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307 ST. FARA 307 from behind it. She told him he ought to donble the talent entrusted to him by sharing it with his own countrymen in his native land. He replied that he would come there a year after her return home. She then advised him to settle, not in his native place, but in the Island of Arran, which he eventually did. Fanchea returned to Ireland on the same ship, namely, the cloak. She died before reaching home, and her mourning nuns wrapped her in this same cloak for her burial. The people of Leinster fought with those of Meath for her body, so it was put into a car drawn by two oxen, and it seemed to the people of Leinster that the oxen took it to Barrigh, where they buried it, but in reality they took it to Elilhaine, in Meath; and there, in the parish church of Eos-airthir, in the diocese of Clogher, she has been specially venerated. AA.S8, Colgan. Lanigan, EccL Hist, of Ireland. Butler. Bucelinus. Smith and Wace. St. Faoileann, Faila. St. Fappa, June 5 ( Jappa, Pappia), M. at Home. AA.SS. St. Fara, Dec. 7, April 3 (Burgun- DoFARA, Phara), V. Abbess. + about 6oo, Patron of Brie and Faremoutier. Invoked for diseases of the eye. Founder and first abbess of the monastery of Faremoutier. Eepresented carrying a bunch of ears of corn or one single ear. St. Columbanus, when received in her father's house, in her childhood, saw her carry in her hand a bouquet of wheat instead of flowers. He predicted that the wheat of the elect would be the portion of this little virgin, and that Josus Christ destined her to love no man but Himself. She was the daughter of Agneric, an officer at the court of Theodebert II., king of Austrasia, and Leodegnnd his wife. Sister of St. Cag- noald, who became a monk under St. Columbanus, at Luxeuil, about 504, and of St. Faro, bishop of Meaux. SS. Faro and Fara are called, in the old writings, I^urgundofaro and Burgundofara, im- plying their descent from the Kings of Burgundy. St. Fara was bom at Pipi- misium^ about five miles from Meaux, whether the modern Aupigny, or Cham- pigny (or Spigny), is not certain, nor is the date known. St. Columbanus being banished from Luxeuil 610, St. Cagnoald accompanied him, and took him to his father's house, where Columbanus gave his blessing to all the family, and par- ticularly to the child Fara, whom ho consecrated to God. When she was grown up her father wished her to marry. She opposed his plan, and was seized with a dangerous and lingering illness, from which she only recovered when St. Eustasius, on his way to the court of Clothaire II., came to Agneric's house, and persuaded him and his wife to con- sent to Fara's taking the veil from the hands of Gondoald, bishop of Meaux, 614. A few years afterwards, Agneric gave her an estate, and built on it a double monastery at the junction of the Aubetin and the great Morin ; it was at first -called Brige. The forest and district near it are now called Brie. The abbey was afterwards called Fare- moutier, from its first abbess. St. Fara established the rule of St. Columbanus, which was very strict. It was superseded by that of St. Benedict, but at what date is unknown. The fame of her sanctity attracted many holy women from various parts of France, England, and other countries, to put themselves under her rule at Faremoutier. Among these were SS. Sisetrude, Gibitrudis, Hergantrudis, also Sedrido, who suc- ceeded her as abbess, and was an English princess, daughter of St. Hereswitha. Among the first monks of the abbey of Faremoutier were Fara's brother, St. Cagnoald, who on its foundation came thither from Luxeuil, and who became Bishop of Laon, 620 ; St. Walbert, father of St. Aldegonde ; Jonas, who wrote the Life of St. Fara and of some other con- temporary saints. Her brother, St. Faro, who held a high place at court and was betrothed to a young lady of rank and wealth, came to visit St. Fara, and was so impressed by her holiness that he persuaded his destined bride to become a nun while he took religious orders. He succeeded Gondoald as bishop of Meaux, 626, and died 672, having helped and comforted his sister in all the diffi- culties and trials of her office.