Saints celebrated on the 1st of May
SAINT ULTAN, ABBOT AND MARTYR
According to legend, Abbot Ultan (Ultanus), Oulain in French, was born around A.D. 610 of royal parents in Ireland. Saints Fursey (Furseus) and Foillan (Foillanus) were his brothers.
Furseus devoted himself to the monastic life; the two brothers imitated his example. They also followed him to England and France (Belgium). Prayer and manual work were (according to Bede, hist. III. 19.) their main occupations.
St Gertrude, abbess of Nivelles, instructed them in 652 to build a monastery for foreigners (Schottenkloster) in the town of Fosse (Fossæ). They founded the first settlement there. Here the death of his brother Foillanus was revealed or reported to him, and in him the longing for martyrdom was awakened anew.
St Ultan headed the monastery of Mont St Quintin for several years. He also granted the holy bishop Amatus a safe and consoling refuge at the monastery of Peronne in Picardy. At last the day of his eternal reward arrived for him; he was murdered at Roeux. This happened about the year 686. He was buried in Fosse in the Agatha church. At Fosse, St Ultan is venerated as a confessor on May 3. (I. 118 and 119.)
St Ultan is also commemorated on May 5 and October 31.
(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 5, Augsburg, 1882)
*A hagiography source used by the authors
Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations
PRAYER:
Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Ultan may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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