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The Feast of All Irish Saints was instituted in 1921, by Pope Benedict XV. It was already a huge privilege to have twenty five new Irish saints recognised by Rome back in 1902, albeit via an informal procedure. In that year we had increased our existing locally acclaimed saints recognised universally. To explain the procedure for recognition of saints lets take a look at three options…
We have
A) Formally canonised saints
B) Informally canonised saints
C) Pre-congregation canonization
A. Formally canonised saints are when there is a solemn public affair in publicising the recognition of someone as a saint. Examples of formally canonised Irish Saints or saints for Ireland are:
- Saint Charles of Mount Argus (Dutch) – 5th January
- Saint Oliver Plunkett – 1st July
- Saint Malachy – 3rd November
- Saint Lawrence O’Toole – 14th November
- St. Virgil of Salzburg – 27th November
Nb* Irish monk St. Virgil is also known as St. Fergal; an 8th-century missionary scholar who was formally canonized in 1233 by Pope Gregory IX.
B. Informally canonised saints are when there is a recognition of someone as a saint without the solemn public fan fair. It is a recognition via the process of Cultus Confirmation. Listed below are twenty five saints were recognised in 19 June 1902 by the universal church via the process of Cultus Confirmation:
1) Albert from Cashel – 8th January
2) Aidan from Ferns – 30th January
3) Carthach the Elder from Lismore – 5th March
4) Ciarán from Clonmacnois – 5th March
5) Macartan from Clogher – 24th March
6) Laserian from Leighlin – 18th April
7) Assicus from Elphin – 27th April
8) Conleth from Kildare – 4th May
9) Comgall from Bangor – 10th May
10) Kevin from Glendalough – 3rd June
11) Jarlath from Tuam – 6th June
12) Colman from Dromore – 7th June
13) Déclán from Ardmore – 24th July
14) Nathy from Achonry – 9th August
15) Felim from Kilmore – 9th August
16) Muiredach from Killala – 12th August
17) Éoghan from Ardstraw – 23rd August
18) Mac Nisse from Connor – 4th September
19) Finbarr from Cork – 25th September
20) Oran from Iona – 27th October
21) Colman from Kilmacduagh – 29th October
22) Colman from Cloyne – 25th November
23) Finnian from Clonard – 12th December
24) Flannán mac Toirrdelbaig from Killaloe – 18th December
25) Fachanan from Kilfenora – 20th December
The process of Cultus Confirmation is also called equipollent (equivalent) canonization, which consists in decreeing an Office and Mass by the pope in honour of the saint, (Benedict XIV, l, c., xliii, no 14). The Congregation for the Causes of Saints (CCS), instituted in 1969, has the competence to consider such an honour. Ordinarily someone whose cultus has been confirmed is considered “Blessed”. In some cases, the decree grants the title as “Saint”.
The rules instituted by Pope Benedict XIV, on the conditions for an equipollent canonization:
1) Existence of an ancient cultus of the person: namely evidence of an immemorial public veneration (cultus ab immemorabili tempore) of the person at least one hundred years before the publication of the decree.
2) Reliable and constant attestation to the virtues or martyrdom of the person by credible historians.
3) Uninterrupted fame of the person as a miracle worker: the claimed saint maintains a reputation for performing miracles that have continued without exception of the centuries.
These criteria ensure only claimed saints of authentic merit veneration and canonisation.
C. Pre-congregation canonization are when a saint was proclaimed so by popular devotion and recognised as such by a local bishop. This was of the era before the formal canonisation process we have today begun. This pre-congregation canonisation process is no longer promoted today.
Examples of pre-congregation canonisation:
St. Mel of Ardagh – 7th February
Our national patron Ss Patrick, Brigid, and Colmcille, are also saints by acclamation of local bishops.
What a great privilege that we have twenty officially recognised Irish saints by the Roman pontificate via Cultus Confirmation. We celebrate all Irish Saints day on the 6th November.
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