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Saint Livinus (''c''. 580 – 12 November 657), also Livinus of Ghent, was an apostle in
Website of DARCOS (Service for Archeology in Sint-Lievens-Houtem) on Saint Livinus, p. 3, 25 and 29 {{DEFAULTSORT:Livinus 7th-century Irish priests Medieval Irish saints on the Continent Irish expatriates in the Netherlands 580 births 657 deaths Year of birth uncertain
Saint Livinus (''c''. 580 – 12 November 657), also Livinus of Ghent, was an apostle in Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
and Brabant Brabant is a traditional geographical region (or regions) in the Low Countries of Europe. It may refer to:
Place names in Europe
* London-Brabant Massif, a geological structure stretching from England to northern Germany
Belgium
* Province of Bra ...
, venerated as a saint and martyr in Catholic tradition and more especially at the Saint Bavo Chapel, Ghent. His feast day is 12 November.
Legend and hagiography
Details of the biography of Deventer saintLebuinus
Lebuinus (also known as ''Lebuin'', ''Lebwin'' or ''Liafwin ') is the Apostle of the Frisians and patron of Deventer (born in England of Anglo-Saxon parents, date unknown; died at Deventer c. 775).
Life
Lebuinus was a monk in Wilfrid's monastery ...
were used to compile the ''Passio'' of St Livinus.
The legend goes that Livinus was born from Irish nobility. Upon studies in England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, where he visited Saint Augustine of Canterbury
Augustine of Canterbury (early 6th century – probably 26 May 604) was a monk who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597. He is considered the "Apostle to the English" and a founder of the English Church.Delaney '' ...
, he returned to Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. He later went on a ''peregrinatio Domini'' and left Ireland for Ghent
Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded in ...
(Belgium) and Zeeland
, nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge")
, anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem")
, image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg
, map_alt =
, m ...
(Netherlands) where he preached. During one of his sermons, Livinus was attacked in the village of Esse, near Geraardsbergen
Geraardsbergen (; french: Grammont, ) is a city and municipality located in the Denderstreek and in the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Geraardsbergen prop ...
by a group of pagans who cut off his tongue and head.
The villages of Sint-Lievens-Esse, where he was murdered, and Sint-Lievens-Houtem
Sint-Lievens-Houtem (; french: Hautem-Saint-Liévin, not officially recognized) is a Flemish Community of Belgium, Dutch-speaking Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Belgium. It is located in the Denderstreek and at the edge of the Flemish ...
, where he was buried, were named after him, as well as Merck-Saint-Liévin
Merck-Saint-Liévin (; pcd, Merck-Saint-Lévin; vls, Sint-Lievens-Merk) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.
Geography
Merck-Saint-Liévin lies about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Saint-Om ...
in northern France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
.
His remains were transferred to Ghent around the turn of the millennium, but went missing and are believed to have been destroyed in 1578 during the Second Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm (from Ancient Greek, Greek: grc, wikt:εἰκών, εἰκών, lit=figure, icon, translit=eikṓn, label=none + grc, wikt:κλάω, κλάω, lit=to break, translit=kláō, label=none)From grc, wikt:εἰκών, εἰκών + wi ...
.
Myth or reality?
Recent research questions the existence of Saint Livinus. There are resemblances between Saint Livinus and Saint Lebuinus ofDeventer
Deventer (; Sallands: ) is a city and municipality in the Salland historical region of the province of Overijssel, Netherlands. In 2020, Deventer had a population of 100,913. The city is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, bu ...
(Netherlands), an English missionary who died in Deventer ''c''. 775 and who is commemorated on 12 November in the Utrecht
Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...
diocese. Both figures were engaged in the christening of pagans in the Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
and were confronted with similar conflicts and clashes. It has been argued that monks of the Saint Bavo Abbey in Ghent, Livinus' presumed place of residence, have launched the cultus of Saint Livinus and found inspiration in the life of Saint Lebuinus.
A hagiography of the saint (edited in Migne, ''Patrologia Latina
The ''Patrologia Latina'' (Latin for ''The Latin Patrology'') is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1841 and 1855, with indices published between ...
'', 89) was formerly ascribed to Saint Boniface
Boniface, OSB ( la, Bonifatius; 675 – 5 June 754) was an English Benedictines, Benedictine monk and leading figure in the Anglo-Saxon mission to the Germanic parts of the Frankish Empire during the eighth century. He organised significant ...
.
References
Further reading
* * * *On the Livinus Gospels: ** Reprinted in McGurk (1998), ''Gospel Books and Early Latin Manuscripts''. Ashgate. ** **External links
Website of DARCOS (Service for Archeology in Sint-Lievens-Houtem) on Saint Livinus, p. 3, 25 and 29 {{DEFAULTSORT:Livinus 7th-century Irish priests Medieval Irish saints on the Continent Irish expatriates in the Netherlands 580 births 657 deaths Year of birth uncertain