LIFE OF SAINT COLUMBA,

ABBOT AND APOSTLE OF THE NORTHERN PICTS

AND PATRON OF THE MONASTIC ORDER IN IRELAND.

"Iste est qui ante Deum magnos virtutes operatus est, et de omni corde suo laudavit Dominum."

"This is he who before God operated wonders, and with all his heart praised the Lord."

CHAPTER I.

BIRTH AND HOLY DISPOSITIONS OF ST. COLUMBA—HIS ECCLESIASTICAL TRAINING AT ST. FINNIAN'S—HE RECEIVES THE HOLY ORDER OF DEACON

AFTER having attempted to write the life of our illustrious St. Patrick, with that of his spiritual daughter Bridget, the saintly patroness of Ireland, it is but meet, and may be expected, that we should also endeavor to furnish the biography of the holy Columba, or Columkille, who, living almost in the same era, filled with the same spirit, and enclosed in the same shrine, has ever been deemed with them one of Erin's chief patrons, his name being interwoven with theirs in the reminiscences of Irish piety.

This glorious saint was born about the close of the year 521, so that as a spiritual star, he began to rise in the firmament of the Irish Church, just as St. Bridget had disappeared therefrom to shine in heaven. His birth and future eminence were predicted during the lifetime of St. Patrick, perhaps by the holy apostle himself. By his father, Mancanava, the blood of the Nialls, princes of Tyrconnel, flowed in his veins, while by his mother Aethena, who drew her origin from an illustrious family in Leinster, he was connected with Caithir, the reigning monarch of all Ireland.

Previous to his birth, a dream or vision of singular import admonished Aethena that her child was to be specially blessed by the Most High. While asleep one night, it seemed to her that an angel approached, bearing in his hand a robe of unparalleled beauty, which having presented to her, he after a short interval withdrew, and spreading it forth suffered the wind to carry it away. Disappointed at this strange proceeding, Aethena anxiously inquired why she had not been permitted to retain this beauteous garment, and her interrogatory was met by the reply that it could not be allowed to remain with her. Meanwhile, and as the angel spoke, Aethena kept her eyes steadfastly fixed on the mantle which was now balanced in the firmament; and as it ascended towards the heavens she perceived that its dimensions became so expanded, as that it extended over mountains, forests, and distant plains. The novelty and grandeur of the spectacle increased her regret for the loss of so extraordinary and magnificent a costume; but while feeling thus sadly, a voice consoled her with those words: "Woman, grieve not, for you shall bring forth a son, who will guide innumerable souls to heaven, and be counted among the prophets of the Most High." This promise must surely have brought comfort to Aethena; our business is now to show how it was fulfilled. In early youth, or we might perhaps say infancy, Columba, owing to the piety of his parents, was committed to the tutelage of the venerable priest by whom he had been purified in the waters of baptism. Even then, the whole tenor of his conduct showed how strongly imbued he was with religious principles, for even then did he furnish presages of his future sanctity. "From his very childhood," says Adamnan his biographer, "Columba was devoted to those exercises of piety which befitted his tender years; and so holily solicitous was he for the preservation of spotless purity of mind and body, that by the superior sanctity of his manners, though dwelling upon earth, he was already ripe for heaven." But it was not alone by the pious life of the saintly Columba that the special predilection of heaven in his regard was made manifest; by the exercise of His omnipotence, too, did the Lord display the extraordinary love with which He cherished him. It happened, that while still abiding with Cruthenan, the holy priest who, as we have said, superintended his education, the good ecclesiastic returning home one day after the discharge of some sacred function, beheld as he approached his dwelling, the house illuminated with a pure and serene light, and as he entered he saw over the head of his pupil Columba, a luminous globe of fire as if suspended in the air, from which there was emitted a clear and steady radiance. Filled with amazement at this marvellous scene, the venerable man prostrated himself on the floor and admired in profound silence this expressive indication of the spiritual effulgence with which the soul of his favored charge was illuminated by heaven. Indeed, Columba was singularly favored in various ways; even when still a little boy, he recited the Psalms together with Brugacius, bishop at Rathenaigh, whither he had accompanied his preceptor, whom the prelate had invited to spend with him the Christmas festival. ^[1]

But the time had now arrived when it became necessary to direct more particularly the attention of the young saint to those studies in which candidates for the sacerdotal ministry should be skilled, and to afford him an opportunity of pursuing such learning with advantage, he was transferred from the house of Cruthenan to the school of Moville, whose president was the great St. Finnian, renowned among his countrymen for learning and sanctity. In early life he had had the good fortune to be placed under the care of Colman and Cælan, two ecclesiastics of whom there is honorable mention in the ancient annals of Ireland; by their advice he passed over into Britain in order to profit by the lectures which were delivered by Nennius at his seminary of Whitethorn, and after some time, he returned to Ireland and began to impart to the youth of his own vicinity, in a building appropriated for the purpose, that learning which he himself had journeyed so far to acquire. The fame of this new teacher soon spread through the island, and drew to his school numbers of the youth who aspired to the service of the altar. Columba, among others, here devoted several years to sacred studies, and with all the success which had been anticipated. His proficiency in evangelical perfection was equally rapid, so that he was soon raised to the holy order of Deaconship. While officiating in that character on one occasion, his ministry was honored by heaven in the following extraordinary manner, the miracle of Cana being renewed at his instance. The bishop of the diocess on a certain morning being about to celebrate the Eucharistic sacrifice, Columba, who was charged with the care of the altar, by his office, found "they" had "no wine" in the monastery, and moreover, that it could not be procured until after considerable delay. Without more ado, he went to a neighboring fountain, and having filled a vessel, which he had brought with him, from its limpid source, he prayed that the name of the Lord might be once more magnified by a renewal of the wonder effected at the marriage feast. He was heard; for on the instant, the liquid element again felt the power of the Divinity, and Columba, full of rapture at the sight, exclaimed, as he returned to the assembled clergy, "Here is wine, which the Lord Jesus has furnished for the celebration of His Mysteries!" ^[2]

When the period arrived which terminated the holy deacon's residence in the monastery of St. Finnian, feeling desirous of becoming still more perfect in virtue and learning, he did not on leaving Moville at once return home, but for some time placed himself under the tuition of a certain master named Germanus, who had recently come from a foreign country, and had already acquired a high reputation in Ireland for piety and literature. The same special