Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland

• Pre-Christian religious belief– Priestly class = druids

• From Indo-European words for ‘oak’ (drus) and ‘know’ (wid)

– Sacred places = nemed– Belief in the afterlife

• Transmigration of the soul (in works by Pythagorus)• Tir inna mbeo “Land of the living”• Tir tairn giri “Land of promise”• Tir inna mban “Land of women”• Mag Mell “Plain of sports”• Caer Feddiwid “Court of intoxication”• Preiddeu Annwn, “The Spoils of Annwn”

– Annwn = unworld or deep place

– Polytheism

Newgrange, Ireland

Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland

• Britain/Wales– Influence of Rome

• Death of Jesus, 33 AD• Death of Saints Peter and Paul, 60-66 AD• Establishment of Catholic orthodoxy, circa 200 AD• Constantine the Great’s Edict of Milan, 313 AD• Pelagius, fl. 400 AD• Withdrawal of Roman legions, 409/410 AD• Visit from Bishop Germanus of Auxerre, c. 429, to combat

Pelagianism– Gildas, fl. 540 AD

• De Excidio Britanniae (On the Ruin of Britain)– Nennius, fl. 900 CE

• Historia Brittonum (History of Britain), mentions King Arthur bearing a symbol of the Virgin Mary into battle (usually translated as a shield)

Glastonbury Tor, England (associated with Joseph of Arimathea and the Holy Grail)

Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland

• The challenge to Christianity in Britain– Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and

Frisians– Irish and Picts

• The mission to the Angles and Saxons– The monastery of Iona– Pope Gregory the Great, r. 590-

604 and mission of St. Augustine of Canterbury

– The Synod of Whitby, 664– Bede the Venerable, d. 735

• History of the English Church and People

– The “Celtic Church”

Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland

• St. David (Dewi Sant), fl. 600-650 AD– Llan- place names = religious centers

• Llanbadarn = church of Padarn• Llanfair = church of Mary• Llandewi = church of David

• St. Samson of Dol, fl. 550-600

• Documented religious centers in early Wales

Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland

• The influence of Rome in Ireland– Loughshinny– Emain Macha– Ogam/ogham

Ogam script

Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland

• Missionaries to Ireland– Palladius of Auxerre, mid-5th century?

• Killashee (from Cell Auxili, Cell of Auxilius)• Dun Shaughlin (from Dun Sechlainn, fort of Secundinus)• Earliest Easter table in Ireland was based on the 4th century

teachings in Gaul and northern Italy

– St. Patrick, late 5th century?• Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus• Confessions• Muirchiu’s Life of Patrick, 7th century• Tirechan’s Life of Patrick, 7th century• Armagh

St. Patrick, from Tara, Ireland

Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland

• Irish saints– St. Columba, d. 597

• Iona

– St. Brigit, fl. 6th century• Kildare

Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland

• Structure of the Irish church– Monasteries and cities– Kil- prefix indicates a church settlement

• Kilkenny, Killarney, Kildare

– Liber Angeli (Book of the Angel), 7th century– Asceticism

• Skellig Islands

– Peregrinatio• St. Columbanus, d. 615

Skellig Michael

Skellig Michael stairway

Skellig Michael monastery

Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland

• Continuity of religious sites– Emain Macha (twins of

Macha) and Armagh (Ard Macha, heights of Macha)

– Glendalough– Clonfert– Molua (from Mo Lug)

Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and ScotlandImage of Cross of Brigit

• Continuity of religious beliefs– St. Brigit

• Brigantia• Imbolc, February 1st • Brigit’s sacred fired

– St. Declan– Cain Adomnan, Law of

Adomnan, 7th -9th centuries

“How the Irish Saved Civilization”

• Thomas Cahill, How the Irish Saved Civilization, 1995

Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland

• The mission to the Picts– Picts, from Latin Picti, “painted people”– Irish Cruthni, British Pretani, “people of designs” (Pretani »

Britain)– St. Columba, d. 597 AD

• Oswald of Northumbria, r. 633-642• Lindisfarne Monastery• Oswiu of Northumbria, r. 642-670• Peada of Mercia, r. 653-656

– Mission of St. Augustine, 597– Synod of Whitby, 664 – Fusion of Irish, Anglo-Saxon, and Christian artistic motifs

• Lindisfarne Gospel, late 7th to early 8th century• Book of Kells, mid-8th to 9th century

• Kintore Stone. Class 1 Pictish stone. V and crest with dolphin or other sea animal.

• Other side of Kintore Stone. Salmon and rod with double discs.

• Aberlemno 1. Class 1 stone. Serpent, double disc, and z rod, with mirror.

• Brandsbutt stone, Class 1. Ogham, serpent, v and crest.

• Aberlemno 2. Battle of Nechtansmere, 685. Class 2. Mixed Christian and Pictish symbols. Class 2 also reliefs, not inscriptions.

Meigle 4 Stone. Class 2 or 3. Pictish riders, dolphin, wolf, v and crest. Other side a cross.

• Meigle 2. Class 2 or 3. Pictish riders and Daniel in the Lions’ Den. Other side is a cross.

• Aberlemno cross.

• Lindisfarne Gospel. Front page, Book of Matthew. Dated to 7th century. Produced in northern England, but with Irish influences.

• Lindisfarne Gospel. Carpet Page.

• Book of Kells. Initial page. Dated to mid—8th or early 9th century. Irish, Celtic, and Germanic influences. Script characteristic of Northumbrian monasteries.

• Image from Gospel of Luke, Book of Kells.

Christianity in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland

• Reforming “Celtic” Christianity• Scotland

– Malcolm III r. 1058-1093• Margaret and St. Andrew

• Ireland– Synod of Kells, 1152

• Established Archbishop of Armagh as primate of Ireland

– Pope Adrian IV, r. 1154-1159• Papal bull Laudabiliter

• Wales and Ireland– Gerald of Wales, d. 1223

• History and Topography of Ireland• Journey Through Wales/Description of Wales