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AIDAN, a 6th century saint

Name: Aidan
Gender: Male
Occupation: saint
Area of activity: Religion
Author: Hywel David Emanuel

Known also as Aidus, Maidoc, and Madoc. His 'Life,' as preserved in Cotton. Vesp. MS. A. xiv at the British Museum and as printed in Colgan's Acta Sanctorum, reveals Aidan as a saint connected chiefly with Ireland. His youth was, however, spent in south-west Wales, where he was a pupil of S. David, and where his name has been preserved in church appellations and place-names. Traditionally close links joined Ireland and Wales in the Age of the Saints. Tales of miracles performed by Aidan during his association with S. David are related in his 'Life,' which states too that he crossed into Wales to revisit his former tutor at a later period of his life. Rhygyfarch's 'Life of S. David' describes further miraculous episodes in which Aidan was involved, and in the composite ' Life of S. Cadoc ' Aidan (Maidoc) is stated to have been present at that saint's altercation with king Arthur. S. Aidan is commemorated on 31 January in all the Irish martyrologies.

Author

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/

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