Att text: Modern scholarship widely attributes The Life of Saint Abbán to Bishop Ailbe Ua Maíl Mhuaidh. Whilst drawing upon earlier traditions, the evidence indicates it was composed around 1218AD in Leinster. The author was a Cistercian-trained monk and later bishop, writing to promote the cult of a local saint and to address contemporary ecclesiastical and political concerns following the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland (Ó Riain, 1986; Mac Shamhráin, 2006; Ó Néill, 2005).

Mac Shamhráin, A. (2006) ‘Bishop Ailbe Ua Máel Muaid of Ferns (d. 1223): His life and times’, in Bracken, D. and Ó Riain-Raedel, D. (eds) Ireland Europe in the Twelfth Century: Reform and Renewal. Dublin: Four Courts Press, pp. 309–338.
Ó Néill, P. (2005) ‘St. Abbán’s charm and the authorship of his Life’, Ériu, 55, pp. 95–112.
Ó Riain, P. (1986) ‘St. Abbán: The genesis of an Irish saint’s life’, in Proceedings of the VII International Congress of Celtic Studies. Oxford, pp. 159–170.

Chapter 1: Here begins the Life of Saint Abban, Abbot #

¹ In the western region of the whole world there is an island situated, whose name is called Hibernia. This same island is large, bright, and pleasant, a land in which there are chiefly five provinces. In it there is no venomous beast, nor does any kind of serpent dwell there; rather, the land is healthy, free from diseases, very suitable for habitation, and fruitful in many kinds of produce, both in its waters and on its lands and in its forests. Its inhabitants are called by two names: that is, from the river Hiber it is called Hibernia, and from Hibernia they are called Hibernians. They are also called Scots, from Scota, the mother of that people, who was the daughter of the king of Egypt. How she herself came from Egypt to Hibernia we omit for the sake of brevity, because much is found about her in books that relate how Hibernia was first inhabited in ancient times. The people of Hibernia have been proven steadfast in the Catholic faith and in ecclesiastical teaching, and above all nations they practice hospitality.

² From that people, indeed, God chose for himself a great host of saints, as the Truth says in the Gospel: “I have other sheep that are not of this fold” [John 10:16]. And elsewhere: “Many will come from the east and from the west, and will recline with Abraham” [Matthew 8:11], and so forth. From their fellowship was a man venerable in the holiness of his life, named Abban, whom God chose beforehand before he was born; for many holy men, long before he was born, foretold that he would be born. Among them was Saint Patrick the archbishop, who was staying at a harbor in the southern region of the Laigin, that is, in Uí Chennselaig, and who, when he came to preach in Hibernia, said: “Three sons of eternal life will be born from the people of the Laigin, whose names will be Abban, Coemgen, and Moling. They will be the greatest of the saints of the Laigin, and through their merits—although they are not yet born—I will now pray to God. For they will be very bright lamps for mankind, making manifest works that are holy and pleasing to God, and because of them I will convert the Laigin to the faith of Christ; but not yet, for God has ordained that I must first go to the northern regions of Hibernia, and afterward return more peacefully to the Laigin, because they are warlike.” The names of the others, and how they prophesied concerning Saint Abban, we omit for the sake of brevity, except for how Saint Ibar the bishop prophesied concerning him at the hour of his birth.

³ Saint Abban, then, was born of a noble lineage of the Laigin, namely of Dál Mac Scorb. His father was named Cormac, who was king of the Laigin. His mother, however, was named Mella, who was the sister of Bishop Ibar. That mother was afflicted with very severe pains of childbirth. When the time came for Abban to be born, Bishop Ibar was summoned to his sister, who was almost at the point of death. When she saw him coming, she spoke the following verse in the Irish language:

⁴ “Bishop Ibar, come to my help; it is he who knows my secrets; let him seek forgiveness for my sins; sharp pangs of labour have overtaken me.”

⁵ And the bishop replied in the same language: “Bishop Ibar is before you; sharp pangs of labour have overtaken you; you will bear a noble and wondrous abbot; may the King of the elements come to your aid.”

⁶ These verses can be interpreted in Latin this way: the queen in the first verse asked the bishop, who knew her secrets, to pray for her and for the remission of her sins. In the second, the bishop foretells that she will be helped by God from her pains, and that the son to be born to her will be most exalted and wondrous before God and before human beings. Immediately afterward, the queen gave birth to the holy child without any distress; and in that same hour he was baptized and was full of the grace of God. The holy boy Abban was raised with the greatest care by his fosterers, who thought that he would become king after his father.

⁷ When the blessed boy was able to walk, he went to the church, and there, like a devout old man, he prayed continually; and even in childhood he bravely endured severe fasts. In this way he persevered until his death, most diligent in vigils and fasts, in prayers and almsgiving, in love of neighbor, and in the rest of the divine commandments. As soon as he was able to speak, he knowingly proclaimed divine words to all people, as though he had been skilled in the Scriptures. And indeed he was skilled in the Scriptures, because from his very birth the Holy Spirit taught him. By both words and deeds he urged people to despise this passing world and to follow Christ, who was crucified for them, and to ask God for eternal life.

⁸ His parents and the other people marveled at his life and upright conduct, saying to one another: “We do not know what sort of boy this is, who has learned from no human teacher, yet performs the deeds of holy elders and teaches the pursuits of learned men.” Because of this, it came about that some, admiring him, others wishing to please his mind, and others testing him to see whether he might desire to possess an earthly kingdom, addressed him as “O king,” spoke to him of royal matters, and promised that he would be king after his father. The holy boy, hearing people speak such words about him, rebuked them, saying: “Wretched people, why do you call me king? For not only will I not be king, but I will have no other worldly care at all, since I wish to serve my Lord Jesus Christ, who gives to those who serve him a kingdom that does not fail” [cf. Hebrews 12:28]. When his father and mother learned that he had spoken these words, they summoned him and said to him: “Son, why do you not wish to be the heir of the kingdom after your father? It is more fitting for you to ride horses, to go hunting, and now to practice martial games, so that when your father grows old you may go out before the Laigin to fight against foreigners for your homeland.”

⁹ “Why,” he said, “do you wish to prevent me from serving God the Father almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth; and his Son, whom he sent as a propitiation for the whole world [1 John 2:2]; and that Son, who was obedient to the Father to death [Philippians 2:8]; and the Holy Spirit, who has enlightened the human race with his gifts? For I have been foretold by the servants of the Lord that I am a soldier of God, and not a soldier of this world. Therefore know that I will always be a servant of the Holy Trinity, that is, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

¹⁰ When the king heard him speaking such a resolve, he became angry and ordered that he be bound and chained with fetters until he changed these words. The king also swore that, unless the boy promised to live a secular life, he would suffer martyrdom. But the holy servant of God, driven from the king’s presence and ready for martyrdom, grew more and more joyful and cried out in a loud voice: “I am a servant of God, from whose service the power of this world cannot separate me.” On the following night, while he was in custody, all his bonds were broken by divine power, and, though guards were standing around, he was found unbound. When this was reported to the king, he did not order him to be bound again; rather, moved by compassion and at the tearful pleading of the queen, he released him and let him go free.

¹¹ When, therefore, almighty God wished to lead his servant Abban to the church to learn ecclesiastical discipline, with the permission of his parents, so that—since he was destined by God to be the father and teacher of many—he might first be placed under instruction, God worked through him the miracle you are about to hear, lest his parents hold him any longer against the will of the holy boy; for he did not wish to leave them except with their permission and blessing. One day, when he went out with other boys of his own age to play in the field, Saint Abban went along; and while the others began to play, he withdrew by himself in order to worship God. He stood in a place where the calves of the estate were grazing around him. Then a wretched she-wolf came with her cubs from a nearby wood among the calves and stood before him. When the most compassionate boy saw their misery and how emaciated they were, moved by mercy he commanded them to eat one of the calves. Immediately the wolves rushed upon it, killed the calf, and quickly ate it. Is it not wondrous that the hungry wolves, passing by their own prey without touching it, came to the saint, and that the calves, seeing their devourers coming toward them, did not flee from the servant of God? Yet this is not to be wondered at, for God subjected the beasts to his servant for two reasons: first, that he might burn more intensely with love for God; and second, that he might be released freely to serve God. When the wolves were satisfied, they began to go around him, as if blessing him in return for their meal.

¹² Then it happened that the boys, ceasing from their play and looking for their master, came to the place where the holy boy was; and seeing the wolves with their heads bloodied by the calf’s blood, they began to accuse and rebuke the holy boy with very harsh words. The herdsmen, however, did not cease wailing and tearing themselves in fear, saying that the calf’s mother would not live. But the soldier of Christ, hearing that the cow would not survive after the death of her calf, and seeing the frightened herdsmen, was moved with compassion and prayed to the Lord, saying: “O Lord my God, who made this creature from nothing, restore this calf to life, that it may come alive to its mother.” As the holy boy said these and similar words, he signed the corpse with the sign of the cross of Christ, and immediately, before all who were present, flesh and skin covered the bare bones; it was of the same color and size as it had been before. Rising from the ground, it ran, playing and lowing, to the other calves. When the boys saw this great miracle, they ran with all their might to the fortress and reported to the king what had been done. When the king heard of such a miracle performed by his son, he rejoiced in his heart and, before all the princes of his kingdom, together with the queen his mother, decreed that he should, with the consent of all and as seemed good to the steadfast soul of the boy, serve God always.

¹³ Afterward, Saint Abban was brought by his parents to Saint Ibar the bishop, his mother’s brother; and the glorious bishop received him with joy. The holy bishop rejoiced at his coming not only because he was the son of a king and of his own sister, but because he knew him to be filled with the Holy Spirit and destined to be a loving father of many servants of God, and to convert a great multitude of people through him from the yoke of the devil to Christ. Let us consider, beloved, lest we be caught up in the desires of this world, just as this saint was not; for Saint Abban was the son of a king, and by his own father he was bound and restrained in this world and nearly brought to martyrdom. And although he was chosen by the whole kingdom to be king after his father, still a young boy and unlearned, he despised perishable things from his heart and fulfilled what he had promised, namely, to serve Christ. Therefore we ought to set him before ourselves as an example, so that we may flee this world and, together with him, merit to receive the Lord’s promise, in which it is said: “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God” [Revelation 3:12], and so forth. With divine mercy aiding us, let us now turn our discourse to recounting the life of Saint Abban and the miracles that God worked through him.

¹⁴ Saint Abban was twelve years old when he came to Saint Ibar the bishop, to be nurtured for God under his guidance; and he lived with him for many years in holiness and gentleness, and in a manner of life that was wondrous. For he immediately began to make progress in the Scriptures, not only in divine learning but also in the other arts, as is the custom for young people in youth to taste something of the sweetness and subtlety of the disciplines of authors. As a result, others marveled at the depth of his knowledge, wisdom, and eloquence. Yet they should not have marveled at his wisdom, because even in his father’s house, while still a little boy and unlearned, he disputed with everyone and brought forth testimonies from the divine Scriptures, being taught by the Holy Spirit. And by that same Spirit he was always divinely inspired. For at that time innumerable holy monks, clerics, and holy virgins were in various places throughout all Hibernia under the guidance of Saint Ibar. But the blessed Bishop Ibar dwelt more often than elsewhere in his most renowned and excellent monastery, which is called Beg Érenn, because he loved that place greatly. That monastery is situated in the southern part of Uí Chennselaig, on an island surrounded by the sea; and the island the monastery are called by the same name, namely Beg Érenn, which in Latin is interpreted as “Little Hibernia.” In that monastery lie the relics of the most blessed bishop Ibar, which are honorably venerated, and the place itself is greatly honored by the people of Hibernia because of the name of Saint Ibar; for he was one outstanding steward of divine teaching among the early preachers whom God chose to convert the people of Hibernia from paganism to the faith of Christ. There also clear and very great miracles do not cease to be shown by God through him. He himself was born of the people of the Ulstermen, which is the fifth part of Hibernia; but God granted him to the people of the Laigin, so that his most holy body might rest in the soil of their land, and so that both now and in the future they might be protected by his intercession.

¹⁵ We beg and adjure you, most beloved brothers, in Christ Jesus, that you believe with full faith all that you have heard and will hear that God has accomplished through his servant Abban, and that you doubt none of it, knowing that Scripture says: “All things are possible to the one who believes” [Mark 9:23]. And as the apostle James says: “Let him ask in faith, with no doubting” [James 1:6]. And in the Apocalypse it is said: “They have power over the waters” [Revelation 11:6]. And the blessed apostle Peter says: “Who is there to harm you, if you are zealous for what is good?” [1 Peter 3:13]. And again: “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you” [1 Peter 5:6]. The apostle John says: “Everyone who has this hope in the Lord Jesus sanctifies himself, just as he is holy” [1 John 3:3]. And the Lord says in the Gospel, speaking into the ears of the apostles and of those who believe in him: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater than these. And whatever you ask of the Father in my name, this I will do” [John 14:12–13]. Concerning this testimony no one can doubt. Hence the apostle John says: “If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater” [1 John 5:9]. Therefore, most beloved friends, all things must be believed by you that Christ has done through one who believed in him and kept all his commandments from his birth until his death. For this reason, in recounting these things, we have warned you beforehand not to doubt them; with God’s help, we now turn our pen to the narrative.

Chapter 2: On His Walking upon the Sea #

¹ At a certain time Saint Ibar the bishop, while he was in the place mentioned above, desired to present himself to the Apostolic See and resolved to go to Rome, burning with the desire of pilgrimage for the love of Christ. He ordered that a ship be quickly prepared for him with all that he needed. When the blessed Abban heard that Saint Ibar wished to become a pilgrim, he came and bowed at his feet, begging him with sighs to grant him permission to go with him on pilgrimage, for the holy youth burned with the same fervor of love for pilgrimage. But Saint Ibar and those who were under him all with one mind wished that blessed Abban should remain in the place of Bishop Ibar, in case he himself did not return, since they saw that he was full of the Holy Spirit and that great signs were being worked by God through him. Together with the bishop they decided that he should remain in that monastery until the bishop returned from his pilgrimage, and they all asked him, together with the bishop, to accept this plan and resolve, and to carry out willingly whatever the bishop might command him. But Saint Abban in no way agreed to their requests; rather, without hesitation he promised that he would set out on pilgrimage. Then Saint Ibar, angered and indignant, ordered him to depart from his presence and promised before the people that he would not allow him to go with him on the ship. Nevertheless, recognizing his goodness and blessedness, he did not curse him nor wish anything harsh to happen to him, for he knew that he was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

² Afterward the holy bishop went with all the people to the place where the ship was prepared; and after bidding farewell to the people, he began to enter the ship with the disciples who had been appointed beforehand. Saint Abban was still in the company, and once again he begged the bishop for the same request; and again the holy bishop refused, swearing that he would not take him with him. Hearing this, the servant of God began to return in sorrow and to weep. But when the holy bishop saw him going back, weeping and shedding tears, he was deeply moved with love for him, called him back, and said to him: “My son, lay your head in my lap.” When he did so, he immediately fell asleep. While he was sleeping, the bishop placed his head upon the ground, ordered the people to return to their homes, and himself entered the ship with his companions. Thus the servant of the Lord was left alone, sleeping in that place, and all withdrew from him.

³ Meanwhile Saint Ibar ordered the pilots to attend to steering the ship; and when they had brought the anchor into the ship, raised the sail, and a wind from the north began to blow, they set sail. Then the ship began to move swiftly, heading out into the open sea. Some of the brethren, wishing to know what the servant of God would do after his sleep, stayed at a distance and watched him. When an hour had passed, he arose from sleep, and at once, looking out over the sea, he saw the ship sailing and floating far from land, so that he could scarcely discern whether it was a ship or a cloud. Then divine providence filled his heart with a threefold love: love of pilgrimage, love of his holy teacher, and a still greater love, namely, of the Holy Trinity. Then, with the utmost intensity, from the depths of his heart, he prayed to God, bending his knees and saying: “Lord God almighty, who remain in the Trinity and in the unity of harmony, let your mercy come to my aid, since I desire to serve you. You who led your people through the Red Sea and the Jordan on dry ground [Exodus 14:21–22; Joshua 3:16–17], to whom all your creatures are subject, make me do whatever you will of me. But in your name, and in the name of your most beloved Son, my Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, I will now go out upon the sea, trusting in the gift of your mercy.” Saying these and similar words, he ran into the sea and said: “Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit” [Psalm 31:5; Luke 23:46]. He went forth at the swiftest pace, in a straight course after the ship, looking neither behind him nor to the right nor to the left, but straight ahead; and the angels of God were seen running with him upon the sea.

⁴ Those brethren who had been watching, seeing this, prayed constantly to God for him, glorifying the Lord and giving thanks to him, and proclaiming these things openly before the people; and all who heard of it gave glory to God. The ship, meanwhile, stood still in the middle of the sea at the place where it had been when the servant of God entered upon the waters, and it did not move from there until he reached it. The pilots and the bishop’s disciples, seeing that the ship was no longer moving, reported this to the bishop. Then the bishop, filled with the divine Spirit, said to them: “Sign yourselves, brothers, with the sign of the cross of Christ, for now you will see a very great miracle worked by God. For look, the servant of the Lord whom we did not allow to come with us in the ship is running upon the waves, and the angels of God are accompanying him; he will soon arrive.” While the bishop was still speaking, they saw him coming toward them with the greatest speed; some said that he was running, others that he was flying, because of the swiftness of his movement, for he was strengthened by angelic guidance. When he reached the ship, they received him into it with great joy, weeping for gladness. Immediately the ship was freed to move, and afterward they sailed with complete calm until they reached Britain.

⁵ After these things, on a certain day the servants of God, Saint Ibar and Saint Abban, were traveling with their companions in the southern part of Britain, and they came to a certain pagan city devoted to idols. When they entered the city marketplace, the citizens marveled at their dress and speech. Some thought they were apparitions, others that they were people from a distant land. At once word about them was brought before the king of the city, and the king ordered them to be led to him. When they came, the king asked them where they were from, where they were going, and what was the reason for their journey. Then, with the Lord’s promise fulfilled, where it is said, “They will speak in new tongues” [Mark 16:17], Saint Ibar the bishop said to him: “If you ask about our people, we are Hibernians; if about our destination, Rome; if about our purpose, it is so that there we may pray to almighty God through the merits of the apostles, martyrs, confessors, and virgins, who in that place, after overcoming the devil, passed on to the heavenly kingdom.” But when the king heard the bishop speaking of almighty God, he said: “Who is almighty God?” Then the bishop, filled with the grace of God, preached very carefully about the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The king again said: “What do you say about our gods?” The bishop replied: “There is only one God; but the devil compels you to worship idols, which you yourselves have made with your hands. Our God, however, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, thunders over all the creatures he has made; and not only those who saw these things, but also those who believe in him, perform great signs in his name.” Then the king said: “Perform signs in my presence now, since you believe in him; and if you do not, you will be beheaded by my judgment, and dogs and birds will devour your bodies.” The bishop said: “If we perform a sign in the name of our God, will you then believe in him?” When the king promised that he would believe, the bishop ordered him to ask for a sign. The king said: “Let one of you light a candle with his own breath, without fire, so that it burns before me.” At that time Saint Abban, weary from the journey, was sleeping. When the holy bishop took the candle and could not light it, he handed it to one of his companions, and he also was unable; in the same way it was passed from one to another until the last, and they could not light the candle. Seeing that they could not do so, the executioners, at the king’s command, began to draw their swords, intending to strike them. Then the bishop said to them: “Wait a little, for God has not given this gift to us, but to the one who is sleeping; for while we were sailing, he walked on the sea with his own feet, and our ship waited for him in the middle of the sea.” Hearing this, they stood still. Then Saint Abban, awakened from sleep, signed himself with the sign of the holy cross and, before everyone, lit the candle with his breath. Its flame was exceedingly bright, and, wondrous to say, it could not be extinguished in any way until it was completely consumed. When the pagans saw such miracles, they trembled within themselves, but the Christians gave thanks to God.

⁶ In those days the wife of that same king was afflicted with severe pain, and on the very day when the holy men came to the city that is called Abbaindun or Dun Abbain, she died. But while the king was sitting on the tribunal and judging, still unaware that his wife had died, a sorrowful messenger came to him and informed him. Immediately upon hearing this, the king hastened quickly to her body and wept bitterly. Afterward, with divine grace inspiring him inwardly, he returned to the saints of God with groans and a tearful voice, and begged them that in the name of their Lord God they would raise his wife from death, promising that he would without hesitation believe in God and be baptized together with her. Then Saint Ibar said to him: “Take with you the one who today lit the candle before you with his breath, so that he may pray for her; for God has granted him such grace, as he deserves, to raise the dead.”

⁷ Meanwhile the king led the blessed Abban to the house of mourning, while crowds of townspeople met them, singing funeral chants. When the saint of God entered the house where the lifeless body lay, he greeted her according to the command of the Gospel, and prayed earnestly from the depths of his heart to the Lord, that he might show his power there by raising the queen, and that by such a testimony the pagans might be converted to the faith. While he was praying in this way, her soul entered back into her body, and immediately, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the holy man commanded her to rise; and without delay, at his voice, she arose. The saint then restored her alive before all to her husband. She herself testified that what the saints had proclaimed was true, and she bore clear witness to the glory of the Trinity.

⁸ At that same hour the king and the queen were baptized, and at their command all who were present likewise received baptism; and the whole city was converted from error to the life of truth. A church of God was built there, and ecclesiastical ministers were ordained by the holy bishop; and the servants of the Lord, having power over all the idols and images of that place, broke them and consigned them to the fire.

⁹ At that same time there was in those regions, within the territory of that city, a very savage, venomous, and unknown beast; it nearly besieged the city and devastated a great part of the countryside. In form and strength it was like a lion, but its ferocity appeared unbearable, for the local army and the king with his soldiers often fought against it and were able to do it no harm; instead, they were overcome by it alone. In all these encounters it killed three hundred people. Since people were unable to resist it, they fled from it; and wherever it wished to go, it walked about unchallenged, dwelling especially near that city. Because of this, those who had then become Christians brought a complaint to Saint Abban, asking him to drive such a diabolical beast from the land in the name of Christ.

¹⁰ When the servant of God heard of this misery, he set out with people who knew where the beast was; and when they showed him the place where it was, they withdrew from him in fear, running away as quickly as they could. Immediately the lion-like beast, raging in its den in the field, sensed that a human was approaching and came out; and the soldier of Christ, unarmed, boldly advanced against it. As the beast rushed forward with all its strength and fury to meet the servant of God, he in turn signed it with the sign of the cross of Christ, saying: “O diabolical offspring, I say to you in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ: lay aside your venom and die.” At these words the beast fell to the ground and breathed its last, and it was seen to be dead.

¹¹ When the people heard and saw that it was dead, they rejoiced greatly; they gave thanks to God for this and were strengthened still more in the faith, glorifying the saint of God.

¹² Again those same people brought another complaint to Saint Abban concerning beasts dwelling in a certain lake before that same city, which were very venomous—for in the time of those who then lived, they killed a hundred people (the number of livestock is not known). They said: “Magnify still further before us the name of Christ, in whom we believe through you, by freeing us from these beasts that dwell in that lake, and which at times rush onto the land kill both people and livestock.”

¹³ Wishing to make the name of Christ manifest through great deeds among them, the servant of God went with them to the lake and, alone before them all, entered the water. Immediately the fierce beasts, with dreadful faces, hastened toward him; but when they saw his angelic countenance, they laid aside all their violence and stood meekly at the saint’s feet. He then commanded them to go with him into the depths of the lake, and there he assigned them a place, binding them so that they would dwell there until the end of the world. He also appointed for them a daily portion of food from the fish of the lake. From that hour until the present day they have not appeared again from there, nor have they harmed anyone. Yet from that place where the beasts are bound, even in the seventh year a movement of the whole lake is still seen as a sign of this power.

¹⁴ When the saint of God returned from the lake, the people, seeing that he had come back unharmed from such immense danger, gave thanks to God, glorifying the holy man; and rejoicing, they returned with him to the city. Meanwhile Saint Ibar and Saint Abban, leaving there the founders of the church and faithful cultivators of the true faith, and having received permission and a blessing from the people, set out for Rome. After fulfilling their vows there, they returned to Hibernia.

¹⁵ Three times Saint Abban went to Rome on pilgrimage for the name of Christ. On a certain day it happened that he was standing on the seashore, praying and blessing God. He saw a huge wave already rushing toward him from the middle of the sea, rising on high like a hill and threatening to sweep over the nearby land. Seeing this danger, the saint remembered the word of the Lord, who says: “When you hear of wars, do not be terrified” [Luke 21:9]. Indeed, what is seen is more truly feared than what is heard, and it was a dreadful struggle for fragile human nature to see the swelling abyss and not flee from it; yet it was granted to him to stand firm against the surging contest of the waves.

¹⁶ The blessed man, lifting his hands to heaven, placed his staff beneath his feet; and, taking no thought for his own danger, he prayed to Christ that the sea might not devastate the land made habitable for human use. What more shall I say? The wave did not pass beyond the shore, but instead carried the servant of God, standing upon his staff, out into the open sea. When he was in the midst of the sea, a horrible band of demons came to him and cried out in dreadful voices, saying: “Wretched man, at this hour you will be drowned in these waves, and beasts will devour your body; and the injury you have done to us—by converting a pagan people to Christ, by breaking the idols in which we dwelt, and by killing and binding the beasts that slew people through our snares—we will avenge upon you.”

¹⁷ But the saint, intently chanting psalms and divine hymns, gave them no answer at first. They surrounded him on every side, threatening to take his life and saying that they themselves had led him into this danger. Then the saint said to them: “Great is our Lord God, and great is his power” [Psalm 147:5]; “but you have no power at all, and only deceive the world by your snares.” Meanwhile a most sweet chant was heard from the angels of God coming down from heaven, saying: “Wonderful is God in his saints” [Psalm 68:35]. “Therefore, inhabitants of the underworld, depart from the servant of God and do not trouble him, for you have no place in him.” When the angels of God drove them away, the demons departed.

¹⁸ Then an angel of the Lord came to Saint Abban and said: “Your voyage today, servant of Christ, will benefit many until the end of the world.” The saint said: “How?” The angel replied: “In the truth of God I tell you: whoever invokes your name when entering a ship, saying three times in the name of the Trinity—”

¹⁹ “Curach Abbain ar a lind, Muinnter fhinn Abbain ind.”

²⁰ [“Abban’s coracle upon the water; the fair company of Abban in it.”]

²¹ —of that voyage he will not be drowned, but will arrive safely on land. This is interpreted in Latin as what the angel said in Irish: “The boat of Abban upon the waters, the fair household of Abban within it.”

²² Then the saint gave thanks to God for this promise even more than for his own deliverance from the sea. And the angel said to him: “For three hundred and ten years you will live, from your birth until your death, serving God for so long a time without fault; and you will build many monasteries in honor of the Lord, and you will be the patron of many on the day of judgment. This time you will come to Rome and return to Hibernia; and again, a third time, you will come to Rome, and then Gregory, father of the Apostolic See, will ordain you priest and abbot; and afterward you will return to Hibernia, and in many places servants of Christ will be under your care.” While the angel was prophesying these things, the saint was carried from the wave back onto the land; and when he reached Rome, he returned again to Hibernia.

²³ On that same day, Saint Ibar the bishop, and Saint Patrick the elder, and Saint Abban were sailing together in one boat on the water called the Lake of Garman, when a monstrous, beastlike, and unknown creature appeared to them from the sea. It had one hundred heads of different shapes, two hundred eyes, and as many ears; and it stretched itself up to the clouds, and from the mouth of its highest head, which towered above the rest, it hurled water high into the clouds. It caused enormous waves throughout the whole body of water, so that the boat was nearly overwhelmed. Although it is called a lake, it is more truly a very great sea channel; and the sea’s inundation flows daily farther inland into the River Slaney, because the Slaney flows into the Lake of Garman, and in that same place they pass into the open sea. The sailors, seeing such a monster, were greatly afraid. Then Saint Ibar and Saint Patrick rose up and prayed against the diabolical beast. Saint Abban, however, remained seated and was silent out of humility. Then a divine voice from heaven said to them: “It is not for you to pray now, but for Abban; for through his prayer the diabolical form will be taken away from you, the form which the devil assumed when he fashioned himself and came to terrify your minds, to sink your boat, and to drag your companions with him down to the depths. Therefore Abban must now pray on your behalf, because his power has always prevailed over the waters; and what God promised him while he stood upon the wave of the sea will be fulfilled forever.” Then Saint Abban quickly prayed against the monster, marking it with the sign of the cross of Christ; and at once it appeared as though dead, with part of it falling into the water and part onto the land. Immediately the waves were calmed, and the whole lake or channel appeared completely serene. Whether it is called a lake or a channel, it contains salt water. And the boat of the saints, as they gave thanks to God, reached the desired harbor. Wondrous to say, nothing was found of the body of the diabolical monster, either in the water or on the land, after the saints had counted its heads and examined its foulness and terror; and in this it is clear that it was the devil.

²⁴ At a certain time Saint Abban saw three ships prepared to cross the sea, and, having paid the fare, he boarded one of them; and the three ships sailed together. In these three ships there were one hundred and fifty clerics, all wishing to go on pilgrimage. But each of them was on his own, and they had no leader. And look, a great storm came upon them, and the sea was stirred from the depths to the surface. They all prayed to God, and God, having mercy, removed the storm from them. And when the sea became calm, the ships were held fast in the middle of the sea and could not move; and all, seeing the ships motionless, were troubled in mind and wept, not doubting that they would suffer death there, and they did not know for what reason they were enduring such things. Then a divine voice said to them: “For this reason this distress has seized you, because you did not take care to have one leader or to be under the guidance of one; but I will give you a pious and gentle leader, like Moses, who will lead you with himself from this world to the heavenly kingdom [cf. Exodus 3–14]. He is among you, and he is called Abban.” At this voice, they did not recognize him, and he himself did not reveal himself to them; therefore they cast lots in the name of the Holy Trinity, so that they might know in which ship he was, and the lot fell upon the ship in which Saint Abban was. And they saw an angel standing over him and pointing him out as Abban. Immediately the one hundred and fifty clerics with one accord accepted him as their leader, and they promised God that they would always be monks under his authority. Then the ships were released, and they sailed prosperously to land. Saint Abban, with his disciples, then went on to Rome.

²⁵ As they were entering Rome, a good man met them, who was accustomed to receive pilgrims of Christ into his house, and he led them with him to a guesthouse. He also had a steward of pilgrims, who was pious and holy; and this steward received them joyfully, but he went through them all until he came to Saint Abban, and greeting and reverently honoring him, he showed him honor as was fitting. And all, marveling, questioned him, saying: “Why do you honor him before all of us? He is not much older than we are, nor does he have more distinguished clothing.” He answered: “God is my witness that an angel of the Lord showed him to me and commanded me to do what I have done.” And they, giving thanks to God, told him how they had been compelled to become his disciples. Meanwhile Saint Gregory ordained Saint Abban as priest and abbot in the presence of his monks; and having received the blessing, the man of God departed with his disciples.

²⁶ But what happened when the saint was departing from Rome must not be passed over, but should be related to your dignity. Then two leaders happened to meet near the right side of the monastery of Saint Peter, approaching with a great army to engage in battle. When the holy man saw the battle line, and spears aimed before him, and each of them drawing near to fight at close quarters, he was grieved by such an action and prayed to God for them, marking them with the sign of the cross of Christ. What more can be said? Immediately, love was taken up in place of hatred; laying aside their weapons, all kissed one another, both the leaders and their followers, and, enriched with the holy blessing, they remained friends throughout their lives. All who heard and saw such a miracle glorified Christ in his pilgrims, and especially those who had been set free. The man of God, with his brothers, after these things arrived in Hibernia.

²⁷ After Saint Abban came to Hibernia with the disciples who had been given with him to God, he built many places in honor of the Lord. In the region of the Connachta, in the plain of Ce, that is, the plain of Triudi, he built three monasteries. When these had been established and he had left in them a sufficient number of orthodox men, he went on to the region of the Mumu. And in the western part of Mumu, that is, in the region of Corcu Duibhne, he built a monastery called Cell Achaid Conchinn. When this had been built, he left there founders of the church and prophesied that the place would be named after Saint Finan the abbot, who at that time had not yet been born; and so it came to pass. After this he came to the borders of the Muscraige and the Eóganachta, and there, in the land of the Muscraige, he built a monastery called Huisneach, and that place was given by the man of God, by divine prompting, with all that belonged to it, to the most holy virgin Gobnaid. Then the saint of God came to the land of Uí Liatháin, and there he built a cell called Cell Cruimthir, near the settlement of Cúl Collingi, and he left some of his disciples there. Passing on from there to the boundary of the Déisi and the Feara Maige, near the settlement of Brí Gobáin, he built a cell which in Irish is called Cell na Marbhan, that is, the Cell of the Dead. Leaving faithful men dwelling there, the holy man went to the northern slope of Mount Crott, in the region of the Muscraige, and there at the foot of that mountain he built a great and very well-ordered monastery, which is called Cluain Aird Mobhecoc. Saint Abban then departed from there and in the same region built a monastery called Cluain Findglaise. In the same place, that is, Cluain Aird, the most blessed and most devout man Becan lived a wondrous life until his death, and he spent the whole course of his life in tears and three-day fasts, in constant prayer, in bending of the knees, in the lifting of the hands in lamentation, and in night watches; and that place is named after him. He also made for himself a stone cross apart in the open, and every day at dawn, in the early part of the day, whether the weather was clear or stormy, cold or hot, fastening himself to that cross, he chanted the entire Psalter; and it is now held in great honor. We do not write here the whole course of his life, nor the miracles he worked in the name of the Lord, because they are written in his Life; but this we say boldly, that we have heard of no one more devout than he, nor have we seen a more beautiful or more well-ordered place than his monastery; and this monastery is called by many Cell na nDeor, that is, the Cell of Tears, because penitential tears are granted by God to people who ask for them there, through the merits of the most blessed father Becan. Saint Abban, after building the monastery of Cluain Findglaise, crossed the River Suir, and in the western part of the plain of Femen built a monastery called Cluain Conbruin; and when it was built he went on to the northern region of Mumu, that is, Éile.

²⁸ That people was still unbelieving and worshiped idols. It happened that the whole people of that region was gathered in one assembly with their leader when Saint Abban arrived there. Then the holy man of God preached to them about the kingdom of heaven and urged them to believe in God and to be baptized in his name. The leader said to the man of God: “Who is God, and what does he do today?” The holy man replied: “God is the creator of heaven and earth, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them [Acts 17:24; Genesis 1:1]; and what he does each day, he does today, and what he does today, he does each day: he governs heaven and earth and all that is in them; all the elements serve him; he saves humanity and looks with favor upon the humble [cf. Psalm 113:6].” While the saint was saying these and similar things, the leader tested him by asking about a very tall stone that stood in the ground before them, saying: “Tell me the truth about this matter, so that I may know whether your God is as you describe him, or whether you are truly his servant.” The saint said: “So that you may know that it is so, ask whatever you wish.” The leader said: “Show us which part of this stone is greater, that which is in the ground or that which is above the ground.” The man of God said: “It is equal in the ground and above the ground.” The leader, however, did not believe this, but thought that the saint had spoken in such a way that they themselves could not know how it really was, and he ordered the whole people to dig up the ground and bring out the stone. And the people dug, and with great labor and sweat brought the stone out, and it was found to be just as the holy man had said. Then, marveling and believing with one mind, the servant of God Abban baptized them. The village in which they were is called Ráith Becáin, that is, the Court of Becan; and the leader and the people together offered it, along with many gifts of silver and gold and other goods, to Saint Abban in honor of the Lord. Then an angel of the Lord came to the man of God, saying: “Do not accept their gifts, but command them to distribute them to the poor; keep the village, however, for the use of the servants of God.” After this the saint blessed that people, who promised to serve him until the end of the age, and he is the patron of that people.

²⁹ A venomous and unknown creature of dreadful form was also there: that is, a cat as large as a year-old calf, with a fiery head, a burning mane, a flaming tail, huge teeth, and very long claws. Concerning this, a certain swineherd who was there made a complaint before all others to the man of God, saying: “O servant of the Lord, who have freed the people entrusted to you by God from the worship of the devil, defend them from the diabolical cat, which kills many people and livestock, has laid waste this region, and cannot be resisted by soldiers or by mastiffs, because weapons are repelled by its whole body as though by an adamant stone; and it is now on the road by which you intend to go.” The holy man replied: “I know that it is so, as you say, and I know that it is on the road by which I wish to go; but in the name of Christ I say that from this day until the end of the age it will harm no one.” Then the saint went down, ordering chains to be brought to him, and he came to the bank of the River Brosna, and immediately the fiery and terrifying beast met him. The companions of the man of God were greatly afraid, but he alone went forward against the beast. When the beast looked upon the face of the saint, like a tame cat rejoicing at the coming of its master, it came to him and bowed itself at his feet. Seeing this, the companions of the saint, their fear driven away, came up to him. The saint seized the monster and led it with him to a nearby lake, and there bound it with chains. Even in the seventh year afterward, some sign of it is seen as a manifestation of power. When this was done, the whole region was filled with great joy.

³⁰ A certain man, an elderly and very wealthy person, advanced in years and of noble lineage in the region of Éile, had neither son nor brother nor nephew. In his old age he took a wife in order to seek an heir. She bore him a daughter, and the child was brought to Saint Abban to be baptized by him. The old man, her father, came with her and said to the man of God: “O man of God, hear my misery.” And he told the saint, who listened attentively, all that we have related above. The saint said to him: “You will have a son.” But the man laughed and said: “A woman has nothing to do with me, nor I with her, for I am full of old age and infirmities. Therefore, servant of the Lord, know that there will be no further concern with a woman in my care.” The saint said: “That pleases me; but wait a little, and you will see the power of the Lord.” Then the man of God baptized his daughter; but as she was being led away from the baptismal washing, a son was born. And the saint said to the father: “Look, your son.” Rejoicing greatly, both he and all who were with him said to the holy man: “May he, and his descendants after him, serve you.” The holy man replied: “As long as he and his descendants serve me, the kingship of this region shall be ruled by him.” And so it came to pass. That man returned to his home with his son, rejoicing in his heart over such a prophecy.

³¹ The saint then traveled throughout that region, preaching and building churches. Indeed, in that region he wished to end his life. But an angel of the Lord came to him, saying: “Hasten to the borders of the Laigin, for it has been predestined for you by the Lord that you shall rise there, and there you will build places in honor of the Lord. Leave here among these people builders of the faith.” Accordingly, when the saint had set things in order and blessed the people—who were weeping and granting him leave unwillingly—he set out on his journey.

³² Then a good man, who loved Saint Abban greatly, came to him and said: “O beloved of God, there is still a certain man of royal lineage in this land who is unbelieving and faithless, a warrior and a tyrant, who continually kills and plunders and lives by robbery. He is also seeking to kill you, and he has sent scouts to learn your route and is waiting for you in ambush. Therefore, lord, remain here for a few days, so that you may escape by another road. For even if soldiers were to go with you so that you might arrive safely in another province, I fear that there would be a slaughter of men in your presence.” Then the saint said to him: “May you be blessed by God, for the word of your mouth is wise and gentle. But this I say to you in the name of Christ: I know all that you have told me about him, yet in him will be fulfilled the prophecy which says, ‘Out of the wolf shall be made a lamb’ [Isaiah 11:6]; for he is a son of election, because his heart will be pierced by God when he sees me.” And blessing that man, the saint continued on his way.

³³ But the same tyrant rose up from his ambush against the man of God, girded with weapons. When the companions of Saint Abban saw the armed man, a most dreadful tyrant in his gait and appearance, with a similar band of soldiers, they were greatly afraid, and each of them began to hide himself here and there. The man of God, however, armed with faith, went on his way without fear. Immediately, just as the saint had foretold of him long before, the man laid his weapons upon the ground and came humbly to the servant of Christ, bowing before him and begging with tears to be baptized. Then the holy man baptized him along with his followers. That man had only one son, whom he brought, and he too was baptized. That man indeed took on the holy habit and remained with Saint Abban until his death in a blessed manner of life, and the deeds of his holiness are told. And the holy man said to him: “Your son will beget sons and daughters, and from his offspring there will be leaders and powerful men of my city, in which I myself shall pass from this world to the heavenly kingdom.” And so it came to pass. Now I, who have gathered and written the life of the most blessed father Abban, am the grandson of that son whom Saint Abban baptized and about whom he prophesied.

³⁴ After these things Saint Abban, with his disciples, entered the borders of the Laigin and came to the people of Uí Mairche. That people received him honorably and rejoiced greatly at his coming. The holy man carefully blessed them, and after many people suffering from various illnesses were healed there and miracles were performed, he departed from there to the people of Uí Mide. There he built a great monastery, and because of his honor a town was built in the same place; and the monastery and the town are called by one name in Irish, that is, Cell Abban, which in Latin is interpreted as “the cell of Abban.”

³⁵ After he had spent a long time there, an angel of the Lord came to Saint Abban and said to him: “Go to the region of Uí Chennselaig, and you shall remain in the place where you will hear the sound of a cymbal from heaven after sunset in the plain of Mide, for there you shall pass to the heavenly kingdom. But from that place you shall build monasteries and cells in other places in the same region, because much time still remains before your death. And in that same place there shall be a town in your honor, in which you will pass to God.” After this Saint Abban, blessing by the grace of God his city, Cell Abban, and blessing its people and clergy, and appointing holy men to remain there, and choosing others to go with him, directed his journey toward the borders of Uí Chennselaig. And the angel of the Lord showed him the place, just as he had previously told him. In that place Saint Abban lived a wondrous life and performed very great miracles in the name of the Lord; and from there he built cells and monasteries around that place. Indeed, he built a great monastery near the River Barrow, which is called Ros Meic Treoin, in which lies the most blessed abbot Saint Emen; also Druim Cain Ceallaig, and Camross, and other places in honor of the Lord in the same region, just as the angel of the Lord had foretold to him.

³⁶ We now wish, brothers, to relate to your dignity a few things about the miracles that the holy elder Abban worked in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, from the time when he dwelt in the city of Magh Hirnen until his death.

³⁷ On a certain day Saint Abban came with a great crowd of disciples to the River Barrow, and since no boats were found, they stood on the riverbank. The holy elder, however, prayed to God apart. Then, in the sight of all, the river was divided into two parts, and a dry ford appeared. The upper part rose higher and higher, while the lower part stood as if unmoving. When the holy man saw this, he ordered everyone to go ahead of him; and when all had gone across with dry feet, the holy elder crossed last. There was among their company a small child, who, seeing very beautiful pebbles in the depths, stayed behind the saint, gathering them; and no one saw him remaining there, because the saint had ordered everyone not to look back after him, but to go on their way. The saint himself was looking upward toward heaven; and when his foot left the ford, the river resumed its course. In the place where the child was, when the river came down again, he remained under the water and could not get out.

³⁸ The holy elder, however, went on his way with his disciples. When the child was sought at mealtime, he was not found. Up to that hour everyone thought that he had been in their company; but all said that they had not seen him since the descent from the river. The holy elder said to them: “Do not trouble yourselves about him, for he is being kept safe by God, and tomorrow I will bring him out of the river before you, unharmed.” Early in the morning the holy man returned to the river, went alone into the water, and drew the child out unharmed. The child was not only alive, but his clothes were dry, for the water had not touched him. The child himself told everyone how an angel of the Lord had comforted him, and how it had been foretold to him that through the grace of Saint Abban he would be protected, and that Abban himself would bring him out of the water, and how the water did not enter that place around him, and how he could not go either this way or that until the saint took hold of him. All who heard these things gave thanks to God and honored his holy servant Saint Abban.

³⁹ On another day, the shepherds who were guarding the herd of Saint Abban in a village he owned in the region of Ronan decided they wanted to play. They said to one another, “Let us play, and let Saint Abban guard his own cattle and those of his monks.” Then the shepherds played cheerfully, paying no attention to the herd. While the shepherds were playing, wolves rushed into the herd. As the wolves were attacking it, the holy elder Abban, sitting in his cell among the brothers, cried out in a loud voice, “Leave them alone and guard them.” When the brothers heard this voice and did not know why he had said it, they questioned him, saying, “Father, what did you say?” The saint replied to them, “I said this so that the fierce would not kill the gentle; but you will learn from others to whom I spoke.” Yet none of them dared at that time to ask him further what he meant. By divine power, however, the wolves, hearing the voice of the holy man sitting in his cell carried far through the air, not only left the cattle alone, but guarded them faithfully until the end of their lives. Afterward it became known throughout that entire region that wolves were guarding Saint Abban’s herd. Because of this, there is still a proverb in that region: those who swear by the name of this saint say, “By Abban, who made wolves guard cows.” Then the brothers, realizing what the saint had said among them—“Leave them alone and guard them”—gave thanks to God. And seeing that the prophecy had been fulfilled through their elder, which says, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb” [Isaiah 11:6], for those wolves became gentle not only toward cattle but toward other animals as well. Nor was it ever necessary for any other shepherd to be with that herd, except the wolves alone, for as long as they lived. It seems to me no less marvelous that no Christian was ever found who harmed them during their lives, by the grace of that same man of God, than that the wolves themselves did not touch their own natural prey.

⁴⁰ At another time, Saint Abban visited his holy companions who were living in the region of Meath. When they heard that he had come into their homeland, they rejoiced greatly, and many of them came from their own places to meet him. Saint Abban was asked by them to remain among them for a time. For he had founded two monasteries in that same region: one in the eastern part of Meath, called Cell Ailbe, in which the most holy virgin Segnith, under the care of Saint Father Abban, nurtured holy virgins for God; and another in the northern part of the same region, called Cell Abbain, in which the greatest wonders are worked by God through him. Then he visited the most blessed abbot Finnan, by whom the holy elder was honorably received. Saint Abban had baptized this Finnan when he was an infant. After they had offered one another the saving cup of divine teaching, Saint Finnan remained in his monastery, while Saint Abban returned to his own.

⁴¹ At that time Cormac son of Diarmaid, king of the Uí Chennselaig, plundered Camross, the cell of Saint Abban, wishing to expel his community from it and to hold the village itself under his own control. While his retainers were looting the village, he himself stood in the street. Now two of his men took from the saint’s store a large vessel full of excellent milk and curds, placed a pole through its handles, and carried it together between them into the street. But when they wished to set it down, they were unable to do so in any way, because the pole had stuck fast to their hands. When the king and all the others saw this, they were greatly afraid, thinking that evil would come upon them all, for they knew that they had done wrong to a man of God. After taking counsel, the king and all the leaders and princes sent messengers to Saint Abban, asking him to come to them. The holy man, persuaded by the brothers, went with many others to the king. Then the king bowed before the saint and, together with all those present, begged him to release the wretched men from the wood which, because of their fault, had stuck to their skin, and they promised to do whatever the saint should afterwards wish. Seeing that their hearts were truly repentant, he made the sign of the cross over the wood and ordered those carrying it to set it down. Immediately, at his word, the pole was loosed from their hands and they put down the burden. Then the king and all who were there, seeing such a miracle and wishing fully to make amends to the holy elder, unanimously offered to him and to God not only his cell but the entire settlement. That settlement is called in Irish Find Mhagh, which in Latin means “bright plain.” And the holy elder, seeing that they were most devoted to God, carefully blessed that people and their descendants forever, and the king and all future kings from his line, except those who would despoil the Church of God. And the king and the people, having received permission and a blessing from the saint of God, and having taken him as their patron, returned from him with joy.

⁴² On another day, the holy elder Abban returned toward his monastery with one hundred and fifty men, but they were not able to reach the monastery before nightfall, for night overtook them at a great distance from it. That night was dark and cold and thick with fog. Unable because of the darkness to walk along the road, they sat down. The younger men feared that their elders would be overcome by the cold, since the night threatened rain. Then an angel of the Lord appeared from heaven, holding a burning candle, shining with the brightness of gold, and placed it in the hand of Saint Abban. The saint held it in his hand, and with it all of them continued on their way. The candle burning in the hand of the holy man not only lit the road for them, but also made a wide area around them brightly illuminated. And so, with clear light, they reached the settlement. When he had come near the settlement, the holy man sent a messenger to have the church opened for him, wishing to place the candle upon God’s altar. But while the saint stood in the choir before the altar and prayed, the angel again took the candle from his hand. Then the holy elder and all who were there gave thanks to God for his gift, praising him with joy.

⁴³ The holy elder Abban had marked-out places in a deserted forest, assigned with the knowledge of the brothers, where on appointed days he would live, devoting himself to fasting and prayer and seeking to please God. The distance between that place and the monastery of Saint Abban, namely Magh Arnoide, is reckoned to be a little more than one mile. That place is called Disert Cendubhain, and only one of the brothers used to enter there with the saint. Therefore that place is named after him, because after the death of the man of God he lived his life there, and during Abban’s lifetime he had care of that place. In that same place, wild animals of various kinds would come to Saint Abban from the forests, and none of them, whether coming or going, harmed another; and the angels of God spoke with him there. For when the saint was in the desert place, the angels of God came to him, since from the day when angels led him across the sea in his youth, an angel of the Lord spoke with him daily, wherever he might be.

⁴⁴ On another day, the holy man was in that same place, reading the Gospel outdoors, and the book lay open upon a stone before him. When he returned that day to his monastery, he forgot the book lying open upon the stone. That night a very great snowfall covered the whole region of Ireland, yet by the grace of God it was granted to the holy man that not a single drop of snow fell upon the book, nor upon the stone, nor upon the enclosure in which they were. When morning came, the holy elder, remembering the book, was deeply distressed and sent messengers to bring it back to him. The messengers found the book dry, and the stone and enclosure untouched, and returned with great speed to the man of God, showing him the book and telling him what they had seen. Then Saint Abban rejoiced, and all who were with him gave thanks to God.

⁴⁵ At another time, a certain nobleman and robber from the territory of Osraige came with his followers and carried off a large herd of pigs belonging to the monks of Saint Abban. This robber was the son of the sister of Saint Berchan the abbot. When the holy elder Abban was asked by his monks to pursue the pigs, he went to the borders of Osraige, visiting the blessed Berchan, by whom he was honorably received. Saint Berchan then went with blessed Abban to ask the son of his sister not to keep the pigs of the saints, fearing that Saint Abban might justly curse him. But that wicked man, when he saw the saints coming toward him, resolved in his heart to kill Saint Abban with his own hand. When both saints had come close to him, he raised his hand to cut the throat of Saint Abban, but instead cut the throat of Saint Berchan. Seeing that he had struck him, he again attempted to kill Saint Abban, but immediately his hand withered. Saint Abban, seeing the servant of Christ shedding blood and nearly dying, was deeply grieved in his heart that a saint of God should be killed because of him. Trusting in God, he went up to him, held the wound with his hands, and at once the bleeding stopped; as he pressed the wound between his hands, a scar immediately appeared. In that very hour the saint became strong and restored, as if he had never been wounded. The wretched man, seeing his own hand withered and his uncle healed, bowed at the feet of the saints and did penance according to their command. Immediately his hand was healed, and he fully restored what he had stolen. Then Saint Berchan and Saint Abban established a most firm bond of brotherhood between themselves and their monks, to last until the end of the world. They also confirmed the same bond on another occasion with Saint Brendan, Saint Moling, Saint Flannan, Saint Munnu, and with many others. After greeting and kissing one another, they returned to their own places.

⁴⁶ At another time, a good priest lost the power of speech through some mishap and became mute. His friends brought him to Saint Abban so that he might heal him. The holy elder Abban blessed an apple, handed it to the priest, and ordered him to eat it. As soon as he ate the apple, he immediately spoke, and giving thanks to God, he first began to sing psalms. Then he returned with joy to his home and dedicated himself, his dwelling, and everything he possessed to God and to Saint Abban.

⁴⁷ At another time, a leper, hearing how many miracles Saint Abban worked in the name of the Lord, came to him and said, “Servant of Christ, to whom God has given such grace that all miracles are possible for you, I beg you to look upon my misery and deliver me from it by divine mercy.” Then the holy man said, “By divine mercy you shall be cleansed.” And praying for him, he marked him with the sign of the holy cross, and the man was cleansed of his leprosy and appeared whole and healthy. Then all who saw such a miracle gave thanks to God; and the one who had been cleansed, glorifying Saint Abban, gave thanks to God with all his strength.

⁴⁸ At another time, when Saint Abban was in a plain called in Irish Magh na Taibhse, and in Latin “the Field of Phantoms,” a paralyzed man was brought to him who was blind, lame, maimed, deaf, and mute. His friends begged the man of God to heal him, and that man was of noble rank. When the holy man saw such great misery, moved by compassion and urged by the people to pray for him, he looked upon him and said, “My Lord Jesus Christ, by your power save this paralytic, so that all who have known him, and all who will hear of him hereafter, may know you alone as almighty God with the Father and the Holy Spirit.” While the saint was saying these words and others like them, that wretched man was healed of all his afflictions before everyone standing around. Glorifying God, he spoke, walked, heard, and saw; he had both hands, and his whole body was restored to beauty. Having put aside his infirmity, he appeared fair, like a king’s son. He himself and all who were there gave great praise to God, and honored his holy servant through whom God worked such wonders in a single man; for six miracles, God permitting, the saint accomplished in him: sight for the blind, walking for the lame, hearing for the deaf, speech for the mute, both hands for the maimed, and one who came deformed departed beautiful.

⁴⁹ On another day it happened that two leaders met with their armies in one place to fight, for they were enemies. The place where they gathered is called in Irish Achadh Huabhair, which in Latin means “the Field of Pride.” As they advanced and all their battle gear was prepared, they came so close to one another that their spears were intermingled before them. Then Saint Abban, traveling through that same place, saw them and said, “My Lord Jesus Christ, by your great power prevent them, lest so great a multitude perish in the delight of the devil, and grant by your goodness that they depart in peace, though they came full of strife at the devil’s urging.” At these words they were driven back from one another until there was space between them, and from there they could not move until the man of God made peace between them. Wondering at what had happened to them, and seeing Saint Abban coming toward them, they recognized that he himself had worked this miracle upon them. When they were at peace and released, rejoicing in God and in Saint Abban, and rejoicing in their hearts, they returned joyfully to their own places.

⁵⁰ A certain very famous craftsman, most skilled in every art of working wood and stone, lived in Ireland; his name was Gobán, and the renown of his craft will endure there until the end of the age. After he had displeased other saints by demanding excessive payment for his work, he lost the sight of his eyes and became blind. He was summoned to Saint Abban, who said to him, “I wish to build a structure in the honor of God, and you are to do the work.” He replied, “How can I work, since I am blind?” The saint said to him, “As long as you are working on it, you will have the light of your eyes, but I do not promise it to you afterward.” And so it happened. For that craftsman carried out the work for the man of God with his sight restored; and when the work was completed, he again lost the light of his eyes.

⁵¹ On another day, when Saint Abban was beside a lake called in Irish Loch na Corr, that is, “the Lake of Cranes,” a mute man was brought to him from far away to be healed. When the holy man saw him, he said, “Lord God almighty, who by your mercy gave human speech to a brute donkey when it was necessary [Numbers 22:28], grant speech to this man whom you have formed, so that your holy name may be glorified in him.” Then, turning to the man, he said to him, “I say to you, O man, in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ: open your mouth and speak.” Immediately the man opened his mouth and spoke, giving thanks to God and glorifying his servant.

⁵² On a certain day, the shepherd of Saint Abban’s herd, speaking with him, said, “Lord, there is a very fine cow in your herd, but from her birth until now she has been barren for many years.” The holy man, sitting in his cell, blessed her and said to the shepherd, “This year she will bear two calves, who will be gentle and tame and will remain here until my death; but after my passing they will not remain long among you.” And it happened according to the prophecy of the man of God. What later befell those oxen after the saint passed on to the kingdom of heaven we shall relate afterward, as is fitting.

⁵³ At another time, the most blessed abbot Columba visited the holy father Abban, wishing to be assured through him whether the divine majesty would deign mercifully to save the monks entrusted to his care. He said to him, “Holy father, make known to me the divine mercy toward our brothers whose care we bear, and likewise pray for them; for we know that an angel of God speaks with you daily.” Saint Abban, much urged by him, said, “I will indeed pray with all diligence for them, that God may deign to show them mercy.” Afterward Saint Abban went to the secluded place where he was accustomed to pray to God and where the angel of the Lord would come to him; there, with bodily effort and intense devotion of heart, he prayed to God for them. Saint Columba, knowing that Saint Abban had gone to pray, followed after him, wishing to see him at prayer, and stood watching him secretly. While Saint Abban was praying, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “It is enough what you have now done, Abban, for the Lord your God has granted you what you asked of him.” The saint said to him, “I ask nothing else now of the Lord my God, except rest for the souls of those whose care Saint Columba bears.” The angel said, “They will have rest; and for this reason I was sent to you so quickly, because you have labored beyond the strength of your body for these.” And saying this, he departed from him. Then the saint, giving thanks to God, went down from there to the brothers. But Saint Columba went ahead of him to the brothers and told them what the angel had said to the saint, even before he himself came to them. When Saint Abban arrived and sat among the brothers, Saint Columba said to him, “Tell us what has been revealed to you by God concerning our warriors.” Saint Abban, unwilling to disclose what the angel had said to him, replied, “God will have mercy on them.” Saint Columba said, “Why do you hide from us what the angel of the Lord said to you? For he spoke with you in this and that way. Do not be angry with me, father, I beg you, for I heard and saw these things.” Then a great cry arose from all the brothers, praising God in his saint Abban and giving thanks to God for the souls of those who had been killed in the recent battle undertaken at our urging for the sake of the Church. The holy elder replied, “May God be gracious to them, and I will gladly pray for them.” And so, with the brothers rejoicing, they returned to their own places.

⁵⁴ At another time, Saint Abban, after Saint Brendan had returned from his voyage in search of the Promised Land, went to him, wishing to question him about the wondrous things he had seen on the ocean. Saint Brendan, however, at the command of an angel of God, came with great joy to meet the blessed Abban. Saint Abban questioned him about all that he wished, and Saint Brendan carefully related to him all the marvels that had been found in the ocean. For several days they remained together in divine conversation and angelic visitations, and they firmly confirmed between themselves, and with other saints and their descendants, the bond of brotherhood previously mentioned. Then, blessing God, praying for one another, and exchanging a kiss of peace, each of them returned to his own place.

⁵⁵ A certain man named Conall lived in the region of the Uí Chennselaig, near the monastery of Saint Abban. He was a good man, devoted to good works and almsgiving, and a friend of Saint Abban. The name of his dwelling was Seanboith Ard, which in Latin is interpreted as “the old high hut.” One day this man fell in with his enemies, who bound him, cut his throat, and killed him. His sons and servants carried his slain and mangled body into his house. His wife and children then sent messengers to the holy elder Abban, asking that his disciples bring the body to him to be buried in his monastery, for this had been Conall’s wish while he was alive. When the holy man heard that Conall had been killed, he was deeply grieved in his heart. Though old and frail, he set out with a great crowd to bring the body to be buried in his monastery. When they reached the village, Conall’s wife, children, and entire household raised a great wail before the man of God. The saint, seeing their misery and moved by compassion, wept with them and said, “Why has this come to pass, my Lord, that a good and gentle man, a doer of good works and almsgiving, should suffer a sudden death with the shedding of his blood?” Then he ordered everyone to be silent and went to the place where the body lay. He prayed to God with all his heart, and after the prayer he turned to the body and said, “I say to you, Conall, arise and speak with us, for God has granted me your soul.” At this voice the body was stirred, and then it rose up, blessing everyone. The holy man presented him alive and healed before all, restored from his wounds. Then Conall told everyone how demons had fiercely contested for his soul and angels of God had strongly defended it, until a chief angel came down to them, saying, “God commands that this soul be restored again to its body, because his servant, the holy elder Abban, has asked that it be granted to him, and the whole household of heaven has attended to his prayer.” “After that,” he said, “the angels of God brought my soul back to my body, and look, I am alive through the prayer of the holy father Abban.” Then Conall offered to God and to Saint Abban everything he had—his sons and daughters, servants and handmaids, together with his land—and his lineage and territory remain to this day in the service of the monastery of Saint Abban. And all who were standing there cried out in praise of God, rejoicing in what they had heard and seen.

⁵⁶ At this point, brothers, we set a limit to the miracles that the holy father Abban performed in his lifetime. For even if we were to write and investigate his miracles for as long as we live, it would not be possible for us to complete them in our own lifetime; since in his very long life there was not a single day on which he did not do something worthy of being written down. Nevertheless, we still wish to write briefly something about his death and how his most blessed body was laid in the earth.

⁵⁷ One day, therefore, when the time was drawing near for him to pass to the divine kingdom, he summoned some of the brothers to himself and made known to them the day of his death. The superior of his monastery, who was also the steward of all his affairs both within and without, was from the settlement of Cell Abbain, which lies in the region of the northern Laigin, the first place in the land of the Laigin that Saint Abban had founded. To this superior alone he revealed the very hour of his departure. Then that superior resolved, if he could, to take the most holy body of the blessed man and bring it to his own settlement. He sent messengers to his city so that his people might gather with him, the northern Laigin, and come to meet him on the day and along the route the messenger indicated to them. They rejoiced and did so. Now this superior had under his care the oxen mentioned above, since they were used for the monastery; as the holy man had prophesied of them before they were born, they were like monks. There was no need to force them to work, for they came willingly and very gently, and the holy father and the brothers loved them. On the night when the holy father foretold that he would depart to heaven, the superior placed those two oxen beside a cart in a designated place. That night the angels of God visibly visited the man of God. Knowing from the mouth of the holy man the very hour of his departure, the superior ordered all the brothers to go to their beds and rest for a while, except for his close companions, to whom he revealed the same matter. When the holy brothers had gone out to rest briefly, immediately the holy soul of the pious father ascended to the heavenly realms among the choirs of angels. At once the superior and his companions removed his holy body from the monastery and placed it on the cart, yoking those oxen to it. The oxen, aware of their burden, began to travel the road at a fitting pace with their companions. Then an army of angels descended from heaven, singing sweetly around the body, and rays of light shining from them illuminated the entire road like the rays of the rising or setting sun in clear weather. This continued for the whole time until the body was reverently laid in the earth. Guided by that angelic light, those who bore the body moved swiftly on their way.

⁵⁸ After an interval of time the brothers arose and went to the place where they had left their patron; but not seeing him there, they searched all the enclosures of the monastery and did not find him. Then they realized that the provost had taken him and escaped by bringing him to his own city. While they were weeping and lamenting, and the bells were being rung, all the people of the city gathered together; and when this was reported, the whole city was turned to mourning. Indeed, the clergy and the people were more grieved that his body had been taken away from them than that he himself had departed from this life, because they did not doubt that, through the grace sought at the relics of so great a man, they would be freed from every evil and increased in every good, just as they had been delivered by him while he was living among them. And having taken counsel, they sent many messengers throughout the surrounding region to the southern Laginenses, that they should come to follow their patron and strive for his recovery. At once the armed people set out with the brothers to contend for their saint, and everyone in the regions, as soon as he heard of such a deed, immediately without delay went after the people. And when great crowds gathered from here and there, there was a large army; and afterward they came upon the body with great force. Then the people of the other city, with the army of the northern Laginenses, assembled there; and they were far more numerous and better prepared than the southerners. But the holy monks, clerics, and good and wise men, who were on both sides, seeing that the danger was very great, ordered both peoples to wait in their places and to set the body in the middle of the road between them, to see whether they might be able to make peace between them. And though they argued at length, they could in no way bring about peace; for the northern army said: “This saint marked out our city from the countryside, and received us as the first people in these regions; and we have received him as our saint and patron forever. We, with our wives, and sons with daughters, and servants with maidservants, even to the infants, place our hope in him in every necessity; and may we all die first, before we let him go.”

⁵⁹ But the people of the city of Magh Arnoide, together with the southern Laginenses, spoke thus: “This saint, therefore, was sent to us by God, and for many years lived among us; and he built many monasteries and cells in our region, and he himself is our saint and venerable father, who likewise established our city. After many miracles he departed to the Lord among us, and through him we always hope to be helped by God; and know that we will all give ourselves to death first, before we return with him absent from us.” At this cry the anger of the leaders and soldiers of both sides burned, rising into great fury, eager to fight and attempting to brawl. Then the monks and clerics, to whom it was not permitted to wage war, went out apart, wailing and weeping, and with tears poured out said: “Alas, alas, Lord God, why do you allow the greatest slaughter of so many noble men around the body of your servant, who in his life forbade many wars?” But the armed armies, angrily and in great hostility, drew near to one another, hastening to contend fiercely over the body.

⁶⁰ O great—and most great—miracle then accomplished by God through the merits of his saint! For look, swiftly two oxen with a cart and the body went to the northern people, and two oxen of the same color and size, with a similar cart and body, came to the southern people. Then the holy men who were on both sides, and all the others, were calmed as quickly as possible; and seeing the marvelous deed, they rejoiced and said: “Look, now it is clear what kind and how great merits you have before God, holy father Abban.” The peoples, indeed, greatly rejoicing and glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, giving thanks to God and magnifying their saint, came with the greatest joy and with great honor to their cities. And all who were afflicted with various illnesses in the cities were brought to the relics, and all were healed. The relics themselves were honorably buried with due reverence, in hymns and praises, after the solemn celebration of the Masses. The oxen, however, which carried the relics to the tombs of their holy lord, were led out by men and went straightway three times around those places; afterward, lowing, they ran through the city to the nearby streams, and many from the cities followed them, wishing to see what they would do. But the oxen, before all the people, entered the fords of the streams, and from there they were never seen by men again; and those fords are called in the Scottish language, in a special way, Ath Daimh dha Cheilt, that is, “the ford of the oxen that hide themselves.” Then it was remembered that the saint, while living, had said of them: “They will not remain with you long after my death.” At the relics of Saint Abban great and countless miracles are accomplished daily, just as he himself did in his lifetime.

⁶¹ The holy father Abban was righteous, with purity of mind and body, gentle, humble, wise, a chosen vessel [Acts 9:15], filled with the Holy Spirit; a lion in divine strength and power, a dove in gentleness and mildness, a serpent in prudence and shrewdness against demons with their snares; and a meek and humble servant, laboring in the service of God. After a very long life, as is written in his Life, in venerable old age—after the divine commands had been fulfilled from birth to death, after idols and images had been destroyed, after many had been converted from paganism to the faith and baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit [Matthew 28:19], after churches had been founded, after lepers had been cleansed, the blind given sight, the deaf and the lame healed, the dead raised, and all diseases relieved—most happily, on the sixth day before the Kalends of November, among the choirs of angels, he departed to the heavenly kingdoms, where eternal rewards are granted to him with all the saints. And you, Lord God, almighty Father, through the merits of your holy confessor, Saint Abban, I beg you that by your power you may rescue me and all your faithful, here and in the future, from the evil enemy; through the help of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for all ages of ages. Amen.

⁶² Here ends the Life of Saint Abban.