may have
been a
Christian
takeover of the
Roman feast
of Lupercalia.Some Relics
were exhumed
in1836 and
identified as St
Valentine’s,
the casket was
taken to
Dublin.
‘Alleged relics’
also lie in
France, in
Vienna, in Malta and also in the Blessed John Duns Scotus Church in the
Gorbals in Glasgow.
18 February St Colman (born ca 605, died 18 February 675)
He came from Western Ireland to Iona and became a disciple of St
Columba, was a contemporary of St Aidan and St Finan, and at St Finan’s
death in 661 he became the third abbot and bishop of Lindisfarne. He was
there only for 3 years, because his time there is memorable for intense
controversy in the Celtic Church, concerning the calculation of Easter dates
and the wearing of the tonsure. At the Synod of Whitby he defended the
Celtic Church and resigned in protest of the King’s decision to follow the
Roman way. He went back to Iona and subsequently to Ireland, founding the
monasteries of Inishbofin and Mayo. He died and was buried at Inishbofin.
23 February St Milburga, Abbess of Wenloch in Shropshire (died 23
February 727)
She was the grand daughter of King Penda of Mercia who killed St Oswald,
she also was the daughter of a king and sister of St Mildred. Educated in
France, she became a nun at Wenloch under a French abbess and
succeeded her. Several miracles of hers are recorded that happened during
her lifetime. She had healing powers and restored the sight of the blind, she
also is said to have raised a young boy from the dead. She was credited with
having power over the birds and after her death was invoked for the
protection of the crops against their ravages. She organised the
evangelisation and pastoral care of South Shropshire. The nunnery at
Wenloch was destroyed by the Danes, but later rebuilt by Cluniac monks. St
Milburga is a patron saint of Paisley Abbey.
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