The
aspirations
of this holy man were nobly directed, while his humble yet exalted ambition deserved and received the crown of his earnest
hopes.
hopes.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
It has been edited by Father
John Pinius, S. J. , who prefixes a previous commentary, in seven sections, comprising seventy-one paragraphs.
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Acca, Bishop of Hexham, England. [Eighth Century. ] According to Camerarius, the festival of St. Acca, Accas, Actas, or Areas, Bishop of Hexham in England and of Candida
1
2 At this
him a feast. 3 Another festival was kept in his honour, at the 20th of October.
Sebentij Hag of August
ARTICLE I. —ST CRONAN, OF MOVILLE, COUNTY OF DOWN.
[SE VENTH CENTUR K]
12
to the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Donegal, veneration
of
See Martyrologies of Tallagh and of
and also the 8th of this where notices of this saint are entered.
—'
ARTICLE VL
Actunm Sanctorum quae MS. habentur, Ordine Menisum el Dieruni. "
Article vii. - ' See " Transactions of
Casa in Scotland, was kept on the 16th of January.
Again, he had a festival
at the of 19th
February.
day,
the 6th of
August, Dempster assigns
\va. - at the ACCORDgIivNenG,
of This Magh-bile.
to
is said to have been the " Cromanus presbyter," whose name appears in the
vol. i. , part i. , pp. no, ill.
pito : item Januario, Vincentio, Magno ac Stephano, pp. 124 to 142.
7
Donegal,
month,
"
ARTICLE vm. —1 See Forbes1 Bishop
.
papa romse et martir. Ibid. , p.
exxix.
tomus
3 " Acta See
Sanctorum,"
a Edited Drs. Todd and ii. , by
7th day
August,
Cronan,
According to "Catalogus
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp. 233, 261.
3
See the Second Volume of this work, at that date, Art. viii.
3 See Menologium Scoticum, in Bishop
the Royal Irish Academy,'' Irish Manuscript Forbes'
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints,'' p.
Series, vol. i. , parti.
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. exxii.
On the Calendar of 208.
—
~ In this form : Si—sian i. , escop hiroim. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster copy we find
Augustivi. DeSanctisMartyribusRomanis, 212,213.
Sixto Papa II. Quarto, Felicissimo et Aga-
3
Article
'Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, Cponam 111^150 bite.
I.
Reeves, pp. See Rev. William Reeves' "Ecclesiastical
August 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 1 05
superscription of that letter written from Rome, a. d. 640. 3 Further parti- culars relating to this Epistle have been already recorded, in the Life of DimanorDimaDubh,BishopofConnor. * TheholymanCronan,ofMagh- bile, died in the year 647, according to the Annals of Clonmacnoise ; but, in
6
Article II. —St. Molocca or Molacca, of Tulach-h-Olainn, or
a. d. 649, according to those of Ulster,s and of the Four Masters.
Tullyallen, County of Louth. The name Molocca or Molacca, of 1
Tulach-h-Olainn, is set down in the Martyrologies of Tallagh, and of
2 at this date. In the former of these Calendars, his is less Donegal, place
correctly spelled Thilaigh olaind. The place is now Tullyallen, in the County of Louth .
Article III. St. Temnen, of Linnduachil, or Magheralin, County ——
of Down. The name Temnan or Temne—n, of Linn Uachaille now known as Magheralin, in the County of Down appears in the Martyrologies of
Tallagh
Donegal,
7th
August.
1 andof
2 atthe
Asaint asimilar bearing
of
name, and for the same place, is entered in our Calendars, at the 17th of
this month. 3 A doubt can well exist, as to whether or not these names and
dates may not represent distinct persons. A probability of such being the case, however, seems a fair inference, from the mode in which their names have been recorded on both days.
Article IV. —St. Aedhan, Son of Meallan. The Martyrology of
1
Donegal records a festival to honour Aedhan, son of Meallan, at the 7th
of August. His patronymic only enables us to distinguish him from the various other Irish saints bearing a like name ; but, his period and locality seem to be unknown.
Article V. —Festival of St. Boisil, Prior of Melrose, Scotland.
XSeventh Century^ In his English Martyrology, John Wilson has placed St. Boisil's feast at the 7th of August, and likewise Dempster, as also Philip
Ferrarius, in his General Catalogue of Saints. The Bollandists1
notice him at this date, because Dempster and Ferrarius have done so ; but, as they state, it is doubtful on what authority, and they refer to their account of him at the 20th
of
Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix A, p. 1 52, and Appendix LL. , p. 379-
4 See his Acts, at the 6th of January, in theFirstVolumeofthiswork. Art. i.
2 which to be the they suppose
5 See the-AnnAlAUlA'oh, Annals of Ulster, editedwithaTranslationandNotesbyWm. atthatdate.
M. Ilennessy, vol. i. pp. 108, 109.
Article iv. — l Edited by Drs. Todd and
6
See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. ,pp.
264,265. — Article ii.
Article v. — See "Acta Sanctorum,"
we read moLoce i. e. o
2 tomus Seei&id. ,
2
C1LA15
*
tomus ii. , Augusti vii. Among the preter- mitted saints, p. 181.
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, xxxi. In that copy in the Book of Leinster
OLauto. Edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves,
ii. , Januarii xxiii. De S. Boisilo, pp. 540 to 542.
pp. 212, 213.
3 See his Life, already published in the
day
January,
merely
Article hi. —l Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster copy we read UemrtAni tinni "OuAchAil
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 212,213.
3 See the subsequent pages of this work,
Reeves, pp. 212, 213. 1
io6 LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 7.
true order for his festival, and where they treat about this saintly personage. He was a celebrated and holy man, the master of St. Cuthbert,3 and he ruled as Prior over the well-known monastery erected in the seventh century at Melrose, on the banks of the River Tweed, in Scotland. The name of Mail-ross signifies in the Celtic language, "a naked promontory or neck of land. " An abbey was founded here, as early as the commencement of the seventh century. The Venerable Bede, in his life of St. Cuthbert, assures us, that this abbey had been a place of celebrity, in the year 664, when Cuthbert was chosen Prior. The location occupied by the first building is named Old Melrose, and it is situated two miles east of the present village and ruins of
Melrose Abbey, Scotland.
Melrose,ontheTweed. Notraceofthefirstestablishmentremains,except the fragments of a rock, by which it had been surrounded. However, in after times, David I. , King of Scotland, erected a most beautiful structure in the Gothic style for Cistercian Monks, and its ruins are even yet the admira- tion of all tasteful visitors/ Another feast has been assigned him and his companions, in the Scottish Kalendar, De Nova Farina,s at the Nones or
Third Volume of this work, at the 2oth of work, at that date. Art. viii.
7th day
July,
6 which is said to have been that for his 7 Also, Deposition.
of
at the 8th of July, the Kalendar of Herdmanston* contains an insertion for St. Boisil's festival^ but this is in a later handwriting. Again, Hugh Menard, in his Martyrologium Benedictinum, enters a feast for him, at the 9th of September/ The reader is referred to our biographical notices, at the 23rd
March, Art. i.
4 The accompanying view, from an ap-
7 According to Simeon of Durham. See Monumenta Historica Britannica," vol. i. ,
" proved engraving, has been drawn by p. 256.
William F. Wakeman on the wood, by Mrs. Millard.
engraved
8 See Forbes' " Kalendars of Bishop
Scottish Saints," pp. 24, 281.
9 See also the Seventh Volume of this
work, at the 8th of July, Art. xiii.
5 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 73.
6 10
See also the Seventh Volume of this See, at that date, the Ninth Volume of
August 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 107
of February," which is the proper date for his festival, according to Camera- rius12 and Bishop Forbes. ^
Article VI. —St. Senan The simple entry of Senan occurs at the 12
7th of August, in the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Donegal Colgan calso alludes to him,3 but without any indication as to his locality, or to
that period when he lived. 4
Article VII. —Reputed Feast of St. Cobthach, Disciple of St.
1
Columbkille. At this date, Camerarius assigns Cobthach a festival.
The Rev. Dr. Reeves states, however, that he had no for so authority
2 doing.
Notices of him be seen at the of
may 30th July.
3
Article VIII. —St. Cillin. Ideal lives are rarely lived for long, and
yet more rarely lived out to the end, even with good purposes to guide us from youth. But the true saint realizes the resolutions then formed, and he will effect in after life what he then intended to accomplish. A festival, in
1
honour of Cillin, is inserted in the Martyrology of Donegal, at the 7th of
August.
The aspirations of this holy man were nobly directed, while his humble yet exalted ambition deserved and received the crown of his earnest
hopes.
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Donatus, Bishop of Fesul^e, Italy. In the list of Convaeus, we find St. Donatus, Bishop of Fesula, in-
1 As his feast more to the properly belongs
scribed at the of 7th
August.
22nd of October, further notices of him are reserved for that day. We
rather believe, that the statement already made has arisen from confounding
2
that St. Donatus, Bishop of Fesuke, either with St. Donatus, Bishop and
Martyr at Arezzo, in Tuscany, or with St. Donatus,3 Confessor and Monk of Luxeuil, afterwards bishop of Besancon, a disciple of St. Columban. * Both of these latter holy men are venerated on the 7th day of August.
this work.
11
In the Second Volume of this work, Art. x.
12
See his Kalendar, at that date, p. 104. 13 See his "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
read Senam.
Book, F," p. 68.
Article vii. --' Page 166.
2 See Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba,"
Additional Notes. A. n. (h. ), p. 245.
3 In the Seventh Volume of this work, at
p. 281. Article VI.
that date, Art. iv—. Articleviii.
—
p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster copy we
x
* Edited
Drs. Todd and — See O'Sullivan Beare's
2 Edited
212, 213. In the Ordnance Survey MS. copy,
at this day, we only rind the simple entry
See Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," viii. Martii. Vita S. Senani. Appendix, cap. i. , 541 {recte), 537.
4 In the Irish Calendar, preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, at the vii. of the Ides
of August (August 7th), I find only this simple entry, "Senan. " Ordnance Survey Office copy formerly. See " Common Place
Setuvn, p. 68. 3"
dium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. x. , p. 48.
2
According to Ughelli, in his "Italia Sacra," he was a native of Nicodemia, who was martyred A. D. 362, during the reign of Julian the Apostate, tomus i.
3 His history is given in detail, with that of others, in a work compiled by the Profes- sors of the College of St. Francis Xavier at
by
Drs. Todd and Reeves,
pp.
Compen-
Dr. byRev. Kelly,
Edited Reeves, p. 212, 213.
by
" Historite Catholicae Ibernioe
Article ix.
Besancon. The title is, Franche-Comte. "
"
Vie des Saints de 4 See his Life, at November 21st, in the
io8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 7.
Article X. —Reputed Festival for the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. 1
{Third Century^\ In the Feilire of St. ^Engus, at the 7th of August, we
find entered a feast for the Seven Sleepers, at Ephesus. On this, there is an
Irish in verse, which serves to indicate their names and 2 explanation history.
:
Again, there is a comment,* in the additional notes, with an account regarding a heptad of Christians,4 who are said to have entered a cave to avoid the persecution under Decius5 and Valerian, and the cistern6 was shut over them, for it was not known that they had entered it. It is stated, like- wise, that they slept in that place one hundred and fifty-five years, until Christian kings appeared in the world, and when these wished to build cities, they went to that cistern to look for stones, in order to serve for materials or repairs. Then, one of those so long buried there went forth into the city, as wassupposedtobuyfoodforhiscompanions. Onshowingthecoinstothe citizens, they wondered and said
" O man, you have old silver, and no person will take it from you, since one hundred and fifty-five years have elapsed from the time of Decius, and now we have a Christian King Con- stantine,? thesonofHelena. " Thenthemanunderstoodtheirmeaning,and hereturnedthankstoGod. Hetoldthewholestoryregardinghimselfand his brethren. Afterwards, these were brought from the cistern and the king came to visit them. They related to him what had happened, and through
them the name of God was lauded. 8 wonderfully
there are different versions of their Legend? to be found in Simeon Metaphrastes and other Greek writers. We are 10 that such accounts were framed
Eleventh Volume of this work.
Article x. —' Thus entered in the Leab-
har Breac copy : text and translation of Whitley Stokes, LL. D.
"OLom cuic aj\ ccc. Aib OtiATJAn br\ig ^onpechif
ttloppeppiup cenAichip ComacuiL in Oppif
The Sun's King put them under splendour, There is a cave of Mount Coelius
Their seven names, as hath been heard, Maximianus, Malchus,
Constantinus Martius, Marcianus, Dionysius,
Serapion, great Johannes (was) Thenameoftwoofthemwithout mistake. Not any author hides from that to this : Those are their seven names.
3 Thus: UAnim moppeppup cenec 7pl. AinAL aca pomAmt). "A trance of seven without death,'' as is above. See ibid. , p. cxxx.
4 Some accounts have it, that their names
"Announce the five and three hundred
—See ibid,, p. cxxix.
years—might which thou beheldest—which
—the seven without disgrace slept in Ephesus. " "Transactions of the Royal Irish Aca-
demy. " Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. The Calendar of Oengus, p. cxxii.
* Th—e lines thus run in the Leabhar Breac copy :
CAinme uiopp? ppup cenec Lxx bbiA-oAn nibpec
oorpAC pi 5peme potn caLI muAim rleibe Cetlii
•Afcchc tlAltm&m) mArvoAcLorr
were Maximian,
sius, Johnnes, Serapion, and Constantine. Othersagain state,that their names wereMaxi- milian, Exacustodian, Jamblichius, Martinian, Dionysius, Joannes, and Antoninus.
s lie was Emperor over the Roman Em- pire, in the middle of the Third Century.
6 The Latin clause expresses it: " et
"
eistorna elausa est super eos.
7 According to other accounts, Theodosius
the Younger was the Emperor then living, and about the beginning of the fifth century.
ntAximiAtwf
matcor1
ConfCAncnuif rrupruir 1
ttlApciAnur Uiompur.
SepApen loAnner* ott
Arum x>erpi t)ib cemmnoll
mcheiL cech auccAp aiiaIX
hice — nanniAn-o. pn Aj-echc
Sec ibid. , p. cxxix.
The following is a literal English trans- lation^ given by Dr. Whitley Stokes :
The trance of seven without death.
Seventy years—not a lie—
8
See the "Transactions of the Royal Irish
told, however,
Nevertheless,
very
Malchus, Mavtinian, Diony-
Irish vol. Academy. " Manuscript Series, i. ,
On the Calendar of
part i. Oengus, pp.
cxxix. , cxxx.
9 Under the title " Dissertatio de Sanctis
septem Dormientibus," a work was pub-
lished in Rome in 1741, 4to.
10
By a writer named Morcellius.
August 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 109
by these compilers, after the seventh century, and afterwards that they were introduced to the Slave liturgical books. 11 It is stated, also, that these Seven Sleepers had been buried alive in that cavern they had chosen as a place of refuge, and that two Christian officers of the Emperor took care to engrave on a plate of lead the names of those holy Confessors and Martyrs. This plate was enclosed in a box made of copper, which they sealed, and con- trived to place within the cavern before its opening was closed. These Seven
12
Sleepers are said to have been brothers.
to Ephesus was greatly surprised to find no profane temple there, nor any vestige of the worship, which its people formerly practised, in honour of the Pagan goddess Diana. On the contrary, he found a magnificent Christian Church built in that city, while a bishop, who was greatly reverenced by the inhabitants, presided over that See. Moreover, he heard them speak of the persecutions raised by the Emperor Decius against the Christians and the Martyrs, as if these were events long past. Having informed the citizens of that miracle wrought by the Almighty in favour of himself and his com- panions, the bishop, chief officers and a great multitude of people were induced to follow him, until he showed them the mouth of the cavern on the side of a mountain, which was near. When the prelate entered first, he found the small coffer, containing the plates of lead with the inscriptions on them, and these he read aloud to all the people who followed him. Then advanc- ing through the interior, soon the six holy ones appeared, with faces preter- naturally bright, and their bodies surrounded with aureoles of glory. Maxi- mian, the eldest, related what had happened to them under the Emperor Decius. The living Emperor also came to visit them at their cave near Ephesus, and he learned from them, that the Almighty had deigned to manifest through them the Resurrection of the body to controvert the Sad- duceans, a sect of heretics then appearing, and who denied that doctrine. After praying to God, they returned again to sleep, while their souls went to Heaven. The Latin Martyrologists have placed the festival of those Seven
Sleepers of Ephesus, at the 27th of July. 's The Greek Menologies have a 1
feast at the 4th of August, * as being that for the day on which they entered the caverns,15 and other festivals have been assigned to them, on the 22nd and 23rd of October. The first of these latter days is said to have corre- spondedwiththedayoftheirreleasefromthecavern. Thisplacewasafterwards resorted to by devout pilgrims, and it is even shown to travellers in the Levant. To explain such a Legend, some writers have asserted that the seven youths were thrown into a miraculous slumber, from which they awoke only after the lapse of two centuries ; others again seem to think, that they really died, but that their bodies were preserved from decay, until they arose again to life, and this resurrection caused them to be regarded as Sleepers. Whatever may be thought of the narrative itself, there can be no doubt, it had a very ancient origin, and it was believed at an early period by many, in the countries ofthe East.
11 See " Annus Ecclesiasticus Grseco- De SS. Septem Dormientibus, Maximiano, Slavicus," &c. , scripsit Joannes Martinov, Malcho, Martiniano, Dionysio, Joanne, Se- Casanensis, Presb. S. J. Dies iv. , Augusti, rapione et Constantino. Ephesi in Asia
Minore, pp. 375 to 397.
I4 At this date, the Bollandists have
rum," tomus vi. , Julii xxvii. There we the pretermitted saints, p. 311.
have a previous commentary in seven sec- I5 See Les Petits Bollandistes, "Vies des
e
tions and fifty-four paragraphs, introducing Saints," tome ix. , xxvii Jour de Juillet,
Observanda, p. 194.
12
According
to the statement of St. Gre-
again alluded to the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. '3 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- See ibid. , tomus i. , Augusti iv. Among
gory of Tours.
three different Acts, with notes appended. p. 52.
It is stated, that their messenger
no LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 8.
Article XI. —St. Daire Dor. A festival in honour of Daire Dor is recorded in the Martyrology of Tallaghy at this date.
dEtgftti) Hap of 3ugu£t.
ARTICLE I. —ST. COLMAN, BISHOP OF LINDISFARNE, AND ANCHORITE OF INIS-BOFFIN, COUNTY OF MAYO.
[SEVENTH CENTURY. }
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—VARIOUS WRITERS OF ST. COLMAN's ACTS—A NATIVE OF IRELAND— TRAINED AT IONA—SENT AS A MISSIONARY BISHOP AMONG THE NORTHUMBRIANS— ST. WILFRID—HE RETURNS TO ENGLAND AND WISHES TO INTRODUCE IN NORTHUMBRIA THE ROMAN DISCIPLINE—THE CONFERENCE HELD AT WHITBY— DISCUSSION REGARDING THE SCOTTISH AND ROMAN RITES FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF EASTER AND FOR THE FORM OF TONSURE.
pious servant of Christ has occupied a very distinguished place in
THIS
from a
Irish and British His meekness in
retiring
bishopric
history.
to embrace a life of perfect seclusion deserves the highest commendation ;
especially since it was thus intended to promote peace and concord, when
opinions and interests could not otherwise be well reconciled. His Acts
and virtues, in the first instance, have been recorded by the Venerable
1
Bede. At this day, St. Colman, Bishop of Inis-bo-finde, is specially
commemorated, in the " Feilire" of St.
John Pinius, S. J. , who prefixes a previous commentary, in seven sections, comprising seventy-one paragraphs.
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Acca, Bishop of Hexham, England. [Eighth Century. ] According to Camerarius, the festival of St. Acca, Accas, Actas, or Areas, Bishop of Hexham in England and of Candida
1
2 At this
him a feast. 3 Another festival was kept in his honour, at the 20th of October.
Sebentij Hag of August
ARTICLE I. —ST CRONAN, OF MOVILLE, COUNTY OF DOWN.
[SE VENTH CENTUR K]
12
to the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Donegal, veneration
of
See Martyrologies of Tallagh and of
and also the 8th of this where notices of this saint are entered.
—'
ARTICLE VL
Actunm Sanctorum quae MS. habentur, Ordine Menisum el Dieruni. "
Article vii. - ' See " Transactions of
Casa in Scotland, was kept on the 16th of January.
Again, he had a festival
at the of 19th
February.
day,
the 6th of
August, Dempster assigns
\va. - at the ACCORDgIivNenG,
of This Magh-bile.
to
is said to have been the " Cromanus presbyter," whose name appears in the
vol. i. , part i. , pp. no, ill.
pito : item Januario, Vincentio, Magno ac Stephano, pp. 124 to 142.
7
Donegal,
month,
"
ARTICLE vm. —1 See Forbes1 Bishop
.
papa romse et martir. Ibid. , p.
exxix.
tomus
3 " Acta See
Sanctorum,"
a Edited Drs. Todd and ii. , by
7th day
August,
Cronan,
According to "Catalogus
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp. 233, 261.
3
See the Second Volume of this work, at that date, Art. viii.
3 See Menologium Scoticum, in Bishop
the Royal Irish Academy,'' Irish Manuscript Forbes'
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints,'' p.
Series, vol. i. , parti.
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. exxii.
On the Calendar of 208.
—
~ In this form : Si—sian i. , escop hiroim. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster copy we find
Augustivi. DeSanctisMartyribusRomanis, 212,213.
Sixto Papa II. Quarto, Felicissimo et Aga-
3
Article
'Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, Cponam 111^150 bite.
I.
Reeves, pp. See Rev. William Reeves' "Ecclesiastical
August 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 1 05
superscription of that letter written from Rome, a. d. 640. 3 Further parti- culars relating to this Epistle have been already recorded, in the Life of DimanorDimaDubh,BishopofConnor. * TheholymanCronan,ofMagh- bile, died in the year 647, according to the Annals of Clonmacnoise ; but, in
6
Article II. —St. Molocca or Molacca, of Tulach-h-Olainn, or
a. d. 649, according to those of Ulster,s and of the Four Masters.
Tullyallen, County of Louth. The name Molocca or Molacca, of 1
Tulach-h-Olainn, is set down in the Martyrologies of Tallagh, and of
2 at this date. In the former of these Calendars, his is less Donegal, place
correctly spelled Thilaigh olaind. The place is now Tullyallen, in the County of Louth .
Article III. St. Temnen, of Linnduachil, or Magheralin, County ——
of Down. The name Temnan or Temne—n, of Linn Uachaille now known as Magheralin, in the County of Down appears in the Martyrologies of
Tallagh
Donegal,
7th
August.
1 andof
2 atthe
Asaint asimilar bearing
of
name, and for the same place, is entered in our Calendars, at the 17th of
this month. 3 A doubt can well exist, as to whether or not these names and
dates may not represent distinct persons. A probability of such being the case, however, seems a fair inference, from the mode in which their names have been recorded on both days.
Article IV. —St. Aedhan, Son of Meallan. The Martyrology of
1
Donegal records a festival to honour Aedhan, son of Meallan, at the 7th
of August. His patronymic only enables us to distinguish him from the various other Irish saints bearing a like name ; but, his period and locality seem to be unknown.
Article V. —Festival of St. Boisil, Prior of Melrose, Scotland.
XSeventh Century^ In his English Martyrology, John Wilson has placed St. Boisil's feast at the 7th of August, and likewise Dempster, as also Philip
Ferrarius, in his General Catalogue of Saints. The Bollandists1
notice him at this date, because Dempster and Ferrarius have done so ; but, as they state, it is doubtful on what authority, and they refer to their account of him at the 20th
of
Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix A, p. 1 52, and Appendix LL. , p. 379-
4 See his Acts, at the 6th of January, in theFirstVolumeofthiswork. Art. i.
2 which to be the they suppose
5 See the-AnnAlAUlA'oh, Annals of Ulster, editedwithaTranslationandNotesbyWm. atthatdate.
M. Ilennessy, vol. i. pp. 108, 109.
Article iv. — l Edited by Drs. Todd and
6
See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. ,pp.
264,265. — Article ii.
Article v. — See "Acta Sanctorum,"
we read moLoce i. e. o
2 tomus Seei&id. ,
2
C1LA15
*
tomus ii. , Augusti vii. Among the preter- mitted saints, p. 181.
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, xxxi. In that copy in the Book of Leinster
OLauto. Edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves,
ii. , Januarii xxiii. De S. Boisilo, pp. 540 to 542.
pp. 212, 213.
3 See his Life, already published in the
day
January,
merely
Article hi. —l Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster copy we read UemrtAni tinni "OuAchAil
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 212,213.
3 See the subsequent pages of this work,
Reeves, pp. 212, 213. 1
io6 LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 7.
true order for his festival, and where they treat about this saintly personage. He was a celebrated and holy man, the master of St. Cuthbert,3 and he ruled as Prior over the well-known monastery erected in the seventh century at Melrose, on the banks of the River Tweed, in Scotland. The name of Mail-ross signifies in the Celtic language, "a naked promontory or neck of land. " An abbey was founded here, as early as the commencement of the seventh century. The Venerable Bede, in his life of St. Cuthbert, assures us, that this abbey had been a place of celebrity, in the year 664, when Cuthbert was chosen Prior. The location occupied by the first building is named Old Melrose, and it is situated two miles east of the present village and ruins of
Melrose Abbey, Scotland.
Melrose,ontheTweed. Notraceofthefirstestablishmentremains,except the fragments of a rock, by which it had been surrounded. However, in after times, David I. , King of Scotland, erected a most beautiful structure in the Gothic style for Cistercian Monks, and its ruins are even yet the admira- tion of all tasteful visitors/ Another feast has been assigned him and his companions, in the Scottish Kalendar, De Nova Farina,s at the Nones or
Third Volume of this work, at the 2oth of work, at that date. Art. viii.
7th day
July,
6 which is said to have been that for his 7 Also, Deposition.
of
at the 8th of July, the Kalendar of Herdmanston* contains an insertion for St. Boisil's festival^ but this is in a later handwriting. Again, Hugh Menard, in his Martyrologium Benedictinum, enters a feast for him, at the 9th of September/ The reader is referred to our biographical notices, at the 23rd
March, Art. i.
4 The accompanying view, from an ap-
7 According to Simeon of Durham. See Monumenta Historica Britannica," vol. i. ,
" proved engraving, has been drawn by p. 256.
William F. Wakeman on the wood, by Mrs. Millard.
engraved
8 See Forbes' " Kalendars of Bishop
Scottish Saints," pp. 24, 281.
9 See also the Seventh Volume of this
work, at the 8th of July, Art. xiii.
5 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 73.
6 10
See also the Seventh Volume of this See, at that date, the Ninth Volume of
August 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 107
of February," which is the proper date for his festival, according to Camera- rius12 and Bishop Forbes. ^
Article VI. —St. Senan The simple entry of Senan occurs at the 12
7th of August, in the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Donegal Colgan calso alludes to him,3 but without any indication as to his locality, or to
that period when he lived. 4
Article VII. —Reputed Feast of St. Cobthach, Disciple of St.
1
Columbkille. At this date, Camerarius assigns Cobthach a festival.
The Rev. Dr. Reeves states, however, that he had no for so authority
2 doing.
Notices of him be seen at the of
may 30th July.
3
Article VIII. —St. Cillin. Ideal lives are rarely lived for long, and
yet more rarely lived out to the end, even with good purposes to guide us from youth. But the true saint realizes the resolutions then formed, and he will effect in after life what he then intended to accomplish. A festival, in
1
honour of Cillin, is inserted in the Martyrology of Donegal, at the 7th of
August.
The aspirations of this holy man were nobly directed, while his humble yet exalted ambition deserved and received the crown of his earnest
hopes.
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Donatus, Bishop of Fesul^e, Italy. In the list of Convaeus, we find St. Donatus, Bishop of Fesula, in-
1 As his feast more to the properly belongs
scribed at the of 7th
August.
22nd of October, further notices of him are reserved for that day. We
rather believe, that the statement already made has arisen from confounding
2
that St. Donatus, Bishop of Fesuke, either with St. Donatus, Bishop and
Martyr at Arezzo, in Tuscany, or with St. Donatus,3 Confessor and Monk of Luxeuil, afterwards bishop of Besancon, a disciple of St. Columban. * Both of these latter holy men are venerated on the 7th day of August.
this work.
11
In the Second Volume of this work, Art. x.
12
See his Kalendar, at that date, p. 104. 13 See his "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
read Senam.
Book, F," p. 68.
Article vii. --' Page 166.
2 See Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba,"
Additional Notes. A. n. (h. ), p. 245.
3 In the Seventh Volume of this work, at
p. 281. Article VI.
that date, Art. iv—. Articleviii.
—
p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster copy we
x
* Edited
Drs. Todd and — See O'Sullivan Beare's
2 Edited
212, 213. In the Ordnance Survey MS. copy,
at this day, we only rind the simple entry
See Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," viii. Martii. Vita S. Senani. Appendix, cap. i. , 541 {recte), 537.
4 In the Irish Calendar, preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, at the vii. of the Ides
of August (August 7th), I find only this simple entry, "Senan. " Ordnance Survey Office copy formerly. See " Common Place
Setuvn, p. 68. 3"
dium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. x. , p. 48.
2
According to Ughelli, in his "Italia Sacra," he was a native of Nicodemia, who was martyred A. D. 362, during the reign of Julian the Apostate, tomus i.
3 His history is given in detail, with that of others, in a work compiled by the Profes- sors of the College of St. Francis Xavier at
by
Drs. Todd and Reeves,
pp.
Compen-
Dr. byRev. Kelly,
Edited Reeves, p. 212, 213.
by
" Historite Catholicae Ibernioe
Article ix.
Besancon. The title is, Franche-Comte. "
"
Vie des Saints de 4 See his Life, at November 21st, in the
io8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 7.
Article X. —Reputed Festival for the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. 1
{Third Century^\ In the Feilire of St. ^Engus, at the 7th of August, we
find entered a feast for the Seven Sleepers, at Ephesus. On this, there is an
Irish in verse, which serves to indicate their names and 2 explanation history.
:
Again, there is a comment,* in the additional notes, with an account regarding a heptad of Christians,4 who are said to have entered a cave to avoid the persecution under Decius5 and Valerian, and the cistern6 was shut over them, for it was not known that they had entered it. It is stated, like- wise, that they slept in that place one hundred and fifty-five years, until Christian kings appeared in the world, and when these wished to build cities, they went to that cistern to look for stones, in order to serve for materials or repairs. Then, one of those so long buried there went forth into the city, as wassupposedtobuyfoodforhiscompanions. Onshowingthecoinstothe citizens, they wondered and said
" O man, you have old silver, and no person will take it from you, since one hundred and fifty-five years have elapsed from the time of Decius, and now we have a Christian King Con- stantine,? thesonofHelena. " Thenthemanunderstoodtheirmeaning,and hereturnedthankstoGod. Hetoldthewholestoryregardinghimselfand his brethren. Afterwards, these were brought from the cistern and the king came to visit them. They related to him what had happened, and through
them the name of God was lauded. 8 wonderfully
there are different versions of their Legend? to be found in Simeon Metaphrastes and other Greek writers. We are 10 that such accounts were framed
Eleventh Volume of this work.
Article x. —' Thus entered in the Leab-
har Breac copy : text and translation of Whitley Stokes, LL. D.
"OLom cuic aj\ ccc. Aib OtiATJAn br\ig ^onpechif
ttloppeppiup cenAichip ComacuiL in Oppif
The Sun's King put them under splendour, There is a cave of Mount Coelius
Their seven names, as hath been heard, Maximianus, Malchus,
Constantinus Martius, Marcianus, Dionysius,
Serapion, great Johannes (was) Thenameoftwoofthemwithout mistake. Not any author hides from that to this : Those are their seven names.
3 Thus: UAnim moppeppup cenec 7pl. AinAL aca pomAmt). "A trance of seven without death,'' as is above. See ibid. , p. cxxx.
4 Some accounts have it, that their names
"Announce the five and three hundred
—See ibid,, p. cxxix.
years—might which thou beheldest—which
—the seven without disgrace slept in Ephesus. " "Transactions of the Royal Irish Aca-
demy. " Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. The Calendar of Oengus, p. cxxii.
* Th—e lines thus run in the Leabhar Breac copy :
CAinme uiopp? ppup cenec Lxx bbiA-oAn nibpec
oorpAC pi 5peme potn caLI muAim rleibe Cetlii
•Afcchc tlAltm&m) mArvoAcLorr
were Maximian,
sius, Johnnes, Serapion, and Constantine. Othersagain state,that their names wereMaxi- milian, Exacustodian, Jamblichius, Martinian, Dionysius, Joannes, and Antoninus.
s lie was Emperor over the Roman Em- pire, in the middle of the Third Century.
6 The Latin clause expresses it: " et
"
eistorna elausa est super eos.
7 According to other accounts, Theodosius
the Younger was the Emperor then living, and about the beginning of the fifth century.
ntAximiAtwf
matcor1
ConfCAncnuif rrupruir 1
ttlApciAnur Uiompur.
SepApen loAnner* ott
Arum x>erpi t)ib cemmnoll
mcheiL cech auccAp aiiaIX
hice — nanniAn-o. pn Aj-echc
Sec ibid. , p. cxxix.
The following is a literal English trans- lation^ given by Dr. Whitley Stokes :
The trance of seven without death.
Seventy years—not a lie—
8
See the "Transactions of the Royal Irish
told, however,
Nevertheless,
very
Malchus, Mavtinian, Diony-
Irish vol. Academy. " Manuscript Series, i. ,
On the Calendar of
part i. Oengus, pp.
cxxix. , cxxx.
9 Under the title " Dissertatio de Sanctis
septem Dormientibus," a work was pub-
lished in Rome in 1741, 4to.
10
By a writer named Morcellius.
August 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 109
by these compilers, after the seventh century, and afterwards that they were introduced to the Slave liturgical books. 11 It is stated, also, that these Seven Sleepers had been buried alive in that cavern they had chosen as a place of refuge, and that two Christian officers of the Emperor took care to engrave on a plate of lead the names of those holy Confessors and Martyrs. This plate was enclosed in a box made of copper, which they sealed, and con- trived to place within the cavern before its opening was closed. These Seven
12
Sleepers are said to have been brothers.
to Ephesus was greatly surprised to find no profane temple there, nor any vestige of the worship, which its people formerly practised, in honour of the Pagan goddess Diana. On the contrary, he found a magnificent Christian Church built in that city, while a bishop, who was greatly reverenced by the inhabitants, presided over that See. Moreover, he heard them speak of the persecutions raised by the Emperor Decius against the Christians and the Martyrs, as if these were events long past. Having informed the citizens of that miracle wrought by the Almighty in favour of himself and his com- panions, the bishop, chief officers and a great multitude of people were induced to follow him, until he showed them the mouth of the cavern on the side of a mountain, which was near. When the prelate entered first, he found the small coffer, containing the plates of lead with the inscriptions on them, and these he read aloud to all the people who followed him. Then advanc- ing through the interior, soon the six holy ones appeared, with faces preter- naturally bright, and their bodies surrounded with aureoles of glory. Maxi- mian, the eldest, related what had happened to them under the Emperor Decius. The living Emperor also came to visit them at their cave near Ephesus, and he learned from them, that the Almighty had deigned to manifest through them the Resurrection of the body to controvert the Sad- duceans, a sect of heretics then appearing, and who denied that doctrine. After praying to God, they returned again to sleep, while their souls went to Heaven. The Latin Martyrologists have placed the festival of those Seven
Sleepers of Ephesus, at the 27th of July. 's The Greek Menologies have a 1
feast at the 4th of August, * as being that for the day on which they entered the caverns,15 and other festivals have been assigned to them, on the 22nd and 23rd of October. The first of these latter days is said to have corre- spondedwiththedayoftheirreleasefromthecavern. Thisplacewasafterwards resorted to by devout pilgrims, and it is even shown to travellers in the Levant. To explain such a Legend, some writers have asserted that the seven youths were thrown into a miraculous slumber, from which they awoke only after the lapse of two centuries ; others again seem to think, that they really died, but that their bodies were preserved from decay, until they arose again to life, and this resurrection caused them to be regarded as Sleepers. Whatever may be thought of the narrative itself, there can be no doubt, it had a very ancient origin, and it was believed at an early period by many, in the countries ofthe East.
11 See " Annus Ecclesiasticus Grseco- De SS. Septem Dormientibus, Maximiano, Slavicus," &c. , scripsit Joannes Martinov, Malcho, Martiniano, Dionysio, Joanne, Se- Casanensis, Presb. S. J. Dies iv. , Augusti, rapione et Constantino. Ephesi in Asia
Minore, pp. 375 to 397.
I4 At this date, the Bollandists have
rum," tomus vi. , Julii xxvii. There we the pretermitted saints, p. 311.
have a previous commentary in seven sec- I5 See Les Petits Bollandistes, "Vies des
e
tions and fifty-four paragraphs, introducing Saints," tome ix. , xxvii Jour de Juillet,
Observanda, p. 194.
12
According
to the statement of St. Gre-
again alluded to the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. '3 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- See ibid. , tomus i. , Augusti iv. Among
gory of Tours.
three different Acts, with notes appended. p. 52.
It is stated, that their messenger
no LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 8.
Article XI. —St. Daire Dor. A festival in honour of Daire Dor is recorded in the Martyrology of Tallaghy at this date.
dEtgftti) Hap of 3ugu£t.
ARTICLE I. —ST. COLMAN, BISHOP OF LINDISFARNE, AND ANCHORITE OF INIS-BOFFIN, COUNTY OF MAYO.
[SEVENTH CENTURY. }
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—VARIOUS WRITERS OF ST. COLMAN's ACTS—A NATIVE OF IRELAND— TRAINED AT IONA—SENT AS A MISSIONARY BISHOP AMONG THE NORTHUMBRIANS— ST. WILFRID—HE RETURNS TO ENGLAND AND WISHES TO INTRODUCE IN NORTHUMBRIA THE ROMAN DISCIPLINE—THE CONFERENCE HELD AT WHITBY— DISCUSSION REGARDING THE SCOTTISH AND ROMAN RITES FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF EASTER AND FOR THE FORM OF TONSURE.
pious servant of Christ has occupied a very distinguished place in
THIS
from a
Irish and British His meekness in
retiring
bishopric
history.
to embrace a life of perfect seclusion deserves the highest commendation ;
especially since it was thus intended to promote peace and concord, when
opinions and interests could not otherwise be well reconciled. His Acts
and virtues, in the first instance, have been recorded by the Venerable
1
Bede. At this day, St. Colman, Bishop of Inis-bo-finde, is specially
commemorated, in the " Feilire" of St.
