Sacred Time in Early Christian Ireland

Francisca Rumsey uses two case studies from early Christian Ireland, the Nauigatio sancti Brendani abbatis and the Rules of the Céli Dé to demonstrate two different ways of understanding sacred time. One sees time as part of a good and holy creation, and therefore intrinsically good in itself; the other sees time as part of a fallen world needing redemption, and therefore in need of sanctification. The Céli Dé are often presented as part of a reform movement in early Irish monasticism. This question of monastic ’reform’ is explored in detail to show that the received position regarding the Céli Dé is inaccurate. In fact, in the specific issue of liturgical prayer, their approach was innovative to the point of idiosyncrasy.

Patricia Rumsey is a Poor Clare nun with an MA and a PhD in Theology from the University of Wales, Lampeter, UK. She has written and published on liturgy and early Irish monasticism and has lectured in England, Ireland and Scandinavia. Thomas O’Loughlin is professor of historical theology in the University of Wales, Lampeter. His research has focused on the theology of the early medieval period, and on the works of insular writers in particular.