# Assicus > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Assicus > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Assicus.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assicus > Source revision: 1351392253 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Bishop of Elphin (fifth century) Saint Assicus Assicus in a stained glass window of Sligo Cathedral Saint Patrick's coppersmith and Bishop of Elphin Born unknown Died c. 490 Racoo, Ballintra, County Donegal, Ireland Venerated in Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion[1] Feast 27 April[2] Patronage Elphin, Ireland **Assicus** *(Asicus, Assic)* was the first bishop of [Elphin](/source/Elphin%2C_County_Roscommon), [Ireland](/source/Ireland), and venerated as the [patron saint](/source/Patron_saint) of that place. He was also an artisan metalworker. ## Tradition Assicus was a friend of St. Patrick, and a skilled metal worker in brass and copper. Converted to [Christianity](/source/Christianity) by [Saint Patrick](/source/Saint_Patrick), he is also said to have been Patrick's worker in [iron](/source/Iron).[3] At Elphin, Patrick built a church, called through centuries, "Tempull Phadruig" (Patrick's church). There he established an episcopal monastery, one of the first monasteries founded by him. He appointed Assicus as abbot-bishop, and with him left Bite, son of the brother of Assicus, and Cipia, mother of Bite.[4] Assicus was of the family of Hono, a druid of wealth and influence, from whom Patrick obtained the land.[5] ## Artisan Under the [Brehon Law](/source/Brehon_Law), craftsmen were well respected in ancient Ireland.[4] The first bishop of Elphin is described in the *[Book of Armagh](/source/Book_of_Armagh)*as the *cerd* (the wright or goldsmith) of St. Patrick. Assicus made chalices, patens, and metal book-covers for the churches founded by Patrick.[4] In the *Tripartite Life of St Patrick* is stated: - *Bishop St. Assic was Patrick's [coppersmith](/source/Coppersmith), and made altars, tables, and square [bookcases](/source/Bookcase). Besides, he made our saint's [patens](/source/Paten) in honour of Bishop Patrick, and of them I have seen three square patens, that is, a paten in the Church of Patrick in [Armagh](/source/Armagh), and another in the Church of Elphin, and a third in the great-church of Donough-patrick (at Carns near [Tulsk](/source/Tulsk)).*[3][6] Assicus was an expert metal worker, and was also renowned as a [bellfounder](/source/Bellfounder). Following the example of their masters, the successors and spiritual children of St. Assicus founded a school of art and produced beautiful objects of Celtic workmanship in the Diocese of Elphin.[4] ## Death Of his last days the following graphic description is given by Archbishop [Healy](/source/John_Healy_(bishop)): - *Assicus himself in shame because of a lie told either by him, or, as others say, of him, fled into [Donegal](/source/County_Donegal), and for seven years abode in the island of [Rathlin O'Birne](/source/Rathlin_O'Birne). Then his monks sought him out, and after much labour found him in the mountain glens, and tried to bring him home to his own [monastery](/source/Monastery) at Elphin. But he fell sick by the way and died with them in the wilderness. So they buried the venerable old man in the churchyard of Rath Cunga, now Racoo, in the Barony of [Tirhugh](/source/Tirhugh), County Donegal. The old churchyard is there still, though now disused, on the summit of a round hillock close to the left of the road from [Ballyshannon](/source/Ballyshannon) to Donegal, about a mile to the south of the village of Ballintra. We sought in vain for any trace of an inscribed stone in the old churchyard. He fled from men during life, and, like [Moses](/source/Moses), his grave is hidden from them in death.*[3] His feast is celebrated 27 April, as is recorded in the *[Martyrology of Tallaght](/source/Martyrology_of_Tallaght)* under that date. ## Identities Assicus is sometimes thought to be the same man as [Tassac](/source/Tassac) and Assam (or Assan), or both. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Commemorations", Church of Ireland](http://ireland.anglican.org/worship/30) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** O'Riain, Padraig. *A Dictionary of Irish Saints*. Dublin: Four Courts Press. p. 571. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-84682-318-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84682-318-3). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-grattan_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-grattan_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-grattan_3-2) [Grattan-Flood, William. "St. Assicus." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 31 Dec. 2012](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01800a.htm) 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Kelly_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Kelly_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Kelly_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Kelly_4-3) ["CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Elphin"](https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05394b.htm). *www.newadvent.org*. Retrieved 13 February 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Healy1905_5-0)** John Healy (1905). [*The Life and Writings of St. Patrick: With Appendices, Etc*](https://archive.org/details/lifeandwritings01patrgoog). M. H. Gill & son, Limited. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-joyce_6-0)** ["Protection of Crafts and Social Position of Craftsmen in Ancient Ireland"](https://www.libraryireland.com/SocialHistoryAncientIreland/III-XX-6.php). *www.libraryireland.com*. Retrieved 13 February 2026. ## External links - ["St. Assicus - Drumholm", Parish of Drumholm](http://iolfree.ie/~drumholmparish/page2.html) - [Kelly, J.J., "St. Assicus", *The Irish Ecclesiastical Record*, 1902](https://books.google.com/books?id=MJVAAQAAMAAJ&dq=Assicus&pg=PA293) v t e Saints of Ireland Abbán Abel of Reims Abran Adalgis of Ireland Adomnán Adomnán of Coldingham Aidan of Lindisfarne Ailbe of Emly Ailerán Andrew the Scot Assicus Athracht Autbod Baithéne Balin Baldred of Tyninghame Barrfoin Bean Bécán Bega Benignus of Armagh Beoadh Beoc Berach Blaithmaic Boadin Boethian of Pierrepoint Brandan Breage Brendan Brendan of Birr Briarch Brigit of Kildare Brogan Bron Brónach Budoc Buriana Gobhan Máedóc of Ferns Óengus of Tallaght Patrick Scuithin Saints Portal Ireland Portal Authority control databases: People Ireland --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Assicus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assicus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assicus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.