St. Asicus of Elphin

St. Asicus, or Tassach, was born in Ireland in the fifth century. He was a metal worker in brass and copper. He was from the family of a wealthy druid. Asicus was converted to Christianity by St. Patrick, and they became friends. Asicus used his craft to make chalices, patens, and book covers for Patrick. He is credited with the copperwork on the shamrocked-patterned beaten brass altar screen in the cathedral in Sligo.

When Patrick established a church and monastery in Elphin, he appointed Asicus as abbot-bishop around 450. He was later abbot-bishop of all of Ireland.

It is said that he was often troubled by thoughts that he wasn’t worthy of his position. After a dispute in the monastery, Asicus spent the last seven years of his life alone on an island in Donegal living as a hermit. Some of his monks found him and tried to get him to return to the monastery, but he fell ill and died in 490. His brothers buried him in a churchyard nearby. A bishop in the nineteenth century noted, “We sought in vain for any trace of an inscribed stone in the old churchyard. He fled from men during life, and, like Moses, his grave is hidden from them in death.”

St. Asicus’ feast day is April 27.