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A Foretaste of Heavenly Beauty

   Envision the extraordinary brilliance and effects of the light in sun and moon and stars, in the dark shades of a glade, in the colors and scents of flowers. Then there is the grandeur of the spectacle of the sea as it slips on and off its many colors like robes.
    All these are mere consolations for us, not the rewards of the blessed.  What can such rewards be like, then, if such things here are so many, so great, and of such quality? 
--St. Augustine-- City of God 22, 24


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March 5th - St. Piran of Padstowe, Monk of Perranporth, Cornwall

Died 480. 

Piran's family origins are obscure; tradition says he came from Ireland. Spent his youth in South Wales where he founded a church in Cardiff. Received religious schooling at the monastery of Saint Cadog at Llancarfon, where he would have met Saint Finnian. The two returned together to Ireland where Finnian founded six monasteries, including his most famous one at Clonard. Piran lived there before Saint Enda on Aran Island, and then Saint Senan on Scattery Island. Founded his own community at Clonmacnoise, "Ireland's University".

Cornish legend says Piran was captured in his old age by pagan Irish, jealous of his miraculous powers, especially his ability to heal. They tied a millstone around his neck, and threw him off a cliff into the sea during a storm. As Piran hit the water the storm abated and the millstone bobbed to the surface like a cork. On his stone raft, Piran sailed for Cornwall, landed at Perran Beach, built a small chapel on Penhale Sands, and made his first converts - a badger, a fox, and a bear. He lived there for years as a hermit, working miracles for the locals.

Piran founded churches at Perran-Uthno and Perran-Arworthal, a chapel at Tintagel, and a holy-well called the "Venton-Barren" at Probus. Made trips to Brittany where he worked with Saint Cai. Arthurian tradition from Geoffrey of Monmouth says he was chaplain to King Arthur, and Archbishop of York after Saint Samson was exiled by Saxon invasions, though it's doubtful he ever took up his See.

Legend says that Piran discovered tin in Cornwall when he used a large black rock to build a fireplace, and found that the heat made a trickle of pure white metal ooze from the stone. He shared this discovery with the locals, providing Cornish with a lucrative living. The people were so delighted that they held a sumptuous feast where the wine flowed like water. Piran was fond of the odd tipple, and resulting in the Cornish phrase "As drunk as a Perraner". The trickled of white metal upon a black background remains as the White Cross of Saint Piran on the Cornish National flag.

St. Piran is believed to have been interested in stones and collected various mineral bearing rocks, one particularly large black one he used as the hearth for his fire and was amazed when it got very hot a flow of metal came out white in colour and in the shape of a cross. This appearance of tin not only made him the patron of tinners but also suggested his flag, a silver cross on a black ground which is often used as the standard of Cornwall and symbolizes the Christian Gospel, light out of darkness, good from evil.

Piran died at his little hermitage near the beach. His relics were a great draw to pilgrims but, due to inundation by the sands, they were moved inland to the Parish Church of Perran-Zabulo, built to house them.

The Church of Perranzabuloe http://homepages.tesco.net/~k.wasley/Perranzab.htm


Saint Quote:
There are many who say to the Lord, "I give myself wholly to Thee, without any reserve," but there are few who embrace the practice of this abandonment, which consists in receiving with a certain indifference every sort of event, as it happens in conformity with Divine Providence, as well afflictions as consolations, contempt and reproaches as honor and glory. 
--Saint Francis de Sales

Bible Quote:
But at once he spoke with them, "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!" 
    He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.  (Mark 6: 50)


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A prayer to Our Lady of Divine Providence:

Mary, Immaculate Virgin and Mother of divine Providence, keep my soul with 
the fullness of thy grace: do thou govern my life and direct it in the way 
of virtue to the fulfillment of the Divine Will.  Obtain for me the pardon 
and remission of all my sins; be thou my refuge , my protection, my defence 
and my guide in my pilgrimage through the world; comfort me in the midst of 
tribulation; bring me safe through every danger; in the storms of adversity 
afford me thy sure protection.  Obtain for me, O Mary, the renewal of my 
heart within me, that it may become a holy dwelling place for thy divine 
Son Jesus; keep far from me, who am so weak and miserable, every kind of 
sin, negligence, lukewarmness, cowardice and human respect.  Dear Mother of 
divine Providence, turn thy motherly gaze upon me, and if through weakness 
or malice, I have provoked the threats of the eternal Judge and saddened 
the Sacred Heart of my dear Jesus, do thou cover me with the mantle of thy 
protection and I shall be safe.  Thou art the Mother of Providence; thou 
art the Virgin of pardon; thou art my hope on earth.  Grant that I may have 
thee as my Mother in the glory of heaven.  Amen.

Hail Mary... (thrice)

Imprimatur:  Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbp of New York, May 31, 1950.