Saint Etchen

Contents

St. Etchen (Etchenius, Ecian or Echen; 490 – 11 February 577) was an Irish Abbot who founded a monastery in Clonfad, County Westmeath.[1][2]

Traditional narrative

Legend states that Etchen ordained Columba into the priesthood, and that he had to stop in the middle of ploughing a field to perform the act.[3][4][5]

Death

Etchen died on 11 February 577AD of natural causes. He was buried at his monastery in Clonfad.[6] His date is celebrated as the Feast of Saint Etchen in Ireland.[7]

Veneration

A number of local schools and churches are named after St. Etchen, including:

  • Church of St. Etchen, Killucan
  • St. Etchen National School, Kinnegad[8]

References

  1. 1."Saint Etchen of Clonfad". 11 February 2015.
  2. 2."St.Etchen the Farmer Bishop Pray for us!". Church of the Assumption. 2018-04-26. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  3. 3.Stevens, Paul. "Clonfad - an industrious monastery (And selected chapters) 2012".
  4. 4.Stevens, Paul (January 2010). "For whom the bell tolls: The monastic site at Clonfad 3, Co. Westmeath". Creative Minds.
  5. 5.Watkins, Basil. The Book of Saints
  6. 6.Todd, James Henthorn (1864). "St. Patrick: Apostle of Ireland".
  7. 7."St. Etchen of Clonfad Biography". Catholic Readings. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  8. 8."Scoil Etchen Naofa". scoiletchen.com.