| Medieval Stuff cont. |
| Interesting Characters from history... There are two Saints in particular, that interest me, both personally and as a writer. They are St. Brendan the Navigator and St. Michael. ST. BRENDAN Brendan was an Irish Priest born c. 484 in Tralee. Legend has it, that he and several other monks embarked on a seven year journey ending in America. From his vantage point in Ireland, he continued to see an island in the sea. He was convinced it was the Garden of Eden. He made several attempts to sail to the island without success. His boats, called Currachs, were made from leather, which swelled in the water to seal out leaks while sailing. His last attempt took him and his fellow monks far far from home. The saga of their adventure was written down in the eleventh century. The Navigatio Brendani was translated to several languages and wildly popular by the middle ages (for those who could read). In 1759 it was proven that "island" Brendan saw was a mirage and does not exist. (Hmmm, just read my next novel...) He returned to Ireland around 559 and founded a great monastery at Clonfert in Galway of 3,000 monks, and a convent where his sister, Briga, was Abbess. His dying words to his sister, Briga were: "I fear that I shall journey alone, that the way will be dark; I fear the unknown land, the presence of my King and the sentance of my judge." Did he make it to America? There is proof that Celtic people had been to America between 500 and 800 A.D. Ancient Ogham writings (pre-curser to Old Irish/Gaelic) have been found in West Virginia, Kentucky, Colorado and Newfoundland! The message found in West Virginia translates as such: "At the time of sunrise, a ray grazes the notch on the left side of Christmas Day, the first season of the year, the season of the blessed advent of the Savior Lord Christ. Behold he is born of Mary, a woman." This "Christmas Card" was left as a solar calendar. On Christmas morning, indeed the sun does illuminate the ancient writing announcing yet another Christmas! A sea journey re-inacted by Tim Severin in 1977 called "The Brendan Voyage" successfully sailed across the Atlantic in a currach, built as it would've been in the 6th century. Proving the journey could've been done. Brendan is a very important character in my next novel. I feel honored and enriched by having learned about him. Interestingly enough, my cousin, Anna, is as much interested in another Saint, St. Brigid, as I am about Brendan. Brigid is also Irish, called the First Woman of Ireland. For more Brigid info., click on the link below! ST. MICHAEL a.k.a. THE ARCHANGEL, MICHAEL Okay, this is a short story in and of itself. Believe it if you choose to. I experienced it. A couple years ago, I was struggling personally with a dear friend who had decided to walk away from our friendship based on imagined wrong doings. This was a person who I had taken under my wing because they had a few emotional issues and no other friends. I invested all of my heart (and my writing) into this person. I thought we were very good friends. Anyway, awhile ago, all that came to a very painful end. Add to that , I had been very sick and I actually had been injured in household/work accidents three times in that week alone. I was completely drained, with no strength or defenses left. I felt as if I was under incredible spiritual attack, (If you've ever been there, you know what I'm talking about. It comes at you from every direction!) I went to bed early that particular night.... I couldn't breathe because I was so stuffed up and had a terrible upper respiratory infection. I told myself I had to "keep facing this direction" because if I laid on one side, I could manage to breathe. I had a dream that night (actually, morning), that I was walking. Someone was by my side, a man. I couldn't see him out of the corner of my eye, but he was walking with me. It was summertime. The grass was so green and bright blue sky. As we continued down the dirt road, we came upon a grass-covered hill. The road stopped at the hill... >>>>>> |
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| Great Link to Brendan info.! |
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| Link to St. Brigid info. |
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