St. Corentin
(Cury)
12 December
Died c. 490 (though some claim him for the 6th century); a second feast
day on May 1 is probably in honour of his translation. There may be some
confusion between Corentinus, first bishop of Cornouaille (Quimper),
Brittany, and the saintly founder and patron of Cury (Corentin) on
Lizard Island of Cornwall (died 401?) whose feast is also today, and
whose cultus spread throughout southwestern England and Wales. This
second was a hermit at the foot of Mount Menehont in Devonshire, who
preached with great success and is said to have died there. They may be
two people or one; however, in 1890, a fresco was
discovered at Breage (the mother-church of Lizard), which depicts Saint
Corentin/Cury in a cope and mitre with the pastoral staff of a bishop.
Beside him is a fish, from which he was reputed to have cut and eaten
one slice each day, without any diminution in the size of the fish.
The story that unites the two claims that Corentin was a Celtic hermit
who retired to the forest of Plomodiern, where he lived in solitude for
several years. After the death of Marcellus, who had subscribed to the
first council of Tours, and the several other British bishops who
migrated to Brittany, new pastors were needed for the British in
Armorica who were familiar with the language and customs. Thus, Corentin
was recruited and consecrated bishop by
Saint Martin of Tours ((f.d. November 11),
who had been dead for some time). It is said that Count
Grallo I of Cornouaille (died c. 445) gave his palace at Quimper to
serve as the home and cathedral of the new bishop. An ancient cross
stands near his church. Corentin participated in the council of Angers
in 453 and signed the canons under the name Charaton. He was said to
have been a friend of Guennole (?).
Corentin's relics were translated to Marmoutier at Tours in 878 to
protect them from destruction at the hands of the Normans
(Attwater2,
Benedictines,
Coulson,
Encyclopaedia,
Farmer,
Husenbeth).
Lives kindly supplied by:
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content © 2008, Ambrose Mooney
layout © 2008, Kathleen Hanrahan and Mo! Langdon
Page last updated: 27 November 2008
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Mo!.
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