Catholic Heroes . . . St. Aidan
By CAROLE BRESLIN
The Church names many saints as patrons of certain professions, troubles, or countries. St. Benedict is the patron saint of Europe. As the father of Western monasticism, he is credited with building Western civilization. St. Catherine of Siena is also a patron of Europe since she played important roles in settling both civil and ecclesiastical disputes. St. Cyril and Methodius, who developed the Cyrillic alphabet to convert the Slavic peoples, are also patrons of Europe.
Aidan, an Irishman who studied in Wales and served as a bishop in Scotland, has been proposed as the patron saint of the United Kingdom.
St. Bede the Venerable, the first to write a detailed ecclesiastical history of England, recounted the story of St. Aidan. In the hills of western Ireland in Connaught with many signs and wonders at his birth, Aidan came into this world. He was born in about the year 590, and demonstrated both piety and kindness as a youth.
He received his early education in Leinster, which is about 70 miles west of Dublin. Then he attended St. David Monastery on the west coast of Wales. While studying there, he reputedly repelled a Saxon invasion by inexplicable means.
After he returned to Ireland, he founded a monastery in Ferns, in Wexford, about 75 miles south of Dublin near Ireland’s east coast. He became bishop of that region, working miracles and raising much money to build new churches. Because he once rescued a stag from the hounds by making it invisible, he is frequently depicted standing with one.
Prior to St. Aidan’s time in Scotland, the island had been evangelized by the Roman Christians. However, invasions by the Anglo-Saxons ushered paganism back into the culture. Before Aidan went to Scotland to re-establish Christianity, he spent a good deal of time at a monastery on the island of Iona.
Another resident of this monastery since 616 was the exiled king of Northumbria, Oswald. Northumbria is off the northeast coast of Scotland. In 634 Oswald returned to his native land to take his seat on the throne. His main ambition as king was to bring his people back to the Church.
Rather than going to the English for assistance, Oswald turned to the Iona monastery where he had stayed, knowing the quality of the men from whom he could expect assistance. The abbot sent Corman to King Oswald. He was a learned man, rigorous in following the practices of the faith. Sadly, Corman met with no success because he was so rigid and expected so much from the people. He returned to Iona, complaining that the Northumbrians were too stubborn to convert.
Aidan thought Corman’s manner was inappropriate for evangelization, and said that he would go if sent. Aidan arrived, met with the king, and settled on the island of Lindisfarne where he could maintain his life of prayer and penance. Lindisfarne, which became the seat of the diocese, was also located near the royal residence in Bamburgh. (Today the island is a popular tourist destination.)
King Oswald and Aidan quickly became close friends. Frequently, the king would travel with Aidan on his missions throughout the land. Since Oswald had spent so much time at Iona, he understood the Irish Gaelic language and interpreted for Aidan. Periodically Aidan would return to Lindisfarne to restore his mind, body, and soul.
Aidan met with much success. He did not preach fire and brimstone as Corman had. Rather he followed the ageless method of effective evangelization by taking a sincere interest in the persons whom he met. He asked about their lives, their families, and their occupations. He visited them in their homes and preached throughout the countryside.
As he traveled on foot from village to village, he would engage those he met in conversation, accepting them where they were spiritually rather than where they should be. His kind manner, his love for the people, and his joy in speaking about Christ and His Gospel won many souls to Christianity.
He patterned his work after the first apostles by placing before them “first the milk of gentle doctrine, to bring them by degrees, while nourishing them with the Divine Word, to the true understanding and practice of the more advanced precepts” (Baring-Gould, The Lives of the Saints, p. 392).
God blessed Aidan’s work with many converts. With the financial support and the lands provided by King Oswald, Aidan and his monks built many churches, schools, and monasteries. People flocked to St. Aidan’s sermons.
Under Aidan’s guidance, citizens from all states of life learned the teachings of Christ. It must be remembered that preaching alone does not win souls. His unity in the Holy Spirit brought many graces to both the speaker and the listeners. Furthermore, he lived the Gospel by tending to the marginalized and poor people, by providing lodging and food for orphans as well as education. He also paid ransom for the slaves who commonly stayed with Aidan and later became priests under his guidance.
Aidan focused on either bringing people to the Church or increasing the ardor of those already baptized. He engaged all those he met in fruitful, faithful conversation whether rich or poor, Christian or infidel, intelligent or ignorant.
When given alms or material goods, he distributed them among the poor. His example, generosity, and zeal brought countless people closer to God in the person of Jesus Christ. Pope Honorius I praised his work.
In 642 when King Oswald died, King Oswine of Deira took over the kingdom. Like Oswald before him, Oswine became close friends with Aidan. Thus, Aidan’s work continued as before until 651 when the pagans rebelled against Christianity.
In the summer of that year, the pagans attacked Oswine’s castle, attempting to burn it down. Aidan, seeing the smoke billowing from the castle as he looked out of the window of his cell at Lindisfarne Abbey, immediately knelt in prayer. He begged our Lord to spare the king and his people. Immediately the winds changed, blowing flames back on the pagans who fled in fear. They were convinced that the castle was defended by powerful spirits.
Oswine’s enemies did not stop their evil pursuits. One of his trusted men betrayed him and he was murdered in August of 651.
Less than two weeks later, Aidan died on August 31, 651. Having ruined his health by incessant traveling, frequent fasts, and endless tending to the poor and needy, he fell seriously ill. Leaning against the wall of a local church, he suddenly died.
After his death, his body was buried at Lindisfarne. His feast is celebrated on August 31.
Dear St. Aidan, merciful father in Christ, thank you for your loving service to those who had strayed from the faith. Encourage us with your intercession to lovingly reach out to all persons to preach the love and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. May such charity win many souls for the Kingdom as you did in the seventh century! Amen.
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(Carole Breslin home-schooled her four daughters and served as treasurer of the Michigan Catholic Home Educators for eight years. For over ten years, she was national coordinator for the Marian Catechists, founded by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ.)