How Did the Irish Save Civilization?

To the Irish, the pope the bishop of Rome successor to Saint Peter, was a kind of high king of the church but like the high king a distant figure whose wishes were little known and less   considered.                                     Thomas Cahill                                                         

The monks of the 5th century believed the Church could be  intellectual and catholic

catholic- [the definition]: broadminded, liberal in thought; inclusive of all.

Those of us who grew up Catholic were told to say, "the holy Roman Catholic Church". After reading Thomas Cahill's How the Irish Saved Civilization  I think it's a crying shame that we were not given more information about the ancient [5th century] Irish Catholics. As opposed to the Romans, these people were truly more catholic: inclusive, intellectual, devoting their life to copying books and educating everyone in their path.

"Bibliotecis sepulcrorum ritu in perpetuum clausis" The libraries, like tombs, were closed forever.                           Ammianus Marcellinus written in the early 5th century

You see, the barbarian hordes invaded the Roman empire and they were uncivilized and illiterate. They had no use for education and especially for books. Those ancient books of the Roman empire were tossed into the fire and then the barbarians destroyed all of the libraries along the way. We see this today, people tend to fear and feel threatened by what they don't understand. One of the reasons that educating the public is so very important. There was no presses in these ancient times and the work fell to the copyist who diligently copied the precious books. By the end of the 5th century the profession of 'copyist' had almost disappeared. Indeed, the libraries were closed like tombs.

According to Thomas Cahill, "Ireland was at peace and furiously copying" all of the books they could get their hands on. "They became Europe's publisher." Also because they were known for their generosity and hospitality, they hosted many thousand of students from all over the European continent who fled into their welcoming monasteries. These students would bring the Irish literacy and learning back to their own countries. Then happily for all of us, the Irish monks began to travel, spreading beyond their own country, setting up monasteries all over Europe.

Would that the Catholic church, as we know it today, had adopted some of the gentler customs formed in the Irish church. Much of the good influence for more civilized customs were introduced in the 4th century because of St. Patrick who was a Roman citizen. He became their bishop. Because Patrick was forced into slavery and then a run away slave, he abhorred slavery. He discouraged that and also the more bloody rituals left over from the Irish pagan back ground. He also encouraged welcome to all travelers seeking their church. Remarkably, the church of Ireland even included women as some of their first bishops [Bridget].

Because the Irish were known for their "heroic hospitality" the monks turned away no one, the true definition of catholic. This was so vastly different from the Roman Catholic's hierarchy who based their religion on favors, wealthy patrons and the exploitation of the poor. So naturally, when these wee Irish monks started to colonize the rural parts of the countries setting up their monasteries, this threatened the bishops. These bishops "lived urbanely, keeping close to the aristocrats" [and the money].

While Rome and its ancient empire faded from memory and a new illiterate Europe rose on its ruins, a vibrant, literary culture was blooming in secret along its Celtic fringe...Europe would never have been able to develop it's great national literature with out the help of the Irish.             Thomas Cahill 

The Irish monasteries in time would become the cities of: Lumieges, Auxerre, Liege, Trier, Wurzburg, Salsburg, Vienna, Bobio, Lucca to name a few. 

Tomorrow, or soon, I will be discussing the lessons that we can learn from these brave monks and the early church.

We owe great thanks for treasured books, saved by the most catholic monks of Ireland

 
susansmagicfeather copyright 2014 Susan R. Grout all rights reserved