qui custos es mei,
me, tibi commíssum pietáte supérna,
rege et gubérna.
The Story of an Irish Knight and his Guardian Angel
As recorded by an Irish Monk in 1149
Tundale was an Irish knight. He was a brave, good soldier, but he led a bad life. He was sitting at a table, when he became unconscious. People thought he had died, but his body stayed warm, so they did not bury him. He was unconscious from Wednesday to Saturday. When he awoke he was completely changed. He gave thanks to God and did severe penance for his bad life. “He told his friends that his soul seemed to have left his body and he found himself surrounded by demons, who strove to take him to Hell, but his Angel Guardian appeared and drove them away.” When Tundale told the Angel how afraid he had been, the Angel replied, “I have been always by your side but you never asked me to help you.” His Angel then told Tundale that he would receive mercy, but would suffer for some time. “Then, led by the Angel, he passed through Hell, Purgatory and Heaven, suffering at first, but then comforted. He saw people whom he had known on Earth. He saw St. Patrick and other Irish Saints in Heaven, and he saw two Irish kings in Purgatory.”
Taken from Building the Family Cookbook by Suzanne Fowler