Brendan of Birr
| Saint Brendan of Birr | |
|---|---|
 Stained glass window depicting St. Brendan in St. Brendan's Church, Birr. |
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| Prophet of Ireland Abbot |
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| Died | c. 572 Birr, Ireland |
| Honored in | Roman Catholic Church Anglican Communion (?) Orthodox Church |
| Feast | 29 November |
Saint Brendan of Birr (died c. 572) was one of the early Irish monastic saints. He was a monk and later an abbot, of the 6th century. He is known as "St Brendan the Elder" to distinguish him from his contemporary and friend St Brendan the Navigator. [1] He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland,[2] a friend and disciple of Saint Columba,[3] and a companion of Brendan of Clonfert.
Life [edit]
In early Christian Ireland the druid tradition collapsed with the spread of the new faith. Study of Latin learning and Christian theology in monasteries flourished. Brendan became a pupil at the monastic school at Clonard Abbey. During the sixth century, some of the most significant names in the history of Irish Christianity studied at the Clonard monastery. It is said that the average number of scholars under instruction at Clonard was 3,000.[2] Twelve students who studied under Saint Finian became known as the Twelve Apostles of Ireland; Brendan of Birr was one of these. It was at Clonard that Brendan became a friend and companion of Brendan of Clonfert.[4]
He founded the monastery at Birr in central Ireland in about 540, serving as its abbot.[4] He emerges from early Irish writings as a man of generous hospitality with a reputation for sanctity and spirituality who was an intuitive judge of character.[1] He was considered one of the chief prophets of Ireland. This is evidenced both in his title ('Prophet of Ireland'), and by his attendance at the synod of Meltown, in which Saint Columba was brought to trial over his role in the Battle of Cúl Dreimhne in 561. Brendan spoke on Columba's behalf, prompting the assembled clerics to sentence Columba with exile rather than excommunication.[3] His friendship and support for Columba resulted in important connections between Birr and the Columban foundations.[1] An adviser of Columba said that the saint saw a vision of Brendan's soul being carried away by angels after his death.[5] He thereupon ordered for a mass to be said in his honour.
Brendan's monastery at Birr was later to produce the MacRegol Gospels, which are now housed at the Bodleian Library in Oxford.[3]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c "St. Brendan the Elder of Birr", Birr Historical Society
- ^ a b Gratton-Flood, W.H. (March 1, 1907). "The Twelve Apostles of Erin". The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York: Robert Appleton Company) I. Retrieved 2008-02-09
- ^ a b c Farmer, David Hugh (1997). The Oxford dictionary of saints (4. ed. ed.). Oxford [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Press. p. 72. ISBN 0-19-280058-2.
- ^ a b Jones, Terry. "Brendan of Birr". Patron Saints Index. Retrieved 2007-12-30.
- ^ "St. Brendan of Birr". Saints and Angels. Catholic Online. Retrieved 2007-12-30.
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