Saint of the day October 27: Saint Odrano. Catholic Saints

Every October 27, the festival of Saint Odrano (Odran or Odhran) is celebrated, whom they called the “noble and blameless one.” Odrano lived between the 5th and 6th centuries and is, perhaps, the most famous abbot of the monastery of Meath (Ireland).

The evangelization of Scotland and the death of Odrano

Saint Odrano lived for more than forty years in Silvermines, County Tipperary, Ireland, and is credited with building the local church in the year 520. According to an Irish tradition, Odrano was abbot of the monastery of Meath, and founded that of Lattreagh.

In 563, Odrano was part of the group that headed towards the Scottish island of Iona (Inner Hebrides, Scottish archipelago), where he would finally die. Odrano and his companions left Loch Foyle (Ireland) to Iona next to Saint Columba (521-597), patron of the Scots. Iona is a small island west of Scotland, where a monastery was built and from where the evangelization of the Scottish people began.

An ancient Irish tradition claims that, shortly after landing at Iona, Odrano sensed that his end was near and said: “I am going to be the first Christian to die in this region.” To which Saint Columba replied: “I assure you that You will go to the Kingdom of Heaven and I promise you that no one will obtain a favor in my tomb without having asked it of you too.” As Columba did not want to see his friend die, he gave him his blessing and they went their separate ways.

A combat in the heights and a flag airline

Columba was halfway there when she raised her eyes to heaven. Suddenly, he was paralyzed, as if in deep ecstasy. His companions asked him what he was looking at, and Columba replied, to everyone’s surprise, that he saw the battle being fought in the heights between good and evil spirits. Later, he added that he had also seen how the angels triumphantly carried the soul of Saint Odrano to heaven.

Interestingly, Ireland’s flag carrier, Aer Lingusnamed one of its passenger planes, a Boeing 757, “St. Otteran-Odhran”. ‘Otteranus’ is ‘Odrano’ in Latin, probably in allusion to the legend of the saint flying through the air accompanied by angels.

Scotland and Ireland united

Saint Odranus was the first of the Irish monks to die and was buried at Iona, Scotland. His death is recorded in the year 548. The site of his burial, which is in the only cemetery on the island, is called “Reilig Now” in his honor. An ancient story states that his grave is located at the base of the local chapel.

The saint founded the monastery of Latteragh, in County Tipperary, which would be renamed Leitrioch Odrain. Although not much is known about the details of his life, he is celebrated as a saintly bishop throughout Ireland.