No More Learning

=3 At the 27th of March, the name of St.
Rupert, or Robert, Bishop of Saltzbourg, C, is set doNvn.
^* In " Les Vies des Saints," tome i. , is registered St. Rupert, or Robert, Bishop of Salzburg, at the 27lh of March, pp. 349 to 352.
3° See " Menologium Scoticum," in Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish
Saints," p. 194.
3' Both Dempster and Camerarius, at the
27th of March, endeavour to claim Rupert, as a Scotchman.
3* He is said, by Bmnner, to have written the Acts of St. Rupert, a. d. 1186.
33 See Andrew Brunner, "Annalium
Boiorum," lib. v. , cap. i.
3« See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber*
"
other Principal Saints," vol. iii, March xxvii.
*s See
Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
^*
It m—ust be remarked, that the Rev. Dr. nice," xxvii. Martii, n. 2, p. 761. Also,
paragraphs ;
there
Officia Sanctorum Hi- Propria
Lanigan in a too summary manner—dis- misses the idea, that Rupert was a native of
3S Various other German writers have a Irish connexions. Yet, Lanigan's chief similar statement, such as the anonymous
Ireland,
and the that he had probability,
arguments seem to be, that there are absurd accounts in those Acts, which ascribe his baptism to St. Patrick, that he died after-
wards in the seventh, or eighth, century, and that his name Rudpert, or Rupert, is not an
writer of his Acts, as published by Canisius, Cornelius Grazius, &c.
3* This is clearly a mistake, as referring to the Apostle of Ireland, when we take into account the years in which the present saint
xix. , sect, vi. , and n. 65, pp. 162 to 164.
*' This account, remarks Canisius, is taken from an ancient history, which was to
Hundius, in Metropoli Salisburgensi, Corne-
-9 See
beniise," Die xxvii. Martii, lect. iv. , p. 40.
Appendix ad Acta S. Ruperti, cap, iii. pp. 767, 768.
974 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 27.
trious for his faith and piety ; as, likewise, for his ecclesiastical learning, and for the extraordinary virtues and self-abnegation he practised, from his youth,
and as he grew to manhood. Despising riches and pleasures, leaving his parents and native country, he is said to have visited Rome, where he made
a pilgrimage to the sacred places, with great devotion. There, too, he learned what places he should select, for his future mission and government. We are told, likewise, that his brother Trudbertus 37 and his sister Erentrude 3^ were his companions, as they had resolved on missionary labours and sacri- ficesabroad,whenleavingtheirowncountry. Thetimeforseparationfrom his brother and sister had now come ; and Trudbert, leaving with them the bounds of Italy, came to a valley, called Prysgangia, or Brisgangia,39 not far fromtheRiverRhine. Here,hehadresolvedontakinguphisresidence, and here, too, he began to cultivate some wild land, near his hermitage. But, soon it was destined to become the place of his martyrdom. Meantime, the holy Rupert and his angelic sister Erentrude continued their journey, along the bed of the Rhine, until they came to Bormacia,*° now known as
Worms,-*' on that great river.
as
bert,*3 variously written,
At this time, Hilpert,*=^ Hildebert, or Ch—ilde-
is said to have flourished, and the year in
*5 This was not the Childebert, who died A. D. 560, or 561, but rather Childebert, son of Sigebert, who ruled over Austrasia, and
was —over that king part
of the
country
the
peopleofwhicharecalledVangiones, andduringthesecondyearofhis
reign, St. Rupert arrived. He drew persons from the neighbourhood, as
from remote provinces, to receive his doctrine, advice and instructions. He removed all their doubts and scruples. He comforted the afflicted, while he cured the sick. He healed the disorders of souls, and moved many by his great example. At tliis time, he was in the fortieth year of his age. ** So distinguished were his merits, that these caused him to be elevated, with universal acclaim, to the Episcopal See, at Worms. +s However, a tyrant, named Borcharius, hating the Church and clergy, and ruling that people, among whom he lived—they being for the most part idolaters—could not bear the lustre of such sanctity, which condemned their irregularities and superstitions. About the year 580,*^ it is said, they beat him with rods, loaded him with all manner of outrages, and then expelled him their city. *7 This he bore with great meekness and patience. For two years, he is said to have wandered, as an exile, and during this interval, he made a second journey to Rome, in the time of Pope Pelagius II. *^ While here, he prayed to the Almighty for light to guide his future course, and feeling that Germany was destined to become the theatre of his labours, Rupert set out once more
which he died. Noticing this difficulty,
Colgan considered, that the nephew of the
great St. Patrick, or Patricius Junior, may afterwards over Burgundy, from the year have been meant. See "Acta Sanctorum 576 to 596, according to Mirasus, in his Hibernise," Martii xxvii. Appendix ad Eelgic Annals.
Acta S. Ruperti, cap. iii. , pp. 767, 768. Yet, it seems better to dismiss this account, as derived from a false tradition.
•* According to the Life, published by Canisius.
*5 According to Dempster, he founded 37 His festival belongs to the 26lh of this See. "Menologium Scoticum," in
April.
3^ By some writers, however, she is called
"
Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of Scottish
Saints," p. 194.
"** This the lifetime of happened, during
Childebert, son of Sigebert.
^' See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of
the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," vol. iii. , Alarch xxvii.
^ He ruled from 578 to 590. See Sir
Harris Nicolas' "Chronology of History," p. 211.
*' He was a relative of Garibald, who
his niece. Her feast is
usually assigned
to
the 30th of June. The Translation of her
Relics is observed, on the 3rd of September.
39 This place is said to have been within the territory of the Rauraci, near the Hyrci- nian forest, in Upper Germany.
*" Sometimes written, Bormitomagum. *' In Latin, Wormacia.
*' We also find him called Hylderic.
March 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 975
for that country. But God, who protected his servant, had prepared for him a rich harvest of souls. At that time, Theodo, or Theodon the Elder, was Duke of Bavaria. At this time, too, he was a Pagan chief. ^9 Hearing about the great reputation and miracles of St. Rupert, that ruler sent messengers to him. These noblemen earnestly besought our saint, in the name of Theodon, to come and preach the gospel to his people, the Baioarians, or Bavarians. The old Reginum, afterwards called Rigensbourg, and now Ratisbon, was the capital of all those provinces. This happened two years after Rupert's expulsion from Worms, and about a. d. 582. However, according to the Salzburg tradition,5° he came to Ratisbon, during the first half of the sixth century f^ while several writers hold, that St. Rupert did not arrive there, before the time of Duke Theodo II. , a. d. 696,5^ and, in the second year of the reign of King Childebert III. 53 When our saint ap- proached the city, Theodo and all his courtiers came to meet him, and he was conducted to the court, in a sort of triumphal progress. Nevertheless, the Christian faith had been planted, in that country, two hundred years before, bySt. Severinus. s4 Hewasregarded,astheApostleofNoricum,orAustria. After his death, heresies and heathenish superstitions prevailed. These had almost entirely extinguished the light of the Gospel, for a long interval. St. Valentine,55BishopofPassau,hadalsolaboured,inthoseparts. Bagintrude, the sister of Duke Theodon, had been already a Christian. Therefore she hadreligiouslydisposedherbrother; and,throughhisexcellentexample,that whole country was ready to receive the Christian faith. Soon Rupert found the hearts, both of the nobles and of the people, quite docile to the Word of God. Having the help of other zealous priests, whom he had brought v/ith him, our saint instructed the chief. Having ordered a general fast, Rupert baptized Duke Theodon with the lords and people of that whole country. God confirmed his preaching by many miracles. At the chief's request, Rupert went afterwards on board a vessel, and he sailed down the Danube, through Norica, even to lower Pannonia. In the villages, towns, and castles, of these countries, the great herald of the Gospel proclaimed the glad tidings of salvation, and everywhere the empire of paganism began to crumble, while the practices of idolatry and superstition began to disappear. After Ratisbon, the capital, the second chief seat of his labours was Laureacum, now called Lorch,5^ where he healed several diseases, by prayer, and where he made many converts. Through the Alpine region of Carinthia,57 he travelled and preached. The Duke and his subjects desired that St. Rupert should definitely fix upon a place, for his permanent residence, as a bishop. He cametoalake,calledWalarius,^^otherwise,theWaller-zee. Here,heerected
was chief over the Bojari, or Bavarians, 5* Mabillon, Hansiz, and Wattenbach, who had settled in Noricum and Vindelicia. favour this view. In his History of the
Towards tlie close of the sixth century, he had become a Christian. See " Monu- menta Boica Monac. " This great work ap- peared, from a. d. 1769 to a. d. 1S61, in 37 vols.
5° This tradition has been defended, by
Koch-Sternfeld, in a Treatise, published a. d. 1850, On the true age when St. Rupert lived, and later still, A. D. 1866, by Friedrich, in his work. On the true age of St. Rupert, published at Bamberg.
s' The whole of this Chronological con- troversy has been ably treated, in Mohler's Church History, edited by Gams, vol. ii. , pp. 60 to 67.
Religion of the People, Gfrorer has given reasons for stating, that after Pepin's death, A. D. 714, he suddenly left Bavaria, a. d. 716, and returned to Worms, where he died, See vol. i. , pp. 280 et seq.
s^ He ruled from a. d. 695 to 711.
S4 j-jis feast occurs, at the 8th of January, and he died A. D. 482.
^3 His feast is kept, on the 7th of January, and he died a. d. 440.
5<> A town on the River Danube, lying midway between Ratisbon and Vienna,
^7 The people were called Carinthii, by some writers, and by others Charantaui.
976 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 27.
a church, in honour of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles. Thence, he went towards the River Juvavia,59 and he found there a romantic and mountainous
suitable for his
^° That
was covered with
woods,
soon rebuilt, and, afterwards, it was called Saltzbourg. Rupert is called the firstArchbishopofthisSee,byDempster. ^' Here,theholyprelatebuilta
church, dedicated to St. Peter, to which, afterwards, he added a monastery, and thus secured the permanency of his infant church. ^"" The Duke Theodon adorned and enriched it, with many magnificent donations. These enabled St. Rupert to establish clerics, and to found there several noble churches and monasteries. After that, Theodon became infirm. Before this prince's death, his son Theodebert, or Diotper, was called to his bedside, and strongly recommended to aid the good work commenced. His zeal and piety augmented considerably the revenues of the Church, in Salzburgh ; and, Theodebert, in all things, obeyed the instructions of his father. Through his munificence, the church of St. Maximilian was established, having a large tract of wood, the village of Albina, and several possessions, to found a monastic house attached to it. With a view of spreading still more the reign of Christ, St. Rupert took a journey into his own country,^3 in order to pro- cure a new supply of able labourers. He brought back to Saltzbourg twelve holy missionaries,^^ with his niece St. Erentrude, a virgin, consecrated to God. Hebuiltforheragreatraonastery,^scalledNunberg. Overthis,she presided, as the first abbess. The illustrious prelate Rupert laboured, for severalyears,inthisSee; and,hetravelledwithachosenbandofdisciples, overNorica. WhereverhepreachedtheGospelofChrist,numbersabandoned their errors and vices, acquiring charity, humility, and all other Christian virtues, in their stead. This illustrious evangelist is said to have brought over the whole Bavarian nation to the faith, before his mission closed.
He declared with a prophetic spirit to his disciples and friends, that the day of his departure was now fast approaching. This caused the most intense emotion and the deepest sorrow. But, recommending them, with the people of Salzburgh and of Norica, to Christ, Rupert most earnestly desired, that his successorshouldbechosen. Wherefore,averyholyman,calledVitalis,was elected. The Lent now approached, and he was attacked with febrile symptoms. Afterwards, exhorting his friends to be resigned, and to practise
region, very
and, at the time, it was only sparsely inhabited, although formerly it was the siteofawell-knowncity. OldJuvaviawasthenalmostinruins; but,itwas
s8 The MS. Life Rubere Vallis has it called Vinalarium.
59 The MS. Life Rubea: Vallis has it
" locum fluvium Viarum,
super antiquo
vocabulo Vivarium," &c. See the EoUan-
dists, Vita II. , cap. i. , num. 3, 4, p. 705. *° The MS. Life Rubece Vallis states, that under the Roman Empire, beautiful
words : "In Patriam veterem, inquam Scotiam, quie et Hibemia Insula vocatur, regressus," Sec.
*•* These are named, or Gisola- Gizilarius,
rius, Domingus, Matemus, Dignulus, Chuni- aldus, or Conaldus, Isenardus, Gerardus, Ariofridus, Vitalis, Ratharius, Erchanfridus, and Lethaldus, according to Rader and Joannes Aventinus. See also Colgan's
purpose.
place
dwellings had been here built. See ibid.
*' See Bishop P'orbes' "Kalendars ot "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xxvii.
Scottish Saints," p. 194. Menologium Martii. Appendix ad Acta S. Ruperti, cap.
Scoticum.
** See Rev. John Alzog's "Manual of
Universal Church History," translated and edited by Rev. F. J. Pabisch and Rev. Thomas S. Byrne, vol. ii. , Period 2, Epoch I, part i. , chap, i. , sect. 157, p. 78.
*3 Matthew Rader having stated, in "Bavaria Sancta," tomus i. , "in GalHam regressus, socios indc secum," &c. , after- wards corrects himself, in tomus iii. , in these
v. , pp. 769, 770. The names of some among the foregoing do not occur in the Calendars ; nor will the fact of some among them, bear- ing Latinized and German forms of name, invalidate the possibility of a more ancient Irish name having been changed for a Con- tincntal one.
's <«Oratorium initio construxit," says
Viguleus Hundius, in Metropoli Salisbur* gensi, p. 256.
March 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 977
the virtues becoming Christians, the holy bishop felt that the supreme moment had come, when the morning of Christ's Resurrection from the grave had dawned upon him. After St. Rupert had celebrated the Easter Mass, he received the Holy Viaticum, while a number of his familiars stood (n tears, by his bed-side. Certain religious men, who were present, saw Angels bearing his soul to Heaven, while they sang canticles. Easter-day fell that year, on the 27th of March; and, hence, this is regarded, as his Natalis. As we have seen, great differences of opinion prevail, regarding the year for his departure. In one instance, it is asserted, that he lived to the ripe age of eighty-six, and that he was honourably interred, in the church of St. Peter, at Saltzburgh. Some writers place his death, early in the seventh century, as at a. d. 623,^^ or 628 f^ others have it, between 705 and 710 f^ while, the learned Mabillon^9 asserts, that he died a. d. 718. There seems to be considerable variance, also, regarding the length of time he ruled over Saltzburgh,asbishop; for,whilesomewriterssetdowntwelveyears,others again have it, that he was forty-two, forty-four, or even forty-six, years, in the episcopate of that See. 7° It is said,? ' he wrote a Book, On the True Faith, addressed to Theodo, Prince of the Bavarians, as also Epistles to different persons. 72 IfwecreditDempster,hewroteotherworks,73butColganstates, no other ^v^iter has mentioned these. At this day, the Roman Martyrology, and different other Martyrologies, commemorate him. The Carthusian Martyrology, in like manner, Molanus, Petrus Galesinus, Canisius, Felix, Hugh Menard, Arnold Wion, Ferrarius, Saussay, Dorgain, assign his chief festival to this date. ? * In Convasus' list of Irish Saints, St. Rudpertus is mentioned, as hereditary prince of the kingdora,7S first Bishop of Salzburg, andpatronofPannonia,Bavaria,andNorica,atthe27thofMarch. Atthis same date, he is set down by Dempster, who claims him as a Scottish saint. 7^ Bishop De Burgo prepared a Proper Office for him, and it has been com- piled, from the Proper Offices, contained in the Breviaries of Salzburgh, of Vienna, of Herbipolis, and of Frisingen. 77 This is not recited, however, in theIrishChurch. HenryFitzsimon'sCatalogueentershimasRudbertus, Bishop, at the 27th of March, on the authority of Molanus, Wolfang and Lacius. The latter states, also, that he was a son to the King of Hibernia. ? ^ In the anonymous list of Irish saints,'? his name also appears, at the same date, as Rudbertus. The countries he has served justly celebrate his memory, in their own Proper Offices. In Ireland, his Office is recited as a Double, but with the Common Lessons, on the 27th of March. His feast is set down
* Hundius has this statement, on the authority of other writers, and Colgan adopts it, after an elaborate investigation of data^ on which he deems it based.
*7 Brunner and Rader have this account ;
but, as Colgan remarks, the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord, did not fall on the 27th of March, that year.
^ See Rev. John Alzog's "Manual of Universal Church History," translated and edited by Rev. F. J. Pabisch and Rev. Thomas S. Byrne, vol. ii. , Period 2, Epoch I, part i. , chap, i. , sect. 157, n. 3, p. 78.
^See his "Acta Sanctorum Ordinis S. Benedicti,"soec. iii. , pars. i. Elog. Histor.
7^ Their titles are thus set down : Ad Theodonem et Theodobertum Reges, Pro Monachis, lib. i. Piam et Paternam Ex-
"
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," Martii xxvii. Appendix ad Acta S.
Ruperti, cap. iv. , pp. 768, 769.
7' See ibid. , cap. vi. , p. 770.
'• According to Possevin, in Apparatu.
7° See
Colgan's
His- toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus
hortationem ad Fratres, lib. i. See
ii. , lib. xvi. , num. 1039.
74 " Acta Sanctonim Hiber- See Colgan's
nias," Martii xxvii. Appendix ad Acta S.
Ruperti, cap. i. , p. 767.
75 See Henricus Canisius'
"
Lectiones," torn. vi.
"
27th of March, in Bishop Forbes' "Kalen. dars of Scottish Saints," p. 194.
77 See "Officia Propria Sanctorum Hi- bemise," Die xxvii. Martii, pp. 39 to 44.
"
'* See O'Sullevan Beare's
Catholicae Iberniae Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. x. , p. 47, cap. xi. , p. 50, and cap. xii. , p. 56.
? * See
Menologium Scoticum," at the
3Q
Antiquse
Historias
978 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 27.
for this day, likewise, in the work of Stephen White,^° and it occurs in the " Circle of the Seasons. ^' Great miracles were wrought, through his inter- cession, when he had been removed to life eternal. This great and holy man, as would appear from the earliest Bavarian records and traditions, was a native of Ireland, and therefore his Acts are very justly set down, in our collection. We should feel proud of the honour he conferred on our country, and grateful for the services he has rendered to the universal Church, in any alternative; for,heisregarded,astheApostleofBavaria,Austria,Pannonia, Styria and Norica. Into these pagan provinces, he brought the Gospel, and with it, the crowning work of Christian civilization.
Article III. —St. Suairlech, Bishop of Fore, County of West- MEATH. \Eighth Century^ A few brief notices of this sainted bishop are set down, by Colgan,^ at the 27th of March; while the Bollandists' more briefly record him, as Suarlechus, Episc. Fobariensis. Our Irish accounts stylehim,Suarlech,orotherwise,Suarlius,orSuairleth. Hebecameamonk, in the Abbey of Fore, county of Westmeath. By some, he is said to have beenadiscipleofSt. Fechin,3thefounder,whodied,a. d. 664. 4 Thisstate- ment, however, seems hardly reconcilable with chronological dates. After
living many years, in humble subjection and in practising a penitential life, he succeeded Dubdaboren,5 in the government of that monastery. To the office ofAbbothewasadvanced,abouttheyear735. Afterwards,hewasassumed to the exercise of episcopal functions ; he being, as is supposed, the first
Bishop of Fore ; for, we do not read, that any of his predecessors, in the
had
eternal felicity,^ on the 27th of March. He died, on that day, in the year 745 ;9 and, during this very same year, Fore was burned. '" The Annals of Ulsterplacehisdeath,ata. d. 749. Hemusthaveattainedaveryadvanced age, were we to credit the statement, of his having been in early life, a disciple, under St. Fechin. His name is found, in the Martyrology of
such a title. "^
nald 7 Murchadh, King of Ireland, our saint was called to the enjoyment of
monastery,
previously enjoyed
During
land, in the year 740, and he reigned to ji. d. 782, —a period of forty-two years, —
according to Keating. But, following the
"Annals of the Four Masters," Domhnall Article hi. —'See "Acta Sanctorum commenced his reign, a. d. 739, and he
Hiberniae," xxvii. Martii. De S. Suarlii, died, in the year 758.
^ "The ofChrist, Theseventh p. 772. age 745.
79 Published by O'Sullevan Beare.
*'° See "Apologia pro Hibemia," cap.