The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-06-30
the lake in northern Switzerland, where

the lake in northern Switzerland, where
a St. Fintan, a St. Gall, St. Fridolin
brought heavens grace to the Teutonit
tribe inhabiting the region.
Mr.. Taylor first traces the career o.
St. COLUMBIAN, the father of Ireland.
foreign missions, who was born in $50
He was reared monk, and learning the
science of true ascetism became the
lawgiver of a host of spiritual disciples
When he set out for the continent il
$50 he selected for himself twelve com
panions. The fact that Irish apostle.
invariably chose that number of disci
pies is another proof, says Mr.. Taylor
that in every particular they followed
the Goldman, who with twelve follow,
ers began the worlds Christianization.
St. COLUMBIAN did glorious work ir
Germany. Associated with him was St
Gall, who has left his stamp upon the
history OF the country. He has also en-.
riched the literature OF the church with
some valuable writings. Mr.. Taylor de.
scribes ST. Calls labors in some detail
and then adds:
St. Calls Abbey, one OF the most
striking OF the primitive foundations, is
famous for the galaxy Of learned men i,
produced, and for its library, which
abounded in valuable manuscripts and
printed books. A great number oil
these, however, were stolen and lost in
the civil wars. Today this abbey is al
most ruin. Like Ireland, the holy
house had its age of blessings and pros
perity when its influence was felt from
sea to sea.
The monasteries founded by the
monks OF St. Gall were numerous and
distinguished, notably Richeman, on a
little island in Lake Constance, which,
like the first institution, was one of
tn emost influential abbeys of the EN-
pire. 1t, too, has fallen into decay. A
portion OF the abbey is reserved for the
residence OF the bishop, who administers
the affairs of the still hourislling see OF
St. Calls.
AS the apostle of Bavaria and Ger
man Austria, the church venerates St.
Rupert, also called Rudbcrt or Robert.
Irish historians declare him their coun-
tryman, though the French deny this
claim. However, the deepest research
rather favors the former
Ratsbon claims St. Rupert as its first
bishop, continues Mr.. Taylor The mag
nifcent cathedral of this place, a coun-
terpart Of Cologne's famous cathedral,
was begun in the thirteenth century, the
present illustrious bishop accomplishing
the work OF its completion. 1t is dcdi-
Gated to the Prince of the Apostles, but
beautiful Gothic altar is consecrated
to St. Rupert and his statue surmounts
the smaller tower. No city of the CONT
nent is richer than Ratisbon in monu-
ments of Irish saints and monks. One
of the parish churches contains the tomb
and relics OF st. Mercherdacl, who
came from Erin in 1910 with twelve
companions. Blessed Marianus founded
a renowned monastery, under the rule
of ST. Benedict exclusively for Irish
monks. Today its life is cxtingushed,
though the buildings and handsome
church remain This abbey is usually
known among the natives as the Scots
church. That it was an Irish institu-
ton, as were other grand establish
mcnts at Vienna, Wurzburg, etc, no
historian doubts.
In the British museum there is an an
Gent German manuscript, dating prob
ably from the eleventh century, which
describes in a quaint way the ecclcsias-
teal foundation in Ratisbon, by pious
men from Hibernia:
Soon afterwards it happened that
many band Of good meh came from
Hibernia in pilgrims garb on their way
to Rome. They desired then to receive
Gods grace and the Pope's blessing"
These were heartily welcomed in St.
Rupert's city, and in 1870 the mons
terry and Church OF St. James were
built At this time Prince Connor of
Ireland spared neither money nor labor
to render the abbey worthy OF his coun-
trymen. Old chroniclers say: "The
erection of so spacious cloister, of
such remarkable workmanship, abound
ing in stately turrets, walls, pillars and
vaults, so expeditiously constructed,
must be wholly attributed to the i'm
mense sums of money appropriated for
that pious purpose by the king of Ire
land and by other mobiles of the realm -
St. James is still stately monument
of medieval Irish architecture. The
massive interior columns are surmount-
ed with capitals. carved to represent
angels, birds, oak leaves, vines and fig
ures innumerable. The windows bear
images of the principal Irish saints,
Patrick, Columbian, Bridget and Ger
trude. The grand entrance has cor
nice ornamcnted with the shamrock, or,
as German sculptor expresses it, ST..
Patrick's leaf Letters OF the Irish al
phabet are chiseled in many stones OF
the edifce, on some also the cross. The
same workmanship is displayed on the
Irish church at Cooking. Bavaria. and