¹ Here begins the life of Saint Fintan, abbot and confessor.

² Saint Abbot Fintan, a man venerable in life, was born from the province of the Leinstermen. His father was called Crimthann, and his mother Findnat. When she was pregnant and near to childbirth, look, an angel of the Lord came to her, saying: “Withdraw from men into a certain secret place, and be there alone until you bring forth the holy little child. For you shall bear, O woman, a son who will be holy and great before God and men” [Luke 1:15; Luke 2:52]. And immediately, according to the word of the angel, she went to a secret place; and there she remained under a certain tree for seven days, eating food from heaven each day, on account of the grace of the child. And there she gave birth to her son, full of the Holy Spirit, namely Saint Fintan. And on the eighth day she led him to a certain holy man dwelling in a place which is called Cluain, and he joyfully baptized Fintan, and afterward he read with him, and he advanced greatly in grace and learning.

³ One day, when the holy boy Fintan had grown, he said to his holy elder: “Father, prepare lodging, for holy guests will come to you today.” But the old man rebuked him in anger, saying: “How do you know this? And who showed this to you before all of us?” The holy boy answered him: “My Lord Jesus Christ has shown me, father, that the holy youth Columba of Iona with his companions will come to you today.” And so it was fulfilled. On that day, when Saint Columba had come near, he said to his companions: “For a little while we must turn aside to an old man dwelling nearby with a holy boy.” Therefore, when the holy youth Columba had come, he said to the old man: “Do not be angry, father; for indeed I heard when you rebuked your holy boy with harsh words as he foretold our coming to you. Do not offend him, for you and your place will serve this holy boy forever.” And the old man said: “I believe that it will be so; for even before he was born, the grace of God cared for him.”

⁴ Afterward, when Saint Fintan became a young man, he was greatly filled with the fear and love of God. And having received the blessing and permission of his holy teacher, he went to Saint Columba son of Crimthann, born from the province of the Leinstermen, who rests in his city which is called Tír dá Glas, in the land of Munster, beside the river Shannon; and he received him joyfully. And there were with him three holy disciples, that is, Coemhan, who is the holy father of the monastery of Inis Cruym; Saint Fintan, whose life I write; and blessed Mocummin, who is with Saint Columba his teacher in the city of Tír dá Glas. And these holy men had one vow to God, and they sought here and there a place where they might remain to serve God. And coming to a certain place in the borders of the Leinstermen, they said to Saint Columba their teacher: “We ought, father, to remain here and serve God.” He said to them: “This place has not been prepared for us by God, but for a certain holy man who has not yet been born, who will be called Mobí son of Cumalde.” Then they came to the place which is called Cluain Ednech, and there they remained for a whole year. But since they did not wish to endure there the multitude of people and of their friends flocking together from all sides, they left that place and went on through the mountain of Bladma. And there they found boys guarding their flocks, one of whom, named Sethna, was mute from his birth. Saint Columba blessed his tongue, and the boy spoke immediately. And Columba said to him: “Reveal to us in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the places in which we shall rise again.” And he, filled by the nod of God with the spirit of prophecy, indicated to each of them the place in which he would rise again.

⁵ Then Saint Columba, looking back from the mountain, saw the place from which they had departed being frequently visited by holy angels; and he himself was saddened because he had left that place. And his holy companions said to him: “Father, why are you so sad?” The saint replied: “Because I see that the place from which we came is full of the angels of God, and between it and heaven the angels do not cease to minister. And one of us must return to that place, so that he may remain it forever.” To him Saint Fintan said: “Whomever you shall tell, father, to return, he will go forth obediently.” And Saint Columba said to him: “Go you, O holy youth, in peace to that place, and the Lord will be with you. For it has been revealed to you divinely that there you shall rise again.” And then Saint Fintan, having received the permission and blessing of the holy father and of the brothers, came to that place which is called Cluain Ednech, and dwelt there. And he maintained a most harsh way of life, and immediately began to build a renowned monastery there. Now that monastery is called by the same name Cluain Ednech, which is translated into Latin as “ivy-covered hiding place.” And when the fame of the life and religious discipline of Saint Fintan was heard, many from different provinces of Ireland came to him, and under a strict rule were made monks with him. Already working with their own hands in the manner of hermits, they tilled the ground with the hoe. And rejecting all animals, they did not even possess a single cow; and if at any time someone offered them anything of milk or butter, they no longer received it. And if perhaps someone, without Saint Fintan’s knowledge, had brought anything of milk into the place, immediately, according to the will of the holy man, by divine prompting the vessel was broken. When the harshness of their manner of life was now known, no one dared to offer them meat.

⁶ Now the saints who were in the surrounding region, knowing the exceedingly heavy burden of Saint Fintan upon himself and upon his monks, gathered together for counsel, to see whether they might help them. And the holy abbot Cainnech, and other saints with him, came to Saint Fintan to ask him in the name of God that, out of his excessive rigor, he would relax something more tolerable for the sake of divine charity. But on the night before Saint Cainnech came, look, an angel of the Lord came to Saint Fintan, saying to him: “Tomorrow the holy fathers will come to you for the sake of charity, that you might relax something of your rigor. But you, before they come to you, go a little way from your place; and the Lord will send some man to meet you, and whatever he shall say to you, do without doubt.” When morning had come, the holy father Fintan set out on the road; and immediately a certain man met him, who had never spoken. And Saint Fintan blessed him, and straightway his tongue was opened. “Tell me,” said the saint, “what I ought to do, for good men wish to lighten the burden by which I have begun to live.” He answered him: “All good things whatever you have begun for God, do not abandon for any man before your departure from this life, until you complete your contest. But beware lest others be scandalized by your rigor, for one vessel is more fragile than another.” And having said these things, he afterward fell silent. Then Saint Fintan returned to his monastery. But Saint Cainnech and the other saints, coming, were received with all kindness by Saint Fintan. And the man of God, granting some consolation to the brothers for the sake of the saints, relaxed nothing of his own personal rigor. And praying and blessing one another in divine discourse, the saints returned to their own places.

⁷ One day, when the holy father Fintan and his brothers were eating, a fire burst forth very violently from the top of the refectory. Then the brothers, struck with terror, did not know what to do, thinking that the whole monastery would be consumed by fire. But the holy father Fintan, calmly restraining the tumult of the brothers, raised his hand blessed the fire with the holy sign, and immediately the flame was extinguished. And, wondrous to tell, the building was found intact, as if untouched by fire, by the grace of God working through the holy man.

⁸ On another day, outside in the field, the monks of Saint Fintan were working. But the holy man went out and visited them as they labored. And when he came to the brothers, the brothers ran to meet him, and holding him by the hands on this side and that, as is the custom of laborers when they see their lord, sometimes playfully asking something of him, they asked him for refreshment that day. The saint, already joyful and smiling, said to them: “My dearest sons, my Lord is able for my sake to give you what you ask.” Now on that day the cook had nothing else to prepare for the brothers except wild vegetables, as on many other days. At that very hour men from the southern part of Leinster came to the monastery with carts and wagons full of various kinds of food, and offered them to the man of God. The holy father, giving thanks to God for this, refreshed his brothers charitably on that day.

⁹ A certain holy man, named Lonan son of Cathen, once made a banquet for Saint Fintan. And Lonan asked him in the name of God to take his charity. And when all in the house of the banquet were rejoicing, as is the custom, Saint Fintan alone wept bitterly. Blessed Lonan said to him: “Look, by the gift of God we are all joyful; but you alone, why are you sad? Therefore, father, we wish to know the cause of this sadness.” The man of God replied: “It is not because I have taken your charity that I weep; but if you were to see what I see, you would surely say that I am not saddened without cause. For today a miserable battle has been fought in the southern part of Munster, and I see very many souls of sinners who were slain in the battle being led into hell; and I am saddened because of this. Even scarcely a few souls of those who lived well and fought out of necessity escape. But that you may know this to be true, look, after seven days there will come to us those who will carefully relate to us the battle itself.” And so it came to pass.

¹⁰ Likewise, at that same banquet and on the same day, a certain old man coming from the countryside entered the house of the banquet, who was the herdsman of Saint Lonan. And when Saint Fintan saw him, he said to those who were beside him: “That old man will die today in the woods, and his body will not be found for seven days; and no beast or bird will touch his body, except that only a hungry fox will nibble the tips of his ears and his nose.” And thus all things came to pass.

¹¹ Two men once came to Saint Fintan, having different desires; for one of them wished that he might always remain a monk with Saint Fintan, but the other wished only to remain as a guest for ten days. When the holy father both heard and saw them, he said privately to his brothers: “Hear, sons, a word concerning these two men. The one who wishes less to be with us will remain here a perfect monk until his death; but the other, who professes that he will be a monk, will remain here in his profession for only ten days, and in the darkness of night will flee back to the world.” And according to the prophecy of the holy man it happened to them.

¹² There was a certain religious monk with Saint Fintan, named Sinchellus, whose father and fosterer were living wickedly in the world. And blessed Sinchellus sought permission from the holy father Fintan to go, so that he might convert his father and his fosterer from error to repentance. But they, remaining hard of heart, did not listen to his voice. Then blessed Sinchellus returned to Saint Fintan, saying: “O holy father, for a long time I have labored among them in vain.” The saint said to him: “Go yet once more, and if you are able, bring them to me so that I may see them.” And when they came, by the will of God they sat around the man of God, one at the right hand one at the left. But Father Fintan and blessed Sinchellus were in the middle. And when the holy man saw them persisting in evil, he said privately to Sinchellus: “I tell you, O son Sinchellus, that just as these two are now around us, one on the right and the other on the left, so they will be on the day of judgment. For your father, living wickedly until his death, will be on the left with the goats; and after his death his possessions will be divided among unjust kings and princes, who will have no care for his soul. But your fosterer, seeing the unhappy death of your father, will turn himself from error and do worthy penance, and will distribute his substance well to the saints and the poor of Christ; and he will sit on the right hand of the Judge, the Son of God, with the lambs.” That which is to come we do not doubt, seeing that past things have been fulfilled according to the prophecy of the man of God.

¹³ Certain monks of the monastery of Saint Fintan, burning with excessive love of pilgrimage and unwilling to live in their own land, went out from the monastery without the permission of their holy abbot. And after a few days they came to the monastery of Bangor, in the province of the Ulstermen, and remained there, intending to sail from there to Britain. On a certain day one of the brothers came joyfully to Saint Fintan, saying: “I have heard, O father, that your brothers have been detained by their friends.” To him the holy man, smiling, said: “Son, what you have heard is false. For our brothers of whom you speak, brother, will today reach the harbor of Britain with a prosperous voyage, because they journey for God’s sake.” And so it was proved. For after some space of time a certain brother from among his monks, inflamed with love for his brother who had gone on pilgrimage with the same monks, came to Saint Fintan sorrowful and in tears, and bent his knees before the saint. To him the holy father said: “Why are you sad?” That brother replied: “I confess to you, father, that I am greatly distressed by the absence of my brother according to the flesh. I therefore ask you, father, in the name of God, that you permit me to go after him, lest sorrow consume me.” To him the holy father gently said: “Be joyful, son, for your brother will come today to this place to us, and you will wash his feet; for his heart had no rest in our absence.” On that very day that brother came, and he himself told all the things that had happened to him, just as the man of God had foretold.

¹⁴ On another day, when Saint Cainnech and Saint Fintan were together in one place, namely in the monastery of Saint Fintan, Cluain Ednech, they suddenly heard shouting and rejoicing of soldiers exulting after the slaughter of their enemies. Then Saint Fintan said to blessed Cainnech: “In this rejoicing I hear the voice of an innocent lamb; for one of them will be a monk of mine in this place, and he will die in a perfect life”; and he is called Ciarán son of Tulchan. Now those soldiers had the heads of their enemies. And coming near the monastery, they set them down. And the heads were taken up by the brothers and were buried before the brothers by the saints in the cemetery of the monks. Then one of the brothers said to the holy fathers: “What benefit will it be to those men that their heads are buried in this place?” To him Saints Cainnech and Fintan answered: “We firmly believe and trust in the Lord that these men will not be tormented on the day of judgment, on account of the merits and honor of all the saints of this holy place who will lie here and will pray while living for the souls of those who are buried here; for the principal part of their bodies is buried here, and therefore we hope for mercy for them.” Afterward that Ciarán came and became a monk, and died happily, as Saint Fintan had foretold.

¹⁵ One day, when Saint Fintan heard the voice of a priest offering sacrifice, who was called Gobban, he himself trembled and his heart shuddered. And when the brothers asked him, the holy man answered them: “You, brothers, think that you hear the voice of a priest offering sacrifice; but I hear the voice of a man rejoicing after a grave sin. Alas, alas, alas, this man will not finish his life here with us.” Then that unhappy man, just as the man of God said, deserted the place and his habit, turning back to the world; and living wickedly in the world, he perished shamefully in sins.

¹⁶ At another time, when Saint Fintan was walking in a certain field, his fame having been heard, many gathered to him for the sake of prayer and blessing. Among them a certain man brought his son, paralyzed and in great misery, to him; and falling down at the feet of the holy man, he begged that in the name of God he would heal his son. And when Saint Fintan stretched out his hands to God in prayer, immediately the paralytic, by the grace of God, rose up healed, blessing and praising God before all.

¹⁷ One night one of the brothers, knowing that the holy father Fintanus was wakeful in prayer, wished to know where he was praying. And seeking him here and there, he came into the cemetery of the saints. And it was a dark night; and from afar the brother, gazing upon him, saw around him an immense light over a great space, so that his eyes were almost blinded, unless God through the grace of Saint Fintanus had protected him. But on the following day the holy father said to him with a threatening countenance: “My brother, take care that you do not again do what you did on the previous night, lest your eyes be blinded. See that Paul the apostle, not yet cleansed from vices, when he had seen the heavenly light, had his eyes blinded; how much more you, since you are imperfect in conduct and life, how can you see that light?” [Acts 9:3–8] “If therefore you should again see that light in this world, your eyes will immediately be blinded, or else you will certainly be deprived of the light of eternal life.” Hearing this, that brother, terrified, promised that he would not do it again, asking pardon for his boldness.

¹⁸ The king of the northern Laigin, Colum son of Cormac, had in chains Cormac son of Diarmait, king of the Uí Chennselaig, that is, of the southern Laigin, wishing to kill him, whom he had seized in an ambush. Hearing this, the holy man Fintanus took with him twelve disciples, wishing to free that young man; and he went to the same king, then dwelling in that town situated on the plain of the Laigin, named Rath Mór, which in Latin is called the great court. And that king was cruel. Hearing that Saint Fintanus was coming to him, he ordered his soldiers to guard well the captive and to fortify the stronghold carefully against the man of God. But when the saint came there, divine power opened all the gates to him. And when he came to the house in which the young man was chained in fetters, the door of it likewise was opened. And when the man of God saw the young man in chains, all his bonds were broken and fell to the ground. Moreover the strength of the doorkeepers and soldiers vanished at the sight of the holy man. Then the soldiers, struck with excessive terror, hurried to the king, who was then sleeping, and reported all these things to him. But the king, filled with trembling, said to them: “I myself do not know what I should do, because my heart has trembled within me.” And his friends said to him: “Lord, this saint is terrible, and he comes to you in anger, because he loves the man whom you hold; and for his sake God works many wonders. Therefore whatever he shall say to you, do it, lest the anger of God consume you and us.” Then the king, running to Saint Fintanus, cast himself at his feet, saying: “It is fitting for us to honor you, holy one, because God magnifies you. I therefore release to you the man whom you ask for, and all the prisoners whom I have with him.” And the holy man blessing the king, gave thanks to God; and the prisoners having been loosed, he led with him the young man whose release he sought, and went out of the fortress. And on the way a multitude of soldiers met him, among whom was a son of Belial of royal lineage, who wished to kill Cormac, whom the saint had freed; but his companions scarcely restrained him. To him Saint Fintanus said: “Son of the devil, you will quickly be killed; and this man whom you desire to kill will live a long time in the kingdom and will spend his life in good deeds.” And so it came to pass. For that wretched man was killed before the end of the month. But Cormac son of Diarmait lived for a long time in the kingdom of the Laigin, and in old age, having despised the kingdom, with Saint Comgall the abbot in the province of the Ulaid, in the monastery of Bangor, having become a monk, he ended his holy life.

¹⁹ At another time Saint Fintanus, walking in the plain of the Liffey, met a good and renowned man, Fergna by name, son of Cobhthach. And when the man of God saw him, descending from his chariot, he bent his knees before him. Then that man, confused and troubled, said: “O man of God, what have you done to me, a sinner?” To whom the saint said: “Unless I had seen you in heaven and on earth among the choirs of angels, I would never have done this to you. But I ask you to abandon this world quickly and to take upon yourself the holy habit.” To which he simply replied: “I have twelve sons and seven daughters, and a noble and beloved wife, and my people subject to me in peace and abundance; I love all these things and I cannot leave them.” But the servant of the Lord, knowing all the things that were to come upon him, said to him: “Go, lord, to your house, and I will go on my way; but when I return, I will come to you.” From that very hour of the holy man’s address, the heart of that man was changed by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; and the things which he had formerly loved he then held in contempt. And he was almost without sleep, daily watching the road by which the coming of the holy father Fintanus was expected. That man was already a powerful leader of his region. And when Saint Fintanus, after two weeks had passed, came to the house of the same leader Fergna, he immediately offered himself to God and to Saint Fintanus; and leaving behind all that you have heard, he joyfully followed the saint of God until the day of his death, and in the holy habit he happily passed over to Christ.

²⁰ A certain holy bishop, named Brandubh, who was a wise, gentle, and humble man, from the region of the Uí Chennselaig, which is the more renowned part of the Laigin, came to Saint Fintanus in order that he might become a monk with him. And the blessed bishop found Saint Fintanus the abbot in the monastery which is called Achadh Firghlais, in the people of the Uí Deona, opposite the city of Lethgleann, on the eastern side of the river Barrow. The holy abbot rejoiced at the coming of the lord bishop and said to him: “What do you seek among us, holy shepherd?” To whom the bishop replied: “Excellent father, I wish to finish the last part of my life in your renowned monastery.” To whom Saint Fintanus gently said: “I desire you, lord, to be more pleasantly and tolerably in this monastery than in my harsh monastery, for the burden of my monastery is very heavy.” The bishop answered: “Until now I have placed the yoke upon others, and I wish to spend my life under the yoke of another. For I have offered myself to you and to God; therefore whatever you shall say to me, I will do willingly. But nevertheless I ask this one thing of you: that if you should depart from this world before me, I may not live long after you, but that you may soon come to meet my soul.” To whom the holy abbot replied: “God will grant you this request.” And so, when three years had been completed, the blessed father Fintanus passed to heaven in his monastery of Cluain Edhneach. Hearing this, the holy bishop, remaining in the same place according to the command of Saint Fintanus, said to the brothers: “My brothers, I know that the day of my departure from this wretched life to the kingdom of God is drawing near, just as the holy abbot Fintanus promised me.” When two weeks had passed from the death of Saint Fintanus, the minister of the blessed bishop saw a dream; that is, as it were a certain window opened in the hut in which the bishop lay, and seven men in white garments coming with a great light to that window. And he heard one of them saying with a clear voice: “Come forth, holy bishop, and make no delay; for we have been sent by God to meet your soul, as was promised to you. Brother, the household comes to you in holiness, wonderfully.” [John 11:43] The bishop with his minister was already in a cell apart from the same place. But when the minister awoke, he immediately took a burning lamp and, going to the little chamber in which the holy bishop was, found that he had given up the spirit. And the minister related all these things to the brothers. Then the brothers, burying the holy little body, glorified God in his two saints; and likewise did others who later heard these things.

²¹ Two brothers were in the monastery of Saint Abbot Fintanus, from their youth very obedient, and by their strength pleasing God and the brothers, and loving one another greatly. It happened at some time that one of these two brothers, now advanced in age, was afflicted by a great infirmity, and on a certain day died of that infirmity. But at the hour of his death the younger brother was absent; for he was working in the woods with the brothers. And when he returned, he saw two men arranging a place of burial in the cemetery. And questioning them, he heard that his brother had died. Then the younger brother was filled with sadness, and sorrowfully went to the place where the holy father Fintanus with the brothers was chanting psalms around the body. And that brother begged the man of God, saying: “I beg you, father, that you permit me to die with my brother, so that we may go together to the kingdom of God.” To whom the man of God replied: “Your brother has already passed to the kingdom of God, and you are alive; and you cannot pass together from this life to heaven, unless he should rise again. But it pleases me what you say; wait a little while, and you shall see your brother living.” Then, while Saint Fintanus was praying, he who had died immediately rose alive, and while still placed in the bier, spoke with a clear voice, blessing all. Then he said to his brother: “My brother, hasten to receive the holy sacrifice, and sit beside me; for the heavenly household which came to meet my soul has returned with me to meet your soul, because our father Fintanus granted it and prayed to the God of heaven that it should be so, seeing the anguish of your mind.” Therefore when the younger brother had placed himself beside his brother with the blessing and prayer of his holy abbot and of the brothers, and having received the divine viaticum, they gave up the spirit and together journeyed to heaven with the angels. The brothers seeing these things, a firm faith was kindled in their hearts, and with joy admiring the grace of their holy father Fintanus, they glorified God.

²² A certain young man, a devout cleric, named Columbanus, was born in the province of the Laigin, namely from the people which is called Laighis. For the sake of prayer and pilgrimage he went to Saint Columba on the island of Iona, and remained with him for a time. And when he wished to return to Ireland, he said to the blessed Columba: “O saint of God, how shall I live in my homeland, and to whom shall I confess my sins?” To whom Saint Columba said: “Go to that holy man whom every Lord’s night I truly see standing before the tribunal of Christ among the angels.” The blessed young man said to him: “Who and what sort of saint is he?” Saint Columba answered: “There is a certain holy and handsome man in your people, ruddy of face, with bright eyes, having grayness in a few hairs.” The young man said: “I know no such man in my region, except Saint Fintanus.” Then Saint Columba said to him rejoicing: “He himself is the one, my son, whom I see before the tribunal of Christ, as I told you. Go to him, for he is the good shepherd of Christ’s flock, and he will lead many souls with him to the kingdom of God.” Then Saint Columbanus, having received the permission and blessing of Saint Father Columba, joyfully returned to Ireland. And coming to Saint Fintanus, he related to him all that the man of God Columba had said. But when the holy elder Fintanus heard these words, his face became as fire, and he said to the young man: “Take care, brother, that you tell this to no one during my lifetime.” And this was not difficult for him, because the holy father Fintanus soon afterward died.

²³ The charity, chastity, humility, and gentleness toward others, and harshness toward himself, the patience, abstinence, and heavy fasts, the night vigils, the bendings of the knees, and the love toward all Christians of the most blessed old man Fintanus, no one living now here on earth in the flesh could relate. For he fulfilled all the divine commandments from boyhood even to venerable old age. When therefore his departure drew near, he called his people to himself, knowing the day of his death; and with the permission and blessing of the brothers and of the saints who had come together to visit that holy father, he appointed in his place and seat after himself a holy man, noble in lineage and in character, Fintanus Moeldubh, called by the same name. Then lifting up his hand, he carefully blessed his people; and having received the Lord’s sacrifice, he fell asleep in the peace of Christ, on the thirteenth day before the Kalends of March, with a multitude of saints standing around, and amid the choirs of angels singing sweet hymns he passed over to eternal joys, our Lord Jesus Christ reigning, together with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, to ages of ages. Amen.

²⁴ Here end the Life of Saint Fintanus