Tuesday 24 December 2013

Saint Cumméin the Death-Pale, December 24



There is an interesting saint recorded in the Irish calendars at December 24. The Martyrology of Gorman records:

24. A.

The vigil of the Nativity...Cumméin the death-pale..

to which the gloss is added:

he was pale in the hut of devotion.

This epithet of 'death-pale' suggests that Saint Cumméin was perhaps one of the many Irish saints distinguished for his ascetic piety, but I have been unable to find out any further information about when or where he flourished. He is not listed in the Martyrology of Oengus and is simply listed as Cumméin in the Martyrology of Donegal.

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