Maughold
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the parish on the Isle of Man, see Maughold (parish).
| Saint Maughold | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Died | ~488 AD |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast | April 27 (formerly December 28) |
| Patronage | Isle of Man |
 Saints Portal |
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Saint Maughold (Macaille, Maccaldus, Machalus, Machaoi, Machella, Maghor, Mawgan, Maccul, Macc Cuill) of Man (d. ca. 488 AD) is venerated as the patron saint of the Isle of Man. Tradition states that he was an Irish prince and captain of a band of thieves who was converted to Christianity by Saint Patrick.
He retired to the Isle of Man after traveling by sea, either to avoid worldly temptation, or because Patrick had punished him by placing him in a coracle without oars.[1]
One local legend about what made Patrick punish Maughold relates how Maughold tried to make a fool out of Patrick. Maughold had, according to this story, placed a living man in a shroud. He then called for Patrick to try to revive the allegedly dead man. Patrick came, placed a hand on the shroud, and left. When Maughold and his friends opened the shroud, they found the man had died in the interim. One of Maughold's friends, a fellow named Connor, went over to Patrick's camp and apologized to him.
Patrick returned and baptized all of the men assembled. He then blessed the man who had died, who immediately returned to life, and was also baptized.
Patrick then criticized Maughold, saying he should have been helping his men into leading good lives, and told him he must make up for his evil.
Maughold drifted to this isle, where two of Patrick's disciples, Romulus and Conindrus (Romuil and Conindri), were already established.
He is said to have been chosen as bishop, succeeding Romuil and Conindri, by the Manx people after he had spent on the island as a hermit.
He is today best remembered on the Isle of Man for his kind disposition toward the Manx natives. Several places on the island, including, Maughold parish, Maughold Head, and St. Maughold's Well [2] are named after him.
