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Synod of Kells

The '''Synod of Kells''' took place in AD 1152, under the presidency of Giovanni Paparoni|Cardinal Paparoni, and continued the process begun at the Synod of Rathbreasail of reforming the Celtic Christianity|Irish church. The sessions were divided between the abbeys of Kells, County Meath|Kells and Mellifont, and in later times the synod has been called the '''Synod of Kells-Mellifont''' and the '''Synod of Mellifont-Kells'''.

Background

Máel Máedóc Ua Morgair (Saint Malachy) was made a priest in 1119, as vicar to Ceallach of Armagh|Celsus. His first Episcopal see|sees were Bishop of Down|Down and Bishop of Connor|Connor, and he was located at Bangor Abbey. On the death of Celsus in 1129, Malachy was nominated as his successor at Armagh, now the prime see in Ireland. An internal church dispute over the succession and proposals for reform obliged him to concede the position to Gelasius. In 1137, Gelasius, lacking papal confirmation of the appointment of Malachy by Rome asked him to secure the archbishop’s pallium at the hands of the Pope or his legate. Malachy reached Rome but the Pope, Pope Innocent II|Innocent II, would only grant the pallia to Malachy at the request of an Irish National Synod. To facilitate this, he made Malachy his papal legate. Malachy then returned to Ireland accompanied by a number of Cistercian monks provided by Bernard of Clairvaux|St. Bernard.

The synod of Kells

In 1148 a synod of bishops was assembled at Inispatric. Malachy set out on a second journey to Rome, but died on the way at Clairvaux, France, in November. A synod was summoned to Kells in 1152. This synod approved the consecration of four archbishops. Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair, the High King of Ireland, approved the decrees, and the pallia were conferred by the Papal Legate Cardinal Giovanni Paparoni. Ireland was divided into thirty-six sees, and four metropolitan sees: Armagh, Cashel, Tuam, and Dublin. Armagh was granted Primacy. The diocese of Dublin, ruled by the Ostmen (Danes), seceded from Canterbury and was united with Glendalough. Gregory, the incumbent bishop, accepted the new title and Ostman separatism came to an end.

The diocesan system

The diocesan system was further reorganised, with the number of metropolitan provinces being increased from two to four, by raising the dioceses of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin|Dublin and Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuam|Tuam to archdioceses. The four provinces of Armagh, Cashel, Dublin and Tuam corresponded to the contemporary boundaries of the Provinces of Ireland|provinces of Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connacht respectively. The diocesan structure established by the synod largely survived until the sixteenth century, and still forms the basis of the territorial structure of both the Roman Catholic church and the reformed Anglicanism|Anglican Protestant Church of Ireland, with many of the sees now merged.

Provinces and dioceses

Province of Armagh

- Bishop of Ardagh|Ardagh: reduced in size by creation of Diocese of Kells
- Archdiocese of Armagh (Roman Catholic)|Armagh
- Diocese of Clonard|Clonard: confirmed as see for East Meath
- Diocese of Connor|Connor
- Diocese of Kilmore (Roman Catholic)|Dar-Luis: status of area uncertain
- Diocese of Down|Down
- Diocese of Duleek|Duleek
- Diocese of Kells|Kells: established as see for the Kingdom of Breifne. Absorbed by Diocese of Meath in 1211
- Diocese of Clogher (Roman Catholic)|Louth: see moved from Clogher and area extended at the expense of Armagh. See returned to Clogher by 1192
- Diocese of Derry (Roman Catholic)|Maghera: see transferred to Derry in 1254
- Diocese of Raphoe (Roman Catholic)|Raphoe: created in the late 12th century subsequent to the synod

Province of Cashel

- Diocese of Ardfert and Aghadoe|Ardfert: lost territory to Scattery Island
- Archdiocese of Cashel|Cashel
- Diocese of Cloyne (Roman Catholic)|Cloyne: formed from part of Cork
- Diocese of Cork|Cork: lost territory to Cloyne and Ross
- Diocese of Emly|Emly
- Diocese of Kilfenora|Kilfenora: formed from part of Diocese of Killaloe; corresponded with the sub-kingdom of Corco Mruiad
- Diocese of Killaloe (Roman Catholic)|Killaloe: lost territory to new dioceses of Kilfenora, Roscrea and Scattery Island
- Diocese of Limerick (Roman Catholic)|Limerick: lost territory to Scattery Island
- Diocese of Lismore|Lismore: formed from part of Waterford
- Diocese of Roscrea|Roscrea: formed from part of Killaloe, only existed until the 1160s
- Diocese of Ross|Ross: formed from part of Cork
- Diocese of Scattery Island|Scattery Island: formed from parts of Ardfert, Killaloe and Limerick. Incorporated into Limerick by end of 12th century
- Diocese of Waterford|Waterford: lost territory to create Lismore

Province of Dublin

Province of Tuam

Notes

Sources

- Peter Galloway, ''The Cathedrals of Ireland'', Belfast 1992

External links

- The Dioceses of Ireland, Territorial History (Rootsweb) Category:1152 in Ireland Category:History of Ireland Category:Christianity in Ireland Category:Synods|Kells-Mellifont Category:12th-century Roman Catholic Church Councils

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