OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Irish Saints

  • Saint Loarn of Bright, September 11

    September 11 is the feast of Saint Loarn of Bright, County Down. He is a saint known from Patrician hagiography and Canon O’Hanlon draws upon these sources in his account below which I’ve broken up into sections to help make it a little easier to digest:

    ST. LOARN OR LOARNN, BISHOP OF BRIGHT, COUNTY OF DOWN.
    [FIFTH CENTURY.]

    OUR early Pastors and teachers were truly Apostolic men. The spiritual father, as a ghostly adviser and director of his people, always attracted his flock to the practice of virtues, which he preached, not less by word, than by example. Even after death, his influences remain, and affect religiously generations that survive. Colgan promised to treat about St. Loarn, on the day for his festival, which by Marianus O’Gorman and others has been placed, at the 11th of September. This intention he did not live to accomplish, and we are not aware, that any special acts of St. Loarn now exist. According to the O’Clerys, the present holy man was the son of Darerca, sister of St. Patrick’s and consequently he was a nephew of the great Irish Apostle. However, we cannot place too much reliance on this statement. But few particulars have been preserved, in reference to him. Incidentally we are told, in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, that  when the Irish Apostle was in the North of Ireland, and returning from his unsuccessful visit to his old master Milcho at Slemish, he went to Saul, and thence set out southwards towards the residence of a chief named Ros, who was brother to his first convert, Dichu. That Ross or Rus lived in Derlus, to the south of Dun-leth-glaise, now Downpatrick. Whether Loarn lived there at that time or not seems doubtful; but, it is probable, that soon after the conversion of Ros, he was appointed to rule there in the capacity of a chorepiscopus. This saint is classed among the disciples of St. Patrick and, it is likely, he was a convert to the Faith, at an early stage of the Irish  Apostle’s mission. The ancient fort of Ros, known as Durlas, formerly an earthen rath, probably stood where the Castle of Bright may now be seen.

    The parish of Bright, in the County of Down, was formerly known as Brettain or Brettan. In old documents, this place is variously called Brict, Brich, Brett, Bratten, Brettain, and Brichten. We are informed, that the townland, in which the Protestant church of Bright was situated, is named  Ballintubber—the town of the Well—from a remarkable spring a quarter of a mile to the north of the church, and which is supposed to have been the ancient holy well, where Ros-mic-Trichim had been baptised. This church was built in 1745, by the distinguished Protestant Dean of Down, Dr. Patrick Delany,  and the friend of the still more celebrated Dean of St. Patrick’s, Dr. Jonathan Swift. St. Loarn, who was contemporaneous with St. Patrick, presided over it, in the capacity of a bishop. The church of Bright stood beside the ancient fort called Derlus, where, it seems probable, the Anglo-Normans of Lecale afterwards erected the Castle of Bright. Colgan very incorrectly infers, that the author of St. Patrick’s Tripartite Life must have lived contemporaneously with this saint, from an  equivocal phrase introduced. Archdall has it, that Loarne was bishop or abbot at Bretain.

    In the Acts of our national Apostle, a curious legend is related regarding St. Loarn, who was present at the grave of St. Patrick, when the top, belonging to a boy who was there playing with other boys, rolled into a hole made in the holy man’s sepulchre. One of these playmates endeavoured to draw forth the top, but found his hand firmly held. St. Loarn was sent for and he came to the spot. Then addressing St. Patrick, he cried out: “Why, O holy senior, do you hold the hand of this innocent child?” Immediately the boy’s hand was loosed from this thrall.

    The modern Protestant church of Bright occupies the original site of the ancient structure, and near it are the ruins of an old castle. The church itself was a dependency on the See of Down before the Anglo-Norman Invasion; and about A.D. 1178 John De Courcey confirmed its possessions to Malachy, Bishop of that See. Shortly afterwards, under the name of Brichten, Malachy annexed it to the Abbey of St. Patrick, of which he was ex officio abbot. The church and the grave-yard surrounding it are situated on a high natural bank of earth, from which the descent is very rapid on the north and south sides ; but the other sides are on a level with the adjacent fields.  The church-yard is about an acre in extent. A fosse, about twenty feet broad and ten or twelve feet deep, was on the northern side. This fosse extended from the western termination of the high bank to the end of that same bank. On the south side and with the banks, it enclosed about two and a half Irish acres.  Some notices of this church occur in our mediaeval rolls and annals.  In the Taxation of Pope Nicholas IV., the Church of Brich was valued at Eight Marks; or rather in that of Pope Clement V., and carried out A.D. 1306. During the Invasion of Ireland, by Edward Bruce, the Scots and Irish burned the Church of Bright, it being full of persons of both sexes at the time. After the Dissolution, the tithes of Bright were leased in 1583 to the Earl of Kildare. In 1609, Bright alias Beaten was annexed, by charter, to the Deanery of Down. In 1622, its church was returned by the Protestant Bishop as in ruins. These were removed when the Protestant church was built. In the adjoining fields stone-lined graves are frequently found.
    According to the Martyrology of Donegal, a festival was celebrated at the 11th of September, in honour of Loarnn, Bishop of Cill Chunna. The only modern parish denomination we find resembling Cill Chunna is the present Kilcooney, in the barony of Clare and County of Galway; yet, it does not seem this had any special connection with the present Saint. In a passage of the Martyrology of Donegal, St. Loarn is called Bishop of Inrec Nechtain. However, the correct reading is Inrechan, or Inreathan. This is described as a “civitatula” or little city, and it has been identified with Breatain or Bright. The site of ‘his ancient church is now occupied by the Protestant house of worship.
    According to Colgan’s conjecture, in all probability, St. Loarn did not survive beyond the middle of the sixth century, or the year 540; but as we have already seen, his opinion rests on the false supposition, that the second writer of St. Patrick’s Life lived contemporaneously with Loarn. However, it seems likely enough, this holy man lived into the earlier part of the sixth century. At the iii. of the September Ides—corresponding with the present date—his feast is entered by Marianus O’Gorman, and in the local Calendar, compiled by the Rev. William Reeves.
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  • Saint Senach, son of Buidi, September 10

    September 10 is the feast of Saint Senach, son of Buidi. His name first appears in the earliest of the Irish calendars, The Martyrology of Tallaght, but as it’s a name shared by an number of saints it is difficult for Canon O’Hanlon to bring specific details, although he concentrates on the saint Senach with Patrician associations in his account below:

    St. Senach, son of Buidi.

    [Possibly in the Fifth Century.]

    Veneration was given to a Senaig Gairbh—as he is called—at the 10th of September, according to the published Martyrology of Tallagh. In that copy contained in the Book or Leinster, while we have Senaig Gairb on one line in large letters, mac buidi seem to follow in smaller characters in the space underneath, and immediately over Findbair. There is a saint of this name, who was placed by St. Patrick to rule over the church of Achadh-fobhuir as a bishop. This lay in the western part of Connaught.

    In our Ecclesiastical Calendars, there are several persons bearing the name of Senach. One occurs in Tirechan’s List. It is not improbable, that he may have been Senach of Aghagower. This was in the territory of Umalia or Hymalia. Yet, it is not certain, that he can be identified more with the present, than with any other bearing the name and mentioned in our Calendars. The following account is given by Jocelyn, in his Life of St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland. In the place, which is named Achadfobhair, St. Patrick had built and endowed a church with fair possessions; and, over it he appointed and consecrated as bishop Sennach, who, for the innocency of his heart, was called the Lamb of God. And he, being so consecrated, entreated of the saint that with unceasing prayer, he should labour with the Lord, to shield him in his office from the commission of all sin. Furthermore, he suppliantly besought, that the church over which he presided might not be called by his name, as was in many places the custom among the Irish people. And this he did, to preserve his lowliness, and to avoid vain glory, which is the fretting moth of all virtues. Then, understanding the worthiness of Sennach, and the simplicity of his heart, St. Patrick promised to him the fulfilment of all his desires. Blessing him and his flock, St. Patrick prophesied, that therefrom should proceed many holy and eminent priests. Serving in exceeding holiness the Holy of Holies, and being renowned for his miracles and for his virtues, Sennach entered at length into the heavenly sanctuary. More than once, Colgan calls Aghagower merely the locality of a bishop’s see. Archdall places a monastery under Senach of Aghagower. But, in whatever account we have regarding him, no such thing is mentioned. If the holy man be identical, as Colgan thinks, with the former mentioned, the present Senach was greatly distinguished as a virtuous disciple of the Irish Apostle. The name of Senach, son of Buidi, appears in the Martyrology of Donegal, at this same date.

    Content Copyright © Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae 2012-2015. All rights reserved.

  • Saint Madelberta of Maubeuge, September 7

    September 7 is the feastday of a Belgian saint, allegedly of Irish extraction, Madelberta, abbess of Maubeuge. She is one of an extraordinary family of saints whom Canon O’Hanlon is only too happy to claim for Ireland. The account below has been abridged from Volume 9 of his Lives of the Irish Saints, but whether this saint and her kindred ever had an Irish connection is another matter entirely. Her name is not found in any of our native calendars but obviously occurs in the continental ones, which Canon O’Hanlon lists. He also cites a list of Irish saints compiled by Convaeus, which I think is a reference to a seventeenth-century Irish-born Jesuit, Richard Conway (Richardus Convaeus), who was involved with the Irish colleges in Spain.

    ST. MADELBERGA, MEDALBERTA, AMALBERTE, OR MADELBERTA, ABBESS, AT MAUBEUGE, BELGIUM.
    [SEVENTH AND EIGHTH CENTURIES.]

    ALTHOUGH the place of this holy virgin’s nativity has not been distinctly ascertained; yet, she has been classed among our Irish Saints, because her religious father is held to have sought from Ireland the shores of France, where he was renowned as a warrior, and where he attained the distinction of being known as Count of Hannonia, or Hainault, in reward for his services, as also because with his religious wife, Waldetrude, he visited Ireland, on a mission entrusted to him, by Dagobert I., King of France. Moreover, on her father’s side, St. Madelberta. had Irish blood in her veins, and doubtless she inherited many of those happy dispositions, that rendered her worthy to rank with so many other members of a truly noble and holy family.

    …St. Madelberga or Madelberta was the daughter of Saints Maelceadar or Vincentius and Waldetrude. Their children were Landric or Landry, afterwards Bishop of Meaux, or of Metz, Aldetrude, and Malberta, their daughters, and Dentelin, who was the youngest of that family. Surrounded by such a happy circle, we can scarcely wonder, that Madelberta, or Amalberte—as she is also called—grew up in the most happy dispositions. Born—as seems most probable —a short time before the death of Dagobert I., King of France, which happened about A.D. 638; from childhood, Madelberta loved to pray constantly, and to profit by the teaching and example of her holy parents. It has been thought by some, that she and her sister Aldetrudis had been twins, and born about the year 637; or if they were born at different periods, one saw the light about A.D. 636, and the other A.D. 637. Her aunt, St. Aldegundis, who could not have been many years older, was the first foundress of a convent at Malbod, also known as Maubeuge. It was then a solitary place, on the River Sambre; and, it is now a town and canton of France, in the Department of the North. There she had built three churches, on the death of her parents. One of those was dedicated in honour of the Queen of Angels; another to honour St. Quintin, Martyr; and the third was dedicated to the chiefs of the Apostles, Saints Peter and Paul. Her sister Waldetrude retired from the world, having collected around her a fervent and religious community. At that time, Aldegonde was placed under her charge, at the age of eleven years, by Bertilia, as seems likely for purposes of religious and secular instruction; the younger children of Waldetrude remaining in care of their maternal aunt. The parents of Aldegonde withdrew their daughter after a brief sojourn in the monastery, fearing that she also should take the veil, and because they had intended her to marry a man of rank -equal to their own. However, their efforts were unavailing; for she soon took an opportunity to escape from the paternal mansion, and while still very young, she had found that place of solitude, where her religious house was afterwards established.

    Meanwhile, Aldetrude and Madelberta felt a growing desire to consecrate their lives solely to the service of Christ. At an early age, they had been consigned by their pious mother to the convent founded at Maubeuge, where they were placed for education and direction under their aunt. Thus, it may be said, that almost from their cradle, they were familiarised with all the monastic rules and practices. Being—as supposed—the youngest of the daughters of St. Mauger or Vincent, and Vaudrue, or Waldetrude, Madelberta sought a retreat from the world with St. Aldegonde; while it would seem, that her sister Aldetrude also devoted herself to a religious life, in the same monastery. There indeed was a union of souls engaged in all the practical virtues of their state. Their chastity and humility were exercised with vigils and largesses to the poor. From St. Amand and other holy bishops, they heard frequent exhortations, and were comforted against the trials and temptations, which fail not to test the fortitude of even the most virtuous persons. On one of those occasions, while our saint was in great distress, bright rays of light came through the windows of her oratory, and seemed to cover her, as if the Divine influence had been poured on her for a protection from the snares of the enemy.

    For a long time, the holy Abbess Aldegonde ruled over her community, on the banks of the Sambre. She was favoured in an eminent degree with the gift of fervent prayer, and with many revelations. Under such a superioress, we may well suppose, her nieces were schooled in all the virtues and discipline of their religious state. The closing years of Aldegonde were a continual martyrdom for a cancer in the right breast was the cause of intense pain. This she bore, not only with exemplary patience, but with rejoicing that she was deemed worthy to suffer for the name of Christ. When her term on earth was arrived, a globe of fire was seen coming from Heaven and settling over the house, in which her spirit so happily departed, and as generally supposed on the 30th of January, A.D. 684. We have already seen, the parents of St. Madelberta separated by mutual consent to spend the rest of their days in religious retirement, about the year 653; Madelgarius, or Vincent, to take up his abode in that monastery he had previously founded, at Hautmont, near Maubeuge, on the River Sambre, and his wife Waldetrude, or Vaudru, at Castrilocus, or Castrilos, subsequently designated Mons, in the year 656. The Blessed Aldetrudis, or Adeltrude, succeeded her aunt in the government of this religious establishment. For twelve years she presided over it with great virtue and wisdom, when she was also called away to taste the fruits of life everlasting, about the year 696.

    After the death of her sainted sister, Madelberta was selected to govern the monastery. Nor was she less careful to set an excellent example to the nuns under her charge, and to foster the good seed already sown, so that daily were pious females brought to the sanctuary, and directed by her in the paths that led to Heaven. She ruled over her religious community for the term of nine years. Madelberta had thus become the third abbess of Malbod, and now in turn she was called to receive the eternal reward. In the most admirable sentiments of piety she died about the year 684, or 685 according to some writers. However, more recent and exact researches, by Carolus le Cointe and others, have ascertained by certain historic comparisons of data that her life had been prolonged to about A.D. 705. Her body was deposited in the Church of St. Peter, the Apostle, with solemn funeral rites; a great number of priests with the religious entoning the psalms and canticles appropriate for the occasion.

    Soon after the Saint’s death, a remarkable miracle took place, which soon caused the people of all that surrounding country to venerate her as their special patroness. A very religious man, living near Maubeuge, had a deafness in the right ear, and he had often prayed to God for the gift of sound hearing. One night in his sleep, a voice came to him, saying: “Arise, go to the monastery of Maubeuge and to the Church of St. Peter, where the body of St. Madelberte, Virgin, reposes, and there you shall be healed at her tomb.” When morning had come, he arose and hastened to the monastery as directed. He assisted at Mass with profound devotion, offering up his prayers most fervently. Suddenly, when the priest commenced chaunting the Gospel, the man had an extraordinary sensation. His limbs began to tremble, his face grew pale, and some aqueous humour distilled from the ear affected. At the same moment, he felt relieved from his infirmity, which never afterwards returned. Another miracle is recorded regarding a certain girl, whose lower limbs had been crooked and paralysed from the time of birth; but her parents had brought her to the tomb of our saint, where she was suddenly restored to their use. At the time of the evening office, she was seen by the nuns, walking through the middle of the Church, and giving thanks to God. This caused great rejoicing and admiration to all who had known her previous condition, and who had witnessed her perfect restoration. These are only a few of those miracles, which were wrought, at the place of her first sepulture.

    St. Hubert, who had succeeded St. Lambert as Bishop of Maestricht, removed the episcopal see in 721 to Liege, of which city he then became the first bishop. To honour his martyred predecessor, he had built a stately church, which he designated the cathedral, and thither he conveyed the relics of St. Lambert. He is still venerated as chief patron of Liege. Until the year 722, the relics of St. Madelbert reposed at Maubeuge. The fame of her sanctity and miracles was so great, that about the same time, St. Hubert had her body transported to Liege, with solemn ceremonies. Having encased her relics in a shrine, in which were also enclosed the relics of St. Theodard, they were placed in the cathedral church. There several miracles were afterwards wrought through our saint’s intercession. During the middle ages, likewise, frequent broils arose among the powerful and opulent families that disturbed the peace of Liege; when public prayers and visitations to the shrines of the local patrons took place, to avert those disorders. On such occasions, the relics were exhibited for veneration to the faithful. In the year 1489, those relics were well preserved, when a commission had been appointed to examine into their state. On the 14th of April, with solemn religious ceremonies, a number of representative ecclesiastics, deputed by the Dean and Chapter of Liege Cathedral, began the work of examination, which was continued on the 18th and 19th of the same month. In that compartment, in which the remains of St. Magdelberta reposed, they found her bones, with her hood and veil, as also a black cincture remarkably wrought; moreover, they saw her robe and another veil, with two large portions of her habit, and two small scissors, which she was doubtless accustomed to use, together with some other ornaments—whether belonging to her or placed there by others is not known. After this examination, the inner and outer coverings were locked, when the keys were placed in the sacristy of the church, and in an upper drawer, which was lettered Mechlinia.

    The name of this holy virgin is to be found in a great number of calendars and martyrologies. Although not contained in the oldest versions of Ado and Usuard; yet, from her own time has Madalberta been venerated in the Low Countries, and mentioned in various additions to Usuard. At the 7th of September, she is recorded in the Florarian Manuscript, by Castellan, by Canisius, by Saussay, and in the Parisian Martyrology. Besides these, Arnold Wion, Menard, Dorgan, Bucelin, Molanus, Miraeus, Constantine Ghinius, Arturus, and a host of other hagiographers, have inserted the name and festival of this holy virgin in their writings. On the 7th of September, she was venerated at Malbod, according to the list of Irish saints compiled by Convaeus.

    …In a Breviary of Liege, printed a.d. 1514, at Paris, there is a Duplex Office, as also in the edition of 1520, there printed. All the parts are from the common office of a virgin, except the nine Lessons—comprising her Life, as found in [her] ancient anonymous Acts—and the Prayer, which may thus be translated from the Latin:—”O God, the Creator of innocence and the lover of charity, who hath translated to Heaven on this day, thy beatified virgin Madelberta, grant to us Thy servants celebrating her sacred festival pardon of our sins through her pious intercession.”

    …In the Low Countries, they represent St. Madelbert in a group, with her father, St. Vincent of Soignies, and her mother St. Waldetrude, St. Aldetrude her sister, as also her brothers, St. Landry, Bishop of Meaux, and St. Dentlin.

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