¹ Here begins the life of Gerald.

² There was a man venerable in the conduct of his life, Gerald by name, a most holy abbot of many monks, who drew his origin from noble parents, namely from a king and a queen. His mother also, before she carried this blessed fruit in her womb, bore within her entrails a certain bloody mass, which in the common speech is called a paralytic little pig. Therefore, by the providence of the heavenly physician, as a saving antidote against this incurable infirmity, she conceived this infant in her womb, and at length gave birth together with the same mass. Thus he entered this world, in such a way that he held in his right hand, as a sign of future holiness, that mass which weighed down his mother’s entrails. This mass, hardened in the manner of a stone, is commonly called the stone of Saint Gerald. This stone grants bodily healing to many, and especially gives singular aid to women suffering in childbirth, if they drink water from its washing.

³ At the same time, after Saint Columba had died on the island of I, and his disciple Colman had been ordained abbot of the same monastery, the nobles of that land the founders of churches conspired against him and sent him into exile. Therefore, when he embarked on a ship, he came to the land of the English. And when the people and clergy of England heard of the fame of the holiness of so great a bishop, they received him with great reverence, and afterward, when clear signs of his holiness had been recognized, by the unanimous consent of clergy and people they made him archbishop of all England. While he was governing the Church worthily, the king of the land, Cusperius by name, entrusted to his care his four sons, born of Queen Benicia, that he might instruct them in morals and learning. The names of these sons were Gerald, Balanus, Berikertus, who was also called by another name Rutulus, and Hucbritannus. These four, therefore, when they had been sufficiently instructed both in the liberal arts and in theological learning, he at length advanced to the monastic life and to ecclesiastical orders. Saint Gerald, however, who had been younger than the other brothers, nevertheless shone forth more brightly in dignity and miracles; for because of his holiness he was appointed abbot of Winchester, in which place he healed many sick people, and through the working of the Holy Spirit he cured the lame and the paralytics and those afflicted by every kind of disease. The fame of his holiness also, spread far and wide, gathered many monks to obey him humbly.

⁴ But if anyone should doubt why so noble an abbot came with his brothers to the island of Ireland remained there until the end of his life, he can observe that he came to that same island for a threefold reason. The first reason was that the prelates of England together with the clergy conspired against Saint Colman the archbishop as though he were a foreigner, and rashly expelled him from their borders. But his true disciples, namely Abbot Gerald with his brothers, both on account of their love for their master and because of the uprightness of his conduct, followed him to Ireland with three thousand men of good will. The second reason why they left the land of the English was that, after their mother had died and their father was keeping another woman in wickedness and in contempt of the divine law, avoiding fellowship with their wicked father, they abandoned their homeland for Christ. For they wished to dwell with a saint and to flee the company of the perverse. The third reason was that they might most perfectly fulfill the Lord’s command, by which it was said: “Go out from your land, and from your kindred, and from your father’s house” [Gen 12:1], despising the vanities of the world. Therefore, that they might be perfect disciples of him who in his Gospel said: “He who does not hate his father and mother and wife and children, yes, and even his own life, cannot be my disciple” [Luke 14:26], they left their father and the land of their birth and transferred themselves to Ireland.

⁵ Therefore, when a not small fleet of ships had been made ready and the necessities for the journey had been gathered, they boarded the ships and entrusted themselves to the Governor of all things, and they arrived prosperously at the mouth of the river Muad in the land of Connacht. In that land there was a certain cruel petty king holding power, who was greatly hostile to the holy men who were serving God there. He was called Ailill, and from him afterward a great posterity arose in that region. And when it had been announced to the king that so great a multitude of foreigners had come into the province, swiftly sending messengers to the borders of his lands and gathering an army, he was planning either to destroy them utterly or to reduce them into servitude to himself. Then one of the king’s secretaries, sent by God as a prudent counselor, declared the truth, saying that those men were religious, and friends of the God of heaven, and that whoever should offend them would undoubtedly offend their God. And he said: “God is my witness that the things I say to you are true. You ought therefore to restrain your attack and revoke your purpose; for look, I myself have seen that they are monks, having long cowls and holding shining books in their hands, and they devoutly beg the God of heaven. I have also seen some of you casting spears at them; but they reach no one, but rather fall on the shore of the sea, since God protects them. Therefore I give you sound counsel, that you allow them to be harmed in nothing, lest divine vengeance come upon you.”

⁶ And while such things were being said by the same counselor, look, a messenger came to the king, who reported that his only daughter was already dead. And when he heard of the death of his only daughter, since he had no son, the king was greatly terrified. But afterward, having recovered his strength, he said to his companions: “O counselors close to my heart, and faithful friends entrusted with my secrets, let none of you disclose before these holy foreigners that my daughter is dead, but rather that my only son has died.” And he added, saying: “And unless they restore to life for me a son in place of my daughter, I will utterly take them captive.” And when the holy abbot with his more senior companions was brought into the presence of the king, the king said to them: “If you wish to found an abbey rich in goods and lands in our territories, procure from your God that my son, who has just died and who is the sole hope of my kingdom, be restored from the jaws of death. But if you are not able to obtain this, you shall depart dishonored from our borders, or you shall remain with us in servitude.” Therefore, when the holy men heard these words, they hastened to the place where the royal girl lay dead; and turning toward her, Saint Gerald prayed in this manner: “O eternal God, who are the protector of all who hope in you, who lift up the afflictions of your faithful, who dried up the Red Sea for the captive Israelites [Exod 14:21–22], who wondrously freed Peter from his chains [Acts 12:6–10], mercifully free us also, who are held captive by these barbarians, from this knot of difficulty, namely from the death of the king’s daughter, so that from a dead daughter you may by your wondrous power make a living son, and through our ministry grant him vitality of sense and movement.” After this prayer, turning to the king he said: “O king, tell me truthfully whether the one whom you desire to be raised is male or female.” To him the king said: “O holy man, saving your reverence, my only son has died, whom you deign to recall to life.” Then the holy abbot Gerald said: “Whether it be male or female, may God, who is the giver of life and to whom all things are possible, deign to raise up a male for you.” When this was said, he poured blessed water from that stone which he had carried with him from his mother’s womb, with the sign of the cross, into her mouth; and to the astonishment of those standing by, the royal youth immediately rose from the bier. In this unusual miracle unbelief is cast aside, the faith of believers is strengthened, and God, wondrous in his saints, is proclaimed by all. This youth also, thus miraculously restored, the man of God Gerald baptized, and by the consent of his parents he was called by this name, Catholus. From him indeed, because of the blessing of the man of God, many strong nobles and powerful men arose in that land. Then the king with his leaders provided for the newly restored son thirty townlands of land with their appurtenances.

⁷ But the holy abbot Gerald, desiring to multiply the worship of God more fully in that land, said to the king: “O king, since a useful and magnificent gift has been granted to you by God through our prayers, lest it happen that you be reproved by the giver of all good things, it is fitting that you provide for the servants of the Most High a place where they may conveniently serve God.” And the king said: “I grant all my offspring into your service and that of your successors forever.” And the son who had been restored said to the abbot: “O most holy abbot, in one of my lands I grant to you and your successors forever a place for a monastery with three villages and the tithes of my fields.” And when these things had been arranged beforehand established by decree, Saint Gerald greatly filled the abbey that was named, which he called Elitheria from the outcome of the matter. For when a certain Christian had given to the man of God a milk-cow with her calf for the use of the monks, look, a wolf suddenly arrived and killed the calf. But the cow, being deprived of the consolation of her calf, refused to give milk as she was accustomed to do. Then Gerald said to the brothers: “Let the slayer of the calf come in its place and supply its role.” And so it was done. For the wolf, obeying the commands of the holy abbot and hastening to the cow, comporting himself in the manner of a calf, the cow abundantly provided milk to those milking her in his presence. But because wolfish ferocity bore with difficulty the service of gentleness, at nature’s prompting, or rather with the Spirit of God suggesting it to him, going up into the nearer mountains, he seized a fawn from its mother and placed it alive before the cow as a substitute for himself. But the deer, perceiving that her beloved offspring had been taken from her, followed its tracks and came to the monastery, and remaining there stayed until the end of her life. From this deer, therefore, miraculously dwelling there, that abbey was named Elitheria; for “deer” in Irish signifies the same as elitt.

⁸ By these and many other prodigies likewise shown there by the man of God Gerald, the king of the land the others of the country deemed him a holy man and worthy of reverence, and powerful to things deemed impossible. And so the king complained concerning a certain very hard and great rock, named Muady, situated in the middle of the river, that it caused no small annoyance to fishermen and others navigating there. “The same rock,” said he, “is for us all a stone offense and a rock of scandal [Rom 9:33; 1 Pet 2:8]; for it presents an impediment to shoals of fish wishing to run from the sea to fresh waters, and it frequently tears the nets of fishermen. We therefore unanimously beg your paternal piety, that by the power delivered to you by your God that rock be removed from the midst of the river; and thus may your God be praised in his miracles.” Then Saint Gerald, wishing to strengthen the people newly converted in the faith of the Trinity, cast upon that great rock the little stone which he had carried in his hand with him from his mother’s womb; and immediately that great rock was divided into the smallest pebbles. Then all who were present burst forth in praise of almighty God and of his saint; and they offered the tithe of the fishing of that river to Saint Gerald and his successors to eternity.

⁹ After these things the renowned king of the Connachtmen, named Ragallus, having heard the fame of Saint Gerald and of his companions, sent messengers to him, that the holy man might deign to come into his presence, promising fields and whatever was necessary for the building of an abbey for him and his monks. And when the messengers of the king reported these words to Saint Gerald and the others of the company of saints, taking counsel they offered themselves to go into the presence of the king. The king also received them kindly and with great reverence; and fulfilling in deed the promises made through his messengers, he granted land for the building of an abbey, which was afterwards called Maguncia.

¹⁰ In the same region there was also a certain famous magician, who had many disciples of his art. He too dwelt with his followers on a certain hill near the monastery of the saints, claiming for himself a hereditary right in the same land. And so even to the present day it is called the Hill of the Magicians. The holy monks also, who dwelt with the man of God, with fervor of spirit cutting down fair thickets here and there, built a very great fire. When the same magician saw the smoke of this fire, he said to his own: “By the magical art I have learned that this fire kindled today, unless it be quickly extinguished, will not be extinguished until the end of time.” Going out therefore to that place, and taking up arms, he mounted his horse, that he might the more swiftly extinguish the fire. But it came to pass by the will of God that the feet of his horse were held most firmly in a certain immovable rock, as if they were fixed; and the magician himself adhered to the back of his horse in such a way that he could by no means move himself from there. The magician therefore, astonished at what had befallen him, and perceiving that divine power prevailed over his own strength, said to his followers: “Take note, my friends, that whatever spirits lend aid to magical arts are overcome by the prayers of these men before the God of heaven. And so earnestly supplicate these worshipers of Christ, that they may release me from this intolerable torment; and I devote both myself and all my offspring to their service and that of their successors forever.” When this vow had thus been uttered, he himself with his horse is miraculously released from his bonds; but upon that same rock the hoofprints of the horse remain indelibly impressed even to the present day.

¹¹ After these things the holy man divided his brothers into three companies: one of which he assigned to the English regions, that from there they might bring necessities of life for the brothers who were laboring. He also appointed another company to the construction of the walls around the monastery; who likewise were to build in the end the churches and cloisters. He likewise appointed a third part of the community for the celebration of the divine office; so that they themselves might devoutly chant Masses and the canonical hours, and pray with a pure heart for the Christian people. With such ordinances therefore infused by the heavenly dispenser, under the pious shepherd Gerald the Lord’s fold grew in loftiness of honor and reverence; and at length he himself brought it to completion.

¹² After all these things there came certain robbers, nine in number, who were related to one another, into the territory of the man of God, and they carried off oxen from there. And when the man of God had learned the order of the affair, immediately pursuing them, he found them on an island of a certain pool, where they were accustomed to hide their robberies. And since they did not of their own will grant him entrance there, God, who dried up the Red Sea at the bidding of the will of Moses his servant [Exod 14], annihilated that water as if it had never been there. Seeing this, those nine evildoers, casting themselves down before the man of God, did penance, and vowed that they would serve him and his successors thereafter. Then Saint Gerald said to them: “I do not reject your service and attendance; but lest the justice of God seem to have lost its rigor, let your offspring after you not increase beyond the number nine.”

¹³ At the same time two kings of Ireland, who were then reigning together, namely Dermicius and Blathmecus, made an edict throughout every part of Ireland, that all clerics and laymen should come to the city of Temoria, in order to hear the cause of the royal edict. For there was then a great famine in the land. So great indeed was the multitude of people at that time that the whole land did not suffice them for cultivation. And so to each farmer, as a lawful portion, there were given nine yokes, or seven, of level land, and eight of rough land, and nine of woodland. And therefore the greater men of the land took counsel that the people should assemble in one place, all alike, both laymen and clerics, should fast and pray to God concerning that burdensome multitude of the lower people, that he might deign through some pestilence to remove a part of them, so that by this means the rest might live more conveniently. And when the people and the clergy had assembled together, and concerning this matter even the holy men who were present were of differing opinions, they chose two renowned abbots and outstanding in holiness, namely Saint Gerald and Saint Fekinus, so that whatever those two should think concerning the asking of this matter, all should unanimously consent. But these two did not altogether agree with one another in giving judgment; for Saint Gerald said that it was not a just petition that God should take away men by some pestilence, because he is able to feed many from scant provision, just as he fed the sons of Israel in the desert with manna [Exod 16], and just as from five loaves he fed five thousand men [Matt 14:17–21; Mark 6:38–44; Luke 9:13–17; John 6:9–13], and likewise from small grains and so few sown in the earth the whole human race each year. But Fekinus asserted that the multitude of those asking ought to be believed; because all the greater men of the land were asking that the excessive multitude of the common people should be removed by some infirmity, since the number of the people was the cause of the famine. And when the multitude prevailed in asking for pestilence, see an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to a certain holy man, saying: “Alas that you did not ask food from the giver of all good things, because he would not have denied this to you; for it is not more difficult for God to multiply food than men. But because against the will of God you asked for the death of the lower people, therefore by the just judgment of God the greater ones shall die.” And this indeed came to pass. For the wrath of God raging against the advisers of that counsel slew those two fellow-reigning rulers throughout the whole land, together with the king of Ulster and the king of Munster, and with many others, by an infirmity which is called jaundice. This infirmity in Irish is called Budi Conayll. By this pestilence so many men died that there remained only a third part of the people. By that affliction Saint Fekinus died, because he had given his consent to the others, and many others of the clergy as well. And the angel added: “But because Saint Gerald the abbot judged what is right in the eyes of the Lord, divine mercy will spare him.” And all this came to pass exactly as the angel foretold.

¹⁴ After these things Saint Gerald hastened to the land of Connacht, and in the region which is called Corand he found a great multitude of people held fast by the same pestilence. For a certain renowned leader, named Etranus, was set over the multitude, who incurred the same infirmity together with the others. And because their infirmities were multiplied, afterwards they hastened to the physician who was able to take away their sickness. For when they saw that the man of God Gerald had arrived in their borders, and firmly believed that he possessed sufficient power over the disease by which they were oppressed, see they ran to him from all sides, saying: “O holy man of God, have mercy on us and heal our sicknesses, for you are able. For our infirmity is grievous, and we shall soon die unless you help us.” And the pious shepherd said to the leader: “Do you with your offspring hasten under the covering of my cowl, and place yourselves beneath it.” And when the leader with his offspring fulfilled the commands of the pious abbot, see all the others of the people ran and attempted to place themselves beneath the garment of Gerald. But since the small cowl was not sufficient to contain all within itself, see divine power bestowed such breadth upon the garment that it sufficed to contain all within it. Therefore all who were covered by the cowl of Saint Gerald were healed of that infirmity. Lest therefore they should seem ungrateful for the benefit of their deliverance, they promised their customary service and that of their offspring after them to Saint Gerald.

¹⁵ After these things the holy abbot proceeded to his monastery which was called Elitheria. There, when he had heard of the death of his dear sister Sigresia, and of a hundred nuns of her community together with fifty of his own disciples, who all died of that pestilence, he himself with his companions came to the church of Magunnis. There also the most holy man, remaining until the end of his life, persevered in the love of God and of neighbor. At that time Saint Abbot Adampnanus, after the visitation of all Ireland, went to Saint Gerald, that he might contract a fraternal fellowship with him. To him Saint Gerald granted an estate with a clear spring, and commended to him his own church, that he might defend it from the persecution of laymen after his death. All of which Saint Adampnanus promised that he would fulfill, and fulfilled it in deed.

¹⁶ Not long after these things in time, after innumerable miracles and monasteries built, Saint Gerald rested in peace at the church of Maion, on the third day before the Ides of March. After his death, however, Saint Adampnanus governed the church of Maion tirelessly for seven years, instructing those of the cloister in perfect charity, causing books to be written, and writing with his own hand a book of the four Gospels, and also having bells made for the reverence of the church. From there he went to the abbey of Iona, and there he happily died in Christ and was buried.

¹⁷ Moreover Saint Gerald, although he performed many miracles in his lifetime, nevertheless after his death showed no lesser ones, where the faith and devotion of those asking was not lacking. After his death Turgetius the Norwegian, a most cruel tyrant, devastating all Ireland, at length came to the church of Maion, and in contempt of God and the saints destroyed by burning the temple which had been built there by the saints and covered with leaden boards. In this same temple also a certain man, fleeing from the sword of his pursuer amid the fire, like another Daniel, escaped unharmed through the merits of Gerald [Dan 3:23–27]. A certain poor widow likewise, through the merits of Gerald, nourished for the course of a year on water alone with herbs, remained there. For when the tumults of wars compelled the citizens to abandon that church, so that during the persecution they did not dare to return to their homes for a year, that widow alone, not being able to walk on foot after the others, was thus miraculously fed by God through his saint. In these and in many other signs the Lord glorified his holy abbot Gerald, through whose merits and prayers may divine mercy deign to have mercy on us. Amen.