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Otteran
(Also known as Odhran and
Oran)
Born in
Ireland
in the fifth century, St.
Otteran, nephew of St. Kevin and a descendant of Conall Gulban,
founded many monasteries, mostly in southern
Ireland.
He may have founded the monastery at Leitrioch Odrain (Latteragh,
Tipperary.)
His name is especially connected with that of Magh-Armuidhe, now
Adamstown, Wexford. Killotteran Parish, west of
Waterford
City,
derives its name from the town land on which stood an ancient Church.
The name itself is ecclesiastical, signifying the
Church
of
Odran,
or Otteran as it is more commonly Anglicised.
St. Otteran, an Abbot from Meath, is the principal patron of the Diocese
of Waterford (though it is doubtful whether or not he had been Bishop to
that See) was one of the 12 companions who sailed with Columba from
Lough Foyle.
He died soon after the landing on Lona. His burying-place, the Realig
Odhrain, later became also the burying-place for kings of
Dalriada,
Scotland
and
Norway.
Scandinavian links with Lona explain the special place Otteran has as
Patron of the See of Waterford which was founded by the Danes. Soon
thereafter, Columba saw Otteran's soul ascending to heaven following a
battle between angels and devils. He has given his name to Oronsay. His
feast is kept throughout
Ireland.
Abbot Patron Saint -
Waterford
Diocese since 1056
Otteran’s death is recorded as being in 548 A.D. and his grave was
greatly revered in Lona. It is said that he was the first person to be
buried in the monastic cemetery of the Norsemen, whither they carried
their dead chieftains and great men for burial from all parts of
Europe.
The Vikings chose Otteran, the titular guardian of their ancestors’
ashes, as Patron of the city of
Waterford
in 1096. Later he was chosen as Patron of the Diocese.
There has been much unnecessary discussion as to the identity of this
Otteran. But the Irish Martyrologies tell us plainly enough that the
saint of that name was a monk of Hy, a kinsman of St. Columba and that
he worked in
Iona
evangelizing the people of
Scotland.
An Annual Feast
honoring St. Otteran is held
on October 27th.
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