Saint Colman or Kolonat (; ; 600 July 8, 689 AD in

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is, after Nuremberg and Fürth, the Franconia#Towns and cities, third-largest city in Franconia located in the north of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. It sp ...

, Germany) was an Irish-born Christian priest and missionary.

Life

He was a companion of

Kilian Killian or Kilian, as a given name, is an English language, Anglicized version of the Irish language, Irish name . The name was borne by several early Irish saints including missionaries to Artois (France) and Franconia (Germany) and the author ...

and

Totnan Saint Totnan (7th Century – July 8, 689 AD) was an Irish Franconian apostle. He was born in Ireland and was martyred along with St. Colman (martyr), Saint Colman and Saint Kilian in Würzburg in 689. In 686, he travelled to Rome with Kilia ...

as missionaries to

Franconia Franconia ( ; ; ) is a geographical region of Germany, characterised by its culture and East Franconian dialect (). Franconia is made up of the three (governmental districts) of Lower Franconia, Lower, Middle Franconia, Middle and Upper Franco ...

and Thüringen in Germany. In 686, the three of them travelled to Rome with nine other Christians and met

Pope Conon Pope Conon (; died 21 September 687) was the bishop of Rome from 21 October 686 to his death on 21 September 687. He had been put forward as a compromise candidate, there being a conflict between the two factions resident in Rome — the military ...

. They then travelled on to Wurzburg. At this point the three stayed in Wurzburg while the others travelled throughout the area. Duke Gozbert of Wurzburg became a Christian, but his wife remained a pagan. Kilian told Duke Gozbert that he was breaking Christian scripture by marrying his brother's widow, Geilana. Geilana was so angry that she sent her soldiers to the main square of Würzburg, where the three missionaries were preaching, and had them beheaded.Celtic Saints website
/ref>

Legacy

After their deaths, their relics were revered as cures for illnesses. In 752 Burchard of Wessex became the first bishop of Würzburg. He transferred the relics of the three men into the new cathedral which was dedicated to St Kilian.Catholic Ireland website
/ref> The Saint Colman's day feast is celebrated on July 8.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colman (Martyr) 7th-century births 7th-century Irish Christian clergy 689 deaths People of medieval Bavaria 7th-century Christian saints Medieval Irish saints Medieval German saints Colombanian saints Irish expatriates in Germany