Another
Samson? Yes; today we shall look into
the life of Samson of Dol, a Welsh saint (from Dyfed) who was known as one of
the seven founder-saints of Brittany (in France). His biography is preserved in Vita Sancti Samsonis, composed sometime
in 610-820.
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| Samson of Dol |
After growing up as a child of Amon of
Demetia and Anna of Gwent, Samson was raised by Illtud, the abbot in Llantwit
Fawr, Wales. When Pyr, abbot of a monastery on Caldey
Island, died after falling into a well – being very drunk – Samson, who abstained from alcoholic drinks, temporarily
took on himself the responsibilities of abbot there, but resigned because the
monks of the place had become ungovernable under Pyr’s guidance (or
misguidance). Samson then traveled to Ireland.
In 521, Samson was ordained a bishop,
and his industry in evangelism was remarkable.
Samson founded monastic communities in Cornwall,
and in the Scilly Isles, and in Guernsey, at
Dol (for which he is named, and where he was buried).
More information
about Samson of Dol can be found at Wikipedia.
But I want to zoom in now on a little incident that is recorded about
him in Book 1, ch. 16 of his biography: the author states that Samson, aware that a cup set
before him had been poisoned, remembered the word of the Gospel where Christ
says concerning his faithful who trust in him, “If they shall drink any
deadly thing it shall not hurt them,” and so Samson happily entered the
refectory, made the sign of the cross over his own vessel, drank it dry without
any wavering of mind, and never felt the slightest heartache from it.
I do not recommend Samson’s
decision to others. This
little incident is mentioned as yet another example of the full acceptance of Mark 16:9-20
in the Latin text used in Western Europe.
