Livinus
Encyclopedia
Saint Livinus also Livinus of Ghent, was an apostle in Flanders
and Brabant
, venerated as a saint and martyr in Catholic tradition and more especially at the Saint Bavo Chapel
, Ghent. His feast day is 12 November.
were used to compile the Passio of St Livinus.
The legend goes that Livinus was born from Irish nobility. Upon studies in England, where he visited Saint Augustine of Canterbuy, he returned to Ireland
. He later went on a peregrinatio Domini and left Ireland for Ghent
(Belgium
) and Sealand
(Netherlands
) where he preached. During one of his preaches, Livinus was attacked in the village of Esse, near Geraardsbergen
by a group of pagans who cut out his tongue and severed his head.
The villages of Sint-Lievens-Esse, where he was murdered, and Sint-Lievens-Houtem
, where he was buried, were named after him.
His remains were transferred to Ghent around the turn of the millennium, but went missing and are believed to have been destroyed in 1578 during the Second Iconoclasm
.
(Netherlands), an English missionary who died in Deventer c. 775 and who is commemorated on 12 November in the Utrecht
diocese. Both figures were engaged in the christening of pagans in the Low Countries
and were confronted with similar conflicts and clashes. It has been argued that monks of the Saint Bavo Abbey in Ghent, Livinus' presumed place of residence, have launched the cultus of Saint Livinus and found inspiration in the life of Saint Lebuinus.
} Reprinted in McGurk (1998), Gospel Books and Early Latin Manuscripts. Ashgate.
}
}
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
, venerated as a saint and martyr in Catholic tradition and more especially at the Saint Bavo Chapel
Saint Bavo Cathedral
thumb|right|225px|Sint-Baafs CathedralThe Saint Bavo Cathedral is the seat of the diocese of Ghent. It is named for Saint Bavo of Ghent....
, Ghent. His feast day is 12 November.
Legend and hagiography
Details of the biography of Deventer saint LebuinusLebuinus
Lebuinus , Apostle of the Frisians and patron of Deventer .-Life:Lebuinus was a monk in Wilfrid's monastery at Ripon...
were used to compile the Passio of St Livinus.
The legend goes that Livinus was born from Irish nobility. Upon studies in England, where he visited Saint Augustine of Canterbuy, he returned to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He later went on a peregrinatio Domini and left Ireland for Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
(Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
) and Sealand
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
(Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
) where he preached. During one of his preaches, Livinus was attacked in the village of Esse, near Geraardsbergen
Geraardsbergen
Geraardsbergen is a city and municipality located in the Denderstreek and in the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Geraardsbergen proper and the following towns:...
by a group of pagans who cut out his tongue and severed his head.
The villages of Sint-Lievens-Esse, where he was murdered, and Sint-Lievens-Houtem
Sint-Lievens-Houtem
Sint-Lievens-Houtem is a Dutch-speaking municipality of Belgium. It is located in the in the Denderstreek and at the edge of the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the province of East Flanders .It is named after Saint Livinus , a Christian saint believed to have been buried...
, where he was buried, were named after him.
His remains were transferred to Ghent around the turn of the millennium, but went missing and are believed to have been destroyed in 1578 during the Second Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm is the deliberate destruction of religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives. It is a frequent component of major political or religious changes...
.
Myth or reality?
Recent research questions the existence of Saint Livinus. There are resemblances between Saint Livinus and Saint Lebuinus of DeventerDeventer
Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in...
(Netherlands), an English missionary who died in Deventer c. 775 and who is commemorated on 12 November in the Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
diocese. Both figures were engaged in the christening of pagans in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
and were confronted with similar conflicts and clashes. It has been argued that monks of the Saint Bavo Abbey in Ghent, Livinus' presumed place of residence, have launched the cultus of Saint Livinus and found inspiration in the life of Saint Lebuinus.
Further reading
- On the Livinus Gospels:
} Reprinted in McGurk (1998), Gospel Books and Early Latin Manuscripts. Ashgate.
}
}
External links
- http://members.lycos.nl/darcos2/fourdescphotos.html Website of DARCOS (Service for Archeology in Sint-Lievens-Houtem) on Saint Livinus, p. 3, 25 and 29