Saint Meriasek (Breton: Meriadeg) was a 6th-century Cornish and Bretonsaint. The legends of his life are known through Beunans Meriasek, a Cornish language play known from a single surviving manuscript copy dated 1504, and a few other sources. He is the patron saint of Camborne, and according to his legendary will his feast day is the first Friday in June (although it is celebrated in some places on 7 June).
Until Beunans Ke came to light in 2000, Beunans Meriasek was the only known saint's play in Middle Cornish. It was rediscovered in the 1860s. It was most probably written down at Glasney collegiate church at Penryn by one Radulphus Ton, perhaps under the aegis of Master John Nans, provost of Glasney, who later moved to Camborne and died in 1508.[1][2]
Lifeedit
Meriasek was a Breton[1] from a ducal family. Conan Meriadoc, the legendary king of Brittany at the time, wanted to arrange a political marriage for him, but Meriasek preferred to renounce his inheritance and become a priest. He performed several miraculous cures thereafter. He crossed the Channel to found an oratory in Camborne, Cornwall. Encountering persecution from King Teudar, he returned to Brittany (landing at Plougasnou) to found a chapel in Josselin, in the lands of the Viscounts of Rohan. His reputation for miracles attracted crowds and he decided to withdraw to Pontivy, close to the château of Rohan.
He assisted the Viscount in dealing with brigands who infested his lands by bringing down the fire of heaven upon them; in gratitude he founded three fairs at Noyal at the saint's request.
He is reputed to have healed many lepers and disabled people, to have driven off the highwaymen of Josselin through prayer, to have made water spring from solid rock, and to have calmed a storm. He was elevated to become bishop of Vannes but continued to wear a hair shirt, practise asceticism, and minister to the poor. He was buried in Vannes Cathedral. His sacred well in Camborne was long thought to have the power of healing the insane.[3]
Legacyedit
An open-air performance of an adaptation of "Beurens Mariasek" was performed in Heartlands by well over 100 schoolchildren on 13 July 2012. The performance was the culmination of a project that introduced students to the Cornish language and the tradition of medieval Cornish drama through a series of workshops and rehearsals.[4]
^ ab"Beunans Meriasek", National Library of Wales 2007-06-07 at the Wayback Machine
^George, Ken J. (30 November 1991), Fife, James; Poppe, Erich (eds.), "Notes on word order in Beunans Meriasek", Studies in Brythonic Word Order, Current Issues in Linguistic Theory, John Benjamins Publishing Company, p. 205, doi:10.1075/cilt.83.06geo, ISBN978-90-272-3580-0, retrieved 2 June 2023
^Doble, G. H. (1960) The Saints of Cornwall: part 1. Truro: Dean and Chapter; pp. 111-144
Whitley Stokes: "Beunans Meriasek: The Life of St Meriasek, Bishop and Confessor: a Cornish Drama" (London & Berlin, 1872), new ed. 1996 ISBN0-907064-68-X
Myrna Combellack: "A Critical Edition of Beunans Meriasek" (PhD thesis, University of Exeter, 1985)
Myrna Combellack: "The Camborne Play" (Redruth, 1988) (translation in verse) ISBN1-85022-039-5
G. H. Doble (1935) "Saint Meriadoc, Patron of Camborne" (Cornish Saints Series; n° 34) in: The Saints of Cornwall; Part 1: Saints of the Land’s End District, Truro (1960), reissued by Llanerch, Felinfach, 1997.
External linksedit
December 20, 2023
meriasek, saint, breton, meriadeg, century, cornish, breton, saint, legends, life, known, through, beunans, cornish, language, play, known, from, single, surviving, manuscript, copy, dated, 1504, other, sources, patron, saint, camborne, according, legendary, w. Saint Meriasek Breton Meriadeg was a 6th century Cornish and Breton saint The legends of his life are known through Beunans Meriasek a Cornish language play known from a single surviving manuscript copy dated 1504 and a few other sources He is the patron saint of Camborne and according to his legendary will his feast day is the first Friday in June although it is celebrated in some places on 7 June This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Meriasek news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Contents 1 Sources 2 Life 3 Legacy 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksSources editUntil Beunans Ke came to light in 2000 Beunans Meriasek was the only known saint s play in Middle Cornish It was rediscovered in the 1860s It was most probably written down at Glasney collegiate church at Penryn by one Radulphus Ton perhaps under the aegis of Master John Nans provost of Glasney who later moved to Camborne and died in 1508 1 2 Life editMeriasek was a Breton 1 from a ducal family Conan Meriadoc the legendary king of Brittany at the time wanted to arrange a political marriage for him but Meriasek preferred to renounce his inheritance and become a priest He performed several miraculous cures thereafter He crossed the Channel to found an oratory in Camborne Cornwall Encountering persecution from King Teudar he returned to Brittany landing at Plougasnou to found a chapel in Josselin in the lands of the Viscounts of Rohan His reputation for miracles attracted crowds and he decided to withdraw to Pontivy close to the chateau of Rohan He assisted the Viscount in dealing with brigands who infested his lands by bringing down the fire of heaven upon them in gratitude he founded three fairs at Noyal at the saint s request He is reputed to have healed many lepers and disabled people to have driven off the highwaymen of Josselin through prayer to have made water spring from solid rock and to have calmed a storm He was elevated to become bishop of Vannes but continued to wear a hair shirt practise asceticism and minister to the poor He was buried in Vannes Cathedral His sacred well in Camborne was long thought to have the power of healing the insane 3 Legacy editAn open air performance of an adaptation of Beurens Mariasek was performed in Heartlands by well over 100 schoolchildren on 13 July 2012 The performance was the culmination of a project that introduced students to the Cornish language and the tradition of medieval Cornish drama through a series of workshops and rehearsals 4 Notes edit nbsp Cornwall portal a b Beunans Meriasek National Library of Wales Archived 2007 06 07 at the Wayback Machine George Ken J 30 November 1991 Fife James Poppe Erich eds Notes on word order in Beunans Meriasek Studies in Brythonic Word Order Current Issues in Linguistic Theory John Benjamins Publishing Company p 205 doi 10 1075 cilt 83 06geo ISBN 978 90 272 3580 0 retrieved 2 June 2023 Doble G H 1960 The Saints of Cornwall part 1 Truro Dean and Chapter pp 111 144 Drama Kernewek Cornish Language PartnershipReferences editWhitley Stokes Beunans Meriasek The Life of St Meriasek Bishop and Confessor a Cornish Drama London amp Berlin 1872 new ed 1996 ISBN 0 907064 68 X Myrna Combellack A Critical Edition of Beunans Meriasek PhD thesis University of Exeter 1985 Myrna Combellack The Camborne Play Redruth 1988 translation in verse ISBN 1 85022 039 5 G H Doble 1935 Saint Meriadoc Patron of Camborne Cornish Saints Series n 34 in The Saints of Cornwall Part 1 Saints of the Land s End District Truro 1960 reissued by Llanerch Felinfach 1997 External links editBeunans Meriasek 1504 with images of the original manuscript Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Meriasek amp oldid 1169615288, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
