Library › St Adamnán of Iona › Life of St Columba
Life of St Columba
St Adamnán of Iona, tr. Reeves, 1874
Book 3, Of the Apparition of Holy Angels Whom St. Columba Beheld Meeting in Its Passage…
Of the Apparition of Holy Angels whom St. Columba beheld meeting in its passage the soul of St. Brenden, the founder of the monastery which in Scotic is called Birra (Birr, in King’s County)
ON another day also, while the venerable man was residing in the Iouan island (Hy, now Iona), he called very early in the morning for his attendant, Diormit, so frequently mentioned before, and commanded him, saying, “Make ready in haste for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, for to-day is the birthday of blessed Brenden.” “Wherefore,” said his attendant, “dost thou order such solemnities of the Mass to be prepared to-day? For no messenger hath come to us from Scotia (Ireland) to tell us of the death of that holy man.” “Go,” said the saint, “it is thy duty to obey my commands. For this last night I saw the heavens suddenly open, and choirs of angels descend to meet the soul of the holy Brenden; and so great and incomparable was the brightness, that in that same hour it illuminated the whole world.”