FINNIAN OF CLONARD (Finnian, Finlan, Findian), Saint. - Irish monk, b. at Myshall (County Carlow) around 470, and d. at Clonard, in 549 or 522 (not to be confused with the namesake St. Finnian of Moville, Ulster).
Educated by Bishop St. Fortchern, on his advice he went to Wales, where he devoted thirty years to the study of the sacred sciences and of the religious life, especially at the school of St. David, founder of Menevia. Having returned to Ireland with some Breton disciples, he devoted himself to the apostolate, preaching, teaching and founding churches, until, according to the most widespread tradition, an angel led him to Cldain Erard ("meadows of Erard"), where he erected the great monastery of Clonard, a famous school from which came so many men illustrious for learning and virtue as to earn him the glorious title of "Tutor of the Saints of Erin"; among these were St. Columba, founder of Iona, St. Clarán, founder of Clonmensa, and St. Comgall, founder of Bangor. Patron of the diocese of Meath, his feast falls on 12 December.
F. gave impetus to classical culture; his teaching was distinguished in the exposition of Holy Scripture. His writings have not come down to us.
He has been thought to be the author of the Poenitentiale Vinniani (ed. F. Wasserschleben, Die Bussordnungen des abendland. Kirche, Halle 1851, p. 118 ff.); but this could also be by the namesake St. Finnian of Moville.
Bibliography4 worksHis Life was published by J. Colgan, Acta SS. Hiberniae, Louvain 1632, p. 393 ff. Three biographical sketches, two in Latin and one in Irish
BIBL.: His Life was published by J. Colgan, Acta SS. Hiberniae, Louvain 1632, p. 393 ff. Three biographical sketches, two in Latin and one in Irish, in W. Stokes, Lives of saints from the book of Lismore, Oxford 1869, pp. 222-30. - T. Olden, s. v. in Dictionary of national biography, VII, pp. 30-41; L. Gousaud, Les chrétientés celtiques, Paris 1911, pp. 75-76 and passim; J. Kenney, The sources for the early history of Ireland, I, New York 1929, pp. 240 f., 374-76 and passim (cf. index); J. Ryan, Irish monasticism, London 1931, pp. 117-24 and passim.
Cecchetti, Igino. “Finniano di Clonard (Finnian, finlan, findian), santo.” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. V, col. 1395. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1950. https://azioneromana.com/article/finniano-di-clonard-finnian-finlan-findian-santo.
MLA
Cecchetti, Igino. “Finniano di Clonard (Finnian, finlan, findian), santo.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. V, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1950, col. 1395. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/finniano-di-clonard-finnian-finlan-findian-santo.
BibTeX
@incollection{ec5_finniano_di_clonard_finnian_fi,
author = {Cecchetti, Igino},
title = {Finniano di Clonard (Finnian, finlan, findian), santo},
booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
volume = {V},
pages = {1395},
note = {Cited by column},
publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
address = {Città del Vaticano},
year = {1950},
url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/finniano-di-clonard-finnian-finlan-findian-santo}
}
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