Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

AN GEL
I.
Faremoutier, Clielles and Andeli were much frequented
Saxons, who were thus desirous of a
conventual life, not then to be easily enjoyed in
their own country.
They also entrusted the education of their daugh-
ters to nuns, and sent them far away to be fitted
for the Heavenly Bridegroom.1 Earcongota's stepmother
was another of these royal ladies ; her body
was found perfectly incorrupt seven years after her
death. The example of Sigbert, King of the East
Angles, is recorded even earlier, in 636. It will be
remembered that he was called to the battle-field
from his peaceful monastery, but that ho would no
longer hold weapons in his hands. An Irish monk,
*
or as he would then be called, a Scot, came to the
kingdom of East Anglia from Ireland during Sig-
bert's reign. This was St. Furseus, a man whose
conversation was truly with the angels. The very
holiness of these Pict and Scot missionaries lent
weight to certain Celtic traditions, which were now
as the shadow of a cloud on the ecclesiastical horizon.
For a time, in the North, lona practically
exercised the influence of the Metropolitan See,
which the Pope had assigned to York. Its church
sent out missionaries, holy and zealous men, but
even the very best of them, as, for instance, St.
Aidan, held to the British time for celebrating
Easter in opposition to the Roman custom. About \
(>H4 we find Pope Honoring addressing a letter to
"