Friday, July 08, 2011

Naomh An Lae - Saint Of The Day

kilianSt Kilian (640-689) martyr: from Mullagh to Würzburg

St Kilian was an Irish monk, who like Columbanus, Fiacra, Fursey and Feargal went on an adventure to Europe spreading the good news. From Mullagh, Co Cavan.  

From Mullagh, Co Cavan

St Kilian was born in Mullagh, Co Cavan. which has a church and heritage centre dedicated to him. Here in 1989 the people of the parish celebrated the 13th centenary of his death. 

There is also a church dedicated to him at Lauragh, Tuosist, Co Kerry and a pattern is celebrated in his honour every 8th July. 

Kilian is said to have sailed from neighbouring Kilmacillogue harbour with eleven companions on a mission to Germany.

Up the Rhine and the Main to Würzburg, Germany

Kilian's group landed at the mouth of the Rhine and travelled up the river until they reached the mouth of its tributary, the Main; then they sailed up this as far as the town of Würzburg. 

Here Kilian converted the local ruler Duke Gosbert from paganism to Christianity.

To Rome 

From there he went on to Rome arriving during the pontificate of Pope Conon (686-7) and stayed there for two years. 

Some accounts say Pope Conon confirmed him in his mission to Thuringia and Eastern Franconia.

Martyrdom

On his return to Würzburg, however, Kilian found that the Duke Gosbert had married his brother's widow, Geilana. 

When Kilian explained that according to Canon Law the marriage was unlawful, the duke agreed to separate. 

But Geilana was not happy and plotted against Kilian. She had him murdered along with two companions Colman and Totnan, probably in 689.

Cult grows up fifty years later

Kilian and his companions seem to have been forgotten after their martyrdom. 

But fifty years after their death when the English missionary St Boniface and his companion Burchard of Wessex arrived in the area, they found evidence of Kilian's influence. 

Burchard became the first bishop of Würzburg in 752 and transferred the relics of Kilian and his companions, which were being revered for many cures from illnesses, into the cathedral he built in Würzburg and dedicated to St Kilian.

St Kilian's Cathedral, Würzburg

The present-day cathedral named after Kilian is one of the largest Romanesque churches in Germany. 

Kilian is the principal patron of Würzburg; his figure appears on seals and coins and a Kilianfest held every year is the occasion of an annual mystery play about his life.

In the Martyrology of Tallaght

News of Kilian's martyrdom was brought back to Ireland and is recorded in the ninth-century Irish Martyrology of Tallaght: hymns and folk-songs were composed in his honour.

Links between Würzburg and Ireland

There was  a house of Irish monks in the city of  Würzburg from the ninth century until the fifteenth and there are manuscripts of commentaries written in Old Irish on the Scriptures.

In 1989 Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich visited the city to lecture about these writings and contacts. 

Irish influence remains in Würzburg today as there is a GAA club called St Kilian's with hurling and football teams that compete successfully at European level.

St Kilian's German school in Dublin

St Kilian's in the name of a German school (Deutsche Schule) in Dublin. It is situated on the Eurocampus in Clonskeagh, quite near to University College, Dublin. 

It provides a German language education from kindergarten, through primary and secondary levels.