•5° See
Venerable
Bede's
"
Historia lib.
"
Historia lib.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
i.
, cap.
26.
Annals at A. D.
252 See Praefacio Secunda Adamnani Vitse
S. Columba? Abbatis, and lib. iii. , cap 23. 253 See lib. i. , cap. 23, and lib. iii. ,
cap. 23. 25«HeissaidtohaveproducedtheCodex
A, alluded to by Rev. Dr. Reeves.
255 Thus in 961, the bishop of the Isles of
** See lib. i. , cap. 31, lib. ii. , cap. 5. 263
^ See lib. i. , cap. 17.
The cellarius of the Benedictine Rule,
had considerable responsibility devolving on him, both for the care of provisions and
vessels belonging to the monastery. See cap. xxxi.
s<5s He is called and when his name pistor,
Genereus is given, in the time of St.
Columba, he was a Saxon. See Adamnan,
Vita S. Columboe, lib. iii. , cap. x.
a66
Called coic. 2t? ThemembersoftheBenedictineOrder,
who prepared the food, did duty for a week at a time, and they were styled as a—conse-
1164.
Alba was a pcpibtii'o, or scribe. See Dr. quence "septimanarii coquina;," Cap.
O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters,"
vol. ii. , pp. 182, 183. The abbot of Hy in 797
xxxv.
268 Called "ferramenta," in lib. ii. , cap.
^of Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba. " 29,
The process of fusing a piece of iron through the ferramenta of the establishment certainly indicates the existence of workers in metal.
was a
scribe. " See ibid. , vol. i. , pp. 404, 405. And, in 978 he was both a scribe and a bishop. See ibid. , vol. ii. , pp. 708, 709.
256 In Irish Starve mop. See the Irish
rcrobneoip cojai-oe,
or "choice
Annals at A. D. 1
257 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
2'° In Irish 2? 1 InIrish
goba cejvo,
means " a smith. '' "abrazier. "
164.
26'
See lib. ii. , cap. 30.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 399
that which the society afforded to its ordinary members, withdrew to a desert, 2
or solitary place, ? * in the neighbourhood of the monastery. 275 There, they enjoyed undisturbed meditation, without breaking the fraternal bond. 2? 6 On the shore, in the low ground north of the cathedral at Iona, was the hermi- tage,277 as may be inferred from the denomination of Port-na-Diseart, the name of a little bay in that situation. 278 The individual who presided here
was "
styled Superior
at is on record. 280 Hy
ofthe
Hermitage.
2^ Thenameofsuchanofficer
The Superior of
Culdees,
281 like the Prior Colideo-
rum of Armagh, is recorded in the Annals of the order, at the year 1164. 282
The Culdee system, whatever its peculiarities may have been, was admitted
in Hy, yet, as conjectured, only late in the History of the Columban order. 283
It seems quite probable, that the Rule of Discipline prescribed for his
community at Derry and Kells was that which St. Columba adopted for his
monks,atIona; but,itmayhaveundergonesomechangesoremendations, as experience and circumstances required, during the after years of his life.
We can only form an imperfect idea respecting the constitution and spirit of St. Columba's institute there, from those incidental notices contained in his earlier acts,284 and which seem to exhibit a general coincidence with the reli- gious ideas of that period, when the Secundus Ordo of our Irish Saints flourished,285 andwhensomanyremarkablereligiousparenthouseshadbeen founded, by several holy Presbyters, who became their Abbots and Patrons. These had jurisdiction over their communities in a governmental sense, some- what commensurate with that of the bishops over the subjects of their dio- ceses. The Irish social system influenced greatly their family and kindred relations, with the parent and affiliate establishments. Every great monas- tery was a centre of tribal attraction, and it served as a school and as an asylum for the patron's or founder's kin. Such patronage was serviceable to the monas- tery, in its earlier days ; but often, it produced great abuses and excesses, when such influence was directed by a spirit of avarice and exaction, in after times. To sequester its revenues, and to usurp ecclesiastical benefices and
immunities, were frequently the objects sought by lay patrons.
In Iona, as elsewhere, monastic life was regarded as a Christian warfare. 286
Each member of a religious community was a soldier or an athlete of Christ;287
while collectively,
these monks were called soldiers or 288 fellow-soldiers,
2?
7 See lib. ii. , cap. 29.
2? 3Seelib. ii. , cap. 39.
274 The abode of such was called a
sSl He is called Cen CebeTJe.
*82
SeetheIrishAnnals.
l83 No more than the Deoradhs, or the
other developments of conventual obser- vance, the Culdees had no particular con- nexion with this order.
284 And chiefly from those written by Adamnan.
285 In connexion with this portion of our
narrative, it may be permitted us to observe, we have closely followed that admirable
general analysis—left us by Rev Dr. Reeves in his edition of Adamnan's work—which is
" averyresearchfuldissertationon Institutio
Hyensis. " See Additional Notes N, pp.
334 to 369.
from the Latin word desertum.
275 As a heremitical life was held in such honour among the Scotic churches, we fre- find the word Desert an element in
of heremitical life at the monastery of Mel- rose, in Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. xii. -'7 There was a Disert, likewise, beside themonasteryofDerry,aswehaveit men- tioned in the Annals of Ulster, at a. d. ii 22. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hiberni-
carumScriptores,"tomusiv. ,p. 387.
2 ? 8 In 1101, the Four Masters record the endowmentofasimilarinstitutionatCashel,
for c]\AibT>ech or devotees.
2? 9 In Irish called the T)iret\cAc, or cenn
An 'Oirmc.
280 See the Irish Annals, at A. D. 1164.
•circle,
quently religious
nomenclature.
'i6 See an account of Drycthelm's manner
28s
"
SeeAdamnan's LifeofSt. Columba,"
lib. i. , cap. 32, lib. ii. , cap. 10. "
287SeeVenerableBede's HistoriaEccle- siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. iii.
ee Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba,"
288
p. 166, lib. i. ,cap. 2, 40, lib . ii-, cap. 4, 27,31,
,C>
4oo LIVES OFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [June 9. withdrawnfromthecaresoftheworldtoserveundertheLord'sstandard. Their
society
was known as a Coenobites' 28? a 29° or a community, monastery,
college
of monks, living under a prescribed rule, and observing a very strict disci-
were as members or brothers of the same 2? 1 pline. They regarded family,
undertheimmediatedirectionofageneralsuperior,atIona,292 andofalocal superior, in the other dependent monasteries. 2? 3 The latter superiors were usually denominated priors. In Iona, St. Columba, the founder, was the first
superior,
and called Abbot,2? * or
Father,
2? 3 or
Holy Father,
2? 6 or
Holy
2? ? as reverence for his
plied to him. After his death, as the venerable founder, he is often styled Patron. When he had settled on the Island, Iona became the mother church or parent
2? 8 where the Abbot chose to reside. The other churches and monasteries which he established in Ireland 2? 9 and in Scotland,300 or which his disciples had been commissioned to erect, were subject to his direction, astheyhadreceivedtheirchargefromhim. Thesearesometimesvisited,301 ministeredin,3°2 andregulated. 303 Still,althoughhavingsuchextensivejuris- diction and power, our holy Abbot never advanced beyond the grade of Presbyter or Priest30* This observance, which had its origin in choice,305 and its continuance in precedent,305 by no means implied a usurpation or a dis- regard of the episcopal office. However, he was accustomed to pronounce absolution,3°7 as also to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of Mass. 308 At all times, Bishops connected with the society resided at Hy,3°? or in some dependent church, and these were subject to the Abbot's jurisdiction. 310 They rendered him conventual obedience, agreeably to their monastic vow. 31 ' Their acts were performed, on the responsibility of the Abbot, or for the service of his community. 312 They were regarded, as essential to the propagation rather than to the maintenance of the Church, and they had little authority in the internal or external economy of the society. The essential function of the episcopal office, however, was scrupulously maintained, and when a priest was for ordination, the was called in 3 ' 3 where a distant
pro-
;
vince was to be brought within the Christian pale, a Bishop was consecrated 31 *
Senior,
person
and
authority
dictated the
term,
when
ap-
establishment,
prepared bishop
lib. iii. , cap. 4, 23.
289 See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. i.
•5° See Venerable Bede's
"
Historia lib. iii. ,
303 See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. 21, lib. ii. , cap. 43. *^>» See ibid , lib. i. , cap. 44.
Venerable Bede observes of St. Co-
lumba: non — sed
"Qui episcopus, presbyter
Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum,"
"
291 See Adamnan's Life of St. Columba," astica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. iv. , p.
cap. v. , p. 169.
"
extitit et monachus. ''
Historia Ecclesi-
lib. i. , cap. i. , lib. ii. , cap. 28, 39, 42, lib. iii. , 169.
cap. 20, 23. 3°6 See ibid. , lib. iii. , cap. v. , pp. 162 to
292 It is called "matrix ecclesia. " See 172, and lib. v. , cap. xv. . p. 297.
ibid. , lib. i. , cap. 5.
293 See ibid. , lib. i , cap. 3, 45, 50, lib. ii. ,
cap. 39.
994 See ibid. , Secunda Praefacio, lib. i. ,
3°? "
See Adamnan's Life of St. Columba,"
cap. i.
295 See Secunda Pra;facio.
26 3'°
* See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. i.
257 See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. 2, 37.
298 See ibid. , lib, i. , cap. i.
299 A
found in Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Life esse subjecti. " "Historia Ecclesiastica of St. Columba," Additional Notes G, pp. Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. iv. , p. 169.
276 to 289. 3" See ibid. , lib. iii. , cap. iii. , pp, 166, 300 For these erections see ibid. , Addi- 167. Also Vita S. Cuthberti, cap. xvi.
tional Notes H, pp. 289 to 298. 3 ' 2 See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle- 301 See Adamnan's "Life of St. Co- siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. v. ,
very complete
list of these will be "
etiam — ordine
ipsi episcopi, inusiiato,
debeant
lumba," lib. i. , cap. 3, 50.
pp. 169 to 1 72, and cap. xxv. , pp. 233 to 236.
302 See ibid. , lib.
iii. , cap. 17.
3I3 See Adamnan's " Lifeof St.
Columba,"
lib. i. , cap. 30.
3o8 See lib. lib. i. , cap. 44,
iii. , cap. 10, II,
17, 23.
309 No less than five Bishops of Iona are
recorded in the Annals of Ireland. Venerable Bede thus alludes to this
special kind of monastic government at
Iona:
"
Cujus juri et omnis provincia, et
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 401
for the creation of a local ministry, and successors to him were ordained and sent forth, from time to timer's and whenever an accredited candidate came from Ireland to Hy, in like manner, he was invested with the highest eccle- siastical orders. 310 The illustrious Abbot set the example ofgreat veneration
cap. 4.
a line in Latin, where the term obtrudes : " Munthir Benchuir beata. "—Muratori's
322 See ibid. , lib.
X? while, in the service of his own mother
for the
and from the altar, Columba disclaimed all pretensions to equality 3l8 with one of episcopal rank. This was no more than might be expected from—a Priest, who had served as a Deacon,310 and in a monaster—
episcopal body ;3
Church,
y where Priests called from their chief function Ministers of the Altar 32° lived under the presidency of a Bishop 321 and from one who received the hospitality of
Ireland,323 for communion and for edification.
On extraordinary occasions, the Abbot was accustomed to summon his
monks to the oratory, and to address them from the Altar, as also, often he
solicited, their prayers. 324 In the dead hour of the night, atone time, he
called them into the oratory. 323 When at home, he was attended,325 except
whenhe adesiretobealone32? and,whenabroad,hewasaccom- signified ;
paniedbyassociates. 328 Hepreached32°orbaptized,330asoccasionpresented. He had power to dispense with a fast, 331 to relax occasionally penitential dis- cipline, 332 or to regulate its intensity. 333 He had control over the temporali- ties of the monastery. 33* He despatched a brother of his own selection, sometimes to proceed on a distant mission,333 r to serve the monastic inte- rests. 330 Heforbade, at pleasure, admission to the island. 33? Healso gave a licence for departure,338 when his benediction was usually bestowed. 330 He was saluted by prostration. 34° Constituted as a Christian family,341 the monks were variedly addressed,342 as they were variously classed. The Seniors 343 were those of tried devotedness, and of long standing in the monastery. The Juniors,344 Alumni,34$ and Pueri familiares,346 were those under instruction or
;
another Bishop,322 while his own institution was frequented by Bishops from
lib. i. , cap. 36.
314 See Venerable Bede's " Historia Ec-
clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. ,
cap. v.
3's Seeibid. , lib. iii. , cap. 17, 21, 25, lib.
iv. , cap. 4.
316 Thus, St. Columbanus received the
episcopal grade from St. Columba, in the Island of Hy. See Colgan's "Acta Sancto-
rum Hiberniae," Jatvuarii xv. Vita S. Itse, cap. xxi. , p. 69.
317 See Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba," lib. ii. , cap. 1.
318 See lib. i. , cap. 44.
Annals at A. D.
252 See Praefacio Secunda Adamnani Vitse
S. Columba? Abbatis, and lib. iii. , cap 23. 253 See lib. i. , cap. 23, and lib. iii. ,
cap. 23. 25«HeissaidtohaveproducedtheCodex
A, alluded to by Rev. Dr. Reeves.
255 Thus in 961, the bishop of the Isles of
** See lib. i. , cap. 31, lib. ii. , cap. 5. 263
^ See lib. i. , cap. 17.
The cellarius of the Benedictine Rule,
had considerable responsibility devolving on him, both for the care of provisions and
vessels belonging to the monastery. See cap. xxxi.
s<5s He is called and when his name pistor,
Genereus is given, in the time of St.
Columba, he was a Saxon. See Adamnan,
Vita S. Columboe, lib. iii. , cap. x.
a66
Called coic. 2t? ThemembersoftheBenedictineOrder,
who prepared the food, did duty for a week at a time, and they were styled as a—conse-
1164.
Alba was a pcpibtii'o, or scribe. See Dr. quence "septimanarii coquina;," Cap.
O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters,"
vol. ii. , pp. 182, 183. The abbot of Hy in 797
xxxv.
268 Called "ferramenta," in lib. ii. , cap.
^of Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba. " 29,
The process of fusing a piece of iron through the ferramenta of the establishment certainly indicates the existence of workers in metal.
was a
scribe. " See ibid. , vol. i. , pp. 404, 405. And, in 978 he was both a scribe and a bishop. See ibid. , vol. ii. , pp. 708, 709.
256 In Irish Starve mop. See the Irish
rcrobneoip cojai-oe,
or "choice
Annals at A. D. 1
257 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
2'° In Irish 2? 1 InIrish
goba cejvo,
means " a smith. '' "abrazier. "
164.
26'
See lib. ii. , cap. 30.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 399
that which the society afforded to its ordinary members, withdrew to a desert, 2
or solitary place, ? * in the neighbourhood of the monastery. 275 There, they enjoyed undisturbed meditation, without breaking the fraternal bond. 2? 6 On the shore, in the low ground north of the cathedral at Iona, was the hermi- tage,277 as may be inferred from the denomination of Port-na-Diseart, the name of a little bay in that situation. 278 The individual who presided here
was "
styled Superior
at is on record. 280 Hy
ofthe
Hermitage.
2^ Thenameofsuchanofficer
The Superior of
Culdees,
281 like the Prior Colideo-
rum of Armagh, is recorded in the Annals of the order, at the year 1164. 282
The Culdee system, whatever its peculiarities may have been, was admitted
in Hy, yet, as conjectured, only late in the History of the Columban order. 283
It seems quite probable, that the Rule of Discipline prescribed for his
community at Derry and Kells was that which St. Columba adopted for his
monks,atIona; but,itmayhaveundergonesomechangesoremendations, as experience and circumstances required, during the after years of his life.
We can only form an imperfect idea respecting the constitution and spirit of St. Columba's institute there, from those incidental notices contained in his earlier acts,284 and which seem to exhibit a general coincidence with the reli- gious ideas of that period, when the Secundus Ordo of our Irish Saints flourished,285 andwhensomanyremarkablereligiousparenthouseshadbeen founded, by several holy Presbyters, who became their Abbots and Patrons. These had jurisdiction over their communities in a governmental sense, some- what commensurate with that of the bishops over the subjects of their dio- ceses. The Irish social system influenced greatly their family and kindred relations, with the parent and affiliate establishments. Every great monas- tery was a centre of tribal attraction, and it served as a school and as an asylum for the patron's or founder's kin. Such patronage was serviceable to the monas- tery, in its earlier days ; but often, it produced great abuses and excesses, when such influence was directed by a spirit of avarice and exaction, in after times. To sequester its revenues, and to usurp ecclesiastical benefices and
immunities, were frequently the objects sought by lay patrons.
In Iona, as elsewhere, monastic life was regarded as a Christian warfare. 286
Each member of a religious community was a soldier or an athlete of Christ;287
while collectively,
these monks were called soldiers or 288 fellow-soldiers,
2?
7 See lib. ii. , cap. 29.
2? 3Seelib. ii. , cap. 39.
274 The abode of such was called a
sSl He is called Cen CebeTJe.
*82
SeetheIrishAnnals.
l83 No more than the Deoradhs, or the
other developments of conventual obser- vance, the Culdees had no particular con- nexion with this order.
284 And chiefly from those written by Adamnan.
285 In connexion with this portion of our
narrative, it may be permitted us to observe, we have closely followed that admirable
general analysis—left us by Rev Dr. Reeves in his edition of Adamnan's work—which is
" averyresearchfuldissertationon Institutio
Hyensis. " See Additional Notes N, pp.
334 to 369.
from the Latin word desertum.
275 As a heremitical life was held in such honour among the Scotic churches, we fre- find the word Desert an element in
of heremitical life at the monastery of Mel- rose, in Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. xii. -'7 There was a Disert, likewise, beside themonasteryofDerry,aswehaveit men- tioned in the Annals of Ulster, at a. d. ii 22. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hiberni-
carumScriptores,"tomusiv. ,p. 387.
2 ? 8 In 1101, the Four Masters record the endowmentofasimilarinstitutionatCashel,
for c]\AibT>ech or devotees.
2? 9 In Irish called the T)iret\cAc, or cenn
An 'Oirmc.
280 See the Irish Annals, at A. D. 1164.
•circle,
quently religious
nomenclature.
'i6 See an account of Drycthelm's manner
28s
"
SeeAdamnan's LifeofSt. Columba,"
lib. i. , cap. 32, lib. ii. , cap. 10. "
287SeeVenerableBede's HistoriaEccle- siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. iii.
ee Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba,"
288
p. 166, lib. i. ,cap. 2, 40, lib . ii-, cap. 4, 27,31,
,C>
4oo LIVES OFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [June 9. withdrawnfromthecaresoftheworldtoserveundertheLord'sstandard. Their
society
was known as a Coenobites' 28? a 29° or a community, monastery,
college
of monks, living under a prescribed rule, and observing a very strict disci-
were as members or brothers of the same 2? 1 pline. They regarded family,
undertheimmediatedirectionofageneralsuperior,atIona,292 andofalocal superior, in the other dependent monasteries. 2? 3 The latter superiors were usually denominated priors. In Iona, St. Columba, the founder, was the first
superior,
and called Abbot,2? * or
Father,
2? 3 or
Holy Father,
2? 6 or
Holy
2? ? as reverence for his
plied to him. After his death, as the venerable founder, he is often styled Patron. When he had settled on the Island, Iona became the mother church or parent
2? 8 where the Abbot chose to reside. The other churches and monasteries which he established in Ireland 2? 9 and in Scotland,300 or which his disciples had been commissioned to erect, were subject to his direction, astheyhadreceivedtheirchargefromhim. Thesearesometimesvisited,301 ministeredin,3°2 andregulated. 303 Still,althoughhavingsuchextensivejuris- diction and power, our holy Abbot never advanced beyond the grade of Presbyter or Priest30* This observance, which had its origin in choice,305 and its continuance in precedent,305 by no means implied a usurpation or a dis- regard of the episcopal office. However, he was accustomed to pronounce absolution,3°7 as also to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of Mass. 308 At all times, Bishops connected with the society resided at Hy,3°? or in some dependent church, and these were subject to the Abbot's jurisdiction. 310 They rendered him conventual obedience, agreeably to their monastic vow. 31 ' Their acts were performed, on the responsibility of the Abbot, or for the service of his community. 312 They were regarded, as essential to the propagation rather than to the maintenance of the Church, and they had little authority in the internal or external economy of the society. The essential function of the episcopal office, however, was scrupulously maintained, and when a priest was for ordination, the was called in 3 ' 3 where a distant
pro-
;
vince was to be brought within the Christian pale, a Bishop was consecrated 31 *
Senior,
person
and
authority
dictated the
term,
when
ap-
establishment,
prepared bishop
lib. iii. , cap. 4, 23.
289 See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. i.
•5° See Venerable Bede's
"
Historia lib. iii. ,
303 See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. 21, lib. ii. , cap. 43. *^>» See ibid , lib. i. , cap. 44.
Venerable Bede observes of St. Co-
lumba: non — sed
"Qui episcopus, presbyter
Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum,"
"
291 See Adamnan's Life of St. Columba," astica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. iv. , p.
cap. v. , p. 169.
"
extitit et monachus. ''
Historia Ecclesi-
lib. i. , cap. i. , lib. ii. , cap. 28, 39, 42, lib. iii. , 169.
cap. 20, 23. 3°6 See ibid. , lib. iii. , cap. v. , pp. 162 to
292 It is called "matrix ecclesia. " See 172, and lib. v. , cap. xv. . p. 297.
ibid. , lib. i. , cap. 5.
293 See ibid. , lib. i , cap. 3, 45, 50, lib. ii. ,
cap. 39.
994 See ibid. , Secunda Praefacio, lib. i. ,
3°? "
See Adamnan's Life of St. Columba,"
cap. i.
295 See Secunda Pra;facio.
26 3'°
* See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. i.
257 See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. 2, 37.
298 See ibid. , lib, i. , cap. i.
299 A
found in Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Life esse subjecti. " "Historia Ecclesiastica of St. Columba," Additional Notes G, pp. Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. iv. , p. 169.
276 to 289. 3" See ibid. , lib. iii. , cap. iii. , pp, 166, 300 For these erections see ibid. , Addi- 167. Also Vita S. Cuthberti, cap. xvi.
tional Notes H, pp. 289 to 298. 3 ' 2 See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle- 301 See Adamnan's "Life of St. Co- siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. v. ,
very complete
list of these will be "
etiam — ordine
ipsi episcopi, inusiiato,
debeant
lumba," lib. i. , cap. 3, 50.
pp. 169 to 1 72, and cap. xxv. , pp. 233 to 236.
302 See ibid. , lib.
iii. , cap. 17.
3I3 See Adamnan's " Lifeof St.
Columba,"
lib. i. , cap. 30.
3o8 See lib. lib. i. , cap. 44,
iii. , cap. 10, II,
17, 23.
309 No less than five Bishops of Iona are
recorded in the Annals of Ireland. Venerable Bede thus alludes to this
special kind of monastic government at
Iona:
"
Cujus juri et omnis provincia, et
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 401
for the creation of a local ministry, and successors to him were ordained and sent forth, from time to timer's and whenever an accredited candidate came from Ireland to Hy, in like manner, he was invested with the highest eccle- siastical orders. 310 The illustrious Abbot set the example ofgreat veneration
cap. 4.
a line in Latin, where the term obtrudes : " Munthir Benchuir beata. "—Muratori's
322 See ibid. , lib.
X? while, in the service of his own mother
for the
and from the altar, Columba disclaimed all pretensions to equality 3l8 with one of episcopal rank. This was no more than might be expected from—a Priest, who had served as a Deacon,310 and in a monaster—
episcopal body ;3
Church,
y where Priests called from their chief function Ministers of the Altar 32° lived under the presidency of a Bishop 321 and from one who received the hospitality of
Ireland,323 for communion and for edification.
On extraordinary occasions, the Abbot was accustomed to summon his
monks to the oratory, and to address them from the Altar, as also, often he
solicited, their prayers. 324 In the dead hour of the night, atone time, he
called them into the oratory. 323 When at home, he was attended,325 except
whenhe adesiretobealone32? and,whenabroad,hewasaccom- signified ;
paniedbyassociates. 328 Hepreached32°orbaptized,330asoccasionpresented. He had power to dispense with a fast, 331 to relax occasionally penitential dis- cipline, 332 or to regulate its intensity. 333 He had control over the temporali- ties of the monastery. 33* He despatched a brother of his own selection, sometimes to proceed on a distant mission,333 r to serve the monastic inte- rests. 330 Heforbade, at pleasure, admission to the island. 33? Healso gave a licence for departure,338 when his benediction was usually bestowed. 330 He was saluted by prostration. 34° Constituted as a Christian family,341 the monks were variedly addressed,342 as they were variously classed. The Seniors 343 were those of tried devotedness, and of long standing in the monastery. The Juniors,344 Alumni,34$ and Pueri familiares,346 were those under instruction or
;
another Bishop,322 while his own institution was frequented by Bishops from
lib. i. , cap. 36.
314 See Venerable Bede's " Historia Ec-
clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. ,
cap. v.
3's Seeibid. , lib. iii. , cap. 17, 21, 25, lib.
iv. , cap. 4.
316 Thus, St. Columbanus received the
episcopal grade from St. Columba, in the Island of Hy. See Colgan's "Acta Sancto-
rum Hiberniae," Jatvuarii xv. Vita S. Itse, cap. xxi. , p. 69.
317 See Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba," lib. ii. , cap. 1.
318 See lib. i. , cap. 44.
