The
pilgrimage
to holy places is one of the oldest of Christian insti- tutions.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
, pp.
1022, 1023.
37 See Rev. P. J. Carew's " Ecclesiasti-
cal History of Ireland," chap, iv. , pp. in, 112.
It occurred, at the beginning of Lent, ac-
'? Ulster Annals. 'o^'"? V'''
38 His feast is at the I commemorated,
VCa.
3" His Life IS written, for the 3rd of No-
of August.
p.
35 See Harris' Ware, vol.
i. , "Archbishops ^
It caused destruction of the abbey, with
twenty other buildings, in that
illustrious St. Malachy O'Morgair,^' as a deacon, and also as a priest, about A. D. 1 1 1 9. In the year 1 1 2 1, another destructive fire broke out, and in the Trian-
Massain quarter two streets, extending from the rath, or tower, to St. Brigid's Church, were burned down. It may be supposed, that nearly all of those buildings had been constructed of wood, thatch, or other perishable materials. In the year 1121,3' and on the 4th of July, Samuel O'Haingley, bishop of Dublin, died. 33 The See became vacant, for a time. It is said, that by the common consent of the Irish and Normans, St. Celsus was invited, to preside over that diocese ; and, while our Annalists eulogize his purity, they declare, that he was Archbishop of the West of Europe, the only head whom the foreigners and Irish of Ireland, both laity and clergy, obeyed. 34 This state- ment may have been occasioned, by his only assuming the administration or guardianship of that See, pending the vacancy, which continued in the regular succession of its bishops, until Ralph, Archbishop of Canterbury, had conse- crated, on the 2nd of October following, Gregory, as bishop of Dublin. This ceremony took place, at Lambeth, near London. In the year 1 1 22, it is stated, that Maelcolm O'Brolcan, who was bishop of Armagh, died ; but, it is more than probable, he was only a sufiiragan, or vicar, to Archbishop Celsus. 35 In the year 995, during the government of Dubhdalethy II. in the Archbishopric, the cathedral of Armagh was burned; and, for 130 years it remained in a
rumous condition, being only partially roofed, until on the 12th of January, A. D. 1 1 25, St. Celsus commenced the repairs of this church, which he covered entirely with tiles, or shingles. 36 THis was only one of the great improve- ments effected by him, during the period of his highly useful incumbency. 3? A church, which had been erected, at Armagh, by St. Imhar Ua h-Aedha- gain,3« and which was called the Regies of Peter and Paul, was consecrated by Ceallach, the successor of Patrick, on the 12th of the Calends of Novem-
*•
There is no account of Murtogh O'Brian,
nor of Celsus, nor of Moelmurry, being pre- ? ^PA*'i ";"? "'' ^ ''^ "e told, Morough O Moelseachlain, Eocha O'Kelly and the clergy of the religious house of St. Kieran (Clonmacnoise) together with GioUa Chriost OMaoillean, abbot of Clonmacnoise, at-
tended the regulations in that Synod. See Kev. Dr. Lamgan's " Ecclesiastical History
of Ireland, vol. IV. , chap, xxv. , sec. iii. , 37, and n. 82, p. 39.
"See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the * our Masters, vol. n. , pp. 1000 to 1003. It IS said, on this occasion, he obtained a full
vember.
^However, the Annals of St. Mary's
Abbey, and some ancient Rolls, in Lambeth,
city.
3° The Celsus ordained the holy bishop
have it A. d. 1122 while the ;
Annals of MuI- tifernan refer his death to a. d. 1123
" See John D'Alton's "Memoirs of the
Archbishops of Dublin," p. 40.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1032, 1033.
46
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 6.
ber A. D 1126. 39 In the year 11 26, a great stonii of war arose in Ireland," and St. 'Celsus left his See, for the purpose of effecting a reconciliation, between the princes and chiefs. He was absent, during thirteen months, trying to restore peace ; while he laboured in promulgating good rules and customs, among the clergy and laity, throughout every district. t^ Without giving any authority for his assertion, Hanmer*' states, that Celsus was a
married man,43 and that he was buried with his wife and children, in the church of Armagh. This account is altogether incorrect. In 1 1 28, through his mediation, a truce was effected, between the kings of Connaught^4 and of Munster. ts Thiswasintendedtolastforayear,butthearchbishopdidnot live for the expiration of that term. Illness appears to have seized upon him, having scarcely passed the fiftieth year of his age. "6 Upon the approach of death, he greatly desired, that the illustrious St. Malachy O'Morgair—who was then bishop of Connor—should succeed him at Armagh. t? With this
intent,
dying
He desired especially, that the two kings of Munster should in-
archbishop sent the Staff of Jesus,^^ as the ensign his of^
the
authority.
terest themselves, in the matter which he had recommended, and before those
who were'attending him, during his last illness. 49 St. Celsus died, after unction
and good penance, at Ard Patrick. s" a village in the county of Limerick, cer- tain writers say, on the ist of April,? ' while others have it, on the 6th, in the
year 1128, as some state j5= but, as most generally beheved, in 1129. 53 By a provision in his will, the body was conveyed to Lismore, on the Wednesday succeedincr • and there, having been waked with psalms, hymns and canticles, it was honourably interred,54 in tlie tomb of the Bishops, on the Thursday fol- lowing. ss To St. Celsus is ascribed the following works, besides the Consti-
to which reference has been already made, viz. : His Testament or Will, besides many Epistles to St. Malachy. 5« At the 6th of April, his festival is set down, in the Roman Martyrology,'? while we are told, that this occurred through an oversight of Cardinal Baronius, who mistook a iv. for a vi. , and
tutions,
39 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1022 to 1025.
*°See Colcan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Sexta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, pars.
jii p3^
V- See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1024, 1025.
4^ See " Chronicle of Ireland," p. 203.
43 Such an inference he drew, perhaps,
from the circumstance, that Celsus belonged
to the dominant family at Armagh. This Sancta," part 1, p. 216. A. like statement
family intruded "viri uxorati," on the See,
as St. Bernard complains, in his Life of St.
Malachy
4< At this time, Toirdhealbhach Ua Con-
chobhair, or Turlough O'Conor, a renowned and ambitious warrior, ruled overConnaught; while Cormac Mac Carthy, known as the
occurs, in Rev. Alban Butler s "Lives of the Fathers, Jlartyrs and other principal Saints, vol. iv. , April vi.
5^ Regarding this Saint, Father Stephen
ruled in Munster. count of thelatter, in Dr. Petrie's
See an ac-
"
nia," cap. iv. , pp. 32 33, and again, at p. 37.
king-bishop,
53 " De See Sir James Ware,
Ecclesi- astical Architecture, and Round Towers of Ireland,"&c. , part ii. , sec. iii. , sub-sec. i. , pp.
Scnptonbus Ilibernine," lib. 11. , cap. vui. , P- 53. .
305 to 313.
« See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1028 to 1031.
4" Dr. Meredith Hanmer, in his "Chroni-
S4 See Hams' Ware, vol. 1. , "Archbishops
of Armagh," pp. SI to 54-
55 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters,'' vol. 11. , pp. 1034, '°35-
5^ See John Bale, " Scriptorum Illustnum
cle of Ireland," incorrectly states, that he Majoris Britanniee, &c. ,
cent, sec. »4- xiy. ,
"diedofgreatage. " Seep. 203.
47 Not understanding the statement of Malachiam m Episcopatu prsecessit.
"" vi. Baronius, John Wilson, in his Martyrolo- Martyrologium Romanum, Apnlis
gium Anglicanum," has said, that Celsus preceded St. Malachy in the See of Conor, which was not the case.
"S The reader will find an accoun of this
venerable rcUc, 111 the Life of St. Patrick, at
the 17th of March, chap, v.
"9 See Dr. Meredith Hanmer s "Chronicle
of Ireland,' p. 203.
> Britannia
S" " the Signifying
r t, . • 1 of Patrick, '
height
s" See Bishop Challoner s
White remarks
:
" Mortuum anno Salutis,
1 128, et in Romano Martyrologio positum
ad 6 Aprilis. " See "Apologia pro Hiber-
=; In Hibernia S. CeIsi Episcop. qui "—
April 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 47 thatthedateshouldratherbe4thofthismonth. s* InHenryFitzsimon's
"
Catalogus aliqorum Sanctorum Iberni3e,"S9 this bishop's feast appears to be referredtothesthofAugust,evidentlythroughsomemistake. TheMartyr- ology of Donegal ^ records, on this day, the name of St. Celsus, Bishop, of Ard Macha, or Armagh. Likewise, in the Rev. Alban Butler's work,*' in that of the Rev. S. Baring-Gould,'^ and in the " Circle of the Seasons,"'^ the feast of St Celsus, is set down, at the 6th of April. Whether deservedly or not, Father Stephen ^Vhite ^ reproves Giraldus Cambrensis, for omitting all men- tion of this saint, who flourished in the twelfth century, and who is so remarkably lauded by St. Bernard. *' However, it is sufficient to observe here, that the name and memory of St. Celsus hold a distinguished position in Irish ecclesiastical records, and they cannot be obliterated, under any cir- cumstances, from the history of our national Church.
Article II. —St. Cronbeg, or Cronan Beg, Abbot of Clonmac- NOiSE, King's County. [Seventh Century. '] This Saint is called Cronan Beg, or the Little, owing probably to his want of ordinary stature. He is entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh," at the 6th of April, as Cronbrice, Abbot of Cluana, or Clonmacnoise. The date of his birth has not been ascertained,nordoeshisgenealogyseemtobeknown. Thisholymanmost probably succeeded Colman,' Abbot, who died, in the year 681. 3 Then was his successor elected to rule, in a spot, greatly resorted to, even from distant regions.
The pilgrimage to holy places is one of the oldest of Christian insti- tutions. The first known visits were to Jerusalem, and to other parts of Judea. Thus, Helena, the pious mother of the Emperor Constantine, hastened as a
pilgrim to the Holy Land, when shejvisited the scenes of our Redeemer's passion. The Empress returned, bringing with her the true cross, with other relics of Christ's death ; and, from that time forward, pilgrimages to the Holy Land were annually made by thousands, from every part of Christendom. Our Irish countrymen frequently visited this distant land, and usually com- bined with their journey a pilgrimage to the shrines of the Apostles, St. Peter and St Paul, at Rome. Hardships, persecutions, and even death itself, often overtook the zealous and devoted pilgrim. The tremendous conflicts, which shook Palestine during the period of the Crusades, barred the road thither to allbutthemosthardy,adventurous,anddaring. Thesubsequentlossofthe HolyCity,allbutcloseditsgatesagainsttheChristians. Atandbeforethisera, thepracticeofnationalpilgrimagesgrewintotranscendentimportance. Instead of turning towards the Holy Sepulchre, the penitent wended his way, towards
Cponbice Ah, only.
Colman.
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. a88, 289. This Abbot b said to have been of the sept of Ciaraighe-Airtich, seated between the rivers Lung and Brideog, in the old barony of
5* See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of "" •^P"' "• P' '°9-
' ^^- ^""= '•'«* ">« on an inscription
'^t»^c*'"'^'. 'c^M' " S>ee O Sullevan Beare'. s
old tomb in Clonmacnoise, which belonged to one Colman, in 1822, and it is still extant. •^ "°** *"* "'^'l"'' but the lettering is now indistinct. A representation of it will be found, in Miss Stokes' "Christian Inscrip- tions in the Irish Language," vol. i. , plate ii. , 6g. 6, p. 17. It is ascribed to the present
Historia: Ca- thelicse Ibemi^ Compendium. " tomus L,
»o cj''^'i,*"? «P' ^^'
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
9°> 97-
bee Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other pnncipal Saints," vol. jr. , April vi. "See "Laves of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
April vi. , p. 106. / See p. 97.
•*
See"ApologiaproHibemia,"cap. ii. , p. 15, and cap. iv. , p. 31.
°5 In "VitaS. Malachia:. "
Articleii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, Boyle, and county of Roscommon. See p. XX. In the Franciscan copy we read, ibid. , n. (f).
48 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 6.
some shrine in his native land, famous for some deed of sanctity, or for some spiritual manifestation. In Ireland, Lough Derg, Kildare, Glendalough, and
Clonmacnoise, were the great pilgrimages. The ten ruined churches, which surround St. Kieran's grave at the latter place, are said to have been the
offering of ten royal pilgrims, who knelt at his shrine. Among the religious foundations here is shown, what purports to have been a church or chapel of the nunnery,^ said to have been built inn 70, by Dearvoirgilla. s and it was con- sumed,withotherbuildings,byanaccidentalfire,a. d. 1180. Thefestivalin honour of Cronbeg—a contraction most probably of his regular name—who was placed as Abbot, over Cluainmic Nois, occurs, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ at this date. This was the day for his death, and the year was 689,
Queen Dearvoirgilla's Church, Clonmacnoise.
according to the Annals of Clonmacnoise, or according to those of the Four Masters,^a. d. 692. TheAnnalsofUlsterplacehisdemise,undertheyear
693. 8
Article III. —St. Celestine I. , Pope and Confessor. [Fourth and
Fifth Centuries. '] Owing to the instrumentality of this great Pontiff, Ireland received the opportunity of admission to the Church, as a portion of the Chris- tian fold. Grateful for the favour, his name has been inscribed on our National Kalendars; for he sent St. Palladius and St. Patrick, to open their missions among our pagan ancestors. The Acts of this illustrious Pontiff have
* The accompanying illustration is from a
photograph, taken on the spot, by John L. Robinson, Esq. , M. R. I. A. , Architect. Dub- lin. It was drawn on the wood, by WilUam F. Wakeman, and it was engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
Hibemicum,"p. 393.
5 She was daughter to Murrough O'Meal-
—"Annales
mc nois obiit. " Ultonienses,"
" O'Rourk. See Archdall's Monasticum bernicarum Scriptores, tomus iv.
aghlin. King of Meath, and wife of Tighernan
'
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
96, 97.
' See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. ,
pp. 296, 297.
*"An. Dcxcii Cronbeg Abbas Cluaii
p. 65. Rev. Dr. O'Conor's ""
Rerum Hi-
April 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 49
been given, by Alphonsas Ciaconius,' of the Dominican Order, by Baronius,^ by the Bollandists,3 by Baillet. t by the Rev. Alban Butler,5 by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould,* as also by Mgr. Paul Gu^rin,' and by various other authors. St. Celestine was born in Rome, towards the close of the fourth century, and his father's name was Priscus. ' During the episcopate of St. Ambrose,' and in early life, Celestine had visited Milan. '" He became a Deacon to Inno- cent, and at that time, he had written a cordial letter to St. Augustine," the
great Bishop of Hippo Regius, in Africa. Celestine sent it, through a cleric, named Projectus, and to that epistle St. Augustine returned a suitable reply. "
Celestine held a very distinguished place among the clergy at Rome, while his virtues and talents caused him to be universally respected. During the earlier part of the fifth century, the illustrious Bishop of Hippo had borne the great burden of controversy, against the heretics of that age, the Dona- tists,'3 the Manichaeans,'* and the Pelagians. "' The latter heresy had its origin from a British monk, named Pelagius, a man of great mental and moral excellence, but, of bold speculative opinions. Another man, known as Coelestius, an Irish-Scot,'* a lawyer, and a man of even more aggressive tem- per,'7 had come to Rome, about a. d. 400, for the purpose of continuing his studies. Pelagius and Celestius withdrew to Carthage, in 411, and there propagated their errors. Afterwards, they removed to the East. In the year 416, both heresiarchs were excommunicated, in the Synods of Carthage and of Mileve,'* while this decree obtained confirmation, from Pope Innocent I. However,PelagiusandCoelestiusstillperseveredintheiropposition. '» When -Pope St. Boniface I. , who ruled from a. d. 418, had died, in the year 422,^° with the acclaim of both clergy and laity throughout the whole city, Celestine was unanimously elected to succeed him. " Before his elevation to the Papal
Article hi. —' " See Vitacet Res GestiE Pontificum Romanorura et S. R. E. Car- dinalium, ab Initio nascentis Ecclesix usque ad Clementem IX. P. O. M. " Romac, 1577, lol.
'^ See, an account of them in " Memoires
pour servir a I'Histoire des Egaremeiis de
I'Esprit Humain, par Rapport a la Religion Chretienne ; ou Dictionnair? des Heresies,
des Erreurs et des Schismes," &c. Tome ii. , pp. 3to24. A. Besan^on,1817,8vo.
'" See
vi. De S. Caelestino Pontifice Ro- Primo,
Annales Ecclesiastic! ," tomus v. , 529.
•* See Ibid. , to pp. 335
to
5 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Aprilis
pp. 410
397. '5 . See Ibid. , pp. 534 to 582.
mano. They are contained in Three Chap- graphy," &c. , by Dr. William Smith, and
ters, and Eighteen Paragraphs, drawn from various sources, pp. 543 to 547.
* See *' Les Vies des Saints," tome iv. , Avril vi. , pp. 187 to 193.
s See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April vi. 'See "Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
April 6, p. 94.
'See "Les Pelits Bollandistes Vies des
Saints de I'Ancien et du Nouveau Testa- ment," &c. , tome iv. , 6 Avril, pp. 248, 249.
Henry Wace, the reader will find an account of this heresiarch, who, we are told, "oc-
'
According Prosper.
" See " A of the Councils of the History
Church, from the original Documenis," by the Right Rev. Charles Joseph Hefele, D. D.
37 See Rev. P. J. Carew's " Ecclesiasti-
cal History of Ireland," chap, iv. , pp. in, 112.
It occurred, at the beginning of Lent, ac-
'? Ulster Annals. 'o^'"? V'''
38 His feast is at the I commemorated,
VCa.
3" His Life IS written, for the 3rd of No-
of August.
p.
35 See Harris' Ware, vol.
i. , "Archbishops ^
It caused destruction of the abbey, with
twenty other buildings, in that
illustrious St. Malachy O'Morgair,^' as a deacon, and also as a priest, about A. D. 1 1 1 9. In the year 1 1 2 1, another destructive fire broke out, and in the Trian-
Massain quarter two streets, extending from the rath, or tower, to St. Brigid's Church, were burned down. It may be supposed, that nearly all of those buildings had been constructed of wood, thatch, or other perishable materials. In the year 1121,3' and on the 4th of July, Samuel O'Haingley, bishop of Dublin, died. 33 The See became vacant, for a time. It is said, that by the common consent of the Irish and Normans, St. Celsus was invited, to preside over that diocese ; and, while our Annalists eulogize his purity, they declare, that he was Archbishop of the West of Europe, the only head whom the foreigners and Irish of Ireland, both laity and clergy, obeyed. 34 This state- ment may have been occasioned, by his only assuming the administration or guardianship of that See, pending the vacancy, which continued in the regular succession of its bishops, until Ralph, Archbishop of Canterbury, had conse- crated, on the 2nd of October following, Gregory, as bishop of Dublin. This ceremony took place, at Lambeth, near London. In the year 1 1 22, it is stated, that Maelcolm O'Brolcan, who was bishop of Armagh, died ; but, it is more than probable, he was only a sufiiragan, or vicar, to Archbishop Celsus. 35 In the year 995, during the government of Dubhdalethy II. in the Archbishopric, the cathedral of Armagh was burned; and, for 130 years it remained in a
rumous condition, being only partially roofed, until on the 12th of January, A. D. 1 1 25, St. Celsus commenced the repairs of this church, which he covered entirely with tiles, or shingles. 36 THis was only one of the great improve- ments effected by him, during the period of his highly useful incumbency. 3? A church, which had been erected, at Armagh, by St. Imhar Ua h-Aedha- gain,3« and which was called the Regies of Peter and Paul, was consecrated by Ceallach, the successor of Patrick, on the 12th of the Calends of Novem-
*•
There is no account of Murtogh O'Brian,
nor of Celsus, nor of Moelmurry, being pre- ? ^PA*'i ";"? "'' ^ ''^ "e told, Morough O Moelseachlain, Eocha O'Kelly and the clergy of the religious house of St. Kieran (Clonmacnoise) together with GioUa Chriost OMaoillean, abbot of Clonmacnoise, at-
tended the regulations in that Synod. See Kev. Dr. Lamgan's " Ecclesiastical History
of Ireland, vol. IV. , chap, xxv. , sec. iii. , 37, and n. 82, p. 39.
"See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the * our Masters, vol. n. , pp. 1000 to 1003. It IS said, on this occasion, he obtained a full
vember.
^However, the Annals of St. Mary's
Abbey, and some ancient Rolls, in Lambeth,
city.
3° The Celsus ordained the holy bishop
have it A. d. 1122 while the ;
Annals of MuI- tifernan refer his death to a. d. 1123
" See John D'Alton's "Memoirs of the
Archbishops of Dublin," p. 40.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1032, 1033.
46
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 6.
ber A. D 1126. 39 In the year 11 26, a great stonii of war arose in Ireland," and St. 'Celsus left his See, for the purpose of effecting a reconciliation, between the princes and chiefs. He was absent, during thirteen months, trying to restore peace ; while he laboured in promulgating good rules and customs, among the clergy and laity, throughout every district. t^ Without giving any authority for his assertion, Hanmer*' states, that Celsus was a
married man,43 and that he was buried with his wife and children, in the church of Armagh. This account is altogether incorrect. In 1 1 28, through his mediation, a truce was effected, between the kings of Connaught^4 and of Munster. ts Thiswasintendedtolastforayear,butthearchbishopdidnot live for the expiration of that term. Illness appears to have seized upon him, having scarcely passed the fiftieth year of his age. "6 Upon the approach of death, he greatly desired, that the illustrious St. Malachy O'Morgair—who was then bishop of Connor—should succeed him at Armagh. t? With this
intent,
dying
He desired especially, that the two kings of Munster should in-
archbishop sent the Staff of Jesus,^^ as the ensign his of^
the
authority.
terest themselves, in the matter which he had recommended, and before those
who were'attending him, during his last illness. 49 St. Celsus died, after unction
and good penance, at Ard Patrick. s" a village in the county of Limerick, cer- tain writers say, on the ist of April,? ' while others have it, on the 6th, in the
year 1128, as some state j5= but, as most generally beheved, in 1129. 53 By a provision in his will, the body was conveyed to Lismore, on the Wednesday succeedincr • and there, having been waked with psalms, hymns and canticles, it was honourably interred,54 in tlie tomb of the Bishops, on the Thursday fol- lowing. ss To St. Celsus is ascribed the following works, besides the Consti-
to which reference has been already made, viz. : His Testament or Will, besides many Epistles to St. Malachy. 5« At the 6th of April, his festival is set down, in the Roman Martyrology,'? while we are told, that this occurred through an oversight of Cardinal Baronius, who mistook a iv. for a vi. , and
tutions,
39 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1022 to 1025.
*°See Colcan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Sexta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, pars.
jii p3^
V- See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1024, 1025.
4^ See " Chronicle of Ireland," p. 203.
43 Such an inference he drew, perhaps,
from the circumstance, that Celsus belonged
to the dominant family at Armagh. This Sancta," part 1, p. 216. A. like statement
family intruded "viri uxorati," on the See,
as St. Bernard complains, in his Life of St.
Malachy
4< At this time, Toirdhealbhach Ua Con-
chobhair, or Turlough O'Conor, a renowned and ambitious warrior, ruled overConnaught; while Cormac Mac Carthy, known as the
occurs, in Rev. Alban Butler s "Lives of the Fathers, Jlartyrs and other principal Saints, vol. iv. , April vi.
5^ Regarding this Saint, Father Stephen
ruled in Munster. count of thelatter, in Dr. Petrie's
See an ac-
"
nia," cap. iv. , pp. 32 33, and again, at p. 37.
king-bishop,
53 " De See Sir James Ware,
Ecclesi- astical Architecture, and Round Towers of Ireland,"&c. , part ii. , sec. iii. , sub-sec. i. , pp.
Scnptonbus Ilibernine," lib. 11. , cap. vui. , P- 53. .
305 to 313.
« See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1028 to 1031.
4" Dr. Meredith Hanmer, in his "Chroni-
S4 See Hams' Ware, vol. 1. , "Archbishops
of Armagh," pp. SI to 54-
55 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters,'' vol. 11. , pp. 1034, '°35-
5^ See John Bale, " Scriptorum Illustnum
cle of Ireland," incorrectly states, that he Majoris Britanniee, &c. ,
cent, sec. »4- xiy. ,
"diedofgreatage. " Seep. 203.
47 Not understanding the statement of Malachiam m Episcopatu prsecessit.
"" vi. Baronius, John Wilson, in his Martyrolo- Martyrologium Romanum, Apnlis
gium Anglicanum," has said, that Celsus preceded St. Malachy in the See of Conor, which was not the case.
"S The reader will find an accoun of this
venerable rcUc, 111 the Life of St. Patrick, at
the 17th of March, chap, v.
"9 See Dr. Meredith Hanmer s "Chronicle
of Ireland,' p. 203.
> Britannia
S" " the Signifying
r t, . • 1 of Patrick, '
height
s" See Bishop Challoner s
White remarks
:
" Mortuum anno Salutis,
1 128, et in Romano Martyrologio positum
ad 6 Aprilis. " See "Apologia pro Hiber-
=; In Hibernia S. CeIsi Episcop. qui "—
April 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 47 thatthedateshouldratherbe4thofthismonth. s* InHenryFitzsimon's
"
Catalogus aliqorum Sanctorum Iberni3e,"S9 this bishop's feast appears to be referredtothesthofAugust,evidentlythroughsomemistake. TheMartyr- ology of Donegal ^ records, on this day, the name of St. Celsus, Bishop, of Ard Macha, or Armagh. Likewise, in the Rev. Alban Butler's work,*' in that of the Rev. S. Baring-Gould,'^ and in the " Circle of the Seasons,"'^ the feast of St Celsus, is set down, at the 6th of April. Whether deservedly or not, Father Stephen ^Vhite ^ reproves Giraldus Cambrensis, for omitting all men- tion of this saint, who flourished in the twelfth century, and who is so remarkably lauded by St. Bernard. *' However, it is sufficient to observe here, that the name and memory of St. Celsus hold a distinguished position in Irish ecclesiastical records, and they cannot be obliterated, under any cir- cumstances, from the history of our national Church.
Article II. —St. Cronbeg, or Cronan Beg, Abbot of Clonmac- NOiSE, King's County. [Seventh Century. '] This Saint is called Cronan Beg, or the Little, owing probably to his want of ordinary stature. He is entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh," at the 6th of April, as Cronbrice, Abbot of Cluana, or Clonmacnoise. The date of his birth has not been ascertained,nordoeshisgenealogyseemtobeknown. Thisholymanmost probably succeeded Colman,' Abbot, who died, in the year 681. 3 Then was his successor elected to rule, in a spot, greatly resorted to, even from distant regions.
The pilgrimage to holy places is one of the oldest of Christian insti- tutions. The first known visits were to Jerusalem, and to other parts of Judea. Thus, Helena, the pious mother of the Emperor Constantine, hastened as a
pilgrim to the Holy Land, when shejvisited the scenes of our Redeemer's passion. The Empress returned, bringing with her the true cross, with other relics of Christ's death ; and, from that time forward, pilgrimages to the Holy Land were annually made by thousands, from every part of Christendom. Our Irish countrymen frequently visited this distant land, and usually com- bined with their journey a pilgrimage to the shrines of the Apostles, St. Peter and St Paul, at Rome. Hardships, persecutions, and even death itself, often overtook the zealous and devoted pilgrim. The tremendous conflicts, which shook Palestine during the period of the Crusades, barred the road thither to allbutthemosthardy,adventurous,anddaring. Thesubsequentlossofthe HolyCity,allbutcloseditsgatesagainsttheChristians. Atandbeforethisera, thepracticeofnationalpilgrimagesgrewintotranscendentimportance. Instead of turning towards the Holy Sepulchre, the penitent wended his way, towards
Cponbice Ah, only.
Colman.
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. a88, 289. This Abbot b said to have been of the sept of Ciaraighe-Airtich, seated between the rivers Lung and Brideog, in the old barony of
5* See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of "" •^P"' "• P' '°9-
' ^^- ^""= '•'«* ">« on an inscription
'^t»^c*'"'^'. 'c^M' " S>ee O Sullevan Beare'. s
old tomb in Clonmacnoise, which belonged to one Colman, in 1822, and it is still extant. •^ "°** *"* "'^'l"'' but the lettering is now indistinct. A representation of it will be found, in Miss Stokes' "Christian Inscrip- tions in the Irish Language," vol. i. , plate ii. , 6g. 6, p. 17. It is ascribed to the present
Historia: Ca- thelicse Ibemi^ Compendium. " tomus L,
»o cj''^'i,*"? «P' ^^'
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
9°> 97-
bee Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other pnncipal Saints," vol. jr. , April vi. "See "Laves of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
April vi. , p. 106. / See p. 97.
•*
See"ApologiaproHibemia,"cap. ii. , p. 15, and cap. iv. , p. 31.
°5 In "VitaS. Malachia:. "
Articleii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, Boyle, and county of Roscommon. See p. XX. In the Franciscan copy we read, ibid. , n. (f).
48 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 6.
some shrine in his native land, famous for some deed of sanctity, or for some spiritual manifestation. In Ireland, Lough Derg, Kildare, Glendalough, and
Clonmacnoise, were the great pilgrimages. The ten ruined churches, which surround St. Kieran's grave at the latter place, are said to have been the
offering of ten royal pilgrims, who knelt at his shrine. Among the religious foundations here is shown, what purports to have been a church or chapel of the nunnery,^ said to have been built inn 70, by Dearvoirgilla. s and it was con- sumed,withotherbuildings,byanaccidentalfire,a. d. 1180. Thefestivalin honour of Cronbeg—a contraction most probably of his regular name—who was placed as Abbot, over Cluainmic Nois, occurs, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ at this date. This was the day for his death, and the year was 689,
Queen Dearvoirgilla's Church, Clonmacnoise.
according to the Annals of Clonmacnoise, or according to those of the Four Masters,^a. d. 692. TheAnnalsofUlsterplacehisdemise,undertheyear
693. 8
Article III. —St. Celestine I. , Pope and Confessor. [Fourth and
Fifth Centuries. '] Owing to the instrumentality of this great Pontiff, Ireland received the opportunity of admission to the Church, as a portion of the Chris- tian fold. Grateful for the favour, his name has been inscribed on our National Kalendars; for he sent St. Palladius and St. Patrick, to open their missions among our pagan ancestors. The Acts of this illustrious Pontiff have
* The accompanying illustration is from a
photograph, taken on the spot, by John L. Robinson, Esq. , M. R. I. A. , Architect. Dub- lin. It was drawn on the wood, by WilUam F. Wakeman, and it was engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
Hibemicum,"p. 393.
5 She was daughter to Murrough O'Meal-
—"Annales
mc nois obiit. " Ultonienses,"
" O'Rourk. See Archdall's Monasticum bernicarum Scriptores, tomus iv.
aghlin. King of Meath, and wife of Tighernan
'
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
96, 97.
' See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. ,
pp. 296, 297.
*"An. Dcxcii Cronbeg Abbas Cluaii
p. 65. Rev. Dr. O'Conor's ""
Rerum Hi-
April 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 49
been given, by Alphonsas Ciaconius,' of the Dominican Order, by Baronius,^ by the Bollandists,3 by Baillet. t by the Rev. Alban Butler,5 by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould,* as also by Mgr. Paul Gu^rin,' and by various other authors. St. Celestine was born in Rome, towards the close of the fourth century, and his father's name was Priscus. ' During the episcopate of St. Ambrose,' and in early life, Celestine had visited Milan. '" He became a Deacon to Inno- cent, and at that time, he had written a cordial letter to St. Augustine," the
great Bishop of Hippo Regius, in Africa. Celestine sent it, through a cleric, named Projectus, and to that epistle St. Augustine returned a suitable reply. "
Celestine held a very distinguished place among the clergy at Rome, while his virtues and talents caused him to be universally respected. During the earlier part of the fifth century, the illustrious Bishop of Hippo had borne the great burden of controversy, against the heretics of that age, the Dona- tists,'3 the Manichaeans,'* and the Pelagians. "' The latter heresy had its origin from a British monk, named Pelagius, a man of great mental and moral excellence, but, of bold speculative opinions. Another man, known as Coelestius, an Irish-Scot,'* a lawyer, and a man of even more aggressive tem- per,'7 had come to Rome, about a. d. 400, for the purpose of continuing his studies. Pelagius and Celestius withdrew to Carthage, in 411, and there propagated their errors. Afterwards, they removed to the East. In the year 416, both heresiarchs were excommunicated, in the Synods of Carthage and of Mileve,'* while this decree obtained confirmation, from Pope Innocent I. However,PelagiusandCoelestiusstillperseveredintheiropposition. '» When -Pope St. Boniface I. , who ruled from a. d. 418, had died, in the year 422,^° with the acclaim of both clergy and laity throughout the whole city, Celestine was unanimously elected to succeed him. " Before his elevation to the Papal
Article hi. —' " See Vitacet Res GestiE Pontificum Romanorura et S. R. E. Car- dinalium, ab Initio nascentis Ecclesix usque ad Clementem IX. P. O. M. " Romac, 1577, lol.
'^ See, an account of them in " Memoires
pour servir a I'Histoire des Egaremeiis de
I'Esprit Humain, par Rapport a la Religion Chretienne ; ou Dictionnair? des Heresies,
des Erreurs et des Schismes," &c. Tome ii. , pp. 3to24. A. Besan^on,1817,8vo.
'" See
vi. De S. Caelestino Pontifice Ro- Primo,
Annales Ecclesiastic! ," tomus v. , 529.
•* See Ibid. , to pp. 335
to
5 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Aprilis
pp. 410
397. '5 . See Ibid. , pp. 534 to 582.
mano. They are contained in Three Chap- graphy," &c. , by Dr. William Smith, and
ters, and Eighteen Paragraphs, drawn from various sources, pp. 543 to 547.
* See *' Les Vies des Saints," tome iv. , Avril vi. , pp. 187 to 193.
s See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April vi. 'See "Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
April 6, p. 94.
'See "Les Pelits Bollandistes Vies des
Saints de I'Ancien et du Nouveau Testa- ment," &c. , tome iv. , 6 Avril, pp. 248, 249.
Henry Wace, the reader will find an account of this heresiarch, who, we are told, "oc-
'
According Prosper.
" See " A of the Councils of the History
Church, from the original Documenis," by the Right Rev. Charles Joseph Hefele, D. D.
