n-
fessor,
a matter which is altogether likely, although a different parentage has been assigned to him. It has been stated, also, that he was a Pict on the mother's
side ; her name being Alma, a daughter to the King of the Cruithne. Again,
other accounts have it that his father was Pore, King of Canaan, in Egypt.
If we are to trust the Martyrology of Aberdeen, 13 he was of royal origin ; his father being Obeth,14 while his mother is said to have been Alixa/s the daughterofaKinginArabia. 16 ServanhimselfissaidtohavebeenKingofthe
Cananii,
leaving
13 who is said to have drawn his descent from the nation of the Scots
his kindred a he resolved through supernaturalmotive,
1 ? but
to seek more distant countries. With an illustrious company of holy men, he travelled far away from the territory of the Cananii to Jerusalem, thence to Rome, thence to France, and finally he arrived in Scotland. 18 Were we to
credit Thomas Dempster's account, he flourished in the year 293, having 1
been elected bishop from the flock of the Culdees; ^ but, most assuredly, he did not live at this early period, for heathenism then wholly prevailed over Scotland. St. Servan has been classed among the disciples of St. Patrick. 20 However, we cannot find him enrolled as such, in the list furnished by
21 Wearetold,22thathelivedundertheriteandformofthe
Colgan. primitive
2
church, until the arrival of Palladius. 3 St. Servan sailed for Scotland, to
preach the faith among the people. There, he is said to have erected a 2
monastery,onthewindingshoresoftheForth. * Accordingtosomeaccounts, St. Servan founded a monastery, near the town of Culenros, the modern Cul- ross, in Fifeshire ; while others have it, that before Palladius visited Scotland, there had been a religious school established at that place, in which the pre-
man received his education. 2 5 He took care to chastise his
and bring it under subjection, while he lived there in solitude. The fame of some miracles he had wrought created for him a great veneration in the minds
this Life of St. Servanus, in William F. Skene's " Chroncles of the Picts, Chronicles of the Scots, and other early Memorials of Scottish History," Appendix, sect, vi. , pp. 412 to 420.
sent
holy
body
of the multitude. 36 There, too, he lived, with a religious society of 28
2 ? One of the most renowned among these was St. Kentigern, who was
12
See Right Rev. Patrick F. Moran's
See Trias Thaumaturga, Quinta Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , pp. 265 to 269.
" Irish Saints in Great
Britain," chap, v. ,
22 In the Aberdeen
Breviary.
pp. 155, 156.
13 At the Kalends of July we find the fore-
going notice, as contained in the text.
"
23 See his Life, in the at present Volume,
the 6th of July, Art. i.
24 See Right Rev. Patrick F. Moran's
"Irish Saints in Great Britain," chap, v. ,
p. 155*
2S Such is the account, as given by Came-
rarius, who tells us furthermore, that Saints Kentigern and Ternan taught humanities and sacred lessons, in that place.
See
ries of Scotland," vol. ii. , pp. 265, 266.
Proceedings of the Society of Antiqua-
l* The son of Eliud, according to the Dublin MS. Life.
15 Called "Alpia filia regis Arabie," in the Dublin MS. Life.
16 It is said, they were without children for twenty years, before the miraculous birth of their twin sons Malachias, otherwise called Servanus, and Generatius.
x* Otherwise called Cananeans.
"
a6 The Martyrology of Aberdeen says,
18 Seethe ofthese particulars
preclara sua miracula posterum stupenda merito Seruanum summe extollendum laudi- bus efferunt et sine fine in celesiibus regna- turum insinuant. "
2? See Rev. Thomas Innes' "Civil and Ecclesiastical History of Scotland," book ii. , sect, vii. , p. 125.
28 He has a double festival : one for the 13th of January, andthe other for the 13th 01 November.
migrations set forth, in the Fourth Volume of this work,
at the 20th of April, Art. iv.
19 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1032, p. 574.
so
"Irish Saints in Great Britain," chap, v. ,
See Right Rev. Patrick F. Moran's
p. 155.
2I" "
disciples.
28 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. fJui. Y i,
educated under his care. He and his mother Thenog a9 were baptized by this holy man ; the former having been born, after the latter had been cast ashore in a boat, at Culenros,3° and on the coast of Fife. When St. Kentigern resolved on leaving Culross, St. Servan who tenderly loved him showed the
greatest sensibility of soul. He cried out
:
" Alas ! my dearest son ! light of
mine eyes ! staff of my old age! wherefore dost thou desert me? Call to
mind the days that are past, and remember the years that are gone by ; how
I took thee up when thou earnest forth from thy mother's womb, nourished
thee, taught thee, trained thee, even unto this hour. Do not despise me, nor
neglect my grey hairs, but return, that in no long time thou mayest close
mine 1 And when St. nevertheless continued his course,
eyes. "* Kentigern
Servan again cried aloud, asking to be permitted to accompany him, and to
but
calls me, but do thou return, I pray thee, my father, to thine own disciples,
that in thy holy presence they may be trained in sacred doctrine, guided by thyexample,andrestrainedbythydiscipline. 32 WhenPopeSt. —Celestine1. 33 had destined Palladius 34 for the conversi— 35
be reckoned his among
disciples;
Kentigern replied :
on of the Irish-Scots, then having some knowledge of the Christian religion his mission there failed. His course was afterwards directed to Scotland. Among his disciples was St. Servan. But whether the latter accompanied him from Rome, or whether he had been a native of Ireland or of Scotland, appears to be uncertain. Equally so is the conjecture, that he had been found in either of these Islands, and that he had been instructed in the Faith by Palladius. However this may be, both were associated in the work of preaching and of administering the sacraments among the people of Scotland. As he was gifted with singular goodness and humility, St. Palladius consecrated St. Servan a bishop, according to received accounts. 3<5 The latter became a coadjutor to his apostolic master^ while spreading the light of the Gospel in those northern parts he had chosen for
that when St. Palladius failed
in preaching the Gospel among the Orkneyans, St. Servan became eminently successful in that effort. 3 8 While St. Palladius destined St. Tervan to become
Archbishop of the Picts, he directed St. Servan to become the great missionary
and Apostle of the Orkneys. 39 Again, it has been supposed, by some writers, that St. Tervan had been the first missionary sent to those Islands, while St. Servansucceededhiminthatpost/ AsTandSarefrequentlycommutable in the Celtic dialects, it may be a subject for fair investigation, to discover if Tervan and Servan be not one and the same person ; while, if such be the case, we have another disturbing historic element introduced into the present
the exercise of his zeal. Another account has
it,
» Her feast is on the 1 8th of 3° " kept
3<s Such is the
Virgil.
3? See Fordun's "
statement of
Polydore
July. See Lives of St. Ninian and St. Ken-
in the twelfth
Edited from the best MSS. by Alexander Penrose Forbes, D. C. L. , Bishop of Brechin,
lib. iii.
tigern," compiled
century.
A Life of Archbishop Thomas Becket, in Icelandic, with English Translation, Notes and Glossary. Edited by Eirikr Magnusson, Sub-Librarian of University Library, Cambridge, vols, i. , ii. London, 1875, et seq. 8vo.
39 is related as This incident by Domyns,
occurring in 11 74.
4° After the death of Pope Adrian IV. , in
1159, Alexander III. ruled until August 30th, A. D. 1 181, when he died. The events of his pontificate are chronicled by Abbe
"
37 He is venerated as a saint and martyr,
at the 29th of December. A very complete
account of him maybe found, in "Ma-
terials for the History of Thomas Becket,
Archbishop of Canterbury (Canonized by Norwilius Hugo, Gullelmus Frachi, Regi-
Pope Alexander III. , a. d. 1173). Edited by James Craigie Robertson, M. A. , Canon of Canterbury, vols, i. , ii. , iii. , iv. , v. London,
1875,etseq. ,8vo.
38 His Life in Icelandic with an English
translation has been published under the fob lowing title : Thomas Saga Erkibyskups.
Domynsio, cap. viii. , pp. 45, 46.
exclaimed in a u O sacred transport :
Histoire Ecclesiastique," liv. lxx. , lxxi. , lxxii. , lxxiii. , pp. 66 to
Fleury, in his
437.
4I The following epitaph was inscribed on
"
naldus filius Ursi, Thomam martyrium fecere
subire beatum. "—Vita S. Rumoldi, authore
places
this event at A. D. I3°3-.
43 In his work, lib. iii. , sect. 5.
** Probably from the name an Anglo-
their tomb :
Kichardus Brito, necnon
42 " Mechliniense " The Chronicum
24 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July i.
a relic, when one of the martyr's ribs was presented to him. This he fastened to his shield, relying on the protection of God and of St. Rumold. The townsmenoffereduppublicprayerstoobtaintheDivineassistance; andthey brought our saint's shrine in solemn procession, through their city. When they came towards the gates, this shrine was deposed within the walls, and their whole army went forth to fight Their enemies were then conquered. As a token of gratitude for their victory thus obtained, and at his own cost, theirleaderhadSt. Rumold'srelicscoveredwithgoldandsilver. Theother citizens of Mechlin offered such treasures in token of public gratitude, that the saint's silver shrine was replaced by a golden one. They made a vow, likewise, that on each returning year, St. Rumold's body should be brought in solemn procession through their city with lighted tapers. This ceremony was annually performed, on the recurrence of every Easter Tuesday. But, their miraculous victory appears to have taken place, on the feast of Holy Thursday. 45 A beautiful silver shrine was prepared for the saint's remains, and on April 3rd, a. d. 1369,46 these were solemnly placed therein.
In the year 1479, on tne ^east °f tne Blessed Virgin's Annunciation, while
John of Burgundy, brother to Phillip, Duke of Brabant, presided over the See of Cambray, St. Rumold's relics were exhibited to the people, by Godofrid, a monkoftheCarmeliteInstitute. HewasafterwardselectedtotheSeeofCam- bray. In the shrine was found a wooden case, in which the sacred bones of Rumold lay, being wrapped in a silk covering, inwoven with golden threads. Theskullwasalsotobeseen,markedbyafracture. Anumberofphysicians were present, who examined the saint's body. This was found to be entire, eventothemostminute— SevenAbbotswere atthis
St. Bernard, John of St. Michael, Bartholomew Aveibod, Guernerus of Ton- gerloo, Marcus Grimberganus. The relics were publicly exhibited for the
whole Octave, morning and evening, and this exposition took place before the Pascal days. The old garment was then removed from our saint's body, and a new one of a green colour was substituted. In this, our saint's remains werewrapped. Theformergarmentcontinuedtobeshown. Therelicsof this holy martyr were reposed within a shrine, on which a seal and a suitable inscription were placed. *? The great church of Mechlin was much frequented bypiouspilgrims,whocametoprayatthetombofoursaint. TheSovereign Pontiff, Paul IV. , who ruled from a. d. 1555 to 1559,48 raised Mechlin to the metropolitical dignity. **
That beautiful shrine, which had been prepared for St. Rumold's relics, in
joint. present, exposi- tion. Their names were Francis Villariensis, Livinus Boulous, Martin of
1 was two centuries 1 the troubles that 369,5° destroyed later^ during
agitated the Low Countries in 1578. Through all the province of Mechlin, the Feast of St. Rumold had been celebrated as a Double Festival, with an Office of Nine Lessons. 52 In 1631, a rich and a new silver shrine 53 had been pre-
Norman.
45 See Vita S. Rumoldi, authore Domyn-
so It i s said, this had been prepared at an expense of 66,000 florins. See John D'Alton's
" This is represented, in "Acta S. Ru- p. 23.
sio, cap. iii. , pp. 42, 43. 46
Memoirs of the Archbishops of Dublin,"
moldi et et Episcopi Martyris, Apostoli
Patroni Mechliniensium," by John Baptist Solier, sect, xv. , p. 42.
* See Les Petits
Saints," tome vii.
p. 583.
^SeeHarris' vol. Ware,
47 SeeVitaS.
"
of
48
Rumoldi, cap. iv. , pp. 43, 44. See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chronology of
i. ,
Bishops
History," p. 211.
49 See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of
the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July i.
Dublin," p. 305.
53 a representation of this fine object of
art and devotion may be seen, in John Bap- tist Seller's " Acta S. Rumoldi Episcopi et Martyris, Apostoli et Patroni Mechlinien-
" Vies des Premiere Jour de Juillet,
Bollandistes,
July i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 25
pared for the relics of St. Rumold, and it was placed over the high altar in the cathedral. Once more, during the French Revolution, and when Belgium had been invaded by the Republican army, a. d. 1794, the valuable shrine whichhadbeenplacedinthecathedralofMalines,54 wascarriedofftothe treasury of Bruxelles, and it was broken up to satisfy the exactions of the invaders. 55 At this period, the French soldiers were badly provided for, by the administration in Paris, and the assignats or paper money, in which they had been paid, were greatly depreciated in value, so that they requisitioned eighty millions of francs from Belgium alone, and this sum was levied from the clergy, the churches, the abbeys, nobles and corporations. 56 In the year 1825, there was a great semi-seculaire jubilee of St. Rumold celebrated at Malines, when the diocese voluntarily contributed funds to prepare a new silver shrine,5? which is to be seen at the present day,58 and it is placed over the high altar.
In order that our saint's festival should not interfere with that of St. John
the Baptist, 5 ? the anniversary of St. Rumold's death was commemorated, on the
of 60 ThisdatefallsontheOctaveofSt. feast. TheTrans- istday July. John's
lation ofSt. Rumold's Relics is kept, moreover, on the 27th of October, although
61
it took place, within the festival of St. Luke, the Evangelist.
chief feast of St. Rumold has been set down, at the 1st of July, in the ancient
Martyrology
oftheCarthusiansat 62 andinHermannGreven'stran- Cologne,
of 63 in the script it,
known as Usuardus Auctus,64 in
old^Cologne Martyrology
John Molanus,65 as also, in the ancient Martyrology written in German,66 and
edited by Rev. P. Petrus Canisius. According to the Martyrology of Done-
6? a festival was celebrated at the 1st of in honour of Rumoldus, July,
gal,
Bishop of Duibhlinn, which was called Ath-cliath. He is likewise called
68
Rumoel, in a table appended to that Martyrology.
Calendar of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare, the name Rumoldus occurs at this date, as also in the list of Henry Fitzsimon, Rumoldus, Bishop and Martyr, is found. 60 Throughout the province of Dublin before the Refor- mation, as we are informed, St. Rumold's was a Double Festival, with an
sium," sect, xvii. , p. 47.
54 A. D. 1631.
55 See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des
e
Saints," tome vii. , ie Jour de Juillet, p.
583.
s9 Held on the 24th of June.
Saints," tome vii. , i
6o a Decree of This transference was by
Jour de Juillet, p.
56 See Thiers' " Histoire de la Revolu- vol. i. , Bishops of Dublin, p. 305.
583.
tion Francaise," tome vii. , chap, xxvi. , p. 2.
S70nit, St. Rumold is represented as having a crown on his head, assuming him to be son of a Scottish or Irish king ; as raising to life the young son of the Duke of Malines as
;
preaching in a wood ; as healing a blind
man
58 See Les Petits " Vies des Bollandistes,
Pope Alexander IV. See Harris' Ware,
as giving up the episcopal insignia to become a monk; as healing a possessed person ; as engaged building a monastery ; as protecting by his prayers a religieuse cap- hired by pirates ; as striking the earth with his staff, and causing a fountain of water to spring up; as being struck with a spade, pick, axe and club by the criminal workmen he had employed ; as being found in the water, owing to the miraculous light shining over his corpse; and as standing glorious and treading the assassins beneath his feet.
Thus: Sancti Rumoldi Episcopi et
Martyris, filii Regis Hibernise, et Archiepis- copi Dubliniensis.
63Noticedthus "MechliniseS. Rumoldi :
Episcopi Hiberniensis et Martyris. "
6* Thus " In Brabantia S. Rumoldi Epis- :
copi Hibemiseet Martyris, qui passusquidem et 8 Kal. Julii ; sed ejus celebritas hie festi- vius recolitur. "
;
6t
See Vita S. Rumoldi, auctore Domyn-
sio, cap. v. , p. 44. 6* "
65 Both in his Belgii," and in Belgii. "
"
Indiculus Sanctorum " Natal es Sanctorum
66 In this, St. Rumold is regarded as Bishop of Dublin, and of royal race,
67 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 184, 185.
68
See ibid. , pp. 462, 463.
C9 The latter Johannes Donnius— quotes
However, the
In the anonymous
26 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July i,
Office of Nine Lessons. 7° By a decree of the Congregation of Rites, 8th of July, 1 741, it was decided, that the office of St. Rumold should be celebrated
l
as a Duplex Majus, on the 1st of July, with Nine Lessons. 7
Heroically many martyrs of God were linked together in a common Faith, a common danger, and a common suffering. In the majority of cases, the struggle between the natural and supernatural element must have been a terrible one, even when Christian fortitude and Faith sustained them in the victoryofmartyrdom.
Thepresentholymanwasdestinedtopassthrough that ordeal, because he felt it to be a great pastoral duty to reprove vice, and topromotevirtue. Envyandavarice,bothbaseandodiouscrimes,prompted to revenge and murder ; but, a holy life had been well spent, when the martyr's crown became the reward of this glorious and apostolic prelate, in a
country, where he had zealously laboured.
Article II. —St. Servan, Serb, Serf, or Seran, Apostolic Mis- sionary in Scotland. [Fifth or Sixth Century. '] One of the most cele- brated saints, connected with the early missions of Scotland, was the holy man, who is called Serb, by Irish writers, and about whom so many inconsistent accounts have received circulation. According to one account, his original name was Malachias, which at the time of his baptism was changed into Servanus. Serf is another form of this name. He is also called
1 or Seran. In some of the have
Servan, parts Scotland, people corrupted
his
name to Sair or Sare. 2 The Festival of St. Servanus or St. Serf 3 has been
assigned to the 20th day of April, where we have already given the legendary Acts and the conjectures of several writers regarding him, as also the specu-
lations referring to his period and locality. * Again, there is a notice of him, atthe13thofMay. 5 Itmustbeunnecessarytorepeatwhathasbeenalready stated, but as this holy man has another festival assigned at the 1st of July,
we can only briefly subjoin what serves to amplify, yet hardly illustrate, his proceedings. Onthisday,theBollandistshaveseveralunsatisfactorynotices
regarding him,6 in a previous commentary7 to his Life, as found in the Breviary of Aberdeen. The early history of St. Servan seems to be involved in con-
siderable obscurity.
Already has allusion been made to the Manuscript
8
Life of St. Servanus, as found in the so-called Codex Kilkenniensis,? and to
which Archbishop Ussher refers, where he styles it a compound of foolish
portents and of lying fables. 10 Indeed, for all historical purposes, it is not
only utterly worthless, but it is flagrantly in opposition to well-established facts of church history. " The Aberdeen Breviary seems to contain the prinii-
probably Joannes Domyns is meant. See
* See at that date, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. iv.
" Ibernia? Compendium," tomus
O'Sullevan Beare's
Historic Catholicse
cap. xi. , xii. , pp. 50, 56.
See Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
Dublin," J). 305.
"6 Bishops of
" Officia
torum Hibernise," Die prima Julii.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Julii i. De S. Servano Epis. et Conf. Orcadum In-
f See De
Burgo's
Propria
Sane- In
sularum to Apostolo, pp. 55
Festo S. Rumoldi, pp 63 to 68.
Article ii. — ' This is usually written
Servanus, by the Latin compilers of accounts,
Kalendars of
3 See an account of him in Rev. Dr. J. F.
John Baptist Soller.
8 In the Fourth Volume of this work, at
the 20th of April, Art. iv.
9 i n Archbishop Marsh's Library, Dublin, and classed vol. 3, 4, 16.
relating to him. a"
See Bishop Forbes' Scottish Saints," p. 447.
«o << gee
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
S. Gordon's "
quitates," cap. xv. , p. 353.
Scotichronicon," pp. 42, 43.
" The reader find the full version of may
i. ,
lib.
iv. ,
s See the Fifth Volume of this
that date, Art. vi.
work,
at
58.
7 in thirteen paragraphs, written by Father
July i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 27 tive legends, regarding the origin and career of this holy Bishop and Co—n-
fessor,
a matter which is altogether likely, although a different parentage has been assigned to him. It has been stated, also, that he was a Pict on the mother's
side ; her name being Alma, a daughter to the King of the Cruithne. Again,
other accounts have it that his father was Pore, King of Canaan, in Egypt.
If we are to trust the Martyrology of Aberdeen, 13 he was of royal origin ; his father being Obeth,14 while his mother is said to have been Alixa/s the daughterofaKinginArabia. 16 ServanhimselfissaidtohavebeenKingofthe
Cananii,
leaving
13 who is said to have drawn his descent from the nation of the Scots
his kindred a he resolved through supernaturalmotive,
1 ? but
to seek more distant countries. With an illustrious company of holy men, he travelled far away from the territory of the Cananii to Jerusalem, thence to Rome, thence to France, and finally he arrived in Scotland. 18 Were we to
credit Thomas Dempster's account, he flourished in the year 293, having 1
been elected bishop from the flock of the Culdees; ^ but, most assuredly, he did not live at this early period, for heathenism then wholly prevailed over Scotland. St. Servan has been classed among the disciples of St. Patrick. 20 However, we cannot find him enrolled as such, in the list furnished by
21 Wearetold,22thathelivedundertheriteandformofthe
Colgan. primitive
2
church, until the arrival of Palladius. 3 St. Servan sailed for Scotland, to
preach the faith among the people. There, he is said to have erected a 2
monastery,onthewindingshoresoftheForth. * Accordingtosomeaccounts, St. Servan founded a monastery, near the town of Culenros, the modern Cul- ross, in Fifeshire ; while others have it, that before Palladius visited Scotland, there had been a religious school established at that place, in which the pre-
man received his education. 2 5 He took care to chastise his
and bring it under subjection, while he lived there in solitude. The fame of some miracles he had wrought created for him a great veneration in the minds
this Life of St. Servanus, in William F. Skene's " Chroncles of the Picts, Chronicles of the Scots, and other early Memorials of Scottish History," Appendix, sect, vi. , pp. 412 to 420.
sent
holy
body
of the multitude. 36 There, too, he lived, with a religious society of 28
2 ? One of the most renowned among these was St. Kentigern, who was
12
See Right Rev. Patrick F. Moran's
See Trias Thaumaturga, Quinta Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , pp. 265 to 269.
" Irish Saints in Great
Britain," chap, v. ,
22 In the Aberdeen
Breviary.
pp. 155, 156.
13 At the Kalends of July we find the fore-
going notice, as contained in the text.
"
23 See his Life, in the at present Volume,
the 6th of July, Art. i.
24 See Right Rev. Patrick F. Moran's
"Irish Saints in Great Britain," chap, v. ,
p. 155*
2S Such is the account, as given by Came-
rarius, who tells us furthermore, that Saints Kentigern and Ternan taught humanities and sacred lessons, in that place.
See
ries of Scotland," vol. ii. , pp. 265, 266.
Proceedings of the Society of Antiqua-
l* The son of Eliud, according to the Dublin MS. Life.
15 Called "Alpia filia regis Arabie," in the Dublin MS. Life.
16 It is said, they were without children for twenty years, before the miraculous birth of their twin sons Malachias, otherwise called Servanus, and Generatius.
x* Otherwise called Cananeans.
"
a6 The Martyrology of Aberdeen says,
18 Seethe ofthese particulars
preclara sua miracula posterum stupenda merito Seruanum summe extollendum laudi- bus efferunt et sine fine in celesiibus regna- turum insinuant. "
2? See Rev. Thomas Innes' "Civil and Ecclesiastical History of Scotland," book ii. , sect, vii. , p. 125.
28 He has a double festival : one for the 13th of January, andthe other for the 13th 01 November.
migrations set forth, in the Fourth Volume of this work,
at the 20th of April, Art. iv.
19 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1032, p. 574.
so
"Irish Saints in Great Britain," chap, v. ,
See Right Rev. Patrick F. Moran's
p. 155.
2I" "
disciples.
28 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. fJui. Y i,
educated under his care. He and his mother Thenog a9 were baptized by this holy man ; the former having been born, after the latter had been cast ashore in a boat, at Culenros,3° and on the coast of Fife. When St. Kentigern resolved on leaving Culross, St. Servan who tenderly loved him showed the
greatest sensibility of soul. He cried out
:
" Alas ! my dearest son ! light of
mine eyes ! staff of my old age! wherefore dost thou desert me? Call to
mind the days that are past, and remember the years that are gone by ; how
I took thee up when thou earnest forth from thy mother's womb, nourished
thee, taught thee, trained thee, even unto this hour. Do not despise me, nor
neglect my grey hairs, but return, that in no long time thou mayest close
mine 1 And when St. nevertheless continued his course,
eyes. "* Kentigern
Servan again cried aloud, asking to be permitted to accompany him, and to
but
calls me, but do thou return, I pray thee, my father, to thine own disciples,
that in thy holy presence they may be trained in sacred doctrine, guided by thyexample,andrestrainedbythydiscipline. 32 WhenPopeSt. —Celestine1. 33 had destined Palladius 34 for the conversi— 35
be reckoned his among
disciples;
Kentigern replied :
on of the Irish-Scots, then having some knowledge of the Christian religion his mission there failed. His course was afterwards directed to Scotland. Among his disciples was St. Servan. But whether the latter accompanied him from Rome, or whether he had been a native of Ireland or of Scotland, appears to be uncertain. Equally so is the conjecture, that he had been found in either of these Islands, and that he had been instructed in the Faith by Palladius. However this may be, both were associated in the work of preaching and of administering the sacraments among the people of Scotland. As he was gifted with singular goodness and humility, St. Palladius consecrated St. Servan a bishop, according to received accounts. 3<5 The latter became a coadjutor to his apostolic master^ while spreading the light of the Gospel in those northern parts he had chosen for
that when St. Palladius failed
in preaching the Gospel among the Orkneyans, St. Servan became eminently successful in that effort. 3 8 While St. Palladius destined St. Tervan to become
Archbishop of the Picts, he directed St. Servan to become the great missionary
and Apostle of the Orkneys. 39 Again, it has been supposed, by some writers, that St. Tervan had been the first missionary sent to those Islands, while St. Servansucceededhiminthatpost/ AsTandSarefrequentlycommutable in the Celtic dialects, it may be a subject for fair investigation, to discover if Tervan and Servan be not one and the same person ; while, if such be the case, we have another disturbing historic element introduced into the present
the exercise of his zeal. Another account has
it,
» Her feast is on the 1 8th of 3° " kept
3<s Such is the
Virgil.
3? See Fordun's "
statement of
Polydore
July. See Lives of St. Ninian and St. Ken-
in the twelfth
Edited from the best MSS. by Alexander Penrose Forbes, D. C. L. , Bishop of Brechin,
lib. iii.
tigern," compiled
century.
