Saint Kevin
St. Kevin was the son of Coemlog
and Coemell, Leinster nobility. He
was baptized by Saint Cronan of
Roscrea, and educated by Saint
Petroc of Cornwall from age seven.
He lived with monks from age 12. He
studied for the priesthood in Cell
na Manach (Killnamanagh) and was a
student of Saint Eonagh. He became a
priest and was ordained by bishop
Lugidus. He was an acquaintance of
Saint Comgall, Saint Columba, Saint
Cannich, and Saint Kieran of
Clonmacnois.
Following his ordination, he lived
as a hermit for seven years in a
cave at Glendalough, a Bronze Age
tomb now known as Saint Kevin's Bed,
to which he was reportedly led by an
angel. He wore skins, ate the
nettles and herbs that came to hand,
and spent his time in prayer. Word
of his holiness spread, and he
attracted followers, including Saint
Moling. Founded the monastery at
Glendalough, which included relics
brought back during a pilgrimage to
Rome. This house, in turn, founded
several others, and around it grew a
town. Served as abbot for several
years. When he saw that the
monastery was well-established, he
withdrew to live as a hermit. Four
years later, however, he returned to
Glendalough at the entreaty of his
monks, and served as abbot until his
death at age 120. King Colman of Ui
Faelain entrusted Kevin with raising
his son.
He was noted as a man who did not
always like the company of men - but
was at home with the animals, as
some of the legends surrounding him
show:
During a drought, Kevin fed his
monks with salmon brought to him by
an otter. When one of the monks
considered making gloves out of the
otter's pelt, it left and never
returned.
Once during Lent, while he held his
arms outstretched in prayer, a
blackbird laid an egg in the Kevin's
hand. He remained in that position
until the baby bird hatched.
A cow which habitually licked
Kevin's clothes while the saint was
in prayer gave as much milk as 50
other cows.
Lacking milk to feed the son of King
Colman, Kevin prayed for help. A doe
arrived to provide for the baby.
When the doe was later killed by a
wolf, Kevin chastised the killer;
the wolf then provided the milk
herself.
A young man with severe epilepsy
received a vision that he would be
cured by eating an apple. There
were, however, no apple trees about.
Kevin, seeing the lad's need,
ordered a willow to produce apples;
twenty yellow apples appeared on the
tree.
In his old age, King O'Tool of
Glendalough made a pet of a goose.
As time passed, the goose also
became aged and weak, and finally
unable to fly. Hearing of Kevin's
sanctity and power, the pagan king
sent for him, and asked that he make
the beloved goose young. Kevin asked
for a payment of whatever land the
goose would fly over. As the goose
could no longer take flight, O'Toole
agreed. When Kevin touched the bird,
it grew young, and flew over the
entire valley that was used to found
the monastery of Glendalough.
A boar was being chased by a group
of hunters with their dogs. It ran
to where Kevin sat praying under a
tree, and cowered beside him for
protection. When the dogs saw the
saint in prayer, they laid on their
stomachs, and would not approach the
boar. When the hunters decided they
would ignore the man and kill the
boar, a flock of birds settled in
the tree above the praying saint.
The hunters took this as a sign, and
left man and beast alone.
St Kevin’s feast day is on June 3rd.
Troparion (Tone 8)
Thou
wast privileged to live in the age of
Saints,
O Father Kevin, being baptized by one
Saint,
taught by another and buried by a third.
Pray to
God that He will raise up Saints in our
day to help,
support and guide us into the way of
salvation. |
