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Handout The Vita Prima Fursei

Fursa: his life and visions

Fursa had his visions at an early stage in his career, when he was still in Ireland and the Vita

says he spent some ten years of his life proclaiming them to his fellow countrymen.

Fursa receives two visions during his first illness and he receives his third vision, which

clarifies that he is to preach for twelve years, a year later. He only receives the fourth at the

end of his twelve-year term, in East Anglia. We are also told that Fursa left Ireland after 10

years of preaching in order to retreat to an island and subsequently to East Anglia.

Fursa spent around 7 or 8 years in France before his death, something rather obscured by the

Vita’s ‘non multum post’.

Annals of Ulster

647(648) ‘Fursu craibdhech obiit’ and 648(649) ‘Quies Fursi in Barruna’.

> Fursa had in fact been abbot of Lagny and had died in Mézerolles. The church of Péronne,

then nearly finished, was to be consecrated 27 days after Fursa’s death and his burial was

postponed until the consecration.

655(656) ‘Uel hic Fursa secundum alios’ and 660/1 ‘Fursu in Persuna pausauit’

> These most likely refer to the translation of his relics into a purpose-built shrine near the altar

about four years after his death.

Additamentum Nivialense de Fuilano Fursa’s brother Foillán, who had been in charge of Cnobheresburg, decided to leave East Anglia for Gaul after his monastery was raided and king Anna was expelled [649-52]. Foillán’s arrived in in Francia most likely in 649. St. Ita 650 gives him the monastery of Fosses. Data of Fursa’s life

early years unknown – the extant sources indicate the location of his birth was either in East Ulster (O’Riain) or

Connacht, near Loch Corrib (as in the Vita Secunda)

? Fursa founds a monastery in Ireland

?624x625 Receives first visions while on his way to his family (starts 12 year term) (AU 627)

?625x626 a year later receives confirming vision

?633x634 After preaching in Ireland for 10 years, he retreats to a small island off the Irish

coast, before going to England [for an unknown period of time]

?633x634 Arrival in East Anglia, given land by Sigeberht [reign 631x634]

?636x638 12 years complete, third vision /retreats to hermitage of Ultan

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?638x641 Called back due to ‘troubles’ [incursion of Penda 640/1?] Leaves for Gaul

641/2 Received by Erchinoald [mayor of palace from 141] and founds Lagny

?648/9 Attempted return to Britain(?), Death at Mezérolles while travelling; burial at

Péronne slightly later

?654/6 Translation to new shrine

The Vita Prima

Oldest extant manuscript containing the Vita is Harley MS 5041 of the British Library (2nd or 3rd

quarter of the eighth century, Merovingian origin), most recently edited and translated by O.

Rackham.

This text was most likely written within four or five years of his death (in or around AD 650s) in

Péronne – if we accept the theory it was written to mark the occasion of the translation of his

remains - and thus by a member of the monastic community who may or may not had first-hand

knowledge of the saint personally.

The visions take up over two-thirds of the text, the gaps filled in with the necessary geographical

details, and the author only records worldly details briefly where required.

Vita – known in Ireland?

No records survive in Ireland that bear witness to his works there before leaving Ireland, other

than to the fact that he had a vision. On the other hand, his Lives tell us that he was highly

celebrated at home, this being in fact the reason for his decision to leave the country.

* Fursa en Foillan names are the only ‘Irish saints on the continent’ to appear in the Martyrology

of Tallagh where even Columbanus is not found.

* The Harely MS reads ‘persona’ for Perrone,1 which is very similar to the entry of AU 660/1

‘Persuna’ (as opposed to earlier ‘Barruna’). While this spelling, taken on its own, does not

constitute convincing evidence, it may nevertheless suggest the possibility that the Irish had

obtained access to a copy of the Vita Prima by the mid-660s. The Vita was certainly known to

Bede by ca. 730 AD.

* Another possible route of transmission is through the scholar Aldhelm, who is known to have

corresponded with Abbot Cellanus of Péronne (†706 AD) during his abbacy at Malmesbury

(675x705 AD).

Importance

The Vita is one of the earliest texts said to expound a theory of the afterlife that allowed for and

promulgated the controversial concept of continued purgation of the soul after death – but does

the evidence from the text back this up? The text gives public voice to a growing concern for the

1 Section 24, Rackham, O., 56. The mss of the Félire Oengusa read ‘Parona’ (Stokes, Félire, 44).

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welfare of the soul after death and for ‘like for like’ punishment, possibly arising from the recent

growth in popularity of tarriffed private penance, replacing public penance.2

Assertions in the text

* The Angel asserts that one shall not perish on account of minor sins, that it is enough to have

compassion in your heart and refers to God’s judgment.

* “That which you have not kindled will not burn you”; the soul only burns in the flames

according to the merits of its works.

* The Devil points out that sins unrepented on earth will be vindicated in heaven, but the angel

responds “So long as repentance is hoped for, divine mercy doth attend mankind”.

* Satan asserts that there is no place for repentance here [afterlife], but the angel contradicts him,

though he remains vague, saying only “perchance there shall be”.

* The Lord shall reward every man according to his works.

* Beanus warns against the neglect of spiritual vices; ‘every vice its medicine’.

* “Just as you received his goods, you must be party to his pains.”

* Fursa is told he has overcome his sins in this tribulation.

Transmission of the Vitae of Fursa

Vita Prima – Péronne – 7th c.

Virtutes – Péronne _ 9th c.

Vita Secunda – Lagny – vers 1100

Betha – au plus tot au 13th c.

“la transmission de ces textes est restée pourtant pour la plupart continentale” (O’Riain 405)

Summary of the Life

Visio S. Fursei

* Introduction * First vision: he fell ill ‘while he hastened to visit his family and fatherland’; ‘like one already dead’. He his lifted up by chanting angels. Once arrived at their destination, which remains unspecified, one of them informs them that he is to return. It is only at this point that Fursa realises that he has been taken out of the body. Upon Fursa’s enquiry they tell him that they will return him when he completes his task3 and Fursa suddenly finds himself back in his body. * Still ill three days later, the same darkness, stiffness and cold come upon him at midnight. Though he initially hears a multitude shouting, he only sees the same three angels. He is next guided through the midst of a throng of howling demons who proceed to wage war. The third

angel wards off the arrows with his shield, engages into battle with the demons, defends Fursa and argues with Satan and his demons on his behalf.

2 See: Dunn, M., 'Gregory the Great, the Vision of Fursey and the Origins of Purgatory', Peritia 14 (2001) 247-

50; Cf. id., The Emergence of Monasticism: From the Desert Fathers to the Early Middle Ages. (London:

Blackwell, 2000) and The Vision of St. Fursey and the Development of Purgatory. Fursey Occasional Papers

(Norwich: Fursey Pilgrims, 2007). 3 Groves translates ‘sin’.

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* Dialogue: Satan accuses Fursa of consenting to sinners, of idle speech, of lack of forgiveness, and of accepting evil out of habit using quotations from Scripture. The Angel counters that he shall not perish on account of minor sins, that it is enough to have compassion in your heart and refers to God’s judgment. * Fursa sees a dark valley with four fires in the air and the angels explain to him that these are the fires (Falsehood, Avarice, Dissent and Impiety) that engulf the world. “That which you have not kindled will not burn you” - soul only burns in the flames according to the merits of its works. * Angels guide Fursa through the fire and the accusations continue. The Devil points out that sins unrepented on earth will be vindicated in heaven, but the angels responds “So long as repentance is hoped for, divine mercy doth attend mankind”. Satan asserts that there is no place for repentance here [afterlife], but the angel contradicts him, though he remains vague, saying only “perchance there shall be”. * Satan accuses Fursa of not being good in thought as well as deed and of loving worldly things. Angel says the Lord shall reward every man according to his works. Battle ensues. The angels win. * Appearance of Beanus and Meldanus: they tell him to preach and predict famines and diseases to come before the end creation. * They point especially to the sins of Doctors and Princes. Causes of ‘perishing’: 1) seductive sins of the word 2)suggestions of the devil 3) neglect of doctors 4) bad example of crooked princes. * They warn against the neglect of spiritual vices; ‘every vice its medicine’. Call upon princes and doctors to set the example. * They warn against worldliness and promote humility; and caution against receiving gifts from sinners. * When he is about to return, a demon throws man out of the fire, hitting him against his jaw and shoulder and burning him. Fursa accepted clothes from this man on his deathbed. “Just as you received his goods, you must be party to his pains.” What you have kindled shall burn you. * The tell Fursa to preach to all that penance is to be done and received by a priest even at teh last hour; no goods may be received from a sinner. * Fursa is suddenly on the roof of the church, is commanded to recognise his body and is told he has overcome his sins in this tribulation. He enters his body through the chest and rises: he has the burn on his shoulder. * He preaches the world of God to all the Scotti and lives a pure life. After a year he has another vision and is told he should preach for twelve years. * After ten years, not ‘being able to bear the great multitude’ seeking him out, he went to smallish island and then from Ireland to the Saxon lands by way of the British ones. * When the twelve years passed he received another vision and knew his day was approaching. He build the monastery of Cnobheresburg. * He retreats to his brother Ultan for a year, but is compelled to return and sailed for Gaul, perceiving that the region would be invaded by pagans. He is received by Clovis and Erchinwarld and built Lagny. * Illness took him while travelling and he died at Mézerolles on January 16. * His was buried near the altar of the new church in Péronne and later reburied in a shrine.

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Select Bibliography

O. Rackham, Transitus Beati Fursei (Norwich, 2007). N. Groves, The Life and Miracles of Saint Fursa the Pious (Norwich, 2003). M. Smyth, 'The Origins of Purgatory Through the Lens of Seventh-Century Irish Eschatology', Traditio 58 (2003). P. Ó Riain, 'Les Vies de Saint Fursy: Les Sources Irlandaises', Revue du Nord: Histoire & Archéologie, nord de la France, Belgique, Pays-Bas 69:269 (1986) 405-13. P. Ó Riain, 'Sanctity and Politics in Connacht c. 1100: the Case of St Fursa', Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies 17 (1989) 1-14.