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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:
1. "Adamnan."
(www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta3g.htm).
2. "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.
3. "Adomnan, St." The
Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, edited by F. L. Cross and E. A.
Livingstone. Oxford, 1997.
4. "Adomnan (Adamnan) of Iona,
Abbot." http://users.erols.com/saintpat/ss/0923.htm
5. Flood, W. H. Grattan. "St.
Adamnan." The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton, 1907
6. Adamnan. Life of St. Columba.
Medieval Sourcebook. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/columba-e.html
7. Various internet articles.
Last updated July, 2007
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