OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

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  • The Testament of Saint Arbogast

    July 21 is the feast of Saint Arbogast, an Irish saint who laboured in Strassburg. Below is a poem in his honour composed by the Irish born poet, Thomas D’Arcy McGee (1825-1868). It deals with the final testament of Saint Arbogast, as he lay on his deathbed:

    THE TESTAMENT OF ST. ARBOGAST.

    St. Arbogast, the bishop, lay

    On his bed of death in Strasburg Palace,
    And, just at the dawn of his dying day,
    Into his own hands took the chalice;
    And, praying devoutly, he received
    The blessed Host, and thus address’d
    His chapter who around him grieved.
    And sobbing, heard his last request.

    Quoth he; — “The sinful man you see
    Was born beyond the western sea.
    In Ireland, whence, ordain’d, he came,
    In Alsace, to preach in Jesus’ name.
    There, in my cell in Hagueneau,
    Many unto the One I drew;
    There fared King Dagobert one day,
    With all his forestrie array,
    Chasing out wolves and beasts unclean,
    As I did errors from God’s domain;
    The king approached our cell, and he
    Esteem’d our assiduity:
    And, when the bless’d St. Amand died.
    He called us to his seat and sighed.
    And charged us watch and ward to keep
    In Strasburg o’er our Master’s sheep.

    “Mitre of gold we never sought
    Cope of silver to us was nought —
    Jewel’d crook and painted book
    We disregarded, but, perforce, took.
    Ah! oft in Strasburg’s cathedral
    We sighed for one rude cell so small,
    And often from the bishop’s throne
    To the forest’s depths we would have flown.
    But that one duty to Him who made us
    His shepherd in this see, forbade us.

    “And now “— St. Arbogast spoke slow
    But words were firm, tho’ voice was low —
    “God doth require His servant hence.
    And our hope is His omnipotence.
    But bury me not, dear brethren, with
    The pomp of torches or music, sith
    Such idle and unholy slate
    Should ne’er on a Christian bishop wait; –
    Leave cope of silver and painted book
    Mitre of gold and jewel’d crook
    Apart in the vestry’s darkest nook;
    But in Mount Michael bury me.
    Beneath the felon’s penal tree –
    So Christ our Lord lay at Calvary.
    This do, as ye my blessing prize.
    And God keep you pure and wise! ”
    These were the words, they were the last,
    Of the blessed Bishop Arbogast.

    THOMAS D’ARCY MC GEE.

    Daniel Connolly. Ed., The Household Library of Ireland’s Poets, with Full and Choice Selections from the Irish-American Poets (New York, 1887), 703.

  • The Death of Saint Killian and his Companions

    DEATH OF ST KILIAN AND HIS COMPANIONS.

    St. Kilian, accompanied by two companions, went from Ireland to the vicinity of Wurzburg to preach the Gospel. The fame of his deeds reached the ears of Duke Gosbert. The latter had Kilian summoned to his court, listened to him with attention, immediately renounced his idolatry, and with several of his courtiers received holy baptism. But St. Kilian’s joy over his success was marred by the knowledge that Gosbert had married Gailana, the wife of his living brother. Gosbert promised the saint to dismiss his wife, and then proceeded on a campaign. Gailana, however, heard of what was in contemplation. She wickedly took the terrible resolve to have the holy bishop and his companions murdered. She gave for this purpose a large sum of money to two of her servants. These forced their way at early morning into the sleeping-chambers of the castle, and drawing their swords, slew the bishop and those who accompanied him.

    Short Instructive Sketches from the Lives of the Saints for the use of Parochial and Sunday Schools, Academies &etc. (New York, 1888), 68-69.

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  • A New Hiberno-Latin Hymn on Saint Martin of Tours

    Professor Michael Lapidge has published the text of a hymn to Saint Martin, which although it has been preserved in a collection of materials called the pseudo-Bede Collectaneum published in Basle in 1543, is felt by Lapidge to be of Irish provenance. The prayer to Saint Martin is one of a group of six which have identifiable links with early insular prayerbooks, but scholars have long felt that many of the prayers in Anglo-Saxon prayerbooks derive from Irish sources. Lapidge argues that this prayer to St Martin has obviously originated outside France since it calls for protection against shipwreck for visiting pilgrims and, since early medieval England does not have a literary tradition of veneration of Saint Martin, Ireland is the most likely point of origin. The author goes on to argue for a seventh-century date, based on linguistic analysis and comparisons with other Irish hymns of that period. Lapidge’s paper gives only the Latin text, but below is a translation by David Howlett, with some accompanying notes.

    Deus Domine Meus ‘A New Hiberno-Latin Hymn on Saint Martin’

    1. God, my Lord, I am the one responsible for Your death: be patient now with me, who are strong and powerful.

    2. I adjure the true God, always one and triune, that I may have power now to go to Saint Martin.

    3. I ask now the King of Kings, Who is divine light, that I may be able now, just to visit Saint Martin.

    4. Christ, God of gods, Whose majesty is wondrous, make me to lament, healed, before Saint Martin.

    5. Direct the way clearly, O Nazarene Jesu, so that I may be able excellently to bewail sins there.

    6. For me an aid through shipwreck will be the support of Christ’s soldier Martin.

    7. I wish to visit you; make me come to you, who are of such great virtue, O my Saint Martin.

    8. O my Saint Martin, intercede now, I beg, for me, grieving ill, burdened by the disgrace of sins.

    9. O my Saint Martin, for me now intercede, lest the wisps of flame of perennial punishment touch me.

    10. O my Saint Martin, beloved of the throng of the heavens, lest I be a sharer of punishment help me.

    11. O my Saint Martin, help me that I may enjoy at the end the perennial bread of life.

    12. Glory to You, Father, Who are Brother and Mother.

    Notes

    The first 5 stanzas are addressed to God. The central sixth stanza describes the aid of Saint Martin against shipwreck on the journey from the poet’s home, presumably in Ireland, and the shrine of Saint Martin, presumably at Tours. The last 5 stanzas are addressed to Saint Martin. The doxology is addressed to God. The most appropriate occasions for recitation of this hymn might be the two principal feasts of Saint Martin, 4 July and 11 November.

    David Howlett, The Celtic Latin Tradition of Biblical Style, (Dublin, 1995), 183-186.

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