lundi 12 septembre 2016

Saint AILBHE (ALBEUS, AILBE, ELVIS) d'EMLY, moine, évêque et confesseur

The Church of St Ailbe, Emly, Co. Tipperary, on the site of an earlier cathedral and monastery


Saint Ailbe

Évêque irlandais (6ème s.)

ou saint Elvis

moine puis élu évêque, parce qu’il était un grand prédicateur qui par sa cordialité gagnait les âmes des irlandais.

autre source (en anglais): archidiocèse de Cashel et Emly (Irlande)

À Emly en Irlande, vers 528, saint Ailbe, évêque et abbé, qui parcourut le pays pour prêcher l’Évangile.

Martyrologe romain

SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/1840/Saint-Ailbe.html

Saint Ailbhe, évêque d'Emly

(Albeus, Elvis, Ailbe)

5ième ou 6ième siècle (mort 526-540?). Bien qu'ils soient nombreux ceux qui pensent erronément que saint Patrick fut le premier à apporter le Christianisme en Irlande, saint Ailbhe fut convertit par des missionnaires Brittons. Certaines traditions rapportent qu'il aurait été Baptisé par un prêtre, alors qu'il était garçonnet, dans le nord de l'Irlande; une autre dit que c'était dans une implantation Brittonique en Irlande. Dans les 2 cas, il avait déjà fait un pélerinage à Rome avait que Patrick n'arrive - certains affirment qu'il y aurait été fait évêque.

A son retour en Irlande, il devint disciple de Patrick, et selon certains, fut consacré comme premier archévêque de Munster par lui. Ailbhe fixa son siège à Emly (Imlech, Comté Tipperary, bien que la cathédrale se trouve à présent à Cashel), siège qui est officiellement enregistré par le Vatican comme ayant été fondé au 4ième siècle, en faisant le plus ancien siège épiscopal continuel d'Irlande.

Il était connu comme un puissant enseignant et un modèle de sainteté, qui gagna nombre d'âmes à la Foi. Bien qu'il aie vécu dans le monde afin de prendre soin des âmes de son troupeau, il prit aussi soin de la sienne. Il fit de fréquentes retraites et récollections. Saint Ailbhe aimait particulièrement prier en bord de mer. Le roi Aengus de Munster lui donna l'île d'Aran (Comté Galway) sur laquelle il ira fonder un grand monastère et établira saint Enda comme abbé. Il rédigea aussi une Règle pour la communauté, dont on possède encore le texte.

Devenu âgé, il voulut quitter son siège et se retirer dans la solitude de Thule (Shetland? Islande? Groenland?) pour préparer son décès, alors le roi fit poster des gardes aux portes pour l'empêcher de partir. Dès lors, saint Ailbhe mourrut au milieu de ses travaux épiscopaux et devint le principal patron du Munster.

Il existe nombre de récits sur saint Ailbhe : qu'il aurait Baptisé saint Dewi (David) du Pays de Galles; qu'un Ange lui aurait indiqué le "lieu de sa résurrection", Emly; qu'il était en constant dialogue avec les Anges. Même son nom est relié à une légende : Ailbhe, qui signifierait "rocher vivant" en Gaëlique, aurait été trouvé abandonné sous un rocher et allaité par une louve, et ainsi appelé par sa famille adoptive. L'histoire continue en racontant que par la suite, alors qu'il chassait avec certains compagnons, une vieille louve serait venue se réfugier auprès de lui (Bénédictins, Delaney, Encyclopaedia, Farmer, Husenbeth, Montague).

Une autre Vie :

http://www.alvyray.com/Ailbhe/AilbheSaint.htm >

Saint Ailbhe appartient à une période incertaine et pleine de controverses sur l'Histoire d'Irlande. Il y a des preuves qu'il est un des premiers missionnaires Chrétiens en Irlande - avant saint Patrick ! - mais les historiens "Patriciens" les rejettent - peut-être avec une arrière-pensée politique? Qui sait! Cependant, il est reconnu comme le saint patron de l'actuel archidiocèse de Cashel et Emly, qui se trouve dans dans la partie sud du centre de l'Irlande, et comprend les Comtés de Tipperary et Limerick. Il est probablement le fondateur de la première et ancienne cathédrale d'Emly. On trouvera une histoire typique de lui sur le site internet de l'archidiocèse de Cashel et Emly,  http://ireland.iol.ie/~pjackson/acesaint.htm , qui nous rapporte qu'Ailbhe réussit à sauver une louve (voir le nom sur la liste) qui allait être tuée et que par la suite la louve mangea à sa table.

Les informations plus sérieuses semblaient se retrouver dans la traduction de la vie de saint Declan d'Ardmore ,

 http://www.ccel.org/d/declan/life/declan.html , qui indique clairement qu'Ailbhe et Ciaran (tous 2 saints) précédèrent Patrick dans la mission Irlandaise, que la Vie de saint Patrick confirme que Patrick serait venu en Irlande peu après Ailbhe et Ciaran comme supérieur de la hiérarchie catholique. Malheureusement, la Vie de saint Declan contient de toute évidence des contradictions, rendant ces faits controversés. La Vie de saint Declan, en plus, semble établir Declan comme un autre des missionnaires Chrétiens Irlandais pré-Patriciens. Les autres candidats membres à cette élite sont Ibar, Brigitte, Senan, et peut-être "Mac [ fils de ] Cairthinn" (voir Vie de saint Senan http://www.solaw.com/jg4/senan/  ). Un autre exemple de confusion flagrante est mis en évidence par les noms Celtiques de naissance de la liste ci-dessus qui dit que saint Ailbhe aurait vécu au 6ième siècle. Cela corroborerait l'information du site internet de l'archidiocèse de Cashel et Emly qui indique 528 comme l'année de sa mort. Le site internet fait cependant remarquer que cela contredit alors l'affirmation qu'il aurait précédé Patrick en Irlande, puisque ce dernier y était au 5ième siècle. Mais la Vie de saint Declan continue en disant qu'Ailbhe, Declan, Ibar et Patrick s'étaient rencontrés et en Irlande, et à Rome, auparavant.

La meilleure information que j'aie trouvé vient du livre "The Flowering of Ireland: Saints, Scholars & Kings" par Katharine Scherman, Little Brown & Co, 1981 (reéditée en 1999 pour le St Patrick's Day). Extraits :

p 83: "Mais lui [ Patrick] avait des prédécesseurs. A travers la nimbe de mythe qui entoure l'histoire de l'ancienne Eglise Irlandaise, émergent 4 saintes figures qui y étaient avant que Patrick ne vienne.. On ne sait plus grand chose d'eux, sinon leurs noms - saint Ciaran de Saighir et Ossory, saint Ailbhe d'Emly, saint Ibar de Beg Erin et saint Declan d'Ardmore - et quelques vivantes légendes sur leurs activités miraculeuses."

pp 84-85: "La figure de saint Ailbhe est aussi nébuleuse que celle de saint Ciaran. Sa vie aurait duré 167 ans, de 360 à 527. Il est probablement "composite" : les saints des anciens temps, dont le récit de la vie dépendait de la tradition orale de convertis récents qui étaient encore tous empreimpts de la magie et du mysticisme de leur jeunesse pré-Chrétienne, avaient tendance à se voir mélangés. Leurs actes, enregistrés plus tard par écrit par des moines eux-mêmes enveloppés dans un climat de confiance totale, furent enveloppés d'une aura de brouillard, et nombre de saints se retrouvèrent mélangés en un seul monument hyperbolique à la sainteté.

"Ailbhe naquit d'une jeune servante dans la maison de Cronan, seigneur d'Eliach au Comté de Tipperary. Cronan, pour des raisons non-révèlées, désapprouva cette naissance et ordonna qu'il soit exposé "aux chiens et bêtes sauvages, afin qu'il soit dévoré" (1) Le bébé fut retrouvé par une louve, qui en prit soin jusqu'à ce qu'un passant inconnu, probablement un Chrétien de Grande-Bretagne, remarquant sa beauté et sa grâce Chrétienne potentielle, le prit avec lui pour l'élever dans la foi. Après des études et une consécration à Rome, Ailbe fut dirigé par le pape, en même temps que "50  saints hommes d'Irlande", probablement des accompagnateurs récemment convertis, pour aller faire du prosélitisme parmi les païens d'un endroit inconnu en Europe. Alors, comme "la sagace abeille chargée de miel", il embarqua pour l'Irlande avec ses compagnons dans une barcasse inapropriée à la navigation maritime. En bénissant la mer, il les amena tous avec serénité dans un port au nord de l'Irlande, où il convertit le roi, Fintan, et ramena à la vie les 3 fils de Fintan, morts à la bataille.

Note de l'auteur [1]: "Les citations concernant la Vie de Saint Ailbhe à travers ce chapitre sortent du livre du Révérend John O'Hanlon, "Lives of the Irish Saints" [que je n'ai pas réussi à retrouver : 10 volumes, Dublin: J. Duffy & Sons, 1875].

"Saint Ailbe traversa l'Irlande, comme le fera saint Patrick après lui, convertissant en chemin, et s'installant pour finir à Emly, Comté de Tipperary, près du lieu de sa naisasnce. Là il fonda une église et une école, et promulgua la "Loi d'Ailbe", qu'on suppose être la première codification ecclésiastique en Irlande. Durant sa longue vie, il fut l'ami de nombre de saints hommes, dont bien entendu saint Patrick, qui l'aurait nommé archévêque de Munster. Quand il fut très âgé, il voulut se retirer à Tyle (Thule), l'île appelée à présent Islande, pour fuir les honneurs mondains et méditer parmi les saints ermites déjà établis sur cette blanche terre. Mais le roi Aengus de Munster (convertit par saint Patrick) refusa sa permission et plaça des gardes dans les ports de mer afin qu'il ne puisse pas échapper à ses responsabilités et les abandonnant à la multitude de ceux qui l'adulaient. Ailbe est appelé le "second saint Patrick", et il est un de ceux dont les actions et la personne se mèlent avec l'ombre du saint patron de l'Irlande."

p 86: "A Rome il [Saint Declan] rencontra Ailbé, déjà célèbre, et ils y devinrent de grands amis, ce qui devait durer jusqu'à la fin de leurs jours".

p 94: "Apocryphes comme la plupart des histoires qui tournent autour de la nébuleuse figure du patron de l'Irlande, c'est un fait historique que la structure d'une organisation Chrétienne vaguement modelée sur celle de Rome commença à prendre forme sous l'égide d'une forte personalité, personne seule ou "composite". Cela commença, probablement, lorsque Patrick partit défier la place-forte païenne de Cashel. (C'était le siège du roi Aengus, le Grand-roi de Munster, qui était une des 5 provinces d'Irlande, et à l'époque, avec Tara, la plus puissante). Cashel était la rivale traditionnelle de Tara.. et Patrick savait que la conversion de son roi était aussi importante pour sa mission qu'arriver à convaincre le roi Laoghaire de Tara. L'éloquent jeune homme réussi là où ses anciens, les 4 premiers saints d'Irlande, avaient échoué. Aengus devint son meilleur soutien, et Cashel fut le lieu des premières assemblées ecclésiastiques d'Irlande, quand Patrick y fit venir à lui Declan, Ibor, Ailbe et Ciaran pour l'arrangement des affaires ecclésiales.

Tropaire de saint Ailbe ton 4

Quand l'Illuminateur de l'Irlande revint de sa terre natale il te trouva toi, O saint Ailbe, prêchant la Foi à Emly,/

Où à la demande d'un Ange tu avais bâtit une église./

O avisé berger des âmes et glorieux ascète,/

O ami des animaux et collaborateur dans la mission avec le célèbre Patrick,/

Prie le Christ notre Dieu afin que nous devenions nous aussi des bastions de l'Orthodoxie/

Et un brillant exemple pour nos compatriotes, les tirant hors de l'ignorance et de l'erreur/

et les amenant à la vraie Foi afin que toutes les âmes soient sauvées.

On trouvera la Règle de saint Ailbe dans le livre "The Celtic Monk: Rules & Writings of Early Irish Monks" Uinseann O'Maidin OCR, pub. Cistercian Studies Series Number 162, 1996. ISBN: 0879076623 (pb) and 0879075627 (hb).

THE CELTIC MONK (en anglais) [ note del'éditeur : Règles et Ecrits des Anciens Moines Irlandais, traduits et annotés par Uinseann Ó Maidin, OCR. 1996      216 pp

http://www.spencerabbey.org/cistpub/catalogue/in_detail/books/cs_series/celtic_cs162.html

paroisse catholique-romaine actuelle à Emly : http://www.tipp.ie/townsandvillages/tipperary/emly.htm

anciennement : http://www.tipp.ie/emly.htm


St Ailbe's Cross, Emly, Co. Tipperary, remnant of an early cathedral and monastic site


Saint Ailbe of Emly

Also known as

Ailbhe

Albert

Albeo

Albeus

Elvis

The Patrick of Munster

Memorial

12 September

Profile

Disciple of Saint Patrick. Effective evangelist throughout Ireland with the support of King Aengus of Munster. Noted for his charity and his excellent preaching. Little else is known for sure, but many stories and much speculation have attached to Ailbhe. He may have been the first bishop of EmlyIreland. He may have founded a monastery at Killeaney, Inishmore, Ireland. One old story stays that he was born to parents so poor that they were unable to feed him, and abandoned him in the deep woods; a she-wolf, running from hunters, settled beside the baby and suckled him as one of her cubs; the hunters found them, saved the baby and spared the wolf.

Born

Irish

Died

c.541 of natural causes

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Patronage

CashelIrelanddiocese of

Cashel and EmlyIrelandarchdiocese of

EmlyIrelanddiocese of

MunsterIreland

wolves

Representation

bishop holding the cathedral of CashelIreland

with a wolf or pack of wolves

Additional Information

Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate

Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts, by Abbie Farwell Brown

Catholic Encyclopedia

Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler

New Catholic Dictionary

Saints of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein

books

Battersby’s Registry for the Whole World

Dictionary of Saints, by John Delaney

Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

other sites in english

Answers

Catholic Ireland

Catholic Online

Compendium of Irish Biography

Wikipedia

sitios en español

Hagiopedia

Martirologio Romano2001 edición

fonti in italiano

Cathopedia

websites in nederlandse

Heiligen 3s

Wikipedia

nettsteder i norsk

Den katolske kirke

MLA Citation

“Saint Ailbe of Emly“. CatholicSaints.Info. 9 November 2020. Web. 1 March 2021. <http://catholicsaints.info/saint-ailbe/>

Book of Saints – Ailbhe

Article

AILBHE (ALBEUS) (Saint) Bishop (September 12) (5th century) An Irish Saint, concerning whose life and Apostolic labours there are few reliable particulars extant. He must have been contemporary with Saint Patrick in the fifth century, and have worked chiefly in the South of Ireland, where he is venerated as Patron Saint of Munster and as first Bishop of the See of Emly, later united to Cashel.

MLA Citation

Monks of Ramsgate. “Ailbhe”. Book of Saints1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 14 May 2012. Web. 1 March 2021. <http://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-ailbhe/>

SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-ailbhe/

Ailbhe (Albeus, Ailbe) of Emly B (AC)

5th or 6th century (died 526-540?). Although many are under the mistaken belief that Saint Patrick was the first to bring Christianity to Ireland, Saint Ailbhe was converted by British missionaries. Some legends say that he was baptized by a priest while a boy in northern Ireland; another that he was baptized and raised in a British settlement in Ireland.

In either case, he had travelled to Rome before Patrick's arrival-- and some say that he was consecrated bishop there. Upon his return to Ireland, he became the disciple of Patrick and, according to some, was consecrated the first archbishop of Munster by him. Ailbhe fixed his see at Emly (Imlech, County Tipperary, though the cathedral is now at Cashel), which is officially listed by the Vatican as being founded in the 4th century, making it the oldest continuous see in Ireland. So even the testimony that Ailbhe was the first archbishop is unreliable.

He was known as a powerful preacher and a model of sanctity, who won many souls to the faith. Although he lived in the world in order to care for the souls of his flock, he was careful for his own soul, too. He made frequent retreats and engaged in habitual recollection. Saint Ailbhe especially loved to pray in front of the sea. King Aengus of Munster gave him Aran Island (Co. Galway) on which he founded a great monastery and established Saint Enda as abbot. He also drew up a still extant rule for the community.

When in his old age he wanted to resign and retire to the solitude of Thule (Shetland? Iceland? Greenland?) to prepare for death, the king stationed guards at the ports to prevent his flight. Thus, Saint Ailbhe died in the midst of his episcopal labors and is deemed the principal patron of Munster.

There are many legends about Saint Ailbhe: that he baptized Saint David of Wales; that an angel showed him the "place of his resurrection"--Emly; that he was in constant dialogue with the angels. Even his name points to a legend: Ailbhe, said to mean "living rock" in Gaelic, was a foundling left under a rock and suckled by a she-wolf, and thus named by his adoptive family. The story continues that later, while he was hunting with some companions, an aged female wolf ran to him for protection (Benedictines, Delaney, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Husenbeth, Montague). 

St. Ailbe

Bishop of Emly in Munster (Ireland); d. about 527, or 541. It is very difficult to sift out the germs of truth from among the mass of legends which have gathered round the life of this Irish saint. Beyond the fact, which is itself disputed, that he was a disciple of St. Patrick and was probably ordained priest by him, we know really nothing of the history of St. Ailbe. Legend says that in his infancy he was left in the forest to be devoured by the wolves, but that a she-wolf took compassion upon him and suckled him. Long afterwards, when Ailbe was bishop, an old she-wolf, pursued by a hunting party, fled to the Bishop and laid her head upon his breast. Ailbe protected his old foster-mother, and every day thereafter she and her little ones came to take their food in his hall. The Acts of St. Ailbe are quite untrustworthy; they represent Ailbe as preaching in Ireland before St. Patrick, but this is directly contradicted by St. Patrick's biographer, Tirechan. Probably the most authentic information we possess about Ailbe is that contained in Cuimmon's eulogium: Ailbe loved hospitality. The devotion was not untruthful. Never entered a body of clay one that was better as to food and raiment. His feast, which is 12 September, is kept throughout Ireland as a greater double.

Sources

The Acts of St. Ailbe may be found in the Codex Salmanticensis, edited in 1588 by the Bollandists under the title of Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, at the charges of the Marquis of Bute (cf. SUYSKEN, in Acta SS., Sept., IV, 26-33); HEALY, Irish Schools and Scholars; LANIGAN, Eccl. Hist. of Ireland.

Thurston,, Herbert. "St. Ailbe." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 12 Sept. 2016 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01234b.htm>.

Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.

Copyright © 2020 by Kevin Knight. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01234b.htm

September 12

St. Albeus, Bishop and Confessor in Ireland

THIS saint, who is honoured as chief patron of Munster, one of the four provinces of Ireland, was converted by certain Britons, and had travelled to Rome before the arrival of St. Patrick among the Irish. After his return home, he became the disciple and fellow-labourer of that great apostle of his country, and being ordained by him first archbishop of Munster, fixed his see at Emly, 1 which has been long since removed to Cashel. With such a commanding authority did this apostolic man deliver the dictates of eternal wisdom to a rude and barbarous people, such was the force with which, both by words and example, he set forth the sanctity of the divine law, and so evident were the miracles with which he confirmed the heavenly truths which he preached, that the sacred doctrine easily made its way to the hearts of his hearers; and he not only brought over an incredible multitude to the faith of Christ, but infused into many the perfect spirit of the gospel, possessing a wonderful art of making men not only Christians but saints. King Engus having bestowed on him the isle of Arran, he founded in it a great monastery, which was so famous for the sanctity of its inhabitants, that from them the island was long called Arran of Saints. The rule which St. Albeus drew up for them is still extant in old Irish, as Bishop Usher testifies. Though zeal for the divine honour and charity for the souls of others fixed him in the world, he was always careful, by habitual recollection and frequent retreats, to nourish in his own soul the pure love of heavenly things, and to live always in a very familiar and intimate acquaintance with himself, and in the daily habitual practice of the most interior perfect virtues. In his old age it was his earnest desire to commit to others the care of his dear flock, that he might be allowed to prepare himself in the exercises of holy solitude for his great change. For this purpose he begged that he might be suffered to retire to Thule, the remotest country towards the northern pole that was known to the ancients, which seems to have been Shetland, or, according to some, Iceland, or some part of Greenland; but the king guarded the ports to prevent his flight, and the saint died amidst the labours of his charge in 525, as the Ulster and Inisfallen Annals testify. 2 See Usher, Antiquit. p. 409; Sir James Ware, Antiquit. Hibern. p. 319, and on the bishops of Ireland, with additions, by Harris, p. 491.

Note 1. The city of Emly was plundered by barbarians in 1122, and the mitre and principal relics of St. Albeus dispersed or burnt. The metropolitical dignity had been transferred to the city of Cashel about one hundred years before this; but the episcopal see of Emly still subsisted, till, in 1568, it was united to that of Cashel, the towns being only twelve miles distant. Emly is long since dwindled into an inconsiderable village. [back]

Note 2. The death of St. Albeus is placed (less probably) by the four masters in 541. Even by the first account he must have died in the hundred and sixty-fifth year of his age, as Harris observes. There must, therefore, be a mistake in the date of this saint’s death. Probably chronologers have confounded him with Albeus of Seanchua, who died in 545. [back]

Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73).  Volume IX: September. The Lives of the Saints.  1866.

Sep 12 – St Ailbe of Emly (d. 528) the Patrick of Munster

12 September, 2012

St Ailbe is regarded as the patron saint of Munster and his church at Emly  was for long the province’s chief ecclesiastical centre. He is the patron saint of the joint archdiocese of Cashel and Emly with the see at Thurles. The last bishop of Emly was Blessed Terence Albert O’Brien O.P., martyred 1651. Patrick Duffy […]

St Ailbe is regarded as the patron saint of Munster and his church at Emly  was for long the province’s chief ecclesiastical centre. He is the patron saint of the joint archdiocese of Cashel and Emly with the see at Thurles. The last bishop of Emly was Blessed Terence Albert O’Brien O.P., martyred 1651. Patrick Duffy tells Ailbe’s story.

Mythology and etymology

Both Ailbe’s name and the place where he founded his church have significant associations in their etymology and mythology.

Emly, Imleach Iubhair, perhaps takes its name, “the lakeside of the yew tree”, from a pre-Christian sacred yew tree at the place.

Ailbe itself was the name of a divine warhound guarding the boundaries of Leinster. Places such as Magh Ailbe, plain of Ailbe, on which stood the Lia Ailbe, the Standing Stone of Ailbe, are witness to this.

The name Ailbe is derived from the Irish words Ail (rock) and beo (alive). Ailbe was born to a maidservant in the house of Cronan, lord of Eliach in County Tipperary. Cronan, for reasons unrevealed, disapproved of his birth and directed that he be exposed to ‘dogs and wild beasts, that he might be devoured’. But, instead, the baby was found hidden under a rock (Ail) and alive (beo), by a she-wolf who reared him among her own cubs. The saint repaid the kindness toward the end of his life when a she-wolf chased by hunters took refuge with him. He ordered that it should not be harmed, and would come to eat with him each day.

The name Ailbe is Latinized as Albeus, and sometimes anglicized as Elvis.

Received the faith from South Wales

Ailbe is frequently named as leader among the four “Palladian bishops” all of whom ministered in the south of Ireland – Ailbe of Emly, Ibar of Begerin, Declan of Ardmore and Ciaran of Saighir – before or around the time of the arrival of St Patrick.

Since Ailbe was also known in South Wales, it seems certain that before Patrick there was a movement of Christians between the south of Wales and the south of Ireland. And it may be from this movement that Ailbe received his Christian faith. Another source says Ailbe baptised St David of Wales.

Friendship with Declan: visit to Rome

Ailbe was particularly friendly with Declan. The Life of Declan says: “They loved one another like brothers…”  The Life also says they both went to Rome and were ordained bishop by the Pope. Unlikely! But it could be an indication of a later claim for authority for him or his see.

Emly and Cashel

The Life of Declan also deferentially declares: “Humble Ailbe was the Patrick of Munster….”

The church Ailbe founded at Emly in south-west Tipperary became a centre of  formation for other well-known monastic saints, such as St Colman of Dromore and St Enda of Aran island.

Ailbe is said to have petitioned King Aengus of Cashel for a site for a monastery for Enda. Unaware that he had islands in his domain, Aengus that night dreamed about them and granted them to Enda. (The ancient connection between the Aran Islands and the region of his kingdom may be discerned in the name Tiobarad Árann).

Another interesting story is that Ailbe’s tomb, long forgotten, was discovered in Cashel in 580 when St Brendan of Birr came on a visit to inaugurate the new king.

Emly later became an important ecclesiastical centre and diocese. In 1718 it was united with Cashel and St Ailbe is the patron of the joint archdiocese.

Ailbe’s monastic Rule

A ninth century monastic rule bears Ailbe’s name. It consists of 56 verses in Irish, including these instructions to a monk:

Let him be steady, let him not be restless, let him be wise, learned, pious; let him be vigilant; let him be a slave; let him be humble kindly.

Let him be gentle, close and zealous, let him be modest, generous and gracious; against the torrent of the world, let him be watchful, let him not be reproachful; against the brood of the world, let him be warlike.

The jewel of baptism and communion, let him receive it.

Let him be constant at prayer, his canonical hours let him not forget; his mind let him bow it down without insolence or contention.

A hundred genuflections for him at the Beata at the beginning of the day… thrice fifty psalms with a hundred genuflections every hour of vespers.

A genuflection thrice, earnestly, after going in past the altar rail, without frivolity and without excitement, going into the presence of the king of the angels.

A clean house for the guests and a big fire, washing and bathing for them, and a couch without sorrow.

Death

According to the Annals of Innisfallen, which draws on records originally compiled at Emly, Ailbe died in 528.

The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts – The Wolf-Mother of Saint Ailbe

This is the story of a poor little Irish baby whose cruel father and mother did not care anything about him. But because they could not sell him nor give him away they tried to lose him. They wrapped him in a piece of cloth and took him up on the mountain side, and there they left him lying all alone on a bush of heather.

Now an old mother wolf was out taking her evening walk on the mountain after tending her babies in the den all day. And just as she was passing the heather bush she heard a faint, funny little cry. She pricked up her pointed ears and said, “What’s that!” And lo and behold, when she came to sniff out the mystery with her keen nose, it led her straight to the spot where the little pink baby lay, crying with cold and hunger.

The heart of the kind mother wolf was touched, for she thought of her own little ones at home, and how sad it would be to see them so helpless and lonely and forgotten. So she picked the baby up in her mouth carefully and ran home with him to her den in the rocks at the foot of the mountain. Here the little one, whose name was Ailbe, lived with the baby wolves, sharing their breakfast and dinner and supper, playing and quarreling and growing up with them. The wolf-mother took good care of him and saw that he had the best of everything, for she loved him dearly indeed. And Ailbe grew stronger and stronger, taller and taller, handsomer and handsomer every day, living his happy life in the wild woods of green Ireland.

Now one day, a year or two after this, a hunter came riding over the mountain on his way home from the chase, and he happened to pass near the cave where Ailbe and the wolves lived. As he was riding along under the trees he saw a little white creature run across the path in front of him. At first he thought it was a rabbit; but it was too big for a rabbit, and besides it did not hop. The hunter jumped down from his horse and ran after the funny animal to find out what it was. His long legs soon overtook it in a clump of bushes where it was hiding, and imagine the hunter’s surprise when he found that it had neither fur nor horns nor four feet nor a tail, but that it was a beautiful child who could not stand upright, and whose little bare body ran on all-fours like a baby wolf! It was little Ailbe, the wolf-mother’s pet, who had grown so fast that he was almost able to take care of himself. But he was not quite able, the hunter thought; and he said to himself that he would carry the poor little thing home to his kind wife, that she might take care of him. So he caught Ailbe up in his arms, kicking and squealing and biting like the wild little animal he was, and wrapped him in a corner of his great cloak. Then he jumped on his horse with a chirrup and galloped away out of the woods towards his village.

But Ailbe did not want to leave his forest home, the wolf-den, and his little wolf brothers. Especially he did not want to leave his dear foster mother. So he screamed and struggled to get away from the big hunter, and he called to the wolves in their own language to come and help him. Then out of the forest came bounding the great mother wolf with her four children, now grown to be nearly as big as herself. She chased after the fleeting horse and snapped at the loose end of the huntsman’s cloak, howling with grief and anger. But she could not catch the thief, nor get back her adopted son, the little smooth-skinned foundling. So after following them for miles, the five wolves gradually dropped further and further behind. And at last, as he stretched out his little arms to them over the hunter’s velvet shoulder, Ailbe saw them stop in the road panting, with one last howl of farewell. They had given up the hopeless chase. And with their tails between their legs and their heads drooping low they slunk back to their lonely den where they would never see their little boy playmate any more. It was a sad day for good wolf-mother.

But the hunter carried little Ailbe home with him on the horse’s back. And he found a new mother there to receive him. Ailbe never knew who his first mother was, but she must have been a bad, cruel woman. His second mother was the kind wolf. And this one, the third, was a beautiful Princess. For the hunter who had found the child was a Prince, and he lived in a grand castle by a lake near Tipperary, with hundreds of servants and horses and dogs and little pages for Ailbe to play with. And here he lived and was very happy; and here he learned all the things which in those days made a little boy grow up into a wise and great man. He grew up so wise and great that he was made a Bishop and had a palace of his own in the town of Emly. People came to see him from far and near, who made him presents, and asked him questions, and ate his dinners.

But though he had grown so great and famous Ailbe had never forgotten his second mother, the good wolf, nor his four-footed brothers, in their coats of gray fur. And sometimes when his visitors were stupid and stayed a long time, or when they asked too many questions, or when they made him presents which he did not like, Ailbe longed to be back in the forest with the good beasts. For they had much more sense, though they had never kissed the Blarney Stone, which makes one talk good Irish.

A great many years afterwards there was one day a huge hunt in Emly. All the lords for miles around were out chasing the wild beasts, and among them was the Prince, Ailbe’s foster-father. But the Bishop himself was not with them. He did not see any sport in killing poor creatures. It was almost night, and the people of Emly were out watching for the hunters to return. The Bishop was coming down the village street on his way from church, when the sound of horns came over the hills close by, and he knew the chase was nearing home.

Louder and louder came the “tantaratara!” of the horns, and then he could hear the gallopy thud of the horses’ hoofs and the yelp of the hounds. But suddenly the Bishop’s heart stood still. Among all the other noises of the chase he heard a sound which made him think – think – think. It was the long-drawn howl of a wolf, a sad howl of fear and weariness and pain. It spoke a language which he had almost forgotten. But hardly had he time to think again and to remember, before down the village street came a great gaunt figure, flying in long leaps from the foremost dogs who were snapping at her heels. It was Ailbe’s wolf-mother.

He recognized her as soon as he saw her green eyes and the patch of white on her right foreleg. And she recognized him, too, how I cannot say, for he had changed greatly since she last saw him, a naked little sunbrowned boy. But at any rate, in his fine robes of purple and linen and rich lace, with the mitre on his head and the crozier in his hand, the wolf-mother knew her dear son. With a cry of joy she bounded up to him and laid her head on his breast, as if she knew he would protect her from the growling dogs and the fierce-eyed hunters. And the good Bishop was true to her. For he drew his beautiful velvet cloak about her tired, panting body, and laid his hand lovingly on her head. Then in the other he held up his crook warningly to keep back the ferocious dogs.

“I will protect thee, old mother,” he said tenderly. “When I was little and young and feeble, thou didst nourish and cherish and protect me; and now that thou art old and gray and weak, shall I not render the same love and care to thee? None shall injure thee.”

Then the hunters came tearing up on their foaming horses and stopped short to find what the matter was. Some of them were angry and wanted even now to kill the poor wolf, just as the dogs did who were prowling about snarling with disappointment. But Ailbe would have none of it. He forbade them to touch the wolf. And he was so powerful and wise and holy that they dared not disobey him, but had to be content with seeing their hunt spoiled and their prey taken out of their clutches.

But before the hunters and their dogs rode away, Saint Ailbe had something more to say to them. And he bade all the curious townsfolk who had gathered about him and the wolf to listen also. He repeated the promise which he had made to the wolf, and warned every one thenceforth not to hurt her or her children, either in the village, or in the woods, or on the mountain. And turning to her once more he said: –

“See, mother, you need not fear. They dare not hurt you now you have found your son to protect you. Come every day with my brothers to my table, and you and yours shall share my food, as once I so often shared yours.”

And so it was. Every day after that so long as she lived the old wolf-mother brought her four children to the Bishop’s palace and howled at the gate for the porter to let them in. And every day he opened to them, and the steward showed the five into the great dining hall where Ailbe sat at the head of the table, with five places set for the rest of the family. And there with her five dear children about her in a happy circle the kind wolf-mother sat and ate the good things which the Bishop’s friends had sent him. But the child she loved best was none of those in furry coats and fine whiskers who looked like her; it was the blue-eyed Saint at the top of the table in his robes of purple and white.

But Saint Ailbe would look about him at his mother and his brothers and would laugh contentedly.

“What a handsome family we are!” he would say. And it was true.

– from The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts, by Abbie Farwell Brown, illustrations by Fanny Y. Cory, 1900

SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/the-book-of-saints-and-friendly-beasts-the-wolf-mother-of-saint-ailbe/

Sant’ Ailbe Vescovo irlandese

12 settembre

VI sec.

Sant’Ailbe è stato un monaco del monastero di Sant’Elvis che fu eletto vescovo che visse nel VI secolo.
Su di lui sappiamo poco. E’ ricordato come un grande predicatore che riuscì a conquistare le anime degli irlandesi grazie alla sua cordialità.

Nel martirologio della diocesi di Cashel ed Emly in Irlanda si ricorda Sant’Ailbe, quale vescovo e abate, che intorno al 528 viaggiò nel paese per predicare il vangelo.

La festa per Sant’Ailbe è fissata nel giorno 12 settembre.

Autore: Mauro Bonato

SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/98527

Ailbe (ook Ailbhe of Albeus) van Emly (ook van Munster) bij Tipperary, Ierland; abt & bisschop; † ca 530?.

Feest 12 september.

Sint Ailbe wordt gerekend tot de van oorsprong Ierse bisschoppen die aan Sint Patrick († 461; feest 17 maart) voorafgaan. Toch is dat moeilijk aan te nemen gezien hun sterfdata. De Bollandisten menen te weten dat de grote Sint David van Wales († 601; feest 1 maart) nog door Sint Ailbe is gedoopt. Dat kan kloppen met de sterfdatum van Ailbe. Gaat hij dan toch niet in weerwil van die hardnekkige traditie aan Sint Patrick vooraf?
Zijn levensbericht is als vele vroege Ierse heiligen omweven met legendes.

Legende van de geboorte

De etymologische verklaring van zijn naam zou wijzen op een combinatie van de Ierse woorden ‘ail’ (= rots) en ‘beo’ (levend). Dat zou te maken hebben met de omstandigheden rond zijn geboorte. Zijn moeder was als slavin in dienst bij een regionale koning. Hij wilde het kind niet en gaf opdracht het te doden. In plaats daarvan werd het onder een rots (‘ail’) te vondeling gelegd. Daar werd het gevonden door een wolvin die het onder haar bescherming nam en temidden van haar eigen kroost in leven (‘beo’) hield.

Hij zou in Rome tot bisschop gewijd zijn. Althans, ook dat wordt vermeld in een legende.

Legende van de overtocht

Ailbeus wilde naar Rome gaan om daar de Heilige Schrift te leren lezen. Bij de Nietzee aangekomen vond hij daar meerdere mannen die een boot hadden, maar er was er niet een die hem zijn boot wilde afstaan.

De legende heeft het werkelijk over de Nietzee. Bedoeld zal zijn de zee tussen Zuid-Ierland en West-Frankrijk.

Wel was er een die zei: ‘Neem die boot maar waar geen bekleding omheen zit.’ Ailbeus nam dus die boot en voer de zee op, zonder dat het vaartuig water maakte. Toen riep die man hem achterna: ‘Je gaat er toch niet met mijn boot vandoor?’ Albeus antwoordde: ‘Je zei zelf dat het mocht.’ Daarop spreidde hij zijn monniksmantel over het water uit zodat die als boot dienst kon doen. Hij nam er op plaats en gaf de boot nog een laatste zegen. Die keerde geheel op eigen gelegenheid terug naar zijn ligplaats. Biddend op zijn mantel gezeten koos Albeus vervolgens zee.

Legende van de wijding

De heilige Albeus hoopte door paus Clemens bisschop gewijd te worden.

Historisch gesproken kan die naam niet kloppen. Clemens I was paus in de jaren 88-97 van de eerste eeuw; Clemens II (1045-1047). De legende let dan ook niet zozeer op de historische samenhang. Veeleer wil zij ons ervan overtuigen dat de heiligheid van Ailbe aansluit op de oudste tradities van de Kerk.

Toen hij zijn verzoek aan de paus had gedaan, antwoordde deze: ‘Ik ga je niet wijden. Het is onmogelijk dat mijn hand tussen de hemel en u zou komen. Als ik u de handen zou opleggen, zouden ze gewoon van mijn armen afvallen. Dat komt door de enorm grote genade waarmee de Almachtige God u gezegend heeft. Daarop zei Albeus: ‘Wat moet ik dan doen?’ Clemens antwoordde: ‘U zult de bisschopswijding ontvangen uit handen van engelen. Op het feest van Petrus en Paulus [29 juni] zal de engel Victor u tot bisschop wijden. En zo gebeurde het ook. Op het apostelfeest wijdde een engel des Heren voor de ogen van paus Clemens de zalige Albeus tot bisschop.

Na de wijding zei Albeus tegen Clemens: ‘We moeten het volk van Rome vandaag een traktatie aanbieden. Als u de ene helft van het volk trakteert, zal ik met Gods hulp aan de andere helft een traktatie geven. Clemens antwoordde: ‘Ik ga geen traktatie geven. Het lijkt me beter dat u ons op uw wijdingsdag allemaal trakteert. Toen sprak Albeus een gebed uit tot God en God liet vijf verschillende regens neerdalen over de stad: een regen van honing, een regen van vissen, een regen van olie, een regen van schitterend wittebrood uit het beste tarwe gebakken, en een regen van jonge wijn. Daarmee werd de bevolking van Rome drie dagen en drie nachten lang gevoed, terwijl het God loofde en eerde omwille van zijn heilige Albeus. Dat was dus de wijdingsmaaltijd van Albeus, waarover nog jarenlang nagepraat werd door de bevolking van Rome.

Teruggekeerd in Ierland stichtte Ailbe de kerk en de abdij van Emly, zo’n twintig kilometer ten westen van de stad Cashel. Hij schreef er ook een eigen kloosterregel voor.

De bijbehorende kloosterschool kwam vooral in 6e eeuw tot grote bloei. Dat bleef zo drie eeuwen lang totdat ze werd geplunderd tijdens de invallen van de Noormannen.

Zelf trok hij rond om overal in Zuid-Ierland het evangelie te verkondigen. Koning Angus van Munster schonk hem Inishmore, dat behoort tot de Aran-Islands, zodat zijn collega abt Enda († 530; feest 21 maart) daar een nieuwe kloostervestiging kon beginnen. Heeft daar de legende betrekking op van de hemelse geuren?

Legende van de geuren

Eens ging de heilige Albeus naar Duru Arann in het land Ossirgi en bleef daar drie dagen en drie nachten uitrusten zonder iemand te willen tegenkomen. Maar op de vierde dag ging koning Scaulan de Grote er op uit om hem te ontmoeten. Op datzelfde moment kwam er plotseling zo’n heerlijke, zoete geur uit de mond van de heilige dat de koning er dronken van werd. Hij werd door slaap overmand en bleef drie dagen en drie nachten aan één stuk door slapen. Toen bleek dat diezelfde geur ook uit de mond van de koning kwam en zich verspreidde over alle leden van zijn gevolg. Op hun beurt werden zij er dronken van en sliepen drie dagen en drie nachten aan één stuk door. Toen koning Scaulan opstond uit zijn slaap, schonk hij die plek voor altijd aan de heilige Albeus.

Tot slot is er een legende die teruggrijpt op de legende van zijn geboorte.

Legende van de opgejaagde wolf

Op een dag besloot de Clan Arad alle schadelijkje wolven uit zijn gebied te verjagen. Ze organiseerden dus een massale jachtpartij. De wolven vluchtten alle kanten op. Eén wolvin die door de jagers op de hielen werd gezeten, vluchtte trillend over haar hele lijf naar Albeus. Die nam haar in bescherming met de woorden:

‘Wees maar niet bang, je hebt groot gelijk dat je naar mij toe komt en hier bescherming zoekt tegen je belagers. Want jullie waren het die mij als kind liefdevol in bescherming hebben genomen, toen ik door de mensen verstoten was. Ga dus terug naar het gebied waar je vandaan komt, en breng niemand schade toe. Leer dat ook aan je jongen. Op het uur van de maaltijd mag je elke dag terugkomen om het brood hier met de broeders te delen.’En inderdaad, elke dag kwam die wolvin met haar vier jongen naar het klooster en nam met de broeders deel aan de maaltijd.

Bronnen

[Peg COGHLAN ‘Irish Saints’ Dublin, Mercier Press, 1999 ISBN 1-85635-253-6; D'A.1985p:3; Fre.1964p:170; Frm.1996; Ggd.1911p:87; Grant.Dawn:178(schrijn); Brian LACEY ‘O’Brien Pocket History of Irish Saints’ Dublin, O’Brien Press, 2003 ISBN 0-86278-746-7; Wfe.z.j.; Dries van den Akker s.j./2007.09.06]

© A. van den Akker s.j.

SOURCE : http://www.heiligen-3s.nl/heiligen/09/12/09-12-0530-ailbe.php

Den hellige Ailbe av Emly (d. ~526)

Minnedag: 12. september

Skytshelgen for Munster; for erkebispedømmet Cashel and Emly; for ulver; en av Quattuor sanctissimi episcopi

Den hellige Ailbe (Ailbhe; lat: Albeus, Albaeus, Ailbeus), også kjent som Elvis (wal: Eilfyw, Eilfw), var en irsk biskop tidlig på 500-tallet. Han skal ha vært medlem av Dál Cairpri Arad, en relativt liten folkegruppe i Munster (Momonia), nå den sørlige provinsen i Irland. Hans far var Olchais (Olc Náis, Olga) og hans mor var Sant, som også skal ha født Colmán, en sønn av Aonghas sønn av Nad Fraoich, konge av Munster. Lite er kjent om hans liv, men vi har en legende med elementer lånt fra sagnet om Romulus og Remus.

Legenden forteller at Ailbes far var en høvding ved navn Olchais. Han elsket en tjenestejente som arbeidet for høvdingen Cronan for klanen Eliach (nå Eliogarty) i grevskapet Tipperary. Da jenta ble gravid, rømte Olchais i frykt for at han skulle bli straffet. Så da barnet ble født og det ikke var noen far til å forsørge ham, beordret Cronan at gutten skulle etterlates bak en klippe for å overlates til hunder og ville dyr. Men barnet ble oppdaget der av en ulvetispe, som diet ham og passet på ham til han ble funnet av en mann ved navn Lochan, muligens en kristen fra Britannia. Han kalte gutten Ailbe etter klippen («ail») der han ble funnet. Ailbe sies å bety «levende klippe» på gælisk.

Legenden forteller videre at da Ailbe senere i liver var på jakt sammen med noen ledsagere, løp en gammel ulvetispe til ham for beskyttelse. Den la hodet i fanget hans og biskopen nektet mennene sine å drepe den: «Å, min venn. Da jeg var hjelpeløs og uten venner, beskyttet du meg, og nå vil jeg gjøre det samme for deg, gamle mor!» Deretter fikk ulvinnen tilbringe resten av sine dager i hans hall (Rev John O’Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, 10 volumes, Dublin, 1875).

En annen versjon forteller at han ble forlatt av sine foreldre i skogen, hvor han ble oppdaget av noen briter som tok ham med seg da de vendte tilbake til Wales. Ifølge de walisiske genealogiene var Ailbe eller Elfyw sønn av Dirdan, «en adelsmann fra Italia», trolig fra Letavia i Armorica, som ofte blandes sammen med Latium. Hans mor var Danhadlwen (Danadlwen, Banhadlen), en etterkommer av den hellige Vortimer, datter av Cynyr av Caergawch og søster av St Non. Dette ville bety at han tilhørte samme generasjon som David og var fetter til de hellige David, Cybi og Sadyrnin.

Historiene varierer også når det gjelder hvordan Ailbe ble introdusert for kristendommen. En sier at han ble opplært og døpt som gutt i Nord-Irland av en britisk prest som overhørte ham mens han undret seg over naturens skjønnhet og muligheten for en skaper. En annen versjon sier at han ble oppdratt og døpt av medlemmer av den britiske kolonien i Irland. Han skal ha vært en disippel av den hellige Patrick av Irland (385-461) (Pádraig) og blitt presteviet av ham, men dette er også omstridt. En annen versjon sier at Ailbe skal ha reist til Roma før Patrick kom til Irland og ha blitt bispeviet mens han var på besøk i Roma av den hellige pave Hilarius (461-68), men det er en viss tvil også om dette.

Biografien om den hellige Declan av Ardmore sier at de hellige Ailbe og Kieran av Saighir misjonerte i Irland før Patricks ankomst. Men Declans biografi inneholder åpenbare motsigelser, så dette er omdiskutert. Biografien om Declan synes også å etablere ham selv som en annen av misjonærene før Patrick. De fire «biskopene» fra Munster som skal ha virket i Irland før Patrick organiserte den irske kristenheten, fikk biografier skrevet som hevdet at de grunnla klostre og forkynte evangeliet i Munster før deres yngre samtidige Patrick (ca 389-461). Disse fire pre-patrisiske helgener av Munster har fra 1600-tallet vært kjent som Quattuor sanctissimi episcopi («De fire helligste biskoper»). I tillegg til Ailbe, Declan og Kieran var det snakk om den hellige Ibar av Begerin (d. 500). Noen kilder bytter ut Ibar av Begerin med hans nevø, den hellige Abban av Moyarney (Adamstown) (d. 520? 620?) på denne listen. Ibar hadde ingen egen biografi, men det hadde Abban, og det er fra den biografien vi har opplysningen at Ibar var Abbans onkel og lærer. De relevante biografiene finnes alle i den såkalte Dublin Collection, som bærer preg av redigering.

Det som synes sikkert, er at Ailbe forkynte over hele Irland og det med slik autoritet at mange ikke bare ble omvendt nominelt til kristendommen, men også inspirert av hans eksempel til å leve som sanne kristne. Det het at han gjorde mennesker ikke bare til kristne, men til helgener. Han foretok ofte retretter og engasjerte seg i regelmessig kontemplasjon.

Hans biografi tilskriver ham et besøk til Dál nAraidhe i Ulster, hvor han blir sagt å ha grunnlagt sin første kirke i Kilroot (Ceall Ruaidh) i grevskapet Antrim i den delen av den nordlige provinsen Ulster i Irland som nå er en del av Storbritannia. Men Ailbes viktigste kirke og begravelsessted var Emly (Imlech Ibair, Imleach Iobhair) i baroniet Clanwilliam i grevskapet Tipperary i Munster, hvor han grunnla et kloster og et bispesete. Emly var den viktigste kirken i Munster i flere århundrer. Abbeden av Emly nevnes som en autoritet på påskespørsmålet i Cummians brev på 600-tallet til abbed Ségéne av Iona. Utvilsomt ble Emly styrket av støtten fra Eóganachta. Annalene har registrert abbeder fra Eóganacht Áine, Eóganacht Locha Léin, Eóganacht Airthir Chliach og Eóganacht Chaisil.

Ailbe feires som skytshelgen for det nåværende erkebispedømmet Cashel and Emly. Katedralen er i dag i Cashel, som Vatikanet offisielt angir at ble grunnlagt på 300-tallet, noe som gjør det til det eldste kontinuerlige bispesetet i Irland. Han skal ha skrevet en monastisk regel for kommuniteten i Emly (Uinseann O’Maidin OCR, The Celtic Monk: Rules & Writings of Early Irish Monks, Cistercian Studies Series Number 162, 1996).

Ailbe elsket spesielt å be ved sjøen. I henhold til hans legende spurte han kong Aengus (Angus, Oengus) av Munster på vegne av den hellige Enda om å gi ham Aran Islands i grevskapet Galway. Aengus hadde aldri hørt om disse øyene, men da han så dem i en drøm, var han glad over å kunne gjøre det. Ailbe grunnla et kloster der og installerte Enda som abbed der. Uansett hvilken sannhetsgehalt denne historien har, gjorde klosteret som ble grunnlagt i Killeany (Cell Énda – St. Endas kirke) på Inis Mor at øyene senere fikk tittelen «Aran of the saints».

Da Ailbe ble gammel, ønsket han å trekke seg tilbake til ensomheten i Tyle (Thule) (Shetland? Island? Grønland?) for å forberede seg på døden. Men kongen utplasserte vakter i havnene for å forhindre hans flukt. Dermed døde Ailbe mens han sto midt i sitt biskoppelige arbeid. Annalene fra Innisfallen opplyser at Ailbe døde i 528.

Ailbe betraktes som den fremste skytshelgenen for Munster. Det finnes mange fortellinger om ham, for eksempel at han døpte den hellige David av Wales (ca 520-601), skytshelgen for Wales. Den walisiske tradisjonen hevder at han etter dåpen oppfostret gutten, samtidig som han tjente som biskop av Menevia (i dag St David’s) og grunnla St Elvis i Pembrokeshire (nå i ruiner) før han dro for å misjonere det sørlige Irland. En annen historie forteller at en engel viste ham «stedet for hans oppstandelse» – Emly, at han var i konstant dialog med englene.

Det synes å være lite bak antakelsen om at Ailbe forkynte i Irland før Patrick (385-461). Denne og andre lignende ideer ble nesten sikkert lansert for å indikere at Ailbe var like stor som, eller kanskje større enn Patrick. Sent i livet skal han ha trukket seg tilbake til det mytiske «Løftets land», en blanding av det kristne Paradis og den keltiske lykkelige verden etter denne. Han døde trolig tidlig på 500-tallet, rundt 526 er nevnt, men også 531 og 541. Hans minnedag er 12. september i erkebispedømmet Cashel and Emly, som han er skytshelgen for, men 13. september nevnes også. I den nyeste utgaven av Martyrologium Romanum (2004) står han den 12. september, og det samme gjør han i martyrologiet fra Tallacht og i Félire Óengusso. Han minnes over hele Irland. Han fremstilles som biskop med en modell av sin katedral i hånden. Ofte avbildes også legenden om ulven, som gjør at han er skytshelgen for ulver.

Ailbes biografi er inkludert i Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae (VSH), en latinsk samling av biografier om middelalderske irske helgener som ble samlet på 1300-tallet. Det finnes tre større manuskriptversjoner av VSH, fra Dublin, Oxford og Salamanca (Codex Salmanticensis), men de stammer alle fra den samme originalteksten. Charles Plummer kompilerte en utgave av VSH basert på de to bevarte Dublin-manuskriptene i 1910. William Heist kompilerte en utgave av det eneste Salamanca-manuskriptet i 1965. Ytterligere materiale finnes i biografiene til andre helgener som Patrick, Kieran av Saighir, Colman av Dromore, Kolumba av Tir-da-glas, Declan og Findchua (Finchú, Fionnchú, Fanahan). Alle inneholder utallige mirakuløse begivenheter og åpenbare selvmotsigelser og anakronismer.

Biografien i Codex Salmanticensis synes å være nyskaperen når det gjelder Ailbes pre-patrisiske status og hans uavhengighet av Patrick, noe som nedtones i de andre to utgavene og direkte motsies av dødsdatoen som gis i Ulster-annalene. Det har vært hevdet at den originale biografien ble skrevet relativt tidlig, kanskje så tidlig som 700-tallet. En kommentator har foreslått at den ble skrevet rundt tiden for den første promulgeringen av Ailbes liv i 784. Denne biografien bygger bevisst Ailbe på Patrick, som han til tider overgår. Bildet er temmelig forskjellig fra Tírecháns Collectanea fra 600-tallet, hvor Patrick ordinerer Ailbe. I Ailbes biografi konsekreres grunnleggeren av Emly til biskop i Roma, blir besøkt av Patricks engel, Victor, og anerkjennes av biskopene Declan og Ibar. Patrick selv, i motsetning til i de fleste versjonene av hans legende, spesielt i Vita Tripartita fra tidlig på 900-tallet, overlater kong Óengus mac Nad Fraích av Munster i Ailbes omsorg.

Emlys ambisjoner er temmelig klare. Selv om det pre-patrisiske motivet dominerer, assosieres helgenen også med andre tradisjoner. Ailbes far kalles Olchú (Olcán, Olchais), bokstavelig «stor hund», hans mor Sant eller Sanclit. Ailbe, sønn av «den store hunden» forlates som avkom etter ulovlige seksuelle forbindelser ales opp av ulver, mye som Romulus og Remus. I det senere laget av den irske biografien av Mac Creiche kalles Ailbe for «warhound» for «Slíab Crot» (Slieve Grud i grevskapet Tipperary). Ailbe nevnes også i konteksten av en reise til en annen verden i et litani av pilegrimshelgener fra sent på 700-tallet. Det har blitt foreslått at dette ble skrevet i Lismore og er et godt bevis på den utbredte naturen av Ailbes kult. I tillegg møter vi Ailbes kommunitet mens de nyter det evige liv på en øy i en annen verden, i Navigatio sancti Brendani fra sent på 700-tallet.

Emly selv beholdt sin betydning gjennom hele den tidlige middelalderen. Det var et litterært sentrum og produserte for eksempel Riagol Ailbi Imlecha fra sent på 800-tallet, en monastisk regel, skrevet retrospektivt om Ailbe. Teksten fra synoden i Vest-Munster antyder at abbeden av Emly har autoritet over hele Munster. Et annet tegn på Emlys innflytelse er antallet av deres abbeder som er registrert i annalene. Flann mac Fairchellaig (d. 825?) var utvilsomt den mest berømte. Han var også abbed av Cork og Lismore. Kirken hadde en nedgangsperiode etter fremveksten av Dál Cais på 900- og 1000-tallet. Marcán (d. 1010), Brian Bórumas bror, ble abbed av Emly og flere andre kirker. Opprettelsen av en kirke i nærliggende Cashel var enda et slag, men Emly kom seg tilstrekkelig på 1100-tallet til å bli et bispesete.

Kilder: Attwater/Cumming, Farmer, Butler (IX), Benedictines, Delaney, Bunson, Pennick, Baring-Gould (1), Ó Riain, MR2004, KIR, CE, CSO, Patron Saints SQPN, Heiligenlexikon, santiebeati.it, ODNB, en.wikipedia.org, celt-saints, zeno.org, heiligen-3s.nl, cashel-emly.ie, honan.ucc.ie, alvyray.com - Kompilasjon og oversettelse: p. Per Einar Odden

Opprettet: 1. november 2000

SOURCE : http://www.katolsk.no/biografier/historisk/ailbe