¹ Here begins the life of Saint Colman the abbot.

² There was a man of venerable life, named Colman, of noble stock in Ireland, that is, of the Uí Néill; and his father was called Beogne. When the royal territory of Meath had been devastated by the Laigin, he fled with his people into the valley of Hoichle, and there Saint Colman was born. At the hour of his birth his mother grasped a dry piece of wood which lay upon the ground; and after she had borne the holy little child, that piece of wood which the mother held immediately grew green, and grew up on high, and remains to the present day. And many other signs were shown by God through Saint Colman in his childhood. And when Saint Colman was baptized, he was nurtured with great care by his parents for a few years; and, marvelling at the things that were done through him, his parents handed him over to the holy elder Coemhan, that he might teach him and nurture him for God. And divine illumination instructed the character and understanding of Saint Colman, so that all marvelled at his talent and holiness.

³ On a certain day, when the blessed boy Colman was going out with others beyond the cell, a certain woman came and struck the holy boy Colman hard with her left hand for a trivial matter in which he was blameless. Seeing this, the holy elder Coemhan rebuked her, saying: “Why, shameless woman, have you harmed an innocent boy? You see him as a man, and do not see the one dwelling within him, nor do you know the Lord seated in his temple. Truly you have offended the holy angels in heaven.” When the woman heard these words, she was struck with compunction of heart, and falling to the ground did penance. The holy elder said to her: “God receives the repentance of men; nevertheless, your left hand, with which you unjustly struck the servant of Christ, will fall from your side tomorrow.” And so it happened. A heap of stones was placed over that hand as a sign of the power.

⁴ Seeing the holy elder Coemhan the great grace in signs and wonders in his holy fosterling Colman, he sent him, whole in body and soul, to other holy abbots in his youth, that he might see their rules and religious life, and learn the Scriptures among them. And those holy fathers, seeing the wisdom and steadfastness of mind of Saint Colman and the perfection of his holiness, made him a priest, and assigned to him certain disciples, and named him their abbot; and they sent him to build places for God and to gather the servants of Christ. And he came to the city of Connor in the province of the Ulstermen, in which lies the most blessed bishop Mac Cneyssi; and Saint Colman dwelt in that city for many days and worked very many miracles there; and he is the second patron of that same city. And blessing the people of that city, he came from there to his own country, that is, to the region of Meath.

⁵ And he found there an assembly in which were Áed son of Ainmire, king of Ireland, and Áed Sláine, leader of the Uí Néill, and Saint Columba of Iona, and Saint Cainnech the abbot, and many others; and they joyfully rendered honor to Saint Colman. And Saint Columba said to them: “Give a good tract of land to Saint Colman, our brother, that he may establish a monastery for his monks upon it.” They said: “Wherever he wishes within the borders of the Uí Néill, let him choose.” Then Áed Sláine, leader of Meath, said: “There is in the southern quarter of our region, in the people of Fera Gall, a great wood, if it should please him.” Saint Colman said: “What is that wood called?” The leader replied: “It is called Fid Elo.” Blessed Colman said: “There will be my resurrection; and from now on I shall be named from that place.” From that day onward Elo is always added to his name; that is, he is called by men Colman Elo. Afterward Saint Colman Elo, giving them his blessing and receiving the freedom of that place from those powerful men before many witnesses, went on to that wood and established there a great and renowned monastery in a place well watered by streams and fair with fields in the midst of a forest. And that monastery is called Lann Elo, in which the most blessed Colman lies, just as he himself foretold.

⁶ And it happened that on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord the brothers had nothing to eat in the monastery; and Saint Colman said to the cellarer of the monastery: “Give today, on this most holy solemnity, sufficient food to your brothers.” He said this to test him. The cellarer, marvelling, said: “I can give them enough spring water; but since you know that I have nothing else, why do you say this?” The saint said: “Truly I know that very many foods are today in your cellar.” Scarcely had the man of God finished these words when a long crowd of many men arrived, offering to Saint Colman great alms of various kinds of food, so that the brothers could scarcely carry them into the storehouse over a long interval. Then one of the brothers said: “The people rest today, except those who come to us on our account; and we do not rest with them.” To him Saint Colman said: “You have spoken badly, brother, for tomorrow and the day after such a ministry of charity would not have failed the brothers, if you had not said this, so that for many days they would have had enough from it. But because of the word of your disobedience it will be withheld.” And so it happened.

⁷ On another day a faithful and merciful man, named Becanus, filled a great cart with choice foods, and yoked oxen to it, and began to go with it to Saint Colman. But the road between his village and Lann Elo, the monastery of Saint Colman, was wooded and rough. And as he began to make the journey, he began to invoke help through the grace of Saint Colman. Then by divine prompting he was made to be in an ecstasy of mind, and was transported with the cart, in a very short interval, not knowing himself how, right up to the gate of the monastery of Saint Colman. When he told this, all who heard gave thanks to Christ; and from his testimony the name of Saint Colman became famous in that region.

⁸ In a certain place Saint Colman founded a cell, and entrusted it to four perfect men from among his monks, saying to them: “Remain this place to serve God.” They, however, set for themselves a very scanty portion of food to eat, which was not able to sustain their bodies for living. From this three of the elders among them died; but the fourth lived after them. To him a certain faithful man, who lived nearby, came and urged that brother to eat, so that he might live. That holy brother, who was young in age, answered him, saying: “I will not act otherwise than my elders did, so that I may be with them in the kingdom of Christ; for to die is better for me, and to be with Christ” [Phil 1:23]. And after a few days he too died after the others, and was buried. When the holy father Colman heard of the death of those first three, he set out for that place, so that at least he might relieve the fourth from excessive rigor. But that man, on the second day before Saint Colman arrived there, had died and been buried. And when Saint Colman arrived there and saw the new tomb of that man, he ordered it to be opened, and said to the dead brother: “I say to you, brother, in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, who raised Lazarus, four days dead in the tomb and already stinking, arise and speak with us” [John 11:39–44]. And the saint, rising from the tomb, said: “Father, what have you done to me? I was in great glory and joy. Allow me to return there.” To him Saint Colman said: “Son, wait with me a little while longer in the body, and you will find again that glory and joy.” The brother answered him: “Father, do not say this; for you have enough other spiritual sons, but allow me to return.” Saint Colman said to him: “Go, dearest son, in peace.” And thus that holy brother returned to Christ.

⁹ In that same place there was no water nearby; but the brothers, with danger and great labor, carried water on their shoulders across the steep sides of the mountain. Therefore the brothers, having a complaint, the holy father Colman took pity on their need; and in the name of the Lord he struck the rock with his staff before the door of that cell, and immediately abundant waters flowed, which to this day do not fail. Because of this the brothers, greatly rejoicing, gave thanks to God and magnified their holy patron with worthy honor.

¹⁰ At one time, when Saint Colman was in a certain place, he heard the shouting of soldiers exulting with loud jubilation after the killing of their enemy; and he said to his brothers: “I hear the voice of a son of life among them, who will be a sheep of the flock of Christ.” And when the soldiers came to the place where Saint Colman was, he said to them: “Let each of you speak before me, so that I may know the sheep of Christ among you.” As they spoke, the man of God said to one of their soldiers, who was a youth: “Son, you are called to God.” Hearing this, Tochnanus by name, his lord, said to Saint Colman: “This youth is mine, and I will not let him leave his military service.” Then Saint Colman said to the youth: “Son, choose now whether you wish to serve Christ or this carnal lord.” He answered: “I will follow you, lord abbot, to serve Christ.” The saint said to him: “Come then with us, son.” When he wished to follow the saint of God, his lord and his men seized him; and while he was held fast with his whole body, his soul went out from the body, and he fell dead upon the ground. Seeing this, his lord was greatly afraid, and repenting said to Saint Colman: “To you, holy man, and to God I offer this man and all his possessions forever; and you pray for me, lest evil befall me.” Seeing his heart pierced with repentance, the man of God granted him forgiveness; and praying for that youth, he raised him from the dead before all. And those who saw these things were strengthened in the Christian faith, giving thanks to God. That youth afterward lived for a long time, and became a holy and perfect man, and worked many virtues.

¹¹ At a certain time there was a shortage of food in one of the cells of Saint Colman, in which he himself then was. But a faithful brother from among the monks of the saint went out to his people, and found them gathered together in one market, and the brother said to them: “O wretched people, you sell your surplus goods, and Saint Colman of God is perishing from hunger with his monks, and you take no care for him.” Then that people gathered a great alms of butter and cheese in one place before that brother, and said to him: “Brother, see our alms; but we cannot now carry it to the place, because our horses and oxen and carts are in our houses. And there is another difficulty for us; for you know well that our enemies are between us and your monastery.” And they left him there with their loads. But he, having no human help, sat beside his loads; and as sleep overcame him, he fell asleep for a time. When he awoke, he saw that he was at the door of his monastery with all his loads. For that brother, with his goods, had been carried in his sleep by God all the way to his monastery. And marveling, he said to himself: “Would that God might grant that this were not a dream.” For he still did not know where he had been. But Saint Colman, seeing all these things in spirit within the enclosure of the monastery, said to the brothers: “Go quickly and bring inside what God has sent to you through your brother.” And the brothers, bringing it in and knowing what had happened, greatly rejoiced in God; and others who heard it blessed the holiness of their blessed father Colman.

¹² A certain nobleman came with his adolescent kinsman to Saint Colman for the sake of a blessing; and when the man of God blessed them, he said: “This youth today will die by blood.” From there the nobleman and his companions went away sorrowful. As they were going, Saint Colman said to his own: “I see indeed that young man will live even to old age.” The disciples of the holy elder were amazed at these words of his. And when those men were returning from the holy man to go to their home, in the middle of the journey the blood of the same youth flowed through his whole body like sweat, without any trace of a wound, and suddenly he died; and his cold body was brought back to Saint Colman, to be buried near him. And Saint Colman, knowing that by divine concession he would raise that youth from death, approached the bier, and praying for a little while, raised him up before all, and instructed him in the divine commandments; and that youth, after the admonitions of the man of God, was faithful, and died in good old age.

¹³ At another time two peoples in the province of the Ulstermen, namely in the region called Uíbh n-Araide, were on the bank of a river called the Min, preparing themselves to fight against one another. Then Saint Colman was going with his followers on the other side of the river; and certain of them, seeing Saint Colman passing by, begged him in the name of Christ to come to make peace between the peoples. But others, more violent and wishing to do evil, seized the ferries of the river under their control, lest the saint should come to make peace. Seeing, however, the man of the Lord that there was great danger, compelled by necessity, he entered the water, and signing himself with the sign of the holy cross, before all walked across the river with dry feet. Those men, seeing this great and unusual miracle, adhered to the admonitions of Saint Colman, and made peace among themselves because of him, rejoicing in the wonders of Christ through his saints.

¹⁴ In like manner at another time in the northern parts of Ireland Saint Colman walked with dry feet across a river called the Byr, in order to free a wretched captive whom impious men wished to condemn to death. And she, having been freed by the grace of God, from there the saint of God went with his disciples to the house of Duke Áedán son of Aengus, and there celebrated the holy Lord’s Day. And when the holy father Colman saw a man splitting wood on the pavement, he said to one of his disciples: “Go, son, and tell that man from me that he should rest today from servile work; for see it is the Lord’s Day.” But that man, making little of these words, continued to split the wood; and look, by the nod of God, for the honor of the holy man, the iron of that man’s axe was fixed in the wood, and his hands dried up around the handle, and thus that wretched man stood immobile. Seeing this, the inhabitants of that palace begged Saint Colman to release the wretched man; and the saint of God blessing him, immediately released him, and he himself coming to the feet of the man of God offered himself to him, and Saint Colman made him a monk, and he remained with him in monastic habit faithfully until his death.

¹⁵ Robbers from Mumonia came to the borders of the Uí Néill in order to plunder there. Coming near the monastery of Saint Colman, in Land Éala, they carried off two oxen from the herd of the brothers of the holy man, so as to prepare food for themselves from them. And when those men wished to kill the holy oxen, their feet were bound to the earth, and they were not able in any way to move from there. But the oxen returned unharmed from them to their own. And when good men saw the robbers in such misery, they ran to Saint Colman and begged him for them. And when Saint Colman prayed, immediately they were released, and they went away with great fear, empty-handed, from that region.

¹⁶ A certain monk from Britain was in the monastery of Saint Colman, and one day he became angry over a very small matter against Saint Colman, according to the irascible nature of the Britons, and he rose up in order to kill the holy father; and when he lifted his hands to strike, his hands dried up, and he stood immobile with his hands stretched upward, like a wooden statue, until with tears and entreaty he begged for pardon. And when the merciful father saw him in such torment, he prayed for him; and immediately he was released, giving thanks to God.

¹⁷ On a certain day, when the holy father Colman was working outside in the field with his brothers, he cast himself upon the ground and meanwhile wept bitterly; and after a short interval, rising, he looked toward heaven, and then rejoiced, smiling. When his disciples questioned him, he suddenly said to them: “I saw the angels of God descending and filling the whole world; and I thought that the day of judgment had come, and terrified I cast myself upon the ground, and therefore I wept. But rising afterward, I saw a golden altar being lifted into heaven by the hands of angels, and the most holy soul of Pope Gregory sitting upon the altar; and the space between heaven and earth was filled with the light of angels. And therefore I was made joyful.” Then the brothers began to rejoice and to give thanks to God, and the holy father said to them: “Dearest sons, let there be no doubt for you in all these things; when a year is completed, on this very day a holy pilgrim will come here from Rome, and he will announce to you that the soul of Saint Gregory on this very day and at this very hour has passed to Christ.” At that time a holy man from Ireland was in Rome with Saint Gregory the pope; he came to Ireland assisted a holy hermit named Colman Dubh Chuilind, wishing to dwell with him. And Saint Colman Dubh Chuilind said to him: “Go, son, to Saint Colman of Éile, and be with him in a most holy life. For I myself would not have gone out from John to Colman of Éile, nor would I have come from Colman to John, now not contradicting the Savior, who said: ‘Among those born of women there has not arisen a greater than John’ [Matt 11:11; Luke 7:28]; look, I hold them equal in prudence, wisdom, and chastity. Colman of Éile indeed is the John of the saints of Ireland.” And that holy man, coming to Saint Colman of Éile, was received by the saint with joy, and he told him of the death of Saint Gregory, just as he himself had prophetically foretold before.

¹⁸ The brothers of Saint Colman, laboring in the summer season, endured sweat and thirst, and they said to one another: “We are afflicted by labor and various tribulations, and we do not know what the rewards of the future world are like.” But the holy father Colman, wishing to console them concerning the kingdom of God, said to them: “Do you wish to see the kingdom of God in the flesh now?” They said to him: “Truly we wish it, father.” Then the man of God blessed their eyes, and they clearly saw the glory of heaven and the delight of the angels. And as they blessed God and gave thanks, Saint Colman said: “Tell this vision to no one during my lifetime.”

¹⁹ At one time poor people came to Saint Colman, asking for alms. But the man of the Lord then had nothing else except a bronze vessel with which water was poured for the head and hands, and he gave it to them; and they, gratefully receiving it, went away. Seeing this, the master of hospitality told the chaplain of Saint Colman. But that master, marveling, went to see the place where the vessel had been. But he found there another vessel, given by God to Saint Colman, similar to the former; yet this vessel, given by God, was far better, and it remains to this day in the monastery of Saint Colman. And for this gift the holy father, together with his brethren, returned thanks to Christ.

²⁰ Returning at one time from a synod of saints to his monastery, the holy father Colman found one of the brothers dead from the previous day, named Collanus the Obedient. This Collanus, because of his very great humility and obedience, was called Obedient by the brothers. And Saint Colman went to the place where the brothers were around the body, prayed silently for a short while, and afterward said before the brothers to the dead man: “Rise, brother Obedient, to me.” Immediately brother Collanus rose from death, saying: “I beg you, dearest father, in the name of Christ, that you now again allow me to go to the kingdom of God; for there I found rest in great glory with God.” When Saint Colman heard such an adjuration from him, he granted him to return to Christ; and that man, having received the holy sacrifice from the holy father, rested in peace.

²¹ There were at one time in the monastery of Saint Colman two boys; and the man of God, seeing them on a certain day, called to himself the prior and the cellarer of the monastery, and said to them secretly: “I entrust those two boys to you, that you may feed them daily with good foods abundantly according to your ability.” They, marveling at this, prostrated themselves at his feet, begging that he would show them the reason for that command. The saint said to them: “Rise; I will now reveal it to you. One of them is a son of perdition [John 17:12], and in a short time he will live most unhappily in the world. And therefore it is of no use that he be constrained under a rule, because infernal punishment awaits him. But the other is a son of eternal life, and a sharer in the heavenly kingdom; and he will be long-lived and wise, and a saint of God, and a helper and protector of the churches of Ireland; and he himself from his youth will chastise himself by pious works. And therefore he ought not to be killed in his boyhood by the heavy labor of parsimony, because in old age he will benefit many.” He is that most blessed abbot whose name is called Dimma Dub.

²² At another time a certain man, named Cronanus, possessed by a demon, who often fell into fire and water, was brought to Saint Colman so that he might heal him. And Saint Colman said to him: “Cronanus, do you wish the demon to depart from you?” Then he, having by God’s nod a momentary use of his senses, said before all: “I wish it, Lord.” The saint said to him: “If now you will do what I say to you, Satan will not have power over you, but you will rule over him.” He said: “I will gladly do it.” Saint Colman said to him: “This is your medicine, that is, that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ precede every word in your mouth. If you carefully observe this, the demon will not harm you; but on the contrary you will receive the Holy Spirit.” That man, keeping the pious command of Saint Colman, became a holy man and performed many miracles.

²³ The monks of Saint Colman built a cell in the dryness of summer at the meeting of two rivers. But in wintertime, when a flooding occurred from rain, the cell was endangered by the waters. The monks therefore, fearing the onrush of the flood of the rivers, sent some of their number to Saint Colman, to inform him of that danger. The saint, now an old man, hearing them, said to them: “Carry my staff with you, and mark your cell at a good distance with the point of it against the rivers, and I believe that afterward the flood will not harm you.” The monks doing so, from that day until today the flood has not passed beyond the circuit of the staff of Saint Colman to that cell. By God’s nod the rivers send their flooding to other banks.

²⁴ A certain wicked man stole the flask of Saint Colman the elder and took it into the province of Munster. He, after some time returning, was seized by the soldiers of the count of that people among whom the holy elder Colman dwelt; and they led him to be crucified. Hearing this, the holy elder Colman himself went quickly to free him. But the soldiers, swearing firmly, said to the man of God: “Unless this man now returns to us the flask of our holy monastery, he will die without doubt.” Hearing this, Saint Colman prostrated himself on the ground, asking God’s help. And before the man of God finished his prayer, those who stood by saw the flask flying through the air from afar from the region of the Munstermen, and it fell on the ground before all in front of the man of God. Then a cry arose from all, marveling at the holiness of the holy father Colman, in praise of God. And thus that wretched man was freed through the mercy of the most blessed elder Colman; and, released, he went away free, giving thanks.

²⁵ There was a noble man in the region of Meath without offspring, for his wife was barren. That nobleman came once to the holy elder Colman, seeking his blessing to obtain children. To him the holy elder said: “Your wife will bear you a son after a year, and he will be called Kiaranus; and after a good old age he will be a monk with me.” He said to Saint Colman: “Look, I now offer him to you, that he himself and his seed after him may be buried with you until the end of the world.” And that son Kiaranus was a faithful layman, just and good and rich, and he begot illustrious offspring; and he himself received the sacred sacrifice on solemn days from the hand of Saint Colman. Therefore on a certain day the enemies of that Kiaranus, knowing that he had been with Saint Colman, gathered a great crowd and hid themselves on the road by which he was to come to his house, in order to kill him. But when Kiaranus came to the place where the ambush of the enemies was, he and his companions appeared to the enemies as clerics with capes and staffs in their hands.

²⁶ And when the enemies saw such a habit, they let them go freely without questioning. The blessing of the holy elder Colman made this a protection for them. And after Kiaranus with his companions reached a safe place from the ambush, the enemies saw them as armed soldiers. Then Kiaranus and his companions rejoiced in praise of God, magnifying the holiness of the blessing of Saint Colman. But those enemies, recognizing that the miracle of God had occurred by power through the merits of Saint Colman, came to Saint Colman and did penance before him, because on a holy day they had wished to kill a man bearing his blessing.

²⁷ On one occasion the holy elder Colman came to the king of Tara, Áed Sláine, to ask him for a man whom the king was holding in chains. At that hour, in summertime about the third hour, a ray of the sun was shining brightly through a window of the palace; and the king said to Saint Colman: “Truly, abbot, just as you cannot hold this ray through this window as it is now until evening, when the sun goes its course toward setting, so you cannot loose or snatch away the man whom I hold in chains.” Colman answered the king, saying: “If I hold the ray thus, will you give me the bound man?” The king said to him: “Indeed I will give him to you free.” Then Saint Colman signed the ray in the name of Christ; and it stood, shining from the east through the window, until the sun after evening set in the west. Seeing this, the king with all marveled at the wonders of God through his saints, and he handed over that man to the holy elder Colman, free and released, as he had promised; and he humbly sought the blessing of the holy man.

²⁸ The blessed elder Colman was singing with his brothers the hymn of the most holy Patrick, archbishop of Ireland; and the blessed Patrick had migrated to Christ many years before the time of Saint Colman. And Saint Patrick came from heaven and stood in the midst of the brothers singing his hymn. And Saint Colman alone, seeing Saint Patrick, ordered the hymn to be sung three times. And the brothers marveling, one elder among them said to Saint Colman: “We have other spiritual songs; why then do we linger on one all day?” Saint Colman said to him: “Truly, blessed elder, our most blessed patron Patrick was standing in our midst blessing us, until he heard the words of your rebuke; but then immediately he vanished from my eyes; and therefore I ordered the hymn to be sung three times.” Hearing this, that elder was displeased with himself and did penance.

²⁹ There was a certain noble and rich man of the race of Niall, to whom at one time a blind son was born; and that man, unwilling to keep his son with him on account of pride, ordered one servant from among his boys to kill that infant. That servant at once, weeping, carried the little child to cast him into a marsh to be drowned; but almighty God granted that infant speech before its time to protect himself. And he said to the man carrying him on the way: “O man, where are you going?” He said: “I am going to kill you.” The little child said: “Unless you do penance, quickly returning, you will die immediately. I shall now remain alive until old age by the grace of God through the holiness of the blessed Colman Ela, who protects me, to whom I shall be a fosterling and disciple.” Returning to the house, that man told these things to his lord, the father of the infant. But the father, still remaining in malice, said: “It is a phantom that you heard, O soft servant.” And he said threateningly to one of his maidservants: “Cast that wretch into the marsh, that he may be drowned.” And thus the infant spoke prophetically to the maidservant just as to the servant. And she, fearing, returned to her lord, telling him about the infant under oath. Then he said: “I myself will test this.” And when the father came there with his people, the infant spoke more harshly to him. Hearing this, the father himself feared the more, and said: “I will not die on account of you.” And he ordered him to be carried back to the house and nourished until Saint Colman should come to him. Then Saint Colman came to him and immediately said to that father: “You have acted badly and foolishly, condemning an innocent servant of God to death; for he is better than all your offspring.” Then the father, loving him, offered him to Saint Colman to be nourished for God. And immediately Saint Colman baptized that infant, giving him the name Cheallanus. Afterwards he taught him the sacred Scriptures and good morals. And he was a holy and wise man, a teacher of many, having grace before God and men, who is called Chellanus the blind.

³⁰ Robbers at one time from the province of the Laigin carried off a prey from the brothers who were in the cell which is called Cluain Cayn, and the brothers did not know from where those robbers were. Seeing this by the Spirit, the holy father Colman at once came to those brothers, saying to them: “Come with me, and I will lead you to the place where those robbers are who have taken your prey.” And going on, they found the robbers in the eastern region of the Laigin, in the territory of Leix or Lelas, namely in the fort which is called Dún Salach. And those robbers harshly denied with many words that they had ever taken that prey. Then the holy elder Colman said to them: “Today you deny enough; tomorrow we shall see what you will do. Leave off your threats and your insolence.” But on the following night their arms were turned into a black swelling, and twenty-five of them were oppressed by excessive pain. On the next day, however, confessing their fault against the servants of God, they did penance; and they carefully restored the prey, asking for their health. And when the holy elder Colman blessed them with the holy sign, immediately they were made whole, and they glorified God in his saints.

³¹ At another time the holy elder Colman came to the city of Cluain Iraird, and entered the monastery of Saint Finnian, and found his brothers fasting on account of a theft, that by the grace of God the deed which had been done among them might be revealed. And those brothers rejoiced at the coming of Saint Colman, hoping that theft would be shown by God through him. And while they were complaining, the holy elder Colman said: “Let there be for us and for you, dearest brothers, one and the same refection this neart, and tomorrow I will show you your theft; but the person who hid it I will not point out to you, lest a brother be scandalized thereby.” And all was done thus. Hearing and seeing such things, they gave praises of blessing to Christ, the sanctifier of the saints.

³² At a certain time the holy father Colman came to the monastery of Saint Ciarán in the city of Cluain meic Nois, and he was asked by the blessed father of that place together with his brothers to preach to the clergy and the people in the church. And when the holy elder Colman approached the Gospel, he saw a demon beside the Gospel, and he said to the brothers: “Let us pray, brothers. Look, a demon clings to the Gospel, to hinder the work of God.” And when the man of God blessed the place, immediately the demon fled howling. Now while the most holy elder Colman was preaching, a marvelous compunction touched their hearts, and tearful penance then appeared in them; and for a long time in that city that day was festive every year, until those who had heard that preaching passed away, calling that day the day of the preaching of Colman Ela.

³³ A certain holy virgin, by name Comna, came to Saint Colman, asking him that he would come with her to free certain of her kinsmen, whom the leader Coirpre wished unjustly to reduce to his service. And they found on the way the prefect of the leader leading those kinsmen to the leader. There was a stone very harmful to men and beasts on that road; when Saint Colman saw it thus, he ordered it in the name of Christ the Creator to go to another place off the road. And immediately that stone flew away from the road before all the crowd, and stood in a place removed from the road. With great wonder that prefect told this to his lord the leader. But nevertheless the leader, hard and unyielding of heart, did not listen to Saint Colman entreating him; and by a sudden nod the proud leader was made blind and deaf, and he could see or hear nothing. Then doing penance, he granted firm freedom to those men forever. Seeing his satisfaction, and the people praying for him, Saint Colman blessed his eyes and ears, and immediately he heard and saw. And all blessed Christ, who works diverse miracles through his saints.

³⁴ From there Saint Colman came with that holy virgin to his cell, and found there a meal prepared for him by that saintly woman. But when the disciples carelessly moved the barrel in which there was beer, they poured out all the liquid. Seeing blessed Comna with her companions saddened by this, Saint Colman ordered the barrel to be filled with water and to be served to him. And immediately, by the nod of God, that water was changed into the best beer. Seeing this, the saints gave thanks with their companions to Christ, the giver of all good things.

³⁵ While Saint Colman was traveling in the regions of the Connachtmen, he saw the ministry of angels over a certain stone, and the angels frequented that stone. And when Saint Colman asked the inhabitants of that land about that stone, they told him that the head of a holy maiden, killed by pagans, once placed upon that stone, had dripped drops of blood, and this was the mystery of her holiness. Then the man of God, revealing to them the ministry of angels over that stone, ordered it to be carried to a nearby church; and it is there to this day in an honorable place in the cemetery, and it is called the stone of the maiden, through which the miracles of Christ are shown.

³⁶ On another day, as Saint Colman was traveling in the same province of the Connachtmen, he wandered off the paths; and not knowing where he was going, he said to his disciples: “Let us sing the psalm ‘Blessed are the undefiled in the way’” [Ps 118(119):1]. And as they sang the psalm, immediately they found a road which led them to the house of a good man, merciful and hospitable, who received them with great charity and kindly supplied them with what was necessary. And that night that man said to Saint Colman and his disciples: “O servants of God, look, since I am an old man, I have neither brother nor son, except this paralytic, blind one, and without nostrils.” In the morning, however, as Saint Colman was praying, he asked whether there was a spring nearby. And that householder said: “Lord, we do not have water nearby here.” Saint Colman said to him: “Order the ground nearby to be dug, where you wish to have a spring.” And when a pit was made, a clear spring burst forth. And Saint Colman said to that man: “Wash your son in that water.” And when the boy had been washed, he rose from the spring sound in body and healthy in his senses. Seeing this, all were filled with joy, both because of the water and because of the boy’s healing.

³⁷ A certain man and his wife brought their deaf and mute son to Saint Colman, that he might heal him in the name of God. Seeing that little boy, Saint Colman said to him: “Come here to me, my son.” He immediately heard, and having speech by divine nod through the holiness of the man of God, he answered, saying: “I will come to you, lord. For everything that you command to be done is blessed.” Afterwards, when the man of God blessed him, he returned healed with his parents.

³⁸ When the most blessed old man Colman was wearied of the present life of this world, he desired to be released from the body and to be with Christ [Philippians 1:23]. And for this vow he went to the city of Saint Finnian, Cluain Iraird, so that there, beside the relics of the most blessed father Finnian, he might ask his petition for departing from this world. Therefore, while all were sleeping, Saint Colman went alone in the silence of the night to the basilica in which the holy father Finnian lay; and standing before that church, firmly closed (for it was rarely opened to holy men except for a great reason), he said: “O most holy Finnian, open to me, your fellow servant in God.” Immediately Saint Finnian, opening the basilica, spoke to him. Then Saint Colman said to him with humble prayer: “I ask you, holy father, that you pray the Lord for me, that in this year I may go to heaven.” Saint Finnian answered him, saying: “God has heard your prayer; already in this year you shall go to the kingdom of Christ.” Afterwards the saints greeted one another and blessed Christ, and Saint Colman returned from the basilica to his lodging; and on the next day he returned joyfully to his renowned monastery. When the holy elders asked him about his gladness, he made known to them what we have said, and he commanded them to tell no one during his lifetime.

³⁹ When now the time of the departure of the most holy Colman from this world had drawn near, a heavenly sign was given to him; that is, a fiery cross appeared in the air above his cell. When the brothers saw the unknown sign, they were greatly afraid. To them the holy father Colman said: “Do not fear, my sons; this is now the sign of my departure.” And when the time of departure of our most blessed father Colman of Ela had come, and when he himself was weak in body, the holy bishop Mochuda came from his city, Rathen, to visit him, and other saints who were in the surrounding region. Saint Colman said to them: “Know, most dear brothers in Christ, that these are the petitions which my Lord has granted to me: namely, that whoever shall be buried in the little enclosure of my relics shall rise to everlasting rest; and whoever shall call upon me in the hour of his departure shall have eternal life; and if anyone shall venerate the day of my death, he shall obtain the mercy of Christ.” When these things had been said, among the choir of holy men the most holy old man Colman happily sent forth his spirit to Christ on the sixth day before the Kalends of October. With fitting honor, in his renowned monastery, Land Ela, his most blessed little body was committed to the earth by many holy men.

⁴⁰ And soon after the death of the holy father Colman, by the instigation of the devil, most wicked robbers killed one of his monks. That brother was then ministering to the craftsmen who were building a church around the relics of Saint Colman. When his body, full of blood, had been brought to the monastery, the brothers placed the staff of Saint Colman upon him; and immediately he rose alive and whole, and afterwards lived for many days. But after a certain space of time Saint Colman appeared in a vision to certain holy men and commanded them that his relics be raised from the tomb, lest they be hidden any longer in the earth. Then, when a synod of saints had been gathered from diverse places, the relics of the most holy blessed father Colman were raised up and placed with great honor by holy men in an adorned shrine, after miracles had been worked, many praising and blessing the Holy Trinity with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs [Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19], the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, to whom is honor and glory and power to ages of ages. Amen.

⁴¹ Here ends the Life of Saint Colman the Abbot.