Celtic Saints

They may be coated in layers of myth and pious anecdote but dig deep enough and the pioneering leaders of Celtic Christianity are revealed as reassuringly human individuals, responding to their faith by deliberately living on the edges of society. From the goddess-nun Brigid and absent-minded Cainnech to severe ascetics such as Columbanus and Baldred, together they demonstrate a close connection with the natural world, an astonishing self-discipline and, above all, a rigorous commitment to what it meant to be 'pilgrims for Christ'. Establishing a network of influential monastic communities, they travelled from the territories of the Atlantic seaboard – Ireland, Wales and Cornwall – across Scotland, the north of England and deep into continental Europe, transforming the religious experience of all they encountered.

Let the lives and the wisdom of the Celtic saints teach you to pray. An excellent resource for individuals or groups who want to learn from the masters.

Who were the Celtic saints of Britain? Why did them embark on long pilgrimages? Where were they going and what prompted them to make such journeys? Elizabeth Rees recreates the experiences of many of the well-known and lesser known Celtic missionaries, saints, monks, nuns and martyrs, pieced together through archaeological and literary evidence. Furnished with maps of sites mentioned in the text, routes taken and drawings of artefacts and buildings.

Cutting through the mists of Celtic myth, this historical account introduces the saints to us as real men and women in pursuit of holiness. The Celtic period began in 435 and ended in 715; this work tells the stories of the various branches of the Celtic church in this period.

Faithfully presenting the lives and legacies of twenty-eight Celtic saints of the sixth to ninth centuries in this newly revised and expanded book, Sellner reveals their wisdom in a way that can be understood and appreciated by contemporary readers. With background material on the Celtic Church, the characteristics of its spirituality, the symbolism in the stories, and the roles of soul friends, readers will reap a rich harvest for their own spiritual growth. The stories recounted range from the well-known saints, like Patrick, Brendan, Columcille, and Brigit, to those less likely to be familiar--Monesan, Ita, Samthann, and Declan. Vivid portrait-illustrations by Susan McLean-Keeney add to the prayerful beauty of the book. Readers will appreciate both the abiding truths the stories contain as well as enjoy these good stories, well told. In Europe, the author is considered a pioneer in writings on Celtic spirituality and soul-friendship, and in the United States, "one of their primary interpreters."

Scarcely a parish in Ireland is without one or more dedications to saints, in the form of churches in ruins, holy wells or other ecclesiastical monuments. Professor Pádraig Ó Riain's Dictionary of Irish Saints is intended to serve as a guide to the (mainly documentary) sources of information on the saints named in these dedications, for those who have an interest in them, scholarly or otherwise. The need for a summary biographical dictionary of Irish saints, containing information on such matters as feastdays, localisations, chronology, and genealogies, although stressed over sixty years ago by the eminent Jesuit and Bollandist scholar, Paul Grosjean, has never before been satisfied. Professor Ó Riain has been working in the field of Irish hagiography for upwards of forty years, and the material for the over 1,000 entries in his Dictionary has come from a variety of sources, including Lives of the saints, martyrologies, genealogies of the saints, shorter tracts on the saints (some of them accessible only in manuscripts), annals, annates, collections of folklore, Ordnance Survey letters, and other documents. Running to almost 700 pages, the body of the Dictionary is preceded by a Preface, List of Sources and Introduction, and is followed by comprehensive Indices of Parishes, Other Places (mainly townlands), Alternate (mainly Anglicised) Names, Subjects, and Feastdays. Professor Ó Riain's Dictionary has been described as 'an astonishingly comprehensive, intelligent and well-organized work'; it is unlikely to be superseded for many decades to come.

Most books about Celtic saints are based on their legendary medieval lives. This book, however, focuses on the sites where these early Christians lived and worked. Archaeology, combined with early inscriptions and texts, offers us important clues which help us to piece together something of the fascinating world of early Christianity. The book is illustrated with the author's own evocative photographs of the sites where the Celtic saints of Wales worked and prayed. The reader is therefore drawn into the beautiful world which these men and women inhabited. 'Celtic Saints of Wales' includes accounts of most well-known saints, and a number of less famous individuals. It is not, however, exhaustive: lack of historical data means that there are hundreds more Celtic monks and nuns, of whom we know little beyond their names. The book is easy to read, with an Introduction and maps to pinpoint the sites described and photographed. It is aimed at a broad reading public. Since it is both readable and fully illustrated, it will appeal to anyone interested in history, landscape or spirituality, and to Welsh tourists. Based on sound scholarship, it will also be of value to students of history, religion and culture.

The ancient Celtic tradition has taken the modern world by storm. Over the past decade seekers have collected all things Celtic-books, art, music, toys, clothing. But how much of it is authentic or lasting? In this highly distinctive book, June Sawyers has culled from a diverse pool of sources to offer readers a weekly dose of Celtic wisdom and witness. Beyond the famous trio of Patrick, Brigid, and Brendan, contemporary seekers will find kindred souls in famous and not-so-famous saints, prophets, martyrs, and poets who make up the fabric of the Celtic tradition. This book features short entries describing the lives, temptations, insights, and struggles of Celtic saints but also Celtic prophets, martyrs, and poets. Arranged weekly by either feast day, birth date, date of death, or alphabetically, each selection is preceded by a quotation from or about the saint, prophet, martyr, or poet and concludes with a thought to ponder. When appropriate, each entry is accompanied by a descriptive listing ofsignificant sacred sites, museums, or other important landmarks. From Patrick and Columba to Seamus Heaney and William Butler Yeats, this is a timeless and timely, practical and wise book. Use it as your spiritual guide throughout the year.