Was Merlin a Druid?
Malcolm Martin
Just before Christmas there was a brief discussion as to whether
Merlin was a Druid under the thread <Questions about "Excalibur">. I
have been thinking about aspects of this in the quiet time after
Christmas, and have also today come across something in my reading.
It was Heather, I think, who suggested that before attempting to
answer the question, one must first define one's <Merlin>. To start
with, I will take the Merlin of Geoffrey of Monmouth, followed by
that of Mallory, without querying at this stage as to whether either
or both of these are anymore than a literary creation.
In Geoffrey, Merlin is a superior to the magician counsellors of
Vortigern [vi.19], possessed of prophetic powers and practical
knowledge [viii.10], controlled by a spirit (awen?) [viii.10, 15],
king's counsellor [viii.15], shape-shifter and knowledgeable about
drugs [viii.19].
In Mallory, he is the shape-shifter [1.2], not a holy-man who can
christen [1.3], king's counsellor [1.4, 1.8 and others], king-maker
[1.5], dream-reader and able to vanish [1.9], through his wit able to
move with great speed [1.11], law-maker [1.11], able to ride into the
middle of a vicious battle and call a halt to it [1.17], remember who
did what in the battle and dictate it to Blaise [1.17].
Whilst the term druid is not used in either case, I would suggest
that the concepts that underlie both of these literary characters, is
that of the druid at work and, going further, a senior or Archdruid
(in particular, acting as king's counsellor and stopping the major
batlle between kings in Mallory). As for why the term is not used
would be pure speculation - but these are Arthurian matters so I feel
free to speculate. My further suggestion would be the dates of
writing, with the (Roman) Christian culture in which they were
written not being conducive to any positive writing about druids -
see how Merlin is called prophet in Geoffrey, whilst the evil
prophets and counsellors of Vortigern are called magicians - a term I
take to be a later Christian reference to druids.
Moving on to the question as to if Merlin was a real person in the
court of Arthur. First, let me acknowledge that others on in this
newsgroup disagree with me as to whether Merlin was such a real
person, and I do not intent to return to that debate. (If you are
interested, try Deja.com under the thread <Merlin/Myrddin & Prof.
Griffen> of about Sept/Oct 1999).
Jason Godesky wrote <I was asking if there was any evidence that a
historical Merlin (if there was such a thing) could have been a
druid> and in another post < The Druids were pretty much wiped out by
61 AD, and their stress on oral transmission pretty much nipped it in
the bud once they were all dead. The Romans had been brutally
efficient in wiping them out, and they never recovered. There is a
mention from c. 400 AD of Druids in Gaul, but even if this was true,
there could only have been a small handful left by then, certainly
not enough to exert any sort of force whatsoever.>
Aidan Meehan (if I have the attribution correct) also wrote <What a
Druid was doing in the villa of a supposed Romano-British Christian,
long after Caesar's extermination of the the druids at Anglesey,
A.D.50, is only one of the contradictions of the fable of King Arthur.>
But even after the Roman destruction of Anglesey, the druids
continued, and in a significant way, in Ireland. The links between
Ireland and Britain were numerous, including the establishment of
Irish colonies in Britain eg Dal Riada, Dyfed/Demetae - which appears
to include Carmarthen. (Incidentally, and as a digression, the
consideration of Demetae as Irish makes Geoffreys reference to
Stonehenge as coming from Ireland more intelligible, even if the
mountain name may then be incorrect). The references to Irish druids
in Historic Arthurian times are found in the accounts of Patrick
coming to Ireland, and engaging in, effectively, 'spiritual warfare'
of a very up front nature. I acknowledge that these earliest copies
we have are late (14th Century?), but I am not aware of any
suggestion that they do not accurately portray the social milieu into
which the early Christian missionaries in Ireland were operating.
As for the British mainland, there is the interesting reference to
Illtyd cited by Peter Berresford Ellis in 'Celts and Saxon'
(Constable 1993,1999) on page124. Ellis, who writes very much from a
pro-Celtic (or, if you prefer, pro-British) viewpoint, cites the Life
of Sampson as saying of Illtyd:
Illtyd was 'the most learned of all the Britons in the Old and New
Testament, and in every kind of philosophy, that is geometry and
rhetoric, grammar and arithmetic and in all the arts of philosophy'
He was 'by descent a most wise man, a Druid, and a foreknower of
future events.'
Ellis dates him to 425-505AD, with the Life of Sampson being written
by about 615AD 'by far the earliest biography of a Celtic saint and
therefore of more value that Vitae written many centuries afterwards.'
If this is correct and also an accurate translation, then there
appears to be no contradiction within the historical Celtic Church
(as opposed to the later Roman church of the Saxons) to a leading
churchman being considered also as a druid - not only during the
lifetime of Illtyd, but *also when that was recorded (?600AD)*. For,
even if Illtyd wasn't a Druid, it was clearly thought to be a
positive thing to record about him in a church document of circa 600AD.
This not only suggests to me that Druid is a valid appellation in
Britain in the time of a Historical Arthurian Merlin, but also that
such Druids might occupy high positions in society, including (for
Illtyd) within the church.
To conclude. If there was a Historical Arthurian Merlin, then I do
not currently see any reason why he could not have been a Druid, with
Ireland having preserved the Druidic way of life and teaching from
the destruction of Anglesey, and passed that on to mainland Britain,
in particular Demetae and Carmarthen. If Merlin is taken as a
literary creation of either or both of Geoffrey or Mallory, then
there are significant traits which point to his Druidic nature,
albeit with the word druid not explicitly used. This last, I
suggest, is probably due to the societal milieu in which those later
stories were written down.
--
Kind Regards
Malcolm Martin
London UK
malcolm...@harveywheeler.com
Aidan J Meehan
Malcolm Martin <malcolm...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:200001081...@zetnet.co.uk...
> Aidan Meehan (if I have the attribution correct) also wrote <What a
> Druid was doing in the villa of a supposed Romano-British Christian,
> long after Caesar's extermination of the the druids at Anglesey,
> A.D.50, is only one of the contradictions of the fable of King Arthur.>
>
> But even after the Roman destruction of Anglesey, the druids
> continued, and in a significant way, in Ireland.
Yes, I still think the notion of a druid advisor to a Romano-Christian Dux
Bellorum is contradictory. References to Druidism in the life of Patrick are
doubtful. The legends portrays the Druids as the bad guys, a foil for
Patricks miracles. But these references are too fantastical to be
historically factual. If there were in fact Druids surviving into early
Christian times, they would surely have left some evidence. I do not think
the Druids all converted to Christianity, and became Celtic monks
themselves, either. There is no actual evidence for this.
DReDD
of view, however, I consider Merlin (Myrrdin Emries/Ambrosious) to be a
druid, and a very powerful one at that.
not many people consider the study undertaken by the author "John Matthews"
to be a serious scholar, but I do, though I haven't read many other authors
on the subject. he states about Celtic life, religion, art and all other
aspects of the ancient Celtic peoples in a way that I believe everything he
says. he believes Merlin was real and undoubtedly a druid, therefore I will
say he is.
I personally do not believe all the druids were wiped out by the Romans
originally, most were, but others had gone underground, and as the country
populous were always considered Pagan, the druids were easily able to hide
amongst them. the Celts had a Celtic belief, but that didn't make the
populous druids in their path, the druids were like monks. being a Christian
doesn't make one a monk. Christianity from the roman Catholics eventually
defunct the druids as time went by from 900 ad to 1700 ad when the old
school tie clubs decided to be benefactor druids and started clubs. since
the 50's, neo-paganism and retro-religions have again become popular, and
druidry has started to be taken more serious, with proper studies taken to
discover who the real druids were, which is a path I have taken.
before I ramble on anymore, here is an exert from John Matthews book,
following below.
The following is a perfect extract, hand typed from "the bardic source book"
in its entirety, credits are below.
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One of the most obscure periods of British history, as regards details, is
the epoch from 410 - the date of the Roman evacuation of Brittain - to the
close of the 6th century. During these 200 years there pass before us
certain figures, dim and shadowy enough in some respects, yet typical of the
historical, social, and racial forces at work; born of the past, and
actively shaping the course of the future nationality and the story of the
island in which we live. The men of this epoch were, moreover, destined to
influence not less, and in a very characteristic way, the feeling and the
imagination of subsequent generations in the materials of its poetry and
romance. The wail over a broken nationality, the mourning over a beloved
dead lost in a patriotic fight, the melancholy that broods over cairn and
lonely mound on our moor lands, and the restful peace that touches the heart
of the desolate caer on the windy hill - and all this pathos and tenderness
in our literature had its first, its best, its truest nourishment in the
life and death of the men of those 5th and 6th centuries. And thus we are
linked to them by the ties not so much of kinship as of our ever living and
common human emotions. While the details of those times are obscure, we may,
however, take three great facts in the epoch as standing out clearly enough:
There is the aggression of the Teutons and the pressing of the Celts
westwards to the country now known as Devon, Cornwall, Wales, the English
Lake District and a stretch of land northwards along a certain line to the
rock Alcluith, or Dunbarton.
There is the splitting up even of this retreat of the Celts by the battle of
Deorham, in 580, gained by Ceawlin. The result of this battle was the
severance of the Celts south of the Severn from those of the north -
briefly, Cornwall from Wales.
There is the second severance of the Celts by the battle of Chester, in 617,
when they were defeated by Athelfrith, king of Northumbria.
There thus arose the division of the Cymry south of the Dee from those of
the north - Cumbria and Strathclyde. The uniformity of the Cymric line of
power was thus broken, and its continuance, as more than a series of
isolated states, rendered impossible. The history of the period, if it could
be written would show a constant struggle between the disintegrated Celts
and gradually consolidating Teutons.
The story, the patriotism, the myth and the poetry of this period are
associated chiefly with the names of Vortigern, Aurelius Ambrosianus, Myrdin
Emrys or Merlin Ambrosius, Uther Pendragon, Arthur and Merlinus Caledonius,
known also as Silvestris, or the Wylt. Since those early centuries, the
greatest, most wide spread historic interest has centred around the names of
Arthur and Merlin.
The name of special interest to us at the moment is that of Merlin - a very
shadowy figure, I admit; but still I believe, the name of a person, or
rather persons, one at least of whom has a certain sufficiently marked
historical relief. Our question here is who and what was he? Were there more
than one of the name? If he was historical, what was his work, and what was
his relation to the circumstances of the times? Was he an actor in them, or
did he enact the often more powerful part of inspiring with motive and
impulse the actors of his age?
Now all through those years from the time of Vortigern and aurelius
Ambrosianus down to a point beyond the burning of Uriconium - from shortly
after 410 to 583 - we have floating before us the name of Merlin, Merlin is
associated with Vortigern; he is his Vates, he stands in the same relation
to Aurelius Ambrosianus, he is friend of Uther Pendragon, and presides over
the birth of Arthur. Still later he is the friend and associate of
Gwenddoleu, who fell at the great and decisive battle of Ardderyd in 573.
Then, even, he is referred to as having been met by Kentigern on the wilds
of Drummelzier, on the tweed, in the wood of Caledon, he is apparently
referred to, under the name of Laloicen, as being present at the court of
Rydderch Hael, the king of Strathclyde, who died in the same year as
Kentigern, which was either in 603 or 614.
I see no reason whatever for supposing that the name Merlin did not refer to
a real person or persons more than that the other names of the time were
purely fictitious, even such as Ninian, Kentigern or Columba. Direct
evidence of a personality corresponding to the name will appear as we
proceed; but I cannot concur in the opinion that there was but one person of
the name, and that the same man who was contemporary with aurelius
Ambrosianus was also present at the battle of Ardderyd in 573, this however,
is the opinion of the Count Hesart de la Villemarque in his very interesting
book on Myrddhin or Merlin. But apart from other considerations, this seems
to me impossible on the ground of dates alone. Aurelius Ambrosianus comes
into prominence as the successor of Vortigern about 547, and disappears in
465. If the Merlin of Ardderyd had been his contemporary, he must have been
a great deal more than a hundred years old at the date of the battle; and
yet we know that he survived this contest for many years. In the poem of the
"Avallenau", speaking of himself he says: ten years and forty, as the toys
of lawless ones, have I been wandering in gloom among the sprites.
Making allowance for poetical exaggeration, it is quite clear that the
Merlin who was present at Ardderyd, and who wrote these lines, could not
have been the Myrdin or Merlin the bard, soothsayer and enchanter, of
Ambrosianus; or, for the same reason, of Vortigern himself. Nay, I go
further, and say that he could not have been the original of the enchanter
Merlin who was the ally of Uther Pendragon, and who is credited with
presiding over the birth of Arthur, and with the wondrous achievements of
necromancy associated with this prince and his exploits. A man, who died in
623 or later, as appears in the "Avallenau", could not be born in 470 or
480, as Villemarque supposes. This date, I may observe, is too late for his
connection with Aurelius Ambrosianus, and it is too early for the man who
survived to the close of the 6th century. It follows either that the true
Merlin and his exploits are antedated, or that there were two Merlins. The
latter, I believe, is the true supposition; and the mythical attributes of
the earlier Merlin have been assigned to the latter, while a 3rd wholly
legendary Merlin arose in the imagination of the romancers of the 11th
century.
That the Merlin of Ambrosianus and Vortigern was really distinct from the
second Merlin is further proved by the circumstances of name and birth. The
first Merlin, the Vates of Ambrosianus, is called Myrdin Emrys or Merlinus
Ambrosius; the second is named by the welsh Merlinus Caledonius, Silvestris,
Wylt or the Wild; and in the Polychronicon, these are regarded as wholly
distinct persons. Myrdin Emrys is born of a nun or vestal virgin and an
incubus or spirit of the air. He is a god or devil incarnate. Belief in
relations of this sort was fixed in the popular mind of the time, and is
countenanced by St Augustine: indeed, the word Myrdin (or Merlin) is said to
indicate this descent. According to Mr Nash it is originally Mab-leian,
Mab-lechleian. This was latinised as Merlinus, Mellinus, and Merclinus.
Villemarque takes the same view as to the origin of the name, but runs it
back to the classical Marsus. Now Merlin Caledonius had no such origin. He
was clearly regarded as the son of Madog Morvryn, who was descended from the
great Cymric family founded by Coel Godebawc, and was nearly related to the
historical and famous Urien Reged. Merlin had moreover, a twin sister,
Gwenddyd, who is constantly associated with him in his life, sufferings and
poetry. This by itself is sufficient to mark him off from Merlin Ambrosius.
If this be so, it follows that the second Merlin, or Merlinus Caledonius is
the author or reputed author of the poems attributed to the person of the
name, as this author was undoubtedly present at the battle of Ardderyd, was
the friend of Gwenddoleu who fell there, knew Rydderch Hael the king of
Strathclyde, met Kentigern, and was generally identified with the civil life
of the period towards the close of the 6th century. In this case he is
brought very close to us as a personage who lived within the bounds of the
first known historical kingdom in the valleys of the Clyde and upper
Tweedale - a haunter, in fact, of the Coed Celydon or wood of Caledon.
One word in passing regarding the first Merlin or Myrdin Emrys. He has been
confounded with the king Aurelius Ambrosianus; but it is clear that he was
quite a distinct person. The parentage of Aurelius Ambrosianus is obscure,
but it would seem that he was of roman descent; in fact, a Romanised
Britton, and his mother probably a vestal virgin. Hence there arose
regarding his birth, as respecting that of Myrdin Emrys, the notion that he
was born of a spirit of the air, which seems to be the mode accepted at the
time of accounting for certain irregularities. The Merlin of Ambrosius was
also, and probably first of all, the Vates of Vortigern. When Vortigern
practically deserted the national cause, Merlin seem to have attached
himself to Ambrosius, the new leader, the leader, in fact, of the Romanised
Britons who dwelled mainly in the roman cities, as yet, in great measure,
intact. Vortigern is said to have given to Ambrosius a city on one of the
summits in Snowdon; but this is incorrect in point both of the gift itself
and its actual locality. It was not a city, but a fort or Dinas which was
given; and is not situated on a summit of Snowdon, but on an isolated
eminence in the valley of Nant Gwynant (the valley of waters), on the south
side of Snowdon, and about a mile from Beddgelert, and known even now as
Dinas Emrys, or fort of Ambrosius. This eminence and fort are traditionally
associated with Myrdin Emrys, and the probability is that it was he apon
whom the gift was conferred either by Vortigern or Aurelius Ambrosius.
Certainly it was here, according to the legend, that Myrdin Emrys poured
forth his prophecies and forebodings as to the future of his country, Qui
sua vaticinia Proflavit in Snaudonia, while Vortigern sat anxious and
brooding by the stream which winds through the valley at the base of the
hill. If stretch of lake and rush of stream below, grandeur of rock and peak
above, the silence and the shadow that lie in the depths of cloven and
precipitous cwms - the voice of the mountain as it sends its waters to the
valley in the soft summer-tide, or as it swells in winter when the wind
assails its changeless strength - could ever touch the heart of man, and
link it to the supernatural, this must have been, in an impressionable age,
especially the function of the land which nourished the bard and seer of
Dinas Emrys.
Pierce then the heavens, thou hill of streams,
And make the snows thy crest!
The sunlight of immortal dreams
Around thee still shall rest!
Eryi, temple of the bard,
And fortress of the free!
Midst rocks which heroes died to guard,
Their spirit dwells with thee!
Mrs Hemans, Eryi Wen [Snowdon]
Merlin Caledonius, then, the bard, was he who was present at the battle of
Ardderyd in 573. How this arose is tolerably clear. Maelqwyn Gwynedd (or of
Wales) was nominally at least king of all the Cymry at the time. These
stretched in an unbroken territory from the estuary of the Severn to the
Rock of Dunbarton. The second severance of the kingdoms, consequent of the
battle of Chester in 617, had not yet been affected. Maelqwyn was Christian,
at least in name, and of fine presence, but a coarse sensualist in life.
Somehow a pagan or semi-pagan party had grown up in the northern parts of
his dominion - what was known afterwards as Strathclyde. This party had for
its chief leader Gwenddoleu, of whom we know little more than his connection
with this uprising. His friend, prompter and counsellor in the matter would
seem to have been Merlin Caledonius. On the other side was ranged, as a
lieutenant of Maelgwyn, Rydderch Hael, or Rydderch the liberal, who was then
a lord or prince of Strathclyde, and whose original seat seems to have been
on the Clyde, at Llanerch, now Lanark.
The result of the conflict on the banks of the Liddell, near Arthuret -
where still may be seen a very ancient fortified position - was the complete
defeat of the semi-pagan party, the death of Gwenddoleu, and the
establishment of the kingdom of Strathclyde under Rydderch Hael. Merlin,
said to thus rendered insane, fled, after the battle, to a retreat in the
heart of the wood of Caledon, where now rise from the valley of the Tweed
the wild, bare, solitary heights of Drummelzier. His loss of reason was
attributed not simply to grief at the result of the battle, but to his
having seen the air, before the close of the struggle, a monster of terrific
order:
Silvestris dictus ideo,
Quod consistens in praelio,
Monstrum videns in aere,
Mente coepit excedere.
Polychronicon.
Here, in the wood of Caledon, he is said to have survived for many years;
then to have met his death at the hands, or rather by the stones and clubs
of the servants of Meldred, prince of the place, who threw the body into the
river. The Celtic Orpheus thus met the fate of the ancient Orpheus:
'Contigit ut eodem die a quibusdam pastoribus usque ad mortem lapidatus ac
fluminus casum faceret in mortis articulo, ultraoram Tuedae fluminus
praeruptam, prope oppidum Dun Meller.' His grave is still shown under a
thorn tree by the side of the Powsail Burn as it passes the mound on which
stands Drummelzier Kirk, though another site, in a field a little to the
east of the bank of the Burn, is also pointed out as the resting place of
the bard and enchanter.
This, however, is not the only legend of the death of Merlin. The Welsh one
of the Triads is that, with the nine bards of Brittain he went to sea in a
ship of glass, and passed away beyond the horizon, disappearing in light,
never to be seen again - an extremely likely result of such an adventure.
Then, again, in Cornwall he is regarded as having been enclosed by the wiles
of a woman in 'a craige on Cornwall coast'
Again, he is shut up in an enchanted bower or castle, whose walls, though of
air, are to him of adamant; and while the Wiley woman, his lover, can come
in and out to him, he can not stir. This is difference of opinion,
naturally, naturally about the locality of this castle. Some place it in the
Forrest of Broceliande in Brittany, others set it in Cornwall.
Then further, old Merlin is lying quietly in a cavern or hall under the
Eildon's, along with Arthur and his knights, in enchanted sleep, from which,
when it is broken some day by a vigorous bugle-blast, they will emerge to
restore. I am sure we are all agreed that there were never a more fitting
time for their re-appearance than now.
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Follows the Merlinus poems. Not printed here. Go out and buy the book for
more, or perhaps later I will reproduce them here.
Extracted from "The Bardic Source Book", pages 122-127, by John Matthews,
Published by Blandford. ISBN:0 7137 26644. no permission was given for me to
do this, but its a great book, and I recomend any one who reads this should
buy the book as well as anything else by this great author, I own 10 of his
books sofar.
--
"Oh GOD, Please save me from your followers"
more of my ramblings can be found at http://oakgrove.mainpage.net
"Man is a part of nature, not apart from nature"
ICQ:16544782
DReDD
on the catholic druids dateing right back. i was going to show you a site,
but it doesnt exist right now?
but i do have a script cut off it when it did exist, as bellow:
"http://www.culdee.org/college/press/origin.htm
Eastern Bishops and the Celtic Order of the Culdee
The Very Rev'd Father David Michael, OC, MEd, MSIS
Abbot, Order of the Culdee
Original: November 1995, Last Revised: November 10, 1998
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Introduction
Evidence suggests there were many Christian missions sent to evangelize
Britain beginning in the first century. Such jurisdictions as the Hebraic
(Jerusalem), Ephesine, East Syrian, Alexandrian and Roman Churches can all
be argued as present at some period with historically founded conviction. To
facilitate the conversion of the Celts, further evidence suggests that the
Druidic schools were often converted to Christianity as a whole since their
theology of God was not totally dissimilar to Judaism and later,
Christianity:
"This was the Druidic trinity, the three aspects of which were known as
Beli, Taran, Esu or Yesu. When Christianity preached Jesus as God, it
preached the most familiar name of its own deity to Druidism: and in the
ancient British tongue 'Jesus' has never assumed its Greek, Latin, or Hebrew
form, but remains the pure Druidic 'Yesu.' It is singular thus that the
ancient Briton has never changed the name of the God he and his forefathers
worshipped, nor has ever worshipped but one God." [1a]
It is believed by many historians that the Druids did communicate with their
counterparts in other cultures including those in the middle East and the
Orient. This suggests that the Hebrew Scriptures were well known to them as
were other religious writings.
In this paper, it is the objective of the author to present the evidence of
the origins of the Culdee, its name and the later Culdee Reformation
occurring between the 8th and 11th centuries.
Origin of the Term Culdee
The original exact meaning of the Gaelic term Culdee is not known. Such
translations as 'Friends of God', 'Servants of God' and 'Worshippers of God'
are commonly ascribed to the term Culdee in identifying a Celtic reformation
movement in the 8th-14th centuries in Britain. Professor John Colgan,
celebrated hagiologist and topographer, translates another form of the term,
Culdrich (quidam advanae'), as certain strangers in identifying a group of
Christian refugees who immigrated to Ireland from the East. His research
suggested they were Jewish disciples that came from Jerusalem in AD 37. [1b]
Matt Gravet traces the name Culdee to Syria:
The origin of the word CELT is from the Milesian numerology system for
Hebrew, which we usually term Ath-Bash. In this the alphabet is divided into
two halves("Beauty & Bands") and a letter substitution is effected. ( "Alpha
for Omega" kind-of-a-thing) The four end-letters of the arrangement clearly
"say"....K'LT!
Culdee, which is identical in Chaldean, simply means CELT and is best
thought of as a sort of "traveling name", as one might use on a religious
pilgrimage. Because of it's general adoption by Arabic speakers during the
time of the Aramaic language in Syria, KHALID is "Friend of God" a nickname
of Abraham who traveled from the UR of the Chaldeas. [1c]
The above interpretation is suspect. However, ir may not be totally off
track. By considering a transliteration of similar words from Chaldean to
those used by the Celts, there appears to emerge a common origin. Using
Strong's Chaldean-Hebrew to English Lexicon, we find the following Chaldean
terms that suggest a Culdee common origin.
kaw-doshe (6918 from 6942): sacrad, God, an angel, saint, holy one,
sanctuary;
kaw-dash (6942): clean, consecrate, holy, keep;
keh-desh (6943): santuary;
kaw-deem (6921): the front, to/from the [Holy] East;
kaw-deesh (6922): Holy Saint
With the 'w' and the 'l' being of similar articulated sound, the emerging
meaning could read, kal-dee. Translated into English: 'Holy Saint(s) from
the East'. To be a saint, one must be a friend of God, a servent of God and
a worshipper of God. This interpretation is also in keeping with the
tradition that Joseph of Aramethea and 12 companions were the founders of
the Celtic Church in Briatin and these Jewish missionaries were called the
Culdee by local Celts. [1d]
The Order of the Culdee is noted as being frist active in the Celtic Church
of Wales, then Ireland and later Scotland including Iona. According to
Jamison, as quoted by Elder, there is a general tradition in the Highlands
of Scotland that the name Culdee was given to the first Christians of
Britain and they succeeded the Druids as the tribal ministers of religion.
[2]
Eastern Bishops Resided in Ireland
Professor Adam Loughridge writing on Oengus the Culdee (circa 8th century)
in the New International Dictionary of the Christian Church states: [Oengus]
is best known as the author of a Litany which commemorates the fact that
large numbers of scholars from the Middle East sought refuge in Ireland in
the eighth and ninth centuries. Oengus provides lists of Bishops and
Pilgrims who lived in groups of seven. [3]
Evidence of East Syrian Liturgy
Loughridge also states that the Litany of Oengus reveals the influence of
the East Syrian Church (Nestorians) on the monastic life of the Celtic
Church. [4] It is also of notable consequence that the Didache and the East
Syrian Liturgy of Mari and Addai follow the same form as the Stowe Missal
which contrasts all other Eucharistic Liturgies that developed separately in
the west. [5] Bradshaw, in quoting William Lockton (1918) and others,
attributes the writing of the Didache to the School of St. John. [6] St.
John is remembered as the earliest Patron Saint of Scotland and the Apostle
often cited in the 7th century by the Celtic Church to justify Celtic
Christian traditions and doctrines when they were confronted by Rome. [7] It
is highly possible that the Didache was the earliest liturgy used among the
Celtic Christians in Britain.
Celtic Polity
Differing from the rest of the western Church, the Celtic Church embraced
the Johannine theology as "taught to them by their Egyptian and Syrian
teachers." [8] The writings of St. John focused on the theme of relationship
and community rather than on outward acts of righteousness and hierarchies
of ecclessiastical authority. There was a clear influence of the Jewish
Qumran community upon Johannine thought, or St. John on the community, in
the relationship of theology and their view of life history. [9] Man and
Nature are seen as being in a relationship of balance rather than viewed as
hierarchies of power. For this reason, St. John's teaching appealed to the
druidic tribal Celts when they embraced Christianity in the first century.
This predisposition is evident in how the Celtic communities were structured
around paternal Abbots and the Culdee uncommon view of religious celibacy.
Married "monks" were not uncommon among the Culdee, also having the support
of Athanasius of Alexandria who wrote of monks that had children. [10] It
was also common among the Culdee for the sons of Abbots to inherit the
monasteries. The Culdees were still identified well into the 17th century.
[11] Clerical marriage was also allowed in the jurisdiction of St. Patrick,
although St. Patrick chose to remain celibate. [12]
The Irish church looked to Leviticus 21:10 for the understanding of priestly
unction (the anointing of the head and hands for ministry) a century before
it was a custom on the continent. As Donnchadh O' Corrain has pointed out:
There was, it seems, a "tribe of the church", with differing orders, grades,
and functions; it was consciously modeled on the Tribe of Levi, many of
whose institutions it made its own.
He further observed that:
Careful comparison of Irish law with scripture shows that where the
Pentateuch provided detailed rules of the law, these were often adopted to
the letter. In laying down the rules governing the priesthood, the Irish
Canonists follow the rules of the Pentateuch very closely. [13]
The fact that Jerusalem and the Eastern Churches retained a large population
of Jewish Christian scholars who held to certain customs of Hebrew Orthodoxy
is not antagonistic to the evidence that the Culdee Reformation was brought
to Ireland by a new wave of East Syrian bishops.
Rule of the Culdee
Training for the Culdee priesthood took seven years to complete -- often
involving several Anamcharas or mentors and colleges. When training was
completed, the disciple was released to travel and begin a mission. There is
record of thousands of men in Britain in training at notable monasteries.
The four vows of the Order of the Culdee of the 8th-17th centuries as
deduced by studying the writings and missions of the Culdee. The Culdee
vows include 1) prayer (w/ fasting), 2) study, 3) work and 4) worship.
"Pray without ceasing" is the call of the Culdee with designated fast days
"to break the bonds of wickedness". Prayer also included a weekly
celebration of the Eucharist. The Culdee shall "study to show thyself
approved -- a workman that needeth not to be ashamed" by following a
structured learning program under a mentor or Anamchara. Manual work was
done by all in fulfilling the command to "Let each man work with his own
hands" in the call to "owe no man anything. This seasoned with charity that
the world may know the Culdee as Christ's disciples "because of [their]
great love one for another". Finally, the Culdee was to worship God with
"heart, soul and strength." [14]
Jerusalem
When the Celtic Church argued its right of independence from Roman
jurisdiction at the Councils of Augustine's Oak (AD 603) and of Whitby (AD
664), it was never suggested by Rome that the Celtic Church was not orthodox
nor founded by the Apostles. The debate was over who were the greater
Apostles. Peter and Paul of Rome? Or St. John of Ephesus? The ensuing debate
over the correct date of Easter compounded the division by making liturgical
differences unacceptable. [15]
In an earlier letter from the Celtic Bishop Columbanus to Pope Boniface (AD
590), he does not write as a subordinate, but as a fellow bishop encouraging
him to "cleanse his holy See" from error. He further relates that he holds a
high place of honor as the See of Rome, but this is secondary to the place
of honor given to the See of Jerusalem since it is the place of the Lord's
resurrection. Columbanus further upbraids the Pope for proudly claiming a
greater authority than the other churches in holding the Keys of St. Peter
and clarifies that the power of the Keys is based on reasons other than
simple geographical location. [16]
Eastern Chapels
It was the custom of the Celtic Church, as it was among the Asia Minor Greek
Church, to build a number of small chapels (seven buildings of 20-40 feet)
as oratories where priests would celebrate the Eucharist before a small
gathering of people. The construction was clearly Eastern with no Roman
influence in the use of mortared stone or architectural design. [17] Eastern
Bishops are attributed as the inspiration of building these chapels, in
addition to round 'prayer' towers also used for protection from Viking
attacks. These bishops also introduced a study of Hebrew and Greek to the
monastic settlements of the Culdees. [18] Over 70 of these Culdee towers are
still standing in Ireland today. [19] These Churches are similar to the
multiple-building designs of Mt. Athos and Asia Minor. There are also some
very early mortarless stone bee-hive buildings to the west that are Eastern
in origin and also found in India and Greece. [20]
Celtic Chant Came from the East
The earliest records of music sung by the Celtic Christians dating from the
3rd Century suggests that it was Hebraic in origin and of a plainsong style
using exclusively the Psalms. [21] St. Columba sang a form of chant that
was different and predated Pope Gregory by 20 years. Although the Celtic
chant is said to be lost, that is not altogether true. A piece of Celtic
Psalm music from the Inchcolm Antiphoner, originating from the West
Highlands, and resembles in scale, key, timing, melodic movement and general
embellishments a chanted psalm sang by an isolated Christian group in
Ethiopia. It is generally believed by historians that the isolated Ethiopian
Church retained the most ancient of Christian music, possibly from original
Palestinian or Temple sources. [22] With the known traffic between the
Eastern Church and the Celtic Church in Britain during the centuries
surrounding and preceding Columba, this is highly possible.
Additional recent evidence of a fusion of a Celtic-Hebraic Chant form is the
result of the systematic deciphering by Haik-Vantuura of the notation
existing in the ancient Masoretic Hebrew Old testament of the 9th century..
The Masoretic author, Moses Ben Asher, noted in the text that the notation
was "delivered to him as passed down from the prophets of old." Analysis
reveals there are many similarities in the embellishments, modes and
melodies of the early Irish Psalmody and the Hebrew Temple chant of the Book
of Psalms. [23].
Celtic Artistic Style from the East
The illustrations in the Book of the Kells best match the art of Assyrian
and Southern Egyptian origins. There is no evidence of any Italian influence
in Celtic art. As to the art originating from Scandinavia or the Isle of
man, this would seem impossible in that the oldest northern artifacts are
several centuries more recent than those found in Britain. Therefore, an
Eastern origin is ascribed to Celtic art, as it is closest in type to
ancient Syriac, Egyptian and Ethiopian art design and style. [24]
Prophecy that the Celtic Church will Rise Again
St. David, Celtic Bishop of Wales living until AD. 601 is remembered as
being consecrated an Archbishop in Jerusalem by the Patriarch John III in AD
519 and given a stone Altar made of the Sepulcher in which Jesus was laid.
[25] A Celtic prophecy unearthed by the Normans predating the oldest of the
Grail/Arthurian literature about the Altar is yet to be fulfilled. The
prophecy reveals that as the heathen invaded Britain, the last genetic heir
of St. David fled to the East with the Altar of St. David and died there. It
is foretold that he [St. David or heir?] shall return with the Altar, expel
the Saxons and reinstate the Celtic Rite upon the Altar of St. David. [26]
In the latter part of the 19th century, the Antiochian Patriarch, Mar
Ignatius sought to re-established a jurisdiction in Iona, Scotland although
it does not exist there today. This decision was based upon the overwhelming
evidence of a Syro-Christian presence in the early years of the Celtic
Church. [27] Based on the Litany of Oengus the Culdee and other compelling
evidence, it is more reasonable to consider this influence as originating
with the East Syrian Church.
Conclusion
There is substantial archeological, literary and historical evidence to
support the conclusion that there was indeed an Eastern Church of Jewish
traditions that reinforced their polity and ethos in Ireland well into the
11th century. It is the belief of this author that there is a current
spiritual and cultural need to call a gathering of the Celtic tribes under a
single banner of Christian unity. To raise this banner, it is only fitting
that we of the Celtic and Catholic faith should seek to reestablish a
working relationship with the Eastern Churches and maintain our relationshp
with the Churches of the West. Of necessity, three historic jurisdictional
streams must flow together in unity for there to be God's peace in the
Isles. The Anglican, Roman and Eastern Jurisdictions are encouraged to
consider the Culdee as their own as a cultural bridge to reunify the West,
East and Far East in Christian service to the World.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Postlog
Great progress has occured in the Culdee mission over the last few years for
the Order of the Culdee. We are now working within the Orthodox,
Anglican-Episcopal, Roman and East-Syrian Churches. A relationship with
Rome is in development - by the Grace of God. This is in keeping with the
spirit of a 12th century agreement between the Culdee and Rome to use a
Chapel for services at Saint Andrews Cathedral, Scotland.
Abbot David+
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Sources
[1a] Procopius in De Gothis lib.iii, St. Paul in Britain by R.W Morgan circa
1920
[1b] Elder, Isabel Hill. (1990) Celt, Druid and Culdee, Artisan Sales,
Thousand Oaks, CA., USA. p. 92.
[1c] Matt Gravet, mdgr...@gladstone.uoregon.edu, 6/9/96
[1d] Strong, James. (1992) Strong's Exhuastive Concordance of the Bible,
Hendrickson Publishers, USA (references in text)
[2] Elder (1990) p. 105.
[3] Douglas, J.D. (1978) The International Dictionary of the Christian
Church, Regency Reference Library, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids,
MI. USA. p. 723
Spence, Lewis (1971) The History and Origins of Druidism, The Aquarian
Press, London p. 143
[4] Douglas, J.D. (1978) The International Dictionary of the Christian
Church, Regency Reference Library, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids,
MI. USA. p. 723
Spence (1971) p. 143
[5] Bradshaw, Paul F. (1992) In Search of the Origins of Christian Worship,
Oxford Press, Oxford. p. 146, 181.
[6] Bradshaw (1992) p. 136.
[7] Stevenson (1987) p. 38-39.
Hudson, Thomas Freeman. (1992) The High Age of the Celtic Church, The Attic
Press, Greenwood, S.C., USA p. 27.
[8] Hudson (1992) pp. 26-27.
[9] Cook, Robert W. (1979) The Theology of John, Moody Press, Chicago, p. 27
[10] Hudson, (1992) p. 24.
Mackey, James P. (1995) An Introduction to Celtic Christianity, T&T Clark,
Edinburgh, UK. p. 143.
[11] Elder (1990) pp. 150, 159.
[12] Mackey, James P. (1989) p. 25
McNeill, John T. ( 1974) The Celtic Churches: A History AD 200 to 1200, The
University of Chicago Press, Chicago p. 209
[13] Stevenson, Jane (1987) The Liturgy and Ritual of the Celtic Church,
Editor, The Boydell Press, Suffolk, England. p. lvi
[14] Mackey (1995) pp. 140-154
[15] Stevenson (1987) p. 29
[16] Stevenson (1987) p. 38-39 Warren, F.E. (1979) The Liturgy and Ritual of
the Celtic Church, Eastern Orthodox Books, Willits, CA. USA . p . 56.
[17] Stevenson (1987) p. 49
[18] Douglas, J.D. (1978) The International Dictionary of the Christian
Church, Regency Reference Library, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids,
MI. USA. p. 723
[19] McCarthy, Joe (1964) Life World Library: Ireland, Stonehenge Books,
Time Incorporated, Ireland p. 56.
[20] Stevenson (1987) p. 49
[21] Toulson, Shirley (1987), The Celtic Alternative, Century Paperbacks,
London. p. 31
[22] Purser, John (1992) Scotland's Music, Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh
p. 36
[23] Haik-Vantoura (1991), The Music of the Bible Revealed, Edited by John
Wheeler, Babel Press, San Francisco p. 105-106
Idelsohn, Abraham Z. (1992), Jewish Music: Its Historical Development, Dover
Press. p. 7
Sendrey, Alfred (1964), David's Harp: the Story of Music in Biblical Times,
New American Library, New York p.54-67
[24] Stevenson (1987) pp. 50-51
Warren, (1979) p. 51.
[25] Warren (1979) p. 56.
[26] Waite, A.E. (1909) The Hidden Church of the Holy Graal: Its legends and
Symbols, Rebman Limited, London, UK pp. 438, 446.
[27] Wrinkle, John (1995) Interview via phone on history of the Celtic
Church, Fr. John is a clergy in the Celtic Orthodox Church of America
currently seeking communion with the See of Antioch.
If there were in fact Druids surviving into early
> Christian times, they would surely have left some evidence. I do not think
> the Druids all converted to Christianity, and became Celtic monks
> themselves, either. There is no actual evidence for this.
--
Steve Schaper
There may have been two Merlinus. One was a Christian bishop, and the
other a court bard in the region held by the descendants of Coelestius.
Malcolm Martin
from ssch...@uswest.net (Steve Schaper) contains these words:
> Malcolm Martin <malcolm...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
> There may have been two Merlinus. One was a Christian bishop, and the
> other a court bard in the region held by the descendants of Coelestius.
Steve
Thank you, but I think you wrote this, not me!!
Would you care to provide further details of these two, and where you
came across them?