Saint Sanctain or Sanctan was a 6th-century bishop from Northern Britain.
Sanctan was the son of Samuel Cennísel, a king in Northern Britain. His mother was Deichter, daughter of Muiredach Muinderg, an early Dál Fiatach overking of Ulaid. He had a brother, Matócc, and was half-brother to Cybi of Holyhead. Sanctan was an active missionary in Cumbria. The Liber Hymnorum confirms that both Sanctan and Matóc came to Ireland from Britain.
Sanctán spent most of his days n Ireland, and is included in the list of bishops in the Book of Leinster. He was bishop of the unidentified Cell da les ("church of the two enclosures"). This may be Kilnasantan in Glenasmole in the Dublin Mountains. He is commemorated in the Felire of Oengus.
On the Isle of Man, the civil parish of Santon is named after him.
References
- The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, Vol. 4, 1879, p. 92
- Bartrum, Peter C., (1993), A Welsh Classical Dictionary, National Library of Wales, pp. 580-581.
- Mac Shamhráin, Ailbhe. "Sanctán", Dictionary of Irish Biography, 2009
- O'Hanlon, John. Lives of the Irish saints, Vol. 6, 1873, p. 614
- Baring-Gould, Sabine. The Lives of the British Saints, vol. 4, C. J. Clark, 1913, p. 171
- Moore,Arthur W., The Surnames & Place-names of the Isle of Man, Stock, 1890, p. 209
Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae 2012-2015
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