Brigid, which
indicate
her exalted station and superiority,"' at least in some correlative
sense.
sense.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
Santita Prodigiosa.
Vita di S.
Brigida Then follows an account, concerning the
abbess,
may hear better, and throw down the reins. " So her chaplain cast the reins
Ibernese. " LibroQuarto,pp. 287to290.
saint'sjourneyinherchariot,accompanied
visited the house of a certain holy virgin.
See "Vita Sexta S. Brigid^," sees, xliii. ,
xliv. , pp. 591, 592. "* "Trias Thaumaturga. " 9' The Abbate D. Giacomo Certani
5' See " Trias Colgan's
some of her
Thaumaturga. " Vita Secunda S. Brigidse, cap. xviii. , p.
by
companions.
added,
520. Also
28, p. 516, ibid.
"
Vita Prima S. Brigidse," sec.
_9^ See "Vita Tertia S. Brigidse," cap. lii. , p. 532, ibid.
93 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. , I February, p. 18.
"
5* See
cap. xxi. , pp. 552, 553. Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
95 Probably from one of those eminences, now known as "the Red Hills of Kildare. " 9* See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto-
rum," tomus i,, Februarii. Vita Quarta S. Brigidas, lib. ii,, cap, iii. , p. 162.
writes
:
" Hebbe costui per Padre Eocadio,
Quarta Vita S. Brigidse," lib. ii. ,
b vero Eutichio, come alcuni scriuono, che
97
9^ In the Sixth Metrical Life, it is said,
According to the Third Life.
It is
that the miracle occurred on the return of St. Brigid to her establishment, after having
fu Figli—uolo d'Aido vno de Figliuoli di Lio-
"
gario. " La Santita Prodigiosa.
S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Sesto, p. 489. ^°° Colgan observes in a note, that there is an island in Albanian Scotia, which is called Mule or Mula. Ninnidius spent some time in Britain. Perhaps, he dwelt there as a permanent resident, and may be properly
designated as "de partibus Muli,"
Vita di
152
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i. When he did, however, she asked him, whither he was running,
the abbess.
in such haste.
dom of heaven, and towards that I ran. "
were worthy to run with you this day towards God's kingdom, but pray for me, brother, that I may enter that realm of bliss. " '°^ The scholar returned : " O saint, do you in like manner entreat the Almighty, that my course towards
He immediately repHed
:
"
It is
my duty to enter the
the heavenly kingdom be a constant one. In requital, I will pray for you, withmanyotherpersons,thatyoumayattainimmortalhappiness. " Then, St. Brigidprayedforhim. NinnidbecamefilledwiththegraceoftheHoly
Spirit,andheperformedpenance. ThisyouthwasasontoEthach,andhe wasfromthecountry,calledMulus. Hethenbeganandcontinuedtobe
a religious person to the very date of his death. ^°" He is ranked, also, among the most distinguished of our Irish saints. ^°3
To this young student, St. Brigid then said
:
" On the day of my death,
I shall receive Communion of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ,
from hand. " St. Ninnidius " Would that thou couldst live
thy replied :
until thou receivest Holy Eucharist from me. " These words he spoke,
because he wished at this time to become a pilgrim. For a long time, he desired to be absent, so that he might not soon again see the saint, and that she might live to an extreme old age. Probably, on some subsequent oc- casion, mutually bestowing a blessing on each other, and commending them- selves respectively to God, with words of religious wisdom, they separated, each of them taking a different destination. From the day Brigid spoke to him, Nennid wished to preserve from defilement that hand, which she had predicted should minister to her the august Viaticum on the day of her death. Hence, we are told, he put on it a close-fitting brass gauntlet, secured with a lock and key, so that his hand should not be able to touch his body, nor be touched by any unclean thing. Thence, his cognomen was derived ; for, in the Scotic dialect he was called, Niimidh laffiglan^^°^ which
"
in English is interpreted, Ninnidius of the clean hand. " Afterwards, the
great Father of our Irish Church caused him to be ordained, although he was humbly reluctant to assume the sacredotal office,'°5 lest he might be
called a great priest, according to the inspired writings. ^°^ This Ninnidius sailed over to the country of the Britons, wishing to become an exile from
Ireland, for a long period, as he knew St. Brigid's prediction must be ful- filled. '°7 When Ninnidius entered the ship, he is said to have cast the key
arii. Vita S. Nennidhii, n, 17, p. 115.
"^ The meaning must be, that this humble
diffidence, regarding the responsibilities at-
in his vocation.
made to Ecclesi-
'°7 The Abbate D. Giacomo Certani, with much circumlocution, has an account of the foregoing and many extraneous cir- cumstances, in "La Santiti Prodigiosa. Vita di S. I3rigida Ibernese. " Libro Sesto, pp. 488 to 502.
^^ This narrative ends with an account, that the miracles and incidents of Ninnid's closing years were to be found in an old Life of him which had been written. See Vita
*"
Bollandists' " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
See the whole of this account in the
Februarii. Vita Quarta S. Brigidce, cap. IX.
"*
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. Ixi. , Also, Vita Ter|ia S. Brigidae, cap.
L559. ibid. viii. , p. 537,
"3 In a note to this latter
adds, he was the same St. Neilnius or Nen- nidius, whose Acts he published at the 1 8th
"
of January in Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae,"
xviii. Januarii. See Vita S. Nennidhii, seu Nennii, pp. Ill to 115.
'°'*
Colgan refers us to notes, which were appended to St. Nennidius' Acts, at the 1 8th of January, for certain observations on this derivation. The Latin form of his name is Nennidius vianus inundce. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xviii. Janu-
caused Nenni-
Life, Colgan
probably asticus, xliv. , 15.
The abbess said
:
king- " Would that I
tached to his sacred
dius to hesitate at first, until the persuasions of pious persons and his own sense of a Divine call induced him no longer to resist
heaven's
'°^ Allusion is
designs
calling,
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 153
of his manacled hand into the deep, that it might not be recovered again for any accomplishment of its purpose. '"^ But, as the Scripture declares, no
wisdom or prudence or counsel can oppose the Almighty's designs. And so the event is said to have accorded with S^. Brigid's prediction. ^°9 How- ever, it must be observed, that some of the foregoing circumstances are manifestly the concoction of legend-mongers, and are inconsistent with a supposition, that Ninnidh could have efficiently discharged the duties of his priesthood under the conditions, which have been related.
As the Abbess Brigid's establishment increased in importance, the city of Kildare grew, likewise, in a corresponding ratio. Revolving in mind a necessity that appeared to exist, for the residence of a bishop there, to obtain the object of her desires, our saint made application to some of the Irish
prelates. Her petitions appear to have been favourably received, for, she had the nomination of Kildare's first bishop ;"° a privilege, which the other prelates might have allowed, on account of her exalted merits, and those services which she had rendered to rehgion in that portion of the province, where she presided in her capacity of abbess. "^ It is stated, also, that the bishop appointed, in conjunction with herself, exercised jurisdiction over all houses of her order, throughout Ireland. Some difficulties exist, in sup- posing the Bishop of Kildare to exercise jurisdiction over nuns, living outside his immediate bishopric ; for, although named Archbishop of the Irish
"2 it is alsowell Bishops, yet,
thattheIrish hadneverbeen Primacy
known,
transferred from Armagh to Kildare. With her usual discrimination, the
person, selected by Brigid to assume the episcopacy, was a holy man, named Conleath. "3 He lived the life of a cellule recluse, in the southern part of the Liffey plain. At what particular period this consecration of Conleath took place, we have no means for determining ;"4 yet, we must suppose, some years had elapsed, from the estabHshment of the community at Kildare, before its erection into a see, and the consequent appointment of a bishop. "^
That St. Brigid exercised a certain degree of jurisdiction over the Bishop of Kildare who was her contemporary,"^ and that the abbesses, who were her successors, retained such jurisdiction over the abbots and bishops of the see, have been supposed. This state of affairs, however, is so repugnant to the spirit of church discipline, in all ages, and even unsupported by any re- liable authorities, on the subject, that we can have no hesitation in rejecting suchsupposition. Weratherprefercoincidingwithanexplanationoffered,"^
Quarta
PP- 559. 560.
turga. "
18, p. <^66,
ibid.
—
turga. " Secunda Vita S. Brigidae. Pro-
S.
lib.
Colgan's "Trias Thauma-
"' See Rev. M. Brenan's *'Ecclesias- J.
tical History of Ireland," chap, iii. , p. 51.
^" •' Hiberniensium Epis- Archiepiscopus
Brigidce,
ii. , cap, Ixii. , Ixiii. ,
Also n.
^°5 In the Fifth Life of St. Brigid, an ac-
count given, regarding the foregoing inci- dents, is somewhat different, and interpo- lated, it would appear, with observations and interpretations, not found in more an- cient authorities. It is there said, that Ninnid. exiled himself, at the request of St. Brigid ; that he went to Rome to visit the shrines
of the holy Apostles ; and, that he spent four years as a pilgrim, when he was warned by an angel of God to return into Ireland. This order he is said to have obeyed, finding St, Brigid, at the point of death, on his ar- rival. Soon after, giving her Communion, the holy priest himself was gathered to his fathers, See Quinta Vita S, Brigidse, cap. Ivii. , Iviii. , pp. 581, 582, idid.
"° As Cogitosus remarks.
coporum. "
Colgan's
"Trias Thauma- _
logus, p. 518.
"3 See his Life at the 3rd of May.
"4 In the "Life of St. Brigid," by an
Irish Priest, it is stated, this event took place, about the year 490, and probably in the Church of Kildare. See chap, vi. , p.
74.
"^ See the Italian "Breviarium Gienen-
sis," lect. ii. , where it is said, Bishop Con- leath was appointed by her to consecrate churches, he having been taken from the desert.
"° This is an opinion, entertained by Col-
gan,
"7 p,y Dr. Lanigan. "° By Cogitosus.
! 54 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February i,
toaccountforthispresumedanomaly. Ithasbeenconjectured—andwith every appearance of credibiHty—that, as the church of Kildare had been built from funds supplied by the monastery, and as its community, besides holding possession of a proprietory right and title, appears to have been at the expense of providing requisites for religious worship ; it is only reason- able to imagine, that the church, which was used as a cathedral, had been under joint management both of the bishop and of the abbess. And this supposition is furthermore confirmed, by what is related in St. Brigid's Life"^ where we read, that she bestowed some very costly vestments"^ which were used by Conleath on the festivals of our Lord, and on those of the Apostles,
while the Divine engaged offering up
Mysteries.
"° It is almost
certain,
however, that our saint, on account of her singular prerogatives and virtues,
exercised a special jurisdiction, and enjoyed an extraordinary pre-eminence,
over all the religious women of her day in Ireland. "^ Not only Cogitosus,
but several other writers, will be found, applying epithets to St.
Brigid, which indicate her exalted station and superiority,"' at least in some correlative
sense. Thus, as the representative of Irish female religious, St. Brigid ranks foremost ;"3 as St. Columkille represents the highest order of male mona- chism, and as St. Patrick crowns the hierarchy ; so these sacred three are united in popular veneration and in a supreme degree.
CHAPTER XI.
ST. brigid's benignity and prudence—rewards miraculously bestowed on the POOR AND ON HER ENTERTAINERS—ST. HINNA—MIRACULOUS OCCURRENCES—ST. DARIA's SIGHT PARTIALLY RESTORED—FAITH IN ST. BRIGID'S INTERCESSION JUSTIFIED.
The benignant Brigid regarded her religious daughters and her pupils with true affection ; the servants and labourers, about her establishment, she in- dulged as members of her own family. ^ Seldom when correcting faults did she use terms of reproach ; but, always considering the most practical means for removing evil to be the healing of a sinner's soul, her action was deemed more important than even her charitable direction or advice. She knew
"9 See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La Santitk Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Sesto, p. 539.
"° " Nam vestimenta transmarina et pere- grina Episcopi Conleath decorati himinis, quibus, solemnitatibus Domini, et vigiUis
"' wSee ibid. , Cogitosus or Secunda Vita S. Brigidaj. In Prologo, and in cap. xxxvi. , pp. 518, 524. The Bishop of Ossory, in his "Dissertation on St. Brigid," has similar remarks, in the commencement of his trea- tise, p. I. See Appendix Secunda ad Acta
sacra in altaribus ofiferens — S. l^>rigida>. , sec. xxxix. , p. 608, ibid.
Apostolorum my- steria utebatur, pauperibus largita est. " Cogitosus or Secunda Vita S. Brigidse, cap.
"3 —to David Roth. According
'
Chapter xi. Such is the account as
furnish—ed by the metrical panegyrist, in these
Colgan's "Trias Thauma-
In the
said, from all the provinces of Ireland, that
"
xxix. , p. 522.
lurga. '^
"' **
:
Qualis erat pueris, famulis, hxc ipsa puellis
pillis. "
Breviarium Gienensis," it is a great multitude flocked to her monastery,
**
quod est caput pene Hiberniensium Eccle- "
Talis amore pio cunctis pulcherrima virgo Pauperibus fuerat et miseris, larga pu-
siarum, id est, Scotorum. " Again: Et
ipsa puellarum mater extitit, ut amborum
meritis Hiberniensis insula Christo devotis-
sime serviret," lect. i. , iii. See idid. Ap- Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta pendix Prima ad Acta S. Brigidce, p. 601. Vita S. Brigidse, sec. v. , p. 583.
lines
February l] LIVES QF THE IRISH SAINTS \%%
how to compassionate the weakness of others. ' She sought to repair im-
prudence and crime, without causing scandal or exposing the dehnquent. An instance of such thoughtful interposition occurs, in the case of a certain youngperson,boundbyareligiousvow. 3 Theresultwasarewardforthat merciful interference ; as the person became penitent. '* And, because all things are rendered possible, on the ground of unwavering faith,5 so was the life of St. Brigid daily illustrated by miracles. Thus, as various poor and infirm creatures visited her, to have their several wants supplied, it happened on one occasion, that she afforded relief to a person, who required the useful condiment of salt, which was procured in a supernatural manner. ^
The following two miraculous incidents, attributed to our saint, are thus related. 7 While her mind was elevated to the contemplation of heavenly subjects, as was her frequent habit, the things of earth were altogether for- gotten. Suchbeingthecase,onacertainoccasion,andmostprobablywhile
engaged about some culinary affairs, a dog removed a large piece of bacon. When sought, this was not to be found, in its usual storing place ; but, after a month had expired, it was discovered, whole and untouched, in the kennel. That dog durst not eat this food, belonging to Brigid, and his natural appetite, for so long a period, seemed restrained by some wonderful and inexplicable intervention. ^ In season and out of season, St. Brigid's bounty had been taxed by the importunities of poor persons, and her charities seemed exhaustless, while the fame of her miracles still caused many destitute persons to approach her every day. Among these, a poor person, in need of alms, had been sent by the saint to her servants, who were engaged in cooking flesh-meat. Our saint directed that immediate relief should be given to the applicant. While herself was present, one of holy Brigid's servants, engaged in cooking, thoughtlessly threw9 a piece of undressed flesh-
meat, into the folds of her garments.
^°
This the abbess brought to that poor
person, as an alms, while her white robe," was found to preserve its purity, without a single speck or stain. "
= See "The Life of St. Brigid," by an
IrishPriest,chap,ix. ,p. 112.
3 Cases somewhat similar are recorded in
Santita Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Iber- nese. " LibroSesto,pp. 514to516.
^ Some of our Saint's Lives merely say, that the cook threw it into the bosom of the charitable abbess ; but, this act of dis-
a Life of St. Ailbe, at the 12th of Sep-
tember, and in a Life of St. Kieran of Saigir,
at the 5th of March. See Colgan's "Trias courtesy towards her, on the part of a
Thaumaturga. " Vita Secunda S. Brigidae, n. 12, p. 526, and Tertia Vita S. Brigidse, n. 60, p. 545, ibid.
* See this account, treated at more length,
in Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La San-
titk Prodigiosa Vita di S. Brigida Iber- nese. ' Libro Sesto, pp. 507 to 512.
servant, can hardly be credible. The Latin word used, however, may admit of another
meaning; for "in sinu," may signify "in a fold. " The Iris—h line, in the First Life of
St. Brigid has it :
s See Hebrews, xi. In
English :
^
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Vita Prima S. sec. Brigidae,
20, p, 516. Vita Secunda S. Brigidae, cap. x. , xi. , pp. 519, 520. Tertia Vita S. Brigidae, cap. cv. ,
atse vestis receptaculum," allusion seems cvi. , p. 540. This miracle is given, with made to her religious habit. This garment
additional particulars, in the Fifth Life.
Vita Quinta S. Brigidre, cap. xliv. , p. 578. In the Sixth Life, a miracle is recorded of a somewhat analogous character. However, this account does not appear applicable to the narrative, alluded to in the text. See Vita Sexta S. Brigidre, sec. xxiv. , p. 586.
^ See Cogitosus, or Secunda Vita S. Bri-
gidoe, cap. xiv. , p. 520, ibid.
^ See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's " La
would appear to have fallen about the per- sons of herself and of her nuns, in graceful folds.
" From the words of Cogitosus, allusion is seemingly made to the white dress of St.
Brigid's order.
" See, Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Vita Secunda S. Brigidte, cap. xv. , p. 520. Vita Prima S. Brigidse, sec, xxiii. , xxiv. , p. 516. Vita Tertia S. Brigidte, cap. cvii. ,
» \i tro cneAr in ha hudc. "
11
" boiled meat, which was cast into her bosom. "
'° Where this man threw Cogitosus says,
the piece of meat "in albatum ipsius sinu-
^ot^t r '
t$6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
In those primitive times, and when hospices were not numerous in country parts, while St. Brigid and her nuns were engaged on missionary visitations, they were frequently obliged to accept the hospitalities of very humble people. ^3 It was on an occasion of this sort, while lodging with a private family, a man, named Icessus, or Eccus, a poet, with his wife,^* happenedtosleepinthesamehouse. Theblessedabbess,attheirrequest, gave them her benediction. Afterwards, a renowned son, St. Echenus or
^^
Etchen^s was born to the religious parents.
Brigid was instrumental in having a stolen silver lunette,'7 restored to her hostess,andinamiraculousmanner. '^ Thishadbeentakenbyafugitive servant-maid. ^9 An injustice of a still more objectionable character, sought to be practised on an innocent woman,^° caused the latter to fly for refuge towards St. Brigid's sanctuary. There she received a welcome, and the property she lost was procured by a miracle. ^^
The following miracle was wrought by St. Brigid, while lodging at the
houseofacertainpoorandpiouswoman. ^^ Theabbesshadbeenengaged
on one of her religious missions. When evening overtook her travelling
over the extensive plain of Breg,''^ she entered the house of this poor woman,
to claim hospitality for that night. According to St. Brogan's Life of the saint, this happened in the plain of Caoil. ^'^ Holding out her hands in token
of welcome, the hostess joyfully and respectfully received Christ's holy servant,withhernuns. ShealsogavethankstoGod,fortheirhappyarrival. Having only one calf, it was immediately killed for the refreshment of those guests ; but, having no wood to prepare a meal, the poor woman broke a frameordistaffj^swhichhadbeenusedforweavingstuffs. Withitsmaterial, she kindled a fire, and proceeded to cook some meat, showing a right good will. After supper was over, passing the night in her accustomed vigils, holy
cviii. , p. 540. Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. Ixxvii. , IxxviiL, p. 561.
*3 "En ce temps-la, les saints et les saintes
^4 Abbate D. Giacomo Certani, who has a detailed account of this incident, calls him
S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. Ixxvi. , pp.
abbess,
may hear better, and throw down the reins. " So her chaplain cast the reins
Ibernese. " LibroQuarto,pp. 287to290.
saint'sjourneyinherchariot,accompanied
visited the house of a certain holy virgin.
See "Vita Sexta S. Brigid^," sees, xliii. ,
xliv. , pp. 591, 592. "* "Trias Thaumaturga. " 9' The Abbate D. Giacomo Certani
5' See " Trias Colgan's
some of her
Thaumaturga. " Vita Secunda S. Brigidse, cap. xviii. , p.
by
companions.
added,
520. Also
28, p. 516, ibid.
"
Vita Prima S. Brigidse," sec.
_9^ See "Vita Tertia S. Brigidse," cap. lii. , p. 532, ibid.
93 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. , I February, p. 18.
"
5* See
cap. xxi. , pp. 552, 553. Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
95 Probably from one of those eminences, now known as "the Red Hills of Kildare. " 9* See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto-
rum," tomus i,, Februarii. Vita Quarta S. Brigidas, lib. ii,, cap, iii. , p. 162.
writes
:
" Hebbe costui per Padre Eocadio,
Quarta Vita S. Brigidse," lib. ii. ,
b vero Eutichio, come alcuni scriuono, che
97
9^ In the Sixth Metrical Life, it is said,
According to the Third Life.
It is
that the miracle occurred on the return of St. Brigid to her establishment, after having
fu Figli—uolo d'Aido vno de Figliuoli di Lio-
"
gario. " La Santita Prodigiosa.
S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Sesto, p. 489. ^°° Colgan observes in a note, that there is an island in Albanian Scotia, which is called Mule or Mula. Ninnidius spent some time in Britain. Perhaps, he dwelt there as a permanent resident, and may be properly
designated as "de partibus Muli,"
Vita di
152
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i. When he did, however, she asked him, whither he was running,
the abbess.
in such haste.
dom of heaven, and towards that I ran. "
were worthy to run with you this day towards God's kingdom, but pray for me, brother, that I may enter that realm of bliss. " '°^ The scholar returned : " O saint, do you in like manner entreat the Almighty, that my course towards
He immediately repHed
:
"
It is
my duty to enter the
the heavenly kingdom be a constant one. In requital, I will pray for you, withmanyotherpersons,thatyoumayattainimmortalhappiness. " Then, St. Brigidprayedforhim. NinnidbecamefilledwiththegraceoftheHoly
Spirit,andheperformedpenance. ThisyouthwasasontoEthach,andhe wasfromthecountry,calledMulus. Hethenbeganandcontinuedtobe
a religious person to the very date of his death. ^°" He is ranked, also, among the most distinguished of our Irish saints. ^°3
To this young student, St. Brigid then said
:
" On the day of my death,
I shall receive Communion of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ,
from hand. " St. Ninnidius " Would that thou couldst live
thy replied :
until thou receivest Holy Eucharist from me. " These words he spoke,
because he wished at this time to become a pilgrim. For a long time, he desired to be absent, so that he might not soon again see the saint, and that she might live to an extreme old age. Probably, on some subsequent oc- casion, mutually bestowing a blessing on each other, and commending them- selves respectively to God, with words of religious wisdom, they separated, each of them taking a different destination. From the day Brigid spoke to him, Nennid wished to preserve from defilement that hand, which she had predicted should minister to her the august Viaticum on the day of her death. Hence, we are told, he put on it a close-fitting brass gauntlet, secured with a lock and key, so that his hand should not be able to touch his body, nor be touched by any unclean thing. Thence, his cognomen was derived ; for, in the Scotic dialect he was called, Niimidh laffiglan^^°^ which
"
in English is interpreted, Ninnidius of the clean hand. " Afterwards, the
great Father of our Irish Church caused him to be ordained, although he was humbly reluctant to assume the sacredotal office,'°5 lest he might be
called a great priest, according to the inspired writings. ^°^ This Ninnidius sailed over to the country of the Britons, wishing to become an exile from
Ireland, for a long period, as he knew St. Brigid's prediction must be ful- filled. '°7 When Ninnidius entered the ship, he is said to have cast the key
arii. Vita S. Nennidhii, n, 17, p. 115.
"^ The meaning must be, that this humble
diffidence, regarding the responsibilities at-
in his vocation.
made to Ecclesi-
'°7 The Abbate D. Giacomo Certani, with much circumlocution, has an account of the foregoing and many extraneous cir- cumstances, in "La Santiti Prodigiosa. Vita di S. I3rigida Ibernese. " Libro Sesto, pp. 488 to 502.
^^ This narrative ends with an account, that the miracles and incidents of Ninnid's closing years were to be found in an old Life of him which had been written. See Vita
*"
Bollandists' " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
See the whole of this account in the
Februarii. Vita Quarta S. Brigidce, cap. IX.
"*
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. Ixi. , Also, Vita Ter|ia S. Brigidae, cap.
L559. ibid. viii. , p. 537,
"3 In a note to this latter
adds, he was the same St. Neilnius or Nen- nidius, whose Acts he published at the 1 8th
"
of January in Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae,"
xviii. Januarii. See Vita S. Nennidhii, seu Nennii, pp. Ill to 115.
'°'*
Colgan refers us to notes, which were appended to St. Nennidius' Acts, at the 1 8th of January, for certain observations on this derivation. The Latin form of his name is Nennidius vianus inundce. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xviii. Janu-
caused Nenni-
Life, Colgan
probably asticus, xliv. , 15.
The abbess said
:
king- " Would that I
tached to his sacred
dius to hesitate at first, until the persuasions of pious persons and his own sense of a Divine call induced him no longer to resist
heaven's
'°^ Allusion is
designs
calling,
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 153
of his manacled hand into the deep, that it might not be recovered again for any accomplishment of its purpose. '"^ But, as the Scripture declares, no
wisdom or prudence or counsel can oppose the Almighty's designs. And so the event is said to have accorded with S^. Brigid's prediction. ^°9 How- ever, it must be observed, that some of the foregoing circumstances are manifestly the concoction of legend-mongers, and are inconsistent with a supposition, that Ninnidh could have efficiently discharged the duties of his priesthood under the conditions, which have been related.
As the Abbess Brigid's establishment increased in importance, the city of Kildare grew, likewise, in a corresponding ratio. Revolving in mind a necessity that appeared to exist, for the residence of a bishop there, to obtain the object of her desires, our saint made application to some of the Irish
prelates. Her petitions appear to have been favourably received, for, she had the nomination of Kildare's first bishop ;"° a privilege, which the other prelates might have allowed, on account of her exalted merits, and those services which she had rendered to rehgion in that portion of the province, where she presided in her capacity of abbess. "^ It is stated, also, that the bishop appointed, in conjunction with herself, exercised jurisdiction over all houses of her order, throughout Ireland. Some difficulties exist, in sup- posing the Bishop of Kildare to exercise jurisdiction over nuns, living outside his immediate bishopric ; for, although named Archbishop of the Irish
"2 it is alsowell Bishops, yet,
thattheIrish hadneverbeen Primacy
known,
transferred from Armagh to Kildare. With her usual discrimination, the
person, selected by Brigid to assume the episcopacy, was a holy man, named Conleath. "3 He lived the life of a cellule recluse, in the southern part of the Liffey plain. At what particular period this consecration of Conleath took place, we have no means for determining ;"4 yet, we must suppose, some years had elapsed, from the estabHshment of the community at Kildare, before its erection into a see, and the consequent appointment of a bishop. "^
That St. Brigid exercised a certain degree of jurisdiction over the Bishop of Kildare who was her contemporary,"^ and that the abbesses, who were her successors, retained such jurisdiction over the abbots and bishops of the see, have been supposed. This state of affairs, however, is so repugnant to the spirit of church discipline, in all ages, and even unsupported by any re- liable authorities, on the subject, that we can have no hesitation in rejecting suchsupposition. Weratherprefercoincidingwithanexplanationoffered,"^
Quarta
PP- 559. 560.
turga. "
18, p. <^66,
ibid.
—
turga. " Secunda Vita S. Brigidae. Pro-
S.
lib.
Colgan's "Trias Thauma-
"' See Rev. M. Brenan's *'Ecclesias- J.
tical History of Ireland," chap, iii. , p. 51.
^" •' Hiberniensium Epis- Archiepiscopus
Brigidce,
ii. , cap, Ixii. , Ixiii. ,
Also n.
^°5 In the Fifth Life of St. Brigid, an ac-
count given, regarding the foregoing inci- dents, is somewhat different, and interpo- lated, it would appear, with observations and interpretations, not found in more an- cient authorities. It is there said, that Ninnid. exiled himself, at the request of St. Brigid ; that he went to Rome to visit the shrines
of the holy Apostles ; and, that he spent four years as a pilgrim, when he was warned by an angel of God to return into Ireland. This order he is said to have obeyed, finding St, Brigid, at the point of death, on his ar- rival. Soon after, giving her Communion, the holy priest himself was gathered to his fathers, See Quinta Vita S, Brigidse, cap. Ivii. , Iviii. , pp. 581, 582, idid.
"° As Cogitosus remarks.
coporum. "
Colgan's
"Trias Thauma- _
logus, p. 518.
"3 See his Life at the 3rd of May.
"4 In the "Life of St. Brigid," by an
Irish Priest, it is stated, this event took place, about the year 490, and probably in the Church of Kildare. See chap, vi. , p.
74.
"^ See the Italian "Breviarium Gienen-
sis," lect. ii. , where it is said, Bishop Con- leath was appointed by her to consecrate churches, he having been taken from the desert.
"° This is an opinion, entertained by Col-
gan,
"7 p,y Dr. Lanigan. "° By Cogitosus.
! 54 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February i,
toaccountforthispresumedanomaly. Ithasbeenconjectured—andwith every appearance of credibiHty—that, as the church of Kildare had been built from funds supplied by the monastery, and as its community, besides holding possession of a proprietory right and title, appears to have been at the expense of providing requisites for religious worship ; it is only reason- able to imagine, that the church, which was used as a cathedral, had been under joint management both of the bishop and of the abbess. And this supposition is furthermore confirmed, by what is related in St. Brigid's Life"^ where we read, that she bestowed some very costly vestments"^ which were used by Conleath on the festivals of our Lord, and on those of the Apostles,
while the Divine engaged offering up
Mysteries.
"° It is almost
certain,
however, that our saint, on account of her singular prerogatives and virtues,
exercised a special jurisdiction, and enjoyed an extraordinary pre-eminence,
over all the religious women of her day in Ireland. "^ Not only Cogitosus,
but several other writers, will be found, applying epithets to St.
Brigid, which indicate her exalted station and superiority,"' at least in some correlative
sense. Thus, as the representative of Irish female religious, St. Brigid ranks foremost ;"3 as St. Columkille represents the highest order of male mona- chism, and as St. Patrick crowns the hierarchy ; so these sacred three are united in popular veneration and in a supreme degree.
CHAPTER XI.
ST. brigid's benignity and prudence—rewards miraculously bestowed on the POOR AND ON HER ENTERTAINERS—ST. HINNA—MIRACULOUS OCCURRENCES—ST. DARIA's SIGHT PARTIALLY RESTORED—FAITH IN ST. BRIGID'S INTERCESSION JUSTIFIED.
The benignant Brigid regarded her religious daughters and her pupils with true affection ; the servants and labourers, about her establishment, she in- dulged as members of her own family. ^ Seldom when correcting faults did she use terms of reproach ; but, always considering the most practical means for removing evil to be the healing of a sinner's soul, her action was deemed more important than even her charitable direction or advice. She knew
"9 See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La Santitk Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Sesto, p. 539.
"° " Nam vestimenta transmarina et pere- grina Episcopi Conleath decorati himinis, quibus, solemnitatibus Domini, et vigiUis
"' wSee ibid. , Cogitosus or Secunda Vita S. Brigidaj. In Prologo, and in cap. xxxvi. , pp. 518, 524. The Bishop of Ossory, in his "Dissertation on St. Brigid," has similar remarks, in the commencement of his trea- tise, p. I. See Appendix Secunda ad Acta
sacra in altaribus ofiferens — S. l^>rigida>. , sec. xxxix. , p. 608, ibid.
Apostolorum my- steria utebatur, pauperibus largita est. " Cogitosus or Secunda Vita S. Brigidse, cap.
"3 —to David Roth. According
'
Chapter xi. Such is the account as
furnish—ed by the metrical panegyrist, in these
Colgan's "Trias Thauma-
In the
said, from all the provinces of Ireland, that
"
xxix. , p. 522.
lurga. '^
"' **
:
Qualis erat pueris, famulis, hxc ipsa puellis
pillis. "
Breviarium Gienensis," it is a great multitude flocked to her monastery,
**
quod est caput pene Hiberniensium Eccle- "
Talis amore pio cunctis pulcherrima virgo Pauperibus fuerat et miseris, larga pu-
siarum, id est, Scotorum. " Again: Et
ipsa puellarum mater extitit, ut amborum
meritis Hiberniensis insula Christo devotis-
sime serviret," lect. i. , iii. See idid. Ap- Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta pendix Prima ad Acta S. Brigidce, p. 601. Vita S. Brigidse, sec. v. , p. 583.
lines
February l] LIVES QF THE IRISH SAINTS \%%
how to compassionate the weakness of others. ' She sought to repair im-
prudence and crime, without causing scandal or exposing the dehnquent. An instance of such thoughtful interposition occurs, in the case of a certain youngperson,boundbyareligiousvow. 3 Theresultwasarewardforthat merciful interference ; as the person became penitent. '* And, because all things are rendered possible, on the ground of unwavering faith,5 so was the life of St. Brigid daily illustrated by miracles. Thus, as various poor and infirm creatures visited her, to have their several wants supplied, it happened on one occasion, that she afforded relief to a person, who required the useful condiment of salt, which was procured in a supernatural manner. ^
The following two miraculous incidents, attributed to our saint, are thus related. 7 While her mind was elevated to the contemplation of heavenly subjects, as was her frequent habit, the things of earth were altogether for- gotten. Suchbeingthecase,onacertainoccasion,andmostprobablywhile
engaged about some culinary affairs, a dog removed a large piece of bacon. When sought, this was not to be found, in its usual storing place ; but, after a month had expired, it was discovered, whole and untouched, in the kennel. That dog durst not eat this food, belonging to Brigid, and his natural appetite, for so long a period, seemed restrained by some wonderful and inexplicable intervention. ^ In season and out of season, St. Brigid's bounty had been taxed by the importunities of poor persons, and her charities seemed exhaustless, while the fame of her miracles still caused many destitute persons to approach her every day. Among these, a poor person, in need of alms, had been sent by the saint to her servants, who were engaged in cooking flesh-meat. Our saint directed that immediate relief should be given to the applicant. While herself was present, one of holy Brigid's servants, engaged in cooking, thoughtlessly threw9 a piece of undressed flesh-
meat, into the folds of her garments.
^°
This the abbess brought to that poor
person, as an alms, while her white robe," was found to preserve its purity, without a single speck or stain. "
= See "The Life of St. Brigid," by an
IrishPriest,chap,ix. ,p. 112.
3 Cases somewhat similar are recorded in
Santita Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Iber- nese. " LibroSesto,pp. 514to516.
^ Some of our Saint's Lives merely say, that the cook threw it into the bosom of the charitable abbess ; but, this act of dis-
a Life of St. Ailbe, at the 12th of Sep-
tember, and in a Life of St. Kieran of Saigir,
at the 5th of March. See Colgan's "Trias courtesy towards her, on the part of a
Thaumaturga. " Vita Secunda S. Brigidae, n. 12, p. 526, and Tertia Vita S. Brigidse, n. 60, p. 545, ibid.
* See this account, treated at more length,
in Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La San-
titk Prodigiosa Vita di S. Brigida Iber- nese. ' Libro Sesto, pp. 507 to 512.
servant, can hardly be credible. The Latin word used, however, may admit of another
meaning; for "in sinu," may signify "in a fold. " The Iris—h line, in the First Life of
St. Brigid has it :
s See Hebrews, xi. In
English :
^
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Vita Prima S. sec. Brigidae,
20, p, 516. Vita Secunda S. Brigidae, cap. x. , xi. , pp. 519, 520. Tertia Vita S. Brigidae, cap. cv. ,
atse vestis receptaculum," allusion seems cvi. , p. 540. This miracle is given, with made to her religious habit. This garment
additional particulars, in the Fifth Life.
Vita Quinta S. Brigidre, cap. xliv. , p. 578. In the Sixth Life, a miracle is recorded of a somewhat analogous character. However, this account does not appear applicable to the narrative, alluded to in the text. See Vita Sexta S. Brigidre, sec. xxiv. , p. 586.
^ See Cogitosus, or Secunda Vita S. Bri-
gidoe, cap. xiv. , p. 520, ibid.
^ See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's " La
would appear to have fallen about the per- sons of herself and of her nuns, in graceful folds.
" From the words of Cogitosus, allusion is seemingly made to the white dress of St.
Brigid's order.
" See, Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Vita Secunda S. Brigidte, cap. xv. , p. 520. Vita Prima S. Brigidse, sec, xxiii. , xxiv. , p. 516. Vita Tertia S. Brigidte, cap. cvii. ,
» \i tro cneAr in ha hudc. "
11
" boiled meat, which was cast into her bosom. "
'° Where this man threw Cogitosus says,
the piece of meat "in albatum ipsius sinu-
^ot^t r '
t$6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
In those primitive times, and when hospices were not numerous in country parts, while St. Brigid and her nuns were engaged on missionary visitations, they were frequently obliged to accept the hospitalities of very humble people. ^3 It was on an occasion of this sort, while lodging with a private family, a man, named Icessus, or Eccus, a poet, with his wife,^* happenedtosleepinthesamehouse. Theblessedabbess,attheirrequest, gave them her benediction. Afterwards, a renowned son, St. Echenus or
^^
Etchen^s was born to the religious parents.
Brigid was instrumental in having a stolen silver lunette,'7 restored to her hostess,andinamiraculousmanner. '^ Thishadbeentakenbyafugitive servant-maid. ^9 An injustice of a still more objectionable character, sought to be practised on an innocent woman,^° caused the latter to fly for refuge towards St. Brigid's sanctuary. There she received a welcome, and the property she lost was procured by a miracle. ^^
The following miracle was wrought by St. Brigid, while lodging at the
houseofacertainpoorandpiouswoman. ^^ Theabbesshadbeenengaged
on one of her religious missions. When evening overtook her travelling
over the extensive plain of Breg,''^ she entered the house of this poor woman,
to claim hospitality for that night. According to St. Brogan's Life of the saint, this happened in the plain of Caoil. ^'^ Holding out her hands in token
of welcome, the hostess joyfully and respectfully received Christ's holy servant,withhernuns. ShealsogavethankstoGod,fortheirhappyarrival. Having only one calf, it was immediately killed for the refreshment of those guests ; but, having no wood to prepare a meal, the poor woman broke a frameordistaffj^swhichhadbeenusedforweavingstuffs. Withitsmaterial, she kindled a fire, and proceeded to cook some meat, showing a right good will. After supper was over, passing the night in her accustomed vigils, holy
cviii. , p. 540. Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. Ixxvii. , IxxviiL, p. 561.
*3 "En ce temps-la, les saints et les saintes
^4 Abbate D. Giacomo Certani, who has a detailed account of this incident, calls him
S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. Ixxvi. , pp.
