ON S. BAITHENEUS THE ABBOT, S. COLUMBA'S SUCCESSOR,
ON IONA ISLAND OF SCOTLAND.
A.D. DCI.
LITTLE PREFACE.
On the cult of the Saint: of his rule & death's time.
Baitheneus, Abbot in Hibernia (S.)
F. B.
To Saint Columba, of the Hyensian monastery
Founder, succeeded S. Baitheneus,
to others Baithenus, Successor of S. Columba & cousin, Baithinus; Cominus
also called, to S. Columba
joined by blood. For Brendanus
son of Fergus was the father of Baitheneus
& paternal uncle of Columba. Succeeded, I say, Son to Father,
Disciple to Master, Successor in the monastery's rule
to Predecessor; not in dignity only, but more of virtues
& miracles heir. For it is fitting to join those, whom
nature, life, office, death, virtue, & itself thus
joined Divine providence, that on the same day of each
is celebrated the solemnity.
[2] This Solemnity its beginning to us seems to have taken
from his death's year, since indeed Adamnan, who at the end
of the VII century flourished, at whose beginning died S. Baitheneus
in the life of S. Columba no. 81 says: At the sixth hour the church
with the Brethren entering, the sacred of Mass solemnities
equally we celebrated, is venerated on the same day. on the feast day, on which
falls the natal of S. Columba & Baitheneus. Another of ancient
cult testimony is not to be sought: & perhaps now not
would be found other than of our Salamanca codex, by
three centuries on parchment written, & of the chief
Saints Hibernian Lives containing, in which with Saint
title Baitheneus is honored, before the Life which
we give thence described: we call however the Salamanca
Codex, because from our Society's College of Salamanca to our Museum it crossed, although somewhere in
Hibernia written.
[3] The time of death & rule thus defines Colgan,
in Appendix 5 to the Life of S. Columba ch. 3 §. 4, that he says
him, in the fourth after the death of his Predecessor year,
died: one only of rule, where he has found Ussher,
he does not indicate himself: according to whom by that reason
would have died Baitheneus DXCVII, since in his opinion S.
Columba died in the preceding year. I, who in the preliminary
Commentary to the more prolix Acts of S. Columba, of their
opinion preferred, who affirm the Saint that
from this life to have migrated one year later, & from the common
of Hibernians opinion; as long as no in the contrary
is brought reason; to believe I prefer, for four years S. Baitheneus
to have presided, & consequently him in year DCI the end
of life equally & to rule to have placed I judge.
ACTS
From our codex parchment ms.
Baitheneus, Abbot in Hibernia (S.)
BHL Number: 0896
FROM MS.
[1] S. Baithinius, S. Columba's disciple, The Reverend father Abbot Baithinus, from infancy
his in the word of God & disciple morals
by the Abbot most renowned Columba diligently was instructed
; & just as in age of body he grew, so more robust
& more perfect works faithfully he exercised. No one
indeed ever idle to catch could
him: either in reading, or praying, or corporally
laboring, to monastic exercises diligent, the time to himself granted he was spending;
except that to the necessities of neighbors helping,
sometimes these he interrupted. For when a journey some
he made, or someone he addressed, his hands under
his garment to pray to God with mind alert meanwhile
he directed. Whence so devoted he was to prayer, that
in taking food, between two little particles to mouth applied,
at the same time between two little sips, that verse
to holy men familiar, namely, God to my aid
attend, Lord to help me hasten,
he sang: to prayer devoted he constantly applies himself, & what more difficult is, in time
of reaping, when a sheaf to the earth gathered he carried
to the heap, alternately meanwhile arms to heaven
extending, the Thunderer he prayed; nor then,
for devotion gnats over face his sitting
he moved away. The same also diligence to all
commands of God to fulfill he exhibited; & inasmuch as
the capacity of human fragility permitted, the flesh
his he subdued, & the interior man with arms spiritual
against the enemy he armed. In these however of merits
heaps, no one in guarding treasure
worldly, the virtues humbly hides. as much as he himself solicitous [was] in hiding
the virtues, which the Lord God through him did:
whence as much as he could, for humility's cause
& elation to be avoided, to publish his wonders
he refused.
[2] About which by example sake this first to us
is to be commemorated, a dropsical man he cures, that a certain of his Monks,
by name Trenanus, dropsical from his infirmity
he cured; him ordering, that to no one this he should say,
as long as he himself lived: he prophesied however to him, that
before few days of his death, through this pain again
to be purged he would be: which after many times done
is. At the time however in which he himself to the elder Columba
succeeded, on a certain day when near the table he was eating,
& with sign of the Cross his Brethren he signed: & immediately
that demon, the demon he puts to flight by sign of Cross; like smoke, quickly vanished,
When he himself the Father by the Brethren was interrogated, why
the sign of the Cross thus on them he impressed; he answered: The devil
through the window at the hour of dining just now, Brethren, was looking,
that he might catch whether anyone negligent
among you he should find, who his food with the seal
of the Cross of Christ did not bless, or thanks to God
diligently did not offer. But when his cunning by
me to be caught he understood; immediately, seen the trophy of the Cross,
by which conquered he is, like vapor he vanished.
[3] At another also time; when Fedgenus a Brother
of Virgnous the Abbot, to his kinsmen in Britain
went, a birrhus b of Baithinus with himself he took; believing
with it as with a wall unconquerable to be defended wherever
he went, through his garment is freed a possessed man. & with no impediment in his journey to be impeded.
When indeed in that province he entered
there he found; the birrhus of S. Baithinus
taking, around the besieged he placed: & more quickly than said
the man that to health was restored, with the demon from him
put to flight.
[4] Nor is to be passed over about a certain dog, the bottom
of his staff in the hand of Lugbeus c the Monk with gentle gnawing
tearing. For when the Brother that, among the Picts
walking, to the house of one of them came;
with gentle laceration his staff with teeth had touched,
immediately there falling, was dead.
[5] Likewise at a certain another time, S. Columba sent
him to a certain family, to it to be excommunicated,
Which in a place which is called Druym-Cuill d
dwelt. A tree by him cursed When however he under a certain tree
acorn-bearing on that night fasting remained; around himself sitting
he said; I do not wish at this time this family to excommunicate,
until I know whether to penance it shall be converted,
or not. Judgment indeed of vengeance, which
through us upon them shall be poured out, from heaven is struck & withers. into this tree before
the end of the year will come. Which sentence God omnipotent
to execution thus committed. After indeed a few
days, fire from heaven falling, with impulse strongest
of wind, from the top even to the roots, it burning
stripped; & falling on the earth, immediately withered, as
the man of God said.
[6] One insolent against the Saint & his Monks, A certain also persecutor of churches Beoanus
with Baithineus in Iona island dwelling, sent to
him that the remains of his dinner to him be carried:
nor on account of other this he asked, except that the cause of blasphemy
& of contempt of the Brethren he might find. Then Baithinus,
this from his minister hearing, the remaining of milk,
which the Brethren had left, into one vessel to be poured ordered,
& through the messenger to him sent. Who when it drank, his interior
immediately with grievous was struck infirmity; with viscera's pain he is tortured,
when indeed of injury punishment in himself he felt, he said; Truly
I have sinned against the prohibiting commands, the holy with polluted
mouth touching: said indeed the man of God, lest the remains of the Brethren
ever he should taste. Who added, Just now in my viscera
mortal I feel pain: but the force of the pain
from the effect is proved: for at the same hour of the day, outside the strait
of the island, in contrition good he died. & penitent dies. A certain
also Brother of his Monks with a demon most fierce
was vexed, so that, unless with strong iron he was bound,
himself & those he would tear. When Baithinus for true
humility him to heal refused, certain of his,
with him to the churches of Hibernia he destined, A possessed man, whom others to help could not, that there
through the prayers of the Saints he would be healed. But when after
so great peregrination still by the demon he was vexed;
the man of God Baithinus, of his languor's long-duration
compassionating, the sacrifice of immolation for him in
in the church before the Brethren to God offered. When the sacrifice
for him thus he offered, the bound man
to be led to him into the church he ordered, & the devil through him
he interrogated, saying: during sacrificing he frees. In what part of body
the Brother did you strike? But he was compelled to the man
of God to respond saying; Through mentagra e I crept into
him. The man of God said: In the name of Jesus Christ, from the besieged
depart quickly body, through the same place, by which
before into him you entered. This also wondrous appeared
in this deed, that through the departure of the devil, the flesh,
with diabolical inflation emptied, decreased, until
the whole body was emptied, so much: skin to bones
adhered: & thus the brother in the same hour was healed before
those standing by.
[7] Another also Brother by a demon vexed, in
the monastery which the Field of the Ship, that is Maglunga f
is called, likewise another, & which by S. Columba in the land of Heth
founded was, to health he restored, according to this manner
to the devil saying: You know, devil, that
just as never friendship I & you have had, so
never shall we be friends with one another: therefore I
impose on you, in the name of Jesus, that from my borders
cast out you depart. And so with him ordering the demon fled, &
the Brother from the demon was healed.
[8] Iron by him blessed does not wound. At another time, while the man of God in Iona island
dwelt, a spear g certain, that by him should be blessed,
was brought: which with sign of the Cross blessing, from that day
& thereafter never, even the skin of an animal to tear
could, & on this account that spear to the irons of the Brethren
by a smith was mixed, lest those anything would cut.
[9] The testimony also of Fintinus h, son of Luppanus,
of S. Baithinus, with certain others him interrogating,
in what quality & quantity the manner of his wisdom
was, without fiction he answered, saying: Know,
that none on this side the Alps equal to him, in the knowledge
of divine Scriptures & in greatness
of knowledge, is found. But a certain of those standing by
this true to be not believing, said; Is he indeed
wiser, than S. Columba, his nourisher?
Fintinus said: Have you not understood, that not to S. Columba,
with the gift of wisdom full, except S. Columba, his alumnus, but
to others I have compared? He indeed not so much to wise literate,
as to Patriarchs & Prophets of God & Apostles
more to be compared is, in whom the Holy Spirit,
who is the fountain & origin of wisdom & prophecy divine,
most sincerely reigns; who according to the Apostolic
sentence, on this account similar, in grades dissimilar
to all, through the election of God made is, that
all gain he might make. i He indeed with the Wise wise
is, to all all things made: & a King with Kings, & an Anchorite with
Anchorites, & a Monk with Monks, & as
he inclines himself; & poor in heart with the poor; in the manner
Apostolic, for the greatness of charity, which in him burns,
rejoicing with those rejoicing, & weeping with
those weeping. But among all these gifts of divine bounty,
true humility of Christ most robustly in him reigns,
as if from nature to him it adhered. When therefore this
testimony the holy man of each in the midst of the Wise
brought, all as to infallible truth assent
gave.
[10] To these also is to be added the testimony of himself
holy Columba about him: for he said, that
Baithinus his alumnus, & John the Evangelist
alumnus of Christ, here however him he compares to John the Evangelist. in innocence most sincere, & in
simplicity most prudent, & in discipline of rigor
of perfect works, not unlike were: but
yet by great interval the nourishers of them in morals
unlike were. On Tuesday, while S. Baithinus
in the church near the altar the Lord prayed, a sleep almost
of death upon him there fell: when however the Brethren
around him lamented, Diermitius the minister of Columba,
said: Behold, Brethren, you see, that between
the two solemnities of your elders great interval
there will not be. Baithenus death he defers to his feast. These with him saying Baithinus, as if
from grievous sleep aroused said; If I have found grace in
the eyes of God, & thus my course perfect in the sight
of Him I have consummated even to today; I trust in
Him, that even to the natal of my Elder not about to die
I am: which thus almost after six days was done. Of intolerable
indeed pains the burning, from the work of writing &
praying & teaching, did not impede him; even to
the hour, in which sleeping to his Fathers he was added. These
few about the life of S. Baithinus. k
NOTES F. B.
the border of Munster & Leinster, in the land of the grandsons of Neil, which is called
Fearceal: of its monastery Abbot Barrindeus is said by Ussher to have flourished
in year 591: it seems however this happened before the founded monastery.
taken from the life of S. Molassius in Colgan in Append. 2 to the Acts of S.
Columba no. 41; that very one namely which I brought at no. 86 Annot. g in his S. Columba's Life. Thus then is narrated. Blessed Baitheneus, on a certain night sleeping, saw
sleep therefore awakening, to B. Columba it to be interpreted he showed,
saying: I have seen three chairs, with great splendor shining, & with wondrous
brightness gleaming; of which one was golden, the other silver, & the third
glass. Blessed indeed Columba, since he was as another Daniel in
the interpretation of dreams, thus said: The chair golden, which you have seen is
of Ceran, son of an artisan, who in charity's fervor & shining color,
as gold, in color
& value all surpasses his contemporaries. The chair indeed silver,
which you have seen, itself is owed to S. Laisrian, who in eloquence's & wisdom's
splendor shines before the rest. The third indeed chair glass, which you have seen,
to me by my Lord will be given, because by nature I am fragile, & of carnal
friends & relatives love often I am occupied. For the more
inferior we love, so much superior & heavenly less we love.