Vast as was his diocese, which embraced the two great Northumbrian kingdoms, and great as must have been his influence over the other Saxon provinces, S. Finan seems to have preserved and exercised an authority not less complete over the country of his origin, the kingdom of the Dalriadian Scots. The Scotch annalists all speak of a certain king Fergus, who, by his violence and exactions, had raised the indignation of the Scottish clergy, and called down upon himself a sentence of excommunication from the bishops of Lindisfarne, Finan and his successors. Bede, who is prejudiced against this holy prelate, because of his adhesion to the Keltic ritual, and resistance of the introduction of the Roman usages in vogue in the South of England, nevertheless admits his great virtues, his contempt of the world, love of poverty and disinterestedness, and great diligence in preaching the Word of Life.[53]
[49] A mistake of a copyist for Polychronius, apparently.
[52] Whence it appears that S. Fintan was a native of Ross, (in Wexford), for Ross is _Ros_-mhic-Trein; _i.e._, Ross of the Sons of Trein.
S. SIMEON, _BM. of Jerusalem_, A.D. 107. SS. LEO AND PAREGORIUS, _MM. at Patara (commemorated by Greeks only)_. SS. MAXIMUS, CLAUDIUS, PRÆPEDIGNA, ALEXANDER, AND CUTIAS, _MM. at Rome_, A.D. 295. SS. CONSTANTIA, AUGUSTA, ATTICA, AND ARTEMIA, _VV. at Rome, 4th cent._ S. FLAVIAN, _BM. of Constantinople_, A.D. 449. S. HELLADIUS, _B. of Toledo_, A.D. 632. S. ANGILBERT, _Ab. of S. Riquier, in France_, A.D. 814. S. THEOTONTIUS, _Prior of S. Cruz, at Coimbra_, A.D. 1166.
[Roman, and all ancient Martyrologies, but commemorated by the Greeks on April 27th. Authorities:--Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., lib. iii., c. 10, 32; Hegesippus quoted by Eusebius.]
After the martyrdom of S. James, and the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans, the surviving apostles and disciples of our Lord are reported to have assembled at Jerusalem to consult who should be appointed bishop in the room of S. James. They unanimously declared Simeon, the son of Cleopas, as deserving to succeed to that important office. He is said to have been cousin-german to our Saviour, for Hegesippus asserts that Cleopas was the brother of Joseph. Hegesippus gives the following account of his martyrdom:--"There are those that take the lead of the whole Church as martyrs, even the kindred of our Lord. Profound peace had lasted for the Church till the days of Trajan, when Simeon, the relative of our Lord, being the son of Cleopas, was waylaid by the heretics, and was accused to the Consul Atticus. After he had been tormented many days, he died a martyr, with such firmness that all wondered, even the president himself, that a man of one hundred and twenty years of age should endure such tortures. At last he was ordered to be crucified."