There are many other seafaring saints, lesser known or unknown to us, who made those critical centuries in what is scornfully called the "Dark Ages" a time of joyous light and learning. The debt we owe them is incalculable. Their courage, both moral and physical, their determination, holiness and single-mindedness answered the call of Our Lord - that any who love family or home more than Christ are not His. The paganism which surrounds us today is no less dark than the paganism of the Druids against which these saints and holy people fought. May we set our course, O Lord, as they did, trusting only in Your will and guidance to bring the burning light of Christ to all.
aint Blane became a disciple of Saint Comgall and Saint Kenneth for 7 years in Ireland and then returned to the Isle of Bute off the southwest coast of Scotland, where his uncle had founded a monastery, sailing there with his mother in a boat with no oars or rudder. His uncle, St. Cathan, named him to succeed as bishop, whereupon he made a pilgrimage to Rome to receive his commission from the Pope.
Later, he sailed back to the mainland and founded a monastery north of Stirling in the ancient Celtic tradition - a grouping of beehive huts.
He died at the end of the 6th century at his monastery on Bute. Today the Cathedral of Dunblane stands on the site and preserves the bell of his monastery. August 10th is his feast day.
aint Columba inspired a number of holy people who continued his work - one of these was Saint Colman, an Irishman who had been one of his monks at Iona and later became Bishop of Lindisfarne in 661. He upheld the Celtic tradition against the Roman one in the dating of Easter and other practices at the pivotal Synod of Whitby in 664. When the ruling went against him, he stepped down as Bishop and went to Iona with a large number of monks from Lindisfarne who had sided with him. From there they sailed to the island of Inishbofin on the northwest coast of Ireland to found another monastery where the Celtic dating of Easter could be observed. When the Irish and Anglican monks couldn't get along, Saint Colman founded another monastery at Mayo for the Anglican monks. His feast day is February 18th.
nother one of Saint Columba's monks who was canonized was Saint Donan, whose feast day is April 17th. He was one of the Irishmen who followed Saint Columba on his original voyage to Iona. Later, he took up voyaging with his own disciples around the Inner Hebrides, founding a monastery on Eigg. He and his monks were murdered by Viking raiders on the eve of Easter, 617, while celebrating Mass - the Vikings were persuaded by the saint to wait until the monks had received Communion and left the church before slaughtering them. Saint Columba was said to have foretold his martyrdom some 20 years before.
aint Kenneth was born about 516, the son of an Irish bard who went as a young man to the monastery of Saint Cadoc at Llancarfan in Wales. As a monk, he travelled to Rome, then returned to Ireland and joined 3 other saints - Kieran, Columba and Comgall - at Saint Mobhi's school in Glasnevin. He was ordained to the priesthood in 545 at the monastery of Llancarvan and was one of the "Twelve Apostles of Ireland".
He founded several monasteries in Ireland, then heard the call and sailed to Scotland where he evangelized. He joined Saint Columba in his famous visit to convert the pagan King Brude and was a close friend of the saint. A wonderful story tells that once, when Saint Columba and his companions were in the midst of a great storm at sea, he reassured his monks by saying, "Don't be afraid! God will listen to Kenneth, who is running to church with only one shoe on to pray for us." And so it was - Saint Kenneth in Ireland rushed away from his meal to pray for his friend, knowing of his great danger.
Saint Kenneth had a settlement on an island close to Iona, now called Inch Kenneth, whose chapel was a pilgrimage site for many seekers. There are numerous communities on the mainland of Scotland and the islands founded by him.
His feast day is October 11th and both Scotland and Ireland honor him for his sanctity, his great learning and his tireless efforts to bring Christ to those who lived in darkness. In Ireland he is also remembered as a scribe and, like many other Celtic saints, he had a great love of animals.
aint Patrick converted this pirate from the Orkneys and inspired him to seek sanctity. He did penance for his previous life by setting out to sea in a coracle without oars or rudder, putting his life into God's hands. He came ashore on the Isle of Man where two of Saint Patrick's disciples were already established. Eventually he was chosen Bishop of Man, in recognition of his holy and penitential life; his feast day is April 27th.
aint Maelrubha, whose feast day is April 21st, was another descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages, like Saint Columba. He became an abbot at Saint Comgall's monastery at Bangor but when he was 29, the Celtic restlessness called him to the sea. He sailed first to Iona and then went to the mainland of Scotland, founding a church and monastery at Applecross, an inaccessible area along the coast.
He preached the Gospel along the Inner Hebrides, as far north as Skye and he is remembered in many place names, including the island of Eilean Maree in Loch Maree. There he built a church which had a famous healing spring, St. Maelrubha's Well.
He died at age 80 around 722 at Skail and his body was carried by his monks back to Applecross. The monastery he founded was razed by the Vikings at the end of the century but two stones that marked his grave can be seen in the church on the site.
aint Moloc was born around 530 in Scotland, though some say Ireland. However, it is known that he trained under Saint Brendan the Elder at Birr in Ireland. At some point he sailed back to Scotland, establishing himself on the island of Lismore - from there he voyaged to the mainland and also the islands, as far north as Skye and the Outer Hebrides, preaching the Good News. He died at Rossmarkie in 572 and may have been a bishop at that time. 450 years later, King Malcolm II attributed a great victory to his intercession and founded a see, an abbey and cathedral at Murlach in Saint Moloc's name. His feast day is June 25th.
Pronunciation:
Many thanks to Sean Gallagher and Colin Mark for help with pronunciations.
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