After his death, the people seem to have entertained a great devotion for the angelic being that went to Heaven, and while invoking his intercession,
miracles
are said to have been wrought at Rees, in favour of the infirm and afflicted.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v7
[July 14.
The Protestant church of the union of Ballon and Aghade stands on the site of one much older,9 and the foundations have been utilized for the erection of the more modern building, which is said to have been so old, that the date and cost of its erection are unascertainable. 10 The church is prettily situated, on a gently elevated ground, and in the midst of a highly cultivated district. A rivulet running close to the churchyard adds greatly to the beauty of this tranquil scene. Some interesting tombs and their inscriptions are to be found there. " It has been stated, that about the middle of the twelfth century, by Dermod Mac Murchad, King of Leinster, a nunnery had
13
been here founded, for nuns of the order of St. Augustine,
attached to the nunnery of St. Mary de Hogges, in the city of Dublin. * There is now no remembrance of the nunnery in this locality. A blessed well—but without a name—is there, while other antiquities exist, and numerous human remains have been turned up, between Ahade and the town of
Article III. —St. Onchu, or Onchuo, Priest, of Kildare, County
ofKildare. ThefeastofSt. Onchuo,apriest,ofKidare,waskeptonthe
of 1 In the of 2 at this same is entered 14th July. Martyrology Tallagh, date,
Onchon Mic Blaithmic. This shows a later entry in the Martyrology of Tallagh—at least in the published copy—than Colgan supposed ; for, he
thought St. Corpre, Abbot of Clonmacnoise, who died a. d. 899, was the
latest person inserted in that Calendar, whereas from what we find recorded,
the present holy priest flourished in the tenth century, He is called the
blessed Onchuo, presbyter of Kildare. 3 About him, little happens to be
known. In what particular capacity he figured, in that episcopal city, does
not appear from our Annals. It is probable, he had been attached to its
cathedral, in some official position. Veneration was given to Onchu,* son
of Blathmac, at the 14th of July, according to the Martyrology of Donegal. s
This patronymic seems to identify him with that St. Onchu, commemorated
Tullow. 14 Under the head of Ath
nameId, bishop of Ath-Fadat,16 in Leinster, for this day. At the 14th of July, St. Idus, Bishop of Ath-Fada, in Leinster, is set down by Rev. Alban Butler. 1 ? In the " Circle of the Seasons," 18 at this same date, he is simply called a bishop in Leinster. Little of a reliable character can be gleaned regarding him.
at the 9th of July.
6
In this sense, too, the present entry has been accepted
iii. , Lecture xxxviii. , p. 404.
9 The accompanying illustration is from a
sketch by the author on the spot in Septem- bcr, 1889. It was copied by William F. Wakeman and drawn on the wood, engraved by Mis. Millard.
part i. , pp. 88, 89.
l6 Ath Fadat, Aghade or Ahade, barony
of Forth, county of Carlow. William M.
Hennessy's note.
'? See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July xiv.
10" ,8 See Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol. i. , p. 15.
"See " and of Ryan's History Antiquities
the County of Carlow," p. 326.
12 " 2
See Archdall's Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 35.
13 See also Rev. Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesi-
astical History of Ireland," vol. iv. , chap. xxviii. , pp. 185, 187.
14 Such is the account left us by Eugene O'Curry.
15 See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
Brigidu. -, cap. ii. , p . 630.
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxix.
Fadat,
"
4 Dr. Todd, in a note, says at Onchu :
Duald Mac Firbis j s enters the
See p. 196. — Article III.
See " Trias Colgan's
adActaS.
3 See Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 327.
Thaumaturga," Appendix Quinta
This is also added by the more recent hand, with the authorities Mar. , M. Tarn. "
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
194. 195.
6
See the present volume of this work, at
but it was then 1
July 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 237
by the Bollandists,? on the authority of Father O'Sheerin, who remarks, that on the 9th of July, his feast had been celebrated in the Martyrologies of
Marianus O'Gorman, of Cathal Maguire and of Donegal. Still it is possible they had been different persons. The present saint is said to have died, in
the year 929. 8
Article IV. —St. Colman, Son of Aingen. In the Martyrology of
Tallagh,
1 the name of Colman Mac
Andgein appears,
at the
14th
of
July.
The patronymic furnishes little clue to his family or descent, much less to his
locality. He probably lived in or before the eighth century. In the Martyr-
2 we have entered, likewise, Colman, the son of
On the authority of Father O'Sheerin, the Bollandists 3 have inserted his festival at the present date.
Article V. —Feast of the Dormition or Rest of St. Cormac, of Ath-Truim, or Trim, County of Meath. According to Duald Mac
Truim,
Article VI. —Translation of two Heads of the Ursuline Virgins and Martyrs. In the edition of that Martyrology, published at Lubeck and Cologne, a feast for the Translation of two Heads of the Ursuline
of
ology Donegal,
Aingen.
1 the orRestof ofAth Dormitatio, Cormac, bishop
now 2 Trim,
Firbis,
occurs at the 14th of July. The year of his demise was 741, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. 3 The Annals of Ulster place his death, at a. d. 645.
Martyrs and Virgins from Cologne into Dacia is set down, at the 14th of July. 1
Notingthisfestival,atthissamedate,theBollandists referfurtherconsidera- tion of the circumstance to the 21st of October.
Article VII. —St. Faghna. In the anonymous Catalogue of Irish
1
Saints published by O'Sullevan Beare, a St. Faghna is mentioned, at the
14th
of
July.
date,
doubtingly
At this
the Bollandists 2
enter 3 Fagna.
In the early Irish Church was commemorated the festival of Bishop Jacob, with a devout
Series, vol. i. , parti. , pp. 88, 89.
2 Ath Truim, now Trim, in the county of
Article VIII. —Feast of the Bishop Jacob.
that particular day, Art. ii. "
7 See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. Meath. See William M. Hennessy's
627.
8 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," v— ol. i. ,
note.
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. ArticleVI. —' See"ActaSanctorum,"
Article IV.
the
Article v. — ' See
of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript
6j~.
3 Thus :
"Proceedings
p.
"
Julii
pp. 624, 625.
Edited by Rev. Dr. tomus iii. , Julii xiv. Among preter-
«
Kelly, p. xxix.
2 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
I94> I 95-
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii.
Julii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 627.
mitted saints, p. —628. "
Article vii. ' See Historic Catho-
lie* Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. , lib.
2
p. 50.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
iv. , xi. , cap.
Julii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints,
Fagna alicubi inter Sanctos
238 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 14.
invocation in the u Feilire"1 of St. ^ngus, at the 14th of July. Elsewhere, we find no account of this Bishop Jacob, at the present date.
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Dentelinus, Patron of Rees,
Duchy of Cleves. At this {Seventh Century. ']
z is venerated,
St. Denain, Dentelinus, or Dentlin, the son of St. Maelceadar and St. Walde- trude. He was their youngest son, and he died according to some writers, while an infant, or as others state, at a very early age, and not exceeding seven years. The Bollandists 2 have his Acts, in ten paragraphs. In the earlier part of the seventh century, he must have been born, as the previous Lifeofhissaintedparentseemstoshow; but,unlesshisbirthtookplacein Ireland, we do not understand why he should have been classed among the saints of our country. Some contend, that after receiving the holy Sacrament of Baptism, his regenerated soul was immediately received into Heaven ; so
that thus, from the mouth of babes and sucklings the Lord Himself received
praise. His noble parents took care to have him honourably interred, as has been supposed at Rees, in the Duchy of Cleves, now in Rhenish Prussia. There, the canons of that church were accustomed to celebrate his memory on each recurring 14th day of July. They had an office with proper Lessons, and at Matins, whil—e allusion is made to Dentelinus— yet his life could not have been very eventful praise is chiefly bestowed on his sanctified parents. The popular tradition, that while an infant he passed to the rewards of eternal life, is recorded in it. According to one statement, Dentelinus died on the 16th day of March, but where is not known.
After his death, the people seem to have entertained a great devotion for the angelic being that went to Heaven, and while invoking his intercession, miracles are said to have been wrought at Rees, in favour of the infirm and afflicted. Subsequently, the relics of St. Dentelin were conveyed to Soignies and kept in a shrine, beside those Of his sainted father Madelgarius. Some were kept, however, in the church of Rees; and in the year 1040, St. Irmgrade, daughter to the Count of Zutphen, had a beautiful church erected in honour of the Blessed Virgin. It is certain, that there, in a very special manner, St. Dentelinus has been venerated, and he is regarded as patron of the place. His office has been celebrated there on the 14th of July, as also weekly, on Mondays and Wednesdays, not pre- occupied by a festival of higher degree. Moreover, the parish of St. Alde- gundeatEmbrichadachoralofficeforhim,onthe16thdayofMarch. In Hannonia, no special honours seem to have been accorded to this holy infant. On his father's shrine, he is represented as a boy, with a hawk on his wrist. 3 The Belgian and Cologne Martyrologies enter his feast at the 14th of July. Among these records are to be classed, the Manuscript Florarius
computata, mihi necdum nota est. " the Royal Irish Academy, vol. i. , parti. On Article VIII. —* In the "Leabhar the Calendar of Oengus, p. ex. The
"
Breac
and translated into English, by Whitley cio quis iacop. " —See p. cxviii.
copy, the following rami is found, scholiast in a comment adds : "iacop. ne [s]
Stokes, LL. D.
nopA-oeAmcepfop 1x\cob ipnoemem AceochAm nonailetn
, oen.
"May the bishop Jacob, who is most holy, protect us! we beseech,—we entreat him.
Article ix. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," iii. Februarii, n. 3, p. 249. Also, Februarii xxv. , n. 4, p. 412.
2 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Julii xiv. De S. Denti lino Puero Confess. Resse,
in Clivia, pp. 689 to 691. The editor is Father John Baptist Soller.
3 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of
Com>eichenbo|\noei
with a decade of infants. '*
"Transactions of
the vol. Saints,"
vii. , July 14, p. 323.
day
also,
July 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 239
Sanctorum, Greven, Canisius, Molanus, Ghinius, Ferrarius and Saussay. Atthisdate,Colganintendedtopublishsomeaccountofhim. Atthepre- sent time—as in the last century when the Bollandists made enquiry to recover some local traditions regarding this saint—little can be discovered, to throw any additional light on the history of this innocent child, on the place of his sepulture, or on the date for transference of his remains.
Article X. —Reputed Festival of St. Turrinus, Bishop and Con- fessor, in Lesser Britain. The Lubeck-Cologne edition of Usuard's Martyrology has a festival, at the 14th of July, for a St. Turrinus, Bishop and
Confessor in Lesser Britain. The Bollandists, 1 who record this
he may be identical with St. Turiavus, treated about by them, at the 1 3th of this month.
Article XI. —Feast of St. Fursey, Abbot of Lagny, France. St. Fnrsey, for whom a feast has been set at this day, was renowned for his visions, as related by the Venerable Bede. These were well known to the mediaeval writers, as may be seen in the early printed work of Jacobus
Januensis.
1 The Life ofthat saint is to be
found,
at the 16th of 2 January.
Article XII. —Reputed Feast of Harruch, Bishop of Verden,
1
Saxony. The Bollandists remark, at the 16th of July, that Camerarius has
placed a festival at this date for Harruch, Abbot of Amarbarica, and eighth Bishop of Verden, who had been noticed, on a previous day.
jftfteent! ) ©ap of 3ulj>.
ARTICLE I. —ST. PLECHELMUS, BISHOP OF OLDENSAL AND RURIMOND, BELGIUM, AND APOSTOLIC MISSIONARY.
ISEVENTH AND EIGHTH CENTURIES. ]
Adiversity of opinion exists, as to whether the present holy man had
been a native of Ireland or of Scotland. On the his Acts subject,
are vague, and indeed, as they have come down to us, they seem to be com- pilations put together, long after his time. Having few biographical notices to record, the writers indulge in diffusiveness of statement, considerably mingled with panegyric and digressive matter. The following brief particu- lars contain the substance of traditions regarding him.
Article x. — ' See " Acta Sanctorum," 2 See the First Volume of
tomus iii. , Julii xiv. Among the preter- Art. i.
this work,
mittedsaints,p. 626. Articlexii. —: See"ActaSanctorum,"
1"
Article xi. - See Legenda Sancto- tomus iv. , Julii xvi. Among the preter-
rum," fol. clxxxix. Edition of 1478. mitted saints, p. 12 r.
entry,
think
2 4o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 15.
Various modern hagiographers have accounts of this saint, who was
renowned in his day. One of the chief sources for his Acts appears to have 1
been that anonymous Life, published by the Bollandists. and thought to have been compiled by some cleric, belonging to the church of Utrec—ht, or of
Mons S. Od— iliae,
following
2
the traditions of the place. Molanus in two
3
paragraphs andMirseus haveshortLivesofSt. Plechelmus,atthe15thof
this month. The " Officia Propria Sanctorum Dioecesis Ruremundanae,"*
compiled by Henricus Cuquinus, Bishop of that city, contains particulars regarding St. Plechelm's career. It was intended by Colgan, to have the Acts of St. Plechelmus appear, at the 15th of July, but death prevented the accom- plishmentofhisdesire. 5 TheBollandistshaveActsofthissaint,atthe15th of July f and, before his death, Father John Boland had prepared commen- taries7 onthem. Thesewereafterwardspublished,andtheyhavebeenpre- fixed to an anonymous Life. 8 The Annals of the Cistercian Monk record St. Plechelmas, a Bishop and Confessor, while they also style him the Apostle ofGuelderland. 9 Inthe"ActaSanctorum 10St. Plechelmus,
Belgii,
is recorded at the 15th of July. Bishop Challoner " and the Rev. Alban
Butler I2 have accounts of St. Plechelm, Bishop, at this same date. There
are notices of St. Plechelmus—referred to a. d. 689—in Rev. Dr.
J. F. S. Gordon's Scotichronicon,^ as also, in the Rev. S. Baring-Gould's
1 work. *
Having alluded with eulogy to Northumbria, Scotia and Hibernia, as having been countries in which the light of Faith dispelled the works of
darkness, St. Patrick,15 St. Cuthbert,16 St. Columba,1? and St. Willibrord,18 are instanced as great servants of Christ, who wrought wonderful things for His Church. Afterwards, we are told, in his T 9 that the man
Acts, holy Plechelmus was born within the confines of Scotia, and that he sprung from
a respectable family. According to some writers, while born of illustrious
parents, he belonged to the province of Northumbria. 20
In the works of
man is con-
holy
Bishop
Challoner 21 and of the Rev. Alban 22 this Butler^
ArTICLE I. — ' From a tolerably ancient vellum Manuscript, furnished by a nobleman, Theodoras e Renesse Wulpius, and collated with a copy, included among the papers of Wilhelm Lindan, Bishop of Ruremond.
2 See " Natales Sanctorum Belgii," p. 156.
July 15, p. 358.
IS See his Life, at the 17th of March, in
the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
l6
See his Life, at the 20th of March, ibid. , Art. i.
I7 See his Life, at the 6th of June, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
l8 See his at the Life,
3
to
418 422.
4 Published at Cologne, in the year
Aliquorum Sanctorum
6 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Julii xv. De S. Plechelmo Episcopo Oldensaliae et Ruraemundae in Belgio, pp. 50 to 60.
7 These are in five sections, and forty-two
November.
See "Fasti Belgici et Burgundici," pp.
of
,9 " Sanctus ergo vir, nomine Plechelmus,
1604.
s See "
sapia patrum procreatus," &c.
zo Such is the statement of Miraeus. 2I "
Catalogus Hiberniae. "
See Britannia Sancta," part ii. , pp. 32, 33.
paragraphs.
8 In thirteen
July.
23 " S. Vuiro et Placelmus Iliberni ambo. "
paragraphs.
A few notes
—"
PetrusLombardus, Deregno Hiberniae
are appended.
9 See vol. vii. , pp. 75, 76.
10 See vol. vi.
11 See "Britannia Sancta," part ii. , pp.
32 to 34.
" See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July xv.
l? See vol. i. , p. 67.
14 See "Lives of the Saints," vol. vii. ,
Sanctorum Insula Commentarius," cap. xv. , p. 208. Lovanii, a. d. 1632, 4to.
The Protestant church of the union of Ballon and Aghade stands on the site of one much older,9 and the foundations have been utilized for the erection of the more modern building, which is said to have been so old, that the date and cost of its erection are unascertainable. 10 The church is prettily situated, on a gently elevated ground, and in the midst of a highly cultivated district. A rivulet running close to the churchyard adds greatly to the beauty of this tranquil scene. Some interesting tombs and their inscriptions are to be found there. " It has been stated, that about the middle of the twelfth century, by Dermod Mac Murchad, King of Leinster, a nunnery had
13
been here founded, for nuns of the order of St. Augustine,
attached to the nunnery of St. Mary de Hogges, in the city of Dublin. * There is now no remembrance of the nunnery in this locality. A blessed well—but without a name—is there, while other antiquities exist, and numerous human remains have been turned up, between Ahade and the town of
Article III. —St. Onchu, or Onchuo, Priest, of Kildare, County
ofKildare. ThefeastofSt. Onchuo,apriest,ofKidare,waskeptonthe
of 1 In the of 2 at this same is entered 14th July. Martyrology Tallagh, date,
Onchon Mic Blaithmic. This shows a later entry in the Martyrology of Tallagh—at least in the published copy—than Colgan supposed ; for, he
thought St. Corpre, Abbot of Clonmacnoise, who died a. d. 899, was the
latest person inserted in that Calendar, whereas from what we find recorded,
the present holy priest flourished in the tenth century, He is called the
blessed Onchuo, presbyter of Kildare. 3 About him, little happens to be
known. In what particular capacity he figured, in that episcopal city, does
not appear from our Annals. It is probable, he had been attached to its
cathedral, in some official position. Veneration was given to Onchu,* son
of Blathmac, at the 14th of July, according to the Martyrology of Donegal. s
This patronymic seems to identify him with that St. Onchu, commemorated
Tullow. 14 Under the head of Ath
nameId, bishop of Ath-Fadat,16 in Leinster, for this day. At the 14th of July, St. Idus, Bishop of Ath-Fada, in Leinster, is set down by Rev. Alban Butler. 1 ? In the " Circle of the Seasons," 18 at this same date, he is simply called a bishop in Leinster. Little of a reliable character can be gleaned regarding him.
at the 9th of July.
6
In this sense, too, the present entry has been accepted
iii. , Lecture xxxviii. , p. 404.
9 The accompanying illustration is from a
sketch by the author on the spot in Septem- bcr, 1889. It was copied by William F. Wakeman and drawn on the wood, engraved by Mis. Millard.
part i. , pp. 88, 89.
l6 Ath Fadat, Aghade or Ahade, barony
of Forth, county of Carlow. William M.
Hennessy's note.
'? See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July xiv.
10" ,8 See Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol. i. , p. 15.
"See " and of Ryan's History Antiquities
the County of Carlow," p. 326.
12 " 2
See Archdall's Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 35.
13 See also Rev. Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesi-
astical History of Ireland," vol. iv. , chap. xxviii. , pp. 185, 187.
14 Such is the account left us by Eugene O'Curry.
15 See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
Brigidu. -, cap. ii. , p . 630.
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxix.
Fadat,
"
4 Dr. Todd, in a note, says at Onchu :
Duald Mac Firbis j s enters the
See p. 196. — Article III.
See " Trias Colgan's
adActaS.
3 See Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 327.
Thaumaturga," Appendix Quinta
This is also added by the more recent hand, with the authorities Mar. , M. Tarn. "
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
194. 195.
6
See the present volume of this work, at
but it was then 1
July 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 237
by the Bollandists,? on the authority of Father O'Sheerin, who remarks, that on the 9th of July, his feast had been celebrated in the Martyrologies of
Marianus O'Gorman, of Cathal Maguire and of Donegal. Still it is possible they had been different persons. The present saint is said to have died, in
the year 929. 8
Article IV. —St. Colman, Son of Aingen. In the Martyrology of
Tallagh,
1 the name of Colman Mac
Andgein appears,
at the
14th
of
July.
The patronymic furnishes little clue to his family or descent, much less to his
locality. He probably lived in or before the eighth century. In the Martyr-
2 we have entered, likewise, Colman, the son of
On the authority of Father O'Sheerin, the Bollandists 3 have inserted his festival at the present date.
Article V. —Feast of the Dormition or Rest of St. Cormac, of Ath-Truim, or Trim, County of Meath. According to Duald Mac
Truim,
Article VI. —Translation of two Heads of the Ursuline Virgins and Martyrs. In the edition of that Martyrology, published at Lubeck and Cologne, a feast for the Translation of two Heads of the Ursuline
of
ology Donegal,
Aingen.
1 the orRestof ofAth Dormitatio, Cormac, bishop
now 2 Trim,
Firbis,
occurs at the 14th of July. The year of his demise was 741, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. 3 The Annals of Ulster place his death, at a. d. 645.
Martyrs and Virgins from Cologne into Dacia is set down, at the 14th of July. 1
Notingthisfestival,atthissamedate,theBollandists referfurtherconsidera- tion of the circumstance to the 21st of October.
Article VII. —St. Faghna. In the anonymous Catalogue of Irish
1
Saints published by O'Sullevan Beare, a St. Faghna is mentioned, at the
14th
of
July.
date,
doubtingly
At this
the Bollandists 2
enter 3 Fagna.
In the early Irish Church was commemorated the festival of Bishop Jacob, with a devout
Series, vol. i. , parti. , pp. 88, 89.
2 Ath Truim, now Trim, in the county of
Article VIII. —Feast of the Bishop Jacob.
that particular day, Art. ii. "
7 See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. Meath. See William M. Hennessy's
627.
8 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," v— ol. i. ,
note.
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. ArticleVI. —' See"ActaSanctorum,"
Article IV.
the
Article v. — ' See
of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript
6j~.
3 Thus :
"Proceedings
p.
"
Julii
pp. 624, 625.
Edited by Rev. Dr. tomus iii. , Julii xiv. Among preter-
«
Kelly, p. xxix.
2 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
I94> I 95-
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii.
Julii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 627.
mitted saints, p. —628. "
Article vii. ' See Historic Catho-
lie* Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. , lib.
2
p. 50.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
iv. , xi. , cap.
Julii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints,
Fagna alicubi inter Sanctos
238 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 14.
invocation in the u Feilire"1 of St. ^ngus, at the 14th of July. Elsewhere, we find no account of this Bishop Jacob, at the present date.
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Dentelinus, Patron of Rees,
Duchy of Cleves. At this {Seventh Century. ']
z is venerated,
St. Denain, Dentelinus, or Dentlin, the son of St. Maelceadar and St. Walde- trude. He was their youngest son, and he died according to some writers, while an infant, or as others state, at a very early age, and not exceeding seven years. The Bollandists 2 have his Acts, in ten paragraphs. In the earlier part of the seventh century, he must have been born, as the previous Lifeofhissaintedparentseemstoshow; but,unlesshisbirthtookplacein Ireland, we do not understand why he should have been classed among the saints of our country. Some contend, that after receiving the holy Sacrament of Baptism, his regenerated soul was immediately received into Heaven ; so
that thus, from the mouth of babes and sucklings the Lord Himself received
praise. His noble parents took care to have him honourably interred, as has been supposed at Rees, in the Duchy of Cleves, now in Rhenish Prussia. There, the canons of that church were accustomed to celebrate his memory on each recurring 14th day of July. They had an office with proper Lessons, and at Matins, whil—e allusion is made to Dentelinus— yet his life could not have been very eventful praise is chiefly bestowed on his sanctified parents. The popular tradition, that while an infant he passed to the rewards of eternal life, is recorded in it. According to one statement, Dentelinus died on the 16th day of March, but where is not known.
After his death, the people seem to have entertained a great devotion for the angelic being that went to Heaven, and while invoking his intercession, miracles are said to have been wrought at Rees, in favour of the infirm and afflicted. Subsequently, the relics of St. Dentelin were conveyed to Soignies and kept in a shrine, beside those Of his sainted father Madelgarius. Some were kept, however, in the church of Rees; and in the year 1040, St. Irmgrade, daughter to the Count of Zutphen, had a beautiful church erected in honour of the Blessed Virgin. It is certain, that there, in a very special manner, St. Dentelinus has been venerated, and he is regarded as patron of the place. His office has been celebrated there on the 14th of July, as also weekly, on Mondays and Wednesdays, not pre- occupied by a festival of higher degree. Moreover, the parish of St. Alde- gundeatEmbrichadachoralofficeforhim,onthe16thdayofMarch. In Hannonia, no special honours seem to have been accorded to this holy infant. On his father's shrine, he is represented as a boy, with a hawk on his wrist. 3 The Belgian and Cologne Martyrologies enter his feast at the 14th of July. Among these records are to be classed, the Manuscript Florarius
computata, mihi necdum nota est. " the Royal Irish Academy, vol. i. , parti. On Article VIII. —* In the "Leabhar the Calendar of Oengus, p. ex. The
"
Breac
and translated into English, by Whitley cio quis iacop. " —See p. cxviii.
copy, the following rami is found, scholiast in a comment adds : "iacop. ne [s]
Stokes, LL. D.
nopA-oeAmcepfop 1x\cob ipnoemem AceochAm nonailetn
, oen.
"May the bishop Jacob, who is most holy, protect us! we beseech,—we entreat him.
Article ix. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," iii. Februarii, n. 3, p. 249. Also, Februarii xxv. , n. 4, p. 412.
2 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Julii xiv. De S. Denti lino Puero Confess. Resse,
in Clivia, pp. 689 to 691. The editor is Father John Baptist Soller.
3 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of
Com>eichenbo|\noei
with a decade of infants. '*
"Transactions of
the vol. Saints,"
vii. , July 14, p. 323.
day
also,
July 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 239
Sanctorum, Greven, Canisius, Molanus, Ghinius, Ferrarius and Saussay. Atthisdate,Colganintendedtopublishsomeaccountofhim. Atthepre- sent time—as in the last century when the Bollandists made enquiry to recover some local traditions regarding this saint—little can be discovered, to throw any additional light on the history of this innocent child, on the place of his sepulture, or on the date for transference of his remains.
Article X. —Reputed Festival of St. Turrinus, Bishop and Con- fessor, in Lesser Britain. The Lubeck-Cologne edition of Usuard's Martyrology has a festival, at the 14th of July, for a St. Turrinus, Bishop and
Confessor in Lesser Britain. The Bollandists, 1 who record this
he may be identical with St. Turiavus, treated about by them, at the 1 3th of this month.
Article XI. —Feast of St. Fursey, Abbot of Lagny, France. St. Fnrsey, for whom a feast has been set at this day, was renowned for his visions, as related by the Venerable Bede. These were well known to the mediaeval writers, as may be seen in the early printed work of Jacobus
Januensis.
1 The Life ofthat saint is to be
found,
at the 16th of 2 January.
Article XII. —Reputed Feast of Harruch, Bishop of Verden,
1
Saxony. The Bollandists remark, at the 16th of July, that Camerarius has
placed a festival at this date for Harruch, Abbot of Amarbarica, and eighth Bishop of Verden, who had been noticed, on a previous day.
jftfteent! ) ©ap of 3ulj>.
ARTICLE I. —ST. PLECHELMUS, BISHOP OF OLDENSAL AND RURIMOND, BELGIUM, AND APOSTOLIC MISSIONARY.
ISEVENTH AND EIGHTH CENTURIES. ]
Adiversity of opinion exists, as to whether the present holy man had
been a native of Ireland or of Scotland. On the his Acts subject,
are vague, and indeed, as they have come down to us, they seem to be com- pilations put together, long after his time. Having few biographical notices to record, the writers indulge in diffusiveness of statement, considerably mingled with panegyric and digressive matter. The following brief particu- lars contain the substance of traditions regarding him.
Article x. — ' See " Acta Sanctorum," 2 See the First Volume of
tomus iii. , Julii xiv. Among the preter- Art. i.
this work,
mittedsaints,p. 626. Articlexii. —: See"ActaSanctorum,"
1"
Article xi. - See Legenda Sancto- tomus iv. , Julii xvi. Among the preter-
rum," fol. clxxxix. Edition of 1478. mitted saints, p. 12 r.
entry,
think
2 4o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 15.
Various modern hagiographers have accounts of this saint, who was
renowned in his day. One of the chief sources for his Acts appears to have 1
been that anonymous Life, published by the Bollandists. and thought to have been compiled by some cleric, belonging to the church of Utrec—ht, or of
Mons S. Od— iliae,
following
2
the traditions of the place. Molanus in two
3
paragraphs andMirseus haveshortLivesofSt. Plechelmus,atthe15thof
this month. The " Officia Propria Sanctorum Dioecesis Ruremundanae,"*
compiled by Henricus Cuquinus, Bishop of that city, contains particulars regarding St. Plechelm's career. It was intended by Colgan, to have the Acts of St. Plechelmus appear, at the 15th of July, but death prevented the accom- plishmentofhisdesire. 5 TheBollandistshaveActsofthissaint,atthe15th of July f and, before his death, Father John Boland had prepared commen- taries7 onthem. Thesewereafterwardspublished,andtheyhavebeenpre- fixed to an anonymous Life. 8 The Annals of the Cistercian Monk record St. Plechelmas, a Bishop and Confessor, while they also style him the Apostle ofGuelderland. 9 Inthe"ActaSanctorum 10St. Plechelmus,
Belgii,
is recorded at the 15th of July. Bishop Challoner " and the Rev. Alban
Butler I2 have accounts of St. Plechelm, Bishop, at this same date. There
are notices of St. Plechelmus—referred to a. d. 689—in Rev. Dr.
J. F. S. Gordon's Scotichronicon,^ as also, in the Rev. S. Baring-Gould's
1 work. *
Having alluded with eulogy to Northumbria, Scotia and Hibernia, as having been countries in which the light of Faith dispelled the works of
darkness, St. Patrick,15 St. Cuthbert,16 St. Columba,1? and St. Willibrord,18 are instanced as great servants of Christ, who wrought wonderful things for His Church. Afterwards, we are told, in his T 9 that the man
Acts, holy Plechelmus was born within the confines of Scotia, and that he sprung from
a respectable family. According to some writers, while born of illustrious
parents, he belonged to the province of Northumbria. 20
In the works of
man is con-
holy
Bishop
Challoner 21 and of the Rev. Alban 22 this Butler^
ArTICLE I. — ' From a tolerably ancient vellum Manuscript, furnished by a nobleman, Theodoras e Renesse Wulpius, and collated with a copy, included among the papers of Wilhelm Lindan, Bishop of Ruremond.
2 See " Natales Sanctorum Belgii," p. 156.
July 15, p. 358.
IS See his Life, at the 17th of March, in
the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
l6
See his Life, at the 20th of March, ibid. , Art. i.
I7 See his Life, at the 6th of June, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
l8 See his at the Life,
3
to
418 422.
4 Published at Cologne, in the year
Aliquorum Sanctorum
6 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Julii xv. De S. Plechelmo Episcopo Oldensaliae et Ruraemundae in Belgio, pp. 50 to 60.
7 These are in five sections, and forty-two
November.
See "Fasti Belgici et Burgundici," pp.
of
,9 " Sanctus ergo vir, nomine Plechelmus,
1604.
s See "
sapia patrum procreatus," &c.
zo Such is the statement of Miraeus. 2I "
Catalogus Hiberniae. "
See Britannia Sancta," part ii. , pp. 32, 33.
paragraphs.
8 In thirteen
July.
23 " S. Vuiro et Placelmus Iliberni ambo. "
paragraphs.
A few notes
—"
PetrusLombardus, Deregno Hiberniae
are appended.
9 See vol. vii. , pp. 75, 76.
10 See vol. vi.
11 See "Britannia Sancta," part ii. , pp.
32 to 34.
" See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July xv.
l? See vol. i. , p. 67.
14 See "Lives of the Saints," vol. vii. ,
Sanctorum Insula Commentarius," cap. xv. , p. 208. Lovanii, a. d. 1632, 4to.
