525
choir of clerical chaunters " Thou art a for ever
: ^^
to the
order of Melchisedech.
choir of clerical chaunters " Thou art a for ever
: ^^
to the
order of Melchisedech.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Later writers have adopted the same statement.
7^ Ussher would not decide, as to whether he was consecrated, by a certain Bishop, Amator, or Amathaeus, or as some declared, by Pope Celestine himself.
However, St.
Patrick
there heard the voice of an * Go to the island of and angel saying : Ireland,
assist those who invoke thy aid. ' And Patrick answered ' I will not go,
:
until I salute the Lord. ' Then, the angel conducted him to Mount Arnon, on the Italian sea, in the city which is called Capua : and, there he saluted the Lord as Moyses. Authorities seem to differ, regarding the actual consecrator of SL Patrick. While some have it, that he had been made bishop, by Pope St. Celestine the First ; others state, St. Germanus officiated, at that time, while most of the ancient Acts relate, that Amator consecrated him. 72 The com-
5° " Vita S. See Septima
Patricii,"
lib.
*' See " "
Ussher's Primordia, cap. xvii. ,
p. 839.
i. , cap. XXXV. , p. 122.
5' Thus, Vincent of Beauvais writes :
" Mittitur cum Germano Patr—icius, et Hi-
berniis episcopus ordinatur," "Speculum Historiale. " However, we know, that the great St. Germanus was not sent with St. Patrick.
5^ There is no such person, however, known at this period.
53 His feast occurs, at the 5th of March. 54 His feast occurs, at the 24th of July.
ss Such is the account, as found in the re-
spective Acts of these saints.
5° By John of Teignmouth, he is called Amotus.
*-
These are probably Irish or Latinized
"
S7 Also called Amator. See Tertia Vita cus," at A. D. ccccxxxii. Also Harris'
S. Patricii, cap. xxiv.
5^ In the Book of Armagh.
59 See "Tertia Vita S. Patricii," cap.
xxiv. , p. 23.
^° See " Secunda Vita S. Patricii," cap.
Ware, vol. i. , p. 11.
''^ " In his
"
Index Chronologi- Archbishops of Armagh,"
and " cap. xxxi. , p. 39.
Quarta
Vita S. Patricii,"
7° In his " Chronicle. "
^i Such as Sir James Ware, in his Irish Bishops, p. il. See, also, Dr. O'Donovan's
xxvi. , p. 14,
corruptions of a particular name,
^° "
^^
"
gee Trias Thaumaturga," QuintaAp-
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xvi. , num. 4, p. 253.
"* Such as the Bollandists.
*5 The more ancient Acts of St. Patrick,
and their writers, are opposed to this con-
elusion, according to Colgan. These he
considers to be the authors of the Second,
Third, and Fourth Lives of St. Patrick.
Among these are Archdeacon Cotton, in Fasti Ecclesise Hibernicae," p. 3.
"' See Ussher's
Chronicon. " ^ In his " Chronicon. "
524 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
mentator on St. Fiach has Amato,73 King, and Bishop of Auxerre, as the officiating prelate, in the presence of Celestine, and of Theodosius the Younger,74KingoftheWorld. ^s Weareinformed,too,thatSt. Patrickhad a special call to the mission of our island, and that it was granted to him, by-
apostolic authority. He proceeded to Rome, as some state, for his grade or orders, and Pope Celestine consecrated him,? ^ in the presence of Saint Ger- manus. Amatho, King of the Romans was there likewise. 77 At this period of his life, Mann was the name he bore. ^^ It is related, by the author of the Tripartite Life,79 that our saint received episcopal consecration from Pope Celestine himself. We have added, that Celestine gave him the name of Patrick. ^" This statement found admittance into some modern lessons and
accounts, relating to our saint,^^ as a consequence. His consecration, it is
said, took place in the presence of the Roman King Amatus^^ and of St. Ger-
man. ^3 The date, most generally assigned for this event, is about the earlier
partoftheyear432. ^4 Then,AuxiHusandIserninus^swithothers,obtaining
minor degrees, as we are told, were associated, apparently on the same day,
and with St. Patrick, those companions received ordination. ^^ In addition to
this account, we may add, that the author of the Second Life, as found in
Colgan, gives almost word for word a similar narrative. But, according to
Nennius, Auxilius was only ordained priest, and Iserninus deacon. The
very ancient Third Life of our saint, without observing chronological order,
yetpresentsaseriesofdetachedfacts,concerninghim. Whenconsecrated, we are told, the three harmonious choirs mingled their chants and rejoicings :
thefirstcomposedofheavenlyspirits; thesecondconsistingoftheRomans; and the third of those Irish infants, living in the region of Caille Fochladh,
79 See lib. i. , cap. xxxix. , p. 123. See
also Jocelyn's "Sexta Vita S. Patricii,"
cap. xxv. , p. 70.
who had cried out to St. Patrick, saying
Patrick, to come and live amongst us, and that you liberate us. " ^^ Also, we are informed, that on the same day, when St. Patrick had been consecrated by sacred rites, the canticle of the Psalmist was appropriately sung, by the
"Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp.
12810131.
7* Colgan thinks the best way to reconcile
these accounts is, to consider St. Patrick's consecration, as being solicited from Pope Celestine, by Germanus, and that it took place, by authority of that Pope, and through the ministry of Amator.
73 See, also, the Second Life, cap. xxvi. , p. 14; the Third Life, cap. xxiv. , p. 23; the Fourth Life, cap. xxxi. , p. 39 ; the Fifth Life, lib. i. , cap. xxv. , p. 49.
7* This Emperor never resided at Rome.
See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History
of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, iv. , sect, xv. , n.
131, p. 186.
75 Some accounts have Theodosius and
*'
Meaning,"aPatrician. " Thiswasa
Valentinian, as the Roman rulers, at this
time. Theodosius is said to have ruled in
the east, from A. D. 408 to 450 ; while xvi. , num. 4, p. 253. Valentinian III. was ruler in the west, irom
A. D. 425 to 455. See the Scholiast on St.
Fiach's Hymn, n. \AfO. , and Colgan's nn.
32) 33» 34. PP- 5> 9-
7* See the Tripartite Life, lib. i. , cap.
The Second Life says, "Sed etiam Auxilius et Serenus, et ceteri inferioris gradus, ordinati sunt eodem die, quo sanctus
"
Patricius. "See VitaSecundaS. Patricii,"
xxxviii. , xxxix. , p. 123. 77 See Miss Cusack's
"
cap. xxvi. , p. 14. By Serenus was probably meant Iserninus. The Fourth Life has nearly — but more correctly — the same words. See "
Quarta
Life of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 378, Here too, he
is called " a hostage-liberating man. "
78 to Marcus. According Bishop
Vita S.
Patricii,"
:
holy
*' All the Irish O pray you,
title, commonly assumed, in Italy, during the fifth century. See the Scholiast on St.
Fiach, n. 6, p. 4. Florence of Wigorn, Ralph of Chester, and Henry of Marle-
burgh, repeat this origin of the name. See also Dr. Todd's "Life of St. Patrick,"
chap, ii. , p. 363.
"' "
See Ussher's Primordia," cap. xvii. , p. 841.
^=
No such King of Rome is known in
history.
*3 Most certainly, St. German was not in
Rome, in the year 432.
*4 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap.
"5 By some writers, he has been called Esserninus or Serenus.
^*
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
525
choir of clerical chaunters " Thou art a for ever
: ^^
to the
order of Melchisedech. "
Among writers, O'Sullevan Bearers and Baronius9° were of opinion, that this
bishop, who consecrated St. Patrick, was St. Amator,9i Bisliop of Auxerre. 9^ Again, Pagi93 supposes, an Amator,94 who was Bishop of Autun, had performed
thatfunction; but,thisshouldclearlybefoundachronologicalimpossibility. 95 Again, Dr. Lanigan does not hesitate to assert, that St. Amandus,9^ Bishop of Bordeaux, who survived to the year 432, may have been that prelate, whose name so nearly approaches the forms, and the circumstances of whose life may be reconciled, with what we can learn, regarding St. Patrick's consecrator. Little has been preserved, regarding his Acts. It is thought, he may have
been expelled from Bordeaux, during the Gothic eruptions, in the com- mencement of the fifth century. 97 No account is said to be extant, regarding
an Archbishop of this city, intervening between him and Gallicinus, who ruled over that See, about a. d. 474. 9^ Then, St. Amandus may have been an exile, in that part of France, where and when St. Patrick was obliged to embark for the Irish mission. The history of the Gaulish bishops is a very
imperfect one, about this period ; and, consequently, great scope is left for conjecture, on the question here discussed. 99 However, that Bishop Ama- torex,^°° who consecrated St. Patrick, is not represented as residing in his own See, but dwelling, probably as an accidental sojourner, in a place near Ebmoria,remarksDr. Todd. But,hedoesnotprofesstopointoutwhere that place was situated. It was not then unusual, he observes, that a bishop should be without a See ; while, the incursions of Goths, with other contem-
names, Probus thus writes :
9^ See Sammarthan, in "Gallia Chris- tiana," tome ii. , col. 7S9, 790. It is there added, that he was perhaps the Amandus, who subscribed the synodical letter of the Galilean bishops to Pope Leo, A. D. 451.
"
ratus. "
9° See "
them,
spent by
Patritciana Decas," p. 14. Martyrologium Romanum,"
at
^9 See Dr.
" Ecclesiastical His-
Maii i.
9' He died, on the Kalends of May, A. D.
418, according to Ussher, or, as other ac- counts have it, A. D. 421. Now, St. Celes- tine did not become Pope, until A. D. 423.
""
See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga, n. 34,
p. 9.
9^ He must have been dead, howevei",
from ten to fourteen years before this event. 93 See Critices to the "Annales Eccle-
tory of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, iv. , sect.
xviii. , and notes, pp. 198 to 203.
Amathorex, or Mathorex, as he is called in the Book of Armagh. Still, it must be re-
marked. Dr. Todd acknowledges himself unable to discover the truth, on this subject, which to him seems to be overlaid by a cloud of fiction.
siastici," of Baronius, at A. D. 431.
See n. I, p. 335. Ibid.
9* He flourished, about the
ac-
'°' See L. P.
"
year 314, Gallia Christiana. "
Anquetil's
cording to
95 He is mentioned, about the year 314, in
France. " Premiere Race dite des Merovin-
the " GaUia Christiana. "
giens, sect, i. , pp. 41 to 44.
^""^
may sufficiently account for a bishop being
poraneous political troubles,
found in retirement or concealment, in some obscure village. Such a story
is not discredited, although we are unable satisfactorily to identify the Bishop, Mathorex, or Amathorex, with any Gaulish prelate, whose name is known in
history. '"^
cap. xxxi. , p. 39. Without giving their
"
Sed et aUi nonnulli clerici—ad officium inferioris gradus ordinati sunt. " " Quinta Vita S. Patricii,"
lib. i. , cap. XXV. , p. 49.
^7 See Miss Cusack's " Life of St.
Patrick," p. 378.
^^ See the Second Life, cap. xxvi. , p. 14 ;
the Fourth Life, cap. xxxi. , p. 39; the Fifth Life, part i. , cap. xxv. , p. 49.
*9 "Ad Amatorem antistitem, qui Antis- siodorensis et Germani antecessor fuit,
—a Pontificalibus sacris divertit, quo inaugu-
priest
according
^^ See Tillemont's " Memoires pour servir a I'Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome x. Article, S. Amand.
'^ It is related, by Gregory of Tours, that St. Amandus gave up his See for some years to a St. Severinus. " If so," asks Dr. Lanigan, "might not the year 432 have been one of
tirement? "
and
Lanigan's
him in re-
'°° " Dr. Todd, in his
St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," chap, i. , p. 37, lays it down, that he was consecrated bishop by
"Histoire de '"^ See Dr. Todd's " St. Patrick, Apostle
526 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
A great variety of opinions has been expressed, regarding that country and place, where St. Patrick received episcopal consecration. While some pronounce in favour of GauV°3 others declare it was in Italy ;'°4 while Col-
he was made
Gaul, prevailed ; yet, the only ground, on which that opinion rests, is a gratuitous supposition, that St. Patrick,'°7 having left St. German at Auxerre, some short time before, must have been in that country, about the time he received the fullness of the priesthood. However, no ancient record confirms it ; while, it is even plainly contradicted, by historic authorities. Certain zealot writers, in the present century, have endeavoured to maintain, that our early Irish missionaries were independent of the Roman See, and rejected the present doctrines of those in communion with it. '°^ However, from various authorities, and especially from the old Lives of St. Patrick himself, there can
be no question, as to the source, whence our Apostle's great mission had been drawn. '°9 The Bollandists bring him to Rome, a. d. 431, after the
death of Palladius. "° For this statement, however, no authority is quoted. Two very ancient anonymous Lives of our saint are quoted, by the learned
Ussher. In one of these, it is recorded, that St. Patrick, on coming to Rome, was benignly received by the blessed Pope Celestine, who reigned the forty- fifth in order, after St. Peter the Apostle. "' It is said, that Celestine greatly honouredandfavouredourholymissioner,whilehewasinRome. '" Here,
he remained a long time studying, according to Bishop Marcus,"3 and being filled with the Holy Ghost, he learned the Scriptures and sacred mysteries. Again, it is said, after the saint's safe arrival at Rome,"* he visited with great devotion,andreverence,thememorialsoftheApostlesandMartyrs. "^ if
""^
of Ireland," chap, i. , pp. 317, 318, and nn. Among these nnay be noticed, Henry
38, p. 18. Also in
See his
or town of his
in ordination, succession, opposition
to other
authorities,
city
Belgic Eboronum.
"* See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta
"
the year 820.
"* The "Annals of Innisfallen," also,
state, that Patrick came from Rome, as a
bishop, into Ireland, and that he devoutly preached here the faith of Christ.
"SSeetheSixthLife,cap. xxv. ,p. 70.
Appendix 254.
ad Acta S.
Trias Thaumaturga. "
'" See the Fourth Life, cap. xxix. , p. 39. "3 He wrote a Life of St. about
'°7 See a veiy able article, manifesting a very great power of historical analysis, and
"
in the "Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iii. ,No. XXV. October,1866,pp. 7to18.
intituled,
Notes on the Life of St. Patrick,"
Patricii, cap. xvi. , p.
Patrick,
in
or somewhere
gan surmises,
It has been conjectured, likewise, by Tillemont, and by others, that St. Patrick had become a bishop in his own country, which is assumed to have been Great Britain. Although an opinion, regarding his consecration in
bishop,
Belgium,'°5
adjoining.
Ibid. J. Monck Slason, LL. D. , in a Letter to "3 "
Such is Colgan's opinion. See "Trias Thaumaturga," Secunda Vita S. Patricii, n.
Thomas Moore, Esq. , and intituled, Pri- mitive Christianity in Ireland. " Dublin, 1836, l2mo. Also the Very Rev. Richard
Murray, D. D. , Dean of Ardagh, in a work, intituled, "Outlines of the History of the Catholic Church in Ireland. " London,
1840, i2mo.
'°9 The Third Life of our saint places
Patrick's episcopal consecration, before his arrival at Rome, and before his presenting himselftothePope; but,thisiscontraryto all other accounts, and,"it is undoubtedly owing to a misplacement of the chapters, by making the 24th stand instead of the 26th.
"° See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Martii xvii. De S. Patricio Apostolo Hi- berniK. Commentarius praevius, sect, v. , p. 522.
"
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii," cap. xvi. , pp. 252 to 254. The fact of St. Patrick's friends having in- terfered to prevent his consecration is greatly
relied on, by Dr. Lanigan, to prove it took place in some north-western part of France.
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol.
there heard the voice of an * Go to the island of and angel saying : Ireland,
assist those who invoke thy aid. ' And Patrick answered ' I will not go,
:
until I salute the Lord. ' Then, the angel conducted him to Mount Arnon, on the Italian sea, in the city which is called Capua : and, there he saluted the Lord as Moyses. Authorities seem to differ, regarding the actual consecrator of SL Patrick. While some have it, that he had been made bishop, by Pope St. Celestine the First ; others state, St. Germanus officiated, at that time, while most of the ancient Acts relate, that Amator consecrated him. 72 The com-
5° " Vita S. See Septima
Patricii,"
lib.
*' See " "
Ussher's Primordia, cap. xvii. ,
p. 839.
i. , cap. XXXV. , p. 122.
5' Thus, Vincent of Beauvais writes :
" Mittitur cum Germano Patr—icius, et Hi-
berniis episcopus ordinatur," "Speculum Historiale. " However, we know, that the great St. Germanus was not sent with St. Patrick.
5^ There is no such person, however, known at this period.
53 His feast occurs, at the 5th of March. 54 His feast occurs, at the 24th of July.
ss Such is the account, as found in the re-
spective Acts of these saints.
5° By John of Teignmouth, he is called Amotus.
*-
These are probably Irish or Latinized
"
S7 Also called Amator. See Tertia Vita cus," at A. D. ccccxxxii. Also Harris'
S. Patricii, cap. xxiv.
5^ In the Book of Armagh.
59 See "Tertia Vita S. Patricii," cap.
xxiv. , p. 23.
^° See " Secunda Vita S. Patricii," cap.
Ware, vol. i. , p. 11.
''^ " In his
"
Index Chronologi- Archbishops of Armagh,"
and " cap. xxxi. , p. 39.
Quarta
Vita S. Patricii,"
7° In his " Chronicle. "
^i Such as Sir James Ware, in his Irish Bishops, p. il. See, also, Dr. O'Donovan's
xxvi. , p. 14,
corruptions of a particular name,
^° "
^^
"
gee Trias Thaumaturga," QuintaAp-
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xvi. , num. 4, p. 253.
"* Such as the Bollandists.
*5 The more ancient Acts of St. Patrick,
and their writers, are opposed to this con-
elusion, according to Colgan. These he
considers to be the authors of the Second,
Third, and Fourth Lives of St. Patrick.
Among these are Archdeacon Cotton, in Fasti Ecclesise Hibernicae," p. 3.
"' See Ussher's
Chronicon. " ^ In his " Chronicon. "
524 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
mentator on St. Fiach has Amato,73 King, and Bishop of Auxerre, as the officiating prelate, in the presence of Celestine, and of Theodosius the Younger,74KingoftheWorld. ^s Weareinformed,too,thatSt. Patrickhad a special call to the mission of our island, and that it was granted to him, by-
apostolic authority. He proceeded to Rome, as some state, for his grade or orders, and Pope Celestine consecrated him,? ^ in the presence of Saint Ger- manus. Amatho, King of the Romans was there likewise. 77 At this period of his life, Mann was the name he bore. ^^ It is related, by the author of the Tripartite Life,79 that our saint received episcopal consecration from Pope Celestine himself. We have added, that Celestine gave him the name of Patrick. ^" This statement found admittance into some modern lessons and
accounts, relating to our saint,^^ as a consequence. His consecration, it is
said, took place in the presence of the Roman King Amatus^^ and of St. Ger-
man. ^3 The date, most generally assigned for this event, is about the earlier
partoftheyear432. ^4 Then,AuxiHusandIserninus^swithothers,obtaining
minor degrees, as we are told, were associated, apparently on the same day,
and with St. Patrick, those companions received ordination. ^^ In addition to
this account, we may add, that the author of the Second Life, as found in
Colgan, gives almost word for word a similar narrative. But, according to
Nennius, Auxilius was only ordained priest, and Iserninus deacon. The
very ancient Third Life of our saint, without observing chronological order,
yetpresentsaseriesofdetachedfacts,concerninghim. Whenconsecrated, we are told, the three harmonious choirs mingled their chants and rejoicings :
thefirstcomposedofheavenlyspirits; thesecondconsistingoftheRomans; and the third of those Irish infants, living in the region of Caille Fochladh,
79 See lib. i. , cap. xxxix. , p. 123. See
also Jocelyn's "Sexta Vita S. Patricii,"
cap. xxv. , p. 70.
who had cried out to St. Patrick, saying
Patrick, to come and live amongst us, and that you liberate us. " ^^ Also, we are informed, that on the same day, when St. Patrick had been consecrated by sacred rites, the canticle of the Psalmist was appropriately sung, by the
"Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp.
12810131.
7* Colgan thinks the best way to reconcile
these accounts is, to consider St. Patrick's consecration, as being solicited from Pope Celestine, by Germanus, and that it took place, by authority of that Pope, and through the ministry of Amator.
73 See, also, the Second Life, cap. xxvi. , p. 14; the Third Life, cap. xxiv. , p. 23; the Fourth Life, cap. xxxi. , p. 39 ; the Fifth Life, lib. i. , cap. xxv. , p. 49.
7* This Emperor never resided at Rome.
See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History
of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, iv. , sect, xv. , n.
131, p. 186.
75 Some accounts have Theodosius and
*'
Meaning,"aPatrician. " Thiswasa
Valentinian, as the Roman rulers, at this
time. Theodosius is said to have ruled in
the east, from A. D. 408 to 450 ; while xvi. , num. 4, p. 253. Valentinian III. was ruler in the west, irom
A. D. 425 to 455. See the Scholiast on St.
Fiach's Hymn, n. \AfO. , and Colgan's nn.
32) 33» 34. PP- 5> 9-
7* See the Tripartite Life, lib. i. , cap.
The Second Life says, "Sed etiam Auxilius et Serenus, et ceteri inferioris gradus, ordinati sunt eodem die, quo sanctus
"
Patricius. "See VitaSecundaS. Patricii,"
xxxviii. , xxxix. , p. 123. 77 See Miss Cusack's
"
cap. xxvi. , p. 14. By Serenus was probably meant Iserninus. The Fourth Life has nearly — but more correctly — the same words. See "
Quarta
Life of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 378, Here too, he
is called " a hostage-liberating man. "
78 to Marcus. According Bishop
Vita S.
Patricii,"
:
holy
*' All the Irish O pray you,
title, commonly assumed, in Italy, during the fifth century. See the Scholiast on St.
Fiach, n. 6, p. 4. Florence of Wigorn, Ralph of Chester, and Henry of Marle-
burgh, repeat this origin of the name. See also Dr. Todd's "Life of St. Patrick,"
chap, ii. , p. 363.
"' "
See Ussher's Primordia," cap. xvii. , p. 841.
^=
No such King of Rome is known in
history.
*3 Most certainly, St. German was not in
Rome, in the year 432.
*4 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap.
"5 By some writers, he has been called Esserninus or Serenus.
^*
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
525
choir of clerical chaunters " Thou art a for ever
: ^^
to the
order of Melchisedech. "
Among writers, O'Sullevan Bearers and Baronius9° were of opinion, that this
bishop, who consecrated St. Patrick, was St. Amator,9i Bisliop of Auxerre. 9^ Again, Pagi93 supposes, an Amator,94 who was Bishop of Autun, had performed
thatfunction; but,thisshouldclearlybefoundachronologicalimpossibility. 95 Again, Dr. Lanigan does not hesitate to assert, that St. Amandus,9^ Bishop of Bordeaux, who survived to the year 432, may have been that prelate, whose name so nearly approaches the forms, and the circumstances of whose life may be reconciled, with what we can learn, regarding St. Patrick's consecrator. Little has been preserved, regarding his Acts. It is thought, he may have
been expelled from Bordeaux, during the Gothic eruptions, in the com- mencement of the fifth century. 97 No account is said to be extant, regarding
an Archbishop of this city, intervening between him and Gallicinus, who ruled over that See, about a. d. 474. 9^ Then, St. Amandus may have been an exile, in that part of France, where and when St. Patrick was obliged to embark for the Irish mission. The history of the Gaulish bishops is a very
imperfect one, about this period ; and, consequently, great scope is left for conjecture, on the question here discussed. 99 However, that Bishop Ama- torex,^°° who consecrated St. Patrick, is not represented as residing in his own See, but dwelling, probably as an accidental sojourner, in a place near Ebmoria,remarksDr. Todd. But,hedoesnotprofesstopointoutwhere that place was situated. It was not then unusual, he observes, that a bishop should be without a See ; while, the incursions of Goths, with other contem-
names, Probus thus writes :
9^ See Sammarthan, in "Gallia Chris- tiana," tome ii. , col. 7S9, 790. It is there added, that he was perhaps the Amandus, who subscribed the synodical letter of the Galilean bishops to Pope Leo, A. D. 451.
"
ratus. "
9° See "
them,
spent by
Patritciana Decas," p. 14. Martyrologium Romanum,"
at
^9 See Dr.
" Ecclesiastical His-
Maii i.
9' He died, on the Kalends of May, A. D.
418, according to Ussher, or, as other ac- counts have it, A. D. 421. Now, St. Celes- tine did not become Pope, until A. D. 423.
""
See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga, n. 34,
p. 9.
9^ He must have been dead, howevei",
from ten to fourteen years before this event. 93 See Critices to the "Annales Eccle-
tory of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, iv. , sect.
xviii. , and notes, pp. 198 to 203.
Amathorex, or Mathorex, as he is called in the Book of Armagh. Still, it must be re-
marked. Dr. Todd acknowledges himself unable to discover the truth, on this subject, which to him seems to be overlaid by a cloud of fiction.
siastici," of Baronius, at A. D. 431.
See n. I, p. 335. Ibid.
9* He flourished, about the
ac-
'°' See L. P.
"
year 314, Gallia Christiana. "
Anquetil's
cording to
95 He is mentioned, about the year 314, in
France. " Premiere Race dite des Merovin-
the " GaUia Christiana. "
giens, sect, i. , pp. 41 to 44.
^""^
may sufficiently account for a bishop being
poraneous political troubles,
found in retirement or concealment, in some obscure village. Such a story
is not discredited, although we are unable satisfactorily to identify the Bishop, Mathorex, or Amathorex, with any Gaulish prelate, whose name is known in
history. '"^
cap. xxxi. , p. 39. Without giving their
"
Sed et aUi nonnulli clerici—ad officium inferioris gradus ordinati sunt. " " Quinta Vita S. Patricii,"
lib. i. , cap. XXV. , p. 49.
^7 See Miss Cusack's " Life of St.
Patrick," p. 378.
^^ See the Second Life, cap. xxvi. , p. 14 ;
the Fourth Life, cap. xxxi. , p. 39; the Fifth Life, part i. , cap. xxv. , p. 49.
*9 "Ad Amatorem antistitem, qui Antis- siodorensis et Germani antecessor fuit,
—a Pontificalibus sacris divertit, quo inaugu-
priest
according
^^ See Tillemont's " Memoires pour servir a I'Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome x. Article, S. Amand.
'^ It is related, by Gregory of Tours, that St. Amandus gave up his See for some years to a St. Severinus. " If so," asks Dr. Lanigan, "might not the year 432 have been one of
tirement? "
and
Lanigan's
him in re-
'°° " Dr. Todd, in his
St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," chap, i. , p. 37, lays it down, that he was consecrated bishop by
"Histoire de '"^ See Dr. Todd's " St. Patrick, Apostle
526 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
A great variety of opinions has been expressed, regarding that country and place, where St. Patrick received episcopal consecration. While some pronounce in favour of GauV°3 others declare it was in Italy ;'°4 while Col-
he was made
Gaul, prevailed ; yet, the only ground, on which that opinion rests, is a gratuitous supposition, that St. Patrick,'°7 having left St. German at Auxerre, some short time before, must have been in that country, about the time he received the fullness of the priesthood. However, no ancient record confirms it ; while, it is even plainly contradicted, by historic authorities. Certain zealot writers, in the present century, have endeavoured to maintain, that our early Irish missionaries were independent of the Roman See, and rejected the present doctrines of those in communion with it. '°^ However, from various authorities, and especially from the old Lives of St. Patrick himself, there can
be no question, as to the source, whence our Apostle's great mission had been drawn. '°9 The Bollandists bring him to Rome, a. d. 431, after the
death of Palladius. "° For this statement, however, no authority is quoted. Two very ancient anonymous Lives of our saint are quoted, by the learned
Ussher. In one of these, it is recorded, that St. Patrick, on coming to Rome, was benignly received by the blessed Pope Celestine, who reigned the forty- fifth in order, after St. Peter the Apostle. "' It is said, that Celestine greatly honouredandfavouredourholymissioner,whilehewasinRome. '" Here,
he remained a long time studying, according to Bishop Marcus,"3 and being filled with the Holy Ghost, he learned the Scriptures and sacred mysteries. Again, it is said, after the saint's safe arrival at Rome,"* he visited with great devotion,andreverence,thememorialsoftheApostlesandMartyrs. "^ if
""^
of Ireland," chap, i. , pp. 317, 318, and nn. Among these nnay be noticed, Henry
38, p. 18. Also in
See his
or town of his
in ordination, succession, opposition
to other
authorities,
city
Belgic Eboronum.
"* See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta
"
the year 820.
"* The "Annals of Innisfallen," also,
state, that Patrick came from Rome, as a
bishop, into Ireland, and that he devoutly preached here the faith of Christ.
"SSeetheSixthLife,cap. xxv. ,p. 70.
Appendix 254.
ad Acta S.
Trias Thaumaturga. "
'" See the Fourth Life, cap. xxix. , p. 39. "3 He wrote a Life of St. about
'°7 See a veiy able article, manifesting a very great power of historical analysis, and
"
in the "Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iii. ,No. XXV. October,1866,pp. 7to18.
intituled,
Notes on the Life of St. Patrick,"
Patricii, cap. xvi. , p.
Patrick,
in
or somewhere
gan surmises,
It has been conjectured, likewise, by Tillemont, and by others, that St. Patrick had become a bishop in his own country, which is assumed to have been Great Britain. Although an opinion, regarding his consecration in
bishop,
Belgium,'°5
adjoining.
Ibid. J. Monck Slason, LL. D. , in a Letter to "3 "
Such is Colgan's opinion. See "Trias Thaumaturga," Secunda Vita S. Patricii, n.
Thomas Moore, Esq. , and intituled, Pri- mitive Christianity in Ireland. " Dublin, 1836, l2mo. Also the Very Rev. Richard
Murray, D. D. , Dean of Ardagh, in a work, intituled, "Outlines of the History of the Catholic Church in Ireland. " London,
1840, i2mo.
'°9 The Third Life of our saint places
Patrick's episcopal consecration, before his arrival at Rome, and before his presenting himselftothePope; but,thisiscontraryto all other accounts, and,"it is undoubtedly owing to a misplacement of the chapters, by making the 24th stand instead of the 26th.
"° See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Martii xvii. De S. Patricio Apostolo Hi- berniK. Commentarius praevius, sect, v. , p. 522.
"
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii," cap. xvi. , pp. 252 to 254. The fact of St. Patrick's friends having in- terfered to prevent his consecration is greatly
relied on, by Dr. Lanigan, to prove it took place in some north-western part of France.
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol.
