Hogan, Saint Finien prêchant aux moines de Clonard. 1957,
Vitrail de l'église Saint-Finian de Clonard, County Meath, Ireland
Saint Finnian de Leinster
abbé en
Irlande (✝ 552)
Devenu chrétien
grâce aux disciples de saint Patrick, il passa dans le pays de Galles qu'il
évangélisa avec saint Gildas
et saint
Divy. Il est le fondateur d'un célèbre monastère à Clonard, qui
marque le seuil de la grande période monastique et missionnaire de l'Irlande.
À Clonard en Irlande, l’an 549, saint Finnian, abbé, qui fut le fondateur de plusieurs monastères, le père et le maître d’une multitude de moines.
Martyrologe
romain
Finnian (Finian, Finden) of Clonard B
Born c. 470; died c. 549-52. Irish monk who followed in the path of Saint
Patrick and began the initiator of a strict form of Irish monasticism. Finnian
had close relations with the British Church. The contemporary collection of
regulations for penitents, ascribed to Vinnianus, was probably not the work of
this Finnian but perhaps by Finnian of Moville. Unreliable legend has him born
at Myshall, County Carlow, Ireland, and spending several years in Wales at
monasteries under Saint Cadoc and Saint Gildas. He became a monk in Wales,
returned to Ireland, and founded several monasteries, most notably Clonard in
Meath, which was the greatest school of the period, renowned chiefly for its
biblical studies (Finnian was a great Biblical scholar). He died at Clonard of
the yellow plague, which swept Ireland. Though called a bishop in Ireland, it
is doubtful if he was ever consecrated. He is often called the "Teacher of
Irish Saints" and at one time had as pupils at Clonard the so- called
Twelve Apostles of Ireland, including Saint Columba of Iona, Saint Ciaran of
Clommacnois, and Saint Brendan the Voyager (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney,
Encyclopedia).
December
12
St. Finian, or Finan, Bishop of Cluain-Irard, or
Clonard, Confessor in Ireland
AMONG the primitive teachers of the Irish church the
name of St. Finian 1 is one of the most famous next to
that of St. Patrick. He was a native of Leinster, was instructed in the
elements of Christian virtue by the disciples of St. Patrick, and out of an
ardent desire of making greater progress passed over into Wales, where he conversed
with St. David, St. Gildas, and St. Cathmael, three eminent British saints.
After having remained thirty years in Britain, about the year 520 he returned
into Ireland, excellently qualified by sanctity and sacred learning to restore
the spirit of religion among his countrymen, which had begun to decay. Like a
loud trumpet sounding from heaven, he roused the sloth and insensibility of the
lukewarm and softened the hearts that were most hardened, and had been long
immersed in worldly business and pleasure. To propagate the work of God, St.
Finian established several monasteries and schools; the chief of which was
Clonard, in Meath, which was the saint’s principal residence. Out of his school
came several of the principal saints and doctors of Ireland, as Kiaran the
Younger, Columkille, Columba, the son of Crimthain, the two Brendans, Laserian,
Canicus or Kenny, Ruadan, and others.
St. Finian was chosen and consecrated bishop of
Clonard. 2 The great monastery which he erected at Clonard was a
famous seminary of sacred learning. 3 St. Finian, in the love of his flock, and his zeal
for their salvation, equalled the Basils and the Chrysostoms, was infirm with
the infirm, and wept with those who wept. He healed the souls, and often also
the bodies of those who applied to him. His food was bread and herbs, his drink
water, and his bed the ground, with a stone for his pillow. He departed to our
Lord on the 12th of December, in 552, according to the Inisfallen Annals,
quoted by Usher, but according to others in 564. See his life, published by
Colgan, on the 23rd of February. Usher, Ant. Brit. c. 18, p. 493, and Index
Chronol. p. 531. Sir James Ware, Ant. Hib. c. 29, de Eccl. Cathedr. p. 291, and
on the Bishops, p. 136. See also the note on St. Ultan, 4th of September.
Note 2. Simon Rochfort, the last bishop of Clonard, translated this see to a
monastery of Regular Canons, which he built at Trim in honour of SS. Peter and
Paul, in 1209. He and his predecessor, Eugenius, first took the title of
bishops of Meath; to which two other sees were united about the thirteenth
century, namely, that of Kenlis or Kells, where St. Columkille founded his
monastery of Cells about the year 550, and that of Duleek, anciently called
Damliag, which bishopric was founded by St. Cianan, who is honoured on the 24th
of November. [back]
Note 3. The monastery of Regular Canons of St. Austin, which subsisted at
Clonard till the dissolution of religious houses, was erected upon the ruins of
St. Finian’s abbey, in honour of St. Peter, by Walter Lacy, lord of Trim, son
of the ambitious Hugh Lacy, who having conquered this country was made lord of
Meath by Henry II. but afterwards beheaded by one O’Meey, an Irishman, as he
and O’Meey were measuring the fosse which surrounded the castle then erecting
at Dairmagh, now called Durrow. See Littleton’s Henry II. and Harris’s
Hib. [back]
Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume
XII: December. The Lives of the Saints. 1866
Saint Finnian of Clonard
Also known as
Profile
A pious youth, he
founded three churches in Ireland while still a layman. Studied in Wales under Saint
Cadoc of Llancarvan and Saint
Gildas the Wise. Monk. Great admirer of Saint
Patrick. Considered one of the great founders of Irish monasticism.
Founded the monastery
at Clonard, Meath, Ireland c.520 which lasted a thousand years, and was a training center for
great Irish saints.
Spiritual teacher of Saint
Columba of Iona, Saint
Columba of Terryglass, Saint
Ciaran of Clommacnois, Saint
Brendan the Voyager, Saint
Nathy, Saint
Nennius, Saint
Ruadhan of Lorrha, Saint
Daig MacCairaill, and others. Maintained close relations with the
British Church. Often referred to as a bishop, there is no evidence he was ever so consecrated.
Legend attributes
many miracles to him. Birds would gather around him because of his gentle holiness.
Reported to have cleared parasitic insects, worms and vermin from the island of Flathlom and the
regions of Nantcarfan. One story says that he fended off a party of Saxon raiders by causing an earthquake to swallow their camp.
Born
- c.549 to 552 at Clonard, Meath, Ireland of plague
- relics
originally enshrined
in Clonard, but were destroyed in the 9th century
Below is a
reproduction of a biography of Saint Finnian from the Irish Ecclesiastical
Record (Volume 13 (1892), 810-815). This reproduction is
taken from the Under the Oak blog that is written and
maintained by one of our parishioners.
ST. FINNIAN OF CLONARD.
SAINT
FINNIAN of Clonard, " Tutor of the Saints of Ireland," lived in the
sixth century. He was a native of Leinster ; his birthplace is generally
supposed to have been near the present town of New Ross. Saint Finnian was of
the race of Ir, and belonged to the Clan na Rudhraidhe. His name appears to be
a diminutive of Finn, "white." He was a contemporary of Finnian of
Moville, whose name comes next in the list of saints of the second class.
Saint
Abban baptized Finnian, and at an early age he was placed under the care of
Bishop Fortchern of Trim. With him he remained thirty years. At the end of that
period Finnian proceeded to Britain, and settled at Kilmuine or Menevia, where
he placed himself under David, Gildas, and Cadoc. David was grandson of an
Irish prince, Bracan. He taught St. Aidan of Ferns, was first Bishop of
Menevia, and died A.D. 589. Gildas was the author of De Excidio Britannia,
according to the Annals of Ulster. He died A.D 570. Cadoc is represented as
cousin to St. David, and was a pupil of St. Thaddeus, an Irishman. Saint
Finnian is said to have founded three churches in Britain, but they have not
been identified. While a monk at the monastery of St. David, Finnian on one
occasion was asked to supply the place of oeconomus, or house steward, in the
absence of the monk who generally filled that office. Finnian replied that he
would be unable to do so, as he was unprovided with the necessary requirements
for carrying wood and provisions. His superior having insisted on his
undertaking the task, Finnian obeyed, and we read in his life that an angel
came to his assistance. What before had seemed an impossibility he was able to
accomplish by the aid of this heavenly messenger.
How
long Finnian remained at St. David's monastery is uncertain. Lanigan thinks he
returned to Ireland about A.D. 520. Before leaving Britain Finnian determined
to undertake a journey to Rome, but an angel warned him not to do so, but to
return to his own country " Redite ad vestras plebes, Deus enim acceptat
intentionem Vestram." Finnian was accompanied to Ireland by several
friends, among whom special mention is made of Biteus and Genoc. On his passage
to Ireland, says Dr. Lanigan, he stopped a while with his friend Caimin, and
landed at the port Kille-Caireni, in Wexford.
Finnian
sent messengers to Muiredeach, sovereign of Ky-Kinsellagh, asking permission to
enter his territory. The king generously acceded to his request, and came
himself to see Finnian, in whose presence Muiredeach prostrated himself on the
ground, and promised the saint a site for a monastery. Saint Finnian erected an
establishment at Achadh Abhla ; i.e., “Field of the Apple-Tree," which now
bears the name Aghowle, or Aghold, in the barony of Shillelagh, County Wicklow.
It was anciently called Crosalech. Here St. Finnian resided for sixteen years.
At Mughna, County Carlow, he erected another monastery, and is said to have
lectured there for seven years on the Sacred Scriptures. It is probably while
there that he preached on one occasion in presence of St. Brigid.
We now
approach the most important event in St. Finnian's life in his settlement at
Clonard, County Meath, which during his lifetime became the most celebrated
sanctuary in Ireland for piety and learning. Cluain-Eraird i. e., Erard's Lawn
or Meadow is the derivation given by O'Donovan. Erard was a man's name, very
common in Ireland, signifying lofty or noble. Again, we find it related in the
saint's life that an angel appeared to him directing him as to where he should
take up his abode. Saint Finnian entered Clonard repeating the psalm "
Haec requies mea in Saeculum Saeculi hic habitabo quoniam elegi eam."
The
date of the saint's arrival at Clonard is said to be about A.D. 530. It is a
matter of doubt whether St. Finnian was a bishop. The Four Masters simply term
him abbot. Such is the title accorded to him in the Martyrology of Donegal and
other Irish calendars. Dr. Lanigan seems to think that St. Finnian was only
abbot. It is, doubtless, a fact that Clonard was an episcopal see, but it is
quite possible that it did not become so till after Finnian's time. His
successor at Clonard, St. Seanach, is called bishop by the Four Masters. The
school of Clonard in a short time became famous in Ireland. Those great men who
were afterward called the Twelve Apostles of Ireland came to seek instruction
from Finnian viz., Columba, the two Brendans, Ciaran of Saigher, his namesake
of Clonmacnoise, Columb of Tir-da-ghlas, Mobhi Claraineach, Molaish, Canice,
and Ruadhan of Lothra. Three thousand scholars are said to have been educated
at Clonard during the saint's lifetime, and the holy founder was justly termed
"Magister Sanctorum Hiberniae sui temporis." In the Life of St.
Ciaran of Clonmacnoise we read : " In schola sapientissimi magistri
Finniani plures Sancti Hibernise erant ;" and in that of St. Columb of
Tir-da-ghlas : "Audiens famam S. Finniani Episcopi de Cluain-Eraird, ut
Sacram Scripturam addisceret accessit ;" and, lastly, we find it said of
St. Ruadhan :"Legens diversas Scripturas et multum proficiens in
eis." Colgan enumerates thirty two saints who received instruction from
St. Finnian, and bears testimony of the fame of Clonard, where students
assembled from various parts of Europe.
Saint
Finnian did not permit his multifarious labours in behalf of learning to
interfere with his duties towards the needy and afflicted. We read in his life
that he was a father to all who sought help from him: " Flebat cum
flentibus." "Infirmabatur enim cum infirmis." On a certain
occasion a bard named German presented St. Finnian with a beautiful poem, in
which many of his virtues were extolled; the bard demanded from the saint not
gold or silver, or any worldly substance, but only fertility of produce in his
lands. Finnian answered him, and said : "Sing over water the hymn which
thou hast composed, and sprinkle the land with that water." The bard did
as he was directed, and his land produced abundant fruit.
In the
historical tale "The Expedition of the Sons of Carra," published by
O' Curry in his MS. Materials of Ancient Irish History, we have a description
of St. Finnian's interviews with the three brothers, who had plundered the
churches of Connaught. O 'Curry observes that while these tales often contain
matter without resemblance to facts, we are not to reject them wholly on that
account, but rather make allowance for poetic embellishment, at the same time
having good ground for believing that a foundation of truth exists. The story
is as follows : -
"
Three brothers actuated by an evil spirit plundered the churches of Connaught.
In their wicked enterprise they were joined by a band of adventurers as daring
as themselves. They commenced by pillaging the Church of Tuam, and never ceased
till they had laid waste more than half the churches of the province. When the
three brothers arrived at the Church of Clothar, they determined to kill the
old man, who was the Airchennech of that place ; he was their grandfather; but
he, though suspecting their evil design, treated them with kindness, and
assigned to them a comfortable resting-place. Lochan, the eldest of the three
brothers, that night had a vision, which alarmed him so much that he became
conscience-stricken. He saw represented before him the eternal joys of heaven
and the torments of hell. When morning came he acquainted his brothers of what
he saw, and like him they felt remorse for their wicked deeds. The brothers Carra
sought the pardon and prayers of their grandfather. They took counsel with the
old man as to what course they should pursue in order to obtain God's
forgiveness and to make reparation for the past. He told them to repair to St.
Finnian, the great teacher, and to submit themselves to his spiritual
direction. The Ua Carra immediately put off their warlike attire, and donned
the garb of pilgrims, and with staves instead of swords hastened to Clonard. At
their approach the inhabitants fled, for the fame of their evil deeds had
spread far and wide. St. Finnian alone came out to meet them ; the brothers
threw themselves on their knees, and besought his friendship and pardon. ' What
do you want, said Finnian.' ' We want,' said they, ' to take upon us the habit
of religion and penitence, and henceforward to serve God.' ' Your determination
is a good one,' said Finnian, ' let us come into the town, where my people
are.' They entered the town, and Finnian took counsel with his people
respecting the penitents. It was decided that they should be placed for the
space of a year under the direction of a certain divinity student, with whom
alone they were to converse during that period. The Ua Carra faithfully
complied with the mode of life laid out for them, and when the year expired
presented themselves before St. Finnian for his benediction. The saint blessed
them, saying, ' You cannot restore to life the innocent ecclesiastics whom you
have slain, but you can go and repair, and restore as far as is in your power,
the churches and other buildings which you have ruined.' The sons of Ua Carra
took an affectionate leave of St. Finnian, and as the Church of Tuam was the
first which suffered from their plundering, they wished it to be the first that
they should restore. They repaired it, and proceeded from place to place,
making amends for the injury they had inflicted on the churches of Connaught.
Having restored all the churches but one, the Ua Carra returned to St. Finnian,
who inquired if they had finished their work. They replied, 'We have repaired
all the churches but one.' ' Which is that?'asked Finnian. 'The Church of Ceann
Mara (Kinvara),' they said. ' Alas !' said the saint, ' this was the first
church you ought to have repaired the church of the holy man Coman ; return now,
and repair every damage, you have done to that place.' The brothers obeyed St.
Finnian's command, and restored the church. By the advice of St. Coman they
built a canoe, and undertook a voyage on the Atlantic Ocean."
Thus
far the tale refers to St. Finnian ; the voyage and its results does not come
within the scope of this paper.
St.
Finnian's mode of life was very austere, his usual food was bread and herbs ;
on festival days he allowed himself a little beer or whey ; he slept on the
bare grounds, and a stone served him for a pillow.
In his
last illness the saint was attended by his former pupil St. Colomb, of
Tir-da-Ghlas, who administered to him the Holy Viaticum. The Four Masters
record his death A.D. 548; but the year 550 or 551 appears to be the correct
date. It is stated in some of our annals that Finnian died of the plague ;
there is no doubt that the plague was in Ireland during this period, viz., 548
and 551. In the Chronicon Scotorum, under 551, we read : "A great
mortality, i. e., the Chronn Conaill." St. Finnian is enumerated among its
victims.
This
great saint is commemorated by Oenghus in the following verse :
"
A Tower of Gold over the sea,
May he bring help to my soul,
Is Finnian fair, the beloved root
Of the great Cluain-Eraird."
St.
Finnian's sister, St. Regnach, was Abbess of Kilreynagh, near the present town
of Banagher, King's County.
Hardy,
in his Descriptive Catalogue of British History, mentions four lives of St.
Finnian: viz., Ex. MS. Salmanticensis (which is given by Colgan) ; MS. Life,
Duke of Devonshire ; MS. Trinity College, Dublin, referred to by Bishop
Nicholson in his Irish Historical Library ; and MS. Bodleian Library, which
begins thus : " Fuit vir nobilia in Hiberniae partibus." (Hardy's
Catalogue, p. 128, vol. i., part 1.)
December
12th (the day of his death) is observed as his Feast.
JOHN M. THUNDER
©2009-2015
Russian Orthodox Community of St Finnian of Clonard, Belfast
Venerable Finnian, Abbot of Clonard
Commemorated
December 12/25
St. Finnian, a native of Leinster in Ireland, was destined to become one
of the greatest fathers of the Irish monasticism. His life was compiled in the
10th century. According to the tradition, the future saint was born to a noble
family in the second half of the 5th century, most probably in the village of
Myshall in the present-day county of Carlow. When his mother was still
pregnant, she once saw in a dream that a bright flame flew into her mouth and
then flew away like a glorious bird, which at once flew between the northern
and southern parts of Ireland, attracting a huge flock of other birds from all
over the country, which followed it. The woman told her husband about her
vision, and he understood that their child would become a great teacher and mentor.
All this later came true.
The young St. Finnian was probably educated in Idrone. His first teacher
was St. Fortchern of Trim, a disciple of St. Patrick. Some time later, the
Saint founded his first three monasteries, which were situated at Rossacurra,
Drumfea, and Kilmaglush. According to some sources, St. Finnian studied for a
short time in the great monastic centre of St. Martin in Tours in Gaul. It is
certain that this ascetic learned the fundamentals and skills of monastic life
in Wales, in the tradition of the great hermits of Egypt. There his teachers
included great fathers of the Welsh Church: St. David, St. Gildas the Wise,
and, particularly, St. Cadoc. This experience proved to be extremely useful for
the saint in the future.
St. Finnian meant to go to Rome after his training in Wales, but an
angel appeared to him in a vision and told the saint to return to his native
Ireland, where he was to become "a teacher and tutor of Irish
Saints". Significantly, among the future disciples of St. Finnian was St.
Columba, one of the greatest early Irish missionaries. After some 20 or 30
years in Wales, St. Finnian returned to Ireland, where he founded a great
number of churches and monasteries, for example, at Aghowle (in Wicklow) and
Mugna Sulcain. The holy man liked Aghowle very much and wanted to stay there
forever, but the angel appeared to him again and commanded him to go further,
as that was the will of God.
As was the case with other early Irish saints, St. Finnian became a
travelling missionary. On the island of Skellig Michael, not far from the
shores of Kerry, which later became one of the most famous bastions of Irish
Orthodoxy, St. Finnian built several churches and founded monastic communities.
After that the ascetic visited the monastery of Kildare, under the great Abbess
St. Brigid, and remained there for some years. He left Kildare to continue his
journeys and finally reached Clonard, situated on the River Boyne in the
present-day county of Meath. And the Lord revealed that in this very old and
pagan place, where there had never been any churches or monasteries before him,
the saint’s main labors were to take place.
At Clonard St. Finnian,
first of all built a small cell and tiny church, and in the year 520 founded a
monastery, which became the largest and the most important in Ireland. St.
Finnian became the first abbot of this monastery and organized life there,
taking as his model the practices of Welsh monasteries. This form of
monasticism was based on the traditions of the holy fathers of the East with
the compulsory study of the Holy Scriptures.
St.
Finnian was venerated as one of the greatest saints of his time. Numerous
disciples flocked to him. According to his life there lived some 3000 monks at
Clonard at the same time. Monks and laypeople, bishops and priests, poor and
rich—everybody came to him for spiritual advice. The fame of St. Finnian, loved
and honoured for his exemplary life, learning, gift of prayer and many
miracles, spread all over Ireland and far beyond. Monks and theologians from
various countries visited St. Finnian‘s monastery. Over the centuries thousands
of monks there studied the Holy Scriptures, the works of the Church Fathers,
grew in monastic life and were then sent as missionaries to distant lands. The
rule of Clonard was known for its strictness and asceticism. The brethren slept
little and rose early in the morning, prayed frequently and fervently, ate
little and worked hard.
St.
Finnian himself used to sleep on the bare, earthen floor of his primitive cell
and never put anything under his head. His iron girdle served him as chains in
his ascetic labours. According to the evidence of one of his disciples, the
venerable abbot became so emaciated because of his many years of extreme
ascetic life that his ribs could easily be seen through his clothes.
The disciples of Clonard
established hundreds of churches and monasteries in Ireland as well as in other
countries. According to a custom which existed in Clonard, every monk who left
the monastery as a missionary took with him a copy of the Gospels, a crozier
and some holy object (for example, a reliquary) and later, when building his
own church or monastery, placed these relics inside it. Thanks to Clonard and
other monasteries of similar reputation, Ireland became known as "The
Island of Saints". Under the influence of Welsh saints and, originally,
St. John Cassian in Gaul, St. Finnian compiled the first Irish Penitentiary,
which, in its turn, influenced St. Columbanus, who compiled his own and more
famous version. The Abbot also had a reputation as a brilliant interpreter of
the Scriptures.
St.
Finnian died of the plague in 549 (others say in 552). His relics remained in
the monastery church at Clonard until 887. There is evidence that after his
main relics had been vandalised by barbarians in that year, a small portion of
his relics were kept in a parish church near Clonard till the 17th century. The
monastery flourished till the 9th century and was considered as the second most
important monastery in Ireland after Armagh. Unfortunately, following the attacks
of the Vikings from the 9th to the 11th centuries, the glory of this monastery
faded.
In
Clonard today visitors can find a statue of St. Finnian and a church dedicated
to him, which contains stained glass of the saint with his disciples. Only
minor ruins remain of the former monastery. In the village of Myshall in
Carlow, where according to tradition St. Finnian was born, there are ruins of a
pre-Norman church, which stood there for many years but was ruined under
Cromwell in the 17th century. In the village of Aghowle there are ruins of the
ancient monastic church, which was built by St. Finnian himself early in the
6th century. In the 18th century a new church of St. Michael was built near it.
An ancient cross of St. Finnian has survived in this village as well. Today
there is also a Russian Orthodox mission in Belfast in Northern Ireland
dedicated to St. Finnian.
29 / 12 / 2013
School
of Clonard
Clonard (Irish, Cluain Eraird, or Cluain Iraird, Erard's Meadow)
was situated on the beautiful river Boyne, just
beside the boundary line of the northern and southern halves of Ireland. The founder of this school, the most famous of the sixth century, was St.
Finnian, an abbot and great wonder-worker. He was born at Myshall,
County Carlow, about 470. At an early age he was placed under the care of St.
Fortchern, by whose direction, it is said, he proceeded to Wales to perfect
himself in holiness and sacred
knowledge under the great saints of that country. After a long sojourn there, of
thirty years according to the Salamanca
manuscript, he returned to his native land and went about from
place to place, preaching, teaching, and founding churches,
till he was at last led by an angel to Cluain Eraird, which he was told would be the
place of his resurrection. Here he built a little cell and a church
of clay and wattle, which after some time
gave way to a substantial stone
structure, and entered on a life of study, mortification, and prayer. The fame of his learning and sanctity was soon noised abroad, and scholars of all ages
flocked from every side to his monastic
retreat — young laymen and clerics, abbots and bishops even, and those illustrious saints who were afterwards known as the "Twelve
Apostles of Erin". In the Office
of St. Finnian it is stated that
there were no fewer than 3000 pupils getting instruction at one time in the school in the green fields of Clonard under the
broad canopy of heaven. The master excelled in exposition of the Sacred Scriptures, and to this fact must be mainly attributed the
extraordinary popularity which his lectures enjoyed. The exact date of the saint's death is uncertain, but it was probably 552, and his burial-place
is in his own church of Clonard.
For centuries after his death the school continued to be renowned as a seat of Scriptural
learning, but it suffered at the hands of the Danes,
especially in the eleventh century, and two wretched Irishmen, O'Rorke of Breifney and Dermod McMurrough, helped to
complete the unholy work which the Northmen had begun. With the transference by the Norman
Bishop de Rochfort, in 1206, of
the See of Meath from Clonard to Trim, the glory
of the former place departed forever.
Sources
Irish Life in Book of Lismore; HEALY, Ireland's Ancient
Schools and Scholars (Dublin, 1890).
Healy, John. "School of Clonard." The Catholic Encyclopedia.
Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 12 Dec. 2016
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04064a.htm>.
Transcription. This
article was transcribed for New Advent by Anthony J. Stokes.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. Remy Lafort, Censor. Imprimatur. +John M.
Farley, Archbishop of New York.
San Finniano di Clonard Vescovo
† 549
Martirologio Romano: A Clonard in Irlanda, san Finniano, abate, che,
fondatore di molti monasteri, fu padre e maestro di una grande schiera di
monaci.
San Finniano fu una figura eminente tra i santi irlandesi nel periodo
immediatamente successivo a San Patrizio, apostolo dell’isola celtica, e
diverse leggende nacquero attorno al suo nome. Una “Vita” risalente al X secolo narra che il santo
nacque e studiò a Leinster, probabilmente ad Idrone, nella contea di Carlow.
Nei pressi di tale città istituì tre fondazioni: Rossacurra, Drumfea e
Kilmaglush. Trasferitosi poi in Galles, approfondì il monachesimo tradizionale
di San David di Menevia, San Cadoco e San Gilda, che consideravano la vita
monastica superiore a quella secolare ed attribuivano particolare importanza
allo studio.
Finniano fece ritorno in Irlanda per fondare chiese e monasteri. Il suo grande monastero si
trovava sul Boyne, nella contea di Meath, ove divenne celebre quale “maestro
dei santi d’Irlanda” e quasi tre migliaia di discepoli si raccolsero attorno a
lui. Secondo il Libro di Lismore, quando i monaci lasciarono Clonard, portarono
con loro un libro dei Vangeli, un pastorale ed un reliquiario, attorno ai quali
costruirono le loro chiese ed i monasteri. L’educazione
dei santi del periodo successivo è considerata opera di San Finniano, ottimo
conoscitore della Sacra Scrittura. Clonard mantenne infatti per secoli la sua
reputazione di luogo specializzato negli studi biblici. Il monastero di Clonard
subì vari attacchi durante le invasioni danesi e normanne, ma comunque
dall’inizio del XIII secolo cessò la sua funzione di centro religioso della
diocesi di Meath e passò ai canonici agostiniani, sino al XVI secolo.
San
Finniano morì probabilmente di peste nel dicembre del 549, assistendo altre
vittime della terribile epidemia. L’autore di una sua “Vita” irlandese afferma
infatti: “Come Paolo morì a Roma per amore del popolo cristiano, altrimenti
sarebbero tutti peritiall’inferno, Finnian morì a Clonard per amore del popolo,
perchè non morissero tutti di peste gialla”.
Il Penitenziale di Finnian è un’opera attribuibile a lui. Esso si basa in parte
su fonti gallesi ed irlandesi, su San Girolamo e San Giovanni Cassiano, ma
parecchio materiale è invece originale e costituisce il più antico esempio di
tal genere. Contribuì assai ad accrescere l’influenza di Clonard nella
disciplina penitenziale e negli studi biblici. Le reliquie del santo furono
custodite nella sua abbazia sino alla loro distruzione nell’887.
Autore: Fabio
Arduino
