Marianus Scotus of Regensburg, born Muiredach mac Robartaig, was an
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
abbot
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The ...
and
scribe.
[Butler's Lives of the Saints Alban Butler, Paul Burns - 1998 - Volume 2 - Page 92 "Scotus of Regensburg to distinguish him from a contemporary, Marianus Scotus of Mainz, who died in 1082."]
Origins
Baptised Muiredach mac Robartaig, he became known as Marianus Scotus, a Latinizition of his first name with the appellation ''Scotus'' indicating his Irish background. He was born sometime before the middle of the eleventh century, and died at
Ratisbon around 1088.
Pilgrimage
In 1067 he left Ireland, intending to make a pilgrimage to
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
. Like many of his countrymen, however, who visited the Continent, he decided to settle in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, at
Bamberg, where he became a
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
monk. He went with some companions to Ratisbon (or
Regensburg), where he founded Kloster Sankt Peter Regensburg, the monastery of St. Peter (Kloster Sankt Peter Regensburg) and became its first abbot.
Beatification
After his death he was beatified
and his feast-day is observed on 17 April, 4 July, or, according to the
Bollandists
The Bollandist Society ( la, Societas Bollandistarum french: Société des Bollandistes) are an association of scholars, philologists, and historians (originally all Jesuits, but now including non-Jesuits) who since the early seventeenth century ...
, on 9 February.
His work as a scribe
Marianus devoted himself to transcribing and glossing the text of the
Scriptures
Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual pra ...
. His success as a scribe, and the exceptional beauty of his
calligraphy may be judged by a specimen of his work which has come down to us. This is Codex 1247 of the
Imperial Library of Vienna containing the
Epistles of St. Paul
The Pauline epistles, also known as Epistles of Paul or Letters of Paul, are the thirteen books of the New Testament attributed to Paul the Apostle, although the authorship of some is in dispute. Among these epistles are some of the earliest extan ...
with glosses, some of which are in Latin and others in Irish. The latter were collected and published by
Zeuss
Christopher Harris (born April 1, 1972), known professionally as Zeuss, is an American record producer, mixer, guitarist, composer, and songwriter.
Biography
Zeuss is best known in the worlds of hard rock, heavy metal music, hardcore punk, and ...
in his "Grammatica Celtica" (p. xxiv). The manuscript ends with the words "In honore individuae trinitatis Marianus Scotus scripsit hunc librum suis fratribus peregrinis…" (the date given is 16 May 1078).
Over the words "Marianus Scotus" is the gloss: "Muirdach trog macc robartaig", i.e. "Marianus miser filius Robartaci", or 'Marianus, unworthy son of Robart".
See also
*
Aaron Scotus
Aaron Scotus, Irish abbot and musician, fl. late 10th century – 14 December 1052.
Background
Aaron was an Irish abbot and music theorist, the term ''Scotus'' at the time denoting Irish (person).
St. Martin's of Cologne
A Benedictine, Scotus wa ...
(died 1052)
*
David Scotus
David Scotus was a Gaelic chronicler who died in 1139.
Biography
His date of birth is unknown. Early in the twelfth century there was at Würzburg an ecclesiastic and teacher known as David. His surname Scotus shows that he was probably a Gael f ...
(died 1139), chronicler
*
Joseph Scottus
Joseph or Josephus Scottus (died between 791 and 804), called the Deacon, was an Irish people, Irish scholar, diplomat, poet, and ecclesiastic, a figure in the Carolingian Renaissance. He has been cited as an early example of "the scholar in publi ...
(died near 800), Irish deacon, scholar, diplomat, poet, and ecclesiastic
*
Johannes Scotus Eriugena (circa 815–877), Irish theologian
*
Marianus Scotus of Mainz (circa 1028–1082), Irish monk
*
Sedulius Scottus
Sedulius Scotus or Scottus ( fl. 840–860) was an Irish teacher, Latin grammarian, and scriptural commentator who lived in the 9th century. During the reign of the Emperor Lothair (840–855), he was one of a colony of Irish teachers at Liège. ...
(9th century), Irish teacher, grammarian and Scriptural commentator
References
* cites:
**Acta SS., Feb., II, 361 sqq.; Revue celtique, I (1870), 262 sqq.;
**Proceed., Royal Irish Acad., VII, 290 sqq.; Verhandl. hist. Ver. Oberpfalz-Regensburg (1879), XXVI.
{{authority control
1088 deaths
Irish Benedictines
Irish Roman Catholic missionaries
Medieval Irish saints
11th-century Irish abbots
Medieval Irish saints on the Continent
Year of birth unknown
11th-century Irish writers
Irish expatriates in Germany
Medieval European scribes
11th-century Christian saints
Irish scribes
Irish Latinists
Irish scholars and academics
Missionary linguists