THE VALINT TAR LŐRINC
Purgatory
presents
In the northwestern part of Ireland,
in the legendary Ulster kingdom, on the island of Donegal, there is a mystical place called the St. Patrick's Purgatory, which is surrounded by numerous peculiar stories, myths, and legends. During medieval times, there was a widely accepted belief that the earthly entrance to the afterlife was through the labyrinth of St. Patrick's cave located here. Since ancient times, it has been considered the property of Satan and his cohorts.
Throughout the ages, countless pilgrims attempted to enter the cave, but most of these endeavors were unsuccessful.
Researchers delving into the obscurity of the Celtic era claim that pagan sorcerers established an oracle on the island. This is likely the source of the place's energy that gives form to otherworldly visions and events.
According to the memory of medieval people, after proper preparation, a person with a devout soul who entered the cave would witness the purifying fire that contained the torments of souls suffering in hell as well as the bliss of the saved. As a result of these stories, the St. Patrick's Cave quickly gained European fame in its time.
Among the stories related to the Purgatory, there is also a Hungarian thread, preserved by Tinódi (Lantos) Sebestyén, a significant figure in Hungarian epic poetry. He recounted it in 1552 as a story of one of King Sigismund's knights.
In 1836, a trace of this story resurfaced when an old Latin book was discovered in the library of Gyöngyös. One of the verses in the book fragment tells a portion of this story. The passage introduces the pilgrim, who was Tar Lőrinc, a soldier and knight from the Tarok and Ráthold clans. He gained royal patronage when he saved King Sigismund's life.
Our protagonist, therefore, is Rátholdi Tar Lőrinc, whose Irish Purgatory story gained permanent acceptance when a document was found in one of the colleges of the British Museum in London. This document precisely recounts the soldier's journey within St. Patrick's Purgatory and the peculiar supernatural experiences he gained there. This account was discovered by Lajos Kropf, a Hungarian historian living in London, who then introduced it in the 1896 volume of the "Századok" journal.
From these narratives, we can learn about the precursors and details of Tar Lőrinc's journey, which we now present to our esteemed visitor with great care.
Lőrinc of Tarr heard and read
that those who have doubts about certain teachings of the Catholic faith, if they visit St. Patrick's Purgatory, those doubts cease. And he himself had started to doubt the existence of the invisible, intangible human soul and of God. According to his account, he turned to his king to help him find his way back to the path of Christ. King Sigismund decided to support his knight in strengthening his faith.
The royal letter of recommendation he received provided Lőrinc with protection and permission for his visit. Accompanied by his entourage, he arrived in Ireland in 1411, in Dublin, where he was received with great respect by Archbishop Nicholas. Lőrinc prepared for the trial at the monastery near Purgatory through fasting and prayer. One night, Lőrinc had a vision in which St. Patrick himself appeared to him and predicted success for his mission.
Afterward, he set out for Purgatory, where the local monks awaited him, and they spoke to him:
— Dear brother and friend, know, my lord, that in my time many have entered that place, but they were seized by the grip of death; due to the disturbance of impure souls, some were forever derailed; there were also those who disappeared.
Therefore, with humble advice, I suggest that if you do not possess a firm Christian faith, do not enter the Purgatory!
However, Lőrinc did not back down and replied:
— Reverend father in the Lord! I believe as steadfastly in the Holy Trinity as the Holy Church has taught.
Seeing his determination, he received the ultimate permission for entry. Thus, the soldier, armed with a cross, relics, some food, and a candle, entered the cave.
— May the Lord guard my entrance and departure from now on and forever!
— he said.
As he entered, the door closed behind him. His escort departed, returning for him after 24 hours.
No sooner had Lőrinc entered the cave
and its entrance was closed behind him, suddenly two devils appeared in front of him, who wanted to forcibly drag him back to the entrance by his feet. The two devils attacked him wildly; they dragged him, pushed him, and tore his shirt with horrible screams and unbridled rage. They insulted Christ and tried to dissuade Lőrinc from his faith in him. They promised him rich earthly and supernatural rewards if he would give them his soul. But at the words of the supplicant and the symbol of the cross, they slowly drifted away, and the knight was freed from the clutches of the evil ones.
Lőrinc therefore gives a strong testimony of his courage and faith rooted from the bottom of his heart during the first trial.
As he continued to walk in the cave, a gray-bearded pilgrim suddenly stepped in front of him and looked at the brave man with loving tenderness. However, Lőrinc, having learned from the war with spirits, immediately reached out to his faith and tried to overcome the stranger who appeared with a beggar and a cross in hand.
Then the demon addressed him with threats of evil envy and malice.
"You foolish brave!" Being a pilgrim myself, I must pity your folly. Especially since I see that you are an educated person and that you understand various languages. I am mainly sorry for hearing such tasteless and impermissible statements from you about Jesus, whom you bestowed with titles of the highest degree of dignity. Because that Jesus, whom you damnably followed for so long with blind faith, was a common deceiver of the people, and therefore he will be punished in the deepest part of hell forever. So leave your terrible mistakes, my dear, and deny Jesus and follow my advice: in this way, there is no doubt, you will possess eternal life!
Lőrinc understood from the lies that it was all just a diabolical plot, but he didn't want to answer or engage in a battle of words. He wanted to defeat the ancient enemy with the sign of the holy cross. So he raised the cross towards the devil and continued to pray fervently and loudly.
At this, the devil, humiliated by shame, spat at the brave man and stood away.
As Lőrinc continued towards the interior of the cave, he was once again faced with temptation. Not by any temptation; a beautiful, noble-looking lady appeared before him. He found her attractive face quite familiar. He thought he discovered an acquaintance he had admired for a long time. With this sympathy, the beautiful woman immediately won the knight's interest and surrounded the knight with a joking, honey-glazed speech:
- My dear friend! You remember that in the past you wanted to serve me above all else, and you always fueled my desires. Unfortunately, we never found a suitable place and time, so the thorns of pain tormented our hearts. Now we have finally found a time and place to satisfy our desires!
The brave man was uncertain at first, but he soon realized that the cunning devil was haunting him again, so he resolutely rejected the approach of the female devil. Lőrinc sprang from himself and threw it in the demon's eyes that he could not sway him from his true purpose and faith even with such an insidious and twisted temptation. - Upon hearing these words, the devil went away again in great shame.
Lőrinc prayed continuously.
"The Lord shall guard my coming and going from now on and forever. Lord Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
In Lőrinc's fourth and final vision, a handsome man with a red mantle over his shoulder appears before him. The stranger greets him in Hebrew: "Slam alecha Lőrinc = Peace be upon you!"
However, the soldier, who has only faced dangers on his journey, receives this with suspicion.
The man then asks the warrior:
— For what purpose have you come? What do you seek here?
Lőrinc responds this way:
— I seek the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and of His mother, the Glorious Virgin. But who are you, that you speak in such a manner, and even though you do not know me, you address me by name? I believe that you might be a fallen angel, since I've heard that evil sometimes appears in the image of God or as an angel.
Hearing this, the man reveals himself and discloses that he is not the devil, but Archangel Michael. Since the beginning of Lőrinc's faith, he held great reverence for Archangel Michael, so much so that he built a temple in His honor on his estate in Tar.
To gain Lőrinc's trust, the Angel finally leads him out of the cave through a dark spiral staircase, emerging onto a beautiful and peaceful meadow. However, Lőrinc remains curious - he wishes to see the purgatory from the inside. Eventually, the Angel grants him this opportunity. The knight witnesses how the souls of the living, still on Earth, are tormented and afflicted by demons. Here, Lőrinc sees much suffering, the agony of unfamiliar and familiar faces alike. Witnessing so much pain, Lőrinc feels a profound sense of distress, experiencing the pains deeply and becoming profoundly disheartened. And he is tormented by the eternal question of human existence, which he ultimately turns to the Angel with:
Will the many masses, alms, and good deeds eventually save the souls of the suffering? Can they help them? Seeing the knight's spiritual turmoil, Archangel Michael comforts him;
- Yes, Lőrinc, the suffering is temporary. Then he provides the knight with sound advice on how he can liberate the souls of his loved ones.
Upon parting, Lőrinc seeks to kiss the feet of his guide, but the Angel deflects this gesture, finally bestowing a blessing upon the knight and allowing him on his way. Lőrinc returns to the entrance and the next morning, unharmed and spiritually strengthened, he steps out through the opening gate.
