207 



** sacramenta/' in the above citation from Bede. Curaian's Essay 

 commends the exercise of charity in its scriptural sense, (as do Saint 

 Patrick and SeduHus;)* of alms-giving, " eleemosynarum fructus," 

 (which Sedulius had also extolled, )-f- of contrition, " effusio lachry- 

 marum," of confession of sins, " criminum confessio,";]: of penitence 

 and mortification, " afflictio cordis et corporis," of the labours of con- 

 version, " conversio et salus aliorum," of intercession, "intercessio 

 sanctorum," and of the efficacy of prayer to obtain temporal advan- 

 tages ; the latter article of faith is frequently alluded to by Saint 

 Patrick, and is expressly recognised by Adamnan, (Vita Columbse, 

 lib. 2. cs. 44, 45,) where rain is said to have been obtained by prayers 

 of intercession, § and a storm to have been appeased on invoking the 

 interposition of Saint Columba, who, in the commendation of a pre- 

 vious chapter, " ventis et oceano, Christi invocato nomine, potuit im- 

 perare.ll It is likewise further evidenced by a passage in the Anti- 

 phonarium Benchorense. 



" Patricius episcopus oret pro nobis omnibus, 

 Ut deleantur protinus peccata quae commisimus, 

 Patricii laudes semper dicamus, 

 Ut nos cum illo semper vivamus."** ' 



The merit of fasting and abstinence is also suggested by Saint 

 Patrick. In respect to the Sacrament of the Eucharist, Saint Patrick 



* Epist. in Pom. c. 8.— Epist. ad Timotheum, c. 1 . 



f Operis Pasch. lib. 4. c. 1. and again in Epist ad Corinth, c. 8. 



X Bede expressly mentions an Irishman, " de genere Scotorum Adamnanus," as making 

 his confession to a priest — Eccl. Hist lib. 4. c. 25. 



§ See post, sect 5, of this Period ; and see post, Period 4. sect 5. 



II Adamn. Vita Columb. lib. 2. c. 42. See also Annal. Tigemach, ad annos. 561, 64S>. 

 ** See Lanigan's Eccl. Hist. vol. 1. p. 295. As to oblations for the dead, see 1 O'Gonor's 

 Rer. Hib. Script Ind. "canqnes." . 



