Merolilan of Rheims
Encyclopedia
Merolilan of Rheims, Irish
Christian
martyr
, died 8th century.
preacher
who is commemorated on May 18 and/or 31st. He was killed at Rheims, France
. No tradition of him or his exact origins survived in Ireland, only a cult based at Rheims.
of the Diocese of Rheims, in France; and, the accomplished Flodoard
, in his history of that ancient church, sets forth several particulars, regarding the holy man. St. Merolilanus was of Irish race — indicated by the term Scotigena applied to him — and he travelled into France, with some companions, for the purpose of making a pilgrimage to Rome
. Passing along the River Axona — now known as L'Aisne — some robbers set upon the travellers, and those freebooters killed Merolilanus. His companions brought the body of the holy man to Rheims, where it was interred in an ancient cemetery. For a long time, the very memory of St. Merolilanus seems to have been forgotten, in the place of his sepulture, until miracles revealed the spot where he was buried. It happened in the time of Hildegarius, a Priest of Rheims, as we are told in the History of that city, by Flodoard.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
, died 8th century.
Background
Merolilian was an IrishIrish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
who is commemorated on May 18 and/or 31st. He was killed at Rheims, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. No tradition of him or his exact origins survived in Ireland, only a cult based at Rheims.
Martyrdom
According to O'Hanlon, An account of St. Merolilanus is to be found, in the ancient BreviaryBreviary
A breviary is a liturgical book of the Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church containing the public or canonical prayers, hymns, the Psalms, readings, and notations for everyday use, especially by bishops, priests, and deacons in the Divine Office...
of the Diocese of Rheims, in France; and, the accomplished Flodoard
Flodoard
-Biography:He was born at Épernay, and educated at Reims in the cathedral school which had been established by Archbishop Fulcon .As canon of Reims, and favourite of the archbishops Herivaeus and Seulfus -Biography:He was born at Épernay, and educated at Reims in the cathedral school which had...
, in his history of that ancient church, sets forth several particulars, regarding the holy man. St. Merolilanus was of Irish race — indicated by the term Scotigena applied to him — and he travelled into France, with some companions, for the purpose of making a pilgrimage to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Passing along the River Axona — now known as L'Aisne — some robbers set upon the travellers, and those freebooters killed Merolilanus. His companions brought the body of the holy man to Rheims, where it was interred in an ancient cemetery. For a long time, the very memory of St. Merolilanus seems to have been forgotten, in the place of his sepulture, until miracles revealed the spot where he was buried. It happened in the time of Hildegarius, a Priest of Rheims, as we are told in the History of that city, by Flodoard.
Translation of relics
Upon the restoration of Archbishop Artaud to Rheims in 935, the remains of Merolilanus were translated to the Church of the Holy Apostles and of St. Symphronien, Martyr, at Rheims. It seems probable, that either Archbishop Artaldus, or his successor Odalricus, took care to have this ceremony carried out, with due solemnity, and according to the requirement of St. Merolilanus.External links
- http://www.archive.org/stream/livesofirishsain05ohanuoft/livesofirishsain05ohanuoft_djvu.txt
- http://www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/10.3366/inr.1978.0003