Death of Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne
Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne, the revered bishop and missionary, lies on his deathbed in the simple chapel of Lindisfarne Priory. The monks gather around him in silent prayer, their faces illuminated by
Setting
Inside the simple stone chapel of Lindisfarne Priory, with wooden beams overhead and a rough-hewn altar at the front. The chapel is small and intimate, with narrow windows allowing the last light of day to filter in. Outside, the priory sits on the windswept Holy Island, surrounded by the North Sea.
Characters
Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne
primary
A frail elderly man with a gaunt face, sunken cheeks, and thin white hair. His skin is pale and translucent, showing the wear of years and illness. His hands, resting on the rough woolen blanket, are bony with prominent veins. His eyes, though clouded with approaching death, retain a quiet intensity.
Brother Finan
primary
A lean man in his late 40s with sun-weathered skin and deep-set gray eyes that bear witness to years of contemplation. His tonsured head shows streaks of silver amidst the brown, and his hands are calloused from both labor and prayer. A faint scar crosses his left eyebrow, relic of some forgotten worldly encounter before taking vows.
Brother Cuthbert
secondary
A young monk in his early twenties, slender with a pale complexion typical of those who spend most of their time indoors in prayer and study. His light brown hair is neatly tonsured, and his blue eyes reflect both sorrow and reverence. His hands are delicate, accustomed to holding quills rather than laboring in the fields.
Brother Oswine
background
An elderly monk with a thin, wiry frame and deeply lined face that speaks of decades spent in devotion and hardship. His white hair is cropped short in the monastic tonsure, and his hands, clasped in prayer, are gnarled with age and labor. His pale blue eyes are watery with tears, reflecting both sorrow and a quiet acceptance.
Dialog
Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne
Dominus regit me... My son Finan, the Lord has shepherded us well.
Brother Finan
As you have taught us, father... so shall we tend His flock.
Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne
The tide comes... but Christ walks upon the waters.
Brother Finan
Mo bhrón... Brother Aidan, must you leave us so soon?
Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne
The sand... returns to the shore... the wave to the sea...