The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran: Translations Of Christian Literature. Series V. Lives Of; The Celtic Saints
Religion
The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran: Translations Of Christian Literature. Series V. Lives Of; The Celtic Saints
Ciaran, Saint, abbot of Clonmacnois
The story before us is thus related in the Life of Coemgen: "At
another time most blessed Coemgenus made his way to visit most holy
Kyaranus the abbot, who founded his settlement Cluayn meic Noys, which
is in the western border of the territory of Meath, on the bank of
the river Synna over against the province of the Connachta. But Saint
Cyaranus on the third day before Saint Coemgenus arrived, passed from
this world to Christ. His body was laid in a church on a bier, till
Saint Coemgenus and other saints should come to bury him. And Saint
Coemgenus coming late to the monastery of Saint Chyaranus, he entered
the church in which was the holy body and commanded all the brethren
to go forth, wishing to spend that night alone beside the sacred body.
And when all the brethren had gone out, Saint Coemgenus carefully
closed the door of the church, and remained there alone till the
following day; but some of the brethren were watching till morning
before the doors of the church. And as Saint Coemgenus prayed there,
the most blessed soul of Saint Chiaranus returned to his body, and he
rose and began to speak in health-giving words to Saint Coemgenus. The
brethren remaining outside heard the voice of each of them clearly.
Saint Kyaranus asked blessed Coemgenus that they should interchange
their vesture, as a sign of everlasting fellowship: and so they did.
On the following day when the door of the church was opened, the
brethren found Saint Coemgenus clad in the vesture of Saint Kyaranus,
and Kyaranus wrapped in the vestments of Saint Coemgenus. The body
of Saint Kyaranus was warm, having a ruddy tinge in the face. Saint
Coemgenus pointed out to the monks of Saint Kyaranus the brotherhood
and fellowship which he and Saint Kyaranus had established for ever
between themselves and their places and their monks; and the brethren
who watched that night bore testimony thereto. When the body of Saint
Kyaranus was honourably committed to the ground, Saint Coemgenus
returned to his own settlement." (VSH, i, 248).
In this story we see as before the explanation of a treaty between
Clonmacnois and Glendaloch.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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