Monday 4 March 2013

Saint Philip of Cluain Bainbh, March 4


On March 4 the Irish calendars commemorate a saint Philip, whom they style Bishop of Cluain Bainbh, but no other details are given. The Martyrology of Donegal reads:

4. G. QUARTO NONAS MARTII. 4.

PHILIP, Bishop, of Cluain Bainbh.

Canon O'Hanlon summarizes the evidence from the other calendars, which include mention of a mysterious 'Saint Moggrudo' at the same date:

This saint is merely named, in the Irish Martyrologies and Calendars, as being a bishop of Cluain Bainbh. Colgan was unable to discover the age, in which he flourished. He hazards a conjecture, however, that Philip might have been identical with a reputed saint, to whom a feast has been assigned, at the 4th of March. Thus, in the Carthusian Martyrology, it is stated, that a Saint Moggrudo, a Bishop and Confessor, was venerated in Ireland, on this day but, nothing is contained, in our home Martyrologies or Annals, regarding him, at this, or at any other, date. Perhaps, he only distinguished himself, on a foreign mission. The Carthusian Martyrology at the 4th of March, says: "In Hibernia Moggrudonis Episcopi et Confessoris." And Herman Greuen finds in a MS. Carthusian Martyrology of Cologne: "S. Moggrudonis Episcopi et Confessoris in Hibernia."

On this day, the Martyrology of Tallagh commemorates the Natalis of a certain holy bishop, whose name is suppressed. However, he is called Bishop of Clocharbainni, probably another name for Cluain-Bainbh. Under another form of insertion, Colgan thinks the former an erroneous one, and that it should accord with that in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman and of Donegal, where we find, on this day, recorded, Philip, Bishop, of Cluain Bainbh. The Bollandists have their doubtful notices of Philip and of Moggrudo. Again, under the head of Cluain-bainbh, and Clochar, Duald Mac Firbis enters, Philip, Bishop of Cluain bainbh, a holy bishop of Clogher, at March 4th. Besides this, the anonymous Catalogue of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare, at the 4th of March, we meet with Mogrudo. On the authority of the Carthusian Martyrology, at the same date, he appears, in Henry Fitzsimon's list, as, Mogrado, a bishop.

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