Acta Sanctorum · Societàs Bollandiana
16 May
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St. Brendan the Navigator
Account
Irish abbot of Clonfert (c. 484-577) who undertook a legendary seven-year voyage across the Atlantic in a leather currach, seeking the Isle of the Blessed. He founded monasteries throughout Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. His Navigatio describes encounters with sea monsters, crystal pillars, and a paradise island.
Notable Miracles
His crew celebrated Easter Mass on the back of a whale they mistook for an island; when they lit a fire, the whale dove, but they were unharmed. They encountered a crystal column rising from the sea (possibly an iceberg) and an island of smiths hurling molten slag (possibly Iceland's volcanoes).
Historical Assessment
The Bollandists considered the Navigatio a literary composition with a historical kernel. Tim Severin's 1976 recreation of the voyage in a leather boat proved the Atlantic crossing was physically possible, lending credibility to the tradition of early Irish voyages.