Dr. John (Ellsworth) Hutchison-Hall

Eastern Orthodox Christian theologian, historian, philosopher, and cultural commentator.

            

Home » Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism See of Rome 21st January (NS) — 8th January (OS) 2024


Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism
See of Rome
21st January (NS) — 8th January (OS) 2024

by | 21st January 2024 | Orthodox Western Saints

8th January (OS)

ALBERT of CASHEL, (Seventh Century), whilst no reliable Life of this saint is extant, it seems that he was born in England and evangelised in Ireland and then later in Bavaria with St. Erhard of Regensburg (vide infra). He went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and, on his return to Bavaria, reposed, and was buried in Regensburg. St. Albert is the patron saint of Cashel in Ireland.

ATHELHELM (ATHELM), the twenty-first Archbishop of Canterbury, and an uncle of St. Dunstan (19th May) St. Athelhelm was a monk, and later became Abbot of Glastonbury. He was consecrated the first Bishop of Wells in Somerset 909, serving that See until his elevation to the Archbishopric of Canterbury in 923. St. Athelhelm reposed shortly after his elevation to Canterbury. Some sources claim he reposed in 926, and most likely presided at the coronation of King Æthelstan (r. 924–939) of England 925, though there is no definitive evidence to support this.

ERGNAD (ERCNACTA), (Fifth Century), a native of present-day Antrim, this holy woman is said to have been tonsured by St. Patrick (17th March). She spent her monastic life as an anchoress and her last years were marked by many miracles.

Troparion of St. Ergnad
Tone III

Turning thy back on the transitory glamour of the world, O Mother Ergnad,

thou wast tonsured by the Hierarch Patrick.

By fulfilling thy obedience, thou dost teach us the virtue of humility.

Wherefore, O righteous one, pray that we may be given grace

to accept spiritual guidance for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion of St. Ergnad
Tone VIII

Adornment of Ireland and joy of monastics, O Mother Ergnad

thou didst trample on the fiery passions, which war against the soul.

O conqueror of them all and champion of purity,

we praise thee, as is thy due, and in thine honour, we sing: Alleluia.

ERHARD, an Irish missionary bishop who evangelised Bavaria primarily around Regensburg. St. Erhard reposed circa 686.

EUGENIAN, (Fourth Century), a fourth century Bishop of Autun, who was martyred for his unwavering opposition to Arianism.

FRODOBERT, a monk and disciple of St. Waldebert (2nd May) at The Abbey of SS. Peter and Paul of Luxeuil in Burgundy. St. Frodobert went on to found the Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Montier-la-Celle in Troyes (circa 650), where he served as the first Abbot until his repose circa 673.

GARIBALDUS, the first Bishop of Regensburg in Bavaria, (739–761). It is quite probable he was either a monk or even Abbot of St. Emmeran’s Abbey prior to consecration as bishop. St. Garibaldus reposed in 762.

GUDULA (GOULE), a daughter of St. Amelberga of Maubeuge (10th July) St. Gudula was educated by her aunt St. Gertrude (17th March) at Nivelles. Upon completion of her education St. Gudula returned to her family’s castle where she spent her life in prayer and serving others. St. Gudula reposed in 712, and is patroness of Brussels, Belgium.

LUCIAN, MAXIMIAN, and JULIAN, missionaries from Rome who were martyred in Beauvais circa 290.

MAXIMUS, a late fifth century Bishop of Pavia and participant in the Synods of Rome convened by Pope Symmachus. St. Maximus reposed in 511.

NATHALAN, (Seventh Century), born to a wealthy landed family in Scotland, St. Nathalan distributed his estate amongst the poor and became a hermit, combining tilling the soil with assiduous prayer. He was famous for his learning (both secular and sacred), and his zeal in spreading the Faith. Elevated to the Bishopric of Aberdeen, he continued his charity to the poor, living in great austerity. St. Nathalan reposed in 679.

PATIENS, (Second Century), the fourth Bishop of Metz (north-east France).

PEGA, St. Pega was the sister of St. Guthlac (11th April), who also lived an hermetic life, initially at Crowland and then finally in Northamptonshire, where the village of Peakirk (Pega’s church) commemorates her. At some point after St. Guthlac’s repose, St. Pega went to Rome where she reposed circa 719. Her relics were placed in a local church, the name of which is now lost to us; however, they were reportedly the source of many miracles.

SEVERINUS, a hermit who felt called to evangelise and went to Noricum (roughly present-day western Austria, parts of Bavaria and Slovenia). There St. Severinus founded several monasteries along the Danube and established funds to ransom captives. St. Severinus reposed in 482.

WULSIN, St. Wulsin was a monk and one of the restorers of monastic discipline in England during the tenth century under St. Dunstan (19th May). Appointed to serve as superior over the restored community at Westminster circa 960, he was elevated to Abbot 980. St. Wulsin was consecrated Bishop of Sherborne which he served until his repose in 1002.

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21st January (NS)

AGNES, there are several legends regarding St. Agnes' martyrdom, circa 254 - 305, none of which can be verified. Of the most popular ones, she is either taken to a temple dedicated to the Roman goddess of Minerva, where she refuses to offer a sacrifice and so is martyred. In another she is tried for being a Christian, condemned to death at the stake, and then beheaded when the flames miraculously failed to burn her. All legends place her age at twelve or thirteen and agree that she was buried on the Via Nomentana, in Rome.

Orthodox Christian Icon of St. Agnes of Rome

Icon of St. Agnes of Rome

BRIGID (BRIGA) of KILBRIDE, she flourished in the late fifth, or early sixth centuries in Lismore, Co. Waterford. According to legend, St. Brigid of Kildare (1st February) visited her more than once at Kilbride. According to the noted 17th century hagiographer and historian John Colgan O.F.M. (†c. 1657), the now-lost Calendar of Cashel styles her St. Brigid of Killbrige.

EPIPHANIUS, renown for his sanctity, charity, and the gift of wonderworking, St. Epiphanius was elected Bishop of Pavia circa 467. The primary source of information on St. Epiphanius' life comes from the still extant Vita Epifanius by his contemporary, friend, and later Bishop of Pavia, St. Ennodius (17th July). During his life St. Epiphanius negotiated on behalf of his flock with the Emperor Anthemus (r. 467–472), Euric, King of the Visigoths (r. 466–484), and the Ostrogoth commander Theodoric. St. Epiphanius served as an Ambassador to the court of Euric at Toulouse, and accompanied by St. Ennodius, led a mission to Gundobad King of the Burgundians (r. c. 474–516). He played a vital role in the rebuilding of Pavia following its destruction by the forces of Odoacer. St. Epiphanius reposed circa 497, his relics were translated to Hildesheim in Lower Saxony in 963.

FRUCTUOSUS, AUGURIUS, AND EULOGIUS, Martyrs of Tarragoña, during the Valerian Persecution (257 – 260) Fructuosus, Bishop of Tarragoña, and his two deacons, Augurius and Eulogius, were ordered to make offerings to Roman gods. Refusing to apostatise, they declared their faith in the one true God, and were condemned to be burnt at the stake. Later, St. Augustine of Hippo (28th August), composed a Panegyric on St. Fructuosus.

LAWDOG, four churches in the Welsh diocese of St. David’s are named for this sixth century saint. It is possible that he is the same saint as St. Llenddad (15th January), Abbot of Bardsey, however there is no further information about him extant.

MACCALLIN (MACALLAN) , an Irishman, who along with his companion St. Cadroe (6th March), is credited with the being the founding Abbot of the Abbey of Waulsort, in present-day Hastière in the province of Namur, Belgium. St. Maccallin reposed in 978.

MEINRAD, originally from present-day eastern France, and according to some sources a member of the House of Hohenzollern; St. Meinrad received monastic tonsure at Reichenau Abbey in Lake Constance in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. After many years at Reichenau, St. Meinrad lived as a hermit at what became Einsiedeln Abbey in the Swiss Caton of Schwyz. One day in 861, he gave shelter to two men who turned out to be robbers. Upon finding nothing of value at his hermitage, they beat St. Meinrad to death. Though there is no evidence that he specifically died for the Faith, due to his sanctity, St. Meinrad has always been considered a martyr.

PATROCLUS, a wealthy and charitable Christian noble in Troyes in Gaul. During a local persecution of Christians, St. Patroclus was arrested and martyred for the Faith, either in 275 or 259, depending upon the source.

PUBLIUS, venerated as the first Bishop of Malta, according to tradition St. Publius is the 'chief man of the island of Malta', who befriended St. Paul after his shipwreck (Acts 28:7). St. Publius was martyred circa 112.

VIMIN (WYNNIN, GWYNNIN), there being no reliable information on this saint extant, we are left to legend to piece together a Life of sorts. He seems to have been the founder and first Abbot of the monastery of Holywood in Fife, and according to one tradition was a bishop. St. Vimin reposed 579. Anglican Bishop Alexander Forbes (†1875) Kalendar of Scottish Saints has some interesting (though of doubtful reliability) details about him, and the Aberdeen Breviary contains the Liturgical Office for the Feast of St. Vivian.

WILGILS, born in Northumbria, he was the father of St. Willibrord (7th November). Withdrawing from the world he built a hermitage dedicated to St. Andrew (30th November) on the banks of the River Humber where he lived out the rest of his life as an anchorite.

Prior to the Schism the Patriarchate of Rome was Orthodox, and fully in communion with the Orthodox Church. As Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco +1966 said “The West was Orthodox for a thousand years, and her venerable Liturgy is far older than any of her heresies”.

Details of British Saints excerpted from Orthodox Saints of the British Isles.
Details of continental saints from these sources.

In many cases there are several spelling versions of the names of saints from the British Isles. I use the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography version as the primary version with the more prevalent version in parenthesis e.g. Ceadda (Chad) of Lichfield.