¹ Here begins the Life of Saint Molua, Abbot and Confessor.

² There was a man of venerable life from the province of Munster, from the region of Hua Figenti, from the people of Corcoichlie, named Molua; whose father was called Carthach, but in the common tongue he is called Coche. His mother, however, was called Sochla, that is, “bountiful.” She was born from the western district of the Laigin, that is, from Osraige, and she bore three sons: namely Saint Molua, and Lughuire, and John. But Saint Molua was the youngest in age, yet greater in grace. From infancy he was already filled with spiritual grace, and from childhood miracles were done through him.

³ One day also the mother of Saint Molua went out to the house of a certain man in the village, in order to ask back her cattle from him, which he had in his keeping, because she had found them in his pasture. And then the little holy boy Molua was going with his mother. And when the mother of the pious little boy had entered the house of that man, the man saw the holy little boy Molua burning with flame like lightning. Then that man, struck with fear, was almost made dead. Afterwards, seeing the pious boy in his own form, he said: “Bring that infant to me, that he may touch my head with his hand. He will already be a saint; for the grace of God appears in him.”

⁴ And when his mother carried him in her arms to him, the pious little boy wept, and his tears fell upon the man’s chest. Now that man had long suffered pain in his head, and he had a most grievous ulcer under his breast. Immediately, by the touch of the hand of the holy infant, he was healed of the pain of the head, and the ulcer, which harmed him greatly, vanished. And he, with his household, giving thanks for his health, and the mother of the holy boy rejoicing with him, driving away her cattle, returned to her house. And from this miracle the name of the holy little boy Molua began to be spread abroad among the neighbors.

⁵ The blessed boy Molua used to pasture the sheep of his parents with the other boys of the village. One day also, as they were sitting beside a small fire, as is the custom of boys pasturing cattle in the field, suddenly a heavy rush of rain came down upon them and completely extinguished the fire. And after the departure of the showers, the holy boy Molua, chilled, came to where the fire had been, showing that he wished to have fire. And he took an extinguished and wet brand in his hand, while the other boys were mocking him; and the angel of the Lord came visibly to him, and breathing, blessed the brand in the hand of the holy boy. Immediately now, the brand burning with fire, the angel vanished; and when a fire had been kindled from it, the shepherds were warmed. And the faithful, hearing of that miracle, came and received that fire; and through many houses it was divided by them as a great gift. And in that place crosses are placed even to this day, which are called the Crosses of Molua.

⁶ Another day, when the pious boy Molua was guarding the calves of his parents near the village, sleep fell upon him and he slept heavily. Then, when the cows were returning from the pastures, the calves went in to them; but by a nod of God the mouths of the calves were dried up around the udders of their mothers, and they could in no way suck milk. While the pious boy was still sleeping, this was seen from the village; and his mother came in anger and was roughly waking the boy, for she thought that the calves had drunk all the milk. And lifting up her hand in order to strike him, the angel of the Lord came and held her hand, lest she should harm the boy. Then the mother, falling to the ground, the blessed Molua escaped from her hands, and separated the calves from the mothers with the others. Seeing, however, that the mouths of the calves were so tightly closed around the teats of the cows until Saint Molua came to them, and that the milk was untouched by them, they blessed the happiness of the blessed boy from God.

⁷ For some time Saint Molua, as a boy, was guarding pigs with the other boys in the fields. Now when the pigs wandered far away from them, one of the boys in turn brought them back to the swineherds. But whenever Saint Molua went out in his turn to bring back the pigs, sheep appeared before him as pigs, and a flock of sheep seemed to men to be before him, and not a herd of swine; and when he was sitting with the others, the pigs again appeared to men in their own forms. But those rustics did not fully understand the meaning of this thing, but only guessed it for good, knowing the grace of God in other signs through him. But we, knowing the figure of sheep in the divine page, understand well. For he is indeed chosen by God as a shepherd of the sheep of Christ, that is, of just men; and not as a swineherd of pigs, that is, of evil and unjust men. For afterwards he himself became the founder of many monasteries and cells, and of very many monks in them.

⁸ The blessed boy Molua once was absent for the whole day and night, and none of his own could know where he was, or what had happened to him. And when his kinsmen were seeking him through the district, his father found him sleeping in a field; but he did not dare to come nearer to awaken him, because he saw a man in white garments standing before him. Then he, having taken counsel with himself, went to the cell of the holy sons of Coelboth, who were seven brothers and priests in one cell, and told them about his son. And one of them came with him, and when he raised up the boy, a fragrance from the mouth of the boy filled his mouth; and he was filled with it until the day of his death. And afterwards, in this world until his death, he ate nothing except the body and blood of Christ, when he himself was offering. And from that same fragrance, a breath then coming around the mouth of his father almost intoxicated him. The mystery of this thing the almighty God, by whose gift it came, himself knows.

⁹ Afterwards, at times Saint Molua used to frequent the cell of the same sons of Coelboth. And it happened one day that a certain old man of the sons of Coelboth placed his head in the bosom of Saint Molua; and there he immediately died. The holy and pious Molua did not know that he was dead. Then the others said to him: “He is dead, O beloved boy, the holy old man in your bosom.” To whom Saint Molua said: “May the Lord and my God not so do to me, that he should kill anyone in my bosom.” Then, as Saint Molua prayed, that old man rose from death before them all, and afterwards lived many days.

¹⁰ One summer day, the blessed boy Molua, in the heat of the sun, went down into a certain river in order to wash his body. Seeing this, a certain sick man, whom physicians had not been able to cure for a long time, said before all who were present there: “I will go and wash myself in the water with this holy boy, that through him the grace of God may heal me from my infirmity.” And when that man washed himself in the water which flowed down from the boy, immediately there on the spot that man was healed from all his pain, and giving thanks, he went out strong to his own home.

¹¹ At another time, a most grievous pain, that is, a cancer, seized the foot of the father of Saint Molua from the toes, and began to eat away the foot. And lest, growing greater, it should consume the whole foot, the foot was cut off in the middle by the physicians. When now the most pious boy Molua saw the foot of his father divided, he was greatly saddened; and weeping he took the divided part and placed it in its place. And immediately, between his hands, the divine power healing, the foot was joined and knit together, as if it had never been cut off; but a scar remained on it. And from that pain he was healthy until the day of his death. The physicians, seeing such a marvelous thing with the others, glorified the grace of Christ in the holy boy Molua.

¹² On a certain autumn day, the blessed boy Molua with the other boys, for the sake of amusement, were pressing mulberries in a certain vessel, that they might have a drink. And the holy boy Molua mixed a little water into that juice of mulberries, and blessing it began to serve it to the other boys. But by the nod of God the strength and sweetness of wine appeared in the juice of mulberries mixed with water; and the boys were made drunk from it. Then the son of Dimma, the leader of that region, named Faolan, came with his men through that place. And when they saw the boys harmed by drunkenness, they asked that drink be given to them also. And with joy Saint Molua served them. And they likewise were made drunk and slept there.

¹³ But Faolan, the son of the leader, saw a vision: that is, that the blessed Molua had given a golden torque around his neck and a bright chasuble around his body. This was fulfilled after much time. For Faolan himself in his old age offered many goods to Saint Molua; and leaving his kingdom, he received the monastic habit with Saint Molua. Then the golden torque and the bright stole—that is, the eternal crown and the happiness of heavenly life with the saints—Saint Molua bestowed upon Duke Faolan in the presence of the Trinity.

¹⁴ Once, the blessed boy Molua went with his mother, in order that they might seek some interval at a nearby mill to grind grain; but the miller gave them no interval. And afterwards for three days and three nights the mill stood still and in no way ran. And it was said to the miller by certain people: “Truly, because of the boy Molua the mill does not run.” Then the blessed Molua, having been called, put his hand into the mouth of the millstone; and immediately the stone ran. Seeing this, the miller satisfied the will of the holy boy and asked pardon from him.

¹⁵ The daughter of Fintan, the uncle of Saint Molua, had been mute for sixteen years from her birth. On a certain day she took into her bosom her kinsman, the holy boy Molua, and embraced him; and the breath of the boy coming forth around her mouth and face, immediately her tongue was opened and she spoke clearly. And that daughter was called Cainer; and there she devoted her virginity to God, and she became a holy and marvelous virgin in signs and wonders. And she built a monastery which is called Cluain Claraydh, in which that virgin of Christ gathered handmaidens.

¹⁶ On another day, three most beautiful and unknown young men came and began to play with the holy boy Molua in the sight of his parents. And while they were playing for a short time, those young men lifted Saint Molua up with them into the air and vanished from their eyes. Then the father and mother of Saint Molua with their household grieved greatly, not knowing what had happened to their son. But after three hours those young men, that is, the angels of God, set the holy boy down upon the earth before his parents; and the blessed boy was joyful in mind and countenance, and he comforted his parents concerning his angelic visitation.

¹⁷ A certain woman had had a dead child in her womb for three years, and in no way and by no medicine could she bring him forth, and she was suffering great pains from it. That woman, walking on a certain day, found Saint Molua on the road; and recognizing that he was the holy boy Molua, she came to him weeping and held him against her breast, and begged that he would bless her womb. And after the blessing of the holy boy, there that woman was healed from her pains, and on the following night she brought forth her child.

¹⁸ Saint Abbot Comgall from the province of the Ulaid came at one time into the region of the Munstermen, and found Saint Molua sleeping in a field, a little removed from the road. And Saint Comgall said to one of his disciples: “Go there and see what is there.” A reed very near to the mouth of Saint Molua was burning with divine fire, and he reported this to Saint Comgall. That brother then awakened Saint Molua from sleep and led him to Saint Comgall. When Saint Comgall saw the blessed boy Molua, he himself was filled with love for him as for an only son; for he knew that he was full of the grace of God. And Saint Comgall commanded Saint Molua to show him his parents. And Saint Comgall said to the father and mother of Saint Molua: “Offer this your little son to the Lord, and let him come with us to read and to be taught. For he is full of the Holy Spirit; and he will establish many places for God, and he will be the spiritual father of many.” Then the parents of Saint Molua offered him to God and commended him to Saint Comgall, that he might nourish him for God. And Saint Molua went with the holy father Comgall to the province of the Ulaid, and he remained with him in just conduct for a long time. And many signs were done there by God through him, of which we shall tell a few.

¹⁹ The holy father Comgall himself now ordered the alphabet to be written for him, and began to teach him. And on a certain day Saint Comgall found the angel of God teaching Saint Molua, and he was explaining letters to him and comforting him with all piety. And afterwards Saint Molua was very keen in understanding and ingenious in the liberal art. And Saint Comgall said to him one day, as they were conversing together: “You have asked, my son, a dangerous thing from God; for many have been deceived by understanding and by the liberal art, and from it have had the cause of ruin.” Saint Molua answered him and said: “If I should always have the understanding of the Lord, I would not stumble and I would not consent to the devil. For those who are without understanding do not care about doing the will of God, and they do not resist the devil, but they destroy their life with vices.” To him Father Comgall said: “Son, you are firm in faith, and through good understanding you will enter by the straight way into eternal life.”

²⁰ On another day, when Saint Molua had held an iron ball with tongs out of the fire, in order to give it to the anvil of a certain sick brother to be heated, the round iron fell from the tongs back into the fire. Seeing this, Saint Comgall rebuked him with many words. Then Saint Molua, confused, put his hand into the fire and brought back from there the burning iron, and placed it on the anvil; and neither the fire nor the hot iron harmed him at all. And the brothers, seeing this, gave thanks to God.

²¹ At a certain time, Saint Comgall sent three bands of his brothers by different roads into the region. And those three bands asked Father Comgall that Saint Molua might go with them. And the bands contended around Saint Molua, each band wishing to have him with itself. Comgall said to them: “With whichever band he himself wishes, let him go.” When the bands went out on their roads, it seemed to them that Saint Molua was in the company of each of them, until they returned. This the power of God now did because of the holiness of the holy young man Molua. From this Saint Molua was afterwards called by many “the boy of the three bands.”

²² Once, as Saint Molua was walking with Saint Comgall on a certain shore beside the sea, one of the brothers in the rear part of the band rebuked him. And immediately Saint Molua threw himself down on the shore, until they all went out from the shore. When now they came to land, Saint Comgall wished to speak to Saint Molua, but he was not found in the company. Father Comgall said to them: “Did any of you rebuke him?” That brother said: “Father, forgive me; I rebuked him on the shore.” “Go quickly,” said Comgall, “and seek him.” And when the brothers returned, they found Saint Molua lying on the shore and surrounded by the flooding of the sea; but the water, swelling on the shore to the breadth of a house, did not come to him according to its custom, but rose like a wall. Seeing this, the brothers called him to Saint Comgall. And when he heard, the holy brother Molua rose up, not yet knowing that he was surrounded by the sea; and he ran, untouched by the water, to the brothers, and came with them rejoicing to Saint Comgall. When Saint Father Comgall heard this, he offered blessings with his companions to Christ.

²³ On a certain day, Saint Molua was sent to carry milk from a cow-shed on a horse; but the horse fell on the road under the vessels, and the bottoms of the vessels were thrust in from their place, and all the milk was poured out on the ground. But Saint Molua put the bottoms of the vessels again into their places, and filled the vessels with water, saying: “I will not carry empty vessels to the monastery, because water is needed there.” And certain men coming from the village after him lifted the vessels full of water with him onto the horse; and they told the neighbors: “Saint Molua is carrying water to his monastery in place of milk.” But that water, by the nod of God, was turned into the best milk. And those who drank it said that the taste of honey was in it. And the angel of the Lord came to Saint Molua when the horse fell, and comforted him.

²⁴ On another day, Saint Molua was sent to the mill, that he might grind a certain grain which was not wheat; but by the nod of God, through the merits of Saint Molua, it was made into the purest wheat. And when the blessed steward of the monastery of Saint Comgall saw this, he did not dare to eat it, and he sent it to be kept for making offerings for the work of God.

²⁵ Saint Comgall said once to Saint Molua: “Seek, my son, a horse from the provost, and lead that paralytic to the place to which he himself wishes to go.” And since the provost was then occupied with his horses in other matters, Saint Molua said to that paralytic, who for a long time before had not been able to move himself from his bed: “Rise, brother, that I may lead you to the place to which you wish to go.” For Saint Molua wished to carry him on his own shoulders. And immediately that paralytic, healed by God at the voice of Saint Molua, rose up strongly from the bed, declaring that he was well. And seeing this, Saint Molua said to him: “Go in health in the name of God, wherever you wish, O good man; but if anyone asks you how you were made well, you shall say to him that my holy father Comgall healed you in the name of Christ.” But that man, going out, said to everyone that Saint Molua, the disciple of Saint Comgall, had made him well with one word. And those who heard and saw this glorified God in his saints.

²⁶ At the end of a certain most holy Paschal night, when Saint Comgall was offering to God, the blessed Molua was holding a candle for him in his hand. But when he fell asleep for a little while, overcome by sleep, the candle fell from his hand near the altar into the consecrated water and was extinguished. Father Comgall rebuked him, and Saint Molua, fearing his rebuke greatly, took it up extinguished and wet from the water, and looking up to heaven, suddenly breathed upon it; and immediately the candle flared up in his hand with a bright flame before the clergy, as if it had never been extinguished. And seeing this flame, they themselves were inflamed with the love of Christ.

²⁷ After this, Saint Molua was compelled by Saint Comgall to receive sacred orders; and when he had received the درجات, Father Comgall said to him: “Take some disciples with you, my son, and go to your homeland; for there you will build many places for God.” And having received the permission and blessing of Saint Comgall and of all the brothers, Saint Molua came with some brothers with him from the famous monastery of Saint Comgall, Bangor, and he came to a certain place which is called Druim Sneachta; and there he dwelt for some time and worked many virtues.

²⁸ In that place, on a certain day, when two boys were swimming in a nearby pool, a very terrible beast appeared, whose size was like a great skiff. When Saint Molua saw the beast coming toward the boys, he called them from the shore, saying: “Swim to me quickly, boys, that I may see which of you swims better and more swiftly.” And the boys did not know that the beast was pursuing them. And the boys swam very swiftly to Saint Molua, wishing to prove their swimming. And when the boys reached the shore, the holy man received them onto the land; and immediately after them the beast struck the shore with its breast and made a great noise. And when the boys looked back, one of them was greatly afraid of its terribleness and dread, and immediately there he died. And when the beast wished to enter the land, Saint Molua commanded it in the name of Christ to return to the lake and thereafter to harm no one from that place until the end of the world. And from that day until today that beast has not appeared from there, nor has it done harm.

²⁹ But the friends of that boy were grieving over his death; Saint Molua came to him and raised him from death before all, and afterwards he lived many days.

³⁰ And when Saint Molua wished to depart from that place to his own province, as Saint Comgall had told him, the angel of the Lord came to him, saying: “If you wish to remain this place, the possessions of this place will be many, and your parish will be great here. But if not, go to your homeland, as your holy master told you.” And Saint Molua did not wish to remain in that place, because secular men there were making obstacles for him; but he blessed that place. And when a monastery had been established there, he came from there to the holy school of Saint Finnian in his city Cluain Hayard, which is on the border of the Laigin and the descendants of Niall. In which school a multitude of the saints of Ireland were searching out divinity with Saint Finnian, a most wise man.

³¹ On a certain day, Saint Molua was sent to sow seed in a certain field, and that seed was not wheat. But before the fitting time that field grew and ripened, and it was pure wheat. And from this the name of Saint Molua was glorified with Saint Finnian and his holy school.

³² And after some time Saint Molua received permission from the holy master Finnian and his holy disciples, and he came to Munster; and he traversed his own homeland, that is, the descendants of Fidgente, which people are in the middle of Munster, from the middle of the plain of Munster as far as the middle of Mount Luachra in the west, to the southern bank of the River Shannon. And Saint Molua came one day with his disciples to the duke of Hua Fidhgente, who was called Faolan, son of Dimma, of whom we spoke above when he was made drunk, Saint Molua in his boyhood giving him the drink of mulberries.

³³ And when Saint Molua went in to Duke Faolan, he asked from him a place in which he might build a monastery for God. Now the duke was playing at dice, and he answered the man of God nothing for a long time. And when the duke was silent for a long time, one of his companions said to him: “Why, lord duke, do you not greet the holy monks, nor answer them? For their abbot is our brother; now it is fitting for us to give him honor, for we have heard many good things about him.” To whom the duke answered and said: “Truly I greet them in my heart, and I rejoice at their coming; and what my lord abbot Molua asks, I am considering in my mind.”

³⁴ Then the duke, divinely inspired, said prophetically to Saint Molua: “In this people of yours, Father Molua, your chief place will not be, nor indeed your resurrection.” When the blessed Molua saw the holy duke inspired with the prophetic spirit, he said to him: “Where then, lord duke, will be my greater place and my resurrection?” The duke said to him: “On the border now of the Munstermen and the Laigin your chief place will be, and your resurrection. And you will build many other places for God in this your homeland in other regions, and whatever is necessary for you will be supplied by me. And after a time indeed I myself will be your monk.” Thus all these things indeed came to pass.

³⁵ Knowing that this prophecy was from God, Saint Molua blessed Duke Faolan and his people, that is, the descendants of Hua Fidhgente, and he came with his monks to the border of the Munstermen and the Laigin; and first he went to the brothers of his mother in the region of Osraige, which place he began to build up. Now the brothers of the mother of Saint Molua were two, of whom one was glad at the coming of Saint Molua and offered him his inheritance. But the other was harsh, and grieved that his brother should give his inheritance to Saint Molua; for he himself, being very wicked, wished to have it. And he drew his sword and came with his men to kill the man of God, unless his brother with God’s help defended him; and he destroyed what Saint Molua had built there. For Saint Molua had begun to build a cell on that inheritance, which that evil man destroyed.

³⁶ To him the saint of God said before all: “Before one month is completed, you will die, and your inheritance after you will be scattered.” And according to the prophecy of the man of God it was fulfilled.

³⁷ Not wishing to remain there any longer, Saint Molua—when the angel of the Lord came to him and showed him Mount Smoil, saying: “Go to that mountain; for at its roots your greater place will be, and your resurrection in it”—directed his journey to Mount Smoil, which is now called Mount Bladma, as the angel told him; and he had five cows with him as his possession. And in whatever place the cows waited, there the saint remained with his companions. And at whatever hour the cows went from there, Saint Molua followed them with his companions.

³⁸ Now an angel of the Lord appeared to a certain man, by name Bledeno, saying: “Tomorrow the holy abbot Molua, following his own people, will come to you with white cows having red ears; and offer to him your inheritance, for you will be his monk.” And so it was done. For in that same inheritance Saint Molua built a cell, which is called Ross Bualeadh.

³⁹ And from there Saint Molua, coming on, went to Berach, a chieftain of the people of Laighse, which is in the corner of the Leinster men, opposite the men of Munster and the descendants of Niall, and he sought from him a suitable place for a monastery. Then the son of Berach the chieftain was almost dead, and gave no response at all. And Saint Molua, being asked on his behalf, blessed water, and the sick boy was sprinkled from it, and immediately, before all, he rose up healthy. Seeing this, the chieftain Berach, his father, said to Saint Molua: “Look, I offer to you and to God this my fortress with its fields, and build here a monastery.” Saint Molua answered him, saying: “I will not accept your royal fortress; but hand over to me a place on the southern side of Mount Bladhma, just as the angel of the Lord appointed for me.”

⁴⁰ Then the chieftain of Laighse, Berach, handed over to Saint Molua the place which he had sought; and he established for him a постоян tribute from the chieftain and the people of Laighse. And Saint Molua blessed that chieftain with his offspring and his people, and he came to the place predestined for him by God; and he began there to build a great and splendid and famous monastery.

⁴¹ And Saint Molua decreed that no woman should ever enter there. And from that day until today no woman dares to enter that monastery. And a great multitude of monks came from here and there to that place; and the pious father Molua received them kindly. And in that same place is a famous city, which is called Cluain Ferta Molua, that is, “the wondrous hiding-place of Saint Molua,” because in his lifetime he worked many miracles in it, and even now by the grace of God they are worked through him; and it has grown in honor of Saint Molua. And it is on the border of the Leinster men and the men of Munster, between the regions of Osraige and Eile and Laighse.

⁴² And when the brothers of Saint Molua wished to build a house for him in a conspicuous place, first he said to them: “Christ is our abbot; he himself is now received as a guest. Therefore make here a house of guests, and hand over the best from your fields for his use.”

⁴³ And so it was done; and the care of guests and pilgrims was carried on very diligently in that place by Saint Molua.

⁴⁴ After these things the holy abbot Molua went out with many monks to his own people, that is, to the descendants of Fidhgenti; and he found there great offerings from lands and from possessions, and he established there cells and famous monasteries for God, and not only in that region, but also in others, in which he ordained congregations and offices. And Saint Molua worked many miracles in those places. And even now in them they are shown “through him.”

⁴⁵ A certain convert and monk was with Saint Molua who was unwilling to confess his sins. Now once, when Saint Molua was coming along the road which leads to the place called Tuaim Domnaidh, that same monk was in his company; and Saint Molua said to him beside the cross which was on the road near that place, that is, Tuaim: “Truly I have sinned today, because I have not made confession to some elder of those things which I have done today. Therefore wait for me here a little, until I go there and confess.”

⁴⁶ Then that convert monk, pricked in heart, said: “Is it so grave a sin not to confess in this world? Is it not enough for us to pray to God alone for our sins?”

⁴⁷ Saint Molua said to him: “Unless a man has confessed his sins, he will not obtain pardon, except either through a great punishment of penance here by himself, or afterward, after the accusation of the devil, through public judgment in the future, if almighty God in his mercy grants it to him. For just as a pavement is wiped every day with a broom, so the soul is [cleansed] by daily confession.”

⁴⁸ Hearing this, the monk from his holy abbot promised to confess his faults, and he confessed faithfully, and that brother was healed from his former presumption; and the father and the brothers rejoiced.

⁴⁹ At another time the man of God Molayssi had a very grievous ulcer beneath his breast, and his mouth was twisted; and he refused medicine because of the greatness of the heat and the excessive sharpness. When Saint Molua heard this, he came to him and said: “If it is permitted to me to bless your breast by which you are tormented, O dear father?”

⁵⁰ And Saint Molayssi said to him: “Bless it only with the holy sign and with your prayer; but beware lest you touch it in any way.” And so Saint Molua, blessing the breast of the man of God, immediately the pain vanished from him utterly, and Saint Molayssi appeared healthy at once. Then those two saints with their disciples gave thanks to Christ.

⁵¹ One day, as the holy father Molua was walking around the monastery, and one brother with him, named Dochonne, fell into a certain pit; and there suddenly his foot was broken into three parts, and in no way could he move himself from there. The pious father Molua came to him and took the divided thigh in his hands, and praying he joined bone to bone, and immediately the foot of the brother was healed in his hands, as though it had never been broken.

⁵² And the brother Dochonne, rising up safe, Saint Molua threatened him and said: “Beware lest in my lifetime you tell this deed to anyone. For on whatever day you shall reveal it to anyone, your foot will be broken, and you will die the sooner, just as would have happened to you now, unless God had healed you through me.”

⁵³ Which indeed came to pass. For that brother Dochonne, after many days, conversing with certain brothers about Saint Molua, told them the same deed. There immediately his foot was broken before the brothers; and after a short space he died, just as the holy man had said. And the brothers, hearing and seeing such things, were edified in their holy elder.

⁵⁴ A certain day Saint Father Molua went to see the herd of his monastery; and he saw near the road among the bushes hungry wolves, crying out to heaven. And moved by mercy, he called them to himself and placed them in the guesthouse, washed their feet, and caused a calf to be killed and cooked, and it was given to them with all kindness. And such a banquet Saint Molua used to make for the wolves in yearly custom. Afterwards the wolves, eager, began to guard the sheep of Saint Molua from other wolves and from thieves; and they were like household members with the shepherds of the saint, recognizing one another; and for many days after the death of Saint Molua those wolves did this.

⁵⁵ On a certain day brother Finanus was making the offerings in a certain upper room, and Saint Father Molua was helping him. And a partridge bird came through the window and took one offering with it in its beak. And Saint Molua made the sign after the bird, and immediately it fell to the ground dead. Seeing this, Saint Molua blessed it, praying, and raised it from death, and kindly fed it. And that same bird afterwards in its life was familiar among the brothers.

⁵⁶ On another day there came the bishop of Saighre, by name Sethna, toward evening. Hearing this, Saint Father Molua ran to meet him, saying: “Stay, holy father, with your servants this neart, because it is evening.”

⁵⁷ The bishop Sethna answered him: “Truly, holy servant of God, I cannot; for by my faith I have promised my citizens to arrive today at my city Saighre. But pray to God for us, that the day may not fail until we reach our city. For we trust in your most holy prayer that this will be for us, although it is against nature.”

⁵⁸ For the journey from the city of Molua, Cluain Ferta, to the city of Saighre is almost a day’s distance, as some say. And the saints, kissing and blessing one another, the bishop went out on his way; Saint Molua gave himself to prayer. And the sun, already bright, shone for the bishop with his companions on the road through a region dark all around, until he sat in his own city after the prayer.

⁵⁹ The citizens now of the city of Saighre ascribed this miracle to their holy bishop; but the holy bishop to Saint Molua. And we know that this deed was done by God through the merits of both.

⁶⁰ A certain man, taken in bonds, was released by the king of Temoria, so that he might seek from good men the price of his freedom; for that man had no riches, but through his good faith he was released to seek the price. And coming to Saint Molua, he found him in a field casting seed into the earth. And when Saint Molua had now heard his business, he sent handfuls of seed into his bosom, saying to him: “Go, and give this to the king for yourself.”

⁶¹ That man, greatly wondering, meanwhile kept silent. And looking again into his bosom, he saw that it had been made into most beautiful gold in his bosom. Then that man, giving thanks to God and to Saint Molua, went on to the king and gave him the gold.

⁶² Seeing the shining gold, the king said to him: “Who gave you such gold?” And the man, relating to the king the event of the matter, the king said to him: “Go, you are free from me. But carry back this gold to Saint Molua.”

⁶³ And he also, returning gladly, faithfully assigned it from the king to Saint Molua. And Saint Molua, blessing it before all, again it was turned into grain. And those seeing and hearing these things were strengthened in the faith of Christ and in contempt of riches.

⁶⁴ On another day, as Saint Father Molua was going about the sacristy, he found behind the sanctuary in the sacristy four brothers wishing to go into pilgrimage, and speaking secretly among themselves. To whom Saint Molua said: “You are indeed thinking, my brothers, to go into a far pilgrimage for Christ; but I say to you in the name of Christ, that where now your feet are, there you will be buried.”

⁶⁵ They, knowing that this would be true, afterward remained steadfast in their monastery; and there they were buried, just as the man of God had foretold.

⁶⁶ The most blessed archbishop of the Leinster men, Moedhog, wished to go across the sea into Britain to his holy master, Bishop David, that he might ask him whom he should have in Ireland as the father of his confession. And an angel of the Lord came, saying to him: “Do not go across the sea. For almighty God knows that your confession is holy and pure; but nevertheless go to Saint Molua, son of Coche, and let him be the father of your confession, if you do not wish otherwise to be.”

⁶⁷ Afterward the holy archbishop Moedhog came to Saint Molua, and was honorably received by him. And Saint Molua caused a fat calf to be killed and prepared with other foods for Saint Moedhog. And when Saint Molua heard that the bishop did not eat meats, he blessed eight portions of meat, and they were made into eight fishes. And when they were set before the bishop, and he himself knew by divine knowledge how the fishes had been made, he blessed them and again they became eight portions of meat.

⁶⁸ Seeing this, Saint Molua was displeased, for there were no other fishes then in the monastery. And again before the bishop and all he blessed the eight portions of meat, and immediately they were made into eight fishes. This the holy bishop took charitably in the name of Christ for the honor of Saint Molua, giving thanks to God with all. And the bishop, taking Saint Molua as the father of his confession, returned with joy to his own in the kiss of peace.

⁶⁹ At one time Saint Molua visited Saint Ernenus, an abbot in the region of Cennselach, not far from the river Berua, dwelling in the monastery of Ross mac Treoin, which the most holy old man Abbanus had founded. And that holy abbot Ernenus was a man ready in miracles; and he himself had been born of one nation with Saint Molua.

⁷⁰ And when Saint Molua returned to his own, he found his holy sister, by name Croin, dead upon the bier, and the sisters weeping around her. To whom Saint Molua said: “May eternal joy be for you in heaven.” And he himself, praying beside the bier, she soberly rose from death, blessing all. And when Saint Molua and his blessed sister Croin had greeted one another, she chose to return back and to remain in rest with the saints. And having received the sacrifice with the blessing and prayer of Saint Molua, she went back to Christ and fell asleep in peace.

⁷¹ On a certain day Saint Molua the old man, and two disciples with him reading, suddenly he himself was made sorrowful and wept before them. And after a little while he rejoiced, and was cheerful in joy. Then the brothers, asking about the cause of the sadness and the joy, he said to them: “At this hour Saint Gregory has been elected to the bishopric of Rome, and refusing it, he himself wept. But an angel of the Lord came to him and persuaded him to accept; and he, made joyful by the command of the angel, accepted it. I, according to the Apostle, wept with him who was weeping, and with him I rejoice.” And the disciples rejoiced in such a divine revelation.

⁷² Walking at another time Saint Molua in the province of the Leinster men, demons entered into their queen and were tormenting her. She, bound with three chains, was led by many to Saint Molua, that he might pray for her. And while Saint Molua was praying, immediately before the people the demons went out from her, lamenting; and she was weak for an hour after the vexation of the demons. And Saint Molua blessing her, she was loosed; and glad with her people, giving thanks, she returned. And from this there was great joy made in that region.

⁷³ Berach, the chieftain of Laighse, of whom we spoke above, prepared a great supper for the king of the Leinster men. But the beer which had been prepared for that supper happened to be bitter, and men tasting it immediately vomited. And this greatly displeased the chieftain with his people.

⁷⁴ And seeing a poor man passing by barefoot, and carrying two shoes in the cold, he was amazed and said to him: “Why, good man, do you not have the shoes on your feet in the cold? And who gave them to you?” The poor man answered: “Saint old Molua gave them to me; and I cannot bring myself to place my unclean feet where his feet have been.”

⁷⁵ Hearing this, the chieftain Berach took the shoes and mixed them through all the vats in which the drink was; and immediately a strong sweetness appeared, and health accompanied it. And seeing this, the chieftain greatly rejoiced with his people, glorifying God and Saint Molua; and he returned to that poor man his shoes with a great gift.

⁷⁶ On a certain day Saint Molua came to the city of Saint Cainnech, which is called Achad Bo; and there three little boys, the sons of Darius, by pity put their hands around the neck of Saint Molua and touched him with their little palms, calling him their father.

⁷⁷ Men marveling at this asked why the infants had done this together, and they wished to restrain them. Then Saint Molua said to them: “Allow these to show love without guile by the inspiration of God. For these little ones will indeed be my holy monks after me in my monastery.” And so it was done.

⁷⁸ The herdsman of the monastery of Saint Molua suddenly died, and the brothers grieved over this. At that time Saint Molua was in another place. The steward of the monastery placed the tunic of Saint Lugid upon the dead man, and immediately he rose alive and well, and afterward lived for many days.

⁷⁹ For Saint Molua indeed was formerly named Lugid; but by his mother through affection he was called Molua, and afterward likewise by his holy master Comgall; and from there all the people call him Molua. And they know his first name, that is, Lugid.

⁸⁰ A mute boy at one time, that is, the son of Maelduibh, was brought to Saint Molua that he might heal him. And Saint old Molua, praying, placed three of his fingers in the boy’s mouth; and immediately before all he spoke, and blessing all, he gave thanks to God.

⁸¹ At one time Saint Father Molua, walking in the regions of the Déisi, found there in a certain place a great mourning. For the wife of the chieftain of that region had died there from the pain of childbirth, and the child had died in her womb. And Saint Molua was asked by the chieftain and by the great nobles with earnest prayers that he would entreat the divine mercy for her. And Saint Molua, praying, raised up both, that is, the lady and the son in her womb. Therefore the lady offered herself with her son to Saint Molua. And the chieftain of the Déisi also offered a field to God and to Saint Molua, in which Saint Molua built a cell, which is called Ard Gabrain.

⁸² Saint Abbot Daganus, going to Rome, took with him the rule which Saint Molua had ordained and dictated to his monks. And when Saint Pope Gregory read that rule, he said before all: “That saint, whose this rule is, has fenced a hedge around his household even up to heaven.” And Saint Pope Gregory sent his prayer and his blessing to Saint Molua; and at this Saint Molua rejoiced, and gave thanks to God.

⁸³ When once Saint Molua had come to the place which is called Tuaim Domnaidh, he found there a boy beside the calves making an offering in childish play; and he had an offering of mud. Seeing this, Saint Molua blessed that offering, and immediately it was turned into wheat bread; and from the hand of that boy he then received the sacrifice in the name of the Lord. And that same boy afterward, filled day by day by the grace of God, became a holy bishop, who is Dochummi son of Maelánfhind.

⁸⁴ One of the teeth of Saint Molua in his old age fell out; and he said to the brother ministering to him: “This tooth, my son, keep carefully; for there will be a day when it will be necessary; and let it not be buried with me”; which after a long time was fulfilled. For after the death of Saint Molua certain monks came to Ireland to seek the relics of the saints of Ireland. And when they came to the city of Cluain Ferta to ask for relics of Saint Molua, the people were unwilling to open the shrine of the relics of Saint Molua.

⁸⁵ Seeing the distress of the monks and of the people, that brother informed them about that tooth, as we said above. And both were gladdened by this; and that same tooth was given to them according to their request.

⁸⁶ At one time Saint Molua came to greet Saint Daganus the abbot; and Saint old Molua asked Daganus who would be in his place after him. And Saint Daganus foretold prophetically, saying: “Blessed Lachtanus will sit in your seat after you.” And this pleased Saint Molua.

⁸⁷ And Saint Daganus said to the venerable old man Molua: “Holy father, give your blessing upon me and upon my place; for we know that you wish after a short time to pass to Christ.” Saint old Molua answered: “From on high your blessing will always be.”

⁸⁸ Afterward, praying and blessing one another in the kiss of peace, Saint Molua returned to his own; but Saint Daganus remained in his place, which is called Achad-Dagani.

⁸⁹ Knowing that the day of his departure was near, the most holy old man Molua, having gathered his monks before him, delivered to them divine precepts; and among other things he said: “My most dear brothers, till the land well and labor well, that you may have sufficiency of food and drink and clothing. For where there is sufficiency among the servants of God, there will be stability; and where there is stability in service, there will be religion. And the end of religion will be eternal life. My most dear sons, let there be stability among you, let there be fitting silence; care for pilgrims, love the labor of the hands for the sake of prayer; always receive guests for Christ’s sake. Always give yourselves to prayers in the morning, afterward to readings; then work” (thus he divided the day into three parts) “until evening, being occupied with the works of God and other necessities.”

⁹⁰ After these and other admonitions Saint old Molua came to Saint Cronanus, then dwelling on the island of Cre, that he might greet him before he departed from this world. And when Saint Molua indicated to Saint Cronanus that his death was near, he received from him the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ; and then, in the kiss of peace, after prayer and a tearful blessing given there, Saint Molua returned with his companions to his holy monastery, Cluain Ferta.

⁹¹ And when Saint Molua had turned aside to a certain cell a little removed from the road, which is called Tuaim Dhomhnaidh, he sat down, being weary, on the road on the eastern side of the hill. Now the hill is great between the island of Cre and the city of Cluain Ferta; and Saint Molua said to a certain holy man, by name Scellanus, who was one of his disciples: “If anyone should see the household of heaven and of earth together, to which ought he to go?” Blessed Scellanus answered him: “Truly, indeed, to the household of heaven.”

⁹² “Therefore give me, my most dear son, the holy sacrifice,” said Saint Father Molua, “for I see the household of heaven prepared for my departure, that I may go with them.” And there the most holy old man Molua, receiving the Lord’s sacrifice from the hand of his holy disciple Scellanus, on the second day before the Nones of August, gave up his spirit and passed among the choirs of angels to Christ.

⁹³ And his body was carried to the same cell, that is, Tuaim Dhomhnaidh; and it was there for some days. For there was a dispute between the Leinster men and the men of Munster concerning the relics of the blessed Molua. The men of Munster wished to have them, because he had been born of their people and had monasteries and cells in their province, and in their land, although in the farthest part, he had departed; but the Leinster men wished to lead his blessed little body to their city, Cluain Ferta, which he had founded in the western boundary of their region by the gift of Berach, chieftain of Laighse, that he might be buried there.

⁹⁴ In that dispute an angel of the Lord came to certain men and said to them: “Place the body of the saint on a cart, and put two unbroken oxen to it, and let them go wherever they will.” And both parties agreeing to the angelic sentence, so they did. And the oxen, by the nod of God, went their way to the same city, Cluain Ferta, and stood with the cart before the door of the monastery.

⁹⁵ And immediately a certain holy and wise man, by name Manchenus, came to the cart, and placed his bloodied eye, almost dragged out of his head, upon the body, and at once he was healed, as if nothing had ever harmed him.

⁹⁶ Afterward, by the multitude of the saints, the most blessed body of the holy old man Molua was given with due honor to the earth in the place built in his monastery, which he himself had constructed from the field; where a famous city grew, in which by the grace of Christ in signs and wonders near the relics of Saint Molua it appears through the ages.

⁹⁷ Twice in the week, that is, on Sunday and on Thursday, the angel of the Lord always used to come to Abbot Munnu, who is in his monastery, Tech Munnu, in the southern part of the Leinster men which is called Cennselach; and he did not come in the week in which Saint Molua passed to heaven. And it was shown divinely to Saint Munnu that for seven days after the departure of Saint Molua there was exultation and immense joy in heaven, and the pains of hell were lightened, and darkness was driven away from many places on earth, and sufferings throughout the world were made moderate, and many escaped from them.

⁹⁸ And after the week, when the angel came to Saint Munnu, Saint Munnu questioned him, saying: “Why, according to your accustomed manner, did you not come to me in these days, minister of God?”

⁹⁹ The angel answered, saying: “Because in these days a venerable guest passed to heaven, that is, Molua son of Coche; and therefore the angels of God did not come in these days to visit the saints of Ireland. For the household of heaven were rejoicing together in his coming in these days.”

¹⁰⁰ Saint Munnu said: “Now it appears that he fulfilled the will of God more than all of us. But you go to the Lord, that I may know for what cause it was dearer to rejoice in his coming than to come to me.”

¹⁰¹ The angel went out, and after a short space returning, he said: “This is your answer. The face of no man ever reddened before Saint Molua; for he was gentle toward all, and he treated the monks, servants of God, with mildness and piety, and he corrected with gentleness according to reason. Yet be glad; for you will find a like honor in heaven, because you will suffer punishment in this world again until your death.”

¹⁰² And on the next Thursday the holy man Munnu was struck with leprosy from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head; and so he remained for twenty years until his death; and his holiness in his life is sufficiently known.

¹⁰³ At that same time Saint Gregory, pope of Rome, on the day of the departure of Saint Molua, heard choirs of angels singing their hymns, who sweetly said: “Holy Father Molua, I will not keep silence about your holy merits.” And these words Saint Gregory ordered to be carried into Ireland by holy men.

¹⁰⁴ Our most blessed patron Molua, after the example of the Apostle, “fought the good fight, finished the course, kept the faith” [2 Timothy 4:7]; therefore he received the crown of eternal life from the Lord our God Jesus Christ [2 Timothy 4:8], to whom, with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, honor and glory remain to the ages of ages. Amen.

¹⁰⁵ Here ends the Life of Saint Molua, Abbot and Confessor.