The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick/The Life and Acts of St. Patrick/Chapter 88

The Saint Prophesieth of the Virgin Treha, and a Veil is placed on her Head by an Angel.

While on a certain time the saint was baptizing in the holy font a chief named Cartanus, together with his wife, he foretold unto the woman that she should bring forth a daughter, unto whom he would give the veil and consecrate a virgin to the heavenly Spouse. And in the appointed time the woman bore a daughter, who at her baptism was named Treha; and when her tenth year was completed, the damsel journeyed toward Saint Patrick for the purpose of her consecration, but a marsh that crossed the way prevented her. Fatigued, therefore, and anxious, she sat upon the bank, and beheld afar off, with a longing eye and a wistful mind, the place where the prelate abided. And he, at the revelation of the Holy Spirit, knew of the damsel's journey and of her desire; and he prayed, and removed thence the marsh, and; passing over with unsoiled feet, he went unto her. And while the saint was consecrating the virgin Treha, a veil is dropped on her head by the angel of the Lord, and reaching even unto her lips, covering her eyes; and the saint stretched forth his hand, willing to remove the veil from her eyes; but the damsel humbly prevented him, saying, "I beseech thee, my father, let the veil remain, even as it is placed on the head of thine handmaid, that mine eyes may no longer behold the vanity of this world, but rather may, looking inward, contemplate the brightness of mine heavenly Spouse!" Therefore Patrick, rejoicing at the pious purpose of the damsel, let fall her veil; and as it was at first placed on her from heaven, through all her life, covering her eyes like a dove and her knees like a turtle-dove, it remained as if it were joined to her face. Thus did the covering of the sacred veil exclude every alluring object from her eye, lest death should enter therewith.