¹ Here begins the life of Saint Moling, bishop and confessor.

² From the southern region of the people of Leinster, which is called Cennselach—and this is the most illustrious part of the Leinster people, from which their kingship now strongly rules—from the people namely of the Uí Degha, who are in the eastern part of Cennselach opposite the sea, there was born a man venerable in life, by name Moling, with whom the grace of the Holy Spirit appeared in signs from his very birth. His father was called Oilain.

³ After the holy little child Moling had been born, an angel of the Lord, assuming the form of a man, appeared to his parents and to all who were in their house, and immediately blessed the infant in the hands of his mother, and marked him with the sign of the cross, and said to his parents: “From this day until the end of the world there shall not be born anyone in this island of Ireland greater than this little boy in holiness and justice and virtue before God and men.” This angelic prophecy was fulfilled in him.

⁴ Then, after a short time, there came to them someone like a priest, and he baptized the holy infant; and his parents and friends did not know who he was, and they saw the one baptizing, but did not know from where he himself had come. And when the rite of baptism had been completed, that priest vanished from their sight. And then all of them knew that it had been an angel of the Lord.

⁵ After this, the most blessed boy Moling was nurtured with all diligence, and he himself grew in good morals. Then he was handed over by his parents to the Church of God, and he learned divine Scripture and the other disciplines most diligently, and he was found proven in them. Afterwards, he was persuaded by the brothers and by his teacher to receive the degree of the presbyterate, since he was a teacher in the Scriptures.

⁶ After these things, taking with him a few disciples, Saint Moling went to a place which was formerly called Achadh Cainnydh, but which is now called Tech Moling. This place is in the western region of the territory of Cennselach, upon the bank of the river Barrow, opposite the region of Ossory. And he began to dwell there in a holy life. And he established his monastery there between the same river Barrow and a certain small stream, in an open place.

⁷ And he established for himself alone a small house apart, lower down upon the bank of the river, in which he devoted himself to God; and one brother was accustomed at fixed hours to come to him, and from there the man of God would sometimes visit the brothers. And in that place today there is a renowned town in honor of the most blessed Moling, which is named from his small house, Tech Moling. For tech in Irish means house in Latin.

⁸ And Saint Moling had a raft at the entrance of his cell upon the river, and for the sake of Christ’s word which says, “I was a stranger, and you took me in” [Matthew 25:35], he himself would lead guests and pilgrims back and forth across the river every day. Now the tidal flooding of the sea reaches that place upstream against the river Barrow for two miles, and a plentiful multitude of fish swims into that river from the sea.

⁹ At one time the holy abbot Moling, in his same cell, fasted for three days and three nights, and he wished to be visited by no one. And he was, as we said above, separated, alone in his little dwelling. That brother also who was his minister came on the third day to visit him, and he could not look upon the face of the man of God because of its brightness, for a great light then shone all around him on every side. At that very hour the holy father Moling was reading, and his face was burning like a flame of fire, because the grace of the Holy Spirit had filled him. And hearing this, the brothers magnified the grace of God in their elder. And according to the example of Saint Peter the apostle, from the waves of the sea of this world the holy Moling began to gather everywhere the souls of men to Christ through the net of the Gospel; and an angel of the Lord more frequently strengthened him with divine consolation.

¹⁰ On a certain day, while reading before the door of his cell on the bank of a river, the holy father Moling heard guests crying out from the opposite side of the river, and quickly, without any delay, he sailed to meet them, as though to Christ; and he forgot his book, that is, the Epistles of the Apostles, on the bank where he had been sitting. The flooding of the sea, suddenly rising after him, filled the shore and carried off the saint’s book with it from wave to wave at a distance. And when the saint returned with the guests, his book was brought back to him, and not a single letter in it had been destroyed in its submersion, but by God’s will it was dry, as if it had been in its library. And seeing this, the holy man gave thanks to Christ with his disciples. That very book remains to this day in that monastery of Saint Moling.

¹¹ On another day, when Saint Moling was alone near a strait, for some sudden reason he himself entered the water and walked with dry feet, in the likeness of the apostle Peter [Matt 14:29], indeed in the likeness of our Lord Jesus Christ [Matt 14:25], upon the waves as though upon dry land. And a certain rustic, seeing him walking back over the waters toward the land, rejoiced greatly at the wondrous and rare deed. The saint of God adjured him not to tell this to anyone until the death of the holy man. But he all the more told that miracle to everyone.

¹² When the fame of the holiness of Moling had been heard throughout the province of the Laigin, indeed through the other regions of Ireland, the people of the city of Glendalough, which is in the region of the northern Laigin and was founded by Saint Coemgen, came and led Saint Moling with them, unwilling, to the see of their patron, Saint Coemgen. Yet in his same place the holy abbot Moling did not appoint another father; for he knew that he himself was to pass from that place to Christ. For that holy man had the spirit of prophecy, and he was a true prophet of things past, present, and future. And he made a beautiful poem through his own tongue, that is, in Irish, about the kingdom of the Laigin, indeed about the kingdom of all Ireland, naming the names of kings, and how they would reign, and how they would depart from this world, whether by the sword or by death; and he named many battles and their places, and the victors and the vanquished in them, even to the end of the age. This prophecy is in no way found false throughout the age. And the most blessed Moling governed for some time justly and piously and wisely the see and parish of Saint Coemgen, which is very great, with its city; and he worked many virtues in it.

¹³ On a certain day a certain woman offered a certain vessel full of milk to Saint Moling with his disciples on the road. And the disciples of the saint wished eagerly to drink it at once. To them Saint Moling said: “If you, sons, knew what sort of milk this is, as I know it, you would not be eager to drink it. And what it is will appear to you.” Then the saint of God blessed that vessel with the milk with the sign of the holy cross; and the vessel appeared full of clotted and foul blood. For that woman had mixed the same milk with poison, so that she might kill Saint Moling with his companions. For it displeased that woman that Saint Moling should live there on account of her friends. And seeing this miracle, the disciples of the saint and others who were there magnified the glory of Christ in his saints.

¹⁴ When the city of Saint Áedán, who is commonly called Moedhog, after the death of its bishop was without a shepherd, the citizens of that place, together with the king of the Laigin, by the counsel of the princes of the province, sent to Saint Moling, so that they might lead him, whether he wished or not, to the episcopate of the same city. And when Saint Moling had been brought to the said city, he was appointed archbishop in the see and on the chair of Saint Moedhog. By the king of the Laigin, Brandubh son of Eathach, it was already established that the archbishopric of the Laigin should be in the city of Saint Moedhog. That city is called Ferns, which is in the land of the people of the Uí Chennselaig, which people in ancient times were called Fir Galian, until Enna from whom they are called Chennselaig, because he himself, very much sprinkled with the gore and blood of enemies on face and on his whole body, came as victor from the slaughter of the northerners.

¹⁵ The most blessed bishop Moling would sometimes visit the city in which was the episcopal see with its parish, preaching words of life to human hearts; but nevertheless in his same monastery, Teach Moling, he passed the course of his life. For that place the holy bishop Moling greatly loved, in which he passed to Christ. And in one and the same region are both the city of Ferns and that place.

¹⁶ The most holy father Moling, wishing to humble his body through bodily obedience, so that, just as others were subject to him, so he himself might be subject to Christ, himself diverted a little stream of water from a certain river and led it through steep and rough places to his monastery for one mile. And he allowed none of his own to give him help in digging the earth, but he himself alone, with his own hands, with a hoe and other tools, dug the earthen trench before the water every day, except on Sundays and the highest feast days, whether in fair weather or in foul, for seven years and forty days. For in the space of seven years and forty days the holy bishop carried out that work, and he shed many tears, praying and looking frequently to God in that time. And although he was weary from the sweat of his body, and although he suffered thirst from the heat of the sun, he never tasted of that water, nor washed either his face or his body with it, during the same number of years and days, until, when the labor of leading that water had been completed, the water from it was consecrated into an offering of the body and blood of Christ. And the blessed Moling gathered many saints for the consecration of that little stream, and they blessed that water, walking along it against the current up to that place where the stream had been separated from the river. And the holy bishop Moling promised always to pray on earth and in heaven after his death for the sins of those who would walk that water in the same manner, by way of pilgrimage, until the end of the age; and to implore the mercy of God for their souls, that they might have rest with the just by the kindness of Christ.

¹⁷ And that little stream is today the greatest pilgrimage in Ireland, because from that day, from all parts of Ireland, at every time, very great crowds come together to that stream, of both sexes; and they walk along its bank, as was established by the ancients, and they wash themselves in that water, hoping, indeed now no longer doubting, that the filth of their sins is washed away in that washing by the grace of God through the holiness of the most blessed father Moling. And many signs and wonders are worked there by God.

¹⁸ When Saint Moling wished to build a structure in the honor of God in his monastery, a skillful craftsman was summoned by him, and he himself began to work at what had been commanded him. Now on a certain day that craftsman with his workmen went into a wood, so that they might cut down timber for the use of that building. And after cutting all day a very great oak, toward evening that tree, against their will, fell headlong into a valley exceedingly rough with pits and dense forest, which by its sheer height overhangs the same river Berba; and the craftsmen could in no way examine it there nor draw it out from there. Seeing this now after much labor and in vain, the craftsmen, sad, returned to their home. To them Saint Moling said: “Be of good courage, for by the will of God this has been done.” Afterward the holy father Moling poured out a prayer to the Lord, that he might help the sadness of his workmen. And almighty God, on account of the prayer of his servant, caused that timber to be moved from its place in the river Berba, and a coming flood of the sea carried that tree all the way to a suitable harbor before the monastery of Saint Moling. And when morning had come, Saint Moling said to his workmen: “Go, and divide your timber in the harbor of the monastery, led here by divine will by the flooding of the water.” And they, with others, ran quickly, and seeing the miracle, they blessed their saint and God. And the parts of that timber remain in use in the house of God even to the present time.

¹⁹ So great an honor and love of the Holy Trinity did Saint Moling have, as appears in this matter. At one time he had a famous craftsman, and when that man wished to rise to his work at first light he said to his companions: “Let us go to begin our work in the name of the Father and of the Son”; and he did not add, “and of the Holy Spirit.” Hearing this, the elder Saint Moling said to them: “Today you shall not begin, but file your tools throughout this day.” On the next day already that craftsman said to his companions in the same manner: “In the name of the Father and of the Son let us rise to begin.” Then the holy bishop said to him: “Today bathe, and refresh your bodies.”

²⁰ And on the third day he said: “Rise quickly, because in these two days we have been sufficiently refreshed; and let us work in the name of the Father and of the Son.” And hearing this, the holy bishop forbade them in like manner. And thus it was done for a long time; and the saint gave them food and pay as though they were working; and they all wondered, not knowing the cause. For the saint did not wish to reveal the cause to them, until he should know whether that man of himself would make mention of the Holy Spirit, which he was consigning to forgetfulness, or not. That craftsman, by divine grace inspired one morning for the sake of the holy man, said: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, let us begin our work on this good day.” Hearing this, Saint Moling the bishop said with a cheerful countenance: “Today you ought to begin, because on this day the grace of the Holy Trinity, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, has appeared to you.” Then all, knowing that the holy father Moling had been forbidding the craftsmen because their master did not daily say with the mention of the Father and of the Son the Holy Spirit, glorified the honor of the holy bishop to the name of the Holy Trinity. And that obedience afterward was wonderfully easy and pleasing by the gift of the Holy Spirit.

²¹ At a certain time the blessed elder Moling gathered many people, so that they might move a great stone from its place in a certain road where it was an obstacle. For that stone was offending many. And on a certain day, when they wished to move that stone but were in no way able, the king of the Laigin, Desgabuth, came along that road, and the holy bishop Moling commanded him that he himself with his army should try to move the stone from the road. And the king himself with his army willingly went down, and all began with the greatest labor and sweat to move the stone; but they prevailed in nothing. After the strength of all of them had now been overcome, all returned to their own places, the rock remaining unmoved. But on the following night, leaving human help behind, the holy elder Moling prayed to the Lord for the removal of that stone. And that night that huge stone was moved by God from its place, and on the next day it was found in the place where Saint Moling wished to put it. Hearing this wondrous deed done by God through his saint, that king and all the others blessed Christ.

²² At another time another great stone was being carried by many to Saint Moling; but near the monastery it fell to the ground from the cart and was broken into two parts. And all the craftsmen and carriers were made very sorrowful over this. For the holy bishop wished to make a sundial from that stone. And Saint Moling, going to the stone, prayed to Christ and signed it with the sign of the holy cross. And on the next day that stone was found, through the prayer of the man of God, joined together and whole, as if it had never been divided; and the mark of the fracture, like a circle, still remains on that stone; and that stone was made an honorable sundial. And those who had been sorrowful over the breaking were made joyful by the grace of Christ’s servant.

²³ On a certain day, as the most blessed bishop Moling was sitting on the bank of the river before his monastery, a certain woman came to him, having her dead son in her bosom. And that wretched woman begged the man of God with great and tearful prayers that he would raise up her only little son from death. And the man of God, humbling himself by his own merits, said to her: “It is not of my littleness, woman, to raise the dead. ‘The Lord gave; the Lord has taken away’ [Job 1:21]; all men shall die; but bury him, and pray to God for yourself and for him.” For the saint of God did not wish that there should be a reputation of raising the dead about himself.

²⁴ Now when the woman saw that Saint Moling did not wish to involve himself in raising her son, she threw the cold corpse from her arms into the lap of the saint. But the saint, stupefied, cast him into the river. And when the holy man touched him, at once that boy was raised up by God, and began skillfully to swim—what he had not known before—straight toward Saint Moling. And when the holy bishop saw him alive and swimming, he joyfully received him from the water and gave him back to his mother, giving thanks to Christ. And she who had come most sorrowful, carrying a dead body, returned very joyful with her son brought to life and walking with his own feet with her, magnifying God and his saint.

²⁵ Another paralytic also, who was leprous, blind, mute, and lame, and whom his parents scarcely fed, was led to Saint Moling, that he might heal him in the name of Christ. At that time Saint Moling himself was heating a cauldron full of bath-water, while the other brothers were occupied in other matters. And the man of God, seeing the misery of that man, took him and threw him into the hot bath; and immediately he was healed from all his infirmities, and, made whole, giving thanks to God, he returned with his own.

²⁶ At a certain time, when the people of Osraige, who are in the western region of the Laigin on the border of Munster, had risen against the Laigin, the king of the Laigin came with his army and devastated the region of Osraige, and led away from there flocks and herds of animals of various kinds and great spoils. Hearing this in his place, Saint Moling, taking pity on the people who had been devastated, came to meet the Laigin, and stood in the road against the spoils, praying and looking toward Christ. And neither by threats nor by blows could the army drive the animals from the place in which the holy man stood against them. When the Laigin heard that Saint Moling was standing in the road fighting against them, and saw the miracle in the holding back of the herds, they came to him and handed over all the spoils into the power of the saint of God. And Saint Moling blessed them and promised them that the people of Osraige would soon be subject to them. And so it was done. But the flocks and herds and all that spoil the same people, greatly rejoicing, received back from Saint Moling.

²⁷ At another time, when the same bishop Moling was in his episcopate, that is, in the same city of Ferns, a fire broke out inside a certain house which was firmly closed with its own bolts; for its inhabitants had gone out, carelessly leaving a fire in the house. And the neighbors wished to enter the house and extinguish the fire, but in no way could they. And when a great cry and tumult arose, the people of the city came and began to break the courtyard and the outer parts of the house. Then smoke and flame began to come out through the openings. And the neighbors all around the house were hiding their goods, despairing of their own houses.

²⁸ When Saint Moling heard of the danger, he went there, and without the permission of the people he approached the door of the house, shut inside, and placing his hand against the door-leaf, immediately by divine will the door was opened, and he entered within. And a mass of smoke mixed with flames was coming out through the door, and allowed no one to approach nearer. Then the people began to weep and wail, not on account of the fire, but thinking that their holy bishop was being burned inside and in no way able to help him.

²⁹ But the holy elder, within the smoke and flames, protected by the grace of the Holy Spirit, remained unharmed, like the youths once in the furnace. And immediately, praying and marking the house with the holy sign, the fire was so utterly extinguished, as if something had been dipped in deep water, though a great part of the house had been burned. When the smoke and flames failed, many gathered in the house, and seeing the fire extinguished and the saint safe and untouched by the fire, they raised a shout in praise of God, and joyfully glorifying Christ and his saint, they returned to their homes.

³⁰ The most holy bishop Moling was accustomed to wait for pilgrims, so that they might eat with him. For the holy bishop always wished to eat with them in the likeness of Christ. And he fasted every day, except on Sundays and the highest feast days, until the setting of the sun, unless guests and pilgrims should arrive.

³¹ At a certain time Saint Moling set out with the envoys of the Laigin to the king of the Uí Néill, who was then at the royal assembly which is called the Fair of Tailtiu, with his princes and leaders, wishing to play there at the annual games. And the grandsons of Niall were not glad at the coming of Saint Moling, knowing his purpose. For the Laigin had for a long time been paying to the kings of Tara, where the grandsons of Niall ruled the kingdom of Ireland, a very great tribute of cows every year as a royal due for a long time. And when the kingdom began to decline from Tara, then Saint Moling was sent by the Laigin, that tribute might be remitted to them for the sake of friendship. But the princes and leaders of the grandsons of Niall did not give due honor to Saint Moling, nor did they in any way remit the due. Their king, however, did not answer the holy bishop badly.

³² But the Lord almighty, wishing to give honor to his saint, caused a great rain mixed with hail to fall upon them, and did not allow them to play; and this displeased them greatly. But in the place where Saint Moling was, the rain did not fall. Seeing this miracle, they begged Saint Moling that in the name of the Lord he would drive the rain away from them, so that they might play, and they promised to do the will of the saint after the game. The man of God, believing them, prayed to God, and blessing the sky, immediately without any delay the rain ceased and the bright sun appeared. And they, rejoicing, happily played various games.

³³ But after the game, not fulfilling their promise, they again contradicted Saint Moling. And one leader among them resisted Saint Moling more fiercely than the others. He was standing near before the face of the holy bishop. And the holy man, seeing his harshness, signed his breast with the sign of the cross, and immediately he himself was made peaceful with Saint Moling. And he began greatly to beg the others on behalf of the bishop that they should do the will of Saint Moling by remitting the tribute of cows. But the others were still contradicting. And Saint Moling said to the king (that king was called Fínnechta): “Grant me at least, O king, in the honor of Christ, a truce until the day of the moon.” The king, thinking that the saint was naming the second weekday, granted him a truce for exacting the tribute. But Saint Moling set the “day of the moon” as the end of this world, because the moon signifies falling away in the Scriptures. Therefore from that day that tribute has in no way been paid until today, nor ever will be paid. And after the truce had been given, immediately Saint Moling with his companions hastened back to his own region.

³⁴ Now after the departure of the saint, his magicians came to the king and asked whether anything new had been done in the council. And they said to the king, having heard about Saint Moling: “Unless you bring that man back captive, O king, and forbid him the truce, you will never exact that tribute, nor will any after you until the end of the world, just as Moling has in his heart.” Then the king sent an army in anger after Saint Moling, to kill him with his companions. When the holy elder Moling knew this, he told his companions to go more quickly on the road, praying to the Lord. And he himself began a holy song in the Irish tongue, in which, praying and praising, he named many saints, beginning from virginity and ending in the same; that is, first making mention of the most blessed virgin Brigid, and in the end the memory of the mother Mary.

³⁵ And when the saint was finishing his song, he himself with his companions was almost captured by the pursuers. Now when the companions of Saint Moling were already despairing of the safety of their bodies, but he himself was trusting in Christ, a bright mist fell from God from heaven between the enemies and the saint; and they were no longer able in any way to see or to pursue the saint of God. And thus the blessed bishop Moling with his companions escaped from the region of the grandsons of Niall.

³⁶ That song of Saint Moling is held in honor always in Ireland, which good men sing when they set out on a journey; and by the grace of Saint Moling and of the other saints whose memory is sung in it, almighty God frees them from various dangers.

³⁷ But immediately the same king Fínnechta, still wishing his tribute, was beheaded in hostility by the Laigin. At that very hour in which he was slain, the most blessed Moling, in his monastery, seeing by the prophetic spirit, said to his disciples: “Now, brothers, Fínnechta, the glorious king of Tara, is beheaded; for he will receive in the future the reward of the great tribute which he granted to us; but afterward evil and diabolical men led him astray.” When these miracles and prophetic sayings were heard, the name of Saint Moling was spread throughout all Ireland.

³⁸ A certain other miracle which Christ performed through his saint Moling, when he himself was with the same king of Temoria, is shown here. A certain man was in chains in the camp with the king, so that he was to be put to death. That man begged his guards that they would come with him to Saint Moling. And when they had come, he cast himself down at the feet of Saint Moling, begging him that in the name of Christ he would intercede with the king for him. And at once the man of God went to the king and begged him on his behalf, but he did not obtain it, because that man, on account of his crime, had been judged by the king and the council to be put to death on the following day. Then Saint Moling, returning, said to that man: “Trust in Christ, brother; for in this very night which is near at hand, your bonds will be loosed by God, and you will come to me free and will escape well; and afterwards amend your life.” And according to this prophecy it came to pass. For already that same night, his chains having been loosed by divine power, he came to Saint Moling. And the holy man let him go away free, giving thanks to God.

³⁹ The most blessed father Moling was very generous and gentle in all things, not only toward men, but now even toward beasts, as is shown here. Once thirty hunting dogs came to him, weary from wandering; and moved by mercy, the saint appointed for them a place to rest, until they should take their meal. And the holy bishop ordered that thirty loaves with butter be given to them, so that they might eat sufficiently. And while the servants were preparing these things, fifteen of the dogs went out and went around that place, for the sake of learning their way from there. And when the servants wished to set the food before them, they reported to the holy father that fifteen dogs were missing.

⁴⁰ And the saint said to them: “Give all that you have prepared for the dogs to those present; and whatever by the nod of God is shown to them, let them do — either by eating it all, or by keeping their portions for their companions. Let us go; the other dogs will soon return.” And when thirty loaves, full of butter, had been set before the fifteen dogs, each took one loaf and ate it. Of the other fifteen loaves they neither touched nor ate. And when the other dogs came, likewise each of them took one loaf and ate it. And after they had recovered their strength after the meal, they came outside where the man of God was, and they rejoiced with ears and tails before him, as if giving thanks for their meal. Afterwards, when the saint gave them permission to go, they leapt and ran off on their way. And all who saw and heard so great a discipline of brute animals before Saint Moling magnified the grace of Christ in him.

⁴¹ One day, while the holy bishop Moling was reading as he sat in a certain place with his attendant, that bird which is called the “magus of birds” came to him, because it gives augury to some, and it is itself a very small bird; and it had a living and buzzing fly in its beak. And in the sight of the man of God, while the little bird was devouring the fly, a mouse seized that same little bird and at once killed it and began fiercely to eat it. Seeing this misery, Saint Moling was moved with compassion; and he commanded the mouse that it should release the little bird from its jaws. And immediately the mouse, hearing the voice of the saint, with fear and trembling cast the dead and half-eaten little bird from its throat onto the ground. And when the holy bishop signed the corpse of the bird, it rose alive and whole, though stained with its own blood. And the saint commanded it that it should vomit up before him the fly which it had swallowed; and at once the little bird vomited up the fly, like a little piece of dung, from its stomach. And when the holy man blessed that little monster, from there the fly rose up alive and strong and flew about with a buzzing sound. But the bird flew off to its own, joyfully chattering. Seeing these things, the attendant of Saint Moling went out to the brothers and told them these marvels, speaking in a parable, saying: “I have just seen, brothers, the resurrection of the dead from narrow tombs.” And when the brothers knew the truth of the matter, they gave glory to Christ.

⁴² The most blessed bishop Moling used to nourish wild animals and tame ones in honor of their Creator, and they took food from his hand. And a fox was among them. And one day that fox stole a hen which the brothers had and ate

⁴³ One day two men, with excessive pain in the groin, that is, in the belly, and with excessive watery swelling brought upon the whole body, were brought to Saint Moling, that he might heal them in the name of Christ. Now the holy elder Moling was digging the ground outside in a field with the brothers. And seeing their misery, the man of God said to them: “Eat a little of this earth which I have just dug.” But one of them, unwilling to eat, rebuked the holy man with many words, saying that he was not ordering men to eat earth for their good. But the other ate humbly. And he, already in the sight of the holy man, was healed of his infirmity and rose up strong, and with his companions giving thanks to God, he walked. But that proud man there, wishing to return to his own, died and was buried. In these men the sayings of the Lord were fulfilled: in the humble man eating the earth, “Your faith has made you whole” [Luke 18:42; Mark 10:52]; but in the proud man unwilling to do so, “He who exalts himself shall be humbled” [Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14]. From this miracle many were strengthened in Christ.

⁴⁴ On another day also a certain boy of royal stock was being carried to the holy elder Moling, bound in strong iron chains. For he was raging with the greatest madness, and his friends could not hold him except in iron chains, for he broke other bonds. Now the holy elder Moling was washing his little body in warm water on account of illness. And he said to them: “Place this young man behind me in this water.” And when he was unwillingly placed in the tub in the water, he died at once. And when his corpse had been taken out of the tub, his friends said to Saint Moling in great sorrow: “Until now we hoped that the mercy of God would come to his aid; but now we have no hope concerning him.”

⁴⁵ And the holy elder grieved over his death and said to them: “Do not weep, but be silent, and place the body for the time being upon the ground.” And the holy bishop spoke with them a little, consoling them. Afterwards, according to his custom, he poured forth prayers to Christ and signed the cold body of that man with the sign of the cross of Christ. And when the sign had been made, at once that young man revived and rose up, at the command of the saint, healthy and restrained, blessing all. And when his friends saw him alive and whole, they rejoiced with great joy; and gladly they returned with him to their homes, telling all that had happened to that young man. And those who heard and saw these things were strengthened with great fervor in the faith.

⁴⁶ When the most blessed bishop Moling was in his city of Fernna, a troop of foxes gathered themselves in the woods, and afterwards came by a straight way to the city of Fernna, and passed through the city, namely to the place where the holy bishop Moling was. And in a wondrous manner neither any dog nor any man harmed those foxes by pursuing them, as they were then coming to the holy elder Moling or returning from him. Men already seeing them were saying that they were coming to the holy man of God Moling; but the dogs were restrained by a divine nod.

⁴⁷ Now the holy elder Moling foretold their coming to his own, speaking prophetically and saying: “Unknown guests will soon come to us, who have never up to this day dwelt among men, nor will they dwell long with us.” And the disciples did not know of what guests he was speaking, until the foxes came. And he ordered lodging to be prepared for them, well furnished with straw. And when the foxes came, the man of God went out to meet them into the courtyard; and when the foxes saw him, each one came gladly to his feet, and the holy bishop received them most kindly. And that night they stayed there and were well refreshed. And all wondered at the recognition of the foxes toward the holy man.

⁴⁸ And on the following day, when the foxes were returning, now joyful, now sad, Saint Moling said to them: “This city I shall leave after a short time, and I shall return to my own place.” At this word the sadness of the foxes appeared greater. Afterwards, when the saint of God had blessed them, they returned to their places. And wise men, hearing the holy elder saying to the foxes, “This city I shall leave after a short time, and I shall return to my own place,” by true conjecture said that by this he was indicating to them the shortness of his life in this world. And from those very words both men and animals were made sad.

⁴⁹ After these things the most blessed bishop Moling, receiving leave and prayer from the people and clergy of the same city, and giving to them—who feared greatly for the future because of his bodily absence, which befell them, since after a short time he then went up to heaven—mutual blessings and salutary counsels, set out for his same monastery.

⁵⁰ At the same time a certain man sleeping outside, a small black and very venomous creature entered his ear, which the Scots call dael, but the Latins call a scorpion; and it began to bore into his head even to the brain with excessive pain. And his friends brought him to the holy elder Moling and begged him on his behalf. And seeing the tribulation of that man, the man of God placed his hand against his ear and commanded the little beast in the name of Christ that it should return outside from the innermost part of that man’s head. For some were saying that then the beast had reached as far as his brain, but others that it had not reached so far.

⁵¹ But immediately the venomous little beast returned outside against the palm of the saint and fell upon the ground, bloodstained and swollen. And when blood and bruising came, that man suffered greatly within from the heat of the poison, and he made great complaint of this before the saint. Then the holy bishop, praying and breathing upon his ear, blessed it with the holy sign; and at once the ear ceased to flow, and that man was healed from the pain of his head within and without, feeling no pain. Afterwards he, rejoicing, returned with his companions to his own, and magnified Christ and his saint.

⁵² In this same way we will tell you, dearest brothers, about the holiness of our most blessed patron, namely Saint Moling, without any doubt, although it may seem wondrous to you; because it was frequently done before holy witnesses, of whom we will bring forward one to you. That is, in order to console his holy servant, namely our patron Moling, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, used to come in the form of a most beautiful boy, and to remain in his bosom for some time, consoling him for the various labors which the saint endured for him.

⁵³ Wishing to prove and to see this, the most holy abbot Oiblan, a pious man and one who loved God diligently, who was a faithful friend of Saint Moling, loving one another greatly, came to Saint Moling and begged him with earnest prayers that he himself might see Christ in his bosom.

⁵⁴ Now the holy elder Moling was laboring in the field with the brothers, digging the ground. And the holy bishop said to him: “The blessed apostle Thomas did not believe those who told him, ‘We have seen the Lord’ [John 20:25], until he himself saw the pierced side and the mark of the nails in the members of Christ. You take his place; for you do not believe those who say that the Son of God sometimes sits in my bosom, unless you yourself see with your own eyes. Therefore, lest you be scandalized by me, look, my garments are now dirty and wet with earth and soil; therefore give me your clean chasuble, and wait a little, and you will see the Son of God in my bosom.”

⁵⁵ Readily then Saint Oiblan handed his chasuble to the glorious bishop; and after a short space Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, appeared in bodily form and sat in the bosom of the most holy elder Moling. And a very great light appeared there with Christ, and Saint Oiblan could not endure to look upon it.

⁵⁶ Afterwards the Son of God, descending from the bosom of Saint Moling with his light, after he had satisfied his saints with his bodily presence, the holy men refreshed one another with divine conversations. Then Saint Oiblan, with the greatest joy, returned to his cell, telling with a joyful face how he had seen Christ in the bosom of Saint Moling. And from these words the faithful rejoiced greatly, and were filled with love and devotion; and charity toward the friends of Christ burned in their hearts.

⁵⁷ Indeed the holy bishop Moling, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into his bosom, was filled with various virtues, and especially with the spirit of prophecy, by whose gift he already knew present, past, and future things after the departure of the Lord from his bosom; and he prophesied, as we have said before.

⁵⁸ Now when the end of the life of Saint Moling, the minister of Christ and our own patron and elder, in this world was already approaching, he began to grow infirm in body, but his soul was watchful and strong; and while giving divine counsels to his own, he made known to them that the dissolution of his body was at hand. On account of this they were made sorrowful. But the holy father was joyful and glad, knowing his reward. For the divine commands which he preached with his mouth, he fulfilled in deed, showing to all charity, humility, gentleness, mercy, and other good things in his works.

⁵⁹ Therefore for these good works the most blessed bishop Moling, by the grace of God, performed apostolic virtues: he raised the dead, cleansed lepers, gave walking to the lame, gave sight to the blind, and healed various infirmities [Matthew 10:8].

⁶⁰ After such counsels and deeds, on the fifteenth day before the Kalends of July, the glorious bishop Moling most happily passed over to Christ. And when a multitude of saints had been gathered, his most holy little body was honorably committed to the earth in his monastery, that is, Teach Moling, where through the merits of Saint Moling the grace of Christ works great miracles in the course of various times.

⁶¹ To whom is honor and glory and power, with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to ages of ages. Amen.

⁶² Here ends the Life of Saint Moling.