Texts
Oratio sancti Brendani
Incoming data
Medieval Latin litany or lorica, with a preface which attributes its composition to Brendan, abbot of Clonfert. It is preserved in manuscripts from the 11th century onward. Its date of composition is unknown.
Manuscript witnesses
MS
Angers, Bibliothèque municipale, MS 238
incipit: Deus qui beato Brandano confessori tuo mirabili potentia tua expellendi uenenum gratiam contulisti concede omnibus fidelibus inte credentibus [etc.] The writing here is distinct from that of the main text.
f. 3v–
Text
Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 275
incipit: Sanctus Brandanus Dei servus fecit istam orationem de verbo Dei per Michaelem archangelum in medio maris Preface and prayer, which here follow the Navigatio. 15th cent.
ff. 59r–68v
Text
Florence, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, MS Conv. soppr. I.2.37
rubric: Incipit oratio sancti Brandani incipit: Sanctus Brandanus fecit istam orationem de uerbo domini per Michaelem angelum quando transfretauit vii maria Preface and prayer, which here precede the Navigatio. First part of the 14th cent.
ff. 72r–92v
Text
ff. 6r–16r
Text
Mainz, Wissenschaftliche Stadtbibliothek, MS I 315/ff. 208-229
rubric: Oratio sancti Brandani incipit: Sanctus Brendanus dei servus fecit istam orationem de verbo dei Preface and prayer. 13th/14th cent.
ff. 208r–215r
Text
Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, MS Clm 13067
incipit: Brendanus monachus fecit istam orationem de uerbo Dei [etc.] Preface (f. 9r) and prayer (f. 9v ff).
ff. 9r–16v
Text
Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS Arch. Cap. S. Pietro E.14
Preface and prayer, in two abridged recensions. Preceded by prayers to Mary John and others. 14th/15th cent.
ff. 169r–170r
Text
Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS Chig. C VI 173/ff. 9-76
Two different versions.
ff. 36r–38v, 40r
Text
ff. 80r–80v, 86–88, 85r–85v, 82r–84v
Text
Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, MS 391
incipit: Beatus Brandanus fecit istam orationem de verbo Dei per auctoritatem sancti spiritus edoctus et per Michaelem archangelum [...] Kirie eleyson, Christe eleyson, Kirie eleyson Preface and ptayer. 13th cent.
ff. 3rb–8r
Text
Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, MS 2217/ff. 102-115
The Navigatio is found in a 14th-century section, on ff. 84v-101r.
ff. 107v–115r
Sources
Primary sources Text editions and/or modern translations – in whole or in part – along with publications containing additions and corrections, if known. Diplomatic editions, facsimiles and digital image reproductions of the manuscripts are not always listed here but may be found in entries for the relevant manuscripts. For historical purposes, early editions, transcriptions and translations are not excluded, even if their reliability does not meet modern standards.
[ed.] Salmon, Peter, “Brendanus. Oratio sancti Brandani”, in: Peter Salmon, C. Coebergh, and P. de Puniet (eds), Testimonia orationis Christianae antiquioris, 47, Turnhout: Brepols, 1977. vii–xxxvii, 1–31, 194–196.
1–21 (critical edition), 22–27 (recensio brevis C), 28–31 (recensio brevis D), vii–xxxvii (introduction), 194–196 (index locutionum) Based on the Munich MS (Waulsort Psalter), with variants. Short recensions from Vatican, Chig. C VI 173 are printed separately.
[ed.] Hamman, Adalbert-Gautier (ed.), Patrologia cursus completae, serlies latina [Patrologiae latinae], supplementum, 5 vols, vol. 4, Paris: Garnier, 1967–1971.
cols 2053–2066
[ed.] Lechner, Anton, Mittelalterliche Kirchenfeste und Kalendarien in Bayern, Fribourg: Herdersche Verlagshandlung, 1891.
: <link>
207–208 Preface and part of the prayer from Munich MS Clm 13067.
[ed.] Moran, Patrick F., Acta sancti Brendani: original Latin documents connected with the life of Saint Brendan, Dublin: William Bernard Kelly, 1872.
Internet Archive – originally from Google Books: <link>
27–44 Published from the St Gall and Bibliotheca Sessoriana MSS.
Secondary sources (select)
Iannello, Fausto, “Tradizioni e funzioni protettivo-apotropaiche di san Brendano di Clonfert in ambito litanico ed eucologico”, Revue des Sciences Religieuses 92:2 (2018).
: <link>
Borsje, Jacqueline, “Druids, deer and ‘words of power’: coming to terms with evil in Medieval Ireland”, in: Katja Ritari, and Alexandra Bergholm (eds), Approaches to religion and mythology in Celtic studies, Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars, 2008. 122–149.
UvA Digital Academic Repository: <link>
133–134 note 47
Salmon, Peter, C. Coebergh, and P. de Puniet (eds), Testimonia orationis Christianae antiquioris, Corpus Christianorum, Continuatio Mediaevalis, 47, Turnhout: Brepols, 1977.
Introduction.
Kenney, James F., “Chapter VII: Religious literature and ecclesiastical culture”, in: James F. Kenney, The sources for the early history of Ireland: an introduction and guide. Volume 1: ecclesiastical, Revised ed., 11, New York: Octagon, 1966. 622–744.
729 [id. 588.]
Gougaud, Louis, “Études sur les Loricae celtiques et sur les prières qui s’en rapprochent [pt 2]”, Bulletin d’ancienne littérature et d’archéologie chrétienne 2 (1912): 33–41, 101–127.
103
Gougaud, Louis, “Études sur les Loricae celtiques et sur les prières qui s’en rapprochent [pt 1]”, Bulletin d’ancienne littérature et d’archéologie chrétienne 1 (1911): 265–281.
266–267
