Feast Day: June 3rd
The Life of Saint Kevin: Kevin was kneeling, his arms outstretched in Prayer, on the first day of Lent in a small hut in the wilderness when a blackbird landed in his palm and proceeded to construct a nest. Kevin remained perfectly still, so as not to disturb the bird, for the whole of Lent. Kevin was fed by the blackbird with berries and nuts. By the end of Lent, the last blackbird hatchlings had flown from the nest, which now lay empty in his hand, and Kevin returned to the Monastery for the Paschal celebration…
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Prayers
Troparion: Thou wast privileged to live in the age of Saints, O Father Kevin, being Baptized by one Saint, taught by another, and buried by a third. Pray to God that he will raise up Saints in our day to help, support, and guide us in the way of Salvation.
Troparion: With Hymns of praise let us all bless the noble Kevin, who by his Godly love poureth Divine Grace into the hearts of those who honour him; for he dwelleth now with the Saints and Angels in Heaven, where he standeth before the Throne of the Most High, Praying unceasingly for us all.
Kontakion: Forsaking thy noble inheritance, and shunning all the crooked ways of this sin-loving world, thou didst apply thine obedient feet to the straight and narrow path of Christ, eagerly hastening throughout thy life toward the Heavenly Sion, where with all the Saints and the Bodiless Hosts thou criest aloud in ecstasy: Let every breath praise the Lord!
Ikos: Ye lofty trees of Ireland, ever move your verdant branches, that with the rustling of your leafs, as with the strings of a multitude of harps, ye may make sweet music for the King of kings; for thus of old did ye delight His faithful servant, the Venerable Kevin, with your melodious song, easing the severity of his Ascetic life with the beauty of your hymnody, filling his Soul with exultation, and causing him to cry aloud: Let every breath praise the Lord!
One day, on the first day of Lent in a small hut in the wilderness, Saint Kevin was kneeling with his arms outstretched in Prayer, a blackbird landed in his palm and built a nest. Saint Kevin remained perfectly still, to not disturb the bird, for the whole of Lent. During this time Saint Kevin was fed berries and nuts by the blackbird. By the end of Great Lent, the last blackbird hatchlings had flown from the nest, which now lay empty in his hand, and Saint Kevin returned to the Monastery for the Paschal celebration.
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Saint Kevin was Ordained to the Priesthood.
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Saint Kevin spent seven years as a Hermit in the mountains surrounding Glendalough, Praying and practicing strict Asceticism eating herbs. Saint Kevin would stand up to his neck in the ice cold water of the Upper Lake of Glendalough to Pray during the winter. One time when he was Praying, he dropped his Prayer Book into the lake. An otter appeared from the bottom of the lake with the Prayer Book in its mouth, unstained or damaged in any way. From then on, this otter would bring Saint Kevin fish to eat.
