Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-31

wrote his famous book. Holy Living and
Holy Dying
Nothing but the irregular surface of the
ground upon a hill about two miles from
Downpatrick marks the site of the an
cient Monastery Of Saul which from the
time 1t was founded by St. Patrick in 40
was for several centuries one of the most
celebrated and influential educational in
situations In the world. Like the monas-
terry at Armagh. only twenty miles away.
which was also founded by st. Patrick
about the same time. it was attended an
nually by thousands of students from
England, Scotland. France Spain and
other countries of the continent to alb
serb the learning Of the Augustinian and
afterward the Benedictine monks. Tn
fortunately. however. no records remain
Of the institutions farther than an occa-
sional reference in the annals Of Ulster.
St. Patrick's Grave.
The sanctity of the place. however. is
recognized by Christians of every race
and sect. although the graves of st. Pat
rick and the other saints which are
hundred feet from the entrance to the old
cathedral church are marked only by an
enormous granite boulder. almost as ma
ture made it. bearing no inscription ex-
cept the word "Patric" in Celtic letters
beneath a Celtic cross chiseled on the
surface of the stone. 1t is a most APP
propriate monument in its simple dignity
and one that you might imagine ST. Pat
rick would have preferred rather than
lofty and ornate tower. 1t is rather Gu
rious, however, that no movement has
eyer been started to erect an imposing
memorial here.
Three Saints in One Grave.
There is no evidence that any monu-
ment of size ever marked the grave
although the three most venerated saints
in the Irish calendar lie here together \
dispatch said to have been written by Sir
John de Courcy in 1855 says:
Hi tres Dunno tumulo tumulantur in uno,
Brigham. Patricius atque COLUMBIA Plus.
which is literally translated as follows:
Saints Patrick, Bridget and Columbkil
Saint Patrick. Bridget and Columbkill.
Downpatrick is visited annually by
thousands of pilgrims. The town is prac-
tically supported by them. and the tomb
has to be guarded against vandalism. par
ticularly on Sundays. Good Friday. Easter
and other religious holidays. Relic hunt
ers have carried away tons OF earth from
about the grave. which they dig up with
their fingers, trowels or sticks, and con-
sign to bottles. boxes or baskets. AS soon
as the cavities become too large, the
custodian hauls cart of soil from the
nearest field and fills them up.
1t is asserted in the guide book that
pope. and that he is recognized as a saint
only by the Irish people. This as a sin
gular assertion. The Roman Catholic
prayer book used in Ireland mentions
one of the holy days upon which there
is strict obligation to attend mass. and
to refrain from all unnecessary labor
st. Patrick Was Born in Scotland.
According to the best authorities ST.
tower). now known as Dumbarton, Scot
land. in the year 3s7. and his father, Pal
purn. was a magistrate in the service of
the Romans. When he was sixteen. in
the year 4O3, Patrick was taken captive
and sold as a slave. rich man named
Milcho brought him to Ireland and en-
ployed him to herd sheep and swine in
County Antrim. AT the end OF six years
OF slavery he escaped, returned to his
home and family and then went to a
mOnastic school at Tours. France. After
receiving his education and being ordain-
ed he went to Rome. where he was
blessed by Pope Celestine. and commits
stoned to go to Ireland as a missionary.
He landed at Carlingford and settled at
Downpatrick, where the chief gave him
the use of sabhall or barn for divine
service. and upon that site was erected
the famous monastery which took it's
name. Saul. from the barn.. He remained
there for several years teaching and
training disciples. He then visited every
part of the island. preaching the gospel
to the kings and chiefs as we'll as to the
poor. half-civilized inhabitants of the
mountains. He founded many churches
and monastcries in different places and
finally settled down at Armagh as Bishop
Of Ireland in 457. where he remained for
eight years. In March, 4e5. when he was
seventy EIGHT years old, while paying a
visit to the monastery of Saul. the scene
of his first ministrations in Ireland, he