Ninian of Whithorn

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Ninian von Whithorn, donor image in the Book of Hours of the Virgin and Saint Ninian , 15th century

Ninian of Whithorn , also Nynia , († perhaps around 432 in Whithorn , a village of The Machars ) was according to tradition the first messenger of faith among the southern Picts and founding bishop of Whithorn . He is venerated as a saint by Catholics and Anglicans . Numerous churches in Scotland and northern England are named after him. His feast day is September 16.

Lore

The oldest mention of Ninian can be found in the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum of the Beda Venerabilis († 735):

Namque ipsi australes Picti, qui intra eosdem montes habent sedes, multo ante tempore, ut perhibent, relicto errore idolatriae, fidem ueritatis acceperant, praedicante eis uerbum Nynia episcopo reueridementissimo et sanctissimo uiro mysto de natione Brettonum ederia eratus regular qui eratus; cuius sedem episcopatus, sancti Martini episcopi nomine et ecclesia insignem, ubi ipse etiam corpore una cum pluribus sanctis requiescit, iam nunc Anglorum gens obtinet. Qui locus, ad prouinciam Berniciorum pertinens, uulgo uocatur Ad Candidam Casam, eo quod ibi ecclesiam de lapide, insolito Brettonibus more fecerit. “For they, the southern Picts, who live on this side of the mountains mentioned, long ago, as it is said, abandoned the error of idolatry and accepted the belief in the truth, when Nynia, the venerable and holy bishop, a British , had them proclaimed the word. He had properly studied the true faith and the secrets of salvation in Rome. His bishop's seat, famous for the church named after St. Bishop Martin , where he himself rests with several saints, is now owned by the Angles people . The place, which belongs to the province of Bernicia , is popularly called To the White House because he built a stone church there that the British did not know. "

Beda possibly refers to an older local tradition of the Whithorn Monastery ("White House"), which, however, cannot be verified. He inserts the passage into his report on Columban's mission from Iona in the 6th century, at the time of which Ninian's work was "long" behind ( multo ante tempore ).

In the 12th century Aelred von Rievaulx wrote a legendary embellished life story of Ninian, the sources of which he gives Bede and another biography "written in barbarian". Aelred reports that while the church in Whithorn was being built, Ninian learned of the death of St. Martin and then named the church after him. Martin's year of death 397 would then be a fixed date for Ninian's time in office. However, there are many doubts about this early dating. More recently attempts have been made to identify Ninian with other people from the Christianization of Scotland. There are no traces of his grave in Whithorn, which was a popular pilgrimage destination in the Middle Ages.

Reception of worship

During his visit to Great Britain in 2010, Benedict XVI. take part in the celebration of St. Ninian's Day. On the occasion of the visit, a special tartan was designed in memory of Ninian.

literature

Web links

Commons : Ninian by Whithorn  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Page in memory of the visit of Benedict XVI.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Map of the Ninian Patronage
  2. ^ Beda Venerabilis : Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum , Book III , Section 4
personal data
SURNAME Ninian
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Nynia
BRIEF DESCRIPTION according to tradition, the first messenger of faith among the southern Picts and founding bishop of Whithorn
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century or 5th century
DATE OF DEATH at 432
Place of death Whithorn