Boucherit, Gilles Tuesday, 11.30-13.00, Room 2 Buile Suibhne or The Sacralization of Tradition The romance "Buile Suibne" is the first and last expression of Iona's Christianism. It says the sacralization of Irish tradition through the image of the "saint madman", in accordance with the agreement between druids and bishops under warrant Patrick published in the Senchas Mar in the 7th century, at the root of Christianised Ireland. The Christian Roman overthrow of Colum Cille's federation of monasteries after the Battle of Magh Rath 637, has been an imperial endeavour from the start. ≪ L'élaboration d'une catholicité nouvelle dont les barbares soient le soutien, tel est le but que se propose le pape Grégoire le Grand, telle est la ligne politique d'ensemble ébauchée dès les invasions.≫ The romance begins with the violation of king Suibne's territory by the cleric Ronan. If the bird aspect of Suibne is first a result of Ronan's curse, birds are mythologically considered as souls by tradition. Suibne's soul on deer antler points adresses a prayer to the animal mother, the owner of the herd of deer ≪ A mathair na groidhi-si [...] ≫. She symbolizes mother-earth, i.e. sovereignty. In order to become a king, one has to marry the feminine principle, that is sovereignty. Suibne, king of Dal Araidhe acknowledges his lawful name ≪mo is ainm damh fer benn. ≫ ( one of the names of the Dagda : the male principle) to the Animal mother (deer), one of the most archaic epiphaneia of the feminine principle. Then after other adventures Suibhne will have his Way of the Cross and die a saint in the arms of Moling the ≪ hiberni ≫ side of christianism in Ireland compare to Ronan who represents the ≪ Romani ≫ side of it. Therefore can we say that Buile Suibne sacralizes the tradition of Christianised Ireland…