The tradition of the "twelve apostles of Ireland" doesn't seem to make any
claim of special evangelical activity in Ireland or elsewhere; they seem
rather to be apostles in the sense of monks as the truest followers of the
apostles, and are the great Irish monastic founders. They are all supposed
to have studied with Finnian at Clonard, and are: another Finnian, two
Columcilles, Ciaran, Cainnech, Comgall, two Brendans, Ruadan, Ninnid, Mobi,
and Molaise. I've seen the same list in several places, but only seem to
have references for Edward Sellner's "Wisdom of the Celtic Saints" (a very
popular work), and "The Twelve Apostles of Ireland." In Plummer, ed.,
Lives of Irish Saints, pp. 93-8.
Phyllis
>
>> but the frame of reference for their world-view
>> demanded that they find these. Furthermore, linking Patrick to Moses was
>> clever. Patrick was not called the "Apostle to Ireland" before the 11th
>> century. The original Apostles to Ireland were twelve saints, led by
>> Finnian and including Columcille and not including Patrick.
>>
> What source are you thinking of in this respect? My impression is
>that the saints named in this list of twelve varies and sometimes includes
>Patrick.
>
Phyllis G. Jestice
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