ST MURA, ABBOT OF FAHAN - 12 MARCH

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MARCH

Saints celebrated on the 12th of March

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

ST MURA, ABBOT OF FAHAN 

⬅️ Litany of the Irish Saints

Saint Mura was born in Co. Donegal, Ireland, about 550. He was appointed Abbot of Fahan by St Columba. The monastery was anciently known as Othan Mor, but after the death of our saint was called Fahan Mura. 

He was highly esteemed by Hugh, Head King of Ireland. Numerous legends are told of Mura; he wrote many works, including chronicles and a rhymed life of St Columba, which is quoted in the Martyrology of Donegal. He is regarded as the special patron saint of the O'Neill clan, being sixth in descent from the founder, whose name survives in Innishowen (Inis Eoghan). 

His death occurred about 645, and his feast is observed on March 12. Among his relics still preserved are his crozier (Bachall Mura), now in the National Museum, Dublin, and his bell-shrine, now in the Wallace Collection, London. In the ruined church of St Mura at Fahan is a beautiful Irish cross, and not far off is St Mura's Well.

(From Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913)