head came
into contact. The water or rain which falls into the before-mentioned
cavity (the place of Declan's head) dispels sickness and infirmity, by
the grace of God, as proof of Declan's sanctity.

3. On the night of Declan's birth a wondrous sign was revealed to all,
that is to the people who were in the neighbourhood of the birthplace;
this was a ball of fire which was seen blazing on summit of the house in
which the child lay, until it reached up to heaven and down again, and it
was surrounded by a multitude of angels. It assumed the shape of a
ladder such as the Patriarch, Jacob saw [Genesis 28:12]. The persons who
saw and heard these things wondered at them. They did not know (for the
true faith had not yet been preached to them or in this region) that it
was God who (thus) manifested His wondrous power (works) in the infant,
His chosen child. Upon the foregoing manifestation a certain true
Christian, scil.:--Colman, at that time a priest and afterwards a holy
bishop, came, rejoicing greatly and filled with the spirit of prophecy,
to the place where Declan was; he preached the faith of Christ to the
parents and made known to them that the child was full of the grace of
God. He moreover revealed to them the height of glory and honour to
which the infant should attain before God and men, and it was revealed to
him that he (Declan) should spend his life in sanctity and devotion.
Through the grace of God, these, i.e. Erc and Deithin, believed in God
and Colman, and they delivered the child for baptism to Colman who
baptised him thereupon, giving him the name of Declan. When, in the
presence of all, he had administered Baptism, Colman spoke this prophecy
concerning the infant "Truly, beloved child and lord you will be in
heaven and on earth most high and holy, and your good deeds, fame, and
sanctity will fill all (the four quarters of) Ireland and you will
convert your own nation and the Decies from paganism to Christianity. On
that account I bind myself to you by the tie of brotherhood and I commend
myself to your sanctity."

4. Colman thereupon returned to his own abode; he commanded that Declan
should be brought up with due care, that he should be well trained, and
be set to study at the age of seven years if there could be found in his
neighbourhood a competent Christian scholar to undertake his tuition.
Even at the period of his baptism grace and surpassing charity manifested
themselves in the counte