Saint of the Day – 18 March – Blessed Christian O’Conarchy (c1100-1186) O.Cist. Abbot, a disciple and then the Archdeacon of the renowned St Malacy O’More (1094 – 1148) , the Bishop and Confessor of Armagh, possibly also the Bishop of Lismore and the Papal Legate of all Ireland, although these latter Offices are unconfirmed. Born in c1100 at Bangor, County Down, Ireland and died in 1186 at Odorney Abbey, Ireland of natural causes. Also known as – Christianus, Giolla Criost Ua Condoirche.
Beyond the fact that Christian was the Abbot of the first Cistercian Monastery established in Ireland, practically nothing at all can be stated with certainty about his life.
The various traditions and legends are confused and conflicting. According to some accounts, he was born at Bangor in Ulster,and some reports say he was the disciple and then, the Archdeacon of St.Malachy the Bishop of Armagh. Christian probably accompanied the Prelate on a visit to Rome, visiting at Clairvaux on their way there.
It is believed that Christian was one of the four disciples of St Malachy, who remained behind at Clairvaux on the homeward journey and who received the Habit from St Bernard himself.
Upon Christian’s return to Ireland, St Malachy was anxious to introduce the Cistercian Order into Ireland and, at his prompting, Christian set about building Mellifont Monastery. In 1142, St Malachy applied to St Bermard to appoint a Superior and to send Monks to fill the new Monastery and St Bernard appointed Christian as the Abbot and sent several French brothers.
Christian is said, by some writers, to have become the Bishop of Lismore andthe Papal Legate for Ireland. An ancient anonymous Irish analyst notes the year 1186 as the date of the death of Christian, the illustrious Prelate of Lismore, “formally Legate of Ireland, emulator of the virtues which he saw and heard from his holy father, St Bernard and from the Supreme Pontiff, the venerable man Eugenius, with whom he was in the novitiate at Clairvaux.”
AnaStpaul 