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Lives of the Saints who shone forth in Britain and Ireland
(Жития святых в землях Британских и Ирландских просиявших)

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Venerable Adrian of Canterbury (9th Jan)

Venerable Adrian of Canterbury (+709) was a Berber from North Africa who twice refused the see of Canterbury, recommending his friend Theodore of Tarsus. Pope Vitalian insisted that Adrian accompany St Theodore and on arrival in England became the abbot of the monastery of Ss Peter and Paul. Known for his great learning he lived to a great age and was considered a Saint soon after his repose. Feast day 9/22 Jan.

Benedict Biscop (12th Jan)

Benedict Biscop (+690) was a Northumbrian of noble birth who spent his youth at the court of King Oswiu. He became a monk at Lerins and accompanied St Theodore (and St Adrian) to Canterbury and the monastery of Ss Peter and Paul there. He went on to found monasteries to St Peter at Wearmouth and St Paul at Jarrow. St Benedict helped introduce Roman chant to England and is said to have introduced the use of glass windows and stone in English Church construction. Venerable Bede wrote the saint's life, and was Benedicts charge from the age of seven. Feast day 12/25 Jan.

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Kentigern, or Mungo, of Strathclyde (13th Jan)

St Kentigern (+612). His mother, St Teneu, was raped and then thrown from the heights of Traprain Law by her "dishonoured" father. Teneu survived and escaped to Culross in Fife, where St Kentigern was born. As a boy he was brought up by St Serban who was ministering to the Picts and gave him his other name, Mungo, meaning "my dear one". Kentigern was the first Bishop of Strathclyde and founded the church in Glasgow, but was later driven to Wales through persecution and founded St Asaph monastery there. He then evangelised Cumbria before returning to Strathclyde where he reposed. St Kentigern is the patron Saint of Glasgow and apostle to Cumbria and the Lake District. Feast day 13/26 January.

Ita of Kileedy (15th Jan)

St Ita (+570) is known as "the Foster-Mother of Irish Saints" due to the monastery and school she founded at Killeedy, which was the training ground for many famous saints. St Brendan the Voyager was entrusted to St Ita's care when one years old, and she became renowned for her spiritual counsel. She also practiced medicine too. Feast day 15/28 Jan

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Ven. Fursey, Abbot of Burgh Castle (16th Jan)

St Fursey (+650) was an Irish monk who successfully evangelised throughout the British Isles, particularly in East Anglia. He was baptised by Brendan the Voyager and he laboured in the monastic state with his brothers Ss Foillan and Ultan. He was an itinerant preacher and exorcist. In 633 he moved with his brothers to Easy Anglia and established the monastery at Burgh Castle in Suffolk. War forced the brothers to move to Normandy, where Fursey established more monasteries. He reposed at Froheins (Fursey's home) and his wonderworking relics are preserved at nearby Peronne. Feast day 16/29 January.

Ninnidh "the Pious" of Inismacsaint (18th Jan)

Св. Нинида Инисмаксентского

Ninnidh the Pious (+6th century) is one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and was educated under St Finian at Clonard. He travelled the Lough Erne area of Co. Fermanagh and based himself on the island of the sorrel plain (Inishmacsaint). He would travel the lakes in a hollowed out boat and travel inland to preach. Feast day 18/31 January.

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St Conan of the Isle of Man (26th Jan)

Святитель Конан (26 января)

St Conan (+648) as born in Ireland and may have taken monastic vows on the island of Iona. According to some reports, he later became abbot in Ireland and raised the future St. Fiachra. He then moved to the Isle of Man, where he served as a bishop. Various places and place-names of the Isle of Man and the Hebrides (where St. Conan also labored and served as bishop) bear his name. Commemorated 26 Jan / 8 Feb.
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Святитель Конан (+ ок. 648) родился в Ирландии и, возможно, принял монашество на острове Айона. По некоторым данным, он позднее стал игуменом в Ирландии и воспитывал будущего св. Фиакра. Затем он переехал на остров Мэн, где служил епископом. Разные места и топонимы острова Мэн и Гебридских островов (где св. Конан тоже трудился и служил епископом) носят его имя. память 26 января / 8 февраля.

"The Saints live in another world... But in the Holy Spirit they see our lives too and our deeds. They know our sorrows and hear our ardent prayers. In their lives they learned of the love of God from the Holy Spirit; and he who knows love on earth takes it with him into eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven, where love grows and becomes perfect. And if love makes one unable to forget a brother here, how much more do the Saints remember and pray for us!

Call with faith on the Mother of God and the Saints, and pray to them. They hear our prayers and know even our innermost thoughts. 

And marvel not at this. Heaven and all the Saints live by the Holy Spirit and in all the world there is naught hidden from the Holy Spirit. Once upon a time I did not understand how the holy inhabitants of Heaven could see our lives. But when the Mother of God brought my sins home to me I realised that they see us in the Holy Spirit, and know our entire lives."

- Saint Silouan (from his own writings collected by Elder Sophrony)

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The Saints: What's Happening
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