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Life of St Wilfrid
Eddius Stephanus, tr. Colgrave, 1927
68. Of the Sign of the Arc
So, after our holy bishop had departed to be with the Lord, his abbots and their followers everywhere, fearing the snares of their old enemies, said, “While the most worthy ruler of our life was alive, we frequently endured various trials from the kings and princes of Britain, all of which were wont to end honourably for us, owing to the holiness and wisdom of our bishop and the help of many friends. But now it is for us to believe fully and perfectly that our intercessor by the sign of the holy cross has been made equal to the Apostles of God, Peter and Andrew, whom he specially loved, and to whom in company with his followers he dedicated his substance, and that, in the sight of God, he guards and defends us without ceasing.”
And soon a sign to warrant this belief appeared in the sky. For on the anniversary of our holy bishop, our bishops and their abbots gathered and came together from every side, from the north and south, from the east and west, to celebrate the solemn day; they kept vigils at even in the church where the limbs of our holy bishop rest. As certain brethren of a duller spirit were standing outside at that hour, a sign appeared in the sky. They kept silence among themselves about this vision until morning. On the following day, when the others heard of it, they were deeply grieved, murmuring to themselves that it had not been revealed to them on account of their sins. But comfort and solace soon came for their frankness. For when the feast which accompanied the solemnity was over, the abbots went out with the whole community to compline in the evening twilight. Suddenly they saw a wonderful sign in the sky, namely a white arc, surrounding the whole monastery, like a rainbow by day, but without its various colours. For this white arc starting from the gables of our church dedicated to St Peter, opposite where the limbs of our bishop rest, and stretching southwards, made a wide sweep round the right-hand side of the monastery until it reached the north. Then, continuing towards the south-east quarter of the morning sky and tending upwards, it ended there. We worshipped and praised the Lord who is wonderful in His holy places, and clearly understood that the wall of divine help was around the elect vineyard of the Lord’s family, as events manifestly proved to those who were in fear for us. For while our life was spent in all the kingdoms on both sides of the Humber under elect abbots, in the sight of our brethren certain of those who assembled and as it were drew their bow and shot their arrows turned their shafts back upon themselves. But “we shall be magnified in the name of the Lord.”