No More Learning

Without its will, a gradual bulk, half rose,
hymn
Jesus,
and at eve
Above
O in the name of King Echaidh,
his
Looked out as though some vision once
endured
Must cling to them for ever. Patrick
*
eyes
and to journey
'
834 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [February i.
people. He commended his soul to God and to St. Patrick, while receiving holy Viaticum his spirit departed to Heaven. " 47 Cinnia, the pious damsel,
as the translator of Jocelyn styles her, being veiled and consecrated, while serving the Lord in virginity, and in the exercise of all other virtues, brought manybyherexampletoHisservice. InthenunneryofDruim-dubhain+sdid Cynnia reside, until there with many holy virgins she happily rested in the Lord. Sheflourishedabouttheyear482,andherfeastfallsonthatofthe
glorious virgin, St. Brigid,49 whom she probably preceded in obtaining the fruition of Heaven. At the ist day of February, her name occurs in our calendars. Father Henry Fitzsimon5° seems to omit the date for her feast, however, as we find, on recurring to the work of Philip O'Sullevan Beare. s^ The"CircleoftheSeasons"52includesher,attheistofFebruary. Sodo the more ancient calendars. Marianus O'Gorman and Cathal Maguire enter thenameofthisholyvirgin. Asimpleentry,CinniSac,occursintheMar-- tyrology of Tallagh,53 at the ist of February. Such a statement would seem tomakethissaintapriest; norshoulditproveinconsistentwiththefollowing entry,inamorerecentcalendar. Onthisday,accordingtotheMartyrology of Donegal,54 Cinne, virgin,55 was venerated ; and, by the latter tide post- fixed, a priest might have been so called, owing to his love for chastity. However, it is clear the festival and name refer to the pious female, so cele- brated in the infancy of the Irish Church for the graces she received from God. During her life, and after her death, she was renowned by divers miracles.
Article IV. —Saint Brigid, Virgin, Patroness of the Church of Opacum,atFiesole,Italy. [NinthCentury? \ Inaminordegreetothecele- brated Abbess of Kildare, yet with great relative honour, another very distin- guished St. Brigid, an Irish virgin, who belonged in course of time to Fesule, in Hetruria,iscommemoratedonthisday. HerActsaregivenintheBollandist
• **
This day a two-fold choice I give thee,
son
For fifteen years o'er all the Land of
Eire
Rule absolute, Ard-Righ o'er lesser kings; Or instant else to die, and hear once more That hymn celestial, and that Vision see, They see v^^ho sing that anthem. ' Light
from God
Over that late dead countenance streamed
poem intituled, Saint Patrick and King Eochaidh," pp. 164 to 166.
47 See the Irish Tripartite version in Miss M. F. Cusack's " Life of St. Patrick, Apos- tie of Ireland," part iii. , p. 454.
4^ In an old manuscript, Colgan read that seven holy bishops rested in this place. It seems difficult to identify this particular locality with any local designation, known
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
De S. Cinnia sive Kin- nia, Virgine, cap. vi. , p. 235, and nn. i to
;
amain,
Like to his daughter's
—
now more beau-
See Colgan's
—
Yet awful more than beauteous.
nioe,"
Februarii i.
teous thrice
o'er earth,
Rule vv'ithout end, were nought to that
great h)min
Heard but a single moment. I would
die. '
14.
so Jn «<
Catalogus Aliquorum
Sanctorum
Then Patrick, on him gazing, answered, ''
Die !
And died the king once more ; and no
man wept ;
But on her childless breast the nun sus-
tained
Softly her father's head. "
—"
The more recent hand adds here, *"
Legends of Saint Patrick. "
Seethe
that the Mart, of Tallaght calls Cimic a priest ("sac") not a virgin. "
*
Rule
at present.
'^ **
Ibernias. "
si See "Historite Catholicae Ibemiae Com-
pendium," tomus i, lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 53.
sa See p. 32.
S3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiv.
54 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
36, 37.
ss in a note, Dr. Todd says at this word,
*'
,
Virgin :
Juxta M. Tamlacht, Presliytcr,' meaning
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 2^^^
collection. There is a historic commentary, comprised in three sections, and in thirteen paragraphs. The ItaHc Life of this holy religious is given, like- wise, in seven paragraphs. ^ Our own Colgan has introduced notices of her, extracted from various sources, at the present date. ^ Her life, however, is best drawn from that of her brother, St. Andrew, and which Filippo Villani3 compiled. Wedonotlearnfromit,notwithstanding,inwhatpartoftheIs- land of Hibernia, also called Scotia,-* either had been bom. Nor has their pedigree been transmitted, by our native genealogists, to the foreign biographer. We are only told, their parents were people of great wealth and distinction. Towards the beginning of the ninth century, in the reign of Aedh Oirdnidhe,^ King of Ireland, there lived in that country a noble virgin, called Brigid. This, too, was probably the period of her birth. The splendour of her virtues far outshone that of her illustrious descent. This maiden had a brother, named Andrew,^ for whom she entertained a most sisterly affection, and ties of blood were more than strengthened by that sympathy, which binds pious souls. She was younger than her brother, and she regarded him as a wise guide and counsellor. Both had early felt a desire to embrace a life of celibacy. Andrew placed himself, as a disciple, under the teaching and protection of a holy bishop, St. Donat,7 or Donatus,^ whom he accom- panied on a pilgrimage to Rome. 9 Having received the Pope's blessing,'° bothsettledatFiesole,whereAndrewbecameadeacon. Hereheremained for several years. Fiesole was an ancient city, and situated on a mountain,
about three miles from Florence. It was once famous for its power and extent; but,nowithasnothingofacity,savingthename. ^^ Someremains of its Cyclopean walls, and ancient Christian memoirs, attest its remote anti- quity,^^ and the ardour with which its people early embraced the Christian religion. ^3 The mountain slopes there were thickly covered with churches,
^
Article iv. — See "Acta Sanctorum,"
renze, 1637, 4to.
^
See his Life at the 22nd of October. He is made to rule the Church of Fiesole fromA. D. 844to864. SeeP. PiusBone-
tomus i. Februarii. Vita S. i. ,
Brigidae, Virginis, Faesulis in Etruria, pp. 245 to 248.
Newedition.
^ *'
These, too, he has illustrated with ap- pended notes. See "Acta Sanctorum Hi- bernise," i. Februarii. Acta S. Brigidae, Virginis, Ecclesise Opacensis apud Fessulas inItaliaPatrona,pp. 236to238.
3 See an account of him, in M. le Dr. Hoeffer's "Nouvelle Biographie Generale," tomexlvi. , col. 160.
* Dempster, in "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. i. , pp. 27, 28, sect. 31, and lib. ii. , sect. 166, p. 93, endeavours to make St. Andrew and his sister St. Brigid natives of Albanian Scotia.
s According to the " Annals of the Four
facius Gams' Series Episcoporum Eccle-
sise Catholicoe," &c. , p. 749.
9 It is said, they came to Italy in the time
of the Emperor Ludovicus Pius, who began hisreignA. D. 815. Anaccountofhimand
Masters," Aedh began to reign 793 {recte edition, vol. i. , pp. 400 to 429.
^
eleventh century, in a contest with the 798) and died 817. See Dr. O'Donovan's Florentines, Fiesole was destroyed, and a
See his Life at the 22nd of August. which some notes were written by Constan-
considerable number of its inhabitants were transported to the former city. See Rev. John Chetwode Eustace's "Classical
Tour through Italy An. mdccCII. ," vol.
iii. , chap, x. , pp. 368, 369.
Filippo Villani wrote his Acts. There was
also an anonymous Life of St. Andrew, upon
" Acta Sane- De S. Bri-
" See an account of it, in Mur- interesting
tine Caietano. See
torum Hibernise," Februarii i.
gida, Virgine, Ecclesiae Oppacensis apud Italy," part ii. , sect. vii. Route 59, pp. Fessulas in Italia Patronse, sect, vii. , p. 623 to 625. Seventh edition, London,
Colgan's
" Handbook for Travellers in Northern
236. 1858.
" '^ "
7 See Scipio Ammirato, Gli Vescovi di gee Cappelletti, —Le Chiese d'ltalia," Fiesole, di Volterra e d'Arezzo," &c. Fie- tomo xvii. , 1862, p. i 72.
of his children will be found in
'*
Storia
Universali" di Cesare Cantu, tomo x. , epoca
x. , parte i. , lib. x. , cap. i. , pp. 5 to 35.
Also, Lodovico Antonio Muratori's "Annali d'ltalia dal Principio dell' era Volgare sino all' anno MDCCXLix. ," volume vii. , pp. 138
to 505.
^° The particular Pope is not named.
*^ About the commencement of the
ray's
836 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [February i.
monasteries, palaces and villas, while a luxuriant country around it has all the aspect of a vast garden. The Fiesole hills are the delight of Florentines, who resort thither to breathe their balmy air. The origin of Fiesole is lost in the darkness of ages. ^-^ We can say with certainty, that it was among the first of towns, built in Italy, and probably it was one of the twelve Etruscan cities. ^5 By order of St. Donatus, who was elected bishop of this city,^^ St. Andrew re-established the Church of St. Martin, near the River Mensola. ^7 There he founded a monastery at the base of the Fiesole hills. There, too, he spent the rest of a life, singularly illustrated by piety and renowned for miracles. ^^ St. Andrew had made a perfect sacrifice, by abandoning home and the society of his relations and friends. But, a greater privation than all other losses was parting companionship with his beloved sister. She de- voted herself wholly to pious exercises in Ireland,'^ living either with her parents, or, more likely, as a member of one among the many religious insti- tutes there existing. Nor does she appear even to have known where or how her brother lived. He survived St. Donatus,=° however, and after a lapseofsometime,ageandinfirmitygrowinguponhimself,it wasdeemed well to bestow his earnest admonition on the monks, who stood around his bed in tears. Then, the thought of his dear sister Brigid^' came into his mind, and he most vehemently wished to see her, ere he should die.
The Omnipotent was graciously pleased to regard this feeling, which the dying saint had concealed from the bystanders. The pious Brigid, at the time, had been seated at her frugal meal, consisting of some small fishes and a salad. She lived at a retired place in Ireland. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to her, and miraculously was she brought before St. Andrew and his brethren. All, who were engaged rendering kind offices to their dying superior, were struck with astonishment and admiration, at the un- looked-forarrivalofSt. Brigid. " ^greaternumbersoonappearedtowit- ness her presence. Meantime, the virgin herself trembled with fear and reverence ; for, instead of a reality, she thought the sick man lying on the bed, with those men standing around in a strange costume, as also the place and objects near her, represented only a vision. St. Andrew had a clear
^^ The ancient Fesulans were famous for their skill in augury. Thus are they de- scribed, by Silius Italicus :—
tomus i. , Februarii i. Commentarius His-
See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," Februarii i. De S. Brigida, Virgine, Ecclesise Opacensis apud Fesulas in Italia
**
—
lion of Ferrarius' "Novum Lexicon Geo-
graphicum," tomus i. , p. 289.
^^
About the year 816, according to Con- stantine Caietano in his notes to St. An- drew's Life. Ughelli notes this, as the year of his promotion ; yet, in Coleti's additions, his rule is deferred to a. d. 826 or later. See ''Italia Sacra, sive De Episcopis Ita- lise," tomus ii,, col. 350.
'7 This small stream is scarcely noticed,
on the Maps of Ancient or Modern Italy.
At the Church of St. Martin, a manuscript Life of St. Andrew had been preserved. See the BoUandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
Affuit et sacris interpres fulminis alis
Fesula, et antiquus Romanis moenibus Patronse, sees, i. , ii. , p. 236.
horror
Clusinum vulgus," &c.
•*Punicorum,"lib. viii. , 478.
ls See Michael Antonius Baudrand's edi-
"9 This is expressly stated, by Villani. See, also, the BoUandists' "Acta Sancto- rum," tomus i. , Februarii i. De S. Bri- gida, Virgine, Faesulis in Etruria. Cora- mentarius Historicus, sect, i. , 3, p. 245 and
p. 247.
=°
toricus, sec. i. , 3, p. 245. ^^ "
Ughelli calls him "nobilis Scottus. "
See "Italia Sacra," tomus iii. , col. 213,
214.
" Colgan in a somewhat lengthy note
proves that St. Donatus, St. Andrew and St. Brigid were natives, not of the Albanian Scotia, but of the Hibernian Scotia. See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," n. 3, pp. 236, 237.
''^^ Dr.
Lanigan
an ordinary journey from Ireland to Italy. See " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
vol. iii. , chap, xxi. , sec. iv. , p. 281.
resolves this miracle into
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 237 intuition of the whole matter, and in a tender tone of voice, he thus spoke :
"
a most earnest desire to behold you before my death, and the immense
fountain of charity and of mercy from on high hath yielded to my prayers,
as you see, and hath indulged the wishes of a sinner. Therefore, fear not,
for so it hath pleased God, that you should behold your own brother Andrew,
during his last agony, and hoping through your present merits, that the
Creator of all things will be propitious, although you had long since thought me removed from this earth. For, in this place, far apart from our natal
soil, I, a feeble athlete and soldier, have spent my days, while you, in like manner, shall end your life, supplying the complement of my warfare, by
great austerity and penance. Now, set aside all dread, leaning on Divine mercy, and set your mind at rest, being assured, that you see and feel only what is real ; while for me, I entreat you to become, with the fear of God, and with fervour of soul, an intercessor before our Lord, as the hour of my dissolution now arrives. " As if awaking from torpor and coming to herself,
with great sensibility and devotion, Brigid wept \ then, tenderly clasping the hand of her brother, she kissed it, and deep sighs almost choked her power of utterance. ^3 Sorrow afflicted her for more than an hour, when on bended
:
knees,shethusexclaimed "OAlmightyGod,thesoleworkerofwonders,
whom the powers of Heaven serve, whom the elements obey, and to whom every creature is subject, to thee be praise and benediction, honour and
glory, who hath deigned this supernatural favour to thy handmaid, that she should behold her holy brother here present. " Then addressing St. Andrew,
"
My dearly beloved sister Brigid, finding my end approaching, I conceived
she said :
Oh, most pious brother, the first faithful director and guardian of
my youth, I rejoice with thee, and I am glad and shall be glad, during the shorttimeitmaybegrantedmetobeholdthee; although,Isufferpainwith
you, and all the more keenly, because I clearly foresee, when you depart, I shall be alone in this miserable life, and that I shall survive, afflicted, deso-
late and deprived of your holy conversation. Nevertheless, the deeply im- pressed traces of thy praiseworthy deeds and pious works, as also the me- morials you shall have left, must increase my rejoicing before God, and again
bring a festive day. Doubtless, intuitively knowing such matters, you shall happily sleep in Christ. Of this I feel assured, and especially in your case. So long as the usury of life be left to me, I shall not fail in this place,
whither angels have brought me, to follow in thy footsteps with penitential exercises, so far as the infirmity of my feeble body will permit, and so far as Divine grace may assist me. Oh, my dearest brother, aid me by thy holy prayers, while you supply to a woman's weakness, that manly strength, which has supported you. But now, have courage, and be comforted, in Christ and in His holy cross ; for, as hitherto you were accustomed to contend with great vigour of mind and indomitable fortitude, give still further proofs of resolution, during this your last agony. " ^'<- With such consoling words, she cheered the parting soul of her dear brother, and she soon saw his remains reverently consigned to the earth. Then Brigid sought a dense wood, near Fiesole,^s where she resolved to live a solitary life, and to spend it, in a
=3
Dempster
of P'iesole, Phillipus Villanius Florentinus, Franciscus Cattanius Diacettus episcopus, and Silvanus Razzius, as authorities for the Life of this St. Brigid, while he chiefly takes
^* See " Acta Sanctoiiim Hiber^ Colgan's
niae," Februarii i. De S. Brigida, Virgine,
Ecclesiae Opacensis apud Fessulas in Italia
Patronae, sec. iii. , pp. 236, 237.
'^^ At the conclusion of his poem, Rus«
ticus," Politian, with that power of descrip* tion so peculiar to him, has thus celebrated the scenes around it :—
cites the Acts of the Church
" Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus i. ,
it from Phillipus Ferrarius. See lib. ii. , sec. 166, p. 93.
Historia
**
238 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
=''
This desert place, called Opacum or Opacus, was at the foot of certain high and steep mountains, where wild beasts alone had their lairs. Here, she subsisted on fruits and roots, which grew about, and thus almost removed from human associations and conversation, engaged in constant vigils, fasts and austerities, old age grew upon her. ='7 Yet, would rustics, when hunting, frequently come to her hermitage, which seems to have been a sort of cave. Sometimes, they offered the holy woman products of their chase, which she often refused to accept, as being too great a luxury for her manner of life. ^^ As her years wore on, many holy matrons and men visited St. Brigid, while they alleviated her infirmities. This charitable help
the Almighty inspired. At length, spent with old age, after miracles and merits had crowned her life, this holy virgin was called to her heavenly
nuptials,ontheistdayofFebruary,^? abouttheyearofChrist,870. 3° She died3^—it is incorrectly stated—towards the close of Charlemagne's reign. 32
Then, after her death, all the country inhabitants, venerating her as a saint, interred her remains ; and, on an elevated spot among the mountains, where she had lived, they built a church, which was dedicated to her memory. This was called, Piave St. Martin in Baco, and afterwards her natal day was celebrated there with great solemnity. The desert, which in her time, had been rugged, wild and uncultivated, subsequently assumed an almost mira- culous change ; for, settlers on the spot soon rendered it attractive and populous. 33 Severalwritershavecelebratedthepraisesofthisholyvirgin, while pious pilgrimages were made to her shrine, for ages long past after her death.
Article V. —St. Catan, Cathand, or Caddan, Bishop. {Possibly in the Fifth or Sixth Century^ Among the early saints of Ireland, com- memorated on this day, we find a Catan, or Caddan, son of Madan,'
rigorous course of penance.
** Hie resonat blando tibi pinus amata susurro ;
Hie vaga eoniferis insibilat aura eupressis; Hie scatebris salit, et bullantibus incita
venis
Pura coloratos interstrepit unda lapillos. "
This writer died September, A. D. 1494. An account of him will be found in Roscoe's " Life of Lorenzo de' Medici. " He was
tano, in his notes to her Life, and Ferrarius, *'
in Catalogus Sanctorum Italise," Februarii i. Father Henry Fitzsimons mentions her, at this date. Camerarius, without any con- current authority, assigns her festival, to the 31stofDecember. See"DeStatuHomi- nis Veteris simul ac Novae Ecclesise, et In- fidelium Conversione," lib. i. , cap. iii. , sec. 2, p. 263.
2° This is the period, conjectured by Con- stantine Caietano, in his notes to the Life of St. Andrew. Dr. Lanigan thinks she died,
"
probably about A. D. 880. See
tical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap. xxi. , sect, iv. , n. 58, p. 285.
^i Having i)rought down the death of St. Donatus to near A. d. 890, and considering, that St. Brigid not only survived him, but also her brother Andrew, the Bollandists supposed she lived, until about A. D. 900. See "Acta Sanctorum Februarii," tomus i.
also the early instructor of Pope Leo X. *'
See, likewise, William Roscoe's Life and Pontificate of Leo the Tenth. " Revised by his son Thomas Roscoe, vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 15. Sixth edition, London, 1853, 8vo.
Ecclesias-
^^ It is asserted, by Constantine Caietano,
that she embraced the rule of St. Benedict ;
but, this writer was over zealous, in claiming
distinguished persons for his order. See
M, le Dr. Hoeffer, "Nouvelle Biographic
Generale," tome viii. , col. 139.
=7 See " Ferrarius, Catalogus
DeS. &c. Commentarius Brigida, Virgine,
Sanctorum
=^ 3= **
ItalisB," p. Ixix.
Historicus, sec. ii. , 8, p. 246.
See Father Stephen White's Apolo*
Dempster, although he could not ascer- tain the year for her death, says she was
gia pro Hibemia," cap. iv. , p. 40.
known as a
holy person,
in 802. See " His-
33 gee " Acta Sanctoi-um Ilibcr- Colgan's
toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus
i. , lib. ii. , sect. 166, p. 93.
"9 At this all the Calendarists date, nearly
place her festival. Thus, Constantine Caie-
nise," Februarii i. De S. Brigida, Virgine, Ecclesige Opacensis apud Fessulas in Italia
Patronse, sec. — v. , vi. , vii. ,
iv. , p.