medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Re: [M-R] New names in religion
At the same time some Anglo-Saxon missionaries took on new names, e.g.,
Wynfrith was given the then name Boniface by Pope Gregory II.
I was under the impression that "Wynfrith" and "Boniface" actually mean the
same thing, the one word in Old English the other in Latin, so this was more
a matter of translating his name than renamimg him.
I have a reference in Albert le Grand (the Breton hagiographer not Albertus
Magnus) to a 12th century bishop of Nantes who is known as "Bernard" (of
Escoublac) but of whom Albert le G says
"Bernard natif de la Paroisse d'Escoublac, pre`s la ville de Guerrande, que
je trouve nomme' dans les titres Latins CINARDUS, & par fois BERNARDUS homme
benin & liberal, de Chanoine de Nantes se fit Religieux a` Clervaux, ayant
este' familier de S.Bernard qui le retira du siecle pendant son se'jour a`
Nantes, ou il vescut si saintement qu'Iterius estant mort, il fut e'lue
Evesque de Nantes la mesme anne'e 1147."
(2 apologies - 1 for my computer which cannot handle French accents in its
e-mails. 2 for transcribing 17th C French spellings.)
As far as I have discovered this is the ONLY source for Bernard of Escoublac
having changed his name. And Albert is NOT given full marks for accuracy.
OTOH Albert in 1636 had access to records now lost. He is certainly right
about Bd'E and St Bernie knowing each other: B d'E gets a glowing character
reference in one of Bernie's letters. (Letter 169 in Bruno Scott James'
translation of Bernie's letters.)
Escoublac may be in the Comte' de Nantes but it was at that date (12th C)
Breton-Bretonnant ie Breton-speaking so it is quite plausible that a native
of that parish should initially have had a Celtic Christian name.
I originally supposed that C/B had changed his name when he became a
Cistercian at Clairvaux BUT I have since found him listed as a Canon of
Nantes called Bernard in 1131 and as Dean of Nantes in 1144. (The chronology
is tight: he can only have been a Cistercian monk for two / two & a half
years [1144/5 - 1147] ) My guess now is that he changed name when he took
Major Orders sometime before 1130.
My question is (finally) can anyone suggest what is the Breton Christian
name Latinised as CINARDUS ? My guess is that it is something like Kynart.
(Have I asked this question before abour 2 years ago?)
Brenda.
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