a synodal letter to explain and prove the catholic faith. This excellent piece was confirmed in the sixth general council. St Sophronius sent this learned epistle to pope Honorius and to Sergius. This latter had, by a crafty letter and captious expressions, persuaded pope Honorius to tolerate a silence as to one or two wills in Christ. It is evident, from the most authentic monuments, that Honorius never assented to that error, but always adhered to the truth. (1) However, a silence was illtimed, and, though not designed, might be deemed by some a kind of connivance; for a rising heresy seeks to carry on its work under ground without noise: it is a fire which spreads itself under cover. Sophronius seeing the emperor, and almost all the chief prelates of the East, conspire against the truth, thought it is his duty to defend it with the greater zeal. He took Stephen, bishop of Doria, the eldest of his suffragans, led him to Mount Calvary, and there adjured him by Him who was crucified on that place, and by the account which he should give him at the last day, to go to the apostolic see, where are the foundations of the holy doctrine, and not to cease to pray till the holy persons there should examine and condemn the novelty." Stephen did so, and staid at Rome ten years, till he saw it condemned by pope Martin I. in the council of Lateran, in 649. Sophronius was detained at home by the invasion of the Saracens. Mahomet had broached his impostures at Mecca, in 608, but being rejected there, fled to Medina, in 622. Aboubeker succeeded him in 634, under the title of Caliphi, or vicar of the prophet. He died after a reign of two years. Omar, his successor, took Damascus in 636, and, after a siege of two years, Jerusalem, in 638. He built a mosque in the place of Solomon's temple, and because it fell in the night, the Jews told him it would not stand unless the cross of Christ, which stood on Mount. Calvary, was taken away: which the Caliph caused to be done. (2) Sophronius, in a sermon on the exaltation of the cross, mentions the custom of taking the cross out

'66

(1) See Nat Alexander, Sæc. 7. Witasse and Tournely Tr. de Incarn. (2) Theophanes, p. 284.

of its case at Mid-Lent to be venerated. (3) Photius takes notice that his works breathe' an affecting piety, but that the Greek is not pure. They consist of his synodal letter, his letter to pope Honorius, and a small number of scattered sermons. He deplored the abomination of desolation set up by the Mahometans in the holy place. God called him out of those evils to his kingdom on the 11th of March 639, or as Papebroke thinks (4) in 644. See the council of Lateran, T. 6. Conc. Fleury, b. 37. 38. and Le Quien, Oriens. Christ. T. 3. p. 264.

St ANGUS, B. C. This saint is distinguished by the surname of Kele-De, that is, Worshipper of God; which began in his time to be the denomination of monks in the Scotish language, commonly called Culdees. He was born in Ireland in the 8th century, of the race of the Dalaradians, kings of Ulster. In his youth, renouncing all earthly pretensions, he chose Christ for his inheritance, embracing a religious state in the famous monastery of Cluain-Edneach in East-Meath. Here he became so great a proficient both in learning and sanctity, that no one in his time could be found in Ireland that equalled him in reputation for every kind of virtue, and for sacred knowledge. To shun the esteem of the world, he disguised himself, and going to the monastery of Tamlacht, three miles from Dublin, lived there seven years unknown, in the quality of a lay-brother, performing all the drudgery of the house, appearing fit for nothing but the vilest employs, whilst his interior, by perfect love and contemplation, was absorpt in God. Being at length discovered, he some time after returned to CluainEdneach, where the continual austerity of his life, and his constant application to God in prayer, may be more easily admired than imitated. He was chosen abbot, and at length raised to the episcopal dignity: for it was usual then in Ireland for eminent abbots in the chief monasteries to be bishops. He was remarkable for his devotion to the saints, and he left both a longer and a

(3) In medio jejunii, adorationis gratiâ, proponi solet vitale lignum veneranda crucis. Soph. Serm. in Exalt. Crucis. Bibl. Patr. T. 12. P. 214. et apud Gretser, T. 2. de Cruce, p. 88. (4) Fapebr. Tr. prælim, ad T. 3. Maii, n. 144, p. 32.

shorter Irish martyrology, and five other books concerning the saints of his country, contained in what the Irish call Saltair-na-Rann. He died about the year 824, not at Cluain-Edneach, but at Desert Enguis, which became also a famous monastery, and took its name from him. See his acts in Colgan, p. 579.

St CONSTANTINE, M. He is said to have been a British king, who, after the death of his queen, resigned the crown to his son, and became a monk in the monastery of St David. It is added, that he afterwards went into North Britain, and joined St Columba in preaching the gospel amongst the Picts, who then inhabited a great part of what is now called Scotland. He founded a monastery at Govane, near the river Clyde, converted all the lands of Cantire to the faith of Christ, and died a martyr by the hands of infidels, toward the end of the sixth century. He was buried in his monastery of Govane, and divers churches were erected in Scotland under his invocation. Bat it seems most probable, that the Scotish martyr is not the same person with the British king. Colgan supposes him to have been an Irish monk, who had lived in the community of St Carthag, at Rathane.(a)

From his works, Bede, and Paul deacon of Monte Cassino towards the end of the eighth century. His life, in four books, by John, deacon of Rome in the ninth age, is full of mistakes, as Baronius observes. See his history, compiled in French by Dom Dionysius of Sainte Marthe, superior general of the Maurist monks, printed at Rouen in 4to, 1697, and more accurately in Latin by the same author in the 4th tome of this father's works in 1705. See also Fleury, b. 34. 35. 36. Mabillon, Annal Bened. 1. 6. T. 1. Ceillier, T. 17. p. 128. F. Wietrowski S. J. Historia de rebus in Pontificatu S. Gre gori M. gestis, in fol. Gradonici, S. Gregorius M. Poni fex, a crimi nationibus Qudini vindicatus, and Hieron. Muzio in Coro Pontificale.

A. D. 604.

ST GREGORY, from his illustrious actions, and extraordinary virtues, surnamed the Great, was born at Rome

(a) See the MSS. Lives of Scotish saints compiled by a Jesuit, who was nephew of bishop Lesly, kept in the Scotish College at Paris. Se

about the year 540. Gordianus, his father, enjoyed the dignity of a senator, and was very wealthy; but, after the birth of our saint, renounced the world, and died Regionarius, that is, one of the seven cardinal deacons who took care of the ecclesiastical districts of Rome.' His mother Sylvia consecrated herself to God in a little oratory near St Paul's. Our saint was called Gregory, which in Greek implies a watchman, as Vigilius and Vigilantius in Latin, In his youth he applied himself, with unabated diligence, to the studies of grammar, rhetoric, and philosophy; and after these first accomplishments, to the civil law and the canons of the church, in which he was perfectly skilled. He was only thirtyfour years old, when, in 574, he was made, by the emperor Justin the Younger, prætor or governor, and chief magistrate of Rome. By this dignity he was the chief judge of the city; his pomp and state differed little from that of a consul, and he was obliged to wear the Trabea, which was a rich robe of silk, magnificently. embroidered, and sparkling with precious stones: a garment only allowed to the consuls and prætor. But he could say with Esther, that his heart always detested the pride of the world. From his infancy he loved and esteemed only heavenly things, and it was his chief delight to converse with holy monks, or to be retired in his closet, or in the church at his devotions. After the death of his father, he built and endowed six monasteries in Sicily, out of the estates which he had in that island, and founded a seventh in his own house in Rome, which was the famous monastery of St Andrew on the hill Scaurus,* now possessed by the Order of Camaldoli, The first abbot of this house was Hilarion, the second Valentinus, under whom St Gregory himself took the monastic habit in 575, being thirty-five years old. In this retirement Gregory applied himself with such vigour to fasting, and the study of the sacred writings, that he thereby contracted a great weakness in his stomach, and used to fall into fits of swooning if he did not frequently eat. What gave him the greatest aflliction, was his not veral Scotish historians give the title of saint to Constantine III. king of the Scots, who, forsaking his crown and the world, entered himself amongst the Culdees, or religious men of St Andrew's in 943. See Annot, at the end of the life, p. 145 infra,

being able to fast on an Easter-Eve, a day on which, says John the deacon, every one, not even excepting little children, are used to fast. His great desire of conforming to the universal practice on that day, occasioned his applying to a monk of eminent sanctity, named Eleutherius, with whom having prayed, and besought God to enable him to fast, at least on that sacred day, he found himself on a sudden so weil restored, that he not only fasted that day, but quite forgot his illness, as he himself relates.(·)

It was before his advancement to the see of Rome, or even to the government of his monastery, that he first, as Paul the deacon testifies,(2) projected the conversion of the English nation. This great blessing took its rise from the following occasion. Gregory happened one day to walk through the market, and here taking notice that certain youths of fine features and complexion, were exposed to sale, he enquired what countrymen they were, and was answered that they came from Britain. He asked if the people of that country were christians or heathens, and was told they were still heathens. Then Gregory, fetching a deep sigh, said, it was a lamentable consideration, that the prince of darkness should be master of so much beauty, and have so comely persons in his possession: and that so fine an outside should have nothing of God's grace to furnish it within.(a) This incident made so great

(1) Dial. I. 3. c. 33.

(2) Hist. b. 2. c. I.

(a) Bede adds, that he again asked, what was the name of that nation, and was answered, that they were called. Angli, or Angles. "Right, (aid he,) for they have angelical faces, and it becomes such to be companions with the angels in heaven." "What is the name, (proceeded he,) of the province from which they are brought It was replied, that the natives of that were called Deiri. Truly Deiri, because, withdrawn from wrath, and called to the mercy of Christ," said he, alluding to the Latin, De irâ Dei eruti. He asked farther, "How is the king of that province called?'They told him his name was Alle; and he, making an allusion to the word, said: "Alleluiah, the praise of God the Creator. must be sung in those parts." Some censure this conversation of St Gregory as a piece of low punning. But the taste of that age must be considered. St Austin found it necessary to play sometimes with words to please auditors whose ears had, by custom, caught an itch to be sometimes tickled by quibbles to their fan

cy