From: Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum V, ed. B. Krusch & W. Levison (Hannover, 1910). Modern British English translation.

Here begins the Passion of the holy martyrs Kilian and his companions.

¹ There was a man of venerable life named Killena, whom the soil of Ireland brought forth of great stock. From boyhood he had a great zeal to learn the sacred letters, and made such perfect progress in them that thereby he learned to hold the highest office of the priesthood. And then he was called by another name — Kilian — finding favour with the clergy and all the people; and he was so filled with love of the Christian religion that whatever he knew to belong to the good of souls and the spread of the faith he never ceased, with devout mind and pious zeal, to perform.

² It came to pass on a certain day that, admonished by the voice of the Gospel, that is, of the Lord, where it says — “Whoever wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” — the most blessed man, pondering these things with all his heart and mind, gathered together his companions and disciples — that is, the priests Colonatus, Gallus and Arnwal, and the deacon Totnan, seven others being joined to them — and began to persuade them to give up their own possessions, to leave country and parents according to the Lord’s gospel, and to follow Christ naked.

³ Obeying at once the blessed man’s sacred admonition and firmly united, they left all things and went from their own country and came into the southern parts, to the castle named Würzburg, and lived there for some time — where at that same time there reigned a certain duke named Gozbert, son of Hetanus the elder, who was the son of Hruodis. This same Gozbert and all the people subject to him still lived in the pagan manner, worshipping idols of demons and knowing nothing at all of the God of heaven and earth.

⁴ But the most holy man, seeing a place of wondrous loveliness and a very fine multitude of noble men there besieged by the ancient enemy, grieved their blindness beyond what can be told, and took counsel with his companions, saying: “Brothers, you see a beautiful place and a pleasant people, though deceived in error; if it seems good to you, let us do as we agreed while we were in our own country — let us go to Rome and visit the threshold of the holy prince of the apostles and present ourselves to the sight of the blessed Pope John; and if it is the Lord’s will, having received licence from the apostolic see, let us return again by his counsel and confidently preach to them the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

⁵ Without delay they put their words into deeds, coming to the threshold of St Peter, prince of the apostles. But when they arrived and did not find Pope John — for he was already dead — the aforesaid pontiff of God Killena was lovingly and honourably received by the holy Pope Conon. And when the blessed Pope Conon heard where he had come from and why, and to what place he meant to go next with a ready will — hearing likewise his faith and teaching — he gave him, from God and St Peter prince of the apostles, licence and power to preach and teach, and that whomever he could convert by his teaching he should do so with free and most firm authority. [One MS adds here, from the second Passio: “Then also, by consent of the whole City, he established the most blessed man in the office of prelate, so that he could blamelessly consecrate chrism, dedicate churches and confer holy orders. These things done, he dismissed him, urging him to press on with the work begun, a reward of eternal recompense prepared for him by the Lord.”]

⁶ Going on from there, they were separated on the journey — bodily, not spiritually — and only the priest Colonatus and the deacon Totnan remained with their bishop Kilian; and they came into the region of the southern Franks, to the castle called Würzburg, and there preached the word of the Lord for the first time. When Duke Gozbert heard of it, he had them summoned to him.

⁷ And when they were presented, Bishop Kilian and the illustrious Duke Gozbert spoke with one another. Not long after, the devout pontiff of God Kilian persuaded him to become a Christian. And he, the Lord willing, assenting to his sacred admonitions, was baptised by him and confirmed — and all the people who had been under his power.

⁸ Now this Duke Gozbert had in marriage his brother’s wife, as was the ancient custom. But the holy pontiff of God — as a wise man always acts wisely — did not forbid her to him until he had been well and firmly strengthened in the faith of Christianity. Then he spoke to him in such words: “Beloved son Gozbert, you are now a Christian and made in all things pleasing to God, if you do one thing which is right for you above all to do — that you put away your wife, whom you have joined to yourself unjustly, since it is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” To these words Duke Gozbert, as though waking from a heavy sleep, answered and said: “Graver and harder things you now urge and preach than before. But by the love of almighty God, whom you have preached and still preach, I have given up all things that were dear and lovely for me to have. By the same love I will also put away my most beloved wife — if it is not lawful to have her — since nothing is dearer to me than the love of God nor anything more lovely.”

⁹ When she heard these things, the wife of the most noble Duke Gozbert — kindled by the tinder of wrath and envy — considered day and night how she might destroy the saints of God. And as the time of their passion and reward drew near, by reason of their preceding merits the aforesaid martyrs of Christ gave themselves day and night to prayers and fasts — joyful without sadness and devoted without dread, eagerly awaiting the day long since desired, that they might be crowned with martyrdom.

¹⁰ It came to pass on a certain night, when almighty God willed to end the earthly contest of His soldiers, while they stood united in God’s praises, that the executioner came to them with a sharp sword, as though prepared to slaughter the friends of God, fulfilling the commands of Geilana, Duke Gozbert’s wife. Seeing this, Killena, Christ’s pontiff, said to his companions: “O my spiritual sons, the day long desired is now at hand; enter the spiritual contest with me without fear, without trembling — according to the Lord’s word: ‘Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.’” When he had said this, they were all beheaded and crowned with martyrdom. And that same night they were buried in secret and in haste in the same place; and their book chests, the cross and the gospel and the other pontifical vestments were laid in the tomb with them.

¹¹ A certain married woman named Burgunda saw this and reported what had been done. For it is the custom of that place that in autumn or winter, and also in spring and summer-time whenever it rains, no more than two feet in depth can be dug without constantly drawing off the water. But by God’s merciful grace, when almighty God willed to raise their bodies from the place of burial to greater honour — the flesh consumed as is usual — the rest was found sound and well preserved: so much so that not one leaf of the books nor a fringe of their vestments had been consumed by decay.

¹² And when Duke Gozbert came and asked where the aforesaid servants of God were, his unbelieving wife answered that she did not know where they had gone or where they were. But that wretched man who was held guilty of their murder could not hide the punishment that came upon him from the martyrs’ vengeance: running here and there, wandering like a fugitive and as though frenzied, he kept declaring himself guilty of their death, crying out, trembling and wailing: “Killena, God’s saint, burns me with most savage fire!”

¹³ Hearing this, Duke Gozbert gathered all the people who had been washed with him in the sacred font of baptism by the holy pontiff, and asked them what should be done with the wretched man. Now there was there a certain eloquent man, ready to answer at the prompting of the ill-fated Geilana, Gozbert’s wife, who spoke thus: “My lord, Duke Gozbert, take thought for yourself and for us all who received baptism with you from those men, and test whether their God is so strong, so mighty, all-knowing — rendering good to the good and at the last repaying evil to the evil, unless they have first made amends by repentance — and order this wretch to be released from his bonds and left to his own judgement before all the people. For if their God is such as they also said, His vengeance will descend upon him and He will mightily avenge His servants. But if it is otherwise — may my lord not be angry that I say such things — then we will serve great Diana, as our fathers did before, and they prospered in it to this day.” And it was done according to the word of that tyrannical man, and the wretch was released in the midst of the people. And when he had been released, he suddenly began to rave and to tear himself with his own teeth — until he died. When those who had been washed in the sacred font of baptism saw this, they all alike, exulting and rejoicing, professed obedience to the martyrs’ teaching — since they saw their God so wondrously avenging them.

¹⁴ Therefore, when all these things had thus been accomplished, the vengeance of God’s wrath followed the executioners of the holy martyrs. For an evil spirit seized Geilana and so drove her until she ended her life; Gozbert’s own servants killed him with the sword; and the people of the eastern Franks cast his son Hetanus out of the kingdom. For they so utterly persecuted his family that not one of his line remained.

¹⁵ After a long time, in the place where their bodies were buried, by the divine will the blind received sight, the lame also walked, and the deaf heard. And as many as were afflicted with various illnesses and came there were healed at once. And as the Lord made their merits illustrious, they were honourably raised from the tomb by Burchard, first bishop of the Würzburgers, by the counsel and command of Pope Zacharias, with Archbishop Boniface mediating — while Pippin, the first king of the eastern Franks, was reigning prosperously.

Here ends the Passion of the holy martyrs Kilian and his companions.

¹⁶ [One MS adds:] Who also in the oft-mentioned city of Würzburg flourish in miracles and signs of power to this day, to the praise and glory of the name of Jesus Christ — namely, the redeemer of the world — with whom, together with the co-eternal God and likewise with the Holy Spirit, there is one deity, everlasting majesty, equal honour, the same power, for ever and ever. Amen.