10 Chapter Ten: Medieval Christianity (Patrick, Brigid, Columbanus)
The Medieval Bestiary: A “book of beasts,” including descriptions of the characteristics and habits of animals together with associated allegorical moral lessons.
“The lion is the first animal to appear in the bestiary, as described in the text: ‘Now leo in Greek is translated to king (rex) in Latin, because he is the ruler of all beasts.’ That concept is now so well-known that it even forms the basis for a Disney movie, hundreds of years later. However, although the bestiary was the closest thing to an early medieval natural history encyclopedia, unlike modern resources such as Wikipedia that explain the habitats, scientific classifications, or eating preferences of animals, creatures in the bestiary were explained in terms of their place within the Christian worldview. The text devoted to the lion goes on to explain that lion cubs are born dead. On the third day, the father lion breathes on them, bringing them to life. This was seen as a reflection of the Crucifixion and Resurrection three days later. The animals of the world were interpreted in the bestiary as evidence of God’s divine plan for the world, as he placed behaviors and characteristics into the animals at the beginning of time to mirror Biblical truths. . . .
A unicorn is a savage beast that can only be caught via a clever stratagem. If a virgin sits alone in the forest, the unicorn will come willingly to her lap and lay down its head. A hunter can then safely approach and kill the beast. The story was seen as a Christian allegory for the Incarnation of Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and his subsequent vulnerability as a human at the hands of men. The unicorn was thus seen as a natural-world counterpart for Christ. In this illustration, the maiden grasps the unicorn by its horn, which was valued for its miraculous ability to purify water. The woman puts up her finger in a gesture of warning to the approaching hunter and sits on a throne, likely in reference to her link to the Virgin.
Although a number of the animals featured in the bestiary have a Christian allegory attached to them, many of the others have no meaning attached to them at all. One such in the group of land animals is a beast called the bonnacon, now known to be mythical.” (Source: The British Library, “Beastly Tales from the Medieval Bestiary”: https://www.bl.uk/medieval-english-french-manuscripts/articles/beastly-tales-from-the-medieval-bestiary)
Irish Saints
Saint Patrick (Patricius)
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation. –St. Patrick
St. Brigid (Feast Day: February 1st (Imbolc))
St. Gobnait, Patron Saint of Beekeepers
Gobnait was born in Co. Clare in the 6th century and due to a family feud, fled to the island of Inisheer where she founded a church which still stands on the north side of the island near the shore.