¹ St Wyro, sprung from Scotia, advancing in age and holiness through the order of the canonical degrees, and flourishing before God as the palm, multiplied as a cedar in the house of the Lord, was made beloved of God and men. He was not broken in adversities nor exalted in prosperities; he was not wearied with sacred vigils, he was fed on prayers, he grew joyful with fastings: nor did any judgement of things change the place of his purpose, desiring to emulate the religion of the holy fathers’ sanctity. Not long after, the church of that land was destitute of the solace of pastoral care, and soon by the concordant voice of all, Wyro is appointed to the office of pastor, and the clergy with the people cried out together that no other was demanded from heaven, nor should any other be summoned to the patronage of the kindred nation. But St Wyro, not greedy of perishing honour, persisting in the strength of humility, cried out against it, saying that it rather became him to be a disciple than to stand as a master.

² Now it was the custom among the inhabitants of the same island to direct a pastor elected by themselves to Rome, to be ordained by apostolic hands and, when ordained, to revisit his see and people. What more? Though he long resisted, yet overcome by the prayers of the suppliant people, he went towards Rome — not from ambition of earthly dignity, but from desire of a long-desired pilgrimage. And there were made companions of his way and vow, Plechelm the priest and Otger the deacon, venerable in virtue, not of greater age nor much less merit. And so the holy man, undertaking more securely with these companions the journey he had begun, the three together arrive at Rome by a prosperous course with Christ their leader, press the thresholds of the apostles Peter and Paul with impressed lips, water the pavement’s marble with tears, besiege the altars with prayers and vows, and frequent the holy places with constant resort: nor were their groanings and petition excluded from the divine hearing.

³ For the lord apostolic, these things being thus learned, ordered blessed Wyro to be summoned to him. Perceiving in his countenance, he discerned what was in his heart, and soon his soul rejoiced in the embrace of a holy kiss, not without tears, as from the stirred bowels of piety. At length, having a modest discourse, the pope beginning first inquired in order his name, his country and the course of his purpose. And St Wyro, unfolding the sum of his embassy and laying bare to him in order the purpose of his will and pilgrimage, rolled at his feet humbly begged him not to give his assent to his being promoted to the episcopate. But the lord apostolic is not bent by petitions of this kind; choosing rather to provide for the profit of God’s people and to satisfy the faithful’s election, though he was unwilling and long resisting, he raised him to the episcopal order. Holy Plechelm also, the companion of his journey, he promoted to the dignity and honour of the supreme order, and joined them to himself in the embrace of brotherly charity; enriched with the saints’ patronage and honoured with many gifts, he directed them to their country.

⁴ When therefore the man of God Wyro had returned to his own, the people receive him with applause, the clergy with jubilant voice, and every age of the people extolling him with praises, and the unanimity of all soon sets him over the episcopal chair. Who, set in the see, was illustrious in the greatness of good works, made famous by his manners and examples, equalling his life to his doctrines, not slothfully scattering the seeds of life among the peoples. Yet not changing his mind from what he had begun, hiddenly from men, openly to God, he continually yearned with the burning of pilgrimage. What more? Christ’s grace, whose love he panted for, did not long defer to him the time and event of escaping. Taking to himself therefore his companions — namely Plechelm, sharer of the same honour, way and vow, and Otger, a deacon of religious life — lightly esteeming the blandishments of his parents, the delights of riches, the flux of popular glory, he took up the journey with Christ his leader, which while yet tender in years he had adopted in his mind. Who, traversing the diverse bounds of regions, is directed into the unknown parts of Francia; for he preferred to be held poor and small among strangers rather than be reckoned rich and glorious among his own.

⁵ And when Pippin, duke of the Franks, learned by fame’s telling that such men wished to journey as pilgrims within the bounds of his kingdom, and that their whole country was illustrious for sanctity, filled with joy he caused them to come to him quickly. Receiving them with honour when they came and hearing the cause of their journey, he straightway placed blessed Wyro among his own, God-fearing and venerated by all; and committing himself to his sanctity, he cherished him with the utmost veneration. For the duke himself, providing a place remote from the world’s business for the future, granted it to blessed Wyro to dwell in, where he might more freely take the heavenly fruits with his own. Which place is called by the people’s mouth “Peter’s Mount” — otherwise “Odilienberg”, in the diocese of Liège near the town of Roermond, where there was once a provostry and college of canons, which has now been transferred to the said town of Roermond, and St Wyro’s body has been translated to Utrecht — in which an oratory was built and consecrated in honour of the holy mother of God, and also the monastery of St Peter. Therefore it would be long to relate in detail with what doctrines and examples and marks of virtues and praises of miracles the holy man shone, having obtained the long-desired place. By these things the man of God, conversing among men, grows heavy in years, but heavier in the guard of his mind. He grows feeble in old age, but grows strong in soul.

⁶ At last the time was at hand in which the Lord purposed to have mercy and reward his veteran soldier. For seized with a moderate force of fevers and paying the debt of the flesh, he rendered his happy spirit to heaven, to be transferred to Abraham’s bosom by the hands of angels. And the holy body, within the walls of the same oratory of St Mary, is committed by Christ’s faithful to a worthy burial with hymns and psalm-chants, and there an odour of wondrous fragrance is drawn in by all the bystanders. Now his feast is celebrated on the eighth of May. And at his sepulchre, by divine grace, very many benefits of healing are afterwards granted, nor does he depart unconsoled even to this day who, worthily celebrating his patronage, implores the divine grace to remit to him his sins.