Camerarius2
6 In the Florentine Val d'Arno, and sur-
rounded by the most romantic mountain
scenery.
6 In the Florentine Val d'Arno, and sur-
rounded by the most romantic mountain
scenery.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
It is only just to suppose, that to his zeal and diligence, the
preservation is due of many historic accounts, regarding those pious
who have rendered the Church of Mans so illustrious — personages, among
all other—s in that part of France. 20 In a place formerly called Aurion now Evron 2I the holy Bishop built a church and a monastery. These were dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, for whom he entertained a most tender devotion. It is stated, that Hadouind was induced to establish those foundations, owing to a vision he had with regard to relics brought to that
22 The first Abbot set over that
Hadouin caused monks from the Abbeys of St. Vincent and of St. Peter and St. Paul, at Mans, to take up their residence in that house. There they lived, under the rule of St. Benedict, and in their church the Divine office was regularly recited. From the year 632 to 636, wars had prevailed between the Franks and Bretons, while the diocese of Mans frequently became the theatreofsuchhostilities. Duringthesedisorders,thechurchesandmonas- teries were pillaged. So far as he could effect it, Bishop Hardouin laboured to restore their fallen state, and especially did he endeavour to repair the monasteries, then the chief cradles of religion and civilization. For such worksofpiety,hehasreceivedtheeulogiesofmanyancienthistorians. Think- ing his death was near, in the fifth year of the reign of Clovis II. , he prudently resolved to settle all his worldly affairs, so that his mind should be turned with greater freedom to dwell on the rewards he expected in a better life. On the 6th of February, a. d. 642, the Bishop made his will, in which he bequeathed rich gifts to his monastery of Notre- Dame at Evron, and in which all his property was left to the mother-church, and to the principal
monasteries of the city and diocese of Mans. The executors of this will
2
were Bodilon, a kinsman, and Audrann. 3 In the year 644, no less than twelve
ecclesiastical divisions in the kingdom 01 Clovis II. were represented in the Third Council of Chalons on the Saone ? * but as our saint could not assist in person, he sent thither the Abbot Chagnoald in his name. 25 He lived for many years afterwards ; but, as the exact duration of his episcopacy has
place by
a
pilgrim.
monastery
was
Agobert.
not been determined, the number cannot be stated with
certainty.
26 The
fullest Life of St. Domnole,2? Bishop of Mans, and who died in 581, was
written during the episcopacy of St. Hadoin, his successor, and at the request
of this latter prelate by an anonymous author, probably one of the clergy
belonging to the church of Mans. 28
20 "
See the Petits Bollandistes, Les Vies
des Saints," tome x. , xx. jour d'Aout, p.
93.
31 " A dix lieues du Mans. " Baillet's
"Les Vies des Saints," tome viii. , xx. Aoust, p. 650.
Towards the closing years of Hadouin's
ajoutent encore une annee, trompez sans doute par une mauvaise edition de la vie de notre saint, qui par une autre erasur porte que sa mort arriva le xx. jour de Janvier. Suivant la second opinion qui nous paroit la plus vraisemblable, nous croyons que saint Chadouin mourut l'an 653, parce qu'il semble qu'il avoit ete ordonne 6veque vers la fin du mois d'Aoust de l'an 623, deux mois environ apres la mort de saint Bertran son
et non— au mois de predecesseur, pas Janvier
22
See Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus i. , lib. xi. , num. li. , p.
331.
23 See Mabillon's "Vetera Analecta,"
tomus iii. ,
160.
24 See Adrien Baillet's "Les Vies des de l'annee suivante. " Adrien Baillet's "Les
p.
Saints," tome viii. , pp. 650, 651.
2s See Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus i. , lib. xiii. , num. xxx.
26 "Les uns veulent qu'elle ait £t. e de 47 ans onze mois et 24 jours, les autres de 29
Vies des Saints," &c, tome viii. , xx. Aoust,
p. 651.
a? Venerated on the 6th of May.
28 See " Histoire Literaire de la France,
ans onze mois et d'autres 23 jours,
y
29 This seems to have
preceded
the
great
tome iii. , vii. siecle, p. 548.
3o2 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 20.
life, and in the year 651, a great famine prevailed in Gaul. *9 Soon afterwards, a dreadful pestilence followed it, and this proved to be so malignant and contagious, that its death-bearing results were terrible to all there living. St. Hadouin died on the twelfth day of the September Kalends, August 20th, about the year 653 or 654. According to his desire, this holy Bishop was interred in the basilica of St. Victorius. Nevertheless, according to his will, he desired interment in the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, formerly known as the Church of the Apostles, and which had been built or restored bySt. Bertram However,itissupposed,thatfromthechurchofSt. Victor, the remains of St. Chadoin had been transferred to that more ancient church
of the Apostles, where many of the preceding bishops of Mans had been buried. In the Martyrology of Castellan, the holy Bishop called Chadoin or Haduin, Bishop of Mans, is commemorated on the 20th of August ; and, at this day, the Bollandists enter his feast, 3° on the same authority, although they notice another festival for him, and a commemoration at the 20th of
1
January. In the time of the Emperor Louis le Debonnaire,* the remains of
St. Julien, St. Turibe, St. Pavas, and St. Liboire were found in the old Church of the Apostles, with those of St. Hadouin. The remains of the latter holy Bishop 3 2 were better preserved than those of the others. Then St. Aldric 33 solemnly transferred the remains of all those saints to the cathedral, dedic—ated
to St. Gervais and St. Protais
and — elevated those of St. having Julien
as the first bishop and apostle of that district on a credence, which stood on the right side of the high altar, the remains of the other saints were deposited in a less conspicuous position. That translation of the saints' bodies, on the 25th of July, was afterwards annually commemorated in the diocese of
Mans. 3* TherethememoryofSt. Hadouinisespeciallyhonoured.
Article V. —Reputed Feast of St. Brigid, at Fesula, Italy.
;
[Aint/i Century. . ] The present St. Brigid is to be distinguished from the 1
holy Patroness of Ireland, so named, and from another St. Brigid, venerated 3"
at the 14th of March. In Dempster's Menologium Scotorum,"3 at the 2 oth of August, there is a feast set down for St. Brigid, a noble Scottish virgin, who came to her brother St. Andrew,* an Archdeacon, in a miraculous manner. He lived in the mountains at Fesula in Italy, with St. Donatus. s
Buidhe Connail or Yellow Plague, in Ireland and Great Britain, and which pre- vailed A. D. 664. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters, vol. i. , pp.
to 277, and nn. r, s, t, u, w,) ibid.
"
Miscellaneous Works of Venerable Bede," vol. ii. , " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum,"
lib. Hi. , cap. xxvii. , pp. 380, 381.
30 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv.
Augusti xx. Among the pretermitted feasts,
"Les Vies des Saints," tome x. , xxe jour d'Aout, p. 94.
33 He was the twenty-third Bishop of Mans.
34 See Adrien Baillet's "Les Vies des
274
(q. See also Rev. J. A. Giles'
Saints," tome, viii. , xx. Aoust. , p. 642. *
p. 2.
"xx. In mon- 31 Son of the celebrated Charlemagne, tibus Foesulanis Brigidae virginis, qua? ad
who reigned from A. D. 814 to 840, when he died on the 20th of June. See Henri Martin's " Histoire de France," tome ii. , liv. xiv. , pp. 365 to 408.
32 His body was found to be rose or flesh
coloured, about two hundred years after his
death. Moreover, the pontifical dress, in which he had been buried, was still entire and undecayed. See Les Petits Bollandistes.
fratrem suum Archidiaconum S. Andream e
Scotia venit, et magna Christianae vita?
Article v. — See her Life in the
Second Volume of this work, at the 1st of
February, Art i.
2
See the Third Volume of this work, at
that date. Art. ix. — 3 The entry is as follows :
continentia hie obiit. B. "—Bishop Forbes'
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 209.
4 See his Life, in the present volume, at the 22nd of August.
s The feast of St. Donatus, Bishop of Fiesole occurs on the 22nd of October, where his Life may be found.
August 20.
1
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
303
We have already treated about the holy virgin St. Brigid, who lived in a
6
hermitage near the source of the little river Sieci, where during her old age,
she sought in a thick forest, among the higher Apennines, a place where she mightleadasolitarylife. Thereshedesiredtolive,inpenitenceandprayer.
She found a cave,? at a lonely place called Opacum, near Lobaco, high among the mountains. 8 There she passed a term of years, and died, during the latterhalfoftheninthcentury. 9 Theinhabitantsofthatcountry,venerating her as a saint, buried her remains, and built a church in her name, on the site of her hermitage. This was called S. Brigida. Her Natalis was cele- brated there in after years with great solemnity. The Pieve or parochial district of Lobaco owns two filial parishes, St. Brigid at Lobaco, and St.
Minatus at Pagnoli. Again, there is an ancient Church of San Martino, of
Tours, beneath the shelter of the walls of Castel Lobaco IQ and here, also, the ;
memory of our Irish St. Brigid was held in especial reverence. In his
"
festival was observed on the 1st of February, that she was renowned for
sanctity in 802, that she was miraculously brought to Italy, that her writings
have perished, and that he is unable to find when she died. It seems very piobable, however, that our Irish St. Brigid's festival abroad may have been confoundedwiththatofthegreatSt. Brigid,PatronessofIreland; otherwise it is difficult to conceive how such a coincidence could have occurred, as to cause both their feasts to fall on the same day.
Article VI. —Reputed Feast of Donart, Bishop of Murthlac andAberdeen,Scotland. TheScottishhistorianHectorBoecealluding
of Murthlach and states, that he was Aberdeen,
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum,"" Dempster asserts, that her
to 1 a former Bean,
bishop
succeeded in that sacred office by Donortius, who lived in the see for no less
than forty-two years, and who died with the reputation of sanctity.
Camerarius2
6 In the Florentine Val d'Arno, and sur-
rounded by the most romantic mountain
scenery.
7 In her delightful volume, " Six Months
in the Apennines," Miss Margaret Stokes has furnished a faithful description of it in her
Letter from Florence, dated January, 1890, pp. 270 to 276.
8 St. Brigid's hermitage is near the present church of the Madonna del Sasso. A path and a flight of steps lead down to it from the priest's garden. A little altar in the side of that cave now be—ars the inscription,
I0 The present little church of S. Martino in Baco rises beneath the old low square tower of Castel Lobaco, and near it is a grove of tall cypress trees. The church is a simple quadrangular building, without transepts or side aisles ; the porch and a tiny round apse at the east end, with an old baptismal font on the north wall, are the only features of interest it now possesses, The priest's house and garden are annexed to it. An engraving, Fig. 92, Church ot St. Brigid at Lobaco, is to be found in Miss Margaret Stokes' very interesting book ; as also another, 91, San
:
sculptured on a shield Fig. representing
11
Grotta nella quale S. Brigida sorella di S. Donato
Faceva penitentiis nel secolo nono. "
Martino a Lobaco, with an outline sketch of the surrounding scene.
However, a mistake has occurred here, in
to have founded the episcopal See of Mart- hillach (Mortlach) in the seventh year of his reign, and to have nominated Beyn to be
making St. Brigid sister of St. Donatus, and
not, as was the case, to his Archdeacon St. its first bishop. See Joannis de Fordun,
Andrew. An of the cave, engraving
" Chronica Gentis Scotorum," lib. iv. ,
Fig. 93, may be seen in Miss Stokes' work, at
cap. xl. , pp. 182, 183. The English translation
of this edition has his notice, at p. 175.
2 Thus at the 19th of August, in his Calen- Months in the Apennines," pp. 250 to dar is entered "Sanctus (sic) Donotius
p. 275.
9 See Miss Margaret Stokes' "Six
253. Episcopus
Aberdonensis. "
"
i. —, lib. ii. , num. 166, '
See tomus
Article VI. King Malcolm is said
p.
93.
W\
304 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 20.
andDempsternoticehimatthe19thand20thofAugust. Ferrariusand Castellanappeartoacceptthemasauthorities. TheBollandists,whofound his name inscribed at the 19th of August, in a Manuscript Kalendar of Irish Saints which they possessed, still notice him at this date,4 but they cautiously refrain from placing Donortius among the Beatified. 5 His period is said to havebeena. d. 1098. However,wearetold,hishistoryrestsonthedoubtful authorities of Dempster, Camerarius, Conseus and Leslie, drawing their infor-
6
Article VII. —Reputed Festival of St. Stolbrand, Martyr,
1
Island of May, Scotland. [Ninth Century. . ] According to Camerarius, St. Stolbrandus was a Bishop and Martyr, massacred by the Danes in the Island of May,2 Scotland. The Bollandists have a notice of him, at the 20th of August, quoting that author. 3 However, we can only refer to what has been already written, at the 4th of March,4 regarding St. Adrian and his com- panions, martyrs at that same place, and in the ninth century.
Article VIII. —Commemoration of St. Malachy O'Morgair,
Archbishop of Armagh. [Twelfth Century]. The additions to Usuard
1
enter a commemoration for St. Malachy O'Morgair, whose chief feast is cele-
bratedonthe3rdofNovember,accordingtotheRomanMartyrology. The
2
Bollandists thus note the present feast.
Article IX. —Festival of the Martyrdom of Dioscorus, Martyr
at Alexandria. At the 20th of August, the Irish Church commemorated
St. Dioscorus, Martyr, at Alexandria, as we find him eulogized by St. ^Engus, in the " Feilire. " 1 To this entry of his name, a comment has been added. 2
mation from Boece.
3" atthe2 totheof
In his Menologium Scotorum,"
20th of August, we find " Aberdoniae
Donortii Murthlacensis, S. episcopi qui
According Breviary Aberdeen, Pars Hyemalis, fol. lxii. b.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Augusti xx. Among the pretermitted saints,
Beano successit. B. "—Bishop Forbes' " Ka- lendars of Scottish Saints," pp. 209 and p. 2.
239.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. ,
Augustixx. AmongthepretermittedSaints,
4 See the Third Volume of this work, at
4th of March, Art. —ii.
l
,
p.
See the Eleventh Volume of this work for his Life, at the 3rd
2.
s Thus the opinion is written : "Utinam
Article viii. of November, Art. i.
nobis licuisset inspicere documenta e quibus ilium accepit Ferrarius, vel addidisset ipse-
2
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Augusti xx. Among the pretermitted feasts,
met, cujus temporis ac notoe ea fuerint ; quae
siquidem satis antiqua ac bona esse con-
staret, praesulem hunc aliis Sanctis annume- stanza is transcribed from Leabhar Breac
rassemus : verum quia novimus, hagiologos quosdam nimis esse faciles ac profuse libera- les in multiplicando titulum sancti ; liceat nobis desiderare certiora testimonia, quibus verus, legitimus ac religiosus hujus viri cultus antiquus et immemorabilis stabiliri
queat. "
6 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
'
copy : the English translation furnished by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. :—
nochef mop "OiAfcopup dp Cropc cmj; Afpervou pAwpit bpeo ip&mpu CoinoppUiAjuo 501-011.
Scottish Saints,"— 326. p.
' Article vii. At
with a
Sanc- fair host" Transactions of the Royal
Irish Academy,"Irish ManuscriptSeries, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxxiv.
August, in his Calendar is entered tusStolbrandusEpiscopusetMartyraDanis in Maia Insula. "— Bishop Forbes' " Kalen- dars of Scottish Saints, p. 239.
the 20th
of
" —"
marvellous,
great,
:
day
P- 5- — Article ix.
The Irish following
"Greatly suffered Dioscorus for Christ champion who is most manly.
a
flame that is most
— Pamphilius,
August 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 305
The Bollandist Father Joannes Pinius commemorates this holy martyr, at the
same date, on the authority of various martyrologies ; although he states, that the age, when this athlete of Christ lived, was totally unknown to him, as were also his acts. 3
ArticleX. —FeastofSt. Pamphilius,BishopandMartyr. Inthe
""
Feilire of St. ^Engus, at the 20th of August, the Festival of St. Pamphilius
has been honoured. 1 He was both a and 2 He seems, Bishop Martyr.
Father Joannes Pinius states, to have been venerated with many holy
martyrs—called confessors—at Synnada,
other Martyrologists, at this same date, as seen in the Acta Sanctorum oftheBollandists. 3 Littleappearstohavebeenknownwithcertaintyabout Pampilius and his companions ? yet, the scholiast on the Leabhar Breac copy of the " Feilire " calls Pamphilus a Bishop and a Martyr.
Etoentp-jffrsit JBap of august.
ARTICLE I. —ST. SINACH OR SENACH, BISHOP OFCLONARD, COUNTY OF MEATH.
[SIXTH CENTUR Y. ]
can be more remarkable than that air of solitude and NOTHdIesNertGion, which at present surrounds the site of places, once hallowed by the living presence of our saints, and where they had gathered
around them so many disciples and scholars, to learn discipline and wisdom in their cloisters and schools. Such is the feeling that must fill the pious pilgrim, who visits the sites of those holy places. But for the authentic records of our ecclesiastical annals, we might well be inclined to question their populousness and celebrity in past ages. These remarks are especially applicable to the place of this saint.
In the of 1 a festival is entered at the 21st of Martyrology Tallagh,
in honour of Sinach, Bishop, it is said, of Cluand Iraird. 2
August, In the very early
and known as the "
In Latin
turn monachos in Thcbaide yEgypti. "— Arco, Maximo Confessore, Pamphilio,
metrical Calendar of St.
2"
Aengus,
Feilire,"
3 we are
in Raban and Phrygia, according to
Prespiter qui habebat cen- partim Martyribus, partim Conf. Piricio,
:
Ibid. , p. cxxxii.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Au-
gusti xx. De Sancto Dioscoro M. Alexan-
Colouo, Confessore. Item de Diomede,
Agatico, Zelo, Synnadse in Phrygia, p. 36. 4 Father Pinius observes, that those, not
specially noted as Confessors, it seems to
dria, p. 35. — Article x.
'
See "Transactions of the
be as regarded
Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , pars i. On the Calendar of
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxxiv.
2
See
3 See tomus iv. , August! xx. De SS.
x
Edited by
Rev. Dr.
ibid. , p.
cxxxii.
inaifvo.
""
him, may Article
2
In the Book of Leinster copy, at this 3 In that copy found in the " Leabhar
— p. xxxii.
Martyrs.
I.
Kelly,
same date, we read Sinach epr Cluam
306 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 21.
recommended on the 21st of August, to ask the prayers of the eloquent bishopofClonard,Senach. Itseemsprobable,likewise,thatsomefurther
light has been afforded, regarding his connexion with another place in ancient Meath. Acommentatoronthecopyofthiscalendar,foundintheLeabhar Breac, has added, that Senach was tutor of Ailbe, and successor of Finden, and that his place was in Cluain Fota Fine, in Fir Tulach, i. e. , Cluain Fota Librein. 4
St. Senach was born, probably about the earlier part of the sixth century. When the holy founder of Clonard, St. Finian, had established his celebrated school there, he became tutor to many of the great saints of Ireland. The family origin of the present holy person is not known ; but according to the following account, Senach appears to have been abducted from his parents, if they were then living, and at a very early age.
IntheLifeofSt. s of Finnian,
it is 6 thatatone stated,
Clonard,
time, some wicked persons came by night to the place where he then
dwelt, called Escair Branain ;? and they brought with them a boy, who
being wearied with travelling was left upon the glebe, belonging to St. Finnian's Church. This holy man, on the following morning, came to the
boy, and after giving him proper instructions, he received tonsure, at the instance of the abbot. We are told, that having a prophetic knowledge, this boy should succeed as abbot ; St. Finnian gave him every necessary instruction, and imbued his mind with a knowledge of letters. Following
the order of the biographical narrative, we are led to infer, that the early lessons of Senach were received at Escair-Branain or Ard-bren-n Domnuich,
8
It is supposed, that St. Finian did not leave that place, until about a. d. , 530 ;9 when, it is likely, those then under his tuition followed their master to his
new foundation at Clonard. 10
It would appear, that our saint afterwards studied at Clonard," and that
St. Finian reposed great confidence in him. Here, too, Senach had the
great advantage of companionship with that galaxy of holy, learned and eminent men, who subsequently shed such a lustre on the glorious Irish
12
Church of the sixth century.
We are told, that St. Finnian, wishing to know how his disciples were
and which at a later time received the denomination of Airdleac.
preservation is due of many historic accounts, regarding those pious
who have rendered the Church of Mans so illustrious — personages, among
all other—s in that part of France. 20 In a place formerly called Aurion now Evron 2I the holy Bishop built a church and a monastery. These were dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, for whom he entertained a most tender devotion. It is stated, that Hadouind was induced to establish those foundations, owing to a vision he had with regard to relics brought to that
22 The first Abbot set over that
Hadouin caused monks from the Abbeys of St. Vincent and of St. Peter and St. Paul, at Mans, to take up their residence in that house. There they lived, under the rule of St. Benedict, and in their church the Divine office was regularly recited. From the year 632 to 636, wars had prevailed between the Franks and Bretons, while the diocese of Mans frequently became the theatreofsuchhostilities. Duringthesedisorders,thechurchesandmonas- teries were pillaged. So far as he could effect it, Bishop Hardouin laboured to restore their fallen state, and especially did he endeavour to repair the monasteries, then the chief cradles of religion and civilization. For such worksofpiety,hehasreceivedtheeulogiesofmanyancienthistorians. Think- ing his death was near, in the fifth year of the reign of Clovis II. , he prudently resolved to settle all his worldly affairs, so that his mind should be turned with greater freedom to dwell on the rewards he expected in a better life. On the 6th of February, a. d. 642, the Bishop made his will, in which he bequeathed rich gifts to his monastery of Notre- Dame at Evron, and in which all his property was left to the mother-church, and to the principal
monasteries of the city and diocese of Mans. The executors of this will
2
were Bodilon, a kinsman, and Audrann. 3 In the year 644, no less than twelve
ecclesiastical divisions in the kingdom 01 Clovis II. were represented in the Third Council of Chalons on the Saone ? * but as our saint could not assist in person, he sent thither the Abbot Chagnoald in his name. 25 He lived for many years afterwards ; but, as the exact duration of his episcopacy has
place by
a
pilgrim.
monastery
was
Agobert.
not been determined, the number cannot be stated with
certainty.
26 The
fullest Life of St. Domnole,2? Bishop of Mans, and who died in 581, was
written during the episcopacy of St. Hadoin, his successor, and at the request
of this latter prelate by an anonymous author, probably one of the clergy
belonging to the church of Mans. 28
20 "
See the Petits Bollandistes, Les Vies
des Saints," tome x. , xx. jour d'Aout, p.
93.
31 " A dix lieues du Mans. " Baillet's
"Les Vies des Saints," tome viii. , xx. Aoust, p. 650.
Towards the closing years of Hadouin's
ajoutent encore une annee, trompez sans doute par une mauvaise edition de la vie de notre saint, qui par une autre erasur porte que sa mort arriva le xx. jour de Janvier. Suivant la second opinion qui nous paroit la plus vraisemblable, nous croyons que saint Chadouin mourut l'an 653, parce qu'il semble qu'il avoit ete ordonne 6veque vers la fin du mois d'Aoust de l'an 623, deux mois environ apres la mort de saint Bertran son
et non— au mois de predecesseur, pas Janvier
22
See Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus i. , lib. xi. , num. li. , p.
331.
23 See Mabillon's "Vetera Analecta,"
tomus iii. ,
160.
24 See Adrien Baillet's "Les Vies des de l'annee suivante. " Adrien Baillet's "Les
p.
Saints," tome viii. , pp. 650, 651.
2s See Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus i. , lib. xiii. , num. xxx.
26 "Les uns veulent qu'elle ait £t. e de 47 ans onze mois et 24 jours, les autres de 29
Vies des Saints," &c, tome viii. , xx. Aoust,
p. 651.
a? Venerated on the 6th of May.
28 See " Histoire Literaire de la France,
ans onze mois et d'autres 23 jours,
y
29 This seems to have
preceded
the
great
tome iii. , vii. siecle, p. 548.
3o2 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 20.
life, and in the year 651, a great famine prevailed in Gaul. *9 Soon afterwards, a dreadful pestilence followed it, and this proved to be so malignant and contagious, that its death-bearing results were terrible to all there living. St. Hadouin died on the twelfth day of the September Kalends, August 20th, about the year 653 or 654. According to his desire, this holy Bishop was interred in the basilica of St. Victorius. Nevertheless, according to his will, he desired interment in the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, formerly known as the Church of the Apostles, and which had been built or restored bySt. Bertram However,itissupposed,thatfromthechurchofSt. Victor, the remains of St. Chadoin had been transferred to that more ancient church
of the Apostles, where many of the preceding bishops of Mans had been buried. In the Martyrology of Castellan, the holy Bishop called Chadoin or Haduin, Bishop of Mans, is commemorated on the 20th of August ; and, at this day, the Bollandists enter his feast, 3° on the same authority, although they notice another festival for him, and a commemoration at the 20th of
1
January. In the time of the Emperor Louis le Debonnaire,* the remains of
St. Julien, St. Turibe, St. Pavas, and St. Liboire were found in the old Church of the Apostles, with those of St. Hadouin. The remains of the latter holy Bishop 3 2 were better preserved than those of the others. Then St. Aldric 33 solemnly transferred the remains of all those saints to the cathedral, dedic—ated
to St. Gervais and St. Protais
and — elevated those of St. having Julien
as the first bishop and apostle of that district on a credence, which stood on the right side of the high altar, the remains of the other saints were deposited in a less conspicuous position. That translation of the saints' bodies, on the 25th of July, was afterwards annually commemorated in the diocese of
Mans. 3* TherethememoryofSt. Hadouinisespeciallyhonoured.
Article V. —Reputed Feast of St. Brigid, at Fesula, Italy.
;
[Aint/i Century. . ] The present St. Brigid is to be distinguished from the 1
holy Patroness of Ireland, so named, and from another St. Brigid, venerated 3"
at the 14th of March. In Dempster's Menologium Scotorum,"3 at the 2 oth of August, there is a feast set down for St. Brigid, a noble Scottish virgin, who came to her brother St. Andrew,* an Archdeacon, in a miraculous manner. He lived in the mountains at Fesula in Italy, with St. Donatus. s
Buidhe Connail or Yellow Plague, in Ireland and Great Britain, and which pre- vailed A. D. 664. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters, vol. i. , pp.
to 277, and nn. r, s, t, u, w,) ibid.
"
Miscellaneous Works of Venerable Bede," vol. ii. , " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum,"
lib. Hi. , cap. xxvii. , pp. 380, 381.
30 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv.
Augusti xx. Among the pretermitted feasts,
"Les Vies des Saints," tome x. , xxe jour d'Aout, p. 94.
33 He was the twenty-third Bishop of Mans.
34 See Adrien Baillet's "Les Vies des
274
(q. See also Rev. J. A. Giles'
Saints," tome, viii. , xx. Aoust. , p. 642. *
p. 2.
"xx. In mon- 31 Son of the celebrated Charlemagne, tibus Foesulanis Brigidae virginis, qua? ad
who reigned from A. D. 814 to 840, when he died on the 20th of June. See Henri Martin's " Histoire de France," tome ii. , liv. xiv. , pp. 365 to 408.
32 His body was found to be rose or flesh
coloured, about two hundred years after his
death. Moreover, the pontifical dress, in which he had been buried, was still entire and undecayed. See Les Petits Bollandistes.
fratrem suum Archidiaconum S. Andream e
Scotia venit, et magna Christianae vita?
Article v. — See her Life in the
Second Volume of this work, at the 1st of
February, Art i.
2
See the Third Volume of this work, at
that date. Art. ix. — 3 The entry is as follows :
continentia hie obiit. B. "—Bishop Forbes'
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 209.
4 See his Life, in the present volume, at the 22nd of August.
s The feast of St. Donatus, Bishop of Fiesole occurs on the 22nd of October, where his Life may be found.
August 20.
1
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
303
We have already treated about the holy virgin St. Brigid, who lived in a
6
hermitage near the source of the little river Sieci, where during her old age,
she sought in a thick forest, among the higher Apennines, a place where she mightleadasolitarylife. Thereshedesiredtolive,inpenitenceandprayer.
She found a cave,? at a lonely place called Opacum, near Lobaco, high among the mountains. 8 There she passed a term of years, and died, during the latterhalfoftheninthcentury. 9 Theinhabitantsofthatcountry,venerating her as a saint, buried her remains, and built a church in her name, on the site of her hermitage. This was called S. Brigida. Her Natalis was cele- brated there in after years with great solemnity. The Pieve or parochial district of Lobaco owns two filial parishes, St. Brigid at Lobaco, and St.
Minatus at Pagnoli. Again, there is an ancient Church of San Martino, of
Tours, beneath the shelter of the walls of Castel Lobaco IQ and here, also, the ;
memory of our Irish St. Brigid was held in especial reverence. In his
"
festival was observed on the 1st of February, that she was renowned for
sanctity in 802, that she was miraculously brought to Italy, that her writings
have perished, and that he is unable to find when she died. It seems very piobable, however, that our Irish St. Brigid's festival abroad may have been confoundedwiththatofthegreatSt. Brigid,PatronessofIreland; otherwise it is difficult to conceive how such a coincidence could have occurred, as to cause both their feasts to fall on the same day.
Article VI. —Reputed Feast of Donart, Bishop of Murthlac andAberdeen,Scotland. TheScottishhistorianHectorBoecealluding
of Murthlach and states, that he was Aberdeen,
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum,"" Dempster asserts, that her
to 1 a former Bean,
bishop
succeeded in that sacred office by Donortius, who lived in the see for no less
than forty-two years, and who died with the reputation of sanctity.
Camerarius2
6 In the Florentine Val d'Arno, and sur-
rounded by the most romantic mountain
scenery.
7 In her delightful volume, " Six Months
in the Apennines," Miss Margaret Stokes has furnished a faithful description of it in her
Letter from Florence, dated January, 1890, pp. 270 to 276.
8 St. Brigid's hermitage is near the present church of the Madonna del Sasso. A path and a flight of steps lead down to it from the priest's garden. A little altar in the side of that cave now be—ars the inscription,
I0 The present little church of S. Martino in Baco rises beneath the old low square tower of Castel Lobaco, and near it is a grove of tall cypress trees. The church is a simple quadrangular building, without transepts or side aisles ; the porch and a tiny round apse at the east end, with an old baptismal font on the north wall, are the only features of interest it now possesses, The priest's house and garden are annexed to it. An engraving, Fig. 92, Church ot St. Brigid at Lobaco, is to be found in Miss Margaret Stokes' very interesting book ; as also another, 91, San
:
sculptured on a shield Fig. representing
11
Grotta nella quale S. Brigida sorella di S. Donato
Faceva penitentiis nel secolo nono. "
Martino a Lobaco, with an outline sketch of the surrounding scene.
However, a mistake has occurred here, in
to have founded the episcopal See of Mart- hillach (Mortlach) in the seventh year of his reign, and to have nominated Beyn to be
making St. Brigid sister of St. Donatus, and
not, as was the case, to his Archdeacon St. its first bishop. See Joannis de Fordun,
Andrew. An of the cave, engraving
" Chronica Gentis Scotorum," lib. iv. ,
Fig. 93, may be seen in Miss Stokes' work, at
cap. xl. , pp. 182, 183. The English translation
of this edition has his notice, at p. 175.
2 Thus at the 19th of August, in his Calen- Months in the Apennines," pp. 250 to dar is entered "Sanctus (sic) Donotius
p. 275.
9 See Miss Margaret Stokes' "Six
253. Episcopus
Aberdonensis. "
"
i. —, lib. ii. , num. 166, '
See tomus
Article VI. King Malcolm is said
p.
93.
W\
304 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 20.
andDempsternoticehimatthe19thand20thofAugust. Ferrariusand Castellanappeartoacceptthemasauthorities. TheBollandists,whofound his name inscribed at the 19th of August, in a Manuscript Kalendar of Irish Saints which they possessed, still notice him at this date,4 but they cautiously refrain from placing Donortius among the Beatified. 5 His period is said to havebeena. d. 1098. However,wearetold,hishistoryrestsonthedoubtful authorities of Dempster, Camerarius, Conseus and Leslie, drawing their infor-
6
Article VII. —Reputed Festival of St. Stolbrand, Martyr,
1
Island of May, Scotland. [Ninth Century. . ] According to Camerarius, St. Stolbrandus was a Bishop and Martyr, massacred by the Danes in the Island of May,2 Scotland. The Bollandists have a notice of him, at the 20th of August, quoting that author. 3 However, we can only refer to what has been already written, at the 4th of March,4 regarding St. Adrian and his com- panions, martyrs at that same place, and in the ninth century.
Article VIII. —Commemoration of St. Malachy O'Morgair,
Archbishop of Armagh. [Twelfth Century]. The additions to Usuard
1
enter a commemoration for St. Malachy O'Morgair, whose chief feast is cele-
bratedonthe3rdofNovember,accordingtotheRomanMartyrology. The
2
Bollandists thus note the present feast.
Article IX. —Festival of the Martyrdom of Dioscorus, Martyr
at Alexandria. At the 20th of August, the Irish Church commemorated
St. Dioscorus, Martyr, at Alexandria, as we find him eulogized by St. ^Engus, in the " Feilire. " 1 To this entry of his name, a comment has been added. 2
mation from Boece.
3" atthe2 totheof
In his Menologium Scotorum,"
20th of August, we find " Aberdoniae
Donortii Murthlacensis, S. episcopi qui
According Breviary Aberdeen, Pars Hyemalis, fol. lxii. b.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Augusti xx. Among the pretermitted saints,
Beano successit. B. "—Bishop Forbes' " Ka- lendars of Scottish Saints," pp. 209 and p. 2.
239.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. ,
Augustixx. AmongthepretermittedSaints,
4 See the Third Volume of this work, at
4th of March, Art. —ii.
l
,
p.
See the Eleventh Volume of this work for his Life, at the 3rd
2.
s Thus the opinion is written : "Utinam
Article viii. of November, Art. i.
nobis licuisset inspicere documenta e quibus ilium accepit Ferrarius, vel addidisset ipse-
2
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Augusti xx. Among the pretermitted feasts,
met, cujus temporis ac notoe ea fuerint ; quae
siquidem satis antiqua ac bona esse con-
staret, praesulem hunc aliis Sanctis annume- stanza is transcribed from Leabhar Breac
rassemus : verum quia novimus, hagiologos quosdam nimis esse faciles ac profuse libera- les in multiplicando titulum sancti ; liceat nobis desiderare certiora testimonia, quibus verus, legitimus ac religiosus hujus viri cultus antiquus et immemorabilis stabiliri
queat. "
6 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
'
copy : the English translation furnished by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. :—
nochef mop "OiAfcopup dp Cropc cmj; Afpervou pAwpit bpeo ip&mpu CoinoppUiAjuo 501-011.
Scottish Saints,"— 326. p.
' Article vii. At
with a
Sanc- fair host" Transactions of the Royal
Irish Academy,"Irish ManuscriptSeries, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxxiv.
August, in his Calendar is entered tusStolbrandusEpiscopusetMartyraDanis in Maia Insula. "— Bishop Forbes' " Kalen- dars of Scottish Saints, p. 239.
the 20th
of
" —"
marvellous,
great,
:
day
P- 5- — Article ix.
The Irish following
"Greatly suffered Dioscorus for Christ champion who is most manly.
a
flame that is most
— Pamphilius,
August 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 305
The Bollandist Father Joannes Pinius commemorates this holy martyr, at the
same date, on the authority of various martyrologies ; although he states, that the age, when this athlete of Christ lived, was totally unknown to him, as were also his acts. 3
ArticleX. —FeastofSt. Pamphilius,BishopandMartyr. Inthe
""
Feilire of St. ^Engus, at the 20th of August, the Festival of St. Pamphilius
has been honoured. 1 He was both a and 2 He seems, Bishop Martyr.
Father Joannes Pinius states, to have been venerated with many holy
martyrs—called confessors—at Synnada,
other Martyrologists, at this same date, as seen in the Acta Sanctorum oftheBollandists. 3 Littleappearstohavebeenknownwithcertaintyabout Pampilius and his companions ? yet, the scholiast on the Leabhar Breac copy of the " Feilire " calls Pamphilus a Bishop and a Martyr.
Etoentp-jffrsit JBap of august.
ARTICLE I. —ST. SINACH OR SENACH, BISHOP OFCLONARD, COUNTY OF MEATH.
[SIXTH CENTUR Y. ]
can be more remarkable than that air of solitude and NOTHdIesNertGion, which at present surrounds the site of places, once hallowed by the living presence of our saints, and where they had gathered
around them so many disciples and scholars, to learn discipline and wisdom in their cloisters and schools. Such is the feeling that must fill the pious pilgrim, who visits the sites of those holy places. But for the authentic records of our ecclesiastical annals, we might well be inclined to question their populousness and celebrity in past ages. These remarks are especially applicable to the place of this saint.
In the of 1 a festival is entered at the 21st of Martyrology Tallagh,
in honour of Sinach, Bishop, it is said, of Cluand Iraird. 2
August, In the very early
and known as the "
In Latin
turn monachos in Thcbaide yEgypti. "— Arco, Maximo Confessore, Pamphilio,
metrical Calendar of St.
2"
Aengus,
Feilire,"
3 we are
in Raban and Phrygia, according to
Prespiter qui habebat cen- partim Martyribus, partim Conf. Piricio,
:
Ibid. , p. cxxxii.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Au-
gusti xx. De Sancto Dioscoro M. Alexan-
Colouo, Confessore. Item de Diomede,
Agatico, Zelo, Synnadse in Phrygia, p. 36. 4 Father Pinius observes, that those, not
specially noted as Confessors, it seems to
dria, p. 35. — Article x.
'
See "Transactions of the
be as regarded
Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , pars i. On the Calendar of
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxxiv.
2
See
3 See tomus iv. , August! xx. De SS.
x
Edited by
Rev. Dr.
ibid. , p.
cxxxii.
inaifvo.
""
him, may Article
2
In the Book of Leinster copy, at this 3 In that copy found in the " Leabhar
— p. xxxii.
Martyrs.
I.
Kelly,
same date, we read Sinach epr Cluam
306 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 21.
recommended on the 21st of August, to ask the prayers of the eloquent bishopofClonard,Senach. Itseemsprobable,likewise,thatsomefurther
light has been afforded, regarding his connexion with another place in ancient Meath. Acommentatoronthecopyofthiscalendar,foundintheLeabhar Breac, has added, that Senach was tutor of Ailbe, and successor of Finden, and that his place was in Cluain Fota Fine, in Fir Tulach, i. e. , Cluain Fota Librein. 4
St. Senach was born, probably about the earlier part of the sixth century. When the holy founder of Clonard, St. Finian, had established his celebrated school there, he became tutor to many of the great saints of Ireland. The family origin of the present holy person is not known ; but according to the following account, Senach appears to have been abducted from his parents, if they were then living, and at a very early age.
IntheLifeofSt. s of Finnian,
it is 6 thatatone stated,
Clonard,
time, some wicked persons came by night to the place where he then
dwelt, called Escair Branain ;? and they brought with them a boy, who
being wearied with travelling was left upon the glebe, belonging to St. Finnian's Church. This holy man, on the following morning, came to the
boy, and after giving him proper instructions, he received tonsure, at the instance of the abbot. We are told, that having a prophetic knowledge, this boy should succeed as abbot ; St. Finnian gave him every necessary instruction, and imbued his mind with a knowledge of letters. Following
the order of the biographical narrative, we are led to infer, that the early lessons of Senach were received at Escair-Branain or Ard-bren-n Domnuich,
8
It is supposed, that St. Finian did not leave that place, until about a. d. , 530 ;9 when, it is likely, those then under his tuition followed their master to his
new foundation at Clonard. 10
It would appear, that our saint afterwards studied at Clonard," and that
St. Finian reposed great confidence in him. Here, too, Senach had the
great advantage of companionship with that galaxy of holy, learned and eminent men, who subsequently shed such a lustre on the glorious Irish
12
Church of the sixth century.
We are told, that St. Finnian, wishing to know how his disciples were
and which at a later time received the denomination of Airdleac.
