ON ST. MOLING OR DAYRGELL
BISHOP OF FERNS IN HIBERNIA.
>7TH CENTURY.
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
On the Cult, Episcopate, and Acts.
Moling, Bishop of Ferns in Hibernia (St.)
AUTH. F. B.
St. Moling, to be venerated on this day, two Martyrologies of Usuard propose, augmented by Grevenus, the first of the year 1515, The cult is proved from the Martyrologies, the other of 1521 in these words: "In Hibernia, of St. Enolich Confessor." The first letter of the little line m being turned into e, by an error certainly to be pardoned to him, who had found this obscurely written in the ancient Hibernian Martyrologies or Legendaries. There is besides what may prove the cult, that his Acts are found written among the Lives of the Hibernian Saints, and from his Acts, three hundred years ago, in our codex, formerly of the College of Salamanca of the Society of Jesus, as was said on the third of this month, when we treated of the cult of St. Coemgen. It is said indeed at the end of the same Acts, that St. Moling died "on the seventh of the Ides of June" (which would be the seventh day of June): yet this does not move me to think that the day of cult should on that account be changed, the ancient Martyrologies assigning the seventeenth day. And perhaps the Copyist who transcribed that Life put "ides" for "ten," not sufficiently understanding what "the seventh of the Ides" meant: for, stumbling more than once in grammar, he betrays his ignorance or carelessness.
[2] We have also other Acts of the same Saint, formerly communicated to our predecessors by the R. P. Henry Fitzsimon of the Society of Jesus; although these and other similar ones, and these are in many things similar to those: for both proceed without any order of time and things; both contain fabulous miracles, which are neither all the same, nor all different: yet similar to those which are narrated of St. Patrick and other Hibernian saints, whose origin and occasion of being devised we set forth in the appendix to the Life of the same Saint. Indeed the more most of them are familiar to all the Saints of the same nation; the more difficultly they find faith. are not of approved faith. Such are: Baptism received from an Angel, the future Sanctity of the boy prophetically foretold, an eremitic life passed in a hollow tree, the flogging of a wanton woman offering her shameful deed, and a certain wondrous command over animals. For these things, although they can by no means be denied to be found from time to time in approved Lives of the Saints, yet because they occur among the Hibernians repeatedly, nor are asserted by suitable authors, it may not without reason be suspected that they were rashly borrowed by some from others' Saints, and transferred to others.
[3] But also the Acts, of which we here treat, seem to be merely compendia of more prolix Acts, which are cited by Ussher page 864 and by Colgan in the Triad page 564. These, as neither others more prolix. if they were at hand, I should not doubt to expose to the judgment of the reader, for the same reasons which we gave for the more prolix Life of St. Coemgen. For although such more prolix Acts can make us no more certain about so many and so great wonders; yet they teach us various things about the situation of places and cities, about predecessors or successors in the Episcopate: or at least indicate some things, whence occasion is taken of conjecturing about them. Their place meanwhile will be able to be supplied by the compendium of James Ware, in the Commentary on the Bishops of Hibernia: An elogium and chronology from Ware, for I think this one too used the more prolix Acts, and other books which it was not permitted us to see. This one therefore, among the Bishops of Ferns, after St. Aidan, or Moedoc, puts second St. Moling, with this brief Elogium; "St. Moling, called also Dairchilla, was born in the little region of Kenshelagh (which is now part of the County of Wexford), while still a youth, embraced the monastic life. Afterward at Aghacainid, on the bank of the river Barrow (which today is commonly called Teghmoling), he presided as Abbot in a Monastery built by himself. There for the most part, but sometimes at Glendalough, he passed several years. Meanwhile they say he wrote in Hibernian certain prophecies, by which he foretold many things, about the Kings of Hibernia, and about their battles and deaths, up to the end of the age. At last in the year 632 by the King of Leinster, at the persuasion of the nobles, he was constituted Archbishop, in the see and chair of St. Moedoc. This life he left on 17 June of the year 697, very old: having long before his death abdicated the Prelacy. His body was honorably buried at Teghmoling in his monastery." Moling, Braccan, Patrick, and Columba, Giraldus Cambrensis calls the four Hibernian Prophets in book 2 of Hibernia Conquered chap. 33: where also he asserts that their books in his time existed written in Hibernian.
[4] From Ware dissents Colgan in the Triad page 564. For he immediately substitutes St. Moling for St. Moedoc in the year 632. But this one interjects four other predecessors: from whom Colgan dissents. and defers the Episcopate of the same Saint up to the year 690, nor extends it beyond six years; in the chronology of his death, anticipating Ware by one year. The predecessors of St. Moling, whom Colgan assigns, are these: Duchuan, died in the year 652. Tuenoc 662, Maldogarius 676, Dirath 690. Instead of these Ware, deferring the death of the Saint to the year 697, assigns, while he himself still lived, after the Episcopate abdicated, four successors: Coman, whom he thinks died in the year 675; Medogarius, dead 676; Dirath, 690 or 692. This one was followed by Cillem, who is thought to have sat until the year 714: and the Saint to have migrated to heaven in his time. As in both writers there is the greatest diversity of opinions (since in nothing do they agree, if you except the names of Maldogarius and Dirath), so the greatest was the knowledge of both in the antiquities of their homeland, equal the zeal of investigating the truth, and rightly ordering history. To which therefore I should assent I am in doubt; if the Acts of St. Moedoc, edited by us on 31 January, rested on suitable authority; I should not fear to say, that both erred. For in those Acts at number 35, of a certain successor of the Saint, such a prophecy is narrated; "But on a certain day St. Moedoc, coming to the ford of Imgain, his charioteer said to him: Tell me, Lord, who will sit in your see after you? The holy Bishop answered him, He who before us will open the bar of the ford, he after me will be the occupant of my chair. And at once they saw jesting scholars, but a Prophecy of St. Moedoc about his successor, coming with shields and spears in their hands, for the sake of playing. And when they had seen the troop of scholars, one of them leaping out opened the bar to them. The aforesaid charioteer, seeing the very jesting young man opening the bar, was astonished, and said aloud; Shall this little trifler among us, after our Patron, be Bishop? Then that scholar, compunct by the grace of the Holy Spirit, came humble to St. Moedoc, and said to him; O Saint of God, I wish to go with you, and to live under your discipline. The holy man said to him: Whence are you, and by what name are you called? He said: I am of Munster, of the inhabitants of Luachair, and I am called Cronan. To whom the man of God said: By another name you will be called, that is, Mochua Lothre. And he said to him; Follow me. Thence Mochua Lothre followed St. Moedoc until his death: who afterward became wise and holy, and a man of wondrous abstinence, who did great miracles: whom for the honesty of his life and the goodness of his morals the most blessed Moedoc constituted Bishop after himself."
[5] Of Mochua or Cronan it was treated on 1 January: but besides that of his cult nothing is established, seems to favor Ware,
no mention is there made of the Episcopate of Ferns, much less of this prophecy. For the rest, our master Bolland, on account of the slight authority of this prophecy, inclined to the opinion of preferring Cronan to Moling. But to me, for the same reason, Cronan seems to be placed after Moling. For Cronan was a schoolboy; when Moedoc probably was already an old man: for he was carried in a chariot, which it was not in use for Hibernian Bishops to do, unless the length of the journey, or old age, advised it, as is gathered from Bede book 3 chap. 5 of the Ecclesiastical History. And the charioteer, solicitous about a successor, asks him: which to ask of a man still flourishing in age and strength, would seem importunate curiosity. But why did St. Moedoc answer the questioner, not about an immediate successor, but about another to come after many years? I judge it was because so chance, or rather God's providence, brought it about, that that boy should meet them.
[6] But neither may it be permitted to substitute Moling for Moedoc immediately, with Ware; the truth of the miracle being supposed, a miracle wrought upon St. Moling, which in his Acts at number 60 is thus related: "When the most blessed Bishop Moling held the Episcopal chair of St. Moedoc, by some event the holy man ascended onto the bed of the blessed man, where no one before him dared to enter: To whom a Canon of that church said: Up to today, after the death of St. Moedoc our Patron, no one has ascended onto this bed, on account of his exceeding sanctity; who there modestly, keeping watch in spirit to the Lord, after the weariness of the body, rested. The holy Bishop Moling said to him: We who sit in his Chair can well sleep here. And when he had said this; immediately a strong pain seized him. When now he was greatly tormented, pouring out a prayer, he sought God's aid; but when the pain did not yet cease to press him; signing himself again with the sign of the Cross, he began frequently to invoke St. Moedoc to his aid: and when he had done this, immediately the heat of the pain wondrously departed from him, and St. Moling rising thence, safe and sound, said: No one in this time is worthy to sleep in the bed of our Father St. Moedoc. In this appears how great grace St. Moedoc has with God in heaven, favors Colgan. in whose little bed no one dares to sleep on earth. Many other signs of virtues St. Moedoc, in the body, and after his death, by God's grace through him did, and still at his Relics they cease not to be shown."
[7] These things truly can scarcely stand together with the immediate succession of St. Moling after St. Moedoc. For how in that case could St. Moling be ignorant of what the Canon was admonishing him, Another chronology is proposed. that no one had ascended the bed of St. Moedoc, if from this one's death not but a few years had flowed? or how could it so quickly have passed as into a law? Nor do we use those words, "up to today," except when we treat of a time of many years past. What therefore, if we order the series of the Bishops of Ferns thus, that after Moedoc from the year 32 of the seventh century to 60, two or three, of those named in Colgan and Ware, held the Episcopate? These being dead, let St. Moling follow, and abdicate the dignity around 70. Then, the rule of one of those numbered among the aforesaid authors being interjected, it will be possible to come to the year 80, around which Cronan, being about the sixty-sixth year of his age, will be able to succeed St. Moedoc in the Episcopate of Ferns, that the prophecy may be reckoned fulfilled.
[8] Nor are some things in this place to be passed over concerning the dignity of the Chair of Ferns, although not much more certain than those just related. St. Moling, Colgan in the Triad page 564, from the more prolix Acts of St. Moling, of which above at number 3, reports to us these words: "St. Moling being led to the aforesaid city, he himself was constituted Archbishop, in the see and chair of St. Maidoc. For by Brandubh King of the Leinstermen, son of Eathach, it was established, that the Archbishopric of the Leinstermen should be in the city of St. Maidoc. That city is called Ferns." Then the same Colgan notes, that Kildare, at the time when Cogitosus wrote the Acts of St. Brigid, was the metropolis of Leinster: and he thinks Cogitosus wrote around the year 550. Then around the end of the same century, in the time of St. Moedoc, that dignity was translated from Kildare to Ferns: and thence again, after the death of St. Moling (which fell at the end of the 7th century) it is uncertain when; but at least before the year 1097, the Bishop of Ferns is created, again restored to Kildare. For in the same year Malbrigid O Brolchan, a most wise man, died; he is called in the Hibernian Annals, with Ussher agreeing, Bishop of Kildare and of the whole Province of Leinster; and Ferdomnach his successor (who is believed to have died 1110) is called Bishop of the Leinstermen in the subscription of an epistle, sent from the people of Waterford to Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, which is extant as the 34th among those edited by Ussher. But I, as I do not doubt that there were always some among the Hibernian Bishops, who before others had something of ampler dignity or Ecclesiastical jurisdiction; so I judge it foreign from the truth, that they were either called Archbishops, or used the Pallium and other insignia of an Archbishopric, as we showed in §2 of the Appendix to the acts of St. Patrick: for in this the Hibernians first began to imitate the Archbishops of the English, around the 12th century. To prove this, observe, that no light argument flows from the two places above brought forward from Colgan. For Malbrigid O Brolchan is called Bishop of Kildare and of the whole Province of Leinster, yet is not rightly called Archbishop. not Archbishop, in the 11th century: but Ferdomnach, at the beginning of the 12th, is subscribed Bishop of the Leinstermen, not Archbishop. And so I think Hibernian writers are not easily to be found, who wrote before the 12th century, and use the title of Archbishop. It is necessary therefore that the more prolix Acts of St. Moling, from which Colgan took the words related above, be of a later time; and that into the Prologue to the Acts of St. Brigid by Cogitosus (if these are his, and written in the 6th century) "Archbishop," for "Bishop," afterward crept in, intruded by some copyist, correcting Cogitosus from the usage of his own century. For when he saw that Cogitosus wished something of preeminence to be attributed to the Bishop of Kildare above the rest, he thought he should be named Archbishop.
[9] For the rest, whatever the Bishops of Hibernia had above the other Co-bishops, up to the 12th century, that seems to be called by the name of Primacy: nor anywhere did that dignity constantly remain, in what sense he could have been Primate of Leinster. except in the See of Armagh on account of the honor of St. Patrick. But others seem to have held a primacy above other Bishops, as long as they themselves and their successors, for their piety and learning, were esteemed before others; especially if the favor of the Prince was added, and any consent of the Co-bishops. Much also it contributed, if the city, in which they had fixed their Episcopal Chair, flourished above the rest in wealth or in the multitude of citizens: so that not rarely he was held the chief Bishop, who presided over the most esteemed city. And hence it seems to have come about, that, the better fortune of a city being translated to another, the Episcopal eminence or Primacy was also transferred elsewhere: nay sometimes, the city being changed into a village, it ceased to be an Episcopate, or was united to another better one. Nor that without reason: for since a Bishop is constituted to govern the flock of the faithful; these having gone elsewhere, he ceases to be necessary. It would therefore be superfluous to inquire, in what year the Archbishopric was translated from Kildare to Ferns, and again from Ferns to Kildare: since James Ware himself, having diligently scrutinized the Hibernian monuments, seems to have found the memory of no Archbishop either of Kildare or of Ferns, which would prove that they were to be honored with such a title. Now we proceed to the Acts, such as they are: of which, as also of those things which have here been disputed, it may be permitted to say: if they do not teach us anything certain, they at least show what may be doubted.
Annotation* II. a bar/bolt
VITA
From our Ms. of Salamanca.
Moling, Bishop of Ferns in Hibernia (St.)
BHL Number: 5988
FROM THE MS.
[1] Born, The venerable Prelate and Prophet of God Dayrgell, who by another name is called Moling, from the beginning of his birth was full of the grace of God: who was born on the day on which the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles. Whom, while he was in the hands of his mother, the Angel of the Lord, in the form of a most beautiful young man, is blessed by an Angel, before his parents and the rest who were present, blessing, signed with the sign of the Cross. But the boy grew both in body and in grace; whom the diligence of his parents handed over, at the opportune time, to the studies of the divine letters. Instructed in letters, In which he was at last sufficiently instructed: Then he offered himself a living host and pleasing to God, and dedicated himself to His service according to his strength. He also in a certain hollow tree, he leads an eremitic and apostolic life. where afterward he founded his monastery, for seven years serving God according to his strength, alone led an Eremitic life; and for so long his food was herbs, and his drink water. After these things he assiduously insisted on the word of preaching, and from the unstable waves of the world, to the stability of the faith, by the industry of right doctrine drew very many. The fame also of his most frequent miracles divulged him far and wide: whence very many, He founds a monastery, about to serve God under his rule, flocked to him as disciples. Afterward he founded a celebrated monastery, which from his own name, as is known, has its appellation: where, aided by the Angelic patronage, he did very many miracles, of which we shall say a few.
[2] For a huge rock, standing in the public way in the way of travelers, which the army of Ossory, trusting in its own strength, could not move; by the power of prayer he transferred from its place, he transfers a huge rock by prayer, alone, in the silence of night, to another place. Likewise another very great stone, that a clock might be made on it, brought to the monastery, broken into two parts by the carelessness of the bearers, was made whole again through his prayer. In the monastery of Fernell also, he makes another broken one whole again; a certain closed house, in which then no one was, the neighboring straw being badly guarded from the fire and burned, began wholly to be burned within. To which those who were present running together, and striving to extinguish the fire, because they had not the key, he extinguishes a fire: could by no means enter; but the magnificent Pontiff Moling arriving, without any obstacle, entered the house; and by divine power the fire being extinguished, freed it.
[3] At some time certain laymen passing by, seeing the man of God sweating in a digging of the earth, said; "This man, as is said, is truly great." But the devil, desiring to extinguish the fame of the virtue of the man of God, had stirred up the accustomed arms for deceiving, he chastises a harlot with blows. namely a certain wicked woman who accompanied those men. For he said: "This man, whom you extol with great praises, if you wish, I will now lay him low." Who answered: "As we believe, this can by no means be done by you." But she, exhorting [him] to fulfill what he vowed, hastening, approached the man of God; and the words by which she might allure his mind to consent to sin, before
he brought it forth from there. Having heard these things, the holy man said:
"Let us both," he said, "enter this nearby wood."
As they went, the soldier of Christ said to the prostitute:
"Take off your cloak." But she, thinking that he wished a place to be prepared in which he might do an obscene deed with her, immediately obeyed his command.
But he, fearless as in war, seizing her with his left hand, with bundles of rods strongly scourged her naked body from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head, and thus, having scourged her, ordered her to go to her own people.
[4] The same man of God, while a certain faithful man was watching him, walked over the waters with dry feet, he walks upon the waters: whom he had bound by an oath that, as long as he himself lived in this life, he should reveal this to no one. This too must not be passed over, that he freed the land of the Lagenians from a most grievous tribute of cows, which had been paid to the Kings g of the Northern part of Ireland through many courses of years, by terrible miracles threatening death to the exactors, up to this very day. he routs the enemy
[5] At another time a certain woman brought to him her son, who was almost mortally sick, saying: "Holy father, he heals a sick man, beseech God on behalf of my son, that he may recover health." To whom he, as he was full of the prophetic spirit, said: "O woman, your son will grow strong, and a paralytic; and will live happily for a long time." All of which was fulfilled.
Likewise another boy who was a paralytic, a leprous person, a mute, and a blind man, he restored to health through the power of prayer.
[6] A certain wretched woman humbly begged the man of God, who was sitting on the bank of a certain river, he raises a dead person, on behalf of her only deceased son, whose body she carried in her bosom, that he would call him back from death to life in the name of the Lord. When he had said this, she placed the lifeless body in his bosom; which he immediately threw into the water which was below. O great miracle, and unusual in its kind! For the boy, as soon as he touched the water, raised up through the wondrous humility of the man of God, swam upon the water, and thus returned to the bank: whom the woman, exulting, lifted up alive and unharmed, and carrying him with her, returned to her home.
[7] At another time the son of a certain petty king, vexed by madness, and bound with iron chains, likewise another, was brought to him that he might heal him; whom the man of God immediately ordered to be placed in the bath in which he was washing himself: when this was done, the boy died on the spot. When the man of God considered this, he ordered the lifeless body to be placed on a bed: and having consoled with kindly words the sorrow of those who were present, then approaching the boy, he signed him with the sign of the saving cross; and immediately restored him to life and former health. he cures a man with dropsy,
At one time two men with dropsy came to him, that they might be healed of their ailments: to whom he commanded that they should eat a little of the earth of a ditch. One of them doing this, soon recovered health in his faith: but of the other, who refused to do what he was commanded, the infirmity was incurable even unto death.
[8] At another time, as the man of God was preparing himself for Mass, a certain horrible leper came, asking from him the chalice of the altar. He, immediately recalling the word of the Lord in which He said: "I desire mercy rather than sacrifice," gave him what he asked. And since he had no other in which to make the offering, and he receives another from heaven; Almighty God did not delay to show mercy to the merciful: for from the treasure of His abundance, ever inexhausted, He immediately gave him another chalice in which to make the offering. At a certain time, while he was sitting on the bank of a river named Berba h, and examining the canonical Epistles, certain guests, seeking to be ferried across to the monastery, were calling from the other side. To whom, as if to those who were to be led to Christ, he recovers undamaged a book carried off by the surge of the sea. leaving the book where he was sitting, he hastened to sail across. Meanwhile a flood of the sea surging against the river, and overflowing the banks of the river, in returning carried off with it into the sea the aforesaid book: but, as the merits of the holy man required, it brought it back to the same place, untouched by any corruption.
[9] So great a grace of prophecy shone forth in the man of God, that he truly answered those who asked how men—whoever they might be—would live, and by what end they would close their life, and of what merit they would be in the future. He is illustrious by the gift of prophecy, At one time the man of God, having separated himself from the College of the Brethren, completed a three-day fast; but one of them, coming to visit him, was utterly unable to look upon his face because of his radiance: for it appeared like the flame of fire, and a great light shone round about him. [For] to declare the excellence of his merits, God Himself appeared to him wondrously through a subordinate creature, to console him in the exile of this world; and by divine apparitions. whence the place of the apparition is called Trinity up to this day. He also at a certain time heard choirs of Angels singing, with ineffable melody, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good will": whence the blessed Bishop named the place, in which he thus heard the mysteries of the Angels, the land of the Angels.
[10] Shining with these and similar prodigies of miracles, he hastened to the inevitable end of life (which end he obtained without interruption, He passes to heaven, desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ), and thus, having conquered the hardships of the age, enriched with the abundant resources of all the virtues of the Saints, with the earth weeping and heaven rejoicing, he passed in triumph to Christ: who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. The 7th i of the Ides of June.
[11] To these things it has seemed good to add some from the Manuscript of the Reverend Father Henry Fitsimon, Dogs fed by him not without a miracle: which were lacking in the Salamanca manuscript; since I have dealt with these in the preliminary Commentary: and these are they. It happened on another day that St. Molingus fed wild dogs, and they were many; for this is the number of the dogs—thirty. And they divided themselves into two troops, and he gave them thirty loaves with butter: and twelve dogs of them were not at once present, and the first ones did not eat their portion: but out of fear of the Saint they kept with them twelve loaves until their companions had arrived: another thing performed concerning a bird and a cat and the Saint fed them with the twelve loaves which they had left over, together with the first dogs. But on a certain day, while St. Molingus was sitting and reading, there came k the bird Mima … and it swallowed before him a fly that had one wing; and l a cat devoured the bird: and the Saint commanded the cat to vomit up the bird, and the bird the fly: and immediately those animals were healed and lived. St. Molingus was always accustomed to feed wild animals: and a fox, of the foxes that took food from his hand, stole a hen and ate it: and the Saint was grieved against that cunning fox. But the fox, seeing this, went off to another place, where holy women dwelt; and snatched from them another hen of a different color, and offered it to the holy man. And it was commanded to the fox that it should carry it back alive to its mistresses: and it carried it back just as it was commanded. But on another day, a fox and hens. another of the foxes carried off a cake and a honeycomb: and it was commanded to it that it should bring back the cake, and it obeyed the command of the Saint. And since St. Moling was a chief in a great city which is called Ferns, the foxes proceeded to him, nor were they pursued by the dogs until they came to the place in which Moling was: and Moling foretold their coming to his people: and he made them lodging, and after this they returned to their own places. And Moling said to them: "Eat; after a little time I will leave this city, and return to my own place." These things, I say, I have thought should be reported, that from them it may be understood what sort of Acts those are, of which we spoke in the preliminary Commentary, num. 2.
NOTES F. B.
f That is, of Ferns.