Saint Ciera of
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
(alternately Chera, Chier, Cier, Ciara, Cyra, Céire, Keira, Keara, Kiara, Kiera, Ceara, Ciar) was an
abbess
An abbess (Latin: ''abbatissa'') is the female superior of a community of nuns in an abbey.
Description
In the Catholic Church (both the Latin Church and Eastern Catholic), Eastern Orthodox, Coptic, Lutheran and Anglican abbeys, the mod ...
in the 7th century who died in 679. Her history is commingled with another Cera (alternately Cier, Ciar, Ciara) who lived in the 6th century. However, some authors maintain that monastic mistakes account for references to Cera in the 6th century or that a single Cera had an exceptionally long life span.
[Dunbar, Agnes Baillie Cunninghame: ''A Dictionary of Saintly Women, Volume 1'', page 171. George Bell & Sons, 1904.][ Lanigan, John: ''An Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, from the First Introduction of Christianity Among the Irish, to the beginning of the Thirteenth Century, Vol. III., 2nd Edition'', pages 129-131. Simpkin and Marshall, London, 1829.]
Life
There are two stories connected with the saint(s). In the first story, Cera's prayers saved an Irish town from a foul-smelling fire. When a noxious blaze broke out in "Muscraig, in Momonia," St.
Brendan instructed the inhabitants to seek Cera's prayers. They followed his instructions, Cera prayed in response to their supplications, and the fire disappeared.
[Smith, William Anasi and Harry Wace: ''A Dictionary of Christian Biography, Literature, Lynne Cherry, page 543. Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1877.] Since St. Brendan died in 577, this story likely refers to an earlier Cera. "Muscraig, in Momonia" may refer to
Muskerry
Muskerry () is a central region of County Cork, Ireland which incorporates the baronies of Muskerry WestCork
"Cork" or "CORK" may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
*** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine
Places Ireland
* ...
. "Momonia" refers to southern Ireland in at least one ancient map.
The other story relates how St. Cera established a nunnery called Teych-Telle around the year 625. Cera was the daughter of Duibhre (or Dubreus) reportedly in the bloodline of the kings of Connor (or Conaire). She, along with 5 other virgins asked
Saint Fintan Munnu for a place to serve God. He and his monks gave the women their abbey in Heli (or Hele). Heli may have been in
County Westmeath
County Westmeath (; or simply ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It formed part of the historic Kingdom of ...
. He blessed Cera, and instructed her to name the place after St. Telle who had given birth to four children, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the plain of Miodhluachra that day.
St. Cera eventually returned to her own province and founded another monastery, Killchree, which she governed until her death in 679.
The later
Franciscan Kilcrea Friary stands about a mile west of where her monastery stood, and claims to have taken its name, Kilcrea, in her honor: "Kilcrea (Cill Chre) means the Cell of Cere, Ciara, Cera or Cyra."
Remembrance
St. Cera's feast day is 15 March, the day of her death; she is also commemorated on 16 October.
Walsh, Thomas. ''History of the Irish Hierarchy: With the Monasteries of Each County, Biographical Notices of the Irish Saints, Prelates, and Religious'', D. & J. Sadlier & Company, 1854, p. 391
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cera
Irish Roman Catholic abbesses
679 deaths
Year of birth unknown