The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 201 pages of information about The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran.

The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 201 pages of information about The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran.

Now when Saint Kiaranus the younger heard that his boy had been with Kiaranus the elder, he went to him; and on the day when the aforesaid things took place, he came to the settlement of Saigyr and was received with fitting honour by the holy bishop Kiaranus the elder.  And the holy abbot Kiaranus the younger said to the holy bishop Kiaranus, “Restore to me, holy father, my disciple alive, who hath been slain while with thee.”  To him Saint Keranus the elder said, “First needs must your feet be washed, but we have no fire in the monastery, to warm the water for you; and ye know that it is because your disciple quenched our sacred fire.  Wherefore beseech for us consecrated fire from God.”  Then the holy abbot Kieranus the younger, son of the wright, stretched his hands in prayer to God, and straightway fire from heaven came into his breast, and thence was the hearth kindled in the monastery.

But the holy bishop Kiaranus the elder prayed to God for that youth slain by wolves, and straightway he arose sound from a cruel death, with the scars of the wolf-bites visible upon him.  And blessing them all, he took food and drink with the saints, and afterwards he lived many days.

Then the two Saints Kiaranus made a compact and brotherhood in heaven and in earth between their successors; and they said that should any wish to name or to beg aught for one of them, he should name them both and ask, for they would hear him.

After this the holy abbot Kiaranus the younger said to the bishop, Kiaranus the elder, “In thy place, father, shall remain honour and abundance of riches.”  To him said the holy bishop, Kiaranus the elder, “Also in thy place, dearest son, shall last the strength of religion and of wisdom, unto the end of the world.”  When these things were said, having received the kiss of peace and blessing of the most holy bishop, Kiaranus the elder, Saint Kiaranus the younger with his own people and with the aforesaid youth Crithir returned to his settlement of Cluain meic Nois.

XLIV.  CIARAN AND THE WINE

34.  On a certain day when the brethren of Saint Kiaranus were at work in the harvest, enduring thirst from the heat of the sun, they sent word that cold water should be brought to them.  Saint Kiaranus answered them by a messenger, “Choose ye, my brethren, whether ye will drink to quench your thirst for necessity, or will endure in thirst till the evening, that through your labour to-day in thirst and in sweat there may be abundance for the brethren who are to be in this place hereafter; and you yourselves will not fail of reward from God in heaven.”  The brethren answered, “We choose that there be a sufficiency for our successors, and we to have the reward of our patience and of our thirst in heaven.”  So the brethren worked that day athirst, rejoicing, though the sun was hot.

But when evening was come, the brethren returned home, and Saint Kiaranus wished to satisfy them, and to refresh them charitably.  And trusting in the Lord, he blessed a great vessel full of water; and immediately under his hands wine of most excellent quality appeared in the vessel.  And bringing drinking-cups, he commanded the brethren to refresh their bodies well, with sobriety, rendering thanks to Christ for his gifts.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.