St Patrick's Purgatory

The Purgatory of St. Patrick ( Irish Purgadóir Phádraig, English St. Patrick's Purgatory, Purgatory Latin Sancti Patricii ) is an ancient pilgrimage site on Station Iceland ( Inis to Turai or Oileán na Stáisiún ), an island in Lough Derg, County Donegal, Ireland.

According to legend, the place of pilgrimage dates from the 5th century, a cave as Christ showed to the holy Patrick (also known as duct or source referred to ), which is an entrance to hell. Its importance in the Middle Ages stems from mentions in texts since 1185 and display on maps from all over Europe since the 15th century. It is the only place in Ireland called on Martin Behaim's globe of 1492 (as "St. Patrci purgatory ").

Location

In the 19th century there was confusion about the real situation of Purgatory, whether it ( na Naomh Oileán ) is on station Iceland or Iceland Saints in Lough Derg. Irish maps of the early 19th century, the Ordnance Survey ( 1837-42 ) Locate Purgatory on Saints Iceland. However, the adoption of its location on a station Iceland unbroken tradition since the Middle Ages. It is stated in documents from that time clearly and so it appears as " Caverna Purgatory " on the detailed map of Iceland station in Thomas Carves book Lyra Hibernica ( 1666).

Basis

Legend says that Patrick was increasingly discouraged by the doubts of the not yet converted, who said that they would not believe him until they received significant evidence. Patrick prayed for God's help, to preach the word of God and to convert the Irish. In response, God showed him a pit in the ground, which he called Purgatory. By showing this place the people, they would believe anything he told them. As witnesses of Purgatory people would know the truth of the joys of heaven and the pains of hell.

Due to the sparse documentation for the Ireland of the 5th century, it is not surprising that there is no evidence that Patrick ever visited Lough Derg. The legend was late, probably in the 12th century. However, there is a more established legend concerning the holy Dabheog, the abbot and the possible founder of the monastery during the lifetime of Patrick. His name is since that time connected with a number of places, eg St. Davoc 's Chair on the southern shore of the lake, the mountain Seedavoc ( Suí Dabheoig, St. Dabheogs seat). One of the islands in Lough Derg was also named after him: St. Davoc 's Iceland, possibly identical with Saints Iceland.

The Cave

Although the cave has been closed since October 25, 1632, many descriptions of previous pilgrims have received. You describe it as a den, basement or enclosed pit. The closed -held input was narrow: 0.6 m wide and 0.9 m high. Inside was a short descent of 6 steps. The cave was divided into two parts: the first part was about 3 m long and high enough to kneel in it; after a turn was another niche, about 1.5 m long.

There was never excavations there, there is no confirmation of the descriptions. Based on other excavations there seems to be a prehistoric structure. Some have suggested a basement. However, the size of the cave makes this very unlikely. A more plausible idea is that it is one of the so-called Sweat Houses, which were to the 12th century in use in Ireland. People used these places to inhale smoke there burnt medically effective plant. The name " Purgatory " may have been first used in the original Latin sense as a place of purification and cleansing, in the spirit of the modern sauna. In particular, came the modern sense of the word " Purgatory " as a place of punishment in the afterlife not before the 13th century in use. The cave would be a place that came to the people, to experience physical or spiritual healing, even before it became associated with Saint Patrick in the 12th century as a place purely spiritual healing.

The monastery and its functions

A monastery existed on the islands in Lough Derg probably since the 5th century. It included probably hermits who lived each in a beehive hut (Irish Clochán ). The remains of six cottages have been preserved in the form of so-called "atonement beds" ( penitential beds, leapacha aithrí ). There are circular low wall residues with a cross inside. There are stations of the pilgrimage. Today, they are usually named after the Irish saint ( Dabheog, Molaise, Columcille, Brendan, Brigid and Catherine )

Around 1130 received the monastery of Augustinian canons, by the authority of the Archdiocese of Armagh under the sacred Malachi. The monastery on Saints Iceland ( Oileán na Naomh ) offered hospitality pilgrims who visited the monastery in a spirit of repentance and prayer. It also served as a place where pilgrims could prepare to visit Purgatory. Documents report that pilgrims who wished to visit Purgatory, published with the permission of a bishop letters of their home region or of the archbishop in Armagh.

Then spent fifteen days in fasting and prayer, to prepare for the visit of Iceland station, which was a short boat ride away. At the end of the fifteen days, they confessed their sins, received Communion and underwent some last rites before they were trapped in the cave for 24 hours. The next morning the Prior opened the entrance and when the pilgrims was found alive, he was brought back to Iceland Saints for another fifteen days of prayer and fasting.

Since the time of St. Dabheog this region seems to have attracted pilgrims from near and far. Since the 12th century they came from all over Europe, went to the ports of Dublin and Drogheda ashore and put their approximately 14-day trip through Ireland to walk away with stopovers in monasteries along the way. During this time, many sinners and lawbreakers were committed to pilgrimages to atone for their actions and to achieve forgiveness. St. Patrick's Purgatory was a suitable target this Bußpilger because you often equipped with special power saw communities of hermits, pilgrims to free them from their sins.

The pilgrimage was officially banned in 1632 by order of the Privy Council of Ireland. Responsible for the region Bishop of Clogher Church of Ireland, James Spottiswoode, personally supervised the destruction of places of pilgrimage and closing of the cave. The monastery was dissolved, although the local rulers to the monks apparently allowed to stay there. Thus, there were also no prolonged interruption of Catholic pilgrims. Around 1710 were Franciscans on the island in summer present to satisfy the needs of the pilgrims. They built in 1763 the church of St. Mary of the Angels on the island. 1785 was the managing station Iceland in the hands of the diocese of Clogher. 1780 St. Patrick 's Basilica was built and rebuilt several times in the sequence and rebuilt in the Romanesque Revival style 1921-29. In 1931 she was by Pope Pius XI. the rank of a minor basilica raised. 1813 St. Mary's Church was rebuilt, but in 1870 replaced by a neo-Gothic building.

Modern Pilgrimage

There is no evidence that the pilgrimages ever stopped to purgatory for a period. They last even today even after more than 1500 years. The main pilgrimage season begins each year in late May or early June and ends on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption. It is a three -day pilgrimage for pilgrims from all regions, at least 15 years old and are in good health and able to walk without assistance and to kneel. Pilgrims who should fast since the previous midnight gather at the visitor center on the shores of Lough Derg in the early morning. A boat ferry takes her station Iceland. On the island you will be assigned a bunk room and barefoot they begin an almost continuous cycle of prayers and worship.

These prayers ( in a small booklet ) - the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Apostles' Creed - will be held at certain stations on the island, including the six " beds ", the remains of the old hermit cells are named after the Irish saint.

Pilgrims spend the first night in the island's Basilica with prayers, only the second night they can sleep in their bedrooms. Every day on the island to receive the pilgrims a simple meal of dry toast, oatcakes and black tea or coffee. On the third morning they are returned to the mainland, where they continue fasting until midnight.

There are also other programs throughout the year, including rest days, family days and one-day retreats.

The sanctuary is under administration of the diocese of Clogher. The staff includes people who can help in both spiritual and practical problems. Facilities include a kitchen, laundry facilities, first aid station and a book and gift shop.

The Purgatory in literature

The Tractatus de Purgatorio Sancti Patricii is a report in Latin, written 1179-1190, with description of the afterlife experience of the knight Owein in Purgatory of St. Patrick. Marie de France, translated it into French and expanded it to L' Espurgatoire Seint Patriz ( Legend of the Purgatory of St. Patrick ).

Other medieval works include the " Knight of Hungary", George Grissophan, from the year 1353 or the " vision of Louis of France " (Visio Ludovici de Francia ) of 1358, the " Vision of Raymond de Perehlos " from the year 1397 Vision of William of Stranton in English after 1409 and the " vision of Laurent de Rathold Pasztho ", 1411. a fascinating account of a trip to Lough Derg by the Catalan pilgrim Ramon de Perillos from the year 1397 is given in Haren and de Pontfarcys book together with various other reports.

"Station Iceland " is a long poem written by Seamus Heaney about his experience of pilgrimage. Other well-known poets such as Denis Devlin and Patrick Kavanagh also wrote works on St. Patrick's Purgatory. "The Lough Derg Pilgrim " by Irish author William Carleton is contrary to his experiences that led him to abandon thoughts of a Catholic priest career. He converted to the Anglican Church of Ireland. Pete McCarthy's visit in 1998 is described in " McCarthy 's Bar ".

Jean Froissart's " Chronicles of France, England, Scotland, Brittany, Gascony, Flanders and neighboring localities " mention Purgatory in the fourth book.

François Rabelais ' Gargantua refers to Purgatory ambiguous as " St. Patrick's Purgatory "

Pedro Calderón de la Barca wrote in 1640 a play about Purgatory: " El Purgatorio de San Patricio " ( the German translation " The Purgatory of St. Patricius " was released in 1824 )

Pilgrim

Since the records were destroyed on the spot in 1632, is not known exactly how many pilgrims every year before that time. Since that time, however, there are recordings. So in 1700 were 5,000 pilgrims in 1826 there were 15,000 and 30,000 in 1846 shortly before the beginning of the great famine. From 1871 to 1903 about 3,000 pilgrims came annually. From 1908 to 1921, the number was an average of 8,000. From 1929 to the end of the century, the number never fell below 10,000 pilgrims per year. In some years, ar it twice to three times as high. The place attracted in recent years about 30,000 in the main pilgrimage season.

Known pilgrims:

Tigernán Ua Ruairc, king of Breifne, 1152
Georgius Ungarus, George Crissaphan or George Grissaphan ( Krizsafán fia György in Hungarian), knights in the army Louis I of Hungary
Malatesta Ungaro, Italian condottiero
Laurence Rathold of Pászthó or Lawrence Tar ( Tar Lőrincz ), a court official at the court of Sigismund of Luxembourg, King of Hungary - the report of his pilgrimage: " memoriale super visitatione Domini Laurencii Ratholdi militis Baroni et Ungariae factum de purgatorio sancti Patricii in insulation Hiberniae "
Guillebert de Lannoy, a chamberlain of the Duke of Burgundy and Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, Pilgrimage 1430.
Francesco Chiericati, papal nuncio, 1522
Mary McAleese - President of Ireland
Frank Duff - founder of the Legion of Mary
Séamus Heaney - poet

There were 33 pilgrims 1146-1517 that are still known by name. 32 are recorded in Haren and de Pontfarcy Francesco Chiericati saw the name of the 33rd, Guarino da Durazzo, in a book on Iceland station during his visit before all records on October 25, 1632 have been destroyed.