A slightly different story is told of two of Patrick's earliest converts,
the sisters Ethne and Fedelm. Ethne interrogated Patrick regarding the
nature of his God. The sisters were won over by his answers, but demanded
that they be able to look upon the divine. Patrick responded, "Unless you
taste death you cannot see the face of Christ, and unless you receive the
sacrament." Without hesitation, the sisters accepted the terms for their
consummation with the divine--their conversion culminated with their death,
immediately after taking the eucharist. Similarly, Brénainn restored a
mermaid to life, baptized her and asked if she would rather return to her
home or to heaven; she unhesitatingly chose the latter, received the
eucharist and went to Christ.
Not quite the same as Giuliana, but to my knowledge the only Irish saint to
be described as experiencing ecstasy is Samthann (facta est ipsa in extasi)
as she
prayed a soul out of hell.
-Maeve
At 05:22 PM 6/19/97 +0100, you wrote:
>This sounds interesting. . .
>I may be showing my ignorance, but are there many examples of saints
>dying in this way?
>Regards
>Elaine
>[log in to unmask]
>
>> Today, 19 June, is the feast of ...
>>
>>
>> * Giuliana Falconieri, virgin (1341) -died in an ecstasy before the
>> holy sacrament
>>
>>
>
>
He who gives to anyone a liquor in which a mouse or weasel is found dead,
shall do penance with three special fasts.
--The Penitential of Cummean
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