Molzbichl - St. Tiburtius

Archeologists excavated the foundations of the oldest known monastery in Carinthia around and below the parish church of Molzbichl. This monastery, founded 770/780 during the Christianisation of the area, existed for nearly two centuries.

The church of the convent was really large, measuring impressive 24m x 8m.

The graveslab of a deacon named Nonnosus is part of the altar.

Following the information it reads:

Hic re(quies)ci(t) servus Χϱ(ιστου)
Nonnosus diac(onus)
qui vixit annos
p(lus) m(inus) CIII obiit
IIII Non(as) Septemb(res)
et deposit(us) est in
hunc loco XIII Kal(endas) Aug(ustas) indict(ione) XI
tertio (anno) post cons(ulatum)
Lampadi et Ores/tis v(irorum) c(larissimorum)

Here rests the servant of Christ, Nonnosus, deacon, who lived more or less for 103 years. He died on September 2 at this place died on July 20...three years after the consulate of the illustrious men Lampadius and Orestes. (= 533)

The plate may have been brought to Molzbichl from the nearby ancient city of Teurnia (today St. Peter in Holz), where Nonnosus could have served as a deacon. The area of Teurnia was under the jurisdiction of the bishops of Freising - and a grave of "Saint Nonnosus" can be found in the crypt of the Freising Cathedral.

Nonnosus´ cult was strong in Bavaria. He was prayed to by sufferers from diseases of the kidneys. At Freising, these sufferers performed a ritual, called "Durchschluepf". It involved crawling three times around Nonnosus' sarcophagus on all fours.