Patrick and the authority of Armagh
The background to the claims of Armagh
During the 7th century there was a flurry of activity to promote the church’s
Armagh's archiepiscopal authority over all the tree churches and monasteries
of Ireland.
"Armagh entered the field very late for the race for ecclesiastical precedence"
(Hughes).
Interestingly, none of the sources we have from the 6th century mention
Patrick or Armagh; they do not appear in the writings of Columbanus,
Cogitosus, Jonas, Adomnán or even more strikingly, Bede.
Sources from that period are scarce, but the absence of the name of Armagh
might suggest that it was not a prominent church in the era of the great
monastic churches. It seems to have been the development of prominent and
influential monastic paruchiae which spurred on the Armagh church and its
lawyers to clarify its position.
The nature of claims made by Armagh
The claims made are to be found in the Book of the Angel. It is a
pseudo-Patrician piece of literature of hagiographical character that
“provides a statement of Armaghs claims and rights, put together by the
Armagh lawyers from information collected there in the late 7th and early 8th
century" (Hughes).
In the Book of the Angel, an angel appears to Patrick and granted privileges
to him and to his church at Armagh. It opens with the grant of a termonn, an
area over which the Bishop of Armagh had direct government.
Armagh was to be summa of all the churches and monasteries of Ireland
The boundaries of that church were thus extended and the Abbot/Bishop of
Armagh was to have direct government of this extended territory.
, The total privileges granted by the Angel were:
That Armagh was the most important church/see in Ireland
I had authority over all the free churches and monasteries in Ireland
It had the right to tax these churches.
I was the highest Court of Ecclesiastical Appeal in Ireland, second only
Rome. All disputes which could not be resolved between churches
themselves were to be referred to the Bishop of Armagh as the coarb or
heir of Patrick. It said, "Whatever difficult cause shall arise, one unknown to
all the judges of the tribes of the Irish, it shall be rightly referred to the
cathedral of the Irish archbishop i.e. Patrick and to the examination of that
bishop".
The claims made by the church of Armagh were vast. However, there is a
difference between making claims and gaining acceptance of them. Armagh
set about engaging in a process of promoting her claims, employing all the
tactics at her disposal.
How Armagh promoted its right to archiepiscopal authority
In the 5th century, Armagh lay in the territory of the Ulaid. But since then,
the Ulaid had been displaced and were now considerably reduced in size.
Armagh no longer lay within their territory. Politically, Armagh had lost
importance during the contraction of the Ulaid. If Armagh was to survive
as an important church, it would need to recoup some ground.
Armagh needed the support of the most prominent political power
and if possible the support of Rome.
Some scholars say that other 7th century developments helped Armagh's
quest for recognition.
For instance:
• The Paschal Controversy
• The rise of the Ui Néill
• The decline of the prestige of Iona
Evidence and propaganda
Armagh employed lawyers and hagiographers to supply the evidence and
propaganda for its claims.
The background to the claims of Armagh
During the 7th century there was a flurry of activity to promote the church’s
Armagh's archiepiscopal authority over all the tree churches and monasteries
of Ireland.
"Armagh entered the field very late for the race for ecclesiastical precedence"
(Hughes).
Interestingly, none of the sources we have from the 6th century mention
Patrick or Armagh; they do not appear in the writings of Columbanus,
Cogitosus, Jonas, Adomnán or even more strikingly, Bede.
Sources from that period are scarce, but the absence of the name of Armagh
might suggest that it was not a prominent church in the era of the great
monastic churches. It seems to have been the development of prominent and
influential monastic paruchiae which spurred on the Armagh church and its
lawyers to clarify its position.
The nature of claims made by Armagh
The claims made are to be found in the Book of the Angel. It is a
pseudo-Patrician piece of literature of hagiographical character that
“provides a statement of Armaghs claims and rights, put together by the
Armagh lawyers from information collected there in the late 7th and early 8th
century" (Hughes).
In the Book of the Angel, an angel appears to Patrick and granted privileges
to him and to his church at Armagh. It opens with the grant of a termonn, an
area over which the Bishop of Armagh had direct government.
Armagh was to be summa of all the churches and monasteries of Ireland
The boundaries of that church were thus extended and the Abbot/Bishop of
Armagh was to have direct government of this extended territory.
, The total privileges granted by the Angel were:
That Armagh was the most important church/see in Ireland
I had authority over all the free churches and monasteries in Ireland
It had the right to tax these churches.
I was the highest Court of Ecclesiastical Appeal in Ireland, second only
Rome. All disputes which could not be resolved between churches
themselves were to be referred to the Bishop of Armagh as the coarb or
heir of Patrick. It said, "Whatever difficult cause shall arise, one unknown to
all the judges of the tribes of the Irish, it shall be rightly referred to the
cathedral of the Irish archbishop i.e. Patrick and to the examination of that
bishop".
The claims made by the church of Armagh were vast. However, there is a
difference between making claims and gaining acceptance of them. Armagh
set about engaging in a process of promoting her claims, employing all the
tactics at her disposal.
How Armagh promoted its right to archiepiscopal authority
In the 5th century, Armagh lay in the territory of the Ulaid. But since then,
the Ulaid had been displaced and were now considerably reduced in size.
Armagh no longer lay within their territory. Politically, Armagh had lost
importance during the contraction of the Ulaid. If Armagh was to survive
as an important church, it would need to recoup some ground.
Armagh needed the support of the most prominent political power
and if possible the support of Rome.
Some scholars say that other 7th century developments helped Armagh's
quest for recognition.
For instance:
• The Paschal Controversy
• The rise of the Ui Néill
• The decline of the prestige of Iona
Evidence and propaganda
Armagh employed lawyers and hagiographers to supply the evidence and
propaganda for its claims.
