Cellach Mac Aodh

Cellach Mac Aodh (* 1080 in Ireland , † April 1, 1129 in Ardpatrick ), in some sources also under the name Ceallach or Celsus, was Archbishop of Armagh from 1106 to 1129 . His importance lies in the fact that he played a leading role in the reform process of the Irish Church and used his authority in numerous disputes to bring about peace.

Life

Career as Archbishop of Armagh

Cellach comes from the Clann Sínaich family , who exercised control of the Armagh Abbey at least between 965 and 1134 and passed this position of power on within the family according to Irish law. In 1105, after the death of the lay abbot Domnall Mac Amalgada of Armagh , Cellach was also a lay successor in the chair of St. Patrick . However, he was convinced early on of the reforms decided in the Synod of Cashel in 1101 and immediately sought the priesthood . He was ordained a priest on September 23, 1105.

After the death of Bishop Cáenchomrac Ua Baigill of Armagh in 1106, Cellach traveled to Munster and was there most likely consecrated as the successive Bishop of Armagh by the papal legate Maol Muire Ua Dunáin in the presence of other bishops belonging to the reform movement. This opened the way for a reform of the Irish Church.

Rathbreasail Synod

The opportunity to introduce a modern diocesan administration in Ireland arose in 1111 at the Rathbreasail Synod, which was attended by many participants. The contemporary chronicles name the two leaders Maol Muire Ua Dunáin and Cellach the king of Munster Muirchertach Ua Briain and report that over 50 bishops and 300 priests took part. Following the English model with the archbishopric of Canterbury and York , Ireland was divided into two ecclesiastical provinces , each with twelve dioceses. The northern province, under the direction of the Archbishop of Armagh, included Ulster , Connacht , Meath and Dublin . The southern province was assigned to the Archdiocese of Cashel . It included Munster and large parts of Leinster . Even if Dublin was included for the north, but not yet involved because of its then still existing connection to Canterbury, this resulted in a great success for Cellach, because Armagh's priority position as the seat of the Primate of Ireland was confirmed.

Dispute over the Diocese of Dublin

In 1121 the Bishop of Dublin, Samuel of Dublin died . According to the different currents of the simultaneously Scandinavian and Irish influenced city, two successors were sought in parallel. The Irish parliamentary group sent a message to Cellach that an Irish bishop was wanted. Meanwhile, the Scandinavian parliamentary group sent the then subdeacon Gregory (Irish Gréine) in recognition of the earlier connection of the diocese of Dublin to Canterbury to Archbishop Ralph of Canterbury . After Gregory swore allegiance to Archbishop Ralph, he was immediately ordained a bishop in Lambeth . On his return to Dublin, however, he found the episcopal see of Cellach occupied, which was able to prevail thanks to its higher reputation. Gregory then returned to Canterbury and stayed there at least until Ralph's death in 1122. Later, Cellach came to an amicable settlement when Gregory recognized the authority of the Primate of Ireland.

Death and succession

In the period between 1126 and 1128 Cellach tried several times intensively for peace in the violent conflict between Munster and Connacht. He spent over a year on the matter and eventually achieved a one-year peace. It is obvious that Cellach was also an agent in Munster in 1129.

In Ardpatrick, however, he fell seriously ill and still had the opportunity to draw up a will. In this he not only regulated his burial, but also made an attempt to entrust a family member with the successor, contrary to the resolution of the Synod of 1101. The Bishop Malachias of Down prevented this and became his successor. According to the hagiography of Bernhard von Clairvaux , his request for the execution of his will was sent in particular to the kings Conchobar Ua Briain from North Munster and Cormac MacCarthaigh from South Munster.

After his death in Ardpatrick on April 1, Cellach was solemnly buried in Lismore on April 3, in accordance with his testamentary wish . However, his wish for the succession was ignored in Armagh because it contradicted the hereditary succession. Accordingly, Malachias was only able to succeed after a lengthy dispute.

Remembrance day

Cellach was included in the Irish martyrology of Gorman compiled in the 12th century with April 6th as a memorial day. This memorial day was initially adopted by Baronius in the martyrology. This was later corrected to April 1st according to the date of death.

literature

swell

• Annals of Ulster with the entries U1080.3, U1105.3, U1106.4, U1106.6, U1107.8, U1109.5, U1110.12, U1111.8, U1113.7, U1113.8, U1116.1, U1118.3, U1120.4, U1121.7, U1125.1, U1126.8, U1126.11 and U1129.3.
• Annals of the four masters with the entries M1105.15, M1106.16, M1106.17, M1108.8, M1109.5, M1110.13, M1111.5, M1116.2, M1120.2, M1121.1, M1125.5 , M1126.7, M1126.13, M1128.16, M1129.12, M1129.13 and M1129.14.
• Annals of Loch Cé with the entries LC1105.2, LC1105.3, LC1106.2, LC1106.4, LC1107.6, LC1108.3, LC1109.3, LC1110.5, LC1111.6, LC1113.9, LC1116.1 , LC1118.3, LC1120.3, LC1121.5, LC1125.1, LC1129.1 and LC1129.2.
• Annals of traps with the entries AI1111.3, AI1120.7 and AI1129.6.
• Bernhard von Clairvaux : Vita Sancti Malachiae episcopi . 1149. A German translation was published as part of the collected works of Bernhard von Clairvaux in Tyrolia Verlag, Volume 1, 1990, ISBN 3-7022-1732-0 .

Secondary literature

• Ailbe J. Luddy: Life of St. Malachy . MHGill and Son, Ltd, 1930. A reprint was published by Llanerch Publishers in 1994, ISBN 1-897853-43-2 .
• Aubrey Gwynn and R. Neville Hadcock: Medieval Religious Houses Ireland . Longman, London 1970, ISBN 0-582-11229-X .
• Aubrey Gwynn: The Irish Church in the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries . Four Courts Press, Dublin 1992, ISBN 1-85182-095-7 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ See Whitley Stokes: The Martyrology of Gorman , London 1895, p. 71.
2. ↑ See Luddy, p. 41.
3. ↑ See http://www.breviary.net/martyrology/mart04/mart0401.htm ( Memento from May 20, 2012 in the Internet Archive )

predecessor	Office	successor
Cáenchomrac including Baigill	Bishop of Armagh 1106-1129	Malachias
Domnall Mac Amalgaid	Successor to Patrick 1105–1129	Muirchertach Mac Domnall