| ST. KEVIN (COEMGEN) |
| Columba Edmonds
|
| Abbot of
Glendalough, Ireland, b. about 498, the date being very obscure; d. 3 June, 618;
son of Coemlog and Coemell. His name signifies fair-begotten. He was baptized by
St. Cronan and educated by St. Petroc, a Briton. From his twelfth year he
studied under monks, and eventually embraced the monastic state. Subsequently he
founded the famous monastery of Glendalough (the Valley of the Two Lakes), the
parent of several other monastic foundations. After visiting Sts. Columba,
Comgall, and Cannich at Usneach (Usny Hill) in Westmeath, he proceeded to
Clonmacnoise, where St. Cieran had died three days before, in 544. Having firmly
established his community, he retired into solitude for four years, and only
returned to Glendalough at the earnest entreaty of his monks. He belonged to the
second order of Irish saints and probably was never a bishop. So numerous were
his followers that Glendalough became a veritable city in the desert. His
festival is kept throughout Ireland. Glendalough became an episcopal see, but is
now incorporated with Dublin. St. Kevin's house and St. Kevin's bed of rock are
still to be seen: and the Seven Churches of Glendalough have for centuries been
visited by pilgrims.
O'HANLON, Lives of Irish Saints (Dublin, 1875), VI, 28 sqq.; HEALY, Ireland's Ancient Schools and Scholars (Dublin, 1890); LANIGAN, Ecclesiastical Hist. or Ireland (Dublin, 1829), II; OLDEN in Dict. Nat. Biog., s. v. Transcribed by David Cheney |
|
Provided Courtesy of:
|