23 September 704 A.D. Adamna—Ireland’s Author-Evangelist Dies at Iona
23 September 704 A.D. Adamna—Ireland’s
Author-Evangelist Dies at Iona
Graves, Dan. “Ireland’s Author-Evangelist.” Christianity.com. Jul 2007.
http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/601-900/irelands-author-evangelist-adamnan-11629743.html. Accessed 23 May
2014.
On September 23, churches of the
western world remember St. Adamnan. Across Scotland are many sites dedicated to
him. An Irish monk, he would be worthy of remembrance, if it was only for
Adamnan's Law.
Adamnan was born of royal blood
in County Donegal sometime around 624. His name means "Little Adam."
Educated by local monks, he became a novice at the monastery of Iona.
Eventually, when he was about 55, he rose to become the ninth abbot of the
abbey at Iona. He must have been an outstanding leader, because he was also
chosen to serve as "president" of all of the monasteries that had
sprung out of the missionary work of St. Columba.
As a matter of fact, Adamnan
wrote the life of Columba. The book consists of 24 chapters filled with marvels
and miracles.
Adamnan was active in the
politics of his day. He gave sanctuary to Prince Aldfrid when the throne of
Northumbria, England was in dispute. Later Aldfrid became king and Adamnan was
able to negotiate the release of Irish captives who had been kidnapped by
English pirates. When the Celtic church argued whether to switch to the Roman
rule, Adamnan was a leader of the movement to go with the Roman Easter and
other Roman practices. This upset fellow monks and he found his welcome at Iona
considerably cooler and spent much of his time elsewhere.
He visited two of England's great
monasteries, including Jarrow, where his contemporary, the historian, Bede,
lived. On a visit to Ireland, Adamnan convinced the Irish to adopt the Roman
date for Easter. Seven years before his death, he attended the council of Birra
and convinced the Irish kings to adopt the principle, known as Adamnan's Law,
which said that women, children, monks and other non-combatants were to be
spared during war and no longer taken prisoner. This law was reaffirmed many
times afterward by Irish rulers.
Among Adamnan's other work was to
write a book about Palestine and other distant lands, called On the Holy
Places. He based its descriptions on interviews with Bishop Arculf, who had
visited the Middle East as a pilgrim and made notes. Shipwrecked on the coast
of England, Arculf had taken shelter with Adamnan.
The monastery at Raphoe, Ireland
is linked with Adamnan's name because he renovated it and brought it new life.
His success was based on his sincerity. He was described as "tearful,
penitent, fond of prayer, diligent and ascetic, and learned in the clear
understanding of the Holy Scriptures of God." He died at Iona on this day,
September 23, 704.
Bibliography:
"Adamnan."
(www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta3g.htm).
"Adamnan or Adomnan."
The Dictionary of National Biography, founded in 1882 by George Smith; edited
by Leslie Stephen and Sidney Lee. London: Oxford University Press, 1921 - 1996.
"Adomnan, St." The
Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, edited by F. L. Cross and E. A.
Livingstone. Oxford, 1997.
"Adomnan (Adamnan) of Iona,
Abbot." http://users.erols.com/saintpat/ss/0923.htm
Flood, W. H. Grattan. "St.
Adamnan." The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton, 1907
Adamnan. Life of St. Columba.
Medieval Sourcebook. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/columba-e.html
Various internet articles.
Last updated July, 2007
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