Benignus of Armagh | |
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| Born | 392 County Meath Ireland |
| Died | 467 |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Feast | 9 November |
Benignus of Armagh (died 467) was the son of Sesenen, an Irish chieftain in the part of Ireland that is now called County Meath.
He was baptised into the Christian faith by Saint Patrick, and became his favourite disciple and his coadjutor in the Diocese of Armagh around AD 450. His gentle disposition suggested the name Benen, which was Latinised as Benignus. [2]
He followed his master in his travels and assisted him in his missionary labours, helping in the formation of choral services. His family may have belonged to the bardic order. [3] From his musical achievements he was known as "Patrick's psalm-singer". As Benignus had been trained by Patrick in sacred learning from his youth and was well versed in the language and learning of his native land, he was appointed secretary to the Commission of Nine, which a few years before had been directed to compile the Brehon Laws. [3]
Benignus is said to have contributed materials for the Psalter of Cashel , and the Book of Rights. He succeeded St. Patrick's nephew Sechnall as coadjutor and became the first rector of the Cathedral School of Armagh. [3]
He was present at the synod that passed the canon recognising "the See Of the Apostle Peter" as the final court of appeals in difficult cases. This canon is to be found in the Book of Armagh. Benignus resigned his coadjutorship in 467 and died the same year. His feast is celebrated on 9 November. [2]
In 433, Patrick clashed with King Laoghaire at Tara over religion. Legend reports that a trial by fire was proposed. A pagan druid and Benignus were tied inside a burning timber building, the former was reduced to ash while Benignus was untouched, at this turning point, Christian teaching was established. [4]
Most authorities identified Patrick's psalm-singer with the Benignus who founded Kilbannon, near Tuam. However, Tirechán's collections in the Book of Armagh states that Benignus of Kilbannon was the son of Lugni of Connaught. Benignus of Kilbannon had a famous monastery, where Jarlath was educated, and he presided over Drumlease. His sister Mathona served as abbess of Tawney, in Tirerrill. [2]
In Cavan, he established a monastery on Drom Benen (hill of Benan), today's Drumbannon. Other monasteries are in cill benen (church of Benan), today's Kilbonane, West Cork.[ citation needed ]
Benedict Biscop, also known as Biscop Baducing, was an Anglo-Saxon abbot and founder of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Priory and was considered a saint after his death.
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Óengus mac Óengobann, better known as Saint Óengus of Tallaght or Óengus the Culdee, was an Irish bishop, reformer and writer, who flourished in the first quarter of the 9th century and is held to be the author of the Félire Óengusso and possibly the Martyrology of Tallaght.
Gerald of Mayo is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church.
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Iarlaithe mac Loga, also known as Jarlath, was an Irish priest and scholar from Connacht, remembered as the founder of the monastic School of Tuam and of the Archdiocese of Tuam, of which he is the patron saint. No medieval Life for Jarlath is extant, but sources for his life and cult include genealogies, martyrologies, the Irish Lives of St Brendan of Clonfert, and a biography compiled by John Colgan in the 17th century.
Saint Mochta, was the last surviving disciple of Saint Patrick.
Ciarán of Saigir, also known as Ciarán mac Luaigne or Saint Kieran, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is considered the first saint to have been born in Ireland, although the legend that he preceded Saint Patrick is questionable. Ciarán was bishop of Saighir (Seir-Kieran) and remains the patron saint of its successor, the diocese of Ossory.
Assicus(Asicus, Assic) was the first bishop of Elphin, Ireland, and venerated as the patron saint of that place. He was also an artisan metalworker.
Secundinus, or Sechnall as he was known in Irish, was founder and patron saint of Domhnach Sechnaill, County Meath, who went down in medieval tradition as a disciple of St Patrick and one of the first bishops of Armagh. Historians have suggested, however, that the connection with St Patrick was a later tradition invented by Armagh historians in favour of their patron saint and that Secundinus is more likely to have been a separate missionary, possibly a companion of Palladius.
Saint Patrick was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints being Brigid of Kildare and Columba. Patrick was never formally canonised, having lived before the current laws of the Catholic Church in these matters. Nevertheless, he is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, the Church of Ireland, and in the Eastern Orthodox Church, where he is regarded as equal-to-the-apostles and Enlightener of Ireland.
St. Ruadán mac Fergusa Birn, also known Rowan, Ruadon, Roadan, Ruadhán, Rodon and Rodan, was an Irish Christian abbot who founded the monastery of Lorrha, near Terryglass. He was known for his prophesies. After his death, he was venerated as a saint and as one of the "Twelve Apostles of Ireland". His feast day is 15 April.
Saint Iserninus was an early Christian missionary of Ireland who is associated with Saint Patrick and Saint Auxilius in establishing Christianity in the south of that island. More recent research associates him not with Patrick but with Palladius.
Saint Auxilius, or Usaille, was an early Christian missionary of Ireland who is associated with Saint Patrick, Saint Seachnaill (Secundinus), and Saint Iserninus in establishing Christianity in the south of that island, although more recent studies tend to associate him with the earlier Palladius.
Events from the 5th century in Ireland.
Saint Kerrill aka Caireall mac Curnain was a Christian missionary in what is now east County Galway, alive in the mid-to-late 5th century.
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November 8 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - November 10
Saint Fiachra was the Bishop of Armagh, Ireland from 548 to 558.
Kilbennen or Kilbannon is a medieval ecclesiastical site and National Monument located in County Galway, Ireland.
Webb, Alfred (1878). "Saint Benin". A Compendium of Irish Biography . Dublin: M. H. Gill & son.
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