The Purgatory of St. PatrickCalderón de la Barca, Pedro
Religion
The Purgatory of St. Patrick
Calderón de la Barca, Pedro
Patrick, Saint, 373?-463? -- Drama
"Then Owen, the Soldier, having received their Blessing, set out, and
return'd the same way he came. The Prelates conducted him to the
Gate of Paradise, and shut it after him; and being sad and grieved to
be obliged to return again to the Miseries of this World, he went
back the same way till he came to the Hall, where he was first
infested by the Devils. He saw indeed the Devils on the way, but so
soon as they saw him, they vanished as if they had been afraid of
him. He also passed thro' the Places where he was before tormented;
but now they had no Power to hurt him. Being then come to the said
Hall, he went in boldly and Lo the fifteen Men, who had instructed
him in the beginning, met him, glorifying God, who had given him so
much constancy in his Torments, and having congratulated him upon his
victory, said unto him: 'Courage, Brother. We know thou hast
overcome the Torments which thou hast so manfully born; and that thou
art purged of all thy Sins. The Sun begins now to rise in thy
Country: Make haste then up to the Cave: For if the Prior, who when
he hath said Mass, shall come to the Door, finds thee not there, he
will lock the Door, as Despairing of thy salvation; and return to the
Church.' The Soldier hereupon, having first got their Blessing,
hasten'd up to the Cave, and at the very Minute that the Prior open'd
the Door, the Soldier appear'd. The Prior embraced him, glorified
God, and conducted him to the Church, and caused him to continue
there fasting and praying for fifteen Days. Then the Soldier put on
his Shoulder the mark of the Cross of Christ and went with great
Devotion to the Holy Land, to visit the Sepulchre of our Lord Jesus
Christ at Jerusalem, and all the holy Places round about it. Which
when he had Devoutly performed he came back, and went to Stephen,
King of England, to whom he had been before familiarly known, to
advise with him, after what Manner he might best for the future,
Warfare for the King of Kings, as he had heretofore carry'd Arms for
him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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