Fintan

ON ST. FINTAN, PRIEST AND ABBOT OF CLUAIN-EDNECH IN IRELAND

Sixth century of Christ

Preliminary Commentary.

Fintan, Abbot in Ireland (St.)

G. H.

[1] The memory of St. Fintan is celebrated on this day in the sacred Calendars. The Roman Martyrology: In Scotland, of St. Fintan, Priest and Confessor; St. Fintan the Priest venerated on February 17 Usuard adds, ^a man of great virtue. The remaining Martyrologies, including very ancient ones written by hand, under the names of Bede, Usuard, and Ado, have similar entries: in which he is variously called Finanus, Finnanus, Fintanus, Funtanus, or Frintanus. The Brussels manuscript, the manuscript Florarium, and Maurolycus call him ^a Bishop, an error taken from another St. Finan the Scot, ^a Bishop, who is also venerated on this day.

[2] Which Scotia is meant in the said Martyrologies is ^a matter of dispute between the modern Scots and the Irish. In the Breviary of Aberdeen, after the Life of St. Finan the Bishop is related, these words are added: said by some to have lived in modern Scotland Of St. Fintan the Prior in Scotland. Dempster in the Scottish Menology adds: who afterward held the Episcopate. The same in his Ecclesiastical History of the Scottish Nation, chapter 509, having cited the Roman Martyrology, that of Galesininus, and that of Maurolycus, says that he is called by some ^a Priest, by some ^a Confessor, by certain others ^a Bishop, and in the Scottish Breviary ^a Prior; that no manuscript Martyrologies exist -- at least none that he himself has seen: we, however, possess very many in which the memory of St. Fintan is inscribed. David Camerarius assigned the same Fintan, whom he acknowledges is celebrated on February 17 in the Roman Martyrology and that of Usuard, to the Kalends of February, without giving any reason why he should so determine. So much for the modern Scots.

[3] The Irish assert that St. Fintan was born and lived in ancient Scotland, that is, Ireland: indeed, Colgan reports at February 17, chapter 1 of the Appendix after the Life of this Fintan, that twenty-four Saints called Fintan existed on that island, by others, in Ireland and that this one was the Abbot and Founder of the monastery of Cluain-Ednech, as he reports with the Irish Martyrologists, Abbot of Cluain-Ednech of whom Marianus places Cluain-Ednech in the region of Laois in the province of Leinster, and indeed in the diocese of Leighlin, as Colgan has it, who in chapter 4 of the Appendix enumerates twenty-two Abbots of this monastery of Cluain-Ednech, of whom he records six inscribed among the Saints.

[4] We give the Life of this holy Abbot from the Salamanca and Kilkenny manuscripts; whence is this Life published? Colgan published it from another Kilkenny manuscript, and was to give it from the manuscript of All Saints' Island on November 15, on which he notes another feast of his is celebrated. In this Life it is said in the last section that he fell asleep in peace on the 13th day before the Kalends of March. Wherefore it seems more probable to us that in the ancient Martyrologies this day refers to this St. Fintan. Colgan proves that the author of this Life was ^a contemporary of St. Fintan from section 13, and by what author? where it is predicted that the father of Blessed Sinchellus would perish badly, and that after his death his goods would be carried off by Kings and Princes: but that the foster-father, having done penance and distributed his wealth to the poor, would die happily, and the writer adds: Which is in the future, we do not doubt, seeing the past things fulfilled. Which words, however, we have noted are not read in the Salamanca manuscript.

[5] This Abbot Fintan flourished in the sixth century of Christ, in which the King of Leinster was Colum, or Colman, who died in the year of Christ 576 according to the Irish Annals. he flourished in the 6th century of Christ To this king St. Fintan came to free ^a captive, as is said in section 19. Then St. Columba of Terryglass, the Master of St. Fintan, who sent him to Cluain-Ednech, is said to have died in the year 548. But St. Columba, Abbot of Iona, who when St. Fintan was still ^a youth presided over other monks, died in the year of his age 77, of Christ 595. Colgan supposes that this Columba survived St. Fintan, who numbers among his immediate successors in governance St. Fintan Maeldubh, appointed by him as is said in the Life, St. Fintan surnamed Corach, and St. Fintan, who is also called Munnu, son of Tulchan, who is reported to have died on October 21 of the year 634.

[6] Besides other disciples mentioned in the Life, there was St. Comgall, Abbot of Bangor, in whose Acts, to be illustrated on May 10, the following is found: The holy boy Comgall abandoned the secular habit and took up the ecclesiastical habit, and learned letters from ^a certain Cleric who lived in ^a certain village in the countryside, and that Cleric was by nature frail in his pleasures... Comgall, seeing that his Master still remained in error, He admits St. Comgall into his monastery abandoned him along with his homeland, and directed his way to the southern region of Ireland, and entered the province of the Leinstermen, and came to St. Fintan, Abbot of the monastery called Cluain-Ednech, ruling over the people of Laois, situated in the northern part of the Leinstermen's province near the foothills of Mount *Blaema, and St. Fintan received Blessed Comgall into his congregation. While St. Comgall was there in holy conversation and hard living, the devil sent ^a great weariness into his heart concerning his homeland and his parents, enduring great and hard labor, and he confessed his temptation to the holy Father Fintan, he frees him from temptations by his prayers: and the holy Father poured forth prayers and supplication to God for him, and the devil was immediately expelled from Comgall through the prayer of his superior. And with various things interposed, the following is read: After much time had passed, St. Comgall was sent by St. Fintan to return to his own homeland for the purpose of building cells for nourishing the servants of Christ. he sends him off to build new monasteries: At that time St. Comgall was still without Orders after many years, for he did not wish to receive grades. And having received the blessing and prayer of Father Fintan, St. Comgall with the disciples assigned to him began to make his way to his homeland... and he established ^a great monastery which is called Bangor, in the region called the Heights of the Ulaid, beside the eastern sea, and ^a very great multitude of monks came there. So it reads. from whom Bangor was built around the year 555 St. Comgall founded the monastery of Bangor around the year 555, so that the age of St. Fintan is thereby confirmed: and certainly Dempster errs very greatly in asserting that he flourished in the year 821 or 872, unless he explains more clearly which Fintan he is speaking of.

* Colgan: Bladhma.

LIFE

From two manuscript codices and Colgan.

Fintan, Abbot in Ireland (St.)

BHL Number: 2993

From the manuscripts.

CHAPTER I

The birth, education, and monastic life of St. Fintan. The monastery of Cluain-Ednech is built.

[1] The holy Abbot Fintan, ^a man venerable in his life, was ^a native of the province of the Leinstermen. His father was called Gabren, and his mother Findath: who, when she was pregnant St. Fintan of Leinster, at the Angel's warning and near to giving birth, behold, an Angel of the Lord came to her, saying: Withdraw from people to ^a certain secret place, and remain there alone until you give birth to the holy infant. For you will bear, O woman, ^a son who will be holy and great before God and men. She immediately, according to the Angel's words, went to ^a secret place: is born in ^a secret place: and there under ^a certain tree she remained for seven days, eating food from heaven daily on account of the grace of the infant: and there she bore her son, filled with the Holy Spirit, namely the holy Fintan: and on the eighth day she brought him to ^a certain holy man dwelling in the place called Cluain, piously educated: and he joyfully baptized Fintan, and afterward he studied under him, and advanced greatly in grace and in letters.

[2] One day, when the holy boy Fintan had grown, he said to his holy elder: Father, prepare lodging, because holy guests will come to you today. The elder was troubled that this had not been shown to him, and with harsh words he said to the boy: he foreknows the coming of St. Columba: How do you know this? And who has shown it to you before all of us? The holy boy answered him: My Lord Jesus Christ has shown me, Father, that St. Columba of Kells will come to you today with his companions. Which was fulfilled on that day. When St. Columba had come near, he said to his companions: We must turn aside briefly to the old man living nearby with the holy boy. When therefore St. Columba had come to that place, he is regarded as ^a Saint by him: he said to the elder: Do not be angry, Father; indeed I heard when you rebuked your holy boy with harsh words for predicting our arrival to you. Do not offend him, for you and your place will serve this boy forever. And the old man said: I believe it will be so. For before he was born, the grace of God was caring for him.

[3] Afterward, when St. Fintan had become ^a young man, he was greatly filled with the fear and love of God: and having received the blessing of his holy Master, he went to St. Columba son of Crimthann, sprung from the province of the Leinstermen, he comes to St. Columba of Terryglass who lies in his own city called Terryglass, in the land of Munster near the river Shannon: and he received him with joy. And there were with him three holy disciples, that is, Coemhan, who is the holy Father of the monastery of Enach-truim; St. Fintan, whose life I am writing; and Blessed Mocumin, who is with his Master St. Columba in the city of Terryglass. having become, with others, his disciple: And these holy men, having one heart, were seeking here and there for ^a place where they might remain to serve God: and coming to ^a certain place in the borders of the Leinstermen, they said to their Master St. Columba: We ought, Father, to remain here and serve God. He said to them: This place is not prepared for you by God, but for ^a certain Saint who is not yet born, who shall be called Mobi son of Cumalda.

[4] Then they came to the place called Cluain-Ednech, and there they remained for an entire year. he dwells with them at Cluain-Ednech: But since they were unwilling to sustain the multitude of people and their friends flocking in from all sides, they left that place and went over Mount Sinor, and there they found boys guarding their flocks, one of whom, named Sedna, had been mute from birth; whose tongue St. Columba blessed, and he spoke immediately. And Columba said to him: Reveal to us in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the places after ^a revelation made to one who had been mute in which we are to rise again. And he, filled by the will of God with the spirit of prophecy, showed each of them the place in which he was to rise again.

[5] Then St. Columba, looking back from the mountain, saw the place from which they had departed more frequently visited by the holy Angels, and he was saddened because he had left that place. His holy companions said to him: Father, and an apparition of Angels why are you so sad? The Saint answered: Because I see the place from which we came to be full of the Angels of God, and between it and heaven the Angels do not cease to minister: and one of us must return to that place, to remain in it forever. The holy Fintan said to him: Whomever you tell, Father, to return, he will go in obedience. And St. Columba said to him: Go, O holy youth, in peace to that place, and the Lord will be with you. For it has been divinely revealed to you that you are to rise again there. And then St. Fintan, he builds ^a monastery there: having received permission and the blessing of the holy Father and the Brethren, came to that place called Cluain: and he dwelt there, and maintained ^a most austere life, and immediately began to build ^a famous monastery. That monastery is called by the aforesaid name Cluain-Ednech, which is translated in Latin as "the ivy retreat."

[6] And when the fame of the life and piety of St. Fintan was heard, many came to him from various provinces of Ireland, and under ^a very strict rule they became holy monks under him. For laboring with their own hands, he prescribes ^a strict rule: in the manner of hermits, they plowed the earth with ^a hoe: and rejecting all animals, they did not even have ^a single cow: and if ever anyone offered them anything of milk or butter, they would not accept it: and if someone by chance, without St. Fintan's knowledge, brought anything of milk into the place, immediately, according to the will of the holy man, by divine command the vessel was broken.

[7] When the austerity of their way of life was now heard, no one dared to offer them meat. The Saints who were in the surrounding area, now knowing the very heavy burden of St. Fintan upon himself and his monks, assembled ^a council to see if they could help: and the holy Abbot Cainnech and other Saints with him came to St. Fintan, to ask him in the name of God to relax something of his excessive rigor to something more tolerable, out of divine charity. At an Angel's warning, he goes out: But on the night before St. Cainnech came, behold, an Angel of the Lord came to St. Fintan, saying to him: Tomorrow holy Fathers will come to you out of charity, that you might relax something of your rigor: but you, before they come to you, go forth ^a little from your place onto the road, and the Lord will send someone to meet you, and whatever he tells you, do without hesitation. When morning came, St. Fintan went forth onto the road, he makes ^a mute man speak and immediately ^a certain man who had never spoken met him: and St. Fintan blessed him, and immediately his tongue was opened. Tell me, said the Saint, what I ought to do, because good men wish to relieve the burden under which I began to live. by whom he is warned not to relax the rigor of his rule: The man answered him: Whatever good things you have begun for God, do not abandon them before your departure for the sake of any man, until you have completed your struggle: but take care that others are not scandalized by your error, for one vessel is more fragile than another. And having said these things, he was silent. Then St. Fintan returned to his monastery. The holy Cainnech and the other Saints came and were received with all kindness by St. Fintan. he relaxes something for others And the man of God, on account of the Saints, granting some consolation to the Brethren, nevertheless relaxed nothing of his own personal rigor: and praying and blessing one another with divine words, the Saints returned to their own places.

Concerning the forebears of St. Fintan, Colgan treats in chapter 2 of the Appendix after this Life: consult him.

CHAPTER II

The miracles of St. Fintan. The gift of prophecy.

[8] One day, as the holy Father Fintan and his Brethren were eating, ^a fire blazed forth most fiercely from the top of the refectory. He extinguishes ^a fire with the sign of the Cross. Then the Brethren, terrified with fear, did not know what to do, thinking the entire monastery would be consumed by fire. But Father Fintan, calming the tumult of the Brethren, soberly raised his hand and blessed the fire with the holy sign; and immediately the flame was extinguished. Wondrous to relate! The building was found intact.

[9] On another day the monks of St. Fintan were laboring outside in the field: and the holy man went out and visited them as they worked. When he came to the Brethren, the Brethren ran to meet him, and holding him on either side with their hands (as is the custom of laboring servants when they see their masters, sometimes playfully he refreshes his men seeking something from them), they asked him for refreshment that day. The Saint, now gladdened, said to them with ^a smile: The Lord my God is able to repay on my behalf, dearest sons, what you seek. On that day, of course, the cook had nothing else prepared for the Brethren except wild vegetables, as frequently on other days. But at that hour, men came from the southern part of Leinster with carts and wagons full of various kinds of food to the monastery, with food unexpectedly brought: and offered them to the man of God. The holy Father, giving thanks to the Lord, charitably refreshed his Brethren from these provisions that day.

[10] A certain holy man, named Lonan son of Cathen, once made ^a feast for St. Fintan: and Lonan asked him in the name of God to partake of his hospitality. While all in the banquet house were rejoicing, as is the custom, St. Fintan alone was weeping tearfully. Blessed Lonan said to him: Behold, man of God, we are all happy; why then are you alone sad? Tell us, Father, he sees ^a battle fought afar off, and bewails the ruin of souls: the cause of this sadness, he said, we wish to know. The man of God answered: It is not because I have partaken of your hospitality that I weep: but if you could see what I see, you would surely say that I am not saddened without cause. For today ^a wretched battle has been fought in the southern part of the Munstermen: and I see very many souls of sinners who were slain being led to hell, and I am grieved at this. For scarcely ^a few souls of those who lived well and fought out of necessity escape. But so that you may know this is true, behold, after seven days men will come to you who will recount to you diligently about this battle. And so it happened.

[11] Likewise at the same feast and on the same day, ^a certain old man came from the countryside and entered the banquet house, who was the herdsman of St. Lonan: and St. Fintan, catching sight of him, said to those who were near him: he predicts the manner of someone's death That old man will die today in the forests, and his corpse will not be found for seven days, and no beast or bird will touch his body, except that ^a hungry fox will taste the tips of his ears and nose. And so all things happened.

[12] Two men once came to St. Fintan, having different desires: for one of them wished to remain forever as ^a monk under St. Fintan; the other wished only to stay as ^a guest for ten days. When the holy Father had heard and observed them, he said to his Brethren apart: Hear, sons, ^a word about these two men. For the one who wishes to be with us for ^a shorter time the different states of two men, contrary to their own wishes will remain ^a perfect monk until his death; but this other, who professes that he will be ^a monk, will stay here in his profession for only ten days, and in the darkness of the night will flee back to the world. And according to the prediction of the holy man, so it befell them.

[13] There was ^a certain devout monk under St. Fintan, named Sinchellus, whose father and foster-father were living wickedly in the world: and Blessed Sinchellus sought permission from his Father St. Fintan to go and convert his father and foster-father from their error to repentance. But they, remaining hard of heart, would not listen to his voice. Then Blessed Sinchellus returned to St. Fintan, saying: O holy Father, I have labored among them in vain for ^a long time. The Saint said to him: Go once more, and if you can, bring them to me, that I may see them. And they, coming by the will of God, sat around the man of God, one on his right and one on his left. Father Fintan and Blessed Sinchellus were in the middle. When the holy man had seen them persisting in evil, he said apart without contention: I tell you, O son Sinchellus, that just as these two men are around us, one of the two obstinate men to be damned, the other to be saved: one on the right and the other on the left, so also will they be on the day of judgment. For your father, living wickedly until death, will be on the left with the goats, and after his death Kings and Princes will divide his substance among themselves unjustly, not caring for his soul. But your foster-father, seeing the unhappy death of your father, will convert himself from his error and will perform fitting penance and will divide his substance well among the Saints and the poor of Christ, and he will sit at the right hand of the Judge, the Son of God, with the lambs. What is in the future we do not doubt, seeing the past things fulfilled according to the prediction of the man of God.

[14] Certain monks of the monastery of St. Fintan, burning with excessive love of pilgrimage and unwilling to live in their homeland, set out from the monastery without the permission of their holy Abbot, and within ^a few days, arriving at the monastery of Bangor in the Province of Ulster, they remained there in order to sail from there to Britain. On ^a certain day, one of the Brethren came joyfully to St. Fintan, saying: I have heard, O Father, that our Brethren have been detained by their friends in the right part of the plain of Hith. The holy man, smiling, said to him: Son, what you have heard is false: for our Brethren of whom you speak, Brother, his monks cross over to Britain, and their companion returns home: will today reach the port of Britain with ^a prosperous voyage, because they are going on pilgrimage for God. Which was thus proven. For after some space of time, ^a certain Brother from among his monks, inflamed with love for his brother who had gone on pilgrimage with the aforementioned Brethren, came to St. Fintan, sad and in tears, and bent his knees before the Saint. The holy Father said to him: Why are you sad? That Brother answered: I confess to you, Father, that I am greatly saddened by the absence of my blood brother: I ask, therefore, Father, in the name of God, that you let me go after him, lest sadness consume me. The holy Father gently said to him: Be glad, son, because your brother will come to us today to this place, and you will wash his feet: because his heart had no rest in our absence. On that very day that brother came, and he himself narrated all the things that had befallen him, just as the man of God had predicted.

[15] On another day, when St. Cainnech and St. Fintan were in one place, namely in St. Fintan's monastery of Cluain-Ednech, they suddenly heard the clamor and jubilation of soldiers rejoicing after the slaughter of their enemies. Then St. Fintan said to Blessed Cainnech: I hear in that jubilation the voice of an innocent sheep: Blessed Kieran as his future disciple for one of them will be my monk in this place, and he will die in ^a perfect life, and he is called Kieran, son of Tulchan. Those soldiers had the heads of their enemies, and coming near the monastery, they laid them down, and the heads were brought by the Brethren and were buried by the Saints before the Brethren in the monks' cemetery. Then one of the Brethren said to the holy Fathers: What will it profit those men that their heads are buried in this place? he commends sacred burial: St. Cainnech and Fintan answered without hesitation: We believe and trust in the Lord that those men on the day of judgment will not be tormented, on account of the merits and honor of all the Saints of this place, who will lie here and who while living will pray for the souls of those who will be buried here, because the principal part of their bodies is buried here, and therefore we hope for clemency for them. Afterward Kieran came there and became ^a monk, and died happily, just as St. Fintan had predicted.

[16] One day, St. Fintan, hearing the voice of ^a Priest offering the sacrifice, who was called Gosban, trembled, and his heart shuddered. And when the Brethren asked him, the holy man answered them: You, Brethren, think you hear the voice of ^a Priest making his offering: he recognizes the evil state of ^a disciple celebrating: but I hear the voice of ^a man rejoicing after ^a grave sin: alas, alas, this man will not finish his life here with us. Then that unhappy man, as the man of God said, deserted his place and his habit, he predicts the apostasy turning to the world, and living wickedly in the world, he perished shamefully in his sins.

CHAPTER III

Other miracles of St. Fintan. The liberation of Cormac from prison.

[17] At another time, as St. Fintan was walking in ^a certain field, many people gathered to him on account of his fame, for the purpose of praying and receiving his blessing: among whom ^a certain man brought his paralyzed son to him in great misery: He heals ^a paralytic by pouring forth prayers: and prostrating himself at the feet of the holy man, he asked that in the name of God he would heal his son. When St. Fintan had extended his hands in prayer to the Lord God, immediately the paralytic, by the grace of God, arose healthy, blessing and praising God before all.

[18] On ^a certain night, one of the Brethren, knowing that the holy Father Fintan was vigilant in prayer, wished to know where he was praying: he is surrounded by heavenly light: and seeking him here and there, he came into the cemetery of the Saints, and it was ^a dark night, and looking at him from ^a distance, the Brother saw an immense light around him, extending over ^a great space, so that his eyes were nearly blinded, had not God through the grace of St. Fintan defended him. On the next morning the holy Father said to him with ^a threatening face: My Brother, take care that you never again do what you did last night, lest your eyes be blinded. See that Paul the Apostle, not yet purged from his faults, when he saw the heavenly light, his eyes were blinded? How much more you, since you are imperfect in character and in life, how can you behold that light? If therefore you see that light again in this world, your eyes will immediately be blinded, or certainly you will be deprived of the light of eternal life. Hearing this, that Brother, terrified, promised he would never do it again, seeking pardon for his boldness.

[19] The King of the northern Leinstermen, Colum son of Cormac, held in chains Cormac son of Diarmait, King of the Ui Ceinnselaig, that is, of the southern Leinstermen, wishing to kill him, whom he had seized in an ambush. to free Cormac from prison Hearing this, the holy man Fintan took twelve disciples with him, wishing to free that young man, and went to the aforesaid King, then dwelling in that town situated on the plain of the Leinstermen, called Rathmore, which in Latin means "the great enclosure." And that King was cruel; and hearing that St. Fintan was coming to him, he sees the gates open of their own accord he ordered his soldiers to guard the captive well and the fortress to be firmly secured against the man of God. But when the Saint came there, the Divine power opened all the gates for him, and when he reached the house in which the young man was chained in bonds, its door was likewise opened. and the chains loosed: And when the man of God saw the young man in chains, all his bonds broke and fell to the ground. The strength of the doorkeepers and soldiers vanished at the sight of the holy man. Then the soldiers, terrified with great fear, hastened to the King, who was then sleeping, and reported all these things to him. The King, filled with fear, said to them: I myself do not know what to do, because my heart trembles within me. His friends said to him: Lord, this Saint is terrible, and he has come to you in anger, because he loves the young man whom you hold: and on account of this Saint, the Lord performs many prodigies. Therefore do whatever he tells you, lest the wrath of the Lord consume both you and us. Then the King, running to St. Fintan, prostrated himself at his feet, saying: It befits us, Holy One, to honor you, because God magnifies you. he obtains the captives: I release to you therefore the man you seek and all the prisoners I hold with him. And the holy man, blessing the King, gave thanks to the Lord: and having loosed the chains, he led away with him the young man whose freedom he had sought.

[20] And he went out of the castle, and there met him on the road ^a multitude of soldiers, among whom was ^a son of Belial of the royal race, who wished to kill Cormac, whom the Saint had freed, but his companions restrained him. he predicts imminent death for one man St. Fintan said to him: Son of the devil, you will soon be killed, and this man whom you desire to kill will live for ^a long time in his kingdom and ^a long life in the kingdom for Cormac: and will finish his life in good deeds. And so it came to pass. For that wretched man was killed before the end of the month. But Cormac son of Diarmait lived ^a long time as king of the Leinstermen, and in old age, having spurned the kingdom, he became ^a monk under St. Comgall the Abbot in the province of Ulster in the monastery of Bangor, then for ^a monk: and ended his life in holiness.

[21] At another time, as St. Fintan was walking in the plain of the Liffey, there met him ^a distinguished and good man, named Fergna, son of Cobthach. When the man of God saw him, descending from his chariot, he bent his knees before him. Then that man, confused and troubled, said: he predicts the future state and holiness of the chieftain Fergna: O man of God, why have you done this to me, ^a sinner? The Saint said to him: Unless I had seen you in heaven and on earth among the choirs of Angels, I would never have done this to you. But I ask of you that you quickly abandon this world and take up the holy habit. The man simply said to him: I have twelve sons and seven daughters, and ^a noble and beloved wife, and my people subject to me in peace and prosperity. All these I love, and I cannot abandon them. But the servant of God, knowing all the things that were to come upon him, said to him: Go, my Lord, to your house, and I will go on my way, but when I return, I will come to you. From that very hour of the holy man's address, that man's heart, filled with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, thereafter held in contempt what he had previously loved: and he was almost without sleep, daily watching the road by which the coming of the holy Father Fintan was hoped for. That man was already ^a powerful chieftain of his region. And when St. Fintan, after two weeks had been completed, came to the house of the aforesaid chieftain Fergna, he immediately offered himself to the Lord and to St. Fintan, and leaving behind all the things you have heard, then his disciple he joyfully followed the Saint of God until the day of his death, and in the holy habit he happily departed to Christ.

CHAPTER IV

Wondrous things at the death of certain persons. The holiness and death of St. Fintan.

[22] A certain holy Bishop, named Brandubh, who was ^a wise, gentle, and humble man, having left all his possessions for Christ, came from the region of Kinsealach, which is the more celebrated part of Leinster, to St. Fintan, to become ^a monk under him: and the blessed Bishop found St. Fintan the Abbot in the monastery called Achad-Finglass, in the territory of Ui-Drona, opposite the city of Leighlin, on the eastern side of the river Barrow. The holy Abbot rejoiced at the arrival of the Lord Bishop, and said to him: What do you wish among us, holy Pastor? The Bishop answered: Most excellent Father, I wish to end the last days of my life in your renowned monastery. He receives St. Brandubh, having laid down his Episcopate, among his monks: St. Fintan gently said to him: I would wish you, my Lord, to be more gently and tolerably situated in this monastery than in my austere monastery: for the burden of my monastery is exceedingly heavy. The Bishop answered: Until now I have been placing the yoke upon others, and I wish to finish my life to God under another's yoke. For I have offered myself to you and to the Lord: whatever therefore you tell me, I will do willingly: yet I ask this one thing of you, that if you depart from this world before me, I may not live long after you, but that you come quickly to meet my soul. [he promises him that there will not be ^a great interval between the deaths of both:] The holy Abbot answered him: God will grant you this petition. And so, when three years had been completed, St. Fintan in the monastery of Cluain-Ednech departed to heaven. Hearing this, the holy Bishop, remaining in the aforesaid place according to the command of St. Fintan, said to the Brethren: I know that the day of my departure from this wretched life to the kingdom of God draws near, just as the holy Abbot Fintan promised me. And when two weeks had been completed since the death of St. Fintan, the servant of the blessed Bishop saw ^a vision, as if ^a certain window were opened in the hut in which the Bishop lay, and seven men in white garments came with ^a great light to that window, and he heard one of them saying in ^a clear voice: he comes to meet the departing one Come forth, holy Bishop, and do not delay, for we have been sent by God to meet your soul, as was promised to you; and behold, Father Fintan of wonderful holiness comes to you. The Bishop was in ^a separate cell apart from the aforesaid place with his servant. The servant, having been awakened there, took ^a burning lamp and going to the bed in which the holy Bishop lay, found that he had given up his spirit. And the servant narrated all these things to the Brethren. Then the Brethren, burying the holy little body, glorified God in his two Saints, and the rest who heard afterward did likewise.

[23] Two brothers were in the monastery of the holy Abbot Fintan, very obedient from their youth, pleasing God and the Brethren with their strength, and loving each other. It happened one day that one of these two brothers, the elder, was afflicted with ^a great illness, and on ^a certain day he died from that illness. At the hour of his death, the younger brother was absent: for he was working in the forests with the Brethren. When he returned, he saw them preparing ^a place for burial in the cemetery; and inquiring, he heard that his brother had died. Then the younger brother was filled with sadness, and went sorrowfully to the place where the holy Father Fintan was singing psalms with the Brethren around the body, and that brother asked the man of God, saying: I beg you, Father, that you would allow me to die with my brother, so that we may go together to the kingdom of God. [At St. Fintan's prayer, ^a brother obtains the grace of dying together with his deceased brother:] The man of God answered him: Your brother has already departed to the kingdom of God; you are alive, and you cannot depart together from this life to heaven unless he should rise again. But what you desire pleases me; wait ^a little, and you will see your brother alive. Then, as St. Fintan prayed, the one who had died immediately rose alive, and, still placed on the bier, spoke in ^a clear voice, blessing all. Then he said to his brother: admonished by him as he revives My brother, hasten to receive the holy sacrifice, because the heavenly host that came to meet my soul has returned with me to meet your soul: for our Father Fintan has granted this and has asked the God of heaven that it should be so, seeing the anxiety of your mind. When therefore the younger brother had placed himself beside his brother, with the blessing and prayer of the holy Abbot and the Brethren, and having received the divine viaticum, he breathed forth his spirit, and together they journeyed to heaven with the Angels. The Brethren, seeing these things, were kindled with firm faith in their hearts, and with joy, marveling at the grace of their holy Father Fintan, they glorified God.

[24] A certain devout young man named Columban, born of the province of the Leinstermen, of the people called Laois, went for the sake of praying and going on pilgrimage to St. Columba on the island of Iona, and remained with him for ^a time. When he wished to return to Ireland, he said to Blessed Columba: St. Fintan seen among Angels before the tribunal of Christ: O Holy One of God, how shall I live in my homeland, and confess my sins to you? St. Columba said to him: Go to that holy man, whom I truly see every Sunday night standing before the tribunal of Christ among the Angels. The blessed youth said to him: Who and what sort of man is that Saint? St. Columba answered: He is ^a certain Saint, and handsome, among your people, with ^a ruddy face, bright eyes, and with ^a few gray hairs. The youth said: I know no such man in my region, unless it be St. Fintan. Then St. Columba said to him joyfully: It is he, my son, whom I see before the tribunal of Christ, as I told you. Go to him, for he is ^a good shepherd of the flock of Christ, and he will lead many souls with him to the kingdom of God. Then St. Columban, having received permission and the blessing of the holy Father Columba, returned joyfully to Ireland, and coming to St. Fintan, he narrated to him all the things the man of God Columba had said. When the holy old man Fintan heard these words, his face became as fire, and he said to the youth: Take care, Brother, that you tell this to no one during my lifetime: and this was not difficult for him, because the holy Father Fintan soon afterward died.

[25] The charity and humility and gentleness toward others, and the austerity toward himself, the patience, abstinence, perfect in every virtue: and grievous fasts, the night vigils and genuflections, and the love toward all Christians of the blessed old man Fintan -- no one in the flesh here on earth could now narrate. For he fulfilled all the divine precepts from boyhood to venerable old age.

[26] When therefore the time of his departure had come, knowing the day of his death, he called his people to himself, and with the permission and blessing of the Brethren and the Saints who had assembled to visit the holy Father, he appointed in his place and in his seat after himself ^a man noble by birth and character, Fintan Maeldubh, called by the same name. he appoints ^a successor: Then raising his hand, he blessed the people, and having received the sacrifice of the Lord, he fell asleep in peace on the thirteenth day before the Kalends of March: and his most blessed soul was led among the choirs of Angels to the joys of eternity. he dies on February 17