¹ Here begins the Life of Saint Samthanna, Virgin

² The holy and venerable virgin Samthanna drew her origin from the race of the Ultori; her father was called Dyamranus, and her mother, indeed, was called Columba. As she grew in age, her foster-father, Cridan, king of the Corprei, betrothed her nobly. He, before the solemnities of the wedding were celebrated, at midnight, with his eyes opened, saw as it were a ray of the sun extended through the roof the house into the bed in which Samthanna lay with two daughters of the king. Astonished at the vision of such an unusual light at that hour, he suddenly rose, and going to the bed of his betrothed, found her face bathed in that ray. He rejoiced greatly also, because he had deserved to obtain such a spouse, who was thus suffused with heavenly light.

³ But on the following night, when the wedding had been celebrated, both, as is the custom, entering the bridal chamber, the bridegroom said to her: “Put off,” he said, “your garments, that we may come together as one.” But she answered: “I ask for a delay, until those who are in the house fall asleep.” The bridegroom consenting, after a little while sleep overcame him. Then she devoted herself to prayer, knocking at the doors of divine mercy, that she might keep her virginity unblemished. And God heard her supplication, and the Lord received her prayer [Ps 65:2]. For about the middle of the night that town in which they were seemed to those who were outside to be burning, and a flame of wondrous size to ascend from the mouth of the holy virgin to the roof the house. A great cry arises outside in the town, and all who were within are awakened from sleep, and together hasten to extinguish the fire.

⁴ Meanwhile the holy virgin Samthanna fled and hid herself in a certain neighboring fern-brake; and immediately that fire disappeared without any damage to the town. When morning had come, her foster-father, namely the king of the Corprei, went out to seek the virgin. And when he had found her, he said to the king: “Was your town burned last night?” The king answered, saying: “No.” But she said: “I give thanks to God that it was not burned.” And she said again to that king: “Why did you wish to give this wretched handmaid of Almighty God to some bridegroom without her consent?” Then the king said: “From now on I will not give you to a man; but let the decision be in your hand.” And she said: “This is my decision, that from now on you offer me to God, and not to a man, as a bride.” Then the king, bending his knees, said: “To the Bridegroom whom you desire, to God, we join you and offer you as a bride.”

⁵ Then she, with the permission of her bridegroom, entered the monastery of the virgin Cognate, which is called Ayrnaidy. There also, dwelling for some time, she carried out the office of stewardess devoutly and faithfully.

⁶ But on a certain day the holy virgin Samthanna, rising at the height of dawn, heard beyond a lake the voice of a certain leper, who loudly begged that he might be carried across the strait. Obeying his прось (desire), the pious virgin, guiding a little boat with her staff, ferried him across; and to him, complaining of poverty and nakedness, she gave a cow with a calf and the greater part of her own cloak, like another Martin. When he was asked from where he had come, he replied that he had come from the monastery of Saint Ultan. And when he had said this, he disappeared. Then a wondrous thing appeared. For that cow which the leper had received, together with the calf, was found in its own pasture where it had been before; and no trace of any cutting appeared in the garment of holy Samthanna.

⁷ At another time also, when she herself was stewardess of the goods of the monastery of Ayrnaidy, it happened that one vessel of butter for a whole year sufficed, by her blessing, both for the sisters and for guests. But a certain woman lately converted from the world entered the sisters’ storeroom, Samthanna herself not knowing it; and seeing that the same vessel of butter was almost full, she said: “This butter, it seems, will never fail.” When she had gone out, the holy virgin, entering that place, found the vessel empty. When she saw this, marveling at what had happened, she was astonished; and, inspired by the prophetic spirit, she said: “This place will never be wealthy.” And what she said about the place was fulfilled manifestly.

⁸ At that time the holy virgin Funecha, foundress of the monastery which is called Chiayn Bronich, dreamed that holy Samthanna had come in the likeness of a certain spark of fire, which, burning the whole monastery, grew into a great flame. Relating this dream to the sisters, she said by way of interpretation: “Samthanna,” she said, “burning with the fire of the Holy Spirit, will make this place shine with the power of her merits and with the splendor of miracles.” Therefore holy Funecha sent for Samthanna and caused her to preside over her monastery.

⁹ When, however, she had taken up the care of governance, wishing first of all to build an oratory “of polished stones,” she sent carpenters and other workmen to cut wood in the neighboring woods. Now one of the carpenters, seeing at that time the scarcity of provisions and the multitude of the workers, thinking within himself, said: “Oh, if now we had forty wheaten loaves with butter and cheese and milk; for so many loaves would suffice for us.” Nor was the man disappointed of his desire in anything of those things which his soul desired. For by the merits of holy Samthanna, all that he had thought of he saw placed before him. Then the handmaid of Christ, smiling, said: “Is not the thought of your heart fulfilled?” And he said: “Indeed, lady; nor does anything remain, nor does anything lack.” Then all, giving thanks to God and to His handmaid, were sufficiently refreshed. [cf. Ps 106:9]

¹⁰ At another time holy Samthanna sent messengers to a certain king named Kennedus, who was holding a man bound in chains, that at her prayers he might release that same prisoner. But the proud king, despising her prayers, did not at all comply with them. And she sent messengers again, saying: “If he will not let him go free from his chains, say to the prisoner: ‘In the name of the Holy Trinity, be loosed from your bonds, and come safely to Samthanna, the handmaid of that same Trinity.’” But the king still persisting in his impiety, the messengers said to the prisoner, as the handmaid of Christ had commanded. And he said to them: “I believe,” he said, “that, as she has said, so it will be done.” When the king heard this, in contempt of the virgin he doubled his chains; and on the following night he set eight guards at the door of the prison and as many at the gate of the town. But at midnight the same prisoner, freed by divine help, rose up. And when he passed by the first guards, they said to him: “Who are you, who go thus?” He answered: “I am Fallamain, who was in chains”; for so that prisoner was called. The guards said to him: “If you were that man, you would not thus betray yourself.” Then he, avoiding the second watch, crossed the rampart from the other side, and so escaping, on the third day without any danger he came to holy Samthanna.

¹¹ The same virgin also, by the power of prayer, restrained the beasts of a neighboring lake, which before had been harmful to men and cattle; and afterwards they harmed no one.

¹² Nor is it to be passed over in silence that once the same virgin, with the milk of one cow, sufficiently fed fifty guests, to the amazement of many. For at that time she had nothing else with which to refresh them. Therefore, when prayer had been made, the blessed virgin herself milked the cow, and drew forth so much milk as sufficed for so many men.

¹³ At another time also she refreshed the abbot of the monastery of Daminis, together with one hundred and forty others, for a whole week with one measure of flour divided into two, for food and drink.

¹⁴ A certain wanton cleric, entering the monastery of her sisters, seeing there a beautiful maiden, loved her, and she in return bestowed upon her lover the exchange of love. And when he promised that he would go beforehand to the neighboring wood, and the girl was to follow him, he himself first turning to holy Samthanna asked of her a prayer to speed his journey. And when she asked him where he wished to go, he said: “I wish to go into Connacht.” Then the holy virgin said to him: “Wherever you go, do not harass my sisters with enticing words or with evil deeds.” And he answered: “Far be this from me, lady.” And when he had said this, he went out. And when he began to cross a certain stream, the water swelling reached up to his belt; and then an eel of wondrous size, biting his loins, tightly encircled him. When this had happened, he, greatly terrified, returned to the virgin of God, bent his knees, and asked pardon. When this was granted, the eel at once fell from his loins. And so the chastisement giving him understanding, he promised with an oath that he would never again come to the monastery of virgins.

¹⁵ At another time the men of Connacht and the men of Techua, after long contention, entered into a treaty. And so the king of the Techuatenses, being about to give as a hostage to them the son of a certain widow, bound him. At the request of that widow, holy Samthanna sent the prioress of the monastery, with five other virgins and two men, to the same king for the sake of freeing that bound man. But he, not at all complying with them, denied what was asked, and said: “Whatever,” he said, “she herself shall ask of me in person, she will without doubt obtain.” Then Nathea the prioress said to the prisoner: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and of holy Samthanna His handmaid, being loosed from your chains, come with us.” When this was heard, the guards surrounded him more closely, fearing lest by the power of her prayer he might escape their hands. For the king was then going to the river called Synand, in order that, peace being there confirmed with the Connachtmen, he might deliver to them the hostage, the widow’s son. Then a wondrous thing happened. For as the messengers of the holy virgin were returning, look, they saw the widow’s son with them on the road. When they saw this, they rejoiced greatly, and gave thanks to God and to His handmaid Samthanna. The presence of him who had thus been miraculously freed did not fail either the same king or his guards, as they supposed. But when they had come to the same river, and wished to carry that bound man across on a raft, the chain fell empty which they thought was holding the prisoner among them; and he whom they thought they were holding did not appear. Then all glorified the Lord, wondrous in His handmaid.

¹⁶ There was a certain nobleman, named Fland, son of Conla, who showed great devotion to the holy handmaid of Christ. For whenever he was about to go to war or on an expedition, he would come to her to receive a blessing or a prayer. But at a certain time the men of Connacht plundered the men of Techua; and against them he went out, but without the blessing of holy Samthanna, and was slain by the same. At that very hour at which he was slain, she told the sisters of his death; for she spoke thus: “Apply yourselves earnestly to prayer; for now the soul of our friend Flann is being led by demons to places of punishment.” And when she had said this, she herself fell into an ecstasy. But after a little while, coming to herself, she said to the sisters: “Give thanks to God; for the soul for which you prayed, through our intercessions and the immense mercy of God, has been led from torments to rest.”

¹⁷ At another time the buildings of the monastery were changed, in order to enlarge its space; but the oratory could not be moved except with the help of an innumerable multitude. Therefore word was sent to the neighboring districts that they should come for this work. But on the following night, those who had been summoned not yet having arrived, holy Samthanna, calling upon divine help, persisted in prayer that according to her custom He would grant the assistance of His grace in this work. But on the next day she commanded only eight men to move the oratory. They, obeying her command, moved that oratory fittingly to the place where it ought to be set, without any hindrance.

¹⁸ Likewise at another time, when that same oratory had to be renewed, the craftsmen went with the prioress Nathea into the wood, in order to cut suitable timber. And when they were cutting a tree fit for this work, the master-builder said: “If the tree falls to this side, it will be useless; but if to that side, it will serve.” Now the tree began to incline toward the side on which the craftsmen did not wish it to fall. When Nathea saw this, she ordered the girdle of holy Samthanna, which she had with her, to be placed on that side. And when the girdle was placed thus, look, a sudden storm of wind rushing upon them struck down that tree in the opposite direction.

¹⁹ At another time also the holy handmaid of Christ, wishing to build an upper room for the work of the sisters, sent the prioress Nathea with craftsmen into the woods of the Connachtmen for pine timber. And when for three days they sought such wood but did not find it, on the fourth day, wearied, they wished to return to their own place. And while they were sleeping that night, look, holy Samthanna appeared in a dream to her disciple Nathea, saying: “On the next day cut down the marsh-willows at the root; and there, lying among them, you will find pine trees in sufficient number.”

²⁰ And when day dawned, they did as she had commanded; and they found pines as they had desired. But when the lord of those woods saw so great an abundance of pine trees, he said: “These trees you shall not have unless you buy them.” To whom Nathea said: “Willingly we will buy them.” But on the following night holy Samthanna, appearing to that man in a vision, spoke with a threatening voice, saying: “Why do you attempt, O man, to draw back what has been offered to God?” And after this she struck his side with her staff, saying: “Wretched man, unless you do penance, know that you will soon die.”

²¹ Therefore when morning came, that man, struck with repentance, with no price intervening, granted the timber to them. And when these things became known on every side, the inhabitants of that region, magnifying the Lord in holy Samthanna, provided sixty yokes of oxen, by which all that timber was carried to the monastery.

²² At that time Niall, son of Fergal, king of Ireland, asked for the staff of the holy virgin Samthanna, that he might adorn it with gold and silver. But because that piece of wood was crooked and old, it seemed to the craftsmen unfit to labor upon in its adornment. But on the following night the staff was placed against the wall above the king’s bed. Yet on account of the devotion of the pious king and because of the merits of His handmaid Samthanna, Christ so straightened that wood, which before was crooked, that no trace of crookedness appeared in it. And the king also rejoiced with great joy, because what human skill could not accomplish, divine mercy had done. And so the king himself and all his people held that staff in the highest honor.

²³ At that time there were two nuns near the monastery of Abbot Kynnech, one of whom, by diabolical suggestion, conceived and afterwards bore a son. But sparing the common decency, she did not wish to have him brought up in those parts. But when the fame of holy Samthanna was heard, having taken counsel together, both those nuns came to her with the little child. And she, having compassion on them, undertook to nurse the infant, and commanded them, to avoid scandal and suspicion, to set out by night.

²⁴ And when they were going away and making their way through a certain wood, some robbers came to meet them. When the nuns saw them, they were greatly afraid, because they were not able to avoid them. But then the right hand of the Lord worked power [Ps 117:16]. For a great tree, to which they then were drawing near, opened itself and offered them its hollow bosom, and, closing again on the outside, thus miraculously enclosed them within. And when the robbers sought for them here and there, a very dense darkness covered them, and they were able to see nothing, until the nuns, coming out from the tree, had gone some part of the way on their journey.

²⁵ But holy Samthanna nourished the same infant, and afterwards caused him to be instructed in letters. And after the lapse of time he became in the monastery of Saint Kynnech a famous abbot.

²⁶ When once holy Samthanna was returning to her own place from the monastery which is called Granard, she came to a certain oak of great size, one of whose branches had grown across the road, so that those sitting in a cart could not pass by. But the blessed virgin, setting her staff against the obstacle and stretching it forth with a command that it should give way to them, did so. Without delay that branch, winding itself about its own tree and lifting itself on high, gave them an easy passage.

²⁷ Once a certain monk asked holy Samthanna about the manner of praying, namely whether one ought to pray lying down, or sitting, or standing. To whom she answered: “In every posture,” she said, “one must pray.”

²⁸ There was a certain petty king, named Rectabra, who had a barren wife. She came to holy Samthanna, hoping that through her prayer, the disgrace of barrenness being wiped away, she might be blessed with offspring. And Samthanna, blessing her womb, prophesied, saying: “You shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Inrechta’ch. For he shall be wise, and lord of his people.” And this was fulfilled in every respect.

²⁹ There was a certain petty king of the Corchodubhni, who was holding in chains the son of a certain widow. At the request of this widow, the pious virgin, moved with compassion by a feeling of mercy, sent messengers to the same king, that through her intervention he might loose that bound man and restore him to his mother. And when the cruel king did not comply with her prayers, his wife said thus: “If you do not loose him at the prayers of holy Samthanna, God will free him by her prayer.”

³⁰ Then the messengers said to that prisoner: “The virgin Samthanna has commanded you that this neart, being loosed, you come to her.” And look, not long after, a cry resounded through the province that enemies had come to lay waste the land. When this was heard, the king with his men went out in haste to fight against the enemies. Meanwhile that prisoner, the chain by which he was bound being loosed, fled away, and on the following night, without any hindrance, came to the virgin.

³¹ At another time the community of brothers from the island of Iona sent some men with a ship full of wool to holy Samthanna. And as they were plowing the level of the sea, suddenly the serenity of the air was changed. And when the waves, lifted up by the violence of the winds, were raging to their death, a certain young man among them spoke foolishly, saying: “Let us throw the old woman’s wool into the sea, lest we be drowned.” Denying that this should be done, the helmsman of the ship said: “No, with the wool of that old woman we shall either live or die.” When this was said, so great a calm of the sea followed that, the winds altogether ceasing, they made use of the oar.

³² Then again the same young man said: “Why does the old woman not now provide us with a wind?” Then the helmsman said: “We believe that through her merits God will help us.” And look, suddenly a wind filled their sails, by whose favor, using it for three days and as many nights, they reached the harbor named Colptha. And when they had come to the monastery of the blessed virgin, entering in and greeting her, they kissed her hand. But when the same young man came up to her, the virgin said: “What did you say about me on the sea, when the storm was threatening you with death?” He, confounded with shame, answered nothing. To whom she said: “Do not be ashamed in this; but if ever straits threaten you, boldly call upon me.”

³³ Once a certain master, named Dayrcellach, coming to the virgin, said to her: “I propose to put aside study and to give myself to prayer.” To whom she said: “What then,” she said, “will be able to steady your mind, lest it wander, if you neglect spiritual study?” And again the master said: “I desire,” he said, “to cross the sea on pilgrimage.” She answered: “If God could not be found on this side of the sea, surely we would cross it. Since therefore God is near to all who call upon Him [Ps 144:18], no necessity of crossing the sea lies upon us. For from every land one can reach the kingdom of heaven.”

³⁴ These few things have been said out of many. For who could enumerate all the things with which God endowed her? For she was full of the grace of good works, adorned with the beauty of all virtues, and enriched with good examples of her whole life; a loving teacher of those subject to her, but in the service of her body a most humble minister. She was poor in spirit and in possessions. She even refused to possess lands; nor did she ever have more than six cows at one time. Toward all, and especially toward her own household, she was solicitous in charity. For, that one testimony of this matter may be told out of many: when the alms that were offered to her were divided among the sisters, she herself was counted through each little cell. For however many sisters were dwelling together, her share was added over and above to them. For she was cheerful in giving, modest in receiving, compassionate in suffering with others, effective in giving help. Why is it needful to run through each detail? No work of piety passed her by. And thus, in holiness and justice before her Bridegroom Christ, when the course of the present life had been completed, on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of January she received from Him the crown which He Himself from eternity has prepared for those who love Him [cf. 1 Cor 2:9].

³⁵ On that night on which she rendered her spirit to heaven, the holy abbot Lasrianus, whose memory we have mentioned above, saw with open eyes two moons, of which one descended to him. And mindful of his request—for he had asked her that, when she should pass to the heavenly kingdoms, she would turn aside to him—and recognizing that it was she in the likeness of a star, he said: “Well done,” he said, “faithful handmaid of God, Samthanna, for you are now about to enter into the joy of the Lord and of your Bridegroom” [Matt 25:21]. And thus she disappeared, ascending into heaven, where she enjoys eternal life for ever and ever. Amen.