Christian Christian Names: Baby Names inspired by the Bible and the Saints. Martin Manser

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ (f)

      [ko-LET] feminine of Nicholas, ultimately from the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning ‘victory of the people’.

      French nun (1381–1447). Born Nicolette Boylet, Colette was the daughter of a carpenter of Calcye in Picardy and joined the Franciscan order on the death of her parents, when she was aged 17. She spent some eight years living as a hermit at Corbie Abbey in Picardy before claiming to have had a vision of St Francis, who commanded her to set about restoring the order of the Poor Clares to their original austerity. Colette accordingly emerged from her seclusion and set about her mission of reform. She set about renewing the community of the Poor Clares at Besançon in 1410 and over the next 30 years or so continued her work at 17 convents throughout Europe. She never flagged in her mission, praying daily for the conversion of sinners and securing many converts to her cause.

      Columba (m)

      [kuh-LUM-buh] from Latin, meaning ‘dove’.

      Columba of Iona (c.521–597), Irish abbot and missionary. Columba (or Colmcille) was born in Donegal the descendant of two royal Celtic houses and was intended for the church from an early age. In due course he became a monk and spent some 15 years preaching and founding monasteries, including those at Derry and Durrow. He eventually fell out with Finnian over the issue of a transcript he had made of Finnian’s copy of St Jerome’s Psalter, which Finnian (with the support of King Diarmaid) claimed was rightfully his. Relations with Diarmaid worsened some time later when some of the king’s men killed a man seeking sanctuary with Columba.

      Columba led members of his clan in a campaign against the king and won a bloody battle at Cooldrevne in which some 3000 warriors died. Through this victory Columba won back his Psalter, but perhaps it was his sense of guilt over the many deaths he had precipitated that persuaded him to go into self-imposed exile from his beloved homeland. Accordingly he and a small band of his relatives sailed to the island of Iona off the Scottish coast in 565. There he founded the famous monastery from which he launched various missionary expeditions into Pictish Scotland and northern England.

      The community at Iona became Columba’s most enduring legacy, attracting students from all over Europe and becoming an important centre of religious learning and writing. Its founder never overcame his sense of loss at leaving Ireland, however, and his writings included poetry expressing his homesickness. Considered the central figure in Celtic Christianity, Columba is honoured today as the patron saint of Ireland, as well as of bookbinders and poets. See also Malcolm.

      Feminine forms: Columbina, Columbine.

      Columbina, Columbine feminine forms of Columba.

      Connie feminine form of Constantine.

      Conrad (m)

      [KON-rad] from Germanic kuon, meaning ‘bold’ and rad, meaning ‘counsel’.

      Conrad of Parzham (1818–94), Capuchin lay brother. Born into a peasant family of Parzham in Bavaria, he dedicated himself to a life of Franciscan simplicity as a Capuchin lay brother after the death of his parents in 1849. He took vows in 1852 and subsequently, as porter of the friary at the shrine of Mary at Alltotting, dedicated himself to the care of pilgrims there. Over the years he became widely known for his patient and charitable ways and also earned a reputation for prophecy.

      Variants: Curt, Kurt.

      Constance feminine form of Constantine.

      Constantine (m)

      [KON-stuhn-teen] from Latin constans, meaning ‘steadfast’.

      From the name of Constantine the Great (c.285–337), the first Christian emperor of Rome and founder of Constantinople. He presided over the church’s first general council at Nicaea in 325. He moved his capital to Byzantium on the Bosporus in 330, renaming it Constantinople (now Istanbul). He was baptised on his deathbed.

      Feminine forms: Connie, Constance.

      Consuela (f)

      [kon-SWE-luh] from Spanish, meaning ‘consolation’.

      The name comes from one of the titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary: ‘Our Lady of Consolation’.

      Cormac (m)

      [KAW-mak] from Gaelic, meaning ‘charioteer’.

      Irish abbot and bishop. He was also the king of Munster and a scholar: he is known for his famous Cashel Psalter. He died in battle in 908.

      Cornelia feminine form of Cornelius.

      Cornelius (m)

      [kuh-NEE-lee-uhs] probably from Latin cornu, meaning ‘horn’.

      A Roman centurion who became Peter’s first Gentile convert and on whom the Holy Spirit came as happened at Pentecost. The whole experience confirmed that the gospel was equally for Gentiles as well as for Jews (Acts 10–11).

      Also the name of the Roman Pope (died 253). Nothing is known of the details of Cornelius’ early life before he succeeded Fabian as Pope in 251. He faced many challenges as head of a deeply divided church, of which perhaps the most important was the issue of the re-admittance to the church of the lapsed faithful. Cornelius, in opposition to his rival Novatian, favoured forgiveness of apostates and repentant sinners, providing they performed suitable penance. He is honoured as the patron saint of cattle and domestic livestock.

      Feminine form: Cornelia.

      Crispin (m)

      [KRIS-pin] from Latin crispus, meaning ‘curly-headed’.

      One of two Roman martyrs (died c.285). According to legend, Crispin and Crispinian were two Roman brothers of noble birth who brought the gospel to the region of Soissons in France, where they earned their living as shoemakers. Ultimately they were tortured and martyred for their faith. A local English tradition claims that they survived and subsequently settled in Faversham in Kent, which was formerly a site of pilgrimage on their account. Their names are most familiar to modern readers from their mention in the celebrated ‘St Crispin’s Day’ speech before the battle of Agincourt in William Shakespeare’s Henry V. Today they are honoured as the patron saints of shoemakers and leather workers.

      Crispus (m)

      [KRIS-puhs] from Latin, meaning ‘curly-headed’.

      In the New Testament, the leader of the synagogue at Corinth (Acts 18:8) who became a Christian and was baptised together with all his household. He was one of the few converts to be baptised by Paul himself (1 Corinthians 1:14).

      Cuthbert (m)

      [KUTH-buht] from Old English cuth, meaning ‘famous’ and beorht, meaning ‘bright’.

      English bishop (c.634–687). Cuthbert was born in Northumbria and brought up by a foster-mother after the death of his parents. He spent his youth as a shepherd and soldier before wearying of warfare and, after a vision, entering СКАЧАТЬ