ST FORANNAN, BISHOP - 30 APRIL

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL

Saints celebrated on the 30th of April

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SAINT FORANNAN, BISHOP

Born into an old noble family in Ireland around 910, excellently educated and trained, Saint Forannan (Forannanus) distinguished himself so much in humility and purity of spirit, in love for the poor and afflicted, in generous forgiveness, in strict vigilance against all enemies of his salvation, and in contempt for all goods, all pleasures, and all honours of the world, that he was elevated to the episcopal dignity. He received the bishopric of Domnachmor, by which many understand Armagh. But since he was as enlightened as he was humble and alienated from all attachment to the world, he saw his heavy office as a burden beyond his strength and, out of tenderness of conscience and after fervent prayer to God for higher enlightenment and knowledge of his will, he laid it down. Not long after he left his homeland with twelve companions, and in the absence of a ship, crossed over to the mainland on four pieces of wood joined in the shape of a cross. 

He settled in the monastery of Wasor (Vasour, Baussoire-Walciodorum) on the Meuse, in the diocese of Liège, between the later built towns of Dinant and Charlemont, where he took the habit of St Benedict. Since his noble gifts had already earned the respect of all the brothers upon his arrival, they immediately elected him abbot, thus he became the fourth abbot since the monastery's foundation. In order to proceed properly in this matter, Forannan, accompanied by the then-living founder of the monastery, Count Eilbert, travelled to Rome, where Pope John XIII confirmed his resignation from the episcopal see and his election as abbot. At the Holy Father's request, in order to successfully introduce better religious discipline, he first went to the Abbey of Gorze near Metz, whose abbot was the pious John. Saint Forannan lived here as humbly as the lowest novice and undertook all the exercises of religious life with the greatest joy, after which, with the blessing of the pious abbot, he returned to teach his people at Wasor. By God's grace, he soon saw a complete transformation take place in the monastery, and the spirit of St Benedict's life was revived. For twelve years, he worked with tireless devotion. He is remembered for having translated the relics of Saint Eloquius, for having healed the bite of a ferocious dog, and for having restored health to many sick people through prayer and blessing. He entered eternal life on April 30, 982, to receive the reward for his efforts and faithfulness. Since miracles continued to occur at his grave, the monks of Wasor felt compelled, with the consent of the bishops of Liège and Metz, and at the request of Abbot Wibold of Stavelot, to solemnly commemorate his memory.

His feast day was preserved until 1526, when the so-called improvers of the Breviary (Congregation of Bursfeld) omitted his name because Forannan had not been included among the saints by the popes, and his name was not included in the then-current martyrology of the Roman Church. Nevertheless, the monks of Wasor continued to celebrate the memory of Saint Forannan and reintroduced his veneration in the monastery, drawing on the martyrologies of the Netherlands, France, and of the Benedictines. They reverently preserved his relics in their church beneath a marble tomb in a lead coffin; one of his arm bones was kept in the sacristy's treasure. 

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 2, Augsburg, 1861, pp. 238-39)

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Forannan 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.

Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org