At the age of 5, he has an accident while climbing a scaffold and is saved due to his mother's prayers to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.

The conditions stated in the prayer for their sons salvation is that he will be donated to God's work on earth.

Because of a dispute of the validity of the donation the Queen of the Swedes harasses the Cistercian monks into flight.

The abbot and his subjects relocate to Denmark awaiting the excommunication of the Swedish royal family.

After relocating back to Varnhem again, the Prior of the convent, Father Henri, instructs Arn to witness the outside world for himself before taking the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience (q.v.