Saint Totnan
Kilian, Colman and Totnan, sculpture by Riemenschneider in Neumünster-Kirche, Würzburg
Apostle to the Franconians
Born7th century
Ireland
Died689
Würzburg
Venerated inRoman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, True Orthodoxy
PatronageBishopric of Würzburg

Saint Totnan (7th Century – July 8th, 689 AD) was an Irish Franconian apostle. He was born in Ireland and was martyred along with Saint Colman and Saint Kilian in Würzburg in 689.

In 686, he travelled to Rome with Kilian, Colman and nine other Christians. They met Pope Conon and travelled on to Wurzburg. At this point the three stayed in Wurzburg while the others travelled throughout the area. Duke Gozbert of Wurzburg became a Christian, but his wife remained a pagan.

Kilian told Gozbert that he was breaking Christian scripture by marrying his brother's widow, Geilana. Geilana retaliated by sending her soldiers to the main square of Würzburg, where the three were preaching, and having them beheaded.[1]

Legacy

After their deaths, their relics were revered as cures for illnesses.

In 752 Burchard of Wessex became the first bishop of Würzburg. He transferred the relics of the three men into the new cathedral which was dedicated to St Kilian.[2]

Totnan was posthumously named patron saint of the Bishopric of Würzburg.[3] His statue was located in Alte Mainbruecke.

His feast day is 8 July.

References

  1. ↑ Celtic Saints website
  2. ↑ Catholic Ireland website
  3. ↑ Melton, J. Gordon (15 January 2014). Faiths Across Time: 5,000 Years of Religious History. ABC-CLIO. p. 552. ISBN 978-1-61069-026-3.

Further reading

    • Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
    • Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
    • Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints
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