CISTERCIAN MENOLOGY

March 18 In Ireland, Blessed Christian, Abbot of Mellifont, disciple of St. Malachy, and formed by him to the practice of virtue and piety. When this very excellent Prelate came to France, he entrusted his beloved disciple to the tender solicitude and guidance of our Father St. Bernard; and the disciple made such progress under his new Master, that, even at the present time, Ireland acknowledges him as one of its chief Patrons. In fulfillment of the prediction of St. Malachy, he became Bishop of Lismore, renewed Monastic life there which had almost entirely died out, and introduced our Holy Institute. As Apostolic Legate, he presided at two councils, then after having accomplished much good in his diocese, and for our Brethren, he departed far-famed for his sanctity. March 20 At Villers, Blessed Thomas, Monk. He was a brother of the two pious monks Godfrey and Reiner, and, like them, he distributed his means among the poor, and led in this solitude a stainless life. He died happily dowered with merits and good works. In 1789, the death of John Nicholas Adam, Priest and Bernardine Religious of the Paris Monastery, condemned to transportation for having refused the schismatical oath. He fell victim to a terrible disease in Guiana. March 24 At Bruges in Flanders, the death of the devout Gilled de Roye, who, while yet a child, took the holy habit at Citeaux, and grew in piety therein, which he preserved to the end of his life. He was sent later on to study at Paris, and took there the degree of coctor, professed the Sacred Sciences with great success, and became subsequently Abbot of Royaumont. Owing to various persecutions, he was forced into exile and came to end his days, in 1478, in the Monastery of Dunes, where his humility, patience and fewvor inclined the Brethren to receive him as an Angel of God. After his death, he appeared encircled with a heavenly light to the monk Hadrian, and gave him instructions truly Divine, which the religious preserved for us and which one cannot read without much edification. March 26 At Poblet, in Catalonia, Blessed Peter Marginet, Monk, who was trained very piously in the rule and discipline of Citeaux, and served the Lord in this Monastery. But, unfortunately, he listened to the wiles of the demon, fled from the Monastery, abandoned himself to every vice, and became even a leader of Bandits. Stirred up by grace, however, he returned to his Monastery after some years, and willingly undertook hard penance, prison, discipline, fasts, sackcloth, and yet other austerities. The brigand became pious, the sinner a saint. He passed the nights without sleep, and never used a bed. His food consisted of [a few] vegetables, bread and water for the most part. The demons appeared to him in terrible forms, but he put them to flight ignominiously. It is also narrated that he bound with his cincture the prince of pride, seen under the appearance of an ass, and compelled him to carry the material required for the Monastic buildings. He at length departed to Christ, after having acquired much merit and became celebrated for his splendid miracles. March 27 In the Monastery of Aulne, Belgium, Blessed Eustace, Monk. After having been clothed with the Cistercian habit, he honored with special veneration the Holy Mother of God, the Patroness of the Order, and gave new luster to Religion by his knowledge, sanctity, and miracles. When he died, to the great wonder of all, the words "Ave Maria" were seen written upon his tongue in letters of gold.