Dichul's acts, left unpublished by Colgan, is a short
biography
found in Petrus ; the second is more diffuse, and it is given by Vincentius ;5 the third is more accurate than either of the former ones.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
It is the name of a townland,^
and of a parish, in the barony of Corkaree, and in the county of Westmeath. *
Perhaps this local denomination might be equivalent to Tigh-Ernain. But the Rev. A. Cogans has identified this saint's place with the present Tegh- emain,andhehasitinthecountyofMeath. ^ Withsomedoubtofidentity expressed, Colgan states this Ernan, whom he calls Memoc, likewise, may have been one of St. Columkille's disciples. '
Article IV. —Feast of St. Nennius or Nennidhius, Abbot. The Rev. Alban Butler has introduced notices of this saint, but with some in-
*5"
" the house of or Airindan,"
January 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 299
accuracies of statement, at this day. ^ To the writer it seems better, that his commemoration and biography should be referred to the i8th of this month, which is most generally allowed to have been the true date for his festival.
Article V. —St, Adda, Missionary among the Midland English. \Seventh Century^ The Bollandists have assigned the festival of this holy man to the 17th of January. ^ Camerarius ranks him among the Scottish saints ; and this too may have been correct, for it is possible he lived, at least for some short time, in Scotland. It is probable he was bom about the earlier part of the seventh century. Most likely he was a native of Northumbria, and thus this holy man was English by birth. He was also brothertoUltan,AbbotofCaprseCaput. ^ But,hewentovertoIrelandfor purposes of study, it is said, and to acquire greater perfection. 3 Afterwards he returned to England, and was one of St. Cedd's^ companions in prosecut- ing the work of the Lord among the Midland Saxons. Little more seems to be known concerning him.
Article VI. —St. Molaisse, of Cill-Molaisi, now Kilmolash, CountyofWaterford. AfestivalinhonorofMolaisse,ofCill-Molaisse,
is entered in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 17th of January. From the following notice, this place should be sought for in the Decies of Munster ;
for on this day, Molaisi, of Cill-Molaisi, in Deisi-Mumhan, is recorded in the MartyrologyofDonegal. ^ Wefindtheexactplace,inthepresentdenomina- tion of Kilmolash parish, partly in the barony of Decies-within-Drum, but chiefly in that of Decies-without-Drum, in the county of Waterford. 3 The ruins of religious edifices may yet be seen within this parish,^ and on a town- land bearing a like name. s Although the time when this present saint flourished has escaped detection, yet of his place the truant imagmation de- picts in the times of old
" various goodly-visaged men and youths resorting there, Some by the flood-side lonely walked ; and other some were seen
Who rapt apart in silent thought paced each his several green ; And stretched in dell and dark ravine, were some that lay supine,
And some in posture prone that lay, and conn'd the written line. "*
Article VII. —Feast of St. Anthony, Monk and Apostle of the Thebaid in Egypt. {Third and Fourth Centuries? )^ Although this great
Article iv. —' See " Lives of the Fa-
thers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , January xvii.
Article v. —' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xvii. Januarii.
Article vi. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. In the Franciscan copy we read at this date, molAirfe Cilli moLxirre 'Oepc.
= Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 20, 21.
^ See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Waterford," Sheets 29, 30, 35.
^ See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 181.
s See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Waterford," Sheet 29.
* See that admirable historic and romantic
poem "Congal," by Samuel Ferguson, LL. D. Book i. , lines 18 to 22.
*
See Bede's "Historia EcclesiasticaGen-
tis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 21, pp. 218, 219-
3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," vii. Januarii. Vita S. Ceddae, n. 4, pp. 20, 21. For this statement Colgan re- lies on Florence of Worcester, who says he
and his companions came "ex provincia Scotorum. "
*SeetheactsofSt. Ceddatthe7thof January.
300 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 17.
monastic master had no particular connexion with Ireland, he was specially venerated there, as would appear from our most ancient calendars. At the 17 th of January the following stanza occurs in the Leabhar Breac copy of the Felire of St. -^ngus. The original Iri—sh and the English translation
have been supplied by Professor O'Looney
C. XU1. kt, nofmo'LATnAi\ tneriic
ni'OArcALAi'o luclic Cef-Aif cen diitiAiT)
Ifeii Ancoin mAnAig.
C. rui. kl. We should often praise
Though they are not in our conversation
The band who were crucified without crime On the feast of the monk Anthony.
The Franciscan copy of the Martyrology of Tallagh places him likewise among the native saints, at this date, although no less than twenty-seven
foreign saints precede these, according to the generally observed plan in this ancient calendar. ^ Hence we may infer, that the patriarch of eastern monasticism was greatly honoured in the early Irish Church, where his spirit of asceticism was wonderfully emulated by so many self-denying members. St. AnthonywasbornatComainUpperEgypt,a. d. 251; whenstillavery young man he retired to the desert ; about the beginning of the fourth centuryheengagedintheworkoffoundingmonasteries; aftergreatlabours and moitifications his death took place a. d. 356. The great St. Athanasius has written his life. "
ArticleVIII. —St. MicaorMicca,Virgin. Addedinamorerecent
hand, and traced in Roman characters, on the authority of the Martyrology and on that of Marianus O'Gorman,' we find the name of a St. Mica or
Micca, virgin, set down in the Martyrology of Donegal,' on this day. A nearly similar entry occurs in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,3 at the 17th of January, as also in the unpublished one. More we cannot find re-
garding this holy virgin.
ArticleIX. —St. Clairnech,ofDruimBidhg. ASt. Claimech01
Druimbide is mentioned, on the 17th of January, in the Martyrology of
Tallagh. ' There was a Druim-Beathaigh, extending across the plain of
Maenmagh,nearthetownofLoughrea,inGalwaycounty. ' Somesimilarity of sound can be traced in both denominations, yet the locahty cannot be
clearlyascertained. Clairenech,ofDruimBidhg,appearsintheMartyrology
Article vii. —' Such arrangement also " Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. accords with the most ancient Greek and 20, 21.
Latin Martyrologies. The Franciscan copy 3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. In
enters Anconii m6n ^Xp CebATO egipci
the Franciscan copy we can only decipher
See. . . — for"SanclaeMicK. " ITlcce, probably
Article ix. 'Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xii. In the Franciscan copy at this date,
we read 1ncl,A]^enec '0)\otntnA bioe.
'See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (y), p. 28,
atthis
" See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the
day.
Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , xvii. January.
Article viii. Todd,
—'See a note
by
Dr.
•pobifcTi
:
JANUARY 1 8. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 301
of Donegal,3 on to-day. It is likely to have been that of this saint's demise and first birth in real bliss. '*
Article X. —Reputed Feast of St. Ultan, Monk of Lindisfarne, IN England. \_Eig/iih Century. ! ^ Without further warrant than the fact, that Colgan found the first Ultan named in our calendars at this day, our national hagiologist has introduced the present edifying and learned scribe to the notice of his readers. ' We think, however, that his festival and commemora- tion should be reserved more appropriately for the 8th day of August, where a further account of him may be expected.
(Bi^-)im\i\) J3ap of Samiarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. DICHUIL, DEICOLUS, OR DEICOLA, ABBOT OF LURE, IN FRANCE.
[SIXTH AND SEVENTH CENTURIES. ] CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—VARIOUS WRITERS OF ST. DICHUL's ACTS—HIS ORIGIN AND FAMILY CONNEXIONS— STATE OF FRANCE AND GERMANY, WHEN IRISH MISSIONARY ENTER- PRISE BEGAN—ST. DICHUL's BIRTH—HIS INTIMACY WITH ST. COLUMBANUS AND ST. GALLUS—AN ANECDOTE REGARDING HIM—ST. DICHUL LEAVES IRELAND WITH ST. COLUMBAN.
after Ireland's reception of Christianity, the Irish missionary spirit
teaching foreigners,
SOON
became active. Not content with
exceedingly
who came to them for instruction, the Irish clergy, during the seventh, eighth, and ninth centuries, spread themselves over the greater part of Europe. They wished to convert and civilize pagans inhabiting its northern parts. They desired to instruct unlettered Christians, likewise, and this state of spiritual destitution was the case with most of them everywhere, about that period of disorder and disturbance. France, Germany, Switzer- land, and even Italy itself, obtained many zealous apostles, who emigi-ated from our shores. A learned English prelate has written, that there is hardly a diocese, in the countries here mentioned, which does not record the learn- ing and sanctity of several illustrious missionaries from Ireland, who formerly
The most celebrated nurseries of religion and of learning in those ancient times, both in Great Britain and abroad, were all instituted by Irish scholars. '
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
20, 21.
* " For death the pure life saves,
And life all pure is love, and love can reach From heaven to earth, and nobler lessons
John Boyle O'Reilly's beautiful verses, in- from Maj-nooth, dated June 29th, 1807. tituled, "Forever," in "The Catholic
served it.
World," May, 1S74. '
Article x. — See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia;," xvii. Januarii. De B. Ultano Scoto, seuHiberno, Lindisfarnensi Monacho, p. 109. —
'
Art. i. —Chap.
Than those by mortals read. " See Mihier's "Letters from Ireland. " Letter
teach, —
i.
See Rev. Dr.
302 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i8.
According to Colgan there were four lives of this saint extant, besides thatmoreaccurateonegivenbyhimself^andBollandus. 3 Thiswaspub- lished by both of them at the i8th of January. The first of St.
Dichul's acts, left unpublished by Colgan, is a short biography found in Petrus ; the second is more diffuse, and it is given by Vincentius ;5 the third is more accurate than either of the former ones. This latter was published by Hugh Menard. ^ Thefourth,whichisstillmoreextendedandvaluablethananyof those already alluded to, was issued by Belfortius. ? All of these four acts were omitted by Colgan, because they were found to have been only com- pendiums of that life, as published. They were also inferior to the latter, on the score of its superior antiquity.
The latter life had been previously published in the great BoUandist collection. It was written by an anonymous author, who, in the opinion of Bollandus, flourished about seven hundred years before his owti time. This the writer himself seems to insinuate, in the biography : especially in the two last chapters,^ where from allusions made he appears to have been a contemporary with St. Baltheann, Abbot, and first restorer of Lure Monastery, as likewise with Otho I. , before he had been called to the Imperial throne, A. D. 902. The same Avriter also conveys an idea, that he was rather a familiar with the monks of Lure, than that he had been a monk by profes- sion. The style and matter of this ancient life prove its author to have had some acquaintance with classical literature and with the science of his
age. Considering the period at which it was written, it may be regarded as a
tolerable specimen of Latin composition, disfigured however by turgid epithets, and by distorted figures in many of its sentences. ^ According to William Cave,"thiswriterflourishedabouttheyear950. Variousmanuscriptcopies ofhisbiographyappeartohavebeenpreserved. " Fromcertainremarks contained in the preface, it is easy to infer that the author undertook his task of compilation to satisfy the pious requirements of an influential friend. From this too we learn that he dedicated it to a certain Vardolphus. He is represented in the last chapters as having been sent to Otho I. , before he became emperor, to procure a confirmation of a grant for the possession of Lure Monastery to St. Baltrann. This saint was uncle to Vardolphus on the mother's side. The same year Vardolphus succeeded him in the govern- ment of this monastery. The subject of the present memoir was called Dichuill by the Irish. The name has been Latinized to DichuUus but more properly to Deicola, as Colgan remarks, for the origin of the word is derived from a Latin source. It was well known to the Irish and first adopted by them, after their reception of the Christian faith. At a later period, it was still more in use. "
' See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xviii.
Januarii. Vita S. Deicoli, pp. 115 to 127. 3 See " Acta Sanctorum, tomus ii. , xviii.
' This sort of style begins to betray its
"
tained in ten chapters and forty-six para- digesta. " Pars altera saec. obs. , p. 315. graphs, pp. 199 to 210. " Among these we find the following * Lib. ii. , cap. 98. described by Sir Thomas Duffus Hardy.
5 Lib. xxiv. , cap. i. , and the following Vita S. Deicoli, sive DeicolDe, Abbatis
'° See "
Januarii. Acta S. Deicoli. These are con- toria Literaria facile et perspicua Methdo
chapters.
' " In Observationibus ad Martyrologium
Benedictinum"ad18Januarii.
7 In his supplement.
Lutrensis in Burgundia, auctore anonymo MS. Lutreus. Vita S. Deicoli, MS. Bibl. deI'EcoledeMedecine,Montpellier. Vita S. Deicoli, Abbatis Lutrensis, auctore Monacho anonymo ad an. 620. MS. loel.
® Bollandus published this life from a MS.
belonging to Luxeu. It was furnished by listerc.
P^re Chiffet. " Colgan quotes as authorities, Vincentius,
peculiarities in the
Prologus auctoris. "
Scriptorum
Ecclesiasticorum His-
JANUARY i8. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 363
The Benedictines, in their collection of saints' acts have published the life of St. Deicolus. '3 A memoir of this holy abbot will also be found, in Adrien Baillet's"^ and Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints,'5as also in those lately issued by the Anglican clergyman. Rev, S. Baring-Gould. '^ Another form of the holy abbot's name was Deel, Deld, Dielf, Dieu or Diel, Deile or Diey ;'7 and under such varied denomination in spelling, we have the early Irish Dichul or Dichuill transformed into some corresponding change, pro- bably peculiar to the genius of the ancient GauUsh or Celtic dialect.
St. Dichul, or as Latinized Deicolus, the elder brother of St. Gallus, was born in Ireland towards the middle of the sixth century. He is said to have been the brother of St. Columban,'^ on the mother's side. However this be, an early attachment seems to have been formed between both, grounded on feelings not alone of relationship, but originating more from the pure love of Godandofreligion,whichdistinguishedtheseholypersons. Theanonymous author of our saint's acts, before entering on the immediate subject of his treatise, gives a preliminary chapter regarding the patron saints of various French cities. '^ However historically interesting this may be, it is not im- mediately relevant to the chief subj ect of his memoir.
Having cursorily alluded to the several places in France and to their
respective patron saints, the anonymous author of Dichul's acts observes, that the time and order of his narrative naturally led him to the territory
near Besangon. Here a spot most signally and spiritually favoured was known on the margin of the Vosges forests. This place was named Luxeu.
During the reign of Sigebert,'^° King of the French, pious fervour had been greatly diminished, not only among secular clergy, but even among inhabi- tants of the cloisters, throughout nearly the whole of France and Germany. Thus, according to the prophet Baruch, although "the stars have given light in
their watches,"^' by an increasing negligence, darkness had prevailed.
They began to grow dim, and the charity of many waxed cold with a pre- valence of iniquity and irreligious customs, so that fervent spiritual persons were rarely found. The Redeemer of this world, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, seeing His Church left a prey to the sloth and carelessness of
lib. xxiv. , cap. ii. Petrus, lib. ii. , cap. 98, sometimes called Columbanus, godson and and Belfortius, in his supplement, as also disciple to St. Deicolus. The St. Gallus
other Menologic writers. See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemioe," xviii. Januarii. Vita S. Deicoli. Prologus Auctoris, pp. 115, 116, and nn. I, 2, 3, p. 125, ibid.
»3 See "Acta Sanctorum Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , pp. 102 to 116. This life has previous observations in thirty- six
or Deel.
'5 See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , xviii.
mentioned was the great Apostle of Switzer- land whose feast occurs on the i6th of Oc- tober, at which day his acts will be found in a subsequent volume of this work.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
paragraphs.
'• See "Les Vies des
i. , pp. 116, 117, and nn. 4 to 26, p. 126, ibid.
'° He was the son of Clothaire
pp. 222 to 224. St. Diel or Deile, St. Diey of Austrasia, and he was murdered by
January.
'* "
assassins in the fourteenth year of his reign, a. d. 578.
*'
Cap. iii. , v. 34. The ancient writer of our saint's acts quotes this passage, as taken from the prophet Jeremias, in accordance withacustomoftheancientfathers,who considered the book of Baruch as a part of the prophecy of Jeremias. They usually quoted it under the name of this latter,
Baruch was secretary and disciple to Jere-
mias. He was learned in the and a law,
man of noble extraction. See R. P. Jacobi
See Lives of the Saints," vol. i. ,
Januaryxviii. , pp. 208to283.
'7 This saint is commemorated in the
Roman Martyrology, and by Father Stephen White, in "Apologia pro Hibernia," cap. ii. , p. 14 and cap. iv. , p. 38.
'* his familiars are reckoned " Among
ge- minos uterinos fratres Galium et Deicolam. "
"
turam," tomus i. , p. 383.
Saints,"
tome
i. ,
I. , King
Vita S. Deicoli, cap. ii. The Columbanus Tirini, here noticed wasdifferentfromtheColumbin,
Commentarius in Sacram Scrip-
'' See
niae," xviii. Januarii. Vita S. Deicoli, cap.
Colgan's
304 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i8.
some faithless pastors, had ordained, that a luminary should emerge from the distant shores of Ireland^^—lying westwards from his country—to spread bright rays over the plains of France. This great luminary was no other than St. Columbanus,='3 the illustrious compatriot of all those who were natives of Scotia. ^* The learning and virtues of this distinguished saint are next alluded to, as also the influence which he exercised in bringing many other disciples with him to distant parts. The amount of sacred and profane knowledge attributed to St. Columbanus tends to give us a most favourable idea regarding the state of our Irish schools at that early period. ^5 Little is known respecting the early training and particular place of St. Dichul's
nativity.
One incident is related, serving to illustrate the piety of his tender years.
The serene calm of a happy conscience, which Dichul experienced in his
youth, and the happy dispositions of his soul, are best expressed in the anecdote recorded of him by his biographers. St. Columban one day asked
"
ofDichul "Becauseno was,
Being inflamed with missionary zeal, St. Dichul left his native country as one of the twelve companions of Columban. It is even said he lived with this master in the kingdom of the East Angles, for a short period. ^7 When Columbanus abandoned England for France, where he founded the Monas- tery of Luxeu, in the desert of the Vosges Mountains, St. Dichul was the faithful companion of his wanderings and of his retirement.
CHAPTER II.
ST, COLUMBANUS ESTABLISHES HIS MONASTERY AT LUXEU—HE AND HIS COMMUNITY DRIVEN FROM THAT PLACE—ST. DICHUL'S INFIRMITIES PREVENT HIM FROM AC- COMPANYING HIS SUPERIOR—THEY PART AT VEPRAS, WITH AFFECTIONATE AND RELIGIOUS SADNESS—ST. DICHUL'S TRAVELS AND SUFFERINGS—A FOUNTAIN OF WATER MIRACULOUSLY PRODUCED.
When the great St. Columbanus, through royal bounty, obtained permission to reside in the kingdom of Burgundy, at first he choose to live a sort of
eremitical life with a few companions in the wilderness. But after a while,
Why
hewas ? " The always smiling reply
him,
person can deprive me of my God. "^^
^ Colgan alludes to a passage taken from
torum Hibemiae," xviii.
and of a parish, in the barony of Corkaree, and in the county of Westmeath. *
Perhaps this local denomination might be equivalent to Tigh-Ernain. But the Rev. A. Cogans has identified this saint's place with the present Tegh- emain,andhehasitinthecountyofMeath. ^ Withsomedoubtofidentity expressed, Colgan states this Ernan, whom he calls Memoc, likewise, may have been one of St. Columkille's disciples. '
Article IV. —Feast of St. Nennius or Nennidhius, Abbot. The Rev. Alban Butler has introduced notices of this saint, but with some in-
*5"
" the house of or Airindan,"
January 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 299
accuracies of statement, at this day. ^ To the writer it seems better, that his commemoration and biography should be referred to the i8th of this month, which is most generally allowed to have been the true date for his festival.
Article V. —St, Adda, Missionary among the Midland English. \Seventh Century^ The Bollandists have assigned the festival of this holy man to the 17th of January. ^ Camerarius ranks him among the Scottish saints ; and this too may have been correct, for it is possible he lived, at least for some short time, in Scotland. It is probable he was bom about the earlier part of the seventh century. Most likely he was a native of Northumbria, and thus this holy man was English by birth. He was also brothertoUltan,AbbotofCaprseCaput. ^ But,hewentovertoIrelandfor purposes of study, it is said, and to acquire greater perfection. 3 Afterwards he returned to England, and was one of St. Cedd's^ companions in prosecut- ing the work of the Lord among the Midland Saxons. Little more seems to be known concerning him.
Article VI. —St. Molaisse, of Cill-Molaisi, now Kilmolash, CountyofWaterford. AfestivalinhonorofMolaisse,ofCill-Molaisse,
is entered in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 17th of January. From the following notice, this place should be sought for in the Decies of Munster ;
for on this day, Molaisi, of Cill-Molaisi, in Deisi-Mumhan, is recorded in the MartyrologyofDonegal. ^ Wefindtheexactplace,inthepresentdenomina- tion of Kilmolash parish, partly in the barony of Decies-within-Drum, but chiefly in that of Decies-without-Drum, in the county of Waterford. 3 The ruins of religious edifices may yet be seen within this parish,^ and on a town- land bearing a like name. s Although the time when this present saint flourished has escaped detection, yet of his place the truant imagmation de- picts in the times of old
" various goodly-visaged men and youths resorting there, Some by the flood-side lonely walked ; and other some were seen
Who rapt apart in silent thought paced each his several green ; And stretched in dell and dark ravine, were some that lay supine,
And some in posture prone that lay, and conn'd the written line. "*
Article VII. —Feast of St. Anthony, Monk and Apostle of the Thebaid in Egypt. {Third and Fourth Centuries? )^ Although this great
Article iv. —' See " Lives of the Fa-
thers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , January xvii.
Article v. —' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xvii. Januarii.
Article vi. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. In the Franciscan copy we read at this date, molAirfe Cilli moLxirre 'Oepc.
= Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 20, 21.
^ See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Waterford," Sheets 29, 30, 35.
^ See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 181.
s See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Waterford," Sheet 29.
* See that admirable historic and romantic
poem "Congal," by Samuel Ferguson, LL. D. Book i. , lines 18 to 22.
*
See Bede's "Historia EcclesiasticaGen-
tis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 21, pp. 218, 219-
3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," vii. Januarii. Vita S. Ceddae, n. 4, pp. 20, 21. For this statement Colgan re- lies on Florence of Worcester, who says he
and his companions came "ex provincia Scotorum. "
*SeetheactsofSt. Ceddatthe7thof January.
300 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 17.
monastic master had no particular connexion with Ireland, he was specially venerated there, as would appear from our most ancient calendars. At the 17 th of January the following stanza occurs in the Leabhar Breac copy of the Felire of St. -^ngus. The original Iri—sh and the English translation
have been supplied by Professor O'Looney
C. XU1. kt, nofmo'LATnAi\ tneriic
ni'OArcALAi'o luclic Cef-Aif cen diitiAiT)
Ifeii Ancoin mAnAig.
C. rui. kl. We should often praise
Though they are not in our conversation
The band who were crucified without crime On the feast of the monk Anthony.
The Franciscan copy of the Martyrology of Tallagh places him likewise among the native saints, at this date, although no less than twenty-seven
foreign saints precede these, according to the generally observed plan in this ancient calendar. ^ Hence we may infer, that the patriarch of eastern monasticism was greatly honoured in the early Irish Church, where his spirit of asceticism was wonderfully emulated by so many self-denying members. St. AnthonywasbornatComainUpperEgypt,a. d. 251; whenstillavery young man he retired to the desert ; about the beginning of the fourth centuryheengagedintheworkoffoundingmonasteries; aftergreatlabours and moitifications his death took place a. d. 356. The great St. Athanasius has written his life. "
ArticleVIII. —St. MicaorMicca,Virgin. Addedinamorerecent
hand, and traced in Roman characters, on the authority of the Martyrology and on that of Marianus O'Gorman,' we find the name of a St. Mica or
Micca, virgin, set down in the Martyrology of Donegal,' on this day. A nearly similar entry occurs in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,3 at the 17th of January, as also in the unpublished one. More we cannot find re-
garding this holy virgin.
ArticleIX. —St. Clairnech,ofDruimBidhg. ASt. Claimech01
Druimbide is mentioned, on the 17th of January, in the Martyrology of
Tallagh. ' There was a Druim-Beathaigh, extending across the plain of
Maenmagh,nearthetownofLoughrea,inGalwaycounty. ' Somesimilarity of sound can be traced in both denominations, yet the locahty cannot be
clearlyascertained. Clairenech,ofDruimBidhg,appearsintheMartyrology
Article vii. —' Such arrangement also " Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. accords with the most ancient Greek and 20, 21.
Latin Martyrologies. The Franciscan copy 3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. In
enters Anconii m6n ^Xp CebATO egipci
the Franciscan copy we can only decipher
See. . . — for"SanclaeMicK. " ITlcce, probably
Article ix. 'Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xii. In the Franciscan copy at this date,
we read 1ncl,A]^enec '0)\otntnA bioe.
'See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (y), p. 28,
atthis
" See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the
day.
Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , xvii. January.
Article viii. Todd,
—'See a note
by
Dr.
•pobifcTi
:
JANUARY 1 8. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 301
of Donegal,3 on to-day. It is likely to have been that of this saint's demise and first birth in real bliss. '*
Article X. —Reputed Feast of St. Ultan, Monk of Lindisfarne, IN England. \_Eig/iih Century. ! ^ Without further warrant than the fact, that Colgan found the first Ultan named in our calendars at this day, our national hagiologist has introduced the present edifying and learned scribe to the notice of his readers. ' We think, however, that his festival and commemora- tion should be reserved more appropriately for the 8th day of August, where a further account of him may be expected.
(Bi^-)im\i\) J3ap of Samiarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. DICHUIL, DEICOLUS, OR DEICOLA, ABBOT OF LURE, IN FRANCE.
[SIXTH AND SEVENTH CENTURIES. ] CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—VARIOUS WRITERS OF ST. DICHUL's ACTS—HIS ORIGIN AND FAMILY CONNEXIONS— STATE OF FRANCE AND GERMANY, WHEN IRISH MISSIONARY ENTER- PRISE BEGAN—ST. DICHUL's BIRTH—HIS INTIMACY WITH ST. COLUMBANUS AND ST. GALLUS—AN ANECDOTE REGARDING HIM—ST. DICHUL LEAVES IRELAND WITH ST. COLUMBAN.
after Ireland's reception of Christianity, the Irish missionary spirit
teaching foreigners,
SOON
became active. Not content with
exceedingly
who came to them for instruction, the Irish clergy, during the seventh, eighth, and ninth centuries, spread themselves over the greater part of Europe. They wished to convert and civilize pagans inhabiting its northern parts. They desired to instruct unlettered Christians, likewise, and this state of spiritual destitution was the case with most of them everywhere, about that period of disorder and disturbance. France, Germany, Switzer- land, and even Italy itself, obtained many zealous apostles, who emigi-ated from our shores. A learned English prelate has written, that there is hardly a diocese, in the countries here mentioned, which does not record the learn- ing and sanctity of several illustrious missionaries from Ireland, who formerly
The most celebrated nurseries of religion and of learning in those ancient times, both in Great Britain and abroad, were all instituted by Irish scholars. '
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
20, 21.
* " For death the pure life saves,
And life all pure is love, and love can reach From heaven to earth, and nobler lessons
John Boyle O'Reilly's beautiful verses, in- from Maj-nooth, dated June 29th, 1807. tituled, "Forever," in "The Catholic
served it.
World," May, 1S74. '
Article x. — See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia;," xvii. Januarii. De B. Ultano Scoto, seuHiberno, Lindisfarnensi Monacho, p. 109. —
'
Art. i. —Chap.
Than those by mortals read. " See Mihier's "Letters from Ireland. " Letter
teach, —
i.
See Rev. Dr.
302 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i8.
According to Colgan there were four lives of this saint extant, besides thatmoreaccurateonegivenbyhimself^andBollandus. 3 Thiswaspub- lished by both of them at the i8th of January. The first of St.
Dichul's acts, left unpublished by Colgan, is a short biography found in Petrus ; the second is more diffuse, and it is given by Vincentius ;5 the third is more accurate than either of the former ones. This latter was published by Hugh Menard. ^ Thefourth,whichisstillmoreextendedandvaluablethananyof those already alluded to, was issued by Belfortius. ? All of these four acts were omitted by Colgan, because they were found to have been only com- pendiums of that life, as published. They were also inferior to the latter, on the score of its superior antiquity.
The latter life had been previously published in the great BoUandist collection. It was written by an anonymous author, who, in the opinion of Bollandus, flourished about seven hundred years before his owti time. This the writer himself seems to insinuate, in the biography : especially in the two last chapters,^ where from allusions made he appears to have been a contemporary with St. Baltheann, Abbot, and first restorer of Lure Monastery, as likewise with Otho I. , before he had been called to the Imperial throne, A. D. 902. The same Avriter also conveys an idea, that he was rather a familiar with the monks of Lure, than that he had been a monk by profes- sion. The style and matter of this ancient life prove its author to have had some acquaintance with classical literature and with the science of his
age. Considering the period at which it was written, it may be regarded as a
tolerable specimen of Latin composition, disfigured however by turgid epithets, and by distorted figures in many of its sentences. ^ According to William Cave,"thiswriterflourishedabouttheyear950. Variousmanuscriptcopies ofhisbiographyappeartohavebeenpreserved. " Fromcertainremarks contained in the preface, it is easy to infer that the author undertook his task of compilation to satisfy the pious requirements of an influential friend. From this too we learn that he dedicated it to a certain Vardolphus. He is represented in the last chapters as having been sent to Otho I. , before he became emperor, to procure a confirmation of a grant for the possession of Lure Monastery to St. Baltrann. This saint was uncle to Vardolphus on the mother's side. The same year Vardolphus succeeded him in the govern- ment of this monastery. The subject of the present memoir was called Dichuill by the Irish. The name has been Latinized to DichuUus but more properly to Deicola, as Colgan remarks, for the origin of the word is derived from a Latin source. It was well known to the Irish and first adopted by them, after their reception of the Christian faith. At a later period, it was still more in use. "
' See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xviii.
Januarii. Vita S. Deicoli, pp. 115 to 127. 3 See " Acta Sanctorum, tomus ii. , xviii.
' This sort of style begins to betray its
"
tained in ten chapters and forty-six para- digesta. " Pars altera saec. obs. , p. 315. graphs, pp. 199 to 210. " Among these we find the following * Lib. ii. , cap. 98. described by Sir Thomas Duffus Hardy.
5 Lib. xxiv. , cap. i. , and the following Vita S. Deicoli, sive DeicolDe, Abbatis
'° See "
Januarii. Acta S. Deicoli. These are con- toria Literaria facile et perspicua Methdo
chapters.
' " In Observationibus ad Martyrologium
Benedictinum"ad18Januarii.
7 In his supplement.
Lutrensis in Burgundia, auctore anonymo MS. Lutreus. Vita S. Deicoli, MS. Bibl. deI'EcoledeMedecine,Montpellier. Vita S. Deicoli, Abbatis Lutrensis, auctore Monacho anonymo ad an. 620. MS. loel.
® Bollandus published this life from a MS.
belonging to Luxeu. It was furnished by listerc.
P^re Chiffet. " Colgan quotes as authorities, Vincentius,
peculiarities in the
Prologus auctoris. "
Scriptorum
Ecclesiasticorum His-
JANUARY i8. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 363
The Benedictines, in their collection of saints' acts have published the life of St. Deicolus. '3 A memoir of this holy abbot will also be found, in Adrien Baillet's"^ and Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints,'5as also in those lately issued by the Anglican clergyman. Rev, S. Baring-Gould. '^ Another form of the holy abbot's name was Deel, Deld, Dielf, Dieu or Diel, Deile or Diey ;'7 and under such varied denomination in spelling, we have the early Irish Dichul or Dichuill transformed into some corresponding change, pro- bably peculiar to the genius of the ancient GauUsh or Celtic dialect.
St. Dichul, or as Latinized Deicolus, the elder brother of St. Gallus, was born in Ireland towards the middle of the sixth century. He is said to have been the brother of St. Columban,'^ on the mother's side. However this be, an early attachment seems to have been formed between both, grounded on feelings not alone of relationship, but originating more from the pure love of Godandofreligion,whichdistinguishedtheseholypersons. Theanonymous author of our saint's acts, before entering on the immediate subject of his treatise, gives a preliminary chapter regarding the patron saints of various French cities. '^ However historically interesting this may be, it is not im- mediately relevant to the chief subj ect of his memoir.
Having cursorily alluded to the several places in France and to their
respective patron saints, the anonymous author of Dichul's acts observes, that the time and order of his narrative naturally led him to the territory
near Besangon. Here a spot most signally and spiritually favoured was known on the margin of the Vosges forests. This place was named Luxeu.
During the reign of Sigebert,'^° King of the French, pious fervour had been greatly diminished, not only among secular clergy, but even among inhabi- tants of the cloisters, throughout nearly the whole of France and Germany. Thus, according to the prophet Baruch, although "the stars have given light in
their watches,"^' by an increasing negligence, darkness had prevailed.
They began to grow dim, and the charity of many waxed cold with a pre- valence of iniquity and irreligious customs, so that fervent spiritual persons were rarely found. The Redeemer of this world, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, seeing His Church left a prey to the sloth and carelessness of
lib. xxiv. , cap. ii. Petrus, lib. ii. , cap. 98, sometimes called Columbanus, godson and and Belfortius, in his supplement, as also disciple to St. Deicolus. The St. Gallus
other Menologic writers. See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemioe," xviii. Januarii. Vita S. Deicoli. Prologus Auctoris, pp. 115, 116, and nn. I, 2, 3, p. 125, ibid.
»3 See "Acta Sanctorum Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , pp. 102 to 116. This life has previous observations in thirty- six
or Deel.
'5 See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , xviii.
mentioned was the great Apostle of Switzer- land whose feast occurs on the i6th of Oc- tober, at which day his acts will be found in a subsequent volume of this work.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
paragraphs.
'• See "Les Vies des
i. , pp. 116, 117, and nn. 4 to 26, p. 126, ibid.
'° He was the son of Clothaire
pp. 222 to 224. St. Diel or Deile, St. Diey of Austrasia, and he was murdered by
January.
'* "
assassins in the fourteenth year of his reign, a. d. 578.
*'
Cap. iii. , v. 34. The ancient writer of our saint's acts quotes this passage, as taken from the prophet Jeremias, in accordance withacustomoftheancientfathers,who considered the book of Baruch as a part of the prophecy of Jeremias. They usually quoted it under the name of this latter,
Baruch was secretary and disciple to Jere-
mias. He was learned in the and a law,
man of noble extraction. See R. P. Jacobi
See Lives of the Saints," vol. i. ,
Januaryxviii. , pp. 208to283.
'7 This saint is commemorated in the
Roman Martyrology, and by Father Stephen White, in "Apologia pro Hibernia," cap. ii. , p. 14 and cap. iv. , p. 38.
'* his familiars are reckoned " Among
ge- minos uterinos fratres Galium et Deicolam. "
"
turam," tomus i. , p. 383.
Saints,"
tome
i. ,
I. , King
Vita S. Deicoli, cap. ii. The Columbanus Tirini, here noticed wasdifferentfromtheColumbin,
Commentarius in Sacram Scrip-
'' See
niae," xviii. Januarii. Vita S. Deicoli, cap.
Colgan's
304 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i8.
some faithless pastors, had ordained, that a luminary should emerge from the distant shores of Ireland^^—lying westwards from his country—to spread bright rays over the plains of France. This great luminary was no other than St. Columbanus,='3 the illustrious compatriot of all those who were natives of Scotia. ^* The learning and virtues of this distinguished saint are next alluded to, as also the influence which he exercised in bringing many other disciples with him to distant parts. The amount of sacred and profane knowledge attributed to St. Columbanus tends to give us a most favourable idea regarding the state of our Irish schools at that early period. ^5 Little is known respecting the early training and particular place of St. Dichul's
nativity.
One incident is related, serving to illustrate the piety of his tender years.
The serene calm of a happy conscience, which Dichul experienced in his
youth, and the happy dispositions of his soul, are best expressed in the anecdote recorded of him by his biographers. St. Columban one day asked
"
ofDichul "Becauseno was,
Being inflamed with missionary zeal, St. Dichul left his native country as one of the twelve companions of Columban. It is even said he lived with this master in the kingdom of the East Angles, for a short period. ^7 When Columbanus abandoned England for France, where he founded the Monas- tery of Luxeu, in the desert of the Vosges Mountains, St. Dichul was the faithful companion of his wanderings and of his retirement.
CHAPTER II.
ST, COLUMBANUS ESTABLISHES HIS MONASTERY AT LUXEU—HE AND HIS COMMUNITY DRIVEN FROM THAT PLACE—ST. DICHUL'S INFIRMITIES PREVENT HIM FROM AC- COMPANYING HIS SUPERIOR—THEY PART AT VEPRAS, WITH AFFECTIONATE AND RELIGIOUS SADNESS—ST. DICHUL'S TRAVELS AND SUFFERINGS—A FOUNTAIN OF WATER MIRACULOUSLY PRODUCED.
When the great St. Columbanus, through royal bounty, obtained permission to reside in the kingdom of Burgundy, at first he choose to live a sort of
eremitical life with a few companions in the wilderness. But after a while,
Why
hewas ? " The always smiling reply
him,
person can deprive me of my God. "^^
^ Colgan alludes to a passage taken from
torum Hibemiae," xviii.
