Insula Sanctorum et Doctorum; Or, Ireland's Ancient Schools and ScholarsHealy, John
History
Insula Sanctorum et Doctorum; Or, Ireland's Ancient Schools and Scholars
Healy, John
Education -- Ireland -- History
We are told by a very ancient authority[72] that the Saint was accompanied
to Ireland by a great number of holy bishops and priests and deacons, and
other youths in minor orders whom he had himself ordained for the Irish
Mission. They were Britons, Franks, and Romans, the latter term simply
meaning that some amongst them enjoyed the rights of Roman citizenship.
Many of them were his own blood relations, like Sechnall or Secundinus,
the son of Patrick's sister, Darerca. Others, like Auxilius and Iserninus,
are said to have been sent by Germanus of Auxerre to aid St. Patrick in
preaching to the Irish. These two prelates, however, though ordained with
St. Patrick, did not come to Ireland for some time after the arrival of
St. Patrick. Iserninus founded his church at Kilcullen in the co.
Kildare, and Auxilius founded Killossy, in the barony of Naas, which takes
its name Cill-Usailli (Gen. of Ausaille) from that Saint.
The names of these two bishops are chiefly memorable in connection with a
celebrated Synod--the first held in Ireland--which is commonly called the
Synod of Patrick, Auxilius, and Iserninus. Having been ordained Priests,
if not Bishops, on the same day with St. Patrick himself, these two
prelates seem to have enjoyed a certain kind of co-ordinate authority with
Patrick, but still in subjection to his primatial jurisdiction. The name
of Secundinus is not mentioned in connection with this Synod, which was
held A.D. 447 or 448, either because he was already dead, or did not
possess independent jurisdiction as one of the original episcopal founders
of the Irish Church. We cannot now enter into the question how far all the
Canons attributed to St. Patrick in the great collections published by
several writers are genuine, or merely circulated under his name with a
view to lend them greater authority.[73] Those attributed, however, to the
Synod of Patrick, Auxilius, and Iserninus are commonly regarded as
authentic,[74] and indeed bear intrinsic evidence that they were framed at
a time when paganism was yet common in Ireland.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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