CHAPTER LXVII.
Of the Voice that issued from the Sepulchre.
The holy standard-bearer of the Lord was accustomed to stop at the head-stone of every Christian who was buried outside of a burial-place, there to erect a cross; for he knew that in that country, then only lately converted unto the faith, all the dead, by reason of the fewness of the churches, could not be buried in consecrated ground; and therefore the good pastor wished by that blessed token to distinguish the sheep from the goats—namely, the Christians that were buried from the pagans. So might the worshippers of Christ, beholding the sign of life, understand that a servant of the faith of the cross was there buried, and so might they not delay to offer unto the Creator their prayers for his soul. Truly, a pious custom, and worthy is it of general observance that all who were baptized in the death of Christ, and are dead in his faith, should, when buried, have on them or near them the ensign of the death of Him.
And it came to pass that Patrick, in going out of Connactia, beheld outside of a burying-place which was consecrated to God the graves of two men who had been lately buried, and he observed that at the head of the one was a cross erected. And sitting in his chariot, as was then the custom, he bade his charioteer to stay, and, speaking to the dead man as to one living, he asked him who and of what religion he had been? And the voice answered unto him from the grave that he had been a pagan, altogether ignorant of the Christian faith. "Why, then," said the saint, "bearest thou the cross of Christ, thou who didst never worship or acknowledge Him?" And the voice answered: "He who is buried near me was a Christian; and some one of your faith, coming hither, placed the cross at my head." Thus the voice spake, and was silent. Then the saint descended from his chariot, and removed the cross from that place, and fixed it at the head-stone of him who had been baptized, and prayed for him, and went his way.
CHAPTER LXVIII.
Of his Journey, and of his manifold Miracles.
And going out of Connactia, after having confirmed that country in the Christian faith, he went toward the northern part of Ireland, which is called Dalnardia; and the people therein dwelling, by his conversation, and by his example, and by his miracles, did he convert unto the faith of Christ and the sacraments of the faith. Then he passed over the mountain Ficoth, even to the great plain of Bregh, thus traversing through Midia into Lagenia; and everywhere he preached the kingdom of God, and certain of his disciples he advanced in fit places unto the episcopal dignity. But by how many miracles his journey was graced, how many diseased persons he healed, severally to relate, not even the pen of the most eloquent could suffice. For divers received health, not only by his touch or by his prayer, but even by the passing of his shadow, as were he another Peter. So many as were not purified by the healing water did he labor to persuade unto baptism; so many as were already baptized, lest their faith should be perverted by the old enemy or subverted by heretical doctrines, did he therein confirm. And since faith, according to the Apostle James, is "dead without works," and since a dead faith is no faith, this blessed preacher earnestly persuaded the believers unto a holy and sincere faith by their diligent working of good works. But they who, proceeding in all wickedness, condemned his doctrine, and, rebelling against God, obstinately persevered in the worship of devils, often at his prayer were they by the suddenness of divine justice destroyed, as our relation has hitherto declared, and will declare in the following pages.