The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick / Including the Life by Jocelin, Hitherto Unpublished in America, and His Extant Writings

by Unknown

Of Conallus, and of the Prophecy of Patrick concerning him.

And the saint, leaving those children of darkness in the anger and blindness of their hearts, and the depth of their error, turned his steps towards Conallus, who was to be the child of the truth. And he, rejoicing and giving thanks, received him as the angel of peace and of delight, and opened the ears of his hearing unto the words of salvation, and, through the laver of the regeneration and renovation of the Holy Spirit, deserved he to be incorporated with Christ. Whereby are we plainly showed that the Heavenly Potter out of the same clay can form at His will one vessel unto reproof and another unto honor. Then Conallus, being comforted and confirmed in the Catholic verity, offered unto the saint his dwelling-house, and his land, and his farm, and besought of him with many prayers that for the spreading of the Christian faith he there would build a city for him and for his people; and he said he would build a habitation for himself on the borders thereof. And the saint, praising so great charity in his novice, lest he should seem to reject his entreaty, builded there a city, which is now called Domnhach Phadruig—that is, the City of Patrick; and touching it with his staff, he marked out the dwelling-place of Conallus, which is now called Rathyr-tair. And the saint blessed him in the name of the Lord; and among other things which were to happen unto him, thus did he prophesy: "Happy and prosperous shall be this dwelling-place, and happy shall be they who dwell therein; nor shall the blood of any man, save only one, be shed in it; and the Lord, giving His blessing, shall bless thee, and He shall confirm thy throne and multiply thine empire, and the seed of thy brother shall serve thy seed for ever and ever." And all these things which the saint prophesied were not in the event disproved.

CHAPTER LV.

Of the Altar of Saint Patrick.

And it was near to the heart of the saint to visit Connactia; and chiefly for the vision which he had heretofore beheld in his sleep, wherein he was called by the infants of that country, even in their mothers' wombs, he desired there to evangelize the kingdom of God. And he purposed to travel round the whole island, that he might convert it unto Christ; and the saint, being prepared to his journey, blessed Conallus, and in memorial of himself he left in the aforementioned city his altar of stone, for the relieving of the sick and for the working of miracles; but when he proceeded on his journey, the altar followed, nor to the eyes of any man was it visible how it was carried; but, as I account, it was carried along the path of the saint by the power and the virtue of Him at whose nod the prophet was carried from Judea into Chaldea. Thus did the Corner-Stone, Christ, that He might show unto all the holiness of Patrick, cause this holy stone to be moved without human hand. And the prelate, looking back, beheld the altar thus marvellously borne after him, and exulted in the Lord, and returned, and placed it in a fitting place. And from that day did it remain fixed, yet ceased it not to shine in miracles, as if the virtue of Patrick had remained in it or flowed from it.

CHAPTER LVI.

Of the Images destroyed from Heaven, and
of the Fountain produced from the Earth.

And the King Leogaire, being devoted to the worship of devils, with a great part of his people who much desired to please him adored a certain idol magnificently formed of silver and gold, and which was raised in a field called Maghfleidh. And the idol was named Ceancroithi—that is, the head of all the gods, for that it was by that foolish people accounted to utter responses. And around this image stood twelve inferior gods, made of brass, as if subject unto it. Therefore Saint Patrick turned toward this place, that he might overturn the idol, and by his preaching convert its worshippers to the worship of the Creator. But when he could not prevail, neither could he recall those idolaters from the folly that was fixed in their minds, he betook himself to his accustomed arms of prayer. And from a neighboring hill beholding the idol, he stretched forth in prayer his spotless hands unto God, and lifted against it the staff of Jesus, when suddenly, by the power of God, the idol fell on its left side, and all the silver and the gold poured from it broken and powdered into dust; but on the hard stone of the image was seen impressed the mark of the staff, though it had touched it not; and the earth swallowed up the twelve inferior gods, even to their necks, and their heads continue above the ground unto this day. Thus what human strength could not accomplish was done by the divine power; and many beholding it believed in the true and living God, and being baptized, according to the apostle, put on Christ, And in that place Saint Patrick by his prayers produced out of the earth a fountain of the clearest water, wherein many were afterward baptized.