Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae
Encyclopedia
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae is the abbreviated title of a celebrated work on the Irish saints by the Franciscan
, John Colgan
(Leuven
, 1645). The full title runs as follows: Acta Sanctorum veteris et majoris Scotiae, seu Hiberniae, Sanctorum Insulae, partim ex variis per Europam MSS. codd. exscripta, partim ex antiquis monumentis et probatis authoribus eruta et congesta; omnia notis et appendicibus illustrata, per R.P.F. Joannem Colganum, in conventu F.F. Minor. Hibern. Scrictioris Observ., Lovanii, S. Theologiae Lectorem Jubilatum. Nunc primum de eisdem actis juxta ordinem mensium et dierum prodit tomus primus, qui de sacris Hiberniae antiquitatibus est tertius, Januarium, Februarium, et Martium complectens.
Colgan was an ardent Irishman, of the Mac Colgan sept, born in County Coleraine
, 1592. He entered the Irish House of Franciscans, at Leuven
, in 1612, and was ordained priest
in 1618. Aided by Father Hugh Ward, O.F.M., Father Stephen White
, S.J., and Brother Míchél Ó Cléirigh, O.F.M., Colgan sedulously collected enormous material for the Lives
of the Irish Saints, and at length, after thirty years of sifting and digesting his materials, put to press his Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, a portion of the expense of which was defrayed by Archbishop O'Reilly of Armagh
.
The first volume, covering 270 lives of Irish saints (except Brigid and Patrick) for the months of January, February, and March, was intended to be the third volume of the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Ireland, but only one volume was printed at Leuven in 1645.
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
, John Colgan
John Colgan
John Colgan was an Irish hagiographer and historian.-Life:...
(Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, 1645). The full title runs as follows: Acta Sanctorum veteris et majoris Scotiae, seu Hiberniae, Sanctorum Insulae, partim ex variis per Europam MSS. codd. exscripta, partim ex antiquis monumentis et probatis authoribus eruta et congesta; omnia notis et appendicibus illustrata, per R.P.F. Joannem Colganum, in conventu F.F. Minor. Hibern. Scrictioris Observ., Lovanii, S. Theologiae Lectorem Jubilatum. Nunc primum de eisdem actis juxta ordinem mensium et dierum prodit tomus primus, qui de sacris Hiberniae antiquitatibus est tertius, Januarium, Februarium, et Martium complectens.
Colgan was an ardent Irishman, of the Mac Colgan sept, born in County Coleraine
County Coleraine
County Coleraine, called County of Colerain in the earliest documents was one of the counties of Ireland from 1585 to 1613. It was named after its intended county town, Coleraine...
, 1592. He entered the Irish House of Franciscans, at Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, in 1612, and was ordained priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in 1618. Aided by Father Hugh Ward, O.F.M., Father Stephen White
Stephen White
Stephen White may refer to:* Stephen K. White, American political theorist at the University of Virginia* Stephen M. White , U.S. Senator from California* Stephen V. White , U.S. congressman from New York...
, S.J., and Brother Míchél Ó Cléirigh, O.F.M., Colgan sedulously collected enormous material for the Lives
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
of the Irish Saints, and at length, after thirty years of sifting and digesting his materials, put to press his Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, a portion of the expense of which was defrayed by Archbishop O'Reilly of Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
.
The first volume, covering 270 lives of Irish saints (except Brigid and Patrick) for the months of January, February, and March, was intended to be the third volume of the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Ireland, but only one volume was printed at Leuven in 1645.
Further reading
- John Colgan, The 'Acta sanctorum Hiberniae' of John Colgan, reproduced at the Ordnance SurveyOrdnance SurveyOrdnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
, Dublin. Reflex facsimiles, Irish Manuscript Commission 5. Dublin: Ordnance Survey, 1948. 906 pp. FacsimileFacsimileA facsimile is a copy or reproduction of an old book, manuscript, map, art print, or other item of historical value that is as true to the original source as possible. It differs from other forms of reproduction by attempting to replicate the source as accurately as possible in terms of scale,...
edition of the book (Leuven: De Witte, 1645), with an introduction by Brendan Jennings.