MY COUSIN, SAINT NEOT OF CORNWALL, THE HERMIT - July 31, 2022

 

Stained glass window of Saint Neot

and the deer that volunteered to

plough the fields for him.

Today's saint is a cousin of mine, part of the Wessex folks from whom I descend. He died on July 21, 877 in Cornwall, which is where my great grandfather was born, as it happens. We do not know his date of birth.

He was related to my 33rd great grandfather, Saint Alfred the Great (who visited him many times and sought his counsel), in which case, he is more than a shirt tail relation to me, but some kind of first cousin, probably 38 times removed. Something like that.

Some people express disdain when they hear the degree of relation, but they are ignorant of history. Saints of the United Kingdom and Western Europe who were part of the nobility have extensive written records to corroborate their family lines and, once you establish your relationship with one of them, you can be sure you are descended from or otherwise related to many others, as all the nobles were related to one another in some fashion.  At least, it seems that way to me!

We know that Neot's father's name was Ethelwulph, which was a fairly common name of the day, but other than those two facts about his family origin, history records little else about his ancestry. We know a fair bit about his reputation, movements, supposed miracles, and the disposition of his relics, and if you are interested in this little saint, then a simple Google search can tell you a lot.

I found Neot to be quite interesting. First, as a matter of simple curiosity, I was interested to learn that he was only 4 feet tall. We know that modern man is a bit taller than in previous centuries, but even in those days, 4 feet tall would be exceedingly short. It makes me wonder if he was one of the little people, as they're sometimes called. I find it charming and lends even more mystique to his mythic story. I find it a particularly good sign that someone a bit different was accepted into the vowed life of that era, which we sometimes think of as being a backward and more prejudiced and superstitious one.

Neot's name was originally something else but somehow was given this moniker that originated in the word "neophyte." It represents a sort of nickname, and you can read more about that online. 

The ruins of Glastonbury Abbey

where Saint Neot began his

monastic life

Read more about the history of Glastonbury Abbey on Wikipedia

Saint Neot was known for having both a remarkable intellect, a love for study, and an intense devotional nature, and he began to attract some attention at Glastonbury Abbey, where he was a monk and was ordained as priest at one point.

People will sometimes gather around a spiritual personality like this. But Neot wasn't interested in fame or flattery. In order to save his spiritual life, he removed himself to a hermitage in Cornwall (the remains of which have been obliterated, and we have no idea where it was.) He lived there for 7 years.

There are a lot of stories passed down through the ages about the miracles of St. Neot. In one of them, Neot is responsible for some fish coming back to life. He was mostly a vegetarian but God had given him permission to eat one fish a day. His attendant in the monastery made the mistake of bringing two one day. Neot, like most spiritual people, take their instructions from God in a rather serious fashion, and concerned about that, he had his attendant return the fish from where they'd been caught - and they both came back to life. This is how he became the Patron saint of FISH!

I used to love to fish, and I like to paint them. I also enjoy stories about fish, so I am interested in learning more about St. Neot and this reputation as a fish whisperer.

The above painting is a watercolor I did of the New Mexico Brown Trout. I used to love fishing, but I am not physical able to do it any more.

It is common for some saints, especially the hermits, to be attributed with some special harmony with the wild animals they find in nature - and it makes sense to me because animals, especially prey animals, have to be very sensitive to the vibrations of other living being around them, in order to protect themselves. Animals can often tell when a person means them no harm and when it is safe to be around them. 

One of Neot's miracles has to do with the wild deer offering themselves as draft animals to pull the plough on the monastery grounds. They would, supposedly, arrive for work in the morning, offer their necks to be hitched up, plough the ground all day, and then go home at night. It's a darling story, and one of the stained glass windows at a St. Neot's church location celebrates it:

Stories get built up over the centuries until they are a bit fantastic, but it probably started with something very simple - perhaps a special relationship with the deer of a local herd. You can well imagine the seed of this purported miracle. You could see how this man's friendship with the local deer could be considered a sign of his great spirituality.

Today I relate to a part of the story about my sainted cousin because he became peeved at the number of spiritual tourists that started to come and bother him.  My apartment location has gotten more and more busy. There are all sorts of people walking back and forth, inches from my window

None of this is conducive to the life of a spiritual person trying to lead a quiet life of prayer, on top of constant traffic outside my window, and people staring into my apartment with their noses inches from the glass.

I have been yearning to move to a different location for the longest time. Having an urban hermitage CAN work out, if you have the right setup, but this place is far too big and there are too many people living here and impinging on my privacy.

Statue of St. Neot

Please pray for me, that I may somehow move to a more conducive monastery space that will allow for a more concentrated prayer life, as well as some room for the art projects that proliferate and with which I hope to better support the place, as well as others who may come after me. But most important, of course, is that our spiritual lives remain fresh and lively and that we are happy within ourselves and with The Lord.

May we all be blessed!

Silver Rose

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