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Home  »  Volume I: January  »  St. Maidoc, or Maodhog, Bishop of Ferns, in Ireland

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

January 31

St. Maidoc, or Maodhog, Bishop of Ferns, in Ireland

 
[Called also Aidan and Mogue.]  HE was born in Connaught, a province of Ireland, and seemed from his infancy to be deeply impressed with the fear of God. He passed in his early days into Wales, where he lived for a considerable time under the direction of the holy abbot David. He returned afterwards to his own country, accompanied with several monks of eminent piety, founded a great number of churches and monasteries, and was made bishop of Ferns. He died in 632, according to Usher. His name is celebrated among the Irish saints. It appears from Cambrensis that his festival was observed in Wales in the twelfth century. He was also honoured in Scotland. 1 See Colgan, Jan. 31. p. 208. 223. Chatalain, notes, p. 481.

END OF VOL. I.
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Note 1. There is found in the chronicle of Scone, and in the Breviary of Aberdeen, an ancient collect, in which the Divine mercy is implored through his intercession. Chatelain tells us that in Lower Brittany he is called St. De, (contracted from the Latin word Aideus, or Aidanus,) and that the village and church, which bear his name, celebrate his festival the 18th of May, the day perhaps on which they received some portion of his relics. [back]