Vita Sanctae Samthannae Virginis
The date of this mediaeval life of St Safan is unknown. In general, its reference to historical personalities of the period is accurate – with the notable exception of its reference to St Laserian (Molaise), who predated Safan by over a century. This would suggest that its author had some familiarity with Safan’s period.
The work itself is typical of its genre: its main concern being to establish the holiness of the saint through a number of minor miracles. Though the miraculous content of these stories can be laid aside, they reveal something of the kind of person the saint was and give a few biographical details.
Safan came from an Ulster family and was for a period the bursar in the convent of Urney. She then moved on to become abbess of the convent in Clonbroney, Co. Longford, where she lived the rest of her life. She comes across as a woman who was energetic and efficient in developing and running the monastery under her care: she built and later renovated an oratory and provided the monastery with a new dining room. The stories show a woman who was hospitable, compassionate and devoted to her community; she was sought for her sage advice, and her answers to the questions put to her show flexibility and common sense.
Some Sections of the Vita
On a certain day, the holy virgin, Safan, rising at earliest dawn, heard the voice of a leper across the pond: he was shouting loudly to be brought across. Giving in to his wishes, the saintly woman guided a small boat with her staff and brought him across. When he complained of his poverty and nakedness, she gave him a cow with a calf, and, like another Martin, gave him the larger portion of her cloak. When he was asked where he came from, he replied that he had come from the monastery of Saint Ultan, and having said that, he disappeared. A strange thing
then occurred. The cow which the leper had received was found where it had previously been, with the calf in its enclosure, and no tear was found in the holy Safan’s garment.
At that time, the holy virgin, Funecha, the foundress of the monastery of Cluan Bronich (Clonbroney), dreamt that the holy Safan had come in the form of a spark of fire, which, setting the whole monastery alight, grew into a hugh flame. Reporting the dream to the sisters, she interpreted it in the following way: “Safan, aflame by the power of the Holy Spirit, will make this place glow by virtue of her merits and the splendour of her miracles.” So, sending for Safan, the holy Funecha put her in charge of the monastery.
A certain monk asked the holy Safan about the method of prayer, whether one ought to pray lying, sitting or standing. “One should pray in all positions” , was her reply.
And again a master said: “I would like to go overseas to travel for Christ”. She gave him this answer: “If God cannot be found on this side of the sea, then by all means let us travel overseas. But since God is close to all who call upon Him, we have no need to travel overseas. It is possible to attain the kingdom of heaven from any and every land”.
On one occasion a certain master called Dayrcellach approached the virgin and said to her: “I intend to postpone my study so that I can devote myself to prayer”. To this she replied: ”If you neglect your spiritual study, what then can concentrate your mind to prevent it from wandering.
The penultimate paragraph of the Vita pays the following tribute to the saint:
Who indeed could list all the ways in which God enriched her? For she was filled with the grace of good works, was adorned with the beauty of all the virtues and enriched with exemplary actions throughout her whole life. She was a devoted mistress to those under her authority, but a most humble servant where physical work was concerned. She was poor in spirit as well as possessions. She declined to own land and never had more than six cows at any one time. She treated everyone with love and compassion, especially those of her household…For she was cheerful in giving, modest in receiving, compassionate in sympathising and effective in helping.. No work of piety was neglected by her, In holiness and justice in the presence of Christ, her spouse, her life in this world came to an end, and on the 19th December, she received from him the crown which he has prepared from eternity for those who love him.