THE PATRON SAINTS OF GARDENING 41 



St. Fiacre was by birth an Irishman, and, tradition 

 tells us, nobly born, probably a prince. But he 

 left Ireland with some companions in quest of 

 solitude, at that time when missionary zeal was 

 sending Irish monks all over Europe to convert 

 many to the Faith. 



Fiacre made his vows at a new monastery which 

 St. Faro, Bishop of Meaux, had founded on the 

 River Marne, the Monastery of St. Croix. 



But even in this holy life of strict rule and 

 austerity, St. Fiacre craved still greater solitude, 

 so he went to the holy Bishop, and told him of his 

 desire to become a hermit, and the Bishop, being a 

 good and saintly man himself, read the right inten- 

 tion in Fiacre's heart, and gave him a solitary dwell- 

 ing in a forest. 



There Fiacre soon cleared a space and built a 

 small oratory in honour of Our Lady, and a hut 

 close by, where he slept. Then, this done, he began 

 to make his garden. 



St. Fiacre must have thought that here in the 

 forest, in the midst of his garden, he was safe from 

 the world, and yet he became known. Possibly 

 some swineherd or shepherd whom the saint had 

 befriended, went forth on his way and spread news 

 of this holy man who had made the wilderness 

 to blossom as a rose. So the news filtered through 

 the country, and the people came to see this wonder; 

 but when they had heard the holy man preach and 

 seen him heal the sick, they were convinced of his 

 sanctity, and knew that this was no magician, but a 

 saint of God. 



Finally the saint was obliged to build another hut 

 to accommodate those who came from afar to consult 



