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A CALENDAR OF
SCOTTISH SAINTS
BY DOM MICHAEL BARRETT,
O.S.B.

SECOND EDITION REVISED & AUGMENTED

B27
1919

REGIS
BIBL. MAJ.

COLLEGE
FORT-AUGUSTUS PRINTED AT THE ABBEY PRESS
:

1919

61575

Nihil obstat

D. CUTHBERTUS ALMOND,

O.S.B.

Censor Dep.

Imprimatur

*%<

GEORGIUS, Ep. Aberd.

INTRODUCTION
applied to the holy ones whose names occur in these
title

THE

of

Scottish,

short notices,
refer not so

must be understood

to

much

to their nationality

as to the field in which, they laboured or the localities where traces of their
cultus are to

be found.
to

The Calendar here submitted does

not

pretend
therein

be
in

exhaustive

the

saints

noted are those

who

appear prominently remain to us and in the place-names which still recall their personalities.
In this

such records as

new

edition

much

additional

information

been inserted, and many emendations made to render the Calendar as complete as possible.
has

INTRODUCTION

The

chief sources relied

upon
:

in the

compilation of the work are

The Breviary of Aberdeen, drawn up by Bishop Wm. Elphinstone, and

printed in
Dr.
Saints.
1

509.

Forbes

Kalendars

of

Scottish

Origines Parochiales Scotia. Dr. Skene s Celtic Scotland.

Canon
Saints.

Hanlon s

Lives

of

Irish

Cardinal

Moran s

Irish

Saints

in

Great Britain.

New
is

Statistical

Account of Scotland.

The date

at the

head

of

each notice

generally that of the death of the

saint concerned.

JANUARY
1
St,

Ernan, Abbot, A,D, 640.

day was a disciple of the great St. Columba, and is said by Colgan, the renowned
Irish scholar, to

TH

Saint

whose

feast

is

celebrated on this

have been

his

nephew.

What
is

connection the saint had with Scotland

clear.

not

He may
St.

have laboured for a time there

of
St.

under

Columba, but he became Abbot

in

Drumhome
that
saint s

Donegal.

On
St.

the

night

Columba went

to his reward, as

we

are told by

biographer,

Adamnan, Ernan
which the
St.
saint s

was favoured with a

vision in

death was revealed to him.

his Irish

Ernan died

in

monastery at an advanced age in the 640. The church of Killernan, in Rossyear

shire, is

named
is

after him.

Another dedication

to this saint in

thought by some to be Kilviceuen

Mull.
4
St.

Chroman
the

or Ghronan, A.D. 641,

ON

account of

destruction

of

so

many
many

ecclesiastical

records at the Reformation,

JANUARY
some
of our Scottish saints

particulars regarding

have been irrevocably lost. with the holy man before us.
of

This

is

the case

All that

we know

him may be

told in a

few words.

He

lived

in the

Cunningham

district of

he was revered during life death for his great sanctity.

Ayrshire, where and venerated after

On
"

his

death-bed

we
and

are told he kept continually repeating those

of the

words

83rd Psalm,

My

soul

longeth

fainteth

for the courts of

flesh

the Lord.
in the

My
Living

heart and
God."

my

have rejoiced

St.

Kentigerna, Recluse, A.D, 733.

LlKE down
St.

so

many

holy souls whose

lives

drew

the grace of

Heaven upon

the land, St.

Her brother, Kentigerna was of Irish race. their a prince of succeeded father, Comgan,
in

Leinster,

the

government
violent

of

his

territory.

Meeting

with

opposition

from

the

neighbouring princes,

on account

of his just

and

upright Christian rule, St.

to
fly

Comgan was
together

obliged
his

the

country,

and

with
to

widowed
Irish

sister,

who had
refuge

been married
in

an
St.

prince,

took

Scotland.
life,

Comgan

devoted himself to monastic

and

JANUARY

Kentigerna retired to an island in Loch Lomond Here in her solitary to live as an anchoress.
cell,

on the

hilly,

wooded

isle

which

is

now
the

called in

memory

of her Innis

na Caillich (the
years
of

Nun

Island),

she spent
life.

many

remainder of her

The
and
are

island

became the

seat of the old parish

church of Buchanan, which

in

was dedicated
which
chiefs
is

to
in

her,
use,

the graveyard,
of

still

many tombs
the clan
St.

the

and

illustrious

men of Her

MacGregor.
Kenti
in

The church
the

has been long in ruins.

feast
is

gerna died in 733.

to

be found

Aberdeen
11
St.

Breviary.

Suibhne (Sweeney), Abbot, A.D. 656.

THIS
of that

saint

was an Abbot

of

lona

who

died in

the odour of sanctity

when he had been Superior

about three years.

monastery
14
St.

for

Kentigern or Mungo, Bishop, A,D. 603 or 612.

THE

ancient

kingdom

of

Cumbria

or Strath-

clyde extended from the Clyde to the Derwent in Cumberland. It had been evangelised by
St. Ninian, but, in the course of

two

centuries,

through constant warfare and

strife,

the Faith

JANUARY
in the

had almost disappeared when,

to

middle of

the sixth century, St. Kentigern was raised

up

be

its

new

apostle.

The

saint

came

of a

royal race,

and was born about A.D. 518.

He
love

was brought up from childhood by

of

a holy hermit
of

Culross called Serf,

who

out

the

he bore the boy changed his name of Kentigern (signifying "lord and master") to that of Mungo
(the well beloved).
that
It is

under the

latter

name

he

is

best

known

in Scotland.

It

should be

noted, however, that the benefactor of the young

Kentigern,

though

possibly bearing

the

same

name, cannot be identified with the well-known

St. Serf

of

Culross,

who, according
flourished
of
at

to
in his

modern
a
later

historians,

must

have

century.
tion

At

the

completion
his

educa

Kentigern

fixed

abode
and

Cathures,
joined
his

now
in
life

known
kind
of

as

Glasgow,

was

by many
a

disciples,

who
be

lived

under

rule

monastic discipline.
to

His holy
against
fixed

caused

him

raised

much

his will

to the episcopal state.

for his see,

He

upon
all

Glasgow

and ruled

his flock

with

the ardour and holiness of an apostle.

and mortified

in

life,

Simple he abstained entirely from

JANUARY
wine and
out food.
slept
flesh,

He

and often passed two days with wore haircloth next his skin,
in

on a stone, and often rose

the night to

praise

God.
of

Throughout
his

his life

he preserved

the purity

baptismal innocence.

His
always

pastoral staff

was

of simple

wood.

He

wore

his

priestly stole, to

be ready to perform
office.

the functions of his sacred

wicked

Driven from Glasgow by the enmity of a king, the saint took refuge with St.
in

David

South

Wales.

He

subsequently

founded the monastery known afterwards, from the disciple who succeeded him in its govern
ment, as St.

Asaph

s,

and here more than nine

to

hundred monks are said

rule.

have lived under

his

Later on he was recalled to Glasgow,

after

and

life

of apostolic zeal

he received

through an angel, on the Octave of the Epiphany,

his

summons

to eternal

life.

Fortifying himself

by the Sacraments, and exhorting his disciples

to charity

and peace and constant obedience

Catholic
last,

to

the

Holy
saintly

Church,

their mother,

he

breathed his

being at

least

His

body was

laid to rest

85 years old. where the mag

Cathedral,

nificent under-croft

of

St.

Mungo s

JANUARY
to his
in
;

Glasgow, was raised

honour

in after ages.

Many

old

churches

Scotland bear the

the chief of these
is is

dedication of St.

Mungo

Lanark parish church.

ing his

There
him

a parish bear

name

in Dumfries-shire,
;

and many holy

of

wells are called after

one
in

these

is

in

of

Glasgow Cathedral, others are Glasgow, and at Huntly,

Dumfries,

the precincts

Peebles,

Ayr,

Glengairn (Aberdeenshire), also at Currie, Penicuik and Mid-Calder, near Edin

burgh.

There

is

also St.

Mungo

s Isle

in

Loch

Leven.

Besides

these

Scottish

dedications,

there are seven churches in

Cumberland which
all

bear his name.

It

is

noteworthy that

of

them bear the more popular title of Mungo. Within about six miles of Carmarthen, in
Wales,
deirne
is

the ancient parish church of Llangen"

"Church

of

Kentigern

this

is

one

instance, at

least,

of a dedication

to the saint

under

his real

name, and maybe the only one.

fairs

There were formerly two

kept
in

of St.

Mungo

Alloa each
to

year,

where the church

St.
less

was dedicated
is

this

saint.

said

to

have

made no

than

Kentigern seven
his
life.

pilgrimages to

Rome

in the course of

JANUARY
His
the
feast,

which had long been celebrated by Benedictines of Fort-Augustus and the

of

Passionists

Glasgow,

was extended
in

to

the

whole

of Scotland

by Leo XIII
of

1898.

As
1

he died on the Octave

feast
is

the Epiphany, the

4.

kept on the following day, January

19

8t,

Blaithmaic, Martyr, 8th or 9th century.

THIS

saint

was

of princely birth,

and a native
all

of

Ireland.

In early youth he renounced

the

attractions of wealth

and honour and entered a

his

monastery.

Here

for

many
his

virtues

he was

chosen abbot, and ruled his flock with wisdom

and prudence.
longed for

But from

youth he had

martyrdom, and though he had often

his superiors

begged leave from

to preach

the
it.

Faith to unbelievers, he could never obtain

at

Being munity as a simple monk on renouncing his charge in Ireland, he announced one day to the brethren in the spirit of prophecy that an irrup
tion of

lona,

where he had entered the com

pagan Danes was about to take place.

those

He
weak

exhorted
for

who
to

felt

themselves too
flight.

martyrdom

seek safety in

They

concealed the shrine of St.

Columba

8
relics,

JANUARY
and many
of

the

monks betook them

selves to the mainland.

Next morning, while Blaithmaic was

altar, having just offered the

at

the

Holy

Sacrifice, the

pagans
panions

rushed upon him and the few

com
all

who

remained,

and

slaughtered

except Blaithmaic.
liberty
if

They

offered

him

life

and

he would show them the shrine

its

of St.

Columba with

treasure of

gold and gems.

his

But the intrepid martyr refused to betray trust and was hewn down at the altar.

He

was buried
from
their

at

lona on the return of the monks

of
safety.

place

There

is

some

doubt about the date

place
20
it

of his death,

some

writers

as late as
8t,

A.D. 828.
664,

Yigean or Fechin, Hermit, A.D.

THE
its

parish of St.

Vigean
is

s,

Forfarshire, derives

name from

this

saint,

who though

called
Irish

Vigean
at

in Scotland,

no other than the

abbot Fechin.
Fore,
in

He

ruled three hundred

It
is

monks

Westmeath.

not easy to

determine his precise connection with Scotland, though from the remains which bear his name
it

would appear

that he spent

some time

in the

country.

A hermitage at Conan, near Arbroath,

JANUARY
is

pointed out as his residence, and the founda

of

tions

a small
is

chapel

Near them
Well.

a spring

may known
his

still

be traced.

as

St.

Vigean

fair called

by

name was held

to

at

Arbroath
century.

on

this

day up
in

the

eighteenth

Ecclefechan
as

known
its

Middle Age

charters

Ecclesia Sancti
takes

Fechan)
It

Fechani (Church of St. name from the same saint.

has acquired celebrity in later times as the

birthplace of

Thomas

Carlyle.

St.

Fechin was

buried in the Monastery

of Fore.

25

St.

Buchadius, Monk, A.D. 597,

of the twelve disciples

THIS

saint

was one

who

accompanied St. Columba from Ireland and He settled with him upon the island of lona.

was one
of

of the saint

helpers in the conversion

the

Northern

Picts.
St.

He

is

said

to
It

have
seems

written

the Acts of

Columba.

probable that St.

time in Galloway,

Euchadius laboured
as

at

one

tion in that district.

he received special venera This may have been due,

the saint preserved there

however, to

relics of

in Catholic ages.

10
26
St.

JANUARY
Conan, Bishop, A.D. 648.
Ireland,

HE
in in

was born

in

and

is

said to

have

passed over to lona to join the community there,

which
the

his virtues

and
of

talents placed

estimation

the
special

monks.
devotion
for

him high He was

to

characterised

by

the

Mother

of

God, which won

him a

singular

purity of soul.

He was made

tutor to the three

sons of Eugenius IV,

brought them up on he became a

greatly

King of Scotland, and Later carefully and wisely.

Bishop.
in

St.

Conan was
His

honoured

Scotland.
in

name

survives at

Kilconan,

Fortingal, Perthshire,

and

at

St.

Conan
St.

Well,
s

near
is

Dalmally,

Argyleshire.
orchy,

Conan

Fair

held at Glen-

Perthshire, but this seems to relate to

like

another saint of
third

name,

as

its

date

is

the

Wednesday

in

March and our

saint

was

venerated on January 26th, as the best authorities

testify.

28

St.

Nathalan or Nauchlan, Bishop, l.D.

678.

THIS
at

saint

was born

of a noble Scottish

family

Tullich,

Aberdeenshire.

From

his

youth

he was distinguished

for great piety,

and spent

JANUARY
much
of his time in

manual labour

in the fields of

as a voluntary mortification

and a means

sub

duing the passions.

of

Many

miracles are related

having given away all his corn in time of famine, he caused the fields
It is

him.

said that

to

be sown with sand for lack of grain, and was

plentiful harvest.
in a

rewarded by a

Having given
of

way

to

murmuring

moment

impatience

he imposed upon himself the penance of making a pilgrimage to Rome, wearing on his leg a
this he fastened by a padlock heavy chain and threw the key into the Dee at a place now The Pool of the Key." He is known as
;
"

said to

and
he

to

have bought a fish for food in have found the key in its stomach

Rome
;

this

took for a supernatural

intimation to discon

tinue his self-inflicted mortification.

to his native

Being made bishop by the Pope, he returned land as an apostle of the Faith.
built in
;

He

Deeside several churches

of

at his

own

expense
Tullich,

one

these

was

at

his native

place,

where a huge
antique
of

slab of
cross,

granite,

sculp

tured
lintel

with an
of

forms
of

the

top

one
is

the

doors

the

ancient

church, and

thought to have been a portion

12
of the saint
s

JANUARY
tomb.
St.

Nathalan
to
in

is

said to

have

visited Ireland,
of

and

have founded the

Ulster.

at a

He died Dungiven advanced at on Tullich, very age January He became the patron saint of 8th, 678.
monastery
Deeside, and traces of his cultus
still

remain

in

that district.

Long

after
it,

Protestants had lost

sight of the reason for

an annual holiday was

held on his feast day, no work being allowed to

be done.

A
s

market was formerly held

or

at

Old
"

Meldrum on
Nathalan
cardineshire.

near

this

day,
at

called

St.

Fair,"

and another
ancient

Cowie, Kinof

The
"

name

Meldrum

was Bothelney, a corruption of Bothnethalen, which signifies habitation of Nathalan." Near

the ruins of the old church
"

is still

to
local

be seen

Nauchlan

Well."

A
at

quaint
:

rhyme

preserves his
"

memory
lies St.

Cowie
s

Atween
There
of

the kirk and the kirk ford

Nauchlan

hoard."

The

feast

St.

Nathalan was restored

by

Leo XIII.
29
St.

Yoloc or Macwoloc, Bishop.

5th or 6th century,

THIS

saint

is

considered by some to have been

of Irish race as his

name

is

possibly identical

JANUARY
with the Irish
the

name Faelchu.
to

He
left

is

said

by

Aberdeen Breviary
raised

have

his native

land to spread the

Roman
to

Faith in Scotland,
the
episcopal
life

where he was

rank.

He

voluntarily took upon himself a

of great

austerity to satisfy for his

others.
to

own

sins

and those

of

His evangelical labours were devoted

northern
parts of
little

the

He

lived in a
for

the country chiefly. house woven of reeds and

wattles,

his attraction

was towards every

His simple and holy thing poor and humble. life and the miracles he worked had an immense
influence in spreading the light of faith

amongst

the ignorant and half-barbarous people to

whose

welfare he had devoted himself, and

many were

converted to the Truth.

He

is

said to

have died

in

extreme old age

angels standing round his death-bed.

The
in

old

churches of
deenshire

Dunmeth and Logic Mar

to
this
is

Aber-

were dedicated

saint.

The

former parish

now

included in that of Glass.

Two
St.

below Beldorny in that parish are Wallach s Baths and a ruined chapel called
miles
s

Wallach
the latter

Kirk, while in the neighbourhood of

is

St.

Wallach

Well, which up to

14
recent times
age.

JANUARY

An
at

annual

was a recognised place of pilgrim fair was formerly held in his

;

honour

Logic

it

is

commemorated

in

provincial
"

rhyme
The

Wala-fair

in

Logic

Mar
Januar."

thirtieth

day

of

30

St.

Glascian or Maglastian, Bishop,

saint,

SCOTTISH calendars give short notices of this who is said to have been an illustrious and
King Achaius,
Charle

saintly bishop during the reign ot

a Scottish king contemporaneous with

magne.
as to his

Very few
life.

particulars can be ascertained

is

All that

at

present

known

of

him

is

gathered from the traces of his cultus

in various districts of the country.

which remain

Thus
seems

the parish of
to

Kinglassie, near
after him,

Kirkcaldy,

have been named

is

and

in the

neighbourhood
as
St.

a spring of fine water

known

Glass
after

Well.

There

is

another well

named
in

brightshire).

Dundrennan (Kirkcud Kilmaglas, now known as Stachur,

at
feast
is

him

Argyleshire, indicates another dedication to

this saint.

His

noted

in the

Breviary

of

Aberdeen on

this day.

JANUARY
31
St.

Adamnan

of Coldingham, A.D. (about) 686.

IN the monastery of Coldingham, over which

St.

Ebba

presided,

was a monk

of great sanctity
It is

and

austerity

named Adamnan.
of

not certain

whether he was a native

In his youth

Scotland or not.
led a
life

Adamnan had

of

great

licentiousness, and being converted by the grace of God from his evil ways was moved with a

do penance for his sins. Accordingly he sought the counsel of a certain Irish priest, to whom he made a general confession and con
desire to fided his desire of entering
life.

upon a

penitential

So deep was

his

sorrow that he expressed

himself ready to accept any penance his director

might impose, even to spending whole nights

prayer, or fasting for a

in

week

continuously.

The

priest having imposed upon him the penance of taking food twice only in a week until he

should see him again, departed into

Ireland,

and died there before

consult
sign of

Adamnan was
time.

able to
this as a

him a second

God

Taking Will that he was to persevere

in

his heroic course of penance,

Adamnan
life

resolved

to continue to the

end the hard

the counsel of the Irish priest.

begun by Having become

16
a

FEBRUARY
at

monk

Coldingham

after his conversion,

he

lived there for

of

many

years,

and was made one

the priests of the monastery.

He

died in

the odour of sanctity after being favoured with the

gift of

prophecy.
St.

Mittan,
of this saint
is

ALL
called

that

is

known

that a fair,

after
in

madock

him, was held formerly at KilPerthshire, on January 31st., which

his feast day.

must consequently have been

FEBRUARY
1
St.

Darlugdach, Virgin, A.D, 524.

Irish virgin
life

THIS
cated

saint

was an

who was edu

St.

to

the monastic

by the great

Bridget, the glory of

Ireland.

She

is

said to

have

Scotland during the reign of King Nectan and to have presided over a community
visited

of religious
that
to

women

attached to a church which

Abernethy and dedicated the Blessed Virgin. By some writers St.

built at
is

King had

Bridget herself

said to

have led the monastic

is

colony

to

Scotland,

but this

by no means

FEBRUARY
clear.
It is

true that great devotion

was shown
and

towards her, and

many

Scottish churches

wells bear her name, but this

for

may

be accounted

by the

close connection

with Ireland which

subsisted in those early times.

Her

relics, too,

Abernethy. Darlugdach did not remain in Scotland, as she succeeded her friend and patroness St.
St.

were venerated

at

Bridget as Abbess of Kildare, where she died.

3
St, Pillan

or Faolan, Abbot (8th century).

of St. Kentigerna,

HE

was the son

and con

sequently of Irish birth, and is said to have taken the monastic habit at Taghmon, in Wexford,

under the rule of

St.

Fintan-Munnu

later

on he came

to Scotland.

After spending some

time with his uncle St.

Comgan

at

Lochalsh,

where
saint

Killillan

(Kilfillan) bears his name, the

devoted himself to the evangelization of the district of Perthshire round Strathfillan, which
is

called after him,

venerated.

The

success of the Scots at

and where he was greatly Banto the presence of

nockburn was attributed

the

arm

of

St.

Fillan,

custodian,

the

Abbot

which was borne by its of Inchaffray, on the

18
field of

FEBRUARY
battle.
;

The
it

crozier of the saint

in

is still

in

existence

is

preserved

the

National
of the

Museum, Edinburgh.
been present
at

This

also, as
is

one

sacred battle-ensigns of Scotland,

said to

have
bell

Bannockburn.
in his

A
the

small

which formerly hung

is

church in Strathfillan
of

now

in
in

the

museum

Antiquarian

Society

saint are to

Edinburgh. be found in the

Several traces of the

district

in

which

he preached.

Killallan, or Killellen,
its

an ancient
;

parish in Renfrewshire, took

it

name from him

of

was

originally

Kilfillan

(Church

Fillan).

Near the
Houston,

ruins of the old church, situated near

is

a stone called Fillan

Fillan
s

Seat,

and a

spring called
it

Well

existed

there until

was

filled

up, as a

remnant of

superstition,

by

parish

minister

in

the eighteenth

century.

Other holy wells bore his name at Struan (Perth shire), Largs and Skelmorlie (Ayrshire), Kil fillan (Wigtonshire), Pittenweem (Fifeshire),
etc.

A
s

fair

ston

and another
Fair.

used to be held annually at Hou at Struan, both known as

In Strathfillan are the ruins of

Fillan
St.

Fillan

Pool, in

s chapel, and hard by is the Holy which the insane were formerly bathed

FEBRUARY
to

19
intercession.
I.

obtain a

cure
it

by the

saint s

Scott refers to
"

in

Marmion

(Cant.

xxix)

Whose

And

blessed Well, spring can frenzied dreams dispel the crazied brain restore."
St. Fillan s

Pope Leo XIII

in Scotland.

re-established the saint s feast

St.

Modan, Abbot, 8th century.

THIS
Irish

saint,

whose missionary labours benefited

the west coast of Scotland, was the son of an

chieftain.

He

crossed

over

from

his

native land, like so

many

others of his country

spiritual

men, to minister to the

wants of the
at that

many

Christians of Irish race

who

time

formed an important part of the population of the district to which he came.

A
still

short

distance from the site of the old

Priory of Ardchattan,

near
of

Loch
his

Etive,
first

may
s

be seen the remains

oratory.

It

bears the
;

name
St.

of

Balmodhan
its

(St.

Modan
is

Town)
spring

a few paces from

ruins

a clear

called

Modan
of

Well, and hither

still

within the

memory

persons

living

came

many

a pilgrimage in honour of the saint.

20
flat It

FEBRUARY
stone near was

known
for

as St.

Modan s

Seat.

was broken up

building
years ago.

materials

by

Presbyterians not

many

The
pressive

ruins are situated

amid scenery of im beauty, and command a view of land

as far as the island of

and water

Mull.

The

Dr. Story in his description of masonry," says is the buildings, strong and rough, but little
"

more than the

gables

and the outline

of

two

broken walls remain, overshadowed by the ash trees that have planted themselves among the
stones,

the

existing trees
all

remains of roots,
of

growing out of the gnarled and weather-worn,

In every crevice immensely greater age. fastened them have fern and rowan, thorn, ivy,

selves, softening
decay."

St.
("

and concealing the sanctuary s Modan," by R. H. Story, D.D.)

St.

Another old church which claims

for its patron
is

Modan

that of Roseneath,

which stands

near

Loch Long, on the border

in
"

of the

Western

Highlands,
signifies

Dumbartonshire.

Its

name
"

the Promontory
it

of the Sanctuary
"
"

sometimes
Sanctuary

was known

as

Neveth
ancient

the
burial

simply.

Only

the

ground and kirk

now

remain, but formerly a

FEBRUARY
well existed here also, which
is

21
said to

have had

miraculous properties and was resorted to by

pilgrims.
for

Later on the

site

was made use

of

foundation of Canons

monastery
sanctuary
;

was
it is

built

Regular, whose on a plain below the

now

entirely demolished.

Kilmodan, above Loch Riddan, on the Kyles

of Bute,
is

another of St.
;

Modan

foundations,

as
of

name implies for it signifies Church Modan. The modern kirk has replaced the
its

ancient

building
parts of

and occupies the same

site.

Other
with

Scotland also claim connection

this saint.

He

is

said to

have preached

the Faith as far east as Falkirk, where the old

church, Eaglais Bhreac, was dedicated to him,

as

was

also the
life

High Church
of

of Stirling.
St.

After a
finding

extreme austerity

Modan,
to

his

solitude of
to

end approaching, Rosneath, where he

in
"

retired

the

died.

Devotion
Scott

him was very popular

to
"

Scotland.
of

alludes

it

in

the

Lay

the

Last

Minstrel
"

Some Some

to Saint to Saint

Modan made their vows, Mary of the Lowes."

Canto VI.

22
7

FEBRUARY
St Ronan, Bishop, A.D. 737.
"

DR
and
that

SKENE,

in his

Celtic

Scotland,"

expresses

the opinion that this saint was a contemporary

associate of St.

Modan.
of

It

is

remarkable
saint
exists,

where a foundation
near Rosneath
s

one

traces of the other are

found in the

vicinity.
is

Thus
St.

is

Kilmaronock, where

Well, and on the opposite side of Loch Etive, not far from Balmodhan, is
"

Maronock

Kilmaronog.
or
"

Both names
Ronan."

"

signify

Church

Cell of

It is

common
og

feature in the Celtic designa

tions of saints to

find the prefix

mo

(my) and

the

affix

(little)

added

to the simple

name
is

by way

of reverent endearment.

This
;

the

case in the

names

just referred to

Kilmaronog
"

and Kilmaronock both mean

of

literally

Church

my little (or dear) Many legends surround

Ronan."

this saint,

but very

little

authentic information can be gleaned con

life.

cerning the circumstances of his

dedications to

Many

be found on lonely isles and retired spots on the west coast, which seem to point to a custom of seeking solitude
to

him are

from time

to time.

Thus

little

island near

FEBRUARY
Raasay
is

23

called

Ronay

another sixty miles

north-east of the Lewes, possessing an ancient

oratory

and

Celtic

crosses,

is

called

Rona.

An

islet

on the west
is

coast of the mainland of

Shetland

called St.

Ronan

s Isle

it

becomes

an island
of

at

high tide only.

The

parish church

lona was called

burial
said

Teampull fyonain and its Cladh Ronain. St. Ronan is ground

have been Abbot of Kingarth, Bute, in 737. Holy wells bear his

to

where he died

name
Lewis

at

Strathdon (Aberdeenshire),
;

Strowan (Perthshire), Chapelton and the Butt

latter
is

in

of

the

famed

for

the cure of

lunacy.
14
St.

Conran.
the seventh
for sanctity,

HE
zeal,

was a Bishop
and

century whose

of Orkney in name was illustrious

life.

austerity of

17

St Finan, Bishop, A.D, 661.

THIS monk

saint

was an Irishman who became a

in the

at lona.

monastery founded by St. Columba During his monastic life he was dis
befitting
his
state,

tinguished for the virtues

especially

prudence and gravity of demeanour.

24

FEBRUARY
was devoted
live

He
to

to prayer
to the

according

and strove zealously Divine Will in all

things.

When
his

St.

Aidan,

who had

been a

monk

of lona, passed to his heavenly reward, a

successor in

see

of

Lindisfarne was again

sought choice
erect

in

that celebrated monastery,

and the

fell upon Finan. His first care was to on the island of Lindisfarne a suitable

cathedral,
his saintly

and

he placed the remains of predecessor Aidan.

in this

his

During the few years diocese he exhibited

that St.
all

Finan ruled
of

the virtues

model bishop.
of the world,

His love
and

of poverty,

contempt

zeal for preaching the Gospel,

of
his

won

the

hearts

people.

Under

his

guidance,
realise his

Oswy
crime in

the

King was brought to the barbarous murder of the

saintly Oswin, King of Deira, and the result was the foundation of monasteries and churches

as

tokens of his

sincere

repentance

and

his

desire to obtain

pardon from Heaven through

the prayers and merits of those

who

should

dwell in them.

his

The influence own people

of St.

Finan extended beyond

for the kings of

more southern

FEBRUARY
nations, with their subjects,
his

25
the Faith to

owed
King

zeal

and

piety.

Peada,

King
of

of

the

Mercians,
Saxons,

and

Sigebert,

the

East

both received Baptism at his hands, and obtained from him missionaries to preach
to their respective peoples.

The most famous work

was

in

which

St.

Finan

directly concerned was the foundation by of

Oswy

the Monastery of Streaneshalch on

the precipitous headland afterwards

known
Hilda,

as

Whitby.

This was

to

become

in later years,

under the rule of the

first

abbess,
of
it

school of saints and a centre

learning for

the whole territory in which

stood,

and the

admiration of after ages for

strictness of discipline.

its

fervour and

St.

Finan died

after

an episcopate he had

of

ten

years,
St.

and was
in

laid to rest beside the

remains of
built
at

Aidan

the cathedral

Lindisfarne.

His

feast

was restored

to Scot

land by

Leo XIII.
18
St.

in

1898.

Colman, Bishop, A.D.

676.

ON

the death of St. Finan, another

monk

of

lona was chosen to succeed him in the see of

26
Lindisfarne.

FEBRUARY
This

was

Colman,

who,

like

Finan, was of Irish nationality.

fierce

At

the time a

controversy was raging in Britain as to the

calculation
of of

correct

Easter.

The Roman

system computation had undergone various it until was finally fixed towards the changes It end of the sixth century. was adopted
gradually throughout the Church, but Britain

and Ireland

still

retained their ancient method.

it

In consequence of this
that

sometimes happened
keeping

when
the

the

Celtic

Church was

Easter,
tion

followers of the

Roman computa
This was the
of

were

still

observing Lent.

case in the Court of

Oswy, King
rite,

Bernicia,

who

followed the Celtic

while his

Queen
been
the

Eanfleada and her chaplains,

who had
style,

accustomed
festival

to

the

Roman
it.

kept

in

accordance with

To
at

bring about uniformity a synod was held Whitby to give the advocates of either

system an opportunity of stating their views. St. Wilfrid, the great upholder of Roman
customs,
his

brought such weighty arguments for

that the

side

majority

of

those

present

were persuaded

to accept the

Roman computa-

FEBRUARY
tion.

27
since the

St.

Colman, however,
to

Holy

See had not

not

definitely settled the matter, could

bring himself

give
his

up the
dear

traditional
St.

computation

which
to.
it

master,

Columba, had held

his see, after ruling

He,

therefore, resigned

for three years only,

and

with such of the Lindisfarne monks as held the

same views

retired to lona.

On

his

way

thither
of

he seems

to

have

founded the church

Fearn in

Forfarshire,

which he dedicated

to St.

some of the saint

Lindisfarne.

s relics

Aidan, placing there brought with him from

founded a church
in

He

also

honour of the same

Ross.

saint at

Tarbert in Easter-

This, however, was afterwards called

by

his

own name.

After a short stay at lona, St. Colman re turned to Ireland and founded a monastery at Inisbofin, an island on the west coast of that
country, peopling
left
it

with the monks

who had
for

Lindisfarne in his company.

Later on a

new
the
till

foundation was
;

made

at

Mayo
as

Saxon
of

monks only

it

became known
saint ruled

"

Mayo

Saxons."

The

both monasteries

his death,

which occurred

at Inisbofin,

where

28
he was buried.

FEBRUARY

He
church

had

translated thither the

s

greater part of St.

of the ancient
island.

Aidan

relics.
still

The

ruins

may

be seen on the

St.

Colman

s feast

has been restored to

Scotland by Pope Leo XIII.

Protestant
St.

writers

have

tried

to

interpret

Colman
as

conduct regarding the Synod of

manifest
opposition
is

Whitby
authority.
clusion.

to

Roman

This, however,
It

a mistaken con

must be remembered that the matter

as an

was regarded by him

he considered himself
traditional usage until
St.

open question, and

keeping to the
it.

justified in

Rome

declared against

Bede,

who had no sympathy

with his views

of
St.

on the Easter question, speaks highly Colman as a holy and zealous Bishop.

There
and
Irish

is

some discrepancy between

In Scotland he

Scottish

authorities as to

the precise date of

the saint

death.

was honoured

on

this day,

but Irish writings give the date as

August

8.

There are

also

some
;

slight differences
less

in the particulars of his life

1

but as no

than

30

saints of this

name
it

are mentioned in Irish

is

ecclesiastical records,

conceivable that their

histories

have become intermixed.

FEBRUARY
23
St.

29
A.D. 664.

Boisil, Confessor,

THE
cian
earlier St.

old abbey of Melrose

was not the Cister

remain,

house whose ruins

still

but

an

monastery which had been founded by

rule of St.
for

Aidan and followed the

Columba,

which was afterwards changed

Benedict.

that of St.

The Roman

usage regarding Easter

was adopted
of

there, very soon after the

Synod

Whitby. Its abbot was the holy Eata, who was given the government of Lindisfarne Abbey
also,

when many of Colman to Ireland.

its

monks followed

St.

Just before these events

occurred the subject of this notice was called to

his reward.

He
it

was
he,

prior of Melrose under

who, being a monk and priest of surpassing merit and prophetic spirit, as St. Bede says, welcomed with joy and gave the
Eata, and

was

monastic habit to a youth in

"

whom

he saw

"

servant of the

Lord

the future St. Cuthbert.

The two became devoted friends, and Boisil, who was especially learned in the Scriptures,
became Cuthbert
s

master in that science, as

well as his example in holy living.

In

664

a terrible epidemic called the Yellow

Plague

visited

Scotland and carried

off

numbers

30
of the inhabitants.

FEBRUARY
Boisil

and Cuthbert were

both attacked by the malady, and the lives of The holy prior, how both were endangered. from the ever, beginning foretold the recovery
of

Cuthbert and
latter

his

own

death.

Summoning
his

the

to

his

bedside,
all

he

prophesied

future greatness, relating

that

was

to befall

him

in

the years to come, and especially his

to

elevation

the

episcopal
assist

rank.

Then he

begged Cuthbert to
days of
life

him during the seven which remained to him to finish

s

the study of St. John

Gospel on which they

In
this

had

been

engaged.
till

they

occupied

themselves

St. Boisil s peaceful death. St.

The
Boisil
s.

church of

Boswell
is

was dedicated

to this saint, the

name

a corruption of St.

The

old

town has disappeared.

1

An

annual

fair

honour of
situated

was formerly held on July 8th, in the saint. His well also was

there.

25

St.

Cumine, Abbot, A.D. 669.

of

HE

was the seventh abbot

lona,

and

his

learning and holiness rank

illustrious

him among the most

monks
of

The Synod

renowned monastery. was instrumental which Whitby,

of that

FEBRUARY
in

31

overthrowing the ancient Celtic computation

Easter

of

and

substituting

the

Roman
of
St.

use,

occurred during
abbacy.

Cumine

occupation
of

the

He
to

wrote a
vindicate

life

Columba,
after

probably

his

sanctity
his

the
the

apparent slight offered

to

memory by

synod in setting aside the traditional usage which he had cherished. This life seems to have

been the

result

of

St.

Colman

visit

to

lona
18th).
s

before his return to Ireland (see Feb.

A
letter

more important work

on
the

is

St.

Cumine
which

Easter

controversy,

he

wrote

before

he became

abbot,

and

which
diffi

shows a thorough acquaintance with the

culties of the subject, as well as

of

the

deep knowledge Sacred Scriptures and writings of the

Fathers.

He

is

often called

(Cumine the
in

Fair-haired).

Cumine j4ilbhe His name survives

St.

Kilchuimein (Church of

ancient designation of

Cumine), the Fort-Augustus, and the

called in Gaelic.
is

only

name by which
s

it is still

A spot in the same neighbourhood

St.
hill

known

as

Cumine
called

Return

it

is

in the vicinity

of a

St.

Cumine

Seat.

The

parish

church of Glenelg also

is

named

after this saint.

MARCH
1
St.

Marnock or Marnan, Bishop, A.D,

625,

LlKE
this

so

many

of the Celtic saints, the

name

of

one has been changed by the addition of

particles expressive of reverence.

The
is

original

form was Ernin

traction
of

the Scottish

name

a con

the

Gaelic

(my

little

Ernin).

He

is

words ^Co-Qrnin-og considered by some

Irish nationality,

writers
this is

to

have been

of

but

by no means established.
as

St.

Marnock
being

laboured
specially

missionary

in

Moray,

died at

noted for his zeal in preaching. Aberchirder in Banffshire, and

He
was

buried in the church there.

The

place after
of

wards received the additional name

from
its

Marnock
s

connection with the

saint. St.

Marnock

shrine

became a

favourite place of pilgrimage,

relics,

and miracles were wrought through his which were religiously preserved there.
head
of St.

The

Marnock was
have
to

frequently borne in
It

procession to obtain fair weather.

was the
it

custom

also to

lights

placed round
relic

every
water,

Sunday and

wash the

with

MARCH
which was afterwards used, greatly to
benefit,

33
their

by the

sick.

The

Innes family,

who

chose the saint as their patron, had a particular

devotion to that

relic.

Traces

of the cultus of St.

districts of

Marnock

are to

be found in many

Scotland.

Besides

the church in which his remains were honoured, a holy well at Aberchirder
still

bears his name.

in

fair

on the second Tuesday

March, held
Fair.

there annually,

was known

as

Marnock
at

There was a Mafnock Fair

which
lasted for eight days.

Paisley also,
of the

The church
Near

well-known
is

parish of Kilmarnock, in Ayrshire,

Kilfinan,

another of his dedications.

in Argyllshire,

and not

far

from the sea shore,

may be
the

seen the foundation and a fragment of

it
;

the wall of a chapel with a graveyard round

field

which the chapel stands is called Ard-Marnoc. On an eminence not far off is a
in

cell

which

tradition

assigns to this saint as a

place of retirement for solitary

communion with
is

God.

Inchmarnock, an island near Bute,

;

another place connected with him

at

Dalmarnock
this
saint.

Little

Dunkeld,

is

named

after

Other

churches

and

parishes

also

show

34
traces of ages.
St.

MARCH
the honour paid to

him

in Catholic

Monan, Martyr, 9th century.

to

ACCORDING
the

some
of

writers,

he was one

of

companions honoured on March

in Fifeshire
;

St.

Adrian

(who

was
the

4),

and preached
in

Gospel

his relics

being afterwards
that

translated

to

Abercrombie
II.,

countyfor

King

David

in

thanksgiving
saint s

cures

obtained

through

the

intercession,

erecting there a noble church to contain them.

Dr
saint

Skene,

however,

is

of

opinion

that

this

was not a martyr, but was

of Clonfert,

St.

Monan,

Bishop

known

in Irish calendars as

Moinenn, and that his relics were brought to Abercrombie by Irish who had fled from the

Danes

then

plundering

and burning
1
.

Irish

monasteries

about the year 84

On

account

of the great devotion of the saint,

Abercrombie

became generally known

has

as St.

now

reverted to

its

original

Monan s, but title. The church

;

was given by James III. to the Dominicans to the Canons later on it was transferred
Regular of
is

St.

Andrews.

St.

Monan

Well

near the ancient building.

MARCH
2
St.

35

Fergna, Bishop, A.D. 622.

THIS

saint,

a fellow-citizen and relative of St.

Columba, became eventually Abbot of lona.

During
his

rule

many

of

the young nobles

of

who had

fled

from the sword

the King of

Deira took shelter in the monastery. They were instructed and converted to the Christian
Faith.
St.

Fergna

is

said to have

been made
life,

a bishop in the later years of his

is

but this

called

in

question by some

writers.

He

seems to have been of partly British descent

and

"

is

often styled
St.

Fergna the

Briton."

Adrian and Companions, A.D. 875,

AN
birth

old

legend,
relates

authentic,

which was long regarded as that this saint was of royal

of

and was a native

Hungary, and

that

he came to Scotland with several companions

to preach the Faith.
tify

Modern
St.

historians iden

him with the

from
his
in

Irish

Odhran, who was

the

driven

country by
Scotland.

Danes and
preached the

took refuge

He

Gospel
eastern

to

the

people

of

Fifeshire

and

the

counties.

Eventually he founded a

monastery on the Isle of May in the Firth of Here he suffered martyrdom, together Forth.

36

MARCH
disciples, in

with a great number of his

incursion
built

an

of

the

Danes.

Priory
I,

was
and

on

the

island

by

David

placed under the Benedictine

ing.

Abbey

of

Read

Later on
St.

it

Regular of

was given over to the Canons Andrews. The Isle of May

of pilgrimage
it

became a famous place

of the connection
St.

on account

with
his

of other saints besides

Adrian and
it

companions.

James

IV

visited

several times, having evidently a great

affection for the holy place.

In

503 he took

the

"clerkis

of the
thair."

Kingis chapell to Maii to

sing the

Mes

Other records occur

in
:

his treasurer s accounts,

"To

such as the following

the preistis to say thre trentals of Messis

for
"the

thair";

Kingis offerand in his tua

candillis in
6

Maii."

St.

Baldred, Hermit, A.D. 608.

THIS
was a
has

saint,

according to a popular

tradition,

disciple of the great St. Kentigern.

He
East

often

been

styled

the
s

Apostle of

Lothian.

After his master

his

death St. Baldred

took up
near

residence

North

Berwick,

upon the Bass Rock, and there he devoted

his

himself to

penance and prayer,

favourite

MARCH
subject

37

of

meditation

Christ

Our

Lord.

From

being the Passion of time to time he would

pay missionary
at

visits to

the mainland.

He

died

Aldhame in Haddington, a village which St. Baldred s Cave is on has now disappeared
;

the sea-shore near

its

former

site.

Tyningham
him.
1 .

Church,

in

the same county, and also that of

Prestonkirk,

were

dedicated

to

former was burnt by the Danes in 94

old parishes of

The The
are

Aldhame and Tyningham

is

now
kirk.

united under the designation of

White-

At
the

Prestonkirk there
saint s

a well which
as

bears

name,
is

whose water,
excellent for

Protestant writer notes,

tea
!

making

An
s

eddy

in

the

Tyne

is

called St.

century ago Prestonkirk an ancient statue of St. churchyard possessed

Baldred.

Baldred

Whirl.

The

ruins of a chapel dedicated to

discernible

the saint are

still

on the Bass Rock.

St Cadroe, Abbot, A.D. 937.

was connected with the royal family In his youth he was sent Strathclyde.
Ireland to be educated at
to Scotland,

HE

of to

Armagh.
for

Returning

he devoted himself
of

to the training

and education

youths

the

priesthood.

38

MARCH
life

Later on he gave himself to a

of pilgrimage

and passed

into

England, where Odo, Arch

bishop of Canterbury, received him with great he also visited the King, Edmund, kindness
;

at

Winchester.

Crossing

over
St.

to

France,

Cadroe, by the direction of

Fursey,

who

appeared
took
the

to

him

in

vision
at

during
the

prayer,

monastic

habit

Benedictine
to

Abbey

of Fleury.

But although he wished

a

remain there as
caused him to be
of

simple monk,
of

his

sanctity

made abbot

the monastery
for

Wassons-on-the Meuse, which he ruled

years.

some

At
of St

the request of the Bishop of

his residence in that city in

Metz he took up
the

Abbey

Clement, where he instituted

a thorough reform of discipline.

at the latter

He

remained

monastery

till

his death at the age

of

seventy,

which

was

followed

by many

miracles.
8
St.

Duthac, Bishop, A,D. 1068.

of

THIS

saint

was

Scottish
of

birth,

but

was

educated, like
Ireland.

many

his contemporaries, in

Returning

to his native land,

he was

consecrated bishop, and devoted himself with He is said to have zeal to the pastoral office.

MARCH
especially

39

shown
of

this

devotion in hearing the

confessions

his

people.

He

laboured

as

bishop

in

the districts of

Moray and
was buried
title
is

Ross.

Both
for

during; life

and

after

death he was noted

in

many

miracles.

He

the

church of Tain, whose Gaelic

^Baile

Dhuich (Duthac
death

his body to a more honourable shrine removed was

Seven years after Town). was found incorrupt, and

in

the same church.

His

resting-place

became one

of the chief places of pilgrimage in the country.

James IV.

visited

it

no

less

than three times,

travelling thither with a large retinue.

At
at

that

date St. Duthac

St.

Bell

was treasured

Tain.

Duthac

is

patron of
in Kintail.

Kilduich, at the head

of

Loch Duich

The

saint

probably

visited this spot,

charge.

which belonged to his pastoral Kilduthie, near the Loch of Leys,

and Arduthie,
near
take
in

Kincardineshire,

Stonetheir

haven,

in

the same county,

this
saint.

both

names

from

A
Two

chapel

the

Benedictine

Abbey

of

Arbroath bore the de

fairs called after
"

dication of St. Duthac.

him were held annually at Tain Lent was on his feast-day in

"

St.
;

Duthac
that
in

40

MARCH
indicated
is

December probably
of his relics.

some

translation
s

At Tain
Leo XIII

St.

Duthac

Cairn.

holy well bears his

name

in the parish of
his
feast

Cromarty.

restored

in

1898
10
St.

Failhbe (the second), Abbot, A.D. 745.

THIS

saint

was one

of the abbots of lona.

He

ruled that monastery for seven years, and died

there at the age of seventy.

St.

Kessog or Mackessog, Bishop and Martyr, A.D. 560.

native of Ireland, but devoted

HE
self

was a
to

him

missionary labours in Scotland, in the

province of Lennox.
Innis a

He
says
in

used as his retreat

Island) in

SKChanaich
Tradition

(Monk s

Loch

Lomond.

that

he suffered

martyrdom near Another version

Luss,
is

Dumbartonshire.

that
his

being martyred in a

foreign country, and

to Scotland for burial, the herbs with

body being conveyed which it

was surrounded took root and grew where he hence the name Luss (herbs) was laid to rest
;

was given
"

to

the spot,

and was afterwards

extended to the parish.

is

The

place of his burial

called

Carnmacheasaig."

The

church of

MARCH
Luss

41
sanctuary,
it,

had

the

privilege

of

which
no

extended for three miles round

so that

one could be molested within that boundary

for

any cause Robert Bruce

this

was granted by

King
of

in

1313.

The
was

church

Auchterarder,
this
saint,
;

Perthshire,

dedicated

to

and he was
both
fairs

also

venerated at Cal-

lander

at

Perthshire,
feast-day.

places, as also at Comrie, were held annually on his

is

Near Callander
name.

a conical
of

mound
was

bearing his

The

bell

the saint
century.

preserved up
Inverness
is

to the seventeenth
"

At
saint s

Kessog

Ferry."

The

name was
cry,

often used
is

by the Scots

as a battle-

and he

sometimes represented as the

patron of soldiers, wearing a kind of military

dress.

11

St.

Constantine, King and Martyr, A.D. 590.

THIS

saint

was a His

British king
life

who

reigned in

Cornwall.
crimes, but,

early

was stained by many

becoming converted to piety, after his wife s death he entered the monastery of Menevia, now known as St. David s, that he
might expiate his sins by penance. St. Kentigern, then an exile in that same monastery, exhorted

42
him

MARCH
to devote himself to preaching the Faith in
St. Constantine accordingly

Cumbria.

founded

a monastery at Govan, in Lanarkshire, where

he became abbot, and from whence he and

disciples

his

the

preached Christianity to the people of He converted the surrounding country.

the

people of Cantyre, and met his death in that

district

at

hands

of

the
at

enemies of his

teaching.

He

was buried

Govan, where
Kilchousland
in

the church bears his name.

The ancient Cantyre takes its name from him. church of Kinnoul, near Perth, and that of
Dunnichen, Forfarshire, were
this saint
;

also

dedicated to

at the latter place

s)

was

St.

Cousland

(or

Causnan
s

Fair,

and some remains

still.

of St.

Cousland

chapel are there

The water of
known
as St.

his well at Garrabost, in

Lewis,
to boil

Cowstan

s,

is

said never
it

any kind of
fire.

meat, however long

may be

kept over a

The
XIII.

feast

of

this

saint

was restored by Leo

St.

Libranus, Abbot.

HE
lona.

was one

of

the

many

saintly abbots

of

MARCH
12
St.

43

Indrecht, Abbot and Martyr, A.D. 854.

THIS
way
St.

saint

was
in

also

Abbot

of

lona, being the

twenty-first
to

order of

succession.

On

his

Rome

he was martyred by the Saxons.

Fechno, or Fiachna, Confessor, A.D. 580.

HE

was one

of

the

twelve
to

disciples

who

accompanied

St.

Columba

Scotland.

He

spent

was probably born in the north of Ireland, and some years under St. Columba s rule.
Miracles are said to have been wrought at his

tomb.
16
St.

Finan, Abbot, A.D. (about) 575.

THIS
in

saint,

surnamed

"

The
1

Leper,"

from the

disease with

which he was
on the

afflicted, is

mentioned

Irish calendars

6th of

this

month.

Although the dedications to St. Finan in Scot

land
are

many,

and devotion

to
it is

him must
difficult to

therefore have been widespread,

assign a cause for
it.

Some
at lona,

have thought that

but the authentic

he was

at

some time

particulars of his life

which are now extant are

so

few
is

that

it is

impossible to determine.

To
bears

him

attributed the evangelisation of part of

in

Argyllshire,

the district which

still

44
the

MARCH
name
in of

Glen-Finan.
is

The
is

ancient

burial-place of the district

on Eilean Finan,
said to

an island
have
lived,

Loch

Shiel,
is

where he

and where

preserved one of the few

still

ancient bronze bells

;

which

exist in

Scot

it is called fair land by the saint s name. was formerly held there annually, and was Other dedications called "St. Finan s Fair."

to this saint are at Kilfinan in the

same county
in
"

Kilfinan,

near
"

Invergarry,
St.

and Mochrum
s

Wigtonshire.

Finzean

Fair

(a

manner
is

of denoting Finyan), formerly held at Perth,

supposed

to

have been

in

honour

of the festival

of this saint.

St.

Charmaig, A.D. (about)

a saint

640.

THIS was
Hebrides.
Keills,

much honoured among

patron
of

the
of

He

is

the church

Argyllshire.

At

Ellanmore, in that

county, there are the remains of a chapel,

after him,

named
is

Kilmacharmaig, and
figure thought to

in a recess

recumbent
of

be a representation

the saint.

Kirkcormaig, in the parish of

Kelton,
saint.

Kirkcudbright, possibly refers to this

MARCH
St,

45

Boniface or Curitan, Bishop, 8th century.

ancient legend,
to

AN

which modern

historians
facts,

have shown
relates

be a fanciful distortion of
saint,

that
to

this

an

Israelite,

came from

converting Nectan, King of the Picts, and his people to he consecrated 1 50 Christianity, bishops,

Rome

Britain,

and

that

after

ordained

000

priests,

founded

50 churches,

The real facts and baptised 36,000 persons. of the case seem to be that this saint is identical
with Curitan, an Irish
saint,

Scotland to bring about the

of

who laboured in Roman observance

Bede
that that

Easter.

The
in

testimony of St.
the

King Nectan

year

710 adopted
fact

the
St.

Roman

computation,

and the

Boniface was zealous in founding churches in honour of St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles,
thus identifying himself with special devotion to

Rome, seem
This
of
saint

to give

weight to the supposition.

became a bishop, and the cathedral the diocese of Ross, which replaced the
by him
at

primitive building raised

Rosemarkie

(now

Fortrose) and dedicated to St. Peter,

in his

was

subsequently named

honour.

fair

was

formerly held there annually on his feast-day.

46
In

MARCH

Clach Inverness-shire, Glen-Urquhart, Churadain, an ancient church at Corrimony,

was dedicated
("Curitan s
("

to this saint.

Croit Churadain

Croft")

and

Tobar Churadain

Curitan
17

Well

")

are hard by.

St. Patrick, Bishop, A.D. 493.

it

To
the

many
great

may seem
of
;

strange that the Ireland

name

of

Apostle

should

appear

among

Scottish saints

but the calendar would

it.

be incomplete without

competent authorities
Scotland.

St.

According to many Patrick was born in

birthplace
at

They

fix

his

Kil-

Even patrick on the Clyde, near Dumbarton. were this theory rejected, and that one accepted
which makes him a native
of

Gaul,

still

the

number

of churches dedicated to the saint in

Scotland, testifying to the devotion in which he

was held

in

Catholic ages, would justify the

his
feast

mention of

here.

churches bore his name, and

the
designation
as to

About fourteen many have given

in

the parish

which they

stand,

Kilpatrick,

Temple- Patrick,
Kirkpatrick,
etc.

ArdFairs

Patrick,

Dalpatrick,
this

were held on
at

Dumbarton

day and

known

"

as

Patrickmas"
-

Kirkpatrick

Durham

MARCH
(Kirkcudbrightshire).
called

47
is

There

a sacred well

by the saint s name, and also a small chapel in honour of St. Patrick, at Muthill, Perthshire, and so highly was he esteemed in
that place that a general holiday from labour

was observed on
of
last

his feast

up

to the

beginning

century.

At
are

Dalziel

(Lanarkshire),

Kilpatrick (Dumbartonshire),

and Port Patrick

bearing
St.

(Wigtonshire),
Patrick
18
s

holy

wells

name.
Finian or Finan, Bishop, A.D. 660.
is

St.

THIS

feast

noted both in the Breviary and

Martyrology of Aberdeen, as well as in other There is a wide divergence Scottish calendars.

of opinion
saint

among

authorities as to the particular

referred to,

and the Aberdeen Breviary

of his
life.

affords

no account

It
is

seems,

how

ever, not improbable that this

the St. Finan,

patron of the churches of Migvie and

Lump-

thought by Dr. Skene to have been one of St. Kentigern s Welsh disciples, sent, together with St.

hanan, both in Aberdeenshire,

who

is

Nidan

(see
"

Nov.

3), to

preach the Gospel in

Deeside.

In the upper valley of the Dee,

on

the north side of the river,

we

find a

group of

48

MARCH
source.

dedications which must have proceeded from a

Welsh

dicated to

These are Glengairden, de Mungo, Migvie and Lumphanan to

Finan, the latter

name being

a corruption of
to

Llanffinan, and Midmar dedicated

Nidan

while in the island of Anglesea

we

likewise find

two adjacent
Llannidan."

parishes
("

called

Llanffinan

and

Celtic

Scotland," ii.,

193.)

A
"

chapel at Abersnethick in the parish of

bears the

Monymusk

name

of St. Finan,
in
1

and
:

an Aberdeen authority notes Finzean Fair at the kirk of Migvie

"

703
"

that

was kept
whiles in
fair

at that time,

whiles in

March and

April, on the
at Banchrie."
St.

Tuesday before Midlenton

Comman,

A.D. 688.

of St. Cumine, Abbot of and of Irish descent. therefore Like him, lona, The parish too, he became a monk at lona.

HE

was the brother

of

Kilchoman,

Islay, takes

its

name from

this

saint.

20

St.

Cuthbert, Bishop, A.D. 687.

THIS

saint

was born

of

Saxon parents
left

in

Northumbria, and was early

an orphan.

MARCH

49

While tending sheep on the slopes of Lammermoor the youth had a remarkable vision, in which he saw the heavens at night-time all
bright with supernatural splendour

and choirs

of

angels bearing
to
its

some

soul of dazzling brightness

Next day he learned Aidan, the holy Bishop of Lindisfarne, had Cuthbert had often before passed away.
eternal reward.
that

thought of embracing the monastic

this vision of

state,

and
a

the blessedness of one

of

who was
life

brilliant

example

that

way

of

decided

him.

He
in

therefore presented himself at the

gates of the monastery of

Melrose, being pro

year.

bably

his

twenty-fourth

He

was

received as a novice by St. Boisil, the Prior,

who, on

who

beholding the youth, said to those stood near Behold a true servant of the
first
"

Lord,"

a
s

prediction
life.

abundantly

fulfilled

in

Cuthbert

For ten years the saint remained hidden Melrose perfecting himself by the routine
monastic observance.
of

at

of

Then on

the foundation

Ripon he was sent there as one of the first After a short stay he returned to community. Melrose, and on the death of St. Boisil was

50

MARCH
Prior.

made

To

the greatest zeal for

life

all

that

concerned

monastic

he

added
which

tender
led

charity for the souls of others,

to

him

make many missionary

in

excursions into the

surrounding territory. When Abbot Eata

664

received

the

charge of the
to Melrose,

Abbey

of Lindisfarne in addition

Cuthbert was sent thither as Prior.

For twelve years he was a teacher to his com munity, both by word and example, of the
precepts of the perfect
life.

Then,

desiring

more
on

strict seclusion,

he retired

to a solitary cell

Fame

Island,

that
to

he might give

himself
lived

more completely

prayer.

Here he

on great feasts by some of eight years, the Lindisfarne monks, and at frequent intervals
visited

by pious Christians who sought and intercession.

his

direction

Having been thus prepared, like St. John Baptist in his desert, for the work God had in
store for him,
farne.
office

he was chosen Bishop of Lindis During the two years he exercised this
flock
full

he was to his

a
of

model
zeal

of

every

virtue,

and a pastor

and

charity.

He

preserved, notwithstanding his high dignity,

MARCH
the

humility

of

heart

and

simplicity of garb

which belonged to his monastic state. Numerous and striking miracles attested his sanctity.
Foreseeing his approaching end he retired to
his little cell at

Fame where he

passed away,

strengthened by the Sacraments, with his hands

uplifted in prayer.

He

was buried

at Lindis-

farne

but incursions of the Danes necessitated

the removal of his remains, and for nearly

two

hundred years
place to place
in the

his

till it

body was conveyed from was eventually laid to rest

Cathedral of Durham.

There

it

became

an object of pious pilgrimage from all the three More than 800 years after death kingdoms.
the sacred body was found
still

incorrupt,

and

there, in a secure hiding-place,

it still

awaits the
its

restoration of St. Cuthbert s shrine to

rightful

custodians, the sons of St. Benedict, the guardians

of the secret.
St.

Among
in

the churches dedicated to

Cuthbert

Scotland were those at Ballan-

trae, Hailes,

Ednam, Glencairn, Kirkcudbright, Drummelzier, Gienholm (Broughton), Malton,

Edinburgh, Prestwick, Eccles, Drysdale, Gir-

van,

Maybole,

Mauchline,

Weem, and

even

distant

Wick.

Besides Kirkcudbright (Church

52
of
St.

MARCH
Cuthbert), which gives the

name
recall

to

whole county,
resting-places of

Northumbria

is

studded with
the

churches built in his honour, which

his

body, and witness

to the

devotion inspired by those sacred remains to this

great
saint.

Fairs

were formerly held on

(Dumfries-shire),

his

feast-day

at

Ruthwell

and

both for eight days Ordiquhill (Banffshire) His holy and probably in other localities also.
wells

were

at

St.

Boswell

and

in Strathtay

(Perthshire).
22
St. Finian,

Wynnin, or Frigidian, Bishop,

A.D. 579,

IN

this

saint

we have
of

remarkable instance
accordance with the

of a

change

name

in

character of the language spoken in the various

countries in
in

which he

successively lived.
line

Born

Ireland of the royal

of the

Kings of

Ulster, St. Finian

was

sent early in the sixth

at

century

to

be educated

Candida Casa or

Whithorn, where a famous school of learning and sanctity had grown up round the tomb of
St.

Ninian.

Returning

to

his

native

land,

Finian, by the fame of his wonderful erudition,

attracted
to

him numerous

disciples

in

his

MARCH
monastery
at

53

Moville.
the youth

Here, among others,

was trained

who became

in

after

years the great St.

Columba

the Apostle of

the north of Scotland.

After a pilgrimage to Rome whence he re turned with a copy of the Sacred Scriptures
a volume rare
times
-

and precious
again
city

in

those early
into
Italy

Finian
to

journeyed
of

and came
holiness

the

Lucca, where his

people

procured him such regard from the that they succeeded in obtaining his
bishop of that
city.
It

consecration as

was

during

his

residence there that the wonderful

miracle occurred which St. Gregory the Great,

who

"

calls

the saint

man
of

of

rare

virtue,"

relates in his

book

of Dialogues.

This was the

Serchio,

turning of

the channel

the river

which had previously given much trouble to the citizens by overflowing its banks and spoil
ing orchards and vineyards round about.
saint after prayer

small rake,

The new channel with a and commanded the river to flow in

made
a

that direction for the future,

is

which

it

did.

He

known

in Italy as St. Frigidian.

At one

time in his

life this saint

dwelt in the

54

MARCH

Cunningham district of Ayrshire, where his name survives in the Abbey of Kilwinning
(Church
of

Wynnin

or Finian).

He

is

said to

have come there from Ireland with a few com

panions and to have established monastic
that place,
life

in

which was afterwards the

site

of a
is

famous Benedictine Abbey.

related
of

A
is

like

miracle
to

him

here.

He

said

have

He changed the course of the river Garnoch. seems to have preached the Faith at Dairy, in
Ayrshire,
also
;

for

hill

hard by

is

called
is

Caer-winning, and

there, as at Kilwinning,
s

holy well bearing the saint

fair, still

name.

known

"

as

St.

Wynnin

An
is

annual
held at

Kilwinning.

The
his

saint
is

departed

this life at

Lucca, where
of
in

body

venerated in

the church

St.

Frigidian.

His
and

feast occurs in

March

some

calendars,

in

others in

September.

By

some

writers the

names

of Finian,

Wynnin, and

Frigidian have been considered as representing

distinct persons
;

but modern research has pro

nounced them
the same

to

be merely

different forms of

name and

to refer to the

same

saint.

MARCH
30
St,

55

Olaf or Clave, King and Martyr, A.D. 1030.

of

HE
from

was the son

and became a Christian

his

Harald, King of Norway, at an early age. Exiled

father s death by he powerful enemies, spent many years of his life in piratical warfare. Having embraced the

country after his

Christian Faith himself, he resolved to deliver

his

country from

the

usurping power of the

establish the Christian

Swedes and Danes, and

religion, together

with

his

own

lawful sovereignty.

Success crowned his

to

efforts,

and he was enabled

release his people not only from foreign domination but also from the thralls of paganism,

many

of

them embracing

Christianity.

His

enemies, however, proved too strong for him,

and he was again exiled and took refuge in Russia. Returning soon after, he raised an

army

to recover his

kingdom, but was

slain

by

his infidel

and

rebellious subjects in a battle at

Drontheim.

A
his

just

and brave

ruler,

zealous

for

the

Christian religion,

though not altogether free

its

from grievous offences against

unswerving
faith, his

laws, Olaf,

by

devotion and penance,

56

MARCH

the title of saint and martyr. He was buried at Drontheim, and a magnificent cathe dral arose over his remains. His body was

won

found incorrupt

in

1098, and again

in

1541

when the shrine was plundered by the

Lutherans.
the

On

that occasion the heretics treated

body

with respect, and it was afterwards re-interred. Many miracles have attested his sanctity.
in the

the spread of the Gospel which at that time belonged to Orkneys, Norway, were doubtless the cause of the
St.
s efforts for

Olaf

devotion which was shown to him in Scotland.

Many
the

traces of

its

existence are to be found in

dedications
St.

to
s

him.
parish
;

In
it

Orkney
is

was

anciently

Ollow

now com
town

prised in that of Kirkwall.

is

In the latter

St.

Ollowe

Bridge.

South-west of Girlsta,

in Shetland,

is

Whiteness, where once stood the

Olla.

Church
Grease

of St.

He

was honoured
Kirk
of

at

in the Island of

Lewis.

Cruden

(Aberdeenshire), where St. Ole s Fair was held The remains annually, was dedicated to him.
of the saint s ancient chapel, said to

have been

founded there by Canute, were used for road St. Olla s Fair, at Kirkwall, metal in 1837.

APRIL
lasting for fourteen days,
is

57
described in Scott
s

Pirate.

In St. Salvator s College, St.

altar to this saint.

Andrews,
in

was an

St.

Olaf appears

the Martyrology on July 29th,

when

his feast

was

kept

in

Norway and
Scotland,
day.
this

all

Scandinavian

countries.

In

however,

he

was

honoured on

APRIL
1
St. Gilbert,

Bishop, A.D. 1245.

last

ST.

GILBERT was
as a

the

Scotsman
the

who was

honoured

saint

before

Reformation.

belonged to the noble family of Moray, being son of William, Lord of Dufus. Having entered the ecclesiastical state he became in due
time Archdeacon of Moray, and
of Caithness

He

when

the see

became vacant he was consecrated

During the twenty of he church ruled the Caithness he edified years all by his zeal and by the virtues of his private
bishop of that diocese.
life.

The

cathedral at that time

was but a

small,
to

insignificant
St. Finbar,

church

at

Dornoch, dedicated
of

an

Irish

saint

the sixth century

58

APRIL

laboured as a missionary in Scotland. The poverty of the diocese and the unsettled state of
the times had prevented any extension of Gilbert therefore resolved to provide at his
cost
this.

who

own

more worthy
was

edifice

for

the

mother-

church of the diocese.

pleted

The

church when com

English structure,

a beautiful Early
transepts,

with
spire.

aisles,

and central tower and

The

lege to help

holy bishop considered it a privi with his own hands in the building

work.

He
of

would

himself

superintend
in

the

making works he had established

glass for the

windows

the glass

at Sideray.

When
bert s

the cathedral was finished, St. Gil

next care

was

to

form a

Chapter, as
In this

hitherto there

had been no canons.

important undertaking he followed the model of

Lincoln Cathedral and established the

rite

of

that church in the ceremonial of the services.

The

dignitaries

and canons were ten

also sufficient

in

number,

and there were

minor

vicars choral, or
offices

ecclesiastics, to

enable the sacred

to be celebrated with
St.
life
;

Gilbert

becoming solemnity. worked many miracles during

is

among them

recorded the bestowal of

APRIL
speech on a

59

the sign of the cross.

rest

dumb man by means of prayer and The saint was laid to

his cathedral,

under the central spire of

and

a century after his death the dedication,

which

had previously been

changed
to St.

to

St.

Mary, had been

Mary and

St. Gilbert.

The
in

relics of

the saint were greatly honoured

Catholic ages.

No
now

trace

of St. Gilbert s

resting-place remains

except a portion of a

broken statue which probably formed part of like those of so many of our holy ones, his it
;

ashes are

left

unhonoured
they

in

the
St.
at

desecrated

church
Fair
it

wherein

repose.

Gilbert

s
;

was formerly held annually

Dornoch

lasted for three days.

St.

Ebba, Virgin and Abbess, and her Companions, Martyrs, A.D. 870.

THE

monastery of Coldingham, in the ancient kingdom of Northumbria, founded in the

sister of

seventh century by St. Ebba,

the kings

Oswald and Oswy, was governed

century by another Ebba,

in the ninth

who
867

presided over a

band

of holy virgins following the

Rule

of St.

Benedict.

About

the year

several thousand

60

APRIL

Danish warriors, under the command of the

brothers Hinguar and
coast of

Hubba, landed on

the

East Anglia and desolated the whole

north country.

When

Abbess Ebba received

tidings of the near

approach of the pagan hordes,

who

had

already

ecclesiastics,

vengeance upon monks, and consecrated virgins, she

nuns
to

wrecked

summoned
moving
any

her

Chapter,

and

in

discourse exhorted

them

to preserve at

cost the treasure of

their chastity.

Then
her

seizing a razor, and calling upon her daughters

to follow her heroic example, she mutilated

face in order to inspire the barbarian invaders

with horror

at

the sight.

The nuns
Danes broke
Their

without

exception courageously followed the example of

their abbess.
cloister

When
fled

the

into the

and saw the nuns with

they
in

faces thus dis

leaders,

figured,

panic.

burning with rage, sent

back

some

of

their

number

to set fire to the monastery,

and thus the

ruin of

heroic martyrs perished in the

their house.

common

Some

chronicles give the

23rd
but

August

as

the day of their

martyrdom,

Scottish writers assign this as their feast day.

APRIL
4
St.

61

Gonval, Ring, A.D. 824.

SOME
king as

historians speak of this good an example of piety and respect for the

Scottish

Church and her

have
received

ordinances.

He
in

is

said
of

to
St.

the

commendation

Columba.

His name occurs

as that of

the ancient
in

Litany known
use

Dunkeld, formerly

among
St.
is

the Culdees.
460.

11

Macceus or Mahew, A.D. (about)

to

HE

said

have been

disciple

of

St.

Patrick,

and spent the greater part

be ascertained.
St.

of his life in

retirement in the Isle of Bute.

of his life can

No particulars Mahew was

In

honoured
1

at

Kilmahew near Dumbarton.

467

new

this

saint,

chapel and cemetery, dedicated to were consecrated there by George,

Bishop of Argyle.
St.

Mechtilde or Matilda, Virgin, 13th century.

to

ACCORDING
members
and
of

some

Scottish

historians,
all

two
the

the royal family

resigned

honours and dignities belonging to their state

left

their

native country to serve

God

in

poverty and obscurity.

These were a brother

and

sister,

bearing the names of Alexander and

62
Matilda, the
clear
latter

APRIL
It is not being the elder. Scotland was their

which

of the kings of

relative.

Alexander,

having
in

concealed

his

origin,

became a lay-brother

the Cistercian

monastery of Foigni, in the diocese of Laon, where he died in 229. His sister, taking
1

leave of

him

at the gates of

the monastery, took

up her abode in a small hut about ten miles

distant.

Here she

spent a long

life

in

dire
all

poverty and

austerity.

She would

refuse

alms, working

laboriously for
all

her daily susten

ance, and spending

in

the time that remained

Miracles are prayer and contemplation. said to have proved her power with God, both

which took place some years

brother.
16

during her lifetime and after her happy death, after that of her

St.

Magnus, Martyr, A.D.

1116.

THE
tomb

noble Cathedral of Kirkwall rose over the

of St.

Magnus

one of the most popular

Scotland.
the
It

of the pre- Reformation saints of

was founded by the nephew

twenty years
translated
after

of

martyr,
it

he suffered, and to
St.

were

the remains of

Magnus, which

APRIL
had hitherto reposed
tuary
rest

63
more humble sanc

in
all

at

Birsay.

In

probability they

still

undisturbed in the cathedral which bears

the

name

of the saint.

Like

many

of

the the

early
title

English

saints,

Magnus

received

of

martyr

rather

from the popular voice than by the decision of As his story shows, he ecclesiastical authority.
merited the

much

in

title by shedding his blood not so defence of the Christian Faith as in

life,

behalf of the virtues of a Christian

brilliancy

whose
of
his

excited

the

jealous

anger

enemies.
St.

Magnus was

the son of Erlin, Earl of

was distinguished from childhood Orkney. an by uprightness of life which indicated his
future sanctity.

He

Erlin
of

Barefoot,
prisoner

King and seized

was opposed by Magnus Norway, who made him

possessions, carrying off
to

his

the

young

Magnus

act

as

his

personal
Isles

attendant.

After ravaging the Western

off

the Norwegian king encountered,

of Anglesey, the forces of the

the Island Earls of

Norman

Chester and Shrewsbury, and defeated them

with

much

slaughter.

The young Magnus

64

APRIL

refused to take any part in the unjust warfare,

and remained

in

his

ship engaged

in

prayer

throughout the battle.

He

was soon

after able

to escape to the court of

Malcolm
in safety.

III,

where

he remained

for

some time

Magnus
the

bitterly

lamented for the

rest

of his

days the excesses into which he had fallen in life of constant warfare and strife which had
his
lot

been

with the Norwegians

been,
for
it

whatever

their guilt

may have

was

his constant

endeavour to atone
prayer.

them by penance and

The
contests
St.

family possessions in the Orkneys were

regained on the death of Barefoot, but fresh

were

stirred
laid

Magnus,

claim

up when Haco, cousin of to them for himself.

To
that

avoid bloodshed St.

Magnus agreed

to

meeting with
thus
the

Haco

in

the island of Egilshay

dispute

might be settled
however,
forces to be
to

in

a
a

friendly
traitor
;

manner.

Haco,
his

was

and caused
the

own

drawn

compass his Magnus made of the aware destruction. latter, treachery, and unable to make any defence,

round

unarmed

The

prepared for his conflict by a night of prayer in

APRIL

65

the church, and the reception of the Sacraments.

Then, when morning dawned,

to

he advanced

murderers, and courageously death with Christian fortitude. met a barbarous

confront
his

The
saint.

only

Catholic
entire

cathedral

in

Scotland

which remains
It
it

still

shelters the

body

of a
it

may be that
to

God
The

has spared

to

restore

Catholic

worship

through

the
in

merits of St.

Magnus.
"

feast,

known

Middle Ages as Magnusmas," was restored His fair was formerly by Pope Leo XIII. held at Watten- Wester in Caithness. holy
the

well at Birsay, in Orkney, bears his name.

17

St.

Donnan and Companions, Martyrs,

A.D. 617.

LIKE St. Columba, whose countryman he was, St. Donnan left his native Ireland and passed
over
to

Scotland,

where
of

he established a
Eigg, one of the

monastery on the Island

Inner Hebrides.

While

celebrating the

Holy

Mysteries on
his

Easter morning the abbot and

surprised

monks were

by a horde

of pirates,

possibly Danes,

malicious

who had been woman to put them

F

instigated

by a

to death.

At

66
the prayer of the
respite
till

APRIL
monks they granted them a finished, and then put

Mass was
the sword.

them

all to

The

martyrs numbered

fifty-three.

Many
St.

churches, especially in the west, bore

s

Donnan

dedication.

Among

them were

Kildonan

of Eigg,

Arran, South Uist, Kintyre,

and Lochbroom.

On
s

the island of his martyr

St.

dom
staff

is

the saint

well.

Donnan

s
;

abbatial
it

existed

up

to

the

Reformation

was

treasured at Auchterless, Aberdeenshire,

"

where
1851.

Donan

Fair"

was held

as

late

as

Another

fair

used to be held

at

Kildonan, in
these martyrs

Sutherlandshire.

The

feast

of

was restored

to the Scottish

Calendar by Leo

XI

1 1

in

1898.
Laserian OP Molios, Abbot, A.D. 639.

18

St.

THIS

saint

was

of

princely

race

in

Ireland.

seems to have been brought to Scotland at an early age, and to have been sent to Ireland
for
his

He

education.
life

Later on he returned to
of sanctity

Scotland for a
small
coast
island
of

and

solitude.

in the bay of Lamlash, off the Arran, became his abode for many

APRIL
years.

67
it

His

virtues
Island.

gave

the

name

it

still

bears of

Holy

seems to have made a pilgrimage to Rome, where he was raised to the priest
St. Laserian

hood.

Returning to Ireland, he afterwards be

of the monastery of Leighlin. He have espoused with much zeal the usage with regard to Easter.
Island,

came abbot
is

said to

Roman
In

Holy

which was
to

so long his soli

his

tary abode, are

residence.

still

be seen traces of

A
is

cave scooped out of the rock

"

bears his name, and a rocky ledge

is

called

St.

Molio
the
well,

Bed."

spring of clear water near

cave

also

pointed

out

as

the

saint s

and

miraculous
to
it.

properties

have
is

been

attributed

The

cave

itself

marked

with many pilgrims

crosses.

21

St.

Maelrubha, Abbot, A.D. 722.

of noble race in
his

HE
early

was born
life

Ireland,

and

in

began

monastic

life

under the rule

of his relative, St.

When Bangor. he reached the age of twenty-nine he passed over the sea to Scotland, and founded at
Comgal,
at

Applecross, in Ross, a monastery, over which

68

APRIL
fifty years.

he ruled for more than

During

his

residence in Scotland he founded a church on a

small island in the beautiful lake

now known
name from

as

Loch Maree, which

saint.

takes

its

this

St.

Maelrubha acquired a

great

reputation

for sanctity

throughout the west coast of Scot

land and the islands adjacent, where he was one

of

the

most

popular

of

the

Irish

saints

in

Catholic

ages.

An

old

Scottish

tradition,

quoted by the Aberdeen Breviary, says that he met his death at the hands of pagan Nor
wegians, at Urquhart, in the Black
eastern side of Ross-shire,
lying severely
Isle,

on the
left

and

that

he was

wounded, but still alive, for three days, during which angels consoled him.

bright light,

hovering over the spot,

is

said to

have discovered the dying saint to a neighbour ing priest, and thus procured for him the parti
"

cipation
Lamb"

in

the

Body

of

the

Immaculate
to martyr

before he expired.

His

title

dom is, The

attested
to his

however, disputed by

later authorities.
is

devotion of Catholics to this saint

by the numerous dedications of churches

memory.

At

least

twenty-one of these

APRIL
are

69
Chief
are

enumerated

by

antiquarians.
laid

Applecross (where he was

to rest),

Loch
his

Maree,

Urquhart (the reputed place of

martyrdom), Portree, Arasaig, Forres, Fordyce, In these dedi Keith, Contin and Gairloch.
cations the saint s

name assumes

various forms,

such as Maree, Mulruy, Mury, Samareirs (St.

Mareirs, at Forres), Summaruff (St. Maruff, at

Fordyce), and

many
still

others.
in

Many
this saint

place of

interest

connection with

may
s

be found.

At

Applecross,
is
,
*

in

the vicinity of the ruins of the church,

the

martyr

grave,

called
"

Cladh
s

Maree
River,

near the churchyard

is

Maelrubha
the saint
s

while two miles away

in Gaelic

is

seat, called

Suidhe Maree.
to

Several other traces

in the

of

him are

be discovered

place-names

of the

neighbourhood.
is

Loch Maree

the most interesting locality

connected with St. Maelrubha.

in

A small island
contains an

the loch called

Innis

Maree
the

ancient chapel

and a

burial place.
for

Near
efficacy

it is

deep water

well,

renowned

of

its

in the cure of lunacy.

An

oak tree hard

by

is

studded with

nails, to

each of which was

70

APRIL

formerly attached a shred of clothing belonging

to

some pilgrim

visitor.

Many

pennies and

other coins have at various times been driven

edgewise into the bark of the tree, and it is fast closing over them. These are the Protestant
equivalents to votive offerings at the shrine.

At
(Fife),

Forres,

in

Moray, an annual
at

fair

was

held on this day, as also at Fordyce, Pitlessie

and Lairg (Sutherland)

of
St.

the latter

place under the name

Banffshire
"

Murie.
as

Keith

in

was formerly known

Maelrubha."

Kethmalruf,
Contin, near

or

Keith of

At

Dingwall, the ancient church was dedicated to

the saint
;

its

annual

fair

called Feille

Maree,
other

and

familiarly

known
to

as the "August

Market,"

was transferred
memorials of
shire.
It is

Dingwall.

Many
in

this saint are to

be found

Ross-

worthy

of note that
in

many
St.

dedica
of

tions formerly

supposed to be

honour

Our

Lady

are

now

identified as those of
title

Mael
proved

rubha under the

of

Maree

this is

by the
tive

traditional pronunciation of their respec

names.

St.

Maelrubha
cultus

is

one of the Scottish

saints
1

whose

was approved by

Rome

in

898,

APRIL
and whose
in
feast

71

has been consequently restored

Scottish
dioceses.
It

many

of

the

was

formerly observed in Scotland on August 27,

but has been always kept in Ireland on this day.

2i

St.

Egbert, Priest and Monk, A.D. 729.

HE
after

was an Englishman of good family, who, some years of study in the monastery of
and passed over
its

Lindisfarne, followed the almost universal custom

of those days to Ireland, then

renowned
monastery

for

monastic schools, entering the

of Melfont.

During

his stay there a

off

pestilence broke out which carried

a great

number

of the inmates.

to be spared that

making a vow

Egbert prayed earnestly he might live a life of penance, never more to return to England,

to recite daily the

whole

psalter in addition to
all

the canonical hours, and to fast from

food
life.

one day

in

each week for the

rest of

his

His vow was accepted and his life spared. After some years Egbert was raised to the
priesthood,

and

his

zeal for souls led

him

to

desire to preach the faith to the

of that part of
land,

pagan people
as Fries-

Germany then known

In this project

he was joined by some

72
of
his

APRIL
pious companions.

A
in

vessel

had been

chartered,
it

and

all

things were ready, when

was revealed

to

Egbert through a holy monk

his regard
;

that

God

had other designs

this intimation

in

obedience to

the voyage was at

once abandoned.

The
in

later

life

of

Egbert exemplifies the way

which

God

chooses and preserves the instru

ments

for accomplishing

His Will.

Entering

the monastery of lona

in years,
life

when
last

already advanced

he spent the

thirteen years of his

in untiring efforts to induce the

monks

to

up the Celtic traditions to which they clung, and to conform to the Roman computa
give
tion of Easter.

His sweetness and gentleness

were

at

last

rewarded.
at

On
ripe

Easter

Day 729
of

he passed
"rejoicing,"

away
as

the

age

ninety,

St.

Bede

says,

"that

he had

been detained here long enough to see them keep the feast with him on that day, which
before they had always
avoided."

Though

the

monks

of lona did not then, as a

body, accept the

Roman

custom, yet the seeds

eventually in

sown by Egbert bore

fruit

com

plete conformity with the

rest of the

Church,

APRIL
St.

73

Egbert thus merits a high place among

of

the

saints

Scotland, although

but a short

period of his life

also shares

was spent

in the country.

He

with St. Willibrord the renown of

;

for it was by and that the latter was persuasion example induced to undertake the work which terminated

converting Friesland to the Faith

his

so successfully.

On

account of his connection

feast of

with the conversion of the country, the

St.

Egbert was
of

formerly

celebrated

in

the

diocese

Utrecht.

Some

authors maintain

that St. Egbert never took monastic vows, but

was a

priest living in the

monastery

others say,

and with good reason, that he was a bishop.

25
St.

Cunibert, Bishop, A.D. 699.

THIS
near

saint

education to some
the

was entrusted by his parents for his monks living in a monastery

site

identified.

Tay, whose He became a

cannot

now
days

be

priest,

and afterwards
his

bishop.
retired

Towards
into

the
as

end of
a

he
thus

solitude

hermit,

and

finished his earthly course.

St.

Machalus, Bishop, A.D. 498.

in

HE

was a bishop

the

Isle

of

Man, which

74

APRIL
His name
is

then formed part of Scotland.

variously written as Machalus,

Machella, and

Mauchold.

One

of the parishes in the island

is

bears his name, and in the churchyard

saint s holy well.

the
is

A
;

ledge of
it

rock hard by

called his

"chair"

used to be a favourite

devotion of pilgrims to seat themselves on this

ledge while drinking the miraculous water of

the well and

invoking the saint

aid.

The

water

is

said to

have been

effective in preventing

the action of poison.

Many

churches in Scot

land are called by his name.

There was a

chapel near Chapeltown in Banffshire

Kilmaichlie, which seems

known

as

to refer to this saint.

in the vicinity.

holy well

is still

to

be found

29

St.

Middan, Bishop.
of this saint.

VERY
him
to

little is

known

Some
or

think

be

identical with St.

Madden

who was honoured

name
of as
St.
"

at Airlie, in
is

Medan, Near Angus.

by the
is

the church of Airlie

a spring called

Medan, and

a hillock hard by

known

St.

Medan

s Knowe."

The
till it

bell of

the saint was also preserved there

for old iron

was

sold

during the

last

century.

Eccles-

APRIL
maldie,

75

now
"

called Inglismaldie, in the

has also a

Maidie

Well,"

be connected with St.

Mearns, which may possibly Middan.

30

St. Brioc,

Bishop, A.D. 500.

THIS

saint

was

British

a disciple of St.
to preaching the

He became by birth. Germanus and devoted himself

Gospel he
to his

fellow-country
of

men.
pagan

Flying for his life

from the fury

over
the

the
to

Saxons,

passed

sea

Brittany, and there built a monastery on the sea coast which was afterwards called by his name.

The town which grew up

the seat of a bishop, and
Brieuc.

in the vicinity
is

became
as St.

still

known

There

is

no record

of the saint having visited

Scotland, but there was

much

devotion to him

among

Celtic peoples,

and Scottish dedications

bear witness to the honour in which he was

held in

that country.
;

He

is

the patron of

Rothesay
St.
"

the church bore the designation of

St.

Mary and
"

Brioc,

and

"St.

Brock

Fair
in

was held there on the

fair,"

first

Wednesday
1

May.

refer to this

Brux day which seems to 565 to be saint, was instituted in

76

MAY

held in July every year on the island of Cumbrae, but it has long ceased to be kept. Dunrod

Church,
of
St.

in Kirkcudbright, bears the dedication

St.

Mary and
in

Brioc.

The

island

of
is

Inchbrayock

the

Esk, near

Montrose,
his

called after him.

The French keep

it

feast

on

May

st,

but in Scotland

was celebrated

on April 30th.

MAY
1
St,

Asaph, Bishop, A,D. (about) 590.

ST.

ASAPH
latter

was one

of the

most eminent of

the disciples of St. the

Mungo

(Kentigern).

When

was driven from Scotland he took

there founded a monastery,
great

refuge in

Wales and
a

which

attracted

number

of

disciples

desirous of placing themselves under his guidance.

Asaph that government when he

It

was

to

St.

Mungo

resigned the
to

himself

was allowed

return to Glasgow.

renown
ally

of the

Owing to the sanctity and new abbot the monastery eventu

St.

bore his name.

Asaph was
his

consecrated
diocese has

Bishop about A.D. 650, and

MAY
retained the
centuries.
St.

77

name

of St.

Asaph

for thirteen

Some

writers have maintained that

his

Asaph accompanied
it

master to Scotland,

seems more probable that Scottish devotion to him originated in his close connection with
but
the
"beloved"

saint of
still

Glasgow.

Many
to

traces

of this devotion

survive.

In the island of

Skye
called

is

ruined

chapel
In
that

dedicated
island
is

him
an

"Asheg."

also as

excellent spring of clear water

known

Tobar

Asheg, or
burial

St.

ground near

Asaph s Well. Kilassie, an old Loch Rannoch, also takes its

is

name from him.

The most
Harris.
is

interesting of these remains

a
of

ruin in the island of Bearnarey, in the

It is

Sound

evidently a chapel of the saint and

called Cill

Aisaim.

Near

it

once stood an

obelisk about eight feet high, bearing sculptured

symbols, and in comparatively recent years this

was surrounded by heaps of coloured pebbles, coins, bone pins, and bronze needles, which
were probably pilgrims offerings. The obelisk was broken up some years ago and its materials
used for building,
but a Scottish
antiquarian
to gain

managed

possession of a fragment.

78
3

MAY
St.

Fumac.

THIS was
shire.
"Fumac

a saint specially venerated in Banff -

He

was the patron

of

of

Botriphnie or

Kirk"

in that county.

According
century,

to

an old

MS.

the eighteenth

the

wooden image
its

of the saint

was formerly pre

acted as
all
it

served there, and the old

custodian

woman who
with

used

to

wash
s

due

solemnity in St.

Fumac

Well on

the 3rd of

May

annually.

This image was

Isla

in existence in
it

1847, but a flood of the

Banff,

swept

away

to

where the
it.

parish minister in his Protestant

St.

zeal burnt
this

Fumac

Fair

was kept on

day

at

Botriphnie and also at Dinet, in

Caithness, and Chapel of Dine, Watten, in the

same county.

St.

Comgall, Abbot, A.D. 602.

Ireland,

HE

was a

native of

and founder and

ruler of

the renowned
is

where he
three

said to

thousand
like

monastery of Bangor, have governed no less than monks. In the year 598,

anxious,

so

many

of

his

countrymen, to
Faith
to

bring the blessing of

the Christian

Scotland,

he

left

his native

land to found a

MAY
monastery
St. in Tiree.

79
was a
of

He

great friend of
s

Columba, and was one

the journey to

that saint

com
the
St.

panions in
miraculous

Inverness and

conversion

of

King Brude.
and was

Comgall did not remain permanently in Scot

land
at
;

he died

in Ireland,

laid to rest
is

Bangor.

The

date of his death

given by

Oth of May, but his feast has always been celebrated in Scotland on The church of Durris, Kincardinethe 9th.
Irish authorities as

the

shire,

bore his name, and an annual

fair,

the

only remains of his festival in Protestant times,

was formerly held there on

this day.

16

St.

Brendan or Brandan, Abbot, A.D.

in

577.

HE
He

was born

Ireland,

and

in

early youth

became the

disciple of St. Jarlaath, of

Tuam.
and

afterwards crossed over to

Britain,

spent
in

some years

in the

Abbey

of
is

Llancarvan,
said
to

Glamorganshire, where he

have

baptised Machutus, whose name (under the

of

French form of Malo), is cherished one of the apostles of Brittany.

still

as that

several monasteries, the

Returning to Ireland, St. Brendan founded most important of them

80

MAY
He
is

being that of Clonfert, on the Shannon.

said
to

have had as many as three thousand monks under him in his various foundations.
saint

The

was

also

closely

connected
;

with

it is Scotland, where he founded monasteries thought that one was in Bute and the other in

Tiree.

His many dedications are an

Brandan)
in

indication

of Scottish devotion to him,

of St.

Kilbrannan (Church Mull, Kilbrandon in the Isle

Boyndie in Banffshire, Birnie in Moray and Kilbirnb in Ayrshire (where the saint s
of Seil,
fair is

held on
of
;

May
At

28th

6th old
is

style) are

some

these.

Kilbirnie
after

St.

Birnie
is

Well
held

another

named
fair,

this

saint

in

Barra.

Another
on
is

granted in
Inverary

1474, was

this

day

at

(Argyllshire).

There

a ruined chapel bearing his

name on
wonder

St. Kilda. St.

ful

Brendan

name

is

associated with

narratives
of
his

time

probably dating long after his they voyages towards the west
;

possibly

contain
that

some
is

little

truth

mixed up
It
is

with

much

entirely
St.

fabulous.
his

beyond doubt that

Brendan and

com

panions in their missionary voyages sailed to

MAY
regions hitherto

81

unknown

to the mariners of the

time

it

has even been maintained

that

they

actually touched the American shore.

this

However

may

be, the tradition of the discoveries of the

saint, familiar to

every country in Europe, kept

in

mind the

possibly existing western land,

and

issued at last in the discovery of the

American

continent by Columbus.

curious custom

in

connection with

St.

Brendan existed up to almost recent times. When they wished for a favourable wind the
fishermen

would cry repeatedly

Brainuilt

The

word seems to be a contraction of Brea(*

nainn-Sheoladair

Brendan the

Voyager"),

and was

The

originally an invocation of the saint. feast of St. Brendan has been restored to

the Scottish Calendar.

17

St.

Gathan, Bishop, 6th century.

THIS

He

saint was probably of Irish nationality. dwelt for the greater part of his life in the

Island

of

Bute.
to

St.

Blaan,

whose ruined

chapel

is still

be seen in Kingarth parish in

that island,

was

the

life

of St.

nephew. Cathan remain

his

No

particulars of

to us.

His name

82

MAY
and bay,
is

survives in Kilchatten village, mill

in

Kingarth parish,

and a

hill
is

near

called St.

Cathan
Luing
county

Seat.

There

another Kilchattan in

Island,
is

Argyllshire,

and

in

the same

Ardchattan.

Churches were dedi

cated to the saint in the islands of

Gigha and

Colonsay.
as

The

confederation of clans
is

known

Clan Chattan

thought to
its

Bute, and to have taken

Gillichattan
teristic

have originated in name from St. Cathan.

are

and

Macgillichattan

charac
;

latter

names belonging to Clan Chattan the was common in Bute in the 7th century.
1
"

"

They
and
"

signify respectively

Servant of Cathan
Cathan."

Son

of the servant of

18

8t,

Mcrolilanus, Martyr, 8th century.

priest,

HE

was a holy
killed

probably from Ireland,

who was

when passing through His body France on a pilgrimage to Rome. was buried at Rheims, and remained unknown
by robbers
for

and unhonoured

many
s

years.

Miracles at

length revealed the saint

was found on examination

remains

tomb, and his body to be entire and

fresh, exhaling a delicious odour.

The

sacred
to

were

afterwards

translated

the

MAY
Church
In

83

of St. Symphorien in the same city. 1618 the Cardinal- Archbishop of Rheims

presented an arm-bone of the saint to the Scots

College in
to the

Rome.

It

was removed

for safety

Vatican Treasury when the college was

closed during the French occupation of

Rome.

Through
Bishop

the good offices of the Right Rev.

Pifferi,

the

Papal

sacristan,
1

the relic

was restored

to the college in

893.

A notable
of

relic of this saint

the

Abbey
s

of

was obtained from Rheims by Fort-Augustus and is now

honoured
the saint

there.

There

is

no other record

connection with Scotland.

St.

Conval, Confessor, A.D. (about) 612.

THIS

saint

was born

in

Ireland,

but crossed

over to Scotland in his youth to become the

disciple of St. Kentigern.
lates

An

old legend re

that, as

no

vessel could

be procured for

his voyage,

ne was miraculously conveyed across

upon a large stone, this stone after wards becoming an instrument of healing to the sick who touched it. St. Conval s relics were
the channel

honoured
patron
of

at

the old

Inchinnan on the Clyde. He was church of Pollokshaws or

84

MAY
;

Polloc-on-the-Shaws
of this parish,
grove."

with regard to the name

Shaw

in old Scottish

meant

"

The Shaws
last

Fair

probably

the

patronal feast of the church

on the
saint

Friday in

May

was formerly held This every year.

was

also

the patron of the churches of

Ochiltree, as ancient documents miracles have been attributed to

Cumnock and
attest.

Many
It

seems probable that the chapel known Ferrenese in Renfrewshire, Conall as St. s, at
him.

whose

ruins

still

remain, and the holy well hard

after St.

by, were named

Conval

the designa

tion (often written Conual) might easily

become

corrupted to Connal in the course of centuries.

The

land belonging to this chapel became in the sixteenth century part of the endowment of

a collegiate church founded at Lochwinnoch by

Lord Sempill.
23
St.

William, Martyr, A.D. (about) 1201.

IT

is

fact,

unknown perhaps
shrine in

to

many, that

St.

William, whose was the object

ages,

Rochester Cathedral
Catholic

of great devotion in

He

must be reckoned among Scottish saints. was a native of Perth, and for many years

MAY
followed the trade of baker.
fell

85
In his youth he

into careless

and

irreligious

ways

but being

converted he began to be zealous in good works. He became especially remarkable for his charity
to the poor,

tenth part of

all

bestowing upon them in alms a the bread he made.

devotion he started on a pilgrim
taking as his
in

To
youth

satisfy his

age to Jerusalem,

whom

he had found
his

companion a the streets, as an

infant deserted

whom he by had carried home and brought up as his own

mother, and

son.

The two made

their

their

way through England,

when
the youth, led

and having passed through Rochester were on

road to Canterbury,

by avarice, yielded to the temptation to murder and rob his benefactor. Striking the saint a
blow on the head from behind, he afterwards despatched him with an axe, and then made off
with his booty.

The dead body remained for some days lying the road, when it was discovered by a mad woman who was roaming about there. In
off

insane sport she

crowned the head with

flowers,
to

and afterwards transferred the wreath

her

86

MAY

own brow, when she was instantly restored to The miracle becoming known, the sanity.
sacred remains were reverently laid to rest in

Rochester Cathedral.

The tomb

of the saint

soon became famous on account of the numerous

graces obtained there through prayer.
his canonization

After
pil

by Innocent

IV

in

256,

grimages
frequent,
steps

to

Rochester grew more and more and to this day may be seen the
the
constant
press
of

worn hollow by

pilgrims to the shrine.

So generous were

their

offerings that they sufficed to rebuild the choir

and

transepts of the cathedral.

is

This day

probably the anniversary of the

finding of St.
29
St,

William

s relics.

Daganus, Bishop, A.D. (about)

609.

THIS

saint

was honoured

in

Galloway.

St.

Bede mentions him

as a zealous

opponent to

the introduction into the Celtic Church of the

Roman
for the

computation of Easter.

This, however,
life
;

does not militate against the sanctity of his

Holy See had

rest,

not yet definitely set the

free to cling

matter at

and he was therefore

to the rite so long observed in his native country.

His name occurs

in the

Dunkeld Litany.

JUNE
3
St.

Kevin or CoiYin, Abbot, A,D.

618.

THIS

Irish saint has

been compared by ancient

writers to St. Paul the Hermit, on account of

his holiness of life.

He founded
in

the celebrated
;

monastery of
it

Glendalough,
after ages
1

Wicklow County
s

became

in

a bishop

see.

He

lived to the age of

St.

20

years.

Kevin was

greatly

honoured

in Scotland
said, that

as well as in his native country.

It is

he lived
devotion

for a time in Scotland.

Traces of a

to

him are

certainly

found

in

the

western part of the country.

In the parish of

Southend, Argyllshire, are the remains of a Kilsmall building called St. Coivin s Chapel.
kivan (in the parish of Campbelltown)
after
is

named
"St.

him, and a cave there

s
Bed."

is

known

as

Kevin

St.

Colmoc or Colman, Bishop, A.D.

Irish saint,

500,

HE

was an

who became
for
St.

Bishop of
miracles.

Dromore,

and

was
of

renowned

There

is

no record

Colmoc having ever

88

JUNE
Scottish writers

lived in Scotland, but

number

him among the

dedications
that he
still

saints of

the country, and the

in

existing

his

honour show
that kingdom.

had some connection with

The

monastery of Inchmahome, for instance, a priory of Austin Canons on an island in the

Lake

of

Monteith, Perthshire,

is

named

after

him.

Another dedication
of

is Kilmochalmaig, the site an ancient church on the west coast of Bute.

The
may
or

remains of a
still

pillar

with a sculptured cross

be

seen

there.

Portmahomack
the church

in

Tarbet, Easter- Ross, refers either to this saint

to
St.

Colman, patron
18).

of

of

Tarbet (see February

burial-ground of
the

chapel in the

Kirriemuir (Forfarshire) bore

name

of St.

Colmoc.

St.

Colum

Cille or

Columba, Abbot,A. D.597,

THE
father

apostle of the northern regions of Scot

land was born in

Ireland in A.D. 521.

of royal race.
his

Both

and mother were

the

Though
province,

offered

crown

of

native

Columba
monastic

preferred rather to enrol himself in the

state.

He

studied in the schools of

Moviile, Clonard, and Glasnevin, and in course

JUNE
of

89

time was ordained

priest.

At
first

twenty-five

years of age
;

he founded

Derry hundred foundations which Ireland owed

zeal

this

was

to

monastery at be the precursor of the

to his

his

and energy.

In

these

monasteries

the

transcription of the

Holy
work

Scriptures formed the

chief labour of the inmates,

and so much did

he actually wrote three hundred manuscripts of the Gospels and Psalms with his own hand.
love the
that

Columba

But Columba was not destined

Ireland.

to

remain in

From

his earliest

years he had looked

forward to the time

self to

when he might devote him

the benefit of those
faith.

missionary
not

efforts for

who knew

the Christian

In

the

forty-second year of his age he exiled himself

voluntarily from his beloved country to preach

the Gospel to the pagan Picts.

his his

The

story of

having been banished from Ireland for using influence to bring about a bloody conflict
is

between chieftains

rejected

by the

greatest

modern

historians

as a fable.

Early writers

speak of the saint as a

nature.

man

of mild

and gentle

On Whit

Sunday, A.D. 563,

St.

Columba

90

JUNE
the coast of Argyll,

landed with twelve companions on the bleak,

unsheltered island
as
off

known

Hii-Coluim-Cille or lona.

For thirty-four
efforts

years the saint

and

his helpers laboured with

such success, that through their

churches

and centres

up everywhere, both on the mainland and the adjacent islands.

lona became the centre whence the Faith was

of learning sprang

throughout the country north of the The monastic missionaries were Grampians.
diffused

untiring in their efforts.

to

They

penetrated even

Orkney and Shetland. On Sunday, June 9, A.D. 597,

called
to
his

St.

Columba
in

was

reward.

He

died

the

church, kneeling before the altar and surrounded

by
to

his religious brethren.

at

His remains,

first

laid

to rest

lona,

were afterwards carried over

Ireland and enshrined in the Cathedral of

Down
St.

by the

side of those of St. Patrick

and

Bridget.

All these

the cathedral
soldiers.

perished when was burned by Henry VIITs

relics

St.

Columba was

man

of singular purity of

mind, boundless love for souls, and a gentle,

winning nature which drew men

irresistibly to

JUNE
God.

91

His labours were furthered by Divine assistance, which was evidenced by numerous
miracles.

Among

the saints of

Scotland he
Catholic ages

takes

foremost rank,

and

in

devotion to him was widespread.

The churches
during

dedicated to him are too numerous to mention.

He

himself founded no less than

in the land

fifty

his residence

which he had chosen

as the scene of his labours.

Annual
(Fife),

fairs

were

held on his feast at

Aberdour

Dunkeld

each for eight days

Drymen

(Stirlingshire),

Largs (Argyllshire), and Fort- Augustus (Inver St. Columba s holy wells were very ness-shire).

numerous, for an old

"

Irish

record relates of him

He

blessed three

hundred wells which were

constant."

In Scotland they are to be traced

at

Birse (Aberdeenshire),
I

Alvah and Portsoy

( I n verness
-

( Banff shire) ,

n vermoriston

shire),

Calaverock

Forf arshire ),

Cambusnethan
Kirkholm

(Lanarkshire),

Alness (Ross-shire),

(Wigtonshire), and on the Eigg and lona.

St.

islands of Garvelloch,

Baitan or Baithen, Abbot, A.D. 600.

to St.

HE

was cousin

Columba, and accom

panied him from

Ireland to Scotland.

From

92
his

JUNE
childhood he had been that saint
St.
s disciple

and companion, and

affection for him.

Columba had

a special

He

was appointed superior

but at

of the monastery established in Tiree,

St.

Columba

death succeeded him as

Abbot

of lona.

There he remained only four years, death calling him away, as he had previously
his

foretold to
their

monks, on the anniversary of

founder.
s

father
St.

and

St.

Baitan

was His
few

buried in
bell

Oran

Chapel on lona.
Donegal up
In the
to a

was

still

preserved in
it

years since, and

was a common
it.

practice of
district

devotion to drink from

is

same

St. Baitan s River, to to drink

is

which

flocks

and herds

were brought
St.

on the
to

saint s festival.
his

Baitan

said

have spent

time

either in reading, praying, or serving his neigh

bour.

Even during meals he used

"

constantly
of

to implore the Divine aid in the

words

the

God, come to my assistance." During labour his mind was always raised to God. So mortified was he that it was said
Psalmist
:

that

the

impression

of

his

ribs

through

his

woollen tunic used to mark the sandy beach of lona when he lay down to rest himself there.

JUNE
12
St.

93

Ternan, Bishop, A.D. 431.

in

THIS

saint

was born

the

Mearns

of noble

parents.
district,
is

St.

Palladius,

who

evangelised

that

said to

have been directed to the

child

by an

angel, in order that

he might ad

minister baptism. Ternan grew up to manhood, embraced the clerical state, and in due time

became a bishop.

He

is

said to

have fixed
died.

his

residence at Abernethy,

where he
as

He
is
still

was buried

at the place

now known
festival.

Banchorythan a

Ternan, Kincardineshire, where a

held annually on his

fair

More

thousand years after his death the head of the saint was venerated there by one who has
testified to

the existence at the time of the skin

upon the skull in the part

the episcopal consecration.

where

it

had received

Up

to the

Reforma

tion two other valuable relics of the saint were

preserved in that same church.

of St.

One was

the

Gospel, which belonged copy to St. Ternan, encased in a cover adorned with the other was the saint s bell. gold and silver
s
;

Matthew

This

thought to have been identical with an ancient bell which was dug up near the
latter
is

present

railway

station

at

Banchory

in

the

94
making
of the line.

JUNE
It

has unfortunately been

lost sight of.

The

churches of Slains, in Aberdeenshire,

and Arbuthnott and Upper Banchory, in the At Mearns, were dedicated to St. Ternan.
Taransay, in
Harris, and
at

Findon, in the
saint
;

Mearns, were chapels of the

the latter

place possessed a holy well called by his name,

and there was another

at Slains.

20

St.

Fillan

("The

Leper"),

6th century.
Ireland,

THIS

saint

was a native
that

of

and

is

honoured

in

country
desire

also for

on

this

day.
in

Animated with
over
to

the

solitude

strange country, or else with missionary zeal, he

passed
district

Scotland and
as Strathearn.

settled

in

the

known

No

particulars

of his

life

are known.

Several
to this holy

remains

speak

of

devotion

shown
Fillans

man.

The

village of St.

(Dundurn),

in the parish of

Comrie, was dedi

its

cated to him, and

his holy well
is

from him took

still.

name
is

there

In the vicinity

conical

hill

about

600

feet high,
is

which

is

called

Dunfillan.

At

the summit

a rock

which goes

JUNE
" "

95
;

from it St. Fillan s Chair by the name of he is said to have blessed the country round.

The

old church of Aberdour, Fifeshire,

St.
Fillan.

now

in

ruins, was named after hard by, known as the

well

Pilgrims

Well, was

renowned

as late as the eighteenth century for

It
is

curing diseases of the eye.

thought to

have been dedicated

to the patron of the church.

The

hospital of St.

Martha, for the benefit of

in

pilgrims,

was founded there

1474, and was

served by Sisters of
Francis from

the third Order of St.

to the Reformation.

1487 up

21

St.

Cormac, Abbot, 6th century.

ST.

CORMAC

was another

Irish saint.

From

youth he followed a monastic life, and eventually became a disciple of St. Columba.
his early

In after years he

became Abbot
in

now known
missionary

as

Durrow,

King

Dearmagh, County. This

of

charge he resigned in order to give himself to

life.

He

brave and enterprising once in his missionary career his zeal led him
to venture

had always been of a nature, and more than

on the high seas, in quest of some pagan land where he might preach the Faith,

96
or of

JUNE
some
desert region

where he might

live

in closer

communion with God.

In one of his journeys he visited St.

at

Columba
as the

lona,

and afterwards

sailed

as

far

Orkneys, where the pagan people were minded to put him to death. But one of the chiefs

had long before made a solemn promise to St. Columba, who had seen in vision the coming of Cormac to the islands and his threatened
death, that no

the Orkneys.

harm should happen This intervention was

to

him

in

successful.
s

Neither the place nor time of St. Cormac

death
ancient
to
is

known with any

certainty,

but

an

Irish

tradition asserts that

he returned

Durrow and was

buried there.
exists

fragment

still

of

the

"Crozier

of

Durrow",

which
of

is

considered to be the most

ancient

relic

its

kind

now

extant.

It

is

believed to have belonged

to the founder of

Durrow, the great Columba, and to have been given by him to his disciple, Cormac.
22
St.

Suibhne, Abbot, A,D. 772.

sixteenth

THIS

saint

was the

Abbot

of lona. of

There had been before him another abbot

JUNE
the same name.
ney",

97

is

identical

Suibhne, pronounced "Swee with an Irish appellation not

uncommon
25
St.

in our day.
592.

Moluag or Lughaidh, Bishop. A.D

THIS monk
was
as St.

saint
in

was born

in

Ireland

and became

the

renowned abbey

of Bangor.
life

He
that,

so fervent a follower of monastic

Bernard

testifies,

he founded no
Fired with

less

than

hundred monasteries.
left his

mission

ary zeal, he

native land to preach to the

pagans of Scotland.
the Irish coast and

Tradition says that the

itself

rock on which he stood detached

from

became a

raft to

bear him

across the waters to the island of Lismore, in

Loch Linnhe, where he

and then moved

landed.

St.

Moluag
where

converted the people of the island to Chris

tianity,

into Ross-shire,

he

built

Mother

many of God.
lived
to

churches, dedicating them to the

He

extreme old age, and died

at

Rosemarkie on the Moray Firth. Here he is said by some to have been buried, but his relics
must
lated
in that case

have been afterwards trans

;

to

Lismore
in

for

his

remains

were

honoured

the cathedral

there,

which was

98
called after him.

JUNE
Great devotion was shown

to

this saint

in

Catholic ages both

in

Scotland
to

and

Ireland.
in

There were many dedications

land.

him

Scot

At
at

Lismore,

the

cathedral

of

Argyll

bore his name.

to

Other churches were dedicated

and Tarland, Aberdeenshirc
; ;

him

Clatt

Mortlach, Banffshire
in

Alyth, Perthshire

also

Skye,

Mull,

Raasay, Tiree, Pabay, Lewis

and other
at

islands.

An

ancient burial ground

Auchterawe,
is

near

Fort

Augustus,

styled

Kilmalomaig,

called after ihis saint.

In these

dedications his

The

original

name appears in various forms. Celtic name Lughaidh (pronounced

as in
title

Lua) became changed,

by the addition of the
prefix,

many
of

other cases,
as a

honour mo,

At
"St.

and the endearing suffix ag. Clatt was held annually for eight days Mallock s Fair* and at Tarland "Luoch
,

Fair".

Others were held

at

Ruthven (Forfar-

shire)

and

at

Alyth
"St.

at the latter place the fair

s".

was

styled

Malogue
in

At

Mortlach,

where some

of the saint

s relics

were preserved,
II.

an abbey was founded

1010 by Malcolm
the Scottish

in thanksgiving for a victory obtained over the

Danes

in

that

place,

after

army

JULY
had
invoked
the aid
of

99

Our Lady and

is

St.

Moluag.

His holy well was near by.

The
session

crozier of the saint

of

now
;

in the pos
it

the
its

Duke

of

Argyll

was long
a

kept

by

hereditary

custodians,

family

named

Livingstone, on the island of

Lismore.

The

bell of St.

Moluag was
;

in existence

up

to

the sixteenth century

but disappeared at the

Reformation.

An
to

ancient bell, discovered in

1814
been

at

Kilmichael-Glassary, Argyllshire, has

thought
this

be the

lost

treasure.

The

feast of

saint

was restored by Leo XIII.

in

1898.

JULY
1 St.

Servan or
that
is

Serf, Bishop, 6th or 8th century.

MUCH
to fix

legendary has become mixed up

this saint,

with the history of

and

it

is difficult

upon what is authentic. He founded a monastery at Culross, Fifeshire, where he lived in great veneration on

100

JULY

account of his virtues and miracles.

to

He
S.

is

said

have befriended

the mother of

Kenti-

gern

when

she was cast on the shore near his

to

dwelling, and
child.

have baptised and educated her

life

very ancient

of

St. Serf,

how
St.

ever, places

him a century

later

than St. Kenti-

gern, and makes him contemporary with

Adamnan.

On
by
that

account of the

many
it

difficulties

presented

conflicting traditions,

has been suggested

two

saints of

the same

name have

lived at

Culross in different centuries.

St. Serf

died at Culross in extreme old age,

there.

and was buried

belonging to

Within the grounds

Lord Rosslyn at Dysart is pointed out the cave where the saint is said to have
encountered

and

overcome the

devil.

The
place
to the

name Dysart
of retreat,

(desert),

which marked

his

became afterwards extended

The cave of the town which grew up there. saint became a favourite place of pilgrimage.

The
saint,

churches of

Monzievaird

Perthshire,
to this

and Alva and

"

Stirlingshire,
at

were dedicated
is

each place

a well called
"

name.

Another well
exists at

of his called

St.

by his Shear s

Well

Dumbarton.

All three were

JULY
considered
miraculous.
St.

101
Serf
s

Fairs

were

formerly held at Culross, Abercorn (Linlithgowshire)

and Aberlednock (Perthshire). At Culross a custom prevailed from

for the

time

immemorial

young men

to

perambulate

the streets in procession, carrying green boughs,

on

the

1st

of

July each year.

The Town

Cross was decorated with garlands and ribbons,

and the procession would pass several times round it before disbanding to spend the day in
amusements.

This was doubtless the remains

of a procession in

honour
III.

of the saint.

At

the

accession of

George

the population, being

strong

King

began to celebrate that on June 4th, and to avoid too birthday

Hanoverians,
1st,

many

public holidays, the procession of July

the signification of
transferred to the

which has become

s

lost,

was

King

birthday.

It

survived

the accession of

Queen

Victoria, but has

now

probably fallen into disuse.

St. Killen,

Abbot, A.D. 752.

THIS saint was The old church

Inverness-shire,

the fourteenth
of

Abbot

of

lona.

Laggan, near Loch Laggan,

to St. Killen.

was dedicated

102
4
St.

JULY
Marianus Scotus, Abbot, A.D.
St.
1088.

THE
its first

monastery of

James, Ratisbon, owes

beginnings to this saint.

Most
that

historians

are

now

agreed in maintaining
of Ireland,

Marianus
centuries

was a native

which

for

many

bore the designation of Scotia. The holy man with several companions entered a Benedictine

monastery

at

Bamberg.
pilgrimage

Some
to

time afterwards,
passed

when on

Rome, they

through Ratisbon.
living
visit

holy hermit

who was
his
in

there persuaded
to

Marianus
take

to forego
his

Rome

and

up

abode

obeyed founded a monastery in connection with the Church of St. Peter, which the nuns to whom
it

Ratisbon.

He

the injunction,

and

belonged made over to him.

was

After the death of Marianus a larger abbey built in honour of St. James and St.

Gertrude which eventually became peopled by Scotsmen, and became, after the Reformation,
an important
clergy
for

seminary

for
in

the

education

of

mission

work
was

Scotland.

This
the

venerable

abbey

appropriated

by

Bavarian Government about

the middle of the

1

nineteenth century, a compensation of

0,000

being paid to the Scots College in

Rome.

JULY

103
from

valuable

MS.

consisting of selections

the homilies of the

Fathers of the Church, in

the actual handwriting of St.

Marianus himself,

was presented
Augustus,

to the Benedictine

Abbey, Fortof

by

the

last

survivor

the

Com

munity of the Scots Monastery, Ratisbon, and one of the greatest treasures of the Fortis

Augustus
6
St.

library.
518.

Modenna, or Medana, Virgin, A.D.

THIS

saint

was an

Irish

virgin,

who

received
himself,

the monastic habit

from

St.

Patrick

and was a dear friend

took

of

St.

Bridget.

She

up founded many monasteries for women. Some of these foundations were in Strathclyde, but
the greatest of

her

abode

in

Scotland, where she

in Galloway, at the Kirkmaiden place styled (formerly Kirkmedan), where St. Medan s Well and Cave

them was

now

may
of
1

still

be seen.
is

St.

Modenna
Dundee,
of

said to

have lived to the age

30

years and to have died at

after

Longf organ,
the
to

near
course

having
life

made during
pilgrimages

her

long

three

Rome,

barefoot and clad in hair-cloth.

Edinburgh probably takes its name from Medana. Her sanctuary, marking, it was said,

104
one
"St.

JULY
of her monastic foundations,

and known

as

Edana

s,"

was a place

of pilgrimage long

before the time of

King Edwin who was once

city
its

supposed

to

have given the

designation.
of

The

discovery of

the foundations
St.

much
s

more ancient building under

Chapel
life

Margaret

in

Edinburgh

Castle, in 1918, seems to

corroborate the statement in an ancient

of
this

Latin

Saint of the erection by her of a

of

church on the top

it

Edinburgh Rock, while

the origin of the

strengthens the tradition of

s

name, Edana

Burgh.

Maiden

Castle

is

really

Medan
lic

(or

Medana
situated

s) Castle.

A new Catho
s

church,

in in

St.

Meddan

Street,
to

Troon, was erected

this saint in

1911

and dedicated

conjunction with

Our Lady.

St, Palladius,

Bishop, A.D. (about) 430.

ST.
saint

PROSPER of Aquitaine tells us that this was a Roman deacon who was sent by
Celestine
I.

Pope

to

those

Irish

who were

already Christians, that he might be their bishop.

After founding several churches in Ireland, and meeting with opposition from the pagans there,

he

left

that country

for

Scotland,

where he

founded churches
Fordun, and

in the

Mearns.
still

He

died at

his relics

were

preserved there

JULY
in
1

105
of St.

409, when the Archbishop

Andrews

placed them in a new and costly shrine adorned The ruins of his chapel with gold and gems.
are
still

to
"

be seen there and a well bears his

"

name.
blae in
it

is still held at AuchinPaldy Fair the parish of Fordoun (Kincardineshire)

;

formerly lasted eight days.

Pope Leo XIII.

in his

Bull concerning the

restoration of the Scottish

hierarchy in

1878,

refers to the share of St. Palladius in the evan

"

gelisation of the country.

"

St.

Palladius,"

he

says,

deacon of the

Roman Church,

is

said to
(in

have preached the

Scotland) in the

Faith of Christ there

fifth century."

The same

Pontiff,

in

1898,

restored

this

saint s feast to Scotland.

11

St.

Drostan, Abbot, 6th century.

of Scottish birth, being descen

THIS

saint

was

ded from King Aidan of Dalriada, the friend of St. Columba. He was sent over to that
saint,

then

in

Ireland,

to

be

educated and

trained for the religious state.

He

eventually

monastery known as Dalquongal, of which in course of time he became After some time he passed over to abbot.
at a

became a monk

106
Scotland

JULY
where he
Angus.
lived
as

hermit

near

Glenesk, in

He

afterwards entered

the monastery of lona, and while dwelling under

the rule of St.

to the district

Columba accompanied
of

that saint

Buchan, Aberdeenshire, and

was made by him abbot of the monastery of Deer, which St. Columba founded on land
given to

him by the

ruler of the district,

whose

son had been restored to health during a severe

illness
is

said to

The name Deer by the saint s prayers. have originated in the tears (deara)
Drostan

shed

by

when he

parted

from

his

beloved master,
St.
district

Drostan
of

preached

the

gospel
as

in

the

Inverness-shire
in

known

Glen-

Urquhart which
of
"St.

Catholic ages bore the

name

Drostan

s Urquhart."

Here

a plot of

ground, said to have been cultivated

saint

by the
is still

when he known as
Ninian
s

lived there as

its

apostle,

"St.

Drostan

Croft."

In

St.

Chapel,
"

in the glen,

saint s cross,

and the custodian

was preserved the of the relic had

Croft"

the use of the

as a

Dewar

(or keeper s)

reward

for his services.

his

St.

Drostan died in
at

monastery of Deer

and was buried

Aberdour

where miracles

JULY

107
in in
in

the

were wrought at his tomb. Many churches North of Scotland bore his name
;

Caithness

were

Halkirk

and
;

Cannisbay
in in

Angus,
shire,

Edzell

and

Lochee
;

InvernessBanffshire,

Alvie

and

Urquhart
;

in Aberdeenshire, Aberlour and Rothiemay At Westfield in Caith Deer and Aberdour.

ness

is

St.
"

Drostan
s

Burial

Ground
"

at

Lochs

lee is
Well."

Droustie

Meadow
at

and
his

"

Droustie

Other wells bore

name

in various

districts.

One was
s

Aberlour, and there

were
St.

five

between Edzell and Aberdour.

Fairs

were held each year at Rothiemay, Aberlour (for three days) and Old Deer. The last named, which formerly lasted
Drostan
for eight days,
is still

kept up.

This

is

one of

the few instances in

which the old

In too

fair

day of
cases

Catholic times has survived.

these

many

remnants
the
last

of

Catholic

ages

disappeared

during

century.

restored the feast of this

Pope Leo XIII. saint in 1898. It was

December.

formerly celebrated in Scotland in

12

St.

Donald, Hermit, A.D. (about) 716.

tradition

LOCAL

speaks of

the sojourn of

this saint in the

Glen

of Ogilvy, in Forfarshire,

108

JULY
lived a secluded
life

where he

for

some

years.

He

was

not, strictly speaking, a hermit, as his

nine virgin daughters shared his solitude, and

spent their time like St.

Donald

in

the almost

constant practice of prayer and contemplation.

No
death.

reliable record remains of the course of

his life or of

the date and circumstances of his

18

The Nine Maidens, 8th century.

THESE

were

the

daughters of St.

Donald,

mentioned above.

During the lifetime maidens lived with him

of

their

father,

these

in strict seclusion in the

Glen
to
to

Having devoted their youth the Religious Life, they were loth to return the world when their father s death left them
of Ogilvy.

without a protector.
the monastery for

They accordingly entered women which St. Darlugdach,

friend of St. Bridget (or as
herself),

an

Irish

nun and the

some say
their lives.

St. Bridget

had founded

at

Abernethy.

Here they

spent the remainder of

There were many dedications

these saints.

in

Scotland to

The

ancient church of Finhaven

Pitsligo,

in Forfarshire, a chapel at

Aberdeen-

JULY
shire, called the
"

109
Nine
Maidens,"

Chapel
bearing
a

of the
like

and

another,

designation,

at

Tough, in the same county, are some of them. Other associations are still to be found in the

many holy
shire),

wells

which are

called after them, at

Strathmartin,

Glamis and

Oathlaw (Forfar-

Old Aberdeen and

shire),

Newburgh
saints

(Fife)

Pitsligo (Aberdeenand Mid-Calder (near

Edinburgh).

These

were

honoured

together

in

Catholic ages on this day.

St.

Thenew
of

or Thenog, A.D. 514.

life

THE

history

the early

of this saint

is

involved in obscurity.
relating to
it
;

There

are various legends

but recent historians reject them

St.

as spurious.
St.

Thenew was
;

the mother of
said

Mungo
have

or Kentigern

she

is

by Jocelin
and

in his life of St.

Mungo

(written in a later age)

to

been

befriended

by

St.

Serf,
cast

baptised

by him, when she was

ashore
is

near his dwelling.

The

fact,

however,

dis

puted

by

modern

critics,

on

account

of

chronological

difficulties.

At an Thenew

early period a chapel dedicated to St.

existed

in

Glasgow

but

at

the

110
Reformation
it

JULY
was
destroyed.

The
is

street

leading to this chapel

"

was known
"

for centuries

as

St.

Argyll
styled
still

Thenew s Gate it Street. The chapel had

;

now
its

called

been popularly

"San

Theneuke
in

Kirk,"

and

name
"St.

survives
"

the

corrupted form of
of

Enoch
station

the

modern designation
its

an im

portant square in the city with

large railway

and

hotel.

Close by the chapel was a

holy well bearing the saint s name. 22 St. Dabius or Bavins, Priest.

SOME

historians

have maintained that

;

this saint

was a native

of Ireland

but the Scottish tradi

in Perthshire,

tion affirms that

he was born

and

that he

became a

recluse in his native parish of

Weem, where he built a The shelf of the great

"

small chapel.

rock of
stood,

Weem, upon
is
still

which the chapel formerly

Chapel
Rock."

called

holy

well

hard

by

is

called after the saint.

This well
pilgrims.
It

was once much

was
a

frequented

by
St.

common

opinion that

Dabius would grant any wish made there if an When offering were thrown into the water.
the well was cleaned out

some years ago

;

a large

number

of

coins

was discovered

these

were

AUGUST
evidently offerings of the kind.
ancient
burial
of
at

There was an
which bore

ground

Weems

the
fair

name

the saint, and on his feast-day a

there.

was held annually

The name
is

Kildavie (Church of Davius) which

found

in the parish of Kilblane, in Bute,

and

also in the parish of Kilninian, in

to ancient

Mull,

testifies

churches in honour of St. Davius in

those localities.
shire,
is

The Church of Kippen,

to
this saint,
"

Stirling

also dedicated

under the

designation of

Movean."

AUGUST
3
St,

Walthen or Waltheof, Abbot, A.D.

of

1160.

HE

was the son

Simon, Earl
of

of

don, and

Maud, grand-niece
After
the

Hunting William the

her
first

Conqueror.
husband,
land,

death

of

Maud
of

married David, King of Scot

one
life

early

the sons of St. Margaret. The of the young Walthen was consequently

spent at the Scottish Court,

all

where he
purity of

edified

who knew him by

practice
of

his

life

and

diligent

the

Christian
life,

virtues.

Desiring to embrace the religious

Walthen

2
Scotland,

AUGUST
and entered
the

left

monastery of

Nostell in Yorkshire, belonging to the Austin

Canons.

His

holiness,

attested

by

miracles,

procured the esteem of his contemporaries, and led to his appointment, while still young, as
Prior of the monastery of Kirkham, in the same
county.

Attracted by the reputation of the

Cistercians, he resolved to pass into that Order,

and was encouraged

Aelred,
Cistercian
his

in

his

purpose

by
of

St.

Abbot

of

Rievaulx,
In
spite

who
the

became

attached friend.

remonstrances of his religious brethren, and the

avowed
tercian

indignation
in

of

his

kindred,

Walthen

persevered

his resolution,

and took the Cis

habit at

Rievaulx, where he eventually

made

his profession as a

monk.
of the Scottish
till

He
of

was made Abbot

abbey
In

Melrose, which he ruled

his
life

his death.

the later years of

he was nominated
s
;

Archbishop

of St.

Andrew

but his humility

shrank from the burden, and he prevailed upon

his religious superiors to

prevent the election.

He

died

at

Melrose
are
fifty

at

an

advanced
to

age.

Many
during

miracles
life,

attributed

him,

even

and

years after death his

body

was found

to be incorrupt.

AUGUST
9>

113

St.

Berchan, Bishop.
life

THIS

Irish saint

spent a good part of his

particulars of his career

in Scotland.

Few

now

remain to

us,

but he laboured near Stirling as

a missionary.
are
still

Some traces of devotion to him The name of Kilbarchan, in existing.

proves the connection
saint
s

the county of Renfrew,

of

the

with

that

neighbourhood.

St.

Barchan
the

Fair

was held there annually.

is

In

same county

to

be found an ancient
of
St.

Celtic cross erected in

honour
;

Berchan.

Another

fair

was

at

Tain

this is evident

from

an ancient charter of that burgh, in which it is held on the stated that St. Barquhan s Fair is
"

cula,

3rd day after the Feast of St. Peter ad Vincommonly called Lambmes." St. Peter
or, as
it

ad Vincula,
Chains,
is

is

usually called, St. Peter

falls

a feast which

on August

1st,

hence
feast,

St.

Berchan

Fair, in celebration of

his

was held on the

the ancient

4th.

Lambmes

or

Lammas was
St.
It

name

of this feast of

Peter and was derived from the Saxon hlaf

(loaf).

had

its

origin in the offering at

Mass
the

of

loaf

made from

the

first-fruits

of

harvest.

114

AUGUST
6 -Blessed Alexander, Monk, A.D. 1229.

IN the account given of St. Matilda (April 1) allusion was made to her brother Alexander,
1

who, concealing
of

his

royal
of

origin,
in

entered

the

Cistercian monastery

Foigni,

the diocese
years before

Laon, France.

his holy sister

is

on

He died some May 4th, 229.

1

His
day.
at

feast

celebrated by his

Order on
in
his

this

A
Keith,

fair

was formerly held

honour

in Banffshire.

St.

Oswald, King and Martyr, A.D. 642.

THIS

illustrious

King was the son

of

of a

pagan.

Ethelfrid,

King

Northumbria.
of
his

He

was

compelled on the death

safety in the north,

father to seek

two brothers
baptism.

at lona,

and took refuge with his where all three received

the
eldest,

Eanfrid,
of

obtained
relapsed

the
into

throne

Northumbria,

but

paganism.

He
the

met with a violent death

British prince,
as

at the

hands of

Cadwalla,

and

Oswald succeeded
rior

him

king.

Cadwalla
s

was defeated near Hexham by Oswald

erected a large

infe

army, the Christian prince having previously wooden cross on the field of

AUGUST
battle,

before whicb he knelt in prayer for the

of
his

success

consent of his
Christianity
victory.

and promised, with the soldiers, that all would embrace

arms,

should

God

grant

them

the

On

ascending the throne

Oswald procured

a missionary for his people from lona in the person of Aidan, who became eventually the
first

Bishop

of Lindisfarne. to

The

saintly

King
to
his

did not disdain

act

as

interpreter

people of the instructions given by Aidan in the Celtic tongue. Oswald reigned but eight years,
yet they

were years
led the

of

blessing for the nation

in

The King
poor.
It

way

the practice of the

charity
of to

Christian virtues, especially of

the

was on the occasion

hungry multitude
of
at

the distribu

tion to a
of the

the palace gates

s

food prepared for the King

the
costly

repast,

and
itself

the

division

silver

dish
that

amongst the poverty-stricken

people,

St.

about to join the King at a Aidan, cried out enthusiastically as he seized banquet, Oswald s right hand, May this hand never
"
"

who was

corrupt

The

utterance was

prophetic,

as

the sequel will show.

116

AUGUST
saintly

The
of

King met

his

death on the
invasion
of

field

battle,

when

resisting

the

of

his

dominions by Penda, the pagan king

of

Mercia.

His dying words were all who had fallen

a
in

prayer for the souls

the battle.

Many
and

miracles

were wrought by
use
of
particles

his intercession

by

the

of

the cross he had

in accord

erected.

His

right

hand and arm,

s

ance with St. Aidan

corrupt
till

prophecy, remained in
the

the time of

Venerable Bede,

who

tells

us that
of
St.

they were honoured in the Peter

to
at

Church

Bamborough.
of
in

His

head was taken

farne
;

the

monastery

LindisSt.

it

was
shrine

eventually

deposited

Cuthbert

and was carried with the

remains of that saint to

Durham

Minster.

Many

monasteries

and churches

both

in

England and Scotland bore the name of St. Oswald. Those in Northumbria and Cumbria
can scarcely be termed Scottish in these days,
but Kirkoswald near

Maybole and Carluke

respectively

in

Lanarkshire

possessed

church

and chapel dedicated to the holy King. His death occurred on August 5th, but his feast has
been transferred to
this day.

Devotion

to

St.

AUGUST
Oswald
in

7
as

flourished greatly in Ireland as well

Scotland and England, and extended to the

Continent.

St.

Angus.
is

AT

Balquhidder, in Perthshire, there

saint

a local

tradition regarding a

of

this

name.

He

is said to have been a disciple of St. Columba, and to have preached the Faith in that neigh

bourhood.

His

name
of

is

preserved

in

the

Clach jlenais (Stone

Angus), a slab bearing

a representation of a priest

holding a chalice. This stone formerly stood within the old church

at

Balquhidder, and

it

was the custom

to stand

or kneel

upon

it

during the solemnization of a

baptism or marriage.

As

this

rite

seemed
of

to

Presbyterian authorities to savour

tion,

supersti

the stone

was removed

to

the churchyard

about a century ago.

foundations of
hillock

Near the church are the

"Chapel

the
is

of

Angus."

hard by

pointed out as the spot where

it still

the saint preached, and

"Angus
Fair"

bears his name.

at

was formerly held

King

House,

in the parish of
after the

Wednesday

Balquhidder, on the second Tuesday in August.

118
This

AUGUST
locates the saint
s

feast-day (which the fair

in the
is

doubtless

commemorated)

early part
uncertain.

of

August, although the exact date

11
St.

Blaan, Bishop, A.D. 590.

HE
after

was born

in Ireland of a noble family,

and

spending seven years under the direction

of St.
to

Comgall and
said to

St.

Bute, to St. Cathan,

is

Kenneth, passed over his mother s brother.

later a

He
the

have made

pilgrimage to

Rome.
site

The
of the

monastery he founded became well-known Cathedral of Dun

blane
saint

a place

which derives

its

name from

the

where the mediaeval building begun by

I.

David

is

still

to

be

seen.
to

Among
saint
is

the
the
also

many
said to
in his

miracles

attributed
of a

the

restoration to

life

dead boy.

He

is

have re-kindled the extinguished lamps church during the night office, on one

occasion,

by
;

striking

fire

from

his

fingers

as

from a

flint

the miracle being vouchsafed by

the saint of any imputation of

God
St.

to

clear

negligence in his duty.

Blaan
his

became

eventually

bishop.

After

death devotion to him became popu-

AUGUST
lar,

119
his
in

callus.

and many dedications bear witness to There was a church of St. Blaan
at

Dumfries and another

Kilblane in Argyll.

The

ruins of the saint s church in the parish of

Kingarth, Bute, form an object of great interest

and stand amid surroundings of His bell is extraordinary beauty and charm. at Dunblane. The s feast saint still preserved
to antiquarians,

was

restored
in

to

the

Scottish

Calendar

by

Leo XIII.
18

1898.

St.

Inan, Confessor, 9th century.

district of

IN the southern
found
bearing

Scotland are to be
cultus
his

many
this

traces

of

the

of

a
is

saint

name, though

history

not

known.

Some

consider

him

native

of

Ayrshire,

since the greater part of the remains connected

with him are to be found in that county, where he seems to have spent many years of his life.

Others claim him as a native of Ireland, and

has been conjectured that his

it

name

is

merely a

corruption of Finan.

There

are no conclusive

proofs in support of either opinion.

The

chief

place

of

residence

of

St.

Inan

20

AUGUST
at

seems to have been

Irvine,
his

though many
at

interesting remains recall On the Cuff Hill in the

in

memory

Beith

latter parish is a cleft

the

rock

which was
has
of

originally

of

natural
art
;

formation,
bears the

but

been enlarged by
"

it

name

St.
it

Inan
is

Chair."

At
"St.

a short distance from

a double spring of
as

abundant and excellent water known

Inan
1

s Well."

On

the day corresponding to the

a fair
is

8th August, old

the
vicinity,
s

style,

annually held
the

in
"

which

bears

name
said

of
s)

Tenant

(probably a corruption of St. Inan

Fair."
"

Inchinnan
Inans

(Renfrewshire)

is

to

signify

Isle."

Another well bearing the

Lamington was dedicated
shire,

saint s

name

is

at

in

Lanarkshire, where the church

to

him.

At Southenan, Ayr
James IV.

was another church or chapel bearing the

of St. Inan
;

name
in

for a charter of

1509, confirms the donation of John, Lord

Sempill, of a perpetual
24
St.

Mass

therein.

Yrchard or Merchard, Bishop, 5th or 6th

century.
saint of

THIS
district

of pagan parents in the Kincardine-O Neil, Aberdeenshire.

was born

AUGUST
In his early youth he
Faith,

121

embraced the Christian

priest

and was ordained

the

by

St.

Ternan,
himself
life

who
in

associated

young man with

labours.

his

missionary

In

later

he

journeyed to
bishop.

Rome, and was

to

there consecrated

days

in

Returning Aberdeenshire.

Scotland he ended his

At

Kincardine-

CD Neil a church was erected over the spot where the chariot which was conveying his

remains

to

burial

was miraculously stopped.

St.

was formerly held there annually on Merchard s feast and during the octave.
fair

One
adjoins

of

the saint

churches was in Glenburial ground which and some few stones of

moriston.
it

The
is still

ancient

in use,

the

old

building

are

yet

to

be

seen

there.

The

local

tradition
as

tells

that

the saint
Strathglass

when
with

labouring

a missionary in

two companions, discovered, by previous revela

tion, three bright

new

bells

buried in the earth

Taking one
his

he gave the others to fellow-missionaries, bidding each to erect a

for himself,

church on the spot where his bell should ring for the third time of its own accord under
;

taking to

do the same with regard

to his

own.

22
of

AUGUST
these

One
at

companions

founded a church
at

Glenconvinth, in Strathglass, the other

Isle of

Broadford,
St.

Skye.
travelled towards Glenmorisfirst

Merchard
His
bell
s

ton.

rang

at

Suidh Mhercheird
at

(Merchard

Seat),
s

again

Fuaran Mhertreasured by
still

cheird (Merchard

Well), near Ballintombuie,

where a spring

of excellent

water

both Catholics and Protestants

bears his

name, and a third time

old
close

at the spot

where the

churchyard,

called

Clachan Mherchdrd,
memory. was preserved there for
fell

by the

river Moriston, recalls his

The
early

bell of the saint

centuries.
in

After the church

the
in

into decay

seventeenth

century,

the

bell

remained

the churchyard.

The
it

narrowstill

pointed spar of granite

stands
there.

on which

rested

The

bell,

unfortunately,

was

wantonly removed, by Protestant strangers about thirty years ago, to the great indignation
of

the
as

inhabitants

of
it

the

glen,

Protestant
since

as

well

Catholic

has

never

been

discovered.

Tradition has
ring of
its

it

that

the bell was wont to

own

accord

when

a funeral

came

AUGUST
in
sight,
its

23

and

that

whenever
it

it

was removed

from

usual position

was invariably found

its

restored

miraculously
still

to

place,

Many
bell,

persons

living in the glen

have seen the

of
in

and the grandparents of some relate that they heard it ring

Devotion
that
still

them used

to

their youth.

to

this

saint

was

very

strong

in
is

neighbourhood

in Catholic times,

and he

regarded by Catholics as the local patron.

25
St.

Ebba, Abbess, A.D.

to St.

683.

SHE
his

was

sister

Oswald, and
of

to

successor,

Kings

Northumbria.

Oswy, She

monastery at Ebchester, on the and another and more important one Derwent, It was at the latter place that at Coldingham.

founded

the great St.

training.
St.

Ethelreda received her monastic

Ebba was buried

of

but

portions

her

relics

at Coldingham, were afterwards

placed in the
St.

tomb

of St.

Cuthbert

at

Durham.

Abb s Head,
this saint.

the well-known promontory

its

on the coast of Northumberland, takes

from

name

30

St, Fiacre,

Hermit, 7th century.

Ireland

HE

was

born

in

about

the

year

124
590.

AUGUST

hermitage and holy well near

called
as
late

Kil

kenny

are

after

him,

and
of

were
this

frequented

as

the

beginning
to

century by pilgrims

who wished
a

pay him
in

honour.

After

labouring as

missionary

Scotland, St. Fiacre

ended

his

days

at Breuil,

near

Meaux,

in

France, where he became famous

;

for miracles

both before and after his death

he

was invoked
of

as the patron saint of the province

his shrine

Brie,

and

became a famous place

in

of pilgrimage.
St.

Fiacre

day was kept with devotion

s feast.

Scotland.

The

Breviary of Aberdeen contains

Several Scottish
these

the office for the saint

churches bore his name.

Among

may be

of

mentioned the ancient church and burial ground St. Fiacre, or, as he is often styled, St
Fittack,
at

Nigg,

Kincardineshire,

on

the

opposite bank of the

bay

in

the vicinity

Dee from Aberdeen. The is known as Picker s St.

s

Bay, and St. Fittack

Well, a clear spring near

still

the roofless ruins of the old church,

his

recalls

memory.
s

Its

existence

is

a strong proof of

the saint

residence in the neighbourhood at

in his
life.

some time

The fame

of this well

AUGUST
for

125

healing

religion,

powers survived the downfall of and it became necessary to prevent

it

recourse to

records of the

Thus in the by severe penalties. Kirk Session of Aberdeen for

"

1630 we read:
to

Margrat Davidson, spous

fined
at

Andro Adam,
washed

for

sending her
s

child to be

St.

Fiackre

Well and

leaving an

offering."

numbers of pilgrims conveyed in hackney coaches to the French shrine of this saint at Breuil, caused those vehicles to be
large

The

known

as fiacres,

a designation they

still

bear.

31

St.

Aidan, Bishop, A.D. 651.

of

THIS
after
in

saint

was a native

Ireland,

where,

some years

of monastic life at

Inniscattery

the

Later on

Shannon, he was consecrated bishop. he entered the monastery of lona.

first

He

became the

bishop of Lindisfarne, and

in the conversion of

the helper of St.

Oswald
His
life

Northumbria.

was one

of

great

poverty and detachment, and his example had a wonderful effect on his flock. He used to
travel about his diocese

on

foot,

accompanied

by

his clergy,

spending the time occupied by

26

AUGUST
His
with
his

the journey in prayer and holy reading.

alms were abundant, and

manner

to all

whom
His

he came

in

contact

kind and fatherly.

miracles, even during

life,

were many and

of

striking.

St.
rose,
site

Aidan was
the

the founder

Old Mel-

which stood a short distance from the

of

more modern

Cistercian

Abbey

whose

ruins are familiar to travellers.

He

also

assisted the Abbess, St. Ebba, in the founda

tion of the celebrated

which consisted

of

two

monastery of Coldingham, distinct communities of

men and women.

After ruling
died at
his see for

seventeen years, he

Bamborough

in

a tent

which he had

caused to be erected by the wall of the church.

St.

Cuthbert, then a youthful shepherd, as he

hills,

kept his flock on the

soul
of
St.

had a

vision of the

Heaven.

It

Aidan being borne by angels to was this vision which determined

admission to
St.

him

to

seek

Melrose.

churches bear
are those of

Aidan

name.
in

Many Among them

is

Cambusnethan

Lanarkshire and
the

Menmuir
saint
s

Angus. holy well, which was renowned

in

At

the latter place

for the

SEPTEMBER
cure of asthma and other complaints.

27

Another
be found
of

holy well called after St.

at

Aidan

is

to

Fearn

in

Angus.

The

ancient church

Kenmore, Perthshire, was known as Inchadin. Keltney Burn in the same neighbourhood, is
called in Gaelic
"St.

Aidan

s Stream."

SEPTEMBER
1
St.

Egidius or Giles, Abbot, A.D. 714.

THIS

saint

never laboured in Scotland, yet the

in the

honour shown to him

country

is

sufficient

reason for the mention of his

is

name

here.
birth,

He
who

said to

have been an Athenian by

his native

fled

from

land to escape the admira

tion excited

by

his extraordinary sanctity.

He

France and founded a monastery in the neighbourhood of Nismes, where many

settled in

disciples placed themselves

under

his guidance,

and where he died and was

callus

laid to rest.

His
other

extended
St,

from

France

into

countries.

Giles was honoured in

as
1 1

Edin

burgh

as

early

50,

when

monastery

existed under his invocation.

He

became the

128

SEPTEMBER
saint
in

recognised patron
figure

of

the

city,

and

his

appeared

the

armorial

bearings

of
is

Edinburgh, accompanied by the hind which

said
to
in

his
saint.

legend

to

have attached herself

the

the

Since

Reformation

the

figure of
of the

the saint has disappeared, though that

animal remains.
beautiful
1

The

Church

of

St.

Giles was re

built in the

5th century, and was erected into

a collegiate church

by Pope Paul

II.

It

still

continues to be the glory of the Scottish capital.

This church possessed an arm-bone of the saint, for which a rich reliquary was provided by the
city.

Fairs
at

St. Giles

were formerly held in honour of Moffat and also at Elgin, where

the parish church bore his name.

2

St.

Murdoch, Bishop.

No
as

very reliable particulars can be ascertained

to

the

life

of
to

this

saint.

Traces of the
in Forfar-

honour shown

him are

to

be found
to

shire, the district

which seems

have been the

scene of his missionary labours.

At

Ethie, in

the parish of Inverkeilor, in that county, are the

remains of an ancient church and burial-ground

SEPTEMBER
which bear
the parish
his

129
in

name.

Near Ethiebeaton,
"

of

Monifieth, are traces of an old

church which goes by the name of This is believed to be Dockie."

dedication in honour of St.
9

Chapel
another

Murdoch.
548.

St.

Queran or Kieran, Abbot, A.D.

THIS

saint

was born

in

Ireland

and became

abbot of the monastery

known

as Clonmacnois.

He

passed
as

over
a

to

Cornwall,
for

and

there
years.

laboured

missionary

some

Many
his

churches in that

district

are

known by

name, which appears there under the form

of Piran.

The

saint afterwards

journeyed to Scotland,
in the

where he preached the Gospel

districts.

western
near

He

settled

at

Dalruadhain,
to

Campbeltown, and the cave

accustomed to
seen
there.
retire

which he was
is
still

for

prayer
in

to

be
St.

He
of

died

A.D.

548.

Kieran came to be regarded eventually as the

patron saint
the

whole
in

of

Kintyre.

He

became very popular

of the great affection

Scotland, on account
St.

with which
his

Columba

regarded him.

Every year

hermitage and

130

SEPTEMBER
well were the resort of pilgrims
his

hVy
to

who came
the

honour
is

memory.
to

rock near the sea

shore

said

have

been

marked by

impress of his knees, from the frequency with

which he would kneel there

to pray
his

with arms

outstretched, looking towards

land.

beloved Ire

Several churches in Scotland are dedicated

to
t

lis saint.

Besides a church in Campbeltown,

Kintyre,

others at

Kilkerran in

Kilcheran

in

Lismore, Kilkeran in Islay and Barvas in Lewis

were named

after

him.

Those

of

Strathmore
in

in Caithness, Fetteresso

and Glenbervie
in

Kinare

cardineshire

and
a
is

Dalkerran
saint

Ayrshire

dedicated

to
it

of

the

same name, but

St.

whether
disputed.
at

this
is

particular

Kieran

is

There

well of

"St.

Jargon"

to

Troqueer (Kirkcudbright), which be St. Kieran s.

15
St. Mirin.

is

thought

Bishop, 6th century.

BORN
Comgall
Lough,

in

Ireland,

in the

he became a pupil of St. monastery of Bangor on Belfast

less

where no
are said
to

than

three

thousand
In

monks

have resided together.

SEPTEMBER
the course of time Mirin the

131
of

was made Prior

Scotland

Abbey.
left

No

authentic record relates that

to

he

Ireland
like

labour

in

but

Bangor,
centre,

lona,

was
the

great

missionary
started to

from

which

brethren

evangelise the various countries of Europe, and

this fact lends

credence to a tradition that St.

Paisley has always

Mirin came to Scotland.

claimed the honour of possessing his remains,

which became

in after

years

an attraction

to

many

pilgrims.
in

When
it

the twelfth century Walter Fitzthere,

Alan founded a Benedictine abbey

he

under the patronage of St. Mirin, placed jointly with Our Lady, St. James and St.

whence

Milburga, the patron of Wenlock, Shropshire, the first community came. Lights
St.

were burnt around

turies,

Mirin

tomb

for

cen

and a constant devotion was cherished

towards him.
figure,

The
scroll

seal of the

abbey bore
"

his

with a

inscribed,
servants."

Mirin, pray chapel in

to

Christ for
his

thy

The
its

which
"

remains repose
Aisle,"

is

popularly

known

as

The Sounding

from

peculiar echo.

fair

was formerly held

at

Paisley on the

132
saint s feast-day

SEPTEMBER
and during the octave. Other the south of Scotland were dedi
In

churches in
cated
to

him.

the parish

of

Kelton,

in

Kirkcudbright, are the

chapel

remains of

an ancient
"

and

burial-ground

known
the

as
s

Kirk

Mirren."

On
At
Well."

Inch

Murryn (Mirin
are
ruins
Stirlingshire,

Island),

in

Loch

Lomond,

of
"

his

chapel.

Kilsyth,

is

St.

Mirin

There are other

in

traces

of

him
is

at

Coylton,
"

Ayrshire,

where a farm
at
"

called

Knock

Murran,"

and
the

Edzell, in

Forfarshire,
Marran."

where

there

is

Burn

of

16

St.

Ninian, Bishop. 5th century.

first

HE

was the
there

bishop residing in Scotland of

of

whom

is

any authentic record, and one

to

the earliest

missionaries

the country.

He

was born about A.D. 360, in the district now His father was a con known as Cumberland.
verted British chieftain.
desire to study the

Ninian had a strong

its

Faith at

fountain-head,

and

journeyed to
of

Rome

in his twenty-first year.

The Pope
him very

the time, St. Damasus, received

cordially,

and give him

special teachers

SEPTEMBER
to instruct

133
the Church.

him

in the doctrines of

After he had spent there

Siricius

fifteen years,

Pope

St.

made him
settled
in

priest

and bishop, and

district

sent

him

to

preach the Faith in his native country.

the

Ninian

now

called

Galloway. he had seen

build one

The
in

recollection

of

the churches

Rome awoke in him a desire to more worthy of God s worship than

early

the simple edifices of that

age in these

northern countries.
St.

By

the help of his friend,

Martin
for

of
this

Tours,

he

obtained

Prankish
the
It
first

masons

purpose,

and

built

stone church ever yet seen in Britain.

called
(still

was

Candida

Casa,
in

or

"White

House"

the designation

Latin of

the See of

Galloway).
stood became

The

point of land on
"

which

it

known as the from which Whithorn derives

Besides converting
the

White
name.

Home,"

its

people of
zeal,

his

own

into

neighbourhood, St Ninian, by his the Southern the Church

brought

Picts,

who
styled

inhabited the old

Roman

province of Valentia,
is

south
their

of

the

Forth.

He

therefore

Apostle.
died,

He

was more
laid

than seventy
to
rest

when he

and was

in

the

134
church
Martin.

SEPTEMBER
he

had

built
it

and dedicated

to

St.

Later on

was

called after

him and

became
and
land.

illustrious for pilgrimages

from England
parts of Scot

Ireland, as well as

from
in

all

So many churches

Scotland bore his

name

that the enumeration of

them would be

impossible here, while almost every important An church had an altar dedicated to him.
altar

of

St.

Ninian
in

was

endowed by
is

the
at

Scottish

nation
in

the

Carmelite Church

Bruges
a

Catholic ages.

There
of

a portion of

Church, the which bears Aberdeenshire, figure of St. The burgh of Nairn was placed Ninian.
fresco
his
:

on

the

wall

Turriff

under
his

patronage.
at

Many
;

holy wells bore

name

Arbirlot,

Arbroath, Mains and

Menmuir
Alyth,

(Forfarshire)

Ashkirk (Selkirkshire)
;

Dull
;

(Perthshire)

Mayfield
;

(Kirk-

cubrightshire)

Sandwick (Orkney)
;

hame, Wigtown (Wigtownshire)

PenningIsle of Mull.

That
1845

at

Dull

is

said

by

a Protestant writer of

to

have
from
far

been

greatly
near,

frequented
of

by
its

invalids

and

on account

reputed healing powers. St. Ninian s fairs were held

at

Whithorn

SEPTEMBER
(for

135
Arbroath.

four days),
feast,

and

also at

The

saint s

observed in
Benedictine

which had previously been long the diocese of Galloway and at the

tended to

Abbey, Fort-Augustus, was ex the whole Scottish Church by Leo

XIII.

in

1898.
St. Laisren.

Abbot, A.D. 605.

HE
for

was a cousin

of St.

Columba.

He

ruled

some years the Abbey of Durrow in Ireland, and afterwards that of lona, of which he was
the third abbot.

20

St.

Marthom.
at

A
the

FAIR was held annually

name
of St.

Ordiquhill (Banff-

shire) for eight

days from September 20, under

Marthom
life

fair.

Nothing

is

known about

the

of the saint.

22

St.

Lolan, Bishop.
miracles

MANY
this

extraordinary

are
is

related

of
in

saint,

but his real history

involved

obscurity.

The

crozier
at

and

bell of

St.

Lolan were long

Perthshire,

preserved

Kincardine-on- Forth,

136

SEPTEMBER
in the feudal investitures of

and were include i

documents
of

the earldom cf Perth.

of the
l

They

are alluded to in

2th century, and the mention

in

the

be

occurs

one as

late

as

1675.

Both

relics

have long disappeared.

St.

23

Adamnan, Abbot, A.D.

Irish

704.

HE

was

of

race,

same family as St. year he was elected Abbot

said to

and belonged to the Columba. In his 55th

of

lona.

He

is

have been instrumental

"The

in obtaining the

passing of
Irish

Law

of the Innocents" in the

National Assembly of Tara.

This

statute

exempted the Irish

battle
field,

women
In 701

from serving on the

that
St.

which before
to do.

time they had

been bound
sent

Adamnan was
for

on an embassy
of

to his former pupil, Aldfrid,

to

King

Northumbria,

seek reparation

injuries committed by that King s subjects in It was the Province of Meath. during this
visit

to

England
usage

that

he conformed
to

to

the
for

Roman
ful

with

regard

the

time

keeping Easter, and he was afterwards success

in

introducing the true

practice

into

the

Irish

Church.

His

efforts in this respect

were

SEPTEMBER
not successful with his
his

137
at

monks

lona
the

though

earnest

exhortations,

and

unfailing

charity
differed

which he exhibited towards those who

from him, must have helped to dispose conform to the rest of the Church,
after

them

to

which they did about twenty years

death.
St.

his

Adamnan

is

most renowned

for

his

life

of

St.

Columba, which has been

"

called

by a

competent judge

the most complete piece of

all

such biography that

Europe can boast

of,

not only at so early a period, but throughout

the

whole

Middle

Ages."

He

is

also

the

author of a treatise on the

as being

Holy

Land, valuable
in

one

of the earliest

produced
lona,

Europe.
relics

Though

the saint
to

died at
;

his

were carried

Ireland

but they must have

been restored to lona, as they were venerated there in 520. He was one of the most popular
1

of

the Scottish saints, and

after him.

many churches were

were
at

named

The

chief of these

Aboyne and Forvie (parish of Slains) in Aberdeenshire Abriachan in Inverness-shire For; ;

glen or

Teunan Kirk
;

in Banffshire

Tannadice

in Forfarsiire

Kileunan (parish of Kilkerran)

138
in

SEPTEMBER
;

Kintyre

Kinneff in
;

Kincardineshire

the

Island of

Sanda

Dull,

Athole

in Perthshire

Grandtully and Blair the latter place was once

as Kilmaveonaig, from the quaint little and of the saint. There chapel burying ground were chapels in his honour at Campsie in Stir

known

lingshire

and
"

Dalmeny
Skeulan
"

in

Linlithgow.

At
at

Aboyne
Well,"

are
at

Tree"

and
s

Skeulan
Seat,"

Tannadice
"

St.

Arnold

Campsie
"

St.
s

St.

Arnty

Cell."

Adamnan s Acre," at At Dull a fair was

;

Kinneff

formerly
called

held on his feast-day (old style)

Feille

it

was

Eonan.
as
"

Another
Feill

fair

at

Blair
("

Athole

was known

Eunan
times.

Fair
;

abbot only)

it

Bishop though St. Adamnan was an has been abolished in modern

is still

Espic

Eoin

His well

to

be seen

in

the

Manse garden
fissure in the
mark."

there,
is

and
"

rock

called
"St.

There was a

down the glen a St. Ennan s Foot Adamnan s Croft"

site

in
is

Glenurquhart (Inverness-shire), but the no longer known.

Ardeonaig, near Loch Tay
;

Ben Eunaich,

and Damsey (Adamnan s Isle) in Dalmally their names from this saint. take At Orkney,

SEPTEMBER
Firth-on-the-Spey,

139
is

near

Kingussie,

very

ancient bronze bell, long kept on a window-sill

of

the old

church,

and

tradition
it

relates

that

when moved from thence

"

produced a sound

similar

to

the

words,
it

Tom

Eunan,
to
its

Tom

Eunan,"

until

was restored
church,

original

resting-place in the

which stands on

the

hill

bearing

that

name.

The

tradition
this

points to the dedication of the

saint.

church to

Few names
Adamnan.

have passed through such

various transformations in the course of ages as

that of
of
It is

met under the forms

Aunan, Arnty,

Eunan,

Ounan,

Teunan

(Saint- Eunan),

Skeulan,

Eonan,

Ewen and

even Arnold.
St.

Adamnan
in

feast

was restored by Pope

Leo XIII.

1898.

25

St.

Barr or Finbar, Bishop, 6th century.

in

HE

was born

Connaught and

was

the

founder of a celebrated monastery and school

on an island

in

Lough Eirce (now known

in

as

Gougane-Barra),

County Cork, and

to

this

house, says Colgan in his

A eta

Sanctorum, so

140

SEPTEMBER
zeal for a

many came through

holy

life

that

it

changed a desert into a great city. St. Finbar became the first Bishop

of Cork,

where he founded
as the former.
saints,

a monastery almost as famous

like

St. Finbar,

so

many
for

Irish

made
him

a pilgrimage to
later

Rome.

Missionary

zeal led

on

to Scotland,

and

some

time he laboured in Kintyre.

Devotion
Catholic
attest.

to

St.

Barr
as

was very
to

great

in

Scotland,

numerous
chiefly
to

dedications

His churches are

be found

on

solitary islands,

which seem

have had a
in the parish

special attraction for him.

of

Thus
an island
called

Kilkerran, Kintyre,

is

now known
St.

as

Davar

it

was formerly
island
of

Barre

Island.

The
;

Barra takes

its

name

from him

traces of his cultus lingered

on there

long after the Reformation.

times called Shilbar), for

At

Kilbar (some

example, an image of

the saint, which was long preserved, used to be

clothed with a linen robe on his feast-day in

comparatively

recent

times.

Other curious
connection
St.

customs also prevailed

with

in the island in
is

him

his

holy well
saint

there.

Barr
of

was the

patron

of

the

churches

SEPTEMBER
Dornoch, and
both
places
a
of

141
;

Eddleston (Peebles-shire)

at

fair

was annually held on

is

his

feast-day.

In Ayrshire

the parish of Barr,

and

in Forfarshire that of in

Inch bare.

At Midd

Genie,
28

Tarbat,

is

Chapel Barre.
or

St.

Machan

Mahon, Bishop, about

6th century.

ST.

MACHAN,
of
his

born

in

Scotland,
sent
to

was

like

many

contemporaries,
its

Ireland,

then renowned for

schools, to
his

be educated.

After he had returned to

native land
in

and

had become a

priest,

he laboured

various

provinces of Scotland.

At Rome,
he
testations

whither he had gone as a pilgrim,

bishop
;

was consecrated
from

in

spite

his humility

later

pro he returned
ministry.

of

to

Scotland

and

to

the
fruitful

apostolic

After many years of

labour he died and

was

laid
still

to rest at

name

His Campsie in Lennox. survives in Ecclesmachan (Church of

Linlithgow, of which he
of
is

Machan)

in

patron.
at

The

parish

Dalserf, Lanarkshire, formed

St.

one time the chapelry of known as Machanshire.

It

Machan, and was was connected

142

OCTOBER
Cadzow (now
s

with the church of

Hamilton).

An
this

altar

in

St.

Mungo
him.
held

Cathedral, Glasgow,

was dedicated
saint

to

fair

in
at

honour

of

was

annually

Kilmahog,

Perthshire.

OCTOBER
8
St.

Triduana, Virgin, 7th or 8th century.

ST.

TRIDUANA
life at

devoted herself to
in

God

in

solitary
shire).

Rescobie

Angus (now

Forfar-

While dwelling
is

there, a prince of

the

country having conceived an

for her

unlawful passion
his
his

said to

have pursued her with

unwelcome

attentions.
as

To
legend
her

rid

herself of

importunities,

relates,

Triduana
eyes,

bravely

plucked

out

beautiful

her

chief attraction,

and sent them

it

to her admirer.

Her

heroism,

is

said,

procured for her the

power

of curing diseases of the eyes.

Many

instances are related of

after her death.
St.

such miracles worked

Triduana died
her

at

Restalrig in
a

Lothian,
place
of

and

tomb became

favourite

OCTOBER
pilgrimage.

43

Before

the

Reformation

it

was

the

most important of the holy shrines near

On account of this prominence Edinburgh. her church was the very first to fall a victim to
the fanatical zeal of the Puritans.

After being
relics

honoured
desecrated

for a

thousand years her

the
destruction
of

were

by

her shrine.

The General Assembly,

21,

decreed on December

1560, that

castin

monument of downe and

discovery was
this

Kirk of Restalrig, as a idolatrie, be raysit and utterlie

"the

destroyed."

An

interesting

made

in

1907

in

connection with
as a

church,

which had long been used

worship
a
after

Presbyterian place of

restoration.

An

octagonal
to

building,

standing

near,

was
in

though

have
;

been

Chapter

House

Catholic times
bish, after

it

was

filled

with earth and rub

having served as a burial place, and a

mound
on

of earth
trees

surmounted

it

on the outside

which

had rooted.

The

Earl

of

Moray,
the

superior of the village, offered to restore

to
its

church

original

state,

and,

when

examined by competent authorities, the supposed Chapter House was found to be a beautiful
little

Gothic chapel with groined roof supported

144

OCTOBER

by a central pillar, similar to the building which once covered St. Margaret s well at Restalrig.
proved that the had octagonal building evidently been
explorations

Further

little

raised

over the miraculous well of St. Triduana, so

much scoffed at by Reformation satirists. Steps led down to the water, thus covered in, and a
chapel,

which

must

have

formed
to

story above the well, is thought the Triduana s Aisle" alluded

"

an upper have been

to in ancient

documents.

The

building
its

has

now
of

been

thoroughly restored after

is

original form and

regarded as a valuable

monument

anti

quity.

Thus do more
saint

enlightened ages
!

condemn

the foolish fanaticism of bygone days

This

was honoured

in

various parts of

Scotland, and her

name

has undergone so
to

many

changes

in the different districts as

It

be often
various

unrecognisable.

occurs

under

the

forms of Traddles, Tredwell, Tradwell, Trallew, Trallen, etc.

Among

these dedications are Kintradwell in

Caithness and Trad lines in Forfarshire.

the island of
St.

Near
is

Papa Westray Tredwell s Loch, and on the

in

the Orkneys

east side of

OCTOBER
the
loch
is

145
containing

small

peninsula

the

ruins of a

length

building measuring 20 and 22 feet in breadth, known

little

feet in

as

St.

At Rescobie a fair used to s Chapel. be held on her feast-day, but in the beginning of
Tredwell
last

century

it

was
"

transferred

to

Forfar.

It

was known
of
this

as

St.

Trodlin

Fair."

Relics

saint

were

honoured

in

Aberdeen
to
St.

Cathedral in Catholic ages. Triduana has been revived

Catholic church at Restalrig.
11
St.

Devotion
in

the

modern

Kenneth, Abbot, A,D. 599.

St.

WITH

St.

Columba,
St.

Bridget

and

St.

Maelrubha,

Kenneth ranks among the most

popular of the Irish saints honoured in Scotland. He was the child of poor Irish parents, and

was employed during his early years in tending When he attained the years of man sheep.

hood he became a monk, and passed over to Wales, where he became the disciple of the

renowned
saint s

St.

Cadoc.

He

was one

of

that

most beloved followers on account of his

After being ordained
priest

perfect obedience.

he made a pilgrimage to Rome, and returning

146
to

OCTOBER
became the
St.

Ireland
St.
St.

disciple of

St.

Mobhi

and and

Finnian.

Kiaran lived

Columba, St. Comgall with him as members of

the same community.

Later

on

St.

Kenneth
some years
built

visited

Scotland,

where he
is

lived for

as a

monk.

He

believed to have founded a monastery at St.

to

Andrews and

have

churches in other

parts of the country,

converting

many

of

the

pagan inhabitants to Christianity

of his preaching.

He

by the fervour some time at lona spent

with

St.

in his visit to

Columba, and accompanied that saint King Brude at Inverness, and it

Kenneth who, with the sign of the Cross, caused the King s hand to wither when he drew his sword against the missionaries.

was

St.

St.

Kenneth died

in

Ireland.

He

founded
it

the monastery of Aghaboe, and around

grew

up

the town of that name,

which up

to the

twelfth century

was the

seat of

the Bishops of

to Kilkenny.

Ossory, whose residence was later transferred In Scotland this saint had many
Kilchenzie, in Kintyre
;

dedications.

Kilken;

neth,

in

Tiree
in

Kilchainnech,
;

in in

lona

Kil-

chainie,

South Uist

Laggan

Inverness-

OCTOBER
shire,

147
great

and

others.

The
its

abbey

of

Cambuskenneth
well as Chenzie

takes

name from him,

the river of
in

as

Island,

in

Islay,

and Kennoway (anciently Kennochi)

shire.

Fife-

13

St.

Comgan

or Congan, Abbot, 8th century.

of the holy recluse,

THIS

saint

was the brother

Kentigerna, whose life was given on January 7th, and was consequently the son of a Prince
of Leinster.

On

succeeding his father in the

government
as

of the province he ruled his people

true

Christian

prince should

do

but,

meeting with violent opposition from the neigh bouring chiefs, he was forced to fly the country
to save
his
life.

Taking with him

he crossed over

his

sister

and her

son, Fillan,

to Scotland,

and

settled in Lochalsh, Argyllshire.

Here he

lived

many
was

years as a

monk
in

in

great austerity.

He

far

advanced

years

when death

came.

He
a

was buried
St.
in

at lona.

His nephew,
built

Fillan
his

(see

February
at

3),

church

honour
other

Lochalsh.

There were
this

also

many

dedications to

saint

in

Scotland.

Among

them were

148
Kilchowan
in

OCTOBER
Kiltearn (Ross and
in

Cromarty),
Seil,

Kilchoan or Kilcongan
St.

the island of

Coan

in Strath (Skye),
in

Kilquhoan

in

Ard-

namurchan, Kilchoan
church of Turriff
in

Knoydart,

etc.

The

Aberdeenshire was dedi

fair

cated to him, and the annual

on

his feast-

day was
St.

called "Cowan

Fair."

hospital of

Congan was founded

at that place in

1272

by the Earl of Buchan, consisting of a collegiate

establishment for a warden and six chaplains.

Thirteen

maintained

poor husbandmen of Buchan were there. King Robert the Bruce

added

to

its

endowment.

of this institution are

Lands."

Some known as
restored
1

of the
"

remains

Leo XIII.

St.

The Abbey Comgan s

feast to the Scottish calendar in

898.

St.

Fyndoca, Virgin,
s

No
Her
on

particulars of this saint

feast occurs in

life

remain to

us.

the Breviary of
to

Aberdeen
specially

this day.

She seems

have been

venerated in the diocese of

Dunblane.

An
Findo

old charter of the thirteenth century mentions a chapel dedicated to St.

Fyndoca
;

at

Cask, near Dunning,

in

Perthshire

fair

was

OCTOBER
formerly held
saint s feast.

149
days from the

there

for

eight

There

are ruins of an old building

known

as the chapel of St.

near Coupar

Angus

this

Fink at Bendochy, was probably one of

her dedications.

17

St, Rule,

Abbot, (about) 6th century.

AN
this

old legend, long accepted as history, but

altogether

rejected

by modern
of
in

critics,

makes
of
St.

saint

the

bearer

the

relics

Andrew
that

from

Patras

Achaia

to

Scot

land in the fourth century.

The
in

story relates

Rule,

when engaged
s

his

duties

as

custodian of the apostle

shrine,
in

was favoured

Heavenly commanded him

relics

with a

vision,

which an angel
certain
of

to

set

aside

the
three

among them an arm-bone and

of

fingers

the Apostle

and

to

conceal

them

for a time in a certain spot indicated.

Another
to set sail

vision later

on directed the holy man

relics

with
"

the

in

north-westerly direction
earth,"

towards the ends of the

and when the

vessel should

be in danger of shipwreck on a

church should be

northern coast to recognise that as a sign that a built near that spot in honour

50
St.

OCTOBER
Andrew, where
St.

of

the
said

relics

should

be

enshrined.

Rule
in

is

to

have carried
fellow

out the

command

company with many

lived

voyagers, and to have founded the church of

St.

Andrew
after

s,

where he
landing.

more than

thirty

years

his

A
for

cave on the sea

coast hard
to

by
St.

still

bears his name.

there
prayer.
its

He

is

said

have

retired

The

old

church of

Rule, with
first

quaint,

slender

tower, was the

cathedral of the city, which

s

formerly bore the saint

name.
identify
St.

Most modern
with an
Irish

historians

Rule
is

abbot of similar name

who

honoured on
of St.
at

was a contemporary and Kenneth, probably ended his days

this day.

He

Andrews, after labouring there as a St. Rule is the patron of Monimissionary.

St.
fieth,

Forfarshire

of
;

Meikle

Folia, of

near

Fyvie,

Aberdeenshire

and

Kenneth-

mont, Aberdeenshire, where an ancient fair, held on the second Tuesday in October as late
as

the beginning
"

of

last

century,

was known
of

as
St.

Trewell
at

Fair."

There was a chapel

Rule

St.

Cyrus

(formerly called Eccles-

greig) in Kincardineshire.

OCTOBER
21
St.

Mund

or Fintan-Munnu, Abbot, A.D. 635,

in

HE

was born
St.

Ireland,

and was a contem

porary of

Columba.

He

bears the char

acter of being the most austere of all the Irish

saints,

and

suffered grievously

from bodily

in

with the greatest resignation. Crossing over to Scotland, he dwelt for a time upon an
firmities

island of

Loch Leven,
of

still

called after

him by

the

title

Eileanmunde.
important foundation was afterwards
this

A more
made by

saint

at

Kilmun, north of the

Firth of Clyde, in Argyllshire.

An
the

old burial

ground still marks the founded by St. Mund

glens
of striking beauty.
"

site
;

of

monastery

the

hills

and wooded

which surround the spot make up a scene

small bay in the vicinity

is

called

dispute
to St.

It is Holy Loch/ whether the title came from

a
its

matter of

proximity

Mund s

foundation or from a shipload of

earth from

the

Holy Land,

destined to form

part of the foundation of a church in

Glasgow,

and reputed
that spot.
It is

to

have been sunk

in a

storm near

said that St.

Mund* made
s

application to

Baithen, St.

Columba

successor at lona, to be

152
received
that
as

OCTOBER
a

monk
advised

of

that

monastery,
to

but
to

Baithen

the

saint

return

found a monastery there. The abbot this advice on account of a holy gave prophecy of St. Columba, who had foreseen
Ireland
St.

and

Mund s

desire,

and had declared

that

God

willed that saint to

become abbot over others

and not the

It

disciple of Baithen.

was owing

to this advice that St.

Mund

returned to his native land and founded Teach-

Mun

(Tagmon)

in

Wexford, which became

mention
in

famous under
Mediaeval
pastoral
staff

his rule.

documents
as

the

saint
;

preserved
held

Argyllshire
small

its

hereditary

custodian
it

a
in

croft

at
this

Kilmun

may have been

was held

honour

of

saint that a fair

at that place for eight

days during April as alluded to in records of

1

490.

No
;

trace of the

above

relic

now
is

remains.

In

Ireland this saint

is

known
or

as St. Fintan-

Munnu

but

Mundus

Mund

the

title

which appears
26
St,

in Scottish records.

Bean, Bishop, llth century.

at

THIS

saint

was venerated

Fowls Wester

OCTOBER
and Kinkell, both
held there.
of
in

153

Perthshire.

His well

is

pointed out at the former place, and his

St.

fair is

Bean

is

inserted in the calendar

the

Breviary of

Aberdeen, but few par

ticulars of his life are

known

to us.
in
is

Tradition
Banffshire,

makes him Bishop

admitted.
lach of
to

of

Mortlach,

though the existence of such a see

St.

not generally

Bean, probably resided at Mort

(in succession

which he became patron

is said to 25) have ruled a monastery of Culdees there. An

St.

Moluag
stone

see June

he

ancient

effigy,

in

existence

in

the

eighteenth century

in

Mortlach Church,
;

was

supposed to represent the saint nothing of the kind is now to be seen. Balvenie, in the
neighbourhood,
is

thought to be derived from

").

Bal-beni-mor

("

dwelling of Bean the Great

St.

The
land by

feast of

Bean was restored

to Scot

Leo XIII.
St.

Eata, Bishop, A.D. 686.

of the boys trained

in

by St. Aidan When he monastery of Lindisfarne. to manhood he made his grew profession as a
the

HE

was one

monk

of that abbey,

and

in after

years

became

54
of

OCTOBER
Old Melrose, where
his

Abbot
St.

St.

Boisil

and

Cuthbert were among

disciples.

He
after

became Bishop of Lindisfarne, and was wards translated to the See of Hexham. was buried
30
St.

He

in

Hexham

Cathedral.

Talarican, Bishop, A.D. (about) 720.

THIS
Irish

saint

has

been claimed as one

to

of

the

missionaries

Scotland, but competent

authorities
to

maintain that his

of

name shows him

and they add
saint

have been

Pictish

origin,

that the

Irish calendars

do not contain a
with
to

whose name can be

Talarican.
raised
to

identified
is

that

of

The
the

saint

said

have been

episcopate
II.).

by

Pope
It is

Gregory

(perhaps
of

St.

him

that he

Gregory was careful

specially said

to offer

Holy Mass
districts of

every day.
line.

His

life

was one

of stern discip

He

laboured in the northern

his popularity
is

Scotland, and

shown by the
Invernesssituated,

numerous dedications

in his

name.

The
shire,

large district of
in

Kiltarlity in

which Beauly Priory was

takes

its

name from

St.

Talarican.

church

and burial-ground known

as Ceilltarraglan once

OCTOBER
existed in the Isle of

155
it

Skye

was

situated

on

the plain above the rocks to the north of

Portree.
In the island of Taransay

Loch
find

we

Eaglais Tarain, or Church of Talarican.

saint
is

The
his

also associated

with the church of Fora fair

dyce, in Banffshire,
feast

where

was held on

Tarkin
parish

There is a St. and during the octave. s Well at Fordyce and another in the
of

Kilsyth,

Stirlingshire,

is

thought to
restored

own

this saint as patron.

Leo XIII.

St. Talarican s feast to the Scottish

Calendar.

St.

Monoch,
fair

AT

Stevenson,
held

in

Ayrshire, an annual
"

was

formerly
called
it

on October 30th, which was

s,

"Sam

Maneuke

or

"St.

Monk s

Day";

has long been discontinued.

An

old will of

the sixteenth century points to this saint as the

patron of the town.

Archibald Weir,
7th,

in
:

his
"

testament, dated October

1547, says

give and bequeath my soul to God Almighty and my body to be buried in the church of St.

Monoch,

of Steynstoune."

procession once

took place annually on this day in the above

locality.
It

was doubtless the remnant

of

some

156
popular

OCTOBER
Catholic demonstration
;

in

honour

of

the patronal feast

though mentioned as
disappeared.
is

late as

1845

it

has

now

In the parish

of Sorn, in the

same county,
of
this saint.

an estate known

by

the

designation

Auchmannoch. which

probably refers to
31
St.

Bees or Begha, Virgin, A,D. (about) 660.

THIS
youth

saint

was

of

royal

Irish

race.

In
to

her
a

she

was promised

in

marriage

Norwegian prince, but as she had

ginity in her earliest years she fled
to escape

vowed

vir

from home
possibly

the force which might

be

brought to bear

upon her to bring about the

proposed union.
boat, she

Embarking alone
her

in a small

made

Northumbria.
in

way Here she dwelt

retreat,

to the opposite coast of

for

some time
the

woodland
habit

after

receiving

monastic

from

St.

Aidan,

the

bishop.

She afterwards presided over a community of whose government she eventually virgins,
resigned
to
St.

Hilda.

another

known by
which
it

monastery in her name.

stood
is

Begha founded Strathclyde, which was

St.

The

tongue of land on

still

called St.

Bee

Head.

NOVEMBER
Kilbagie, in Clackmannan,
after this saint,
is

157

In this retreat she died in the odour of sanctity.

probably named
of

and

also

Kilbucho (Church

Begha), in the parish of Broughton, Peebleshire.

NOVEMBER
3
St.

Malachy, Archbishop, A.D. 1148.

the Irish saints
illustrious

Among
land,

who

benefited Scot

the

contemporary

and

dear

friend of his biographer, St. Bernard, must not

be

omitted.

St.

Malachy,

Archbishop

of

Armagh, twice
from one of

visited Scotland.

On

his return

his visits to

Rome, he

stayed with

King David I., and by his prayers restored to life the monarch s son, Prince Henry, who was
in

danger
the

of

death.

During
Port

this

visit,

St.

Malachy
on
Bernard
the
its

erected an oratory of wattles and clay

sea-shore

near

Patrick.

St.

relates that the saint not only directed

work but laboured with

construction.

his

own hands
the

in

He

blessed

cemetery
to

adjoining,
Irish usage,
visit to

which

was arranged

according

within a deep fosse.

The

second

Scotland was shortly before St. Malachy

158
set

NOVEMBER
out on that
last

journey to

the continent

from

which

he
1

never
148,

returned,
in
St.

November 2nd,

dying Bernard s

on

own
on

Abbey
called

of Clairvaux.

He
"

had

set his heart

founding a monastery in Scotland

Viride

at

place

Stagnum,
three
miles

The Green
from
the

Lake,"

situated

about

present

town

of Stranraer.

There he marked out the

Bernard
last

boundaries, and established a community brought

from one

of

his

Irish

houses.

St.

alludes to a monastery in Scotland as the

founded by St. Malachy, and edly the one referred to.

this is

undoubt
on,
this

Later

monastery, which acquired the name of Soulseat (Sedes Animarum), was peopled by Premonstratensian

Norbert

own

Canons, brought house of Premontre.

from
It

St.

became

known
St.

in after ages as Saulseat.

Nidan, Bishop, about the 6th century.

of

HE

was one

the

Welsh

disciples

of

St.

Kentigern, and probably accompanied him on

his return

to Scotland

(see pp. 47-8).

He

is

said

to

round Midmar,

have evangelised the part of Deeside of which he was the patron.

NOVEMBER
St,

159

Englatius, Abbot, A.D. 996.

THIS

saint,

calendar of the

whose feast-day appears in the Aberdeen Breviary, is associated

with the parish of Tarves in Aberdeenshire, where he is known by the name of Tanglan.
"

There
and a
St.

is
"

Tanglan s Well Ford on the Tanglan s

"

in

the village,

"

river

Ythan.

Baya
is

or Yey, Virgin, about the 9th century.

to

SHE
Little

said

have inhabited the island of

in

Cumbrae, where she lived surrounded by birds and beasts.

of

solitude

The

ruins

an ancient chapel, called that of St. Vey, are still to be seen, and the saint is believed to

have been buried there.

proof
of

Tradition

tells us,

in

her love of solitude, that

when
off

the
St.

Rector of

Dunbar attempted
and
in

to carry

Baya

s relics,

a furious storm arose through the

saint s
desist.

intervention,

compelled

him

to

named
St.

after a

Kilbag church dedicated to

Head

Lewis

is

probably

this saint.

Maura, Virgin, about the 9th century.

saint

THIS
to

was a friend

of

St.

Baya, and used

visit

her upon her island for spiritual con-

160
verse.

NOVEMBER
She
is

said to
of
at

have governed a very

virgins

austere

God.
Maura)

community She died

in Ayrshire.

consecrated

to

Kilmaurs

(Church

of

6 -St. Methven.

THERE
the
life

are
of
to

no
this

particulars
saint,

extant
it

concerning

and

is

therefore
in

im

possible

determine the time

which he
of St.
of

flourished.

A church
formerly
this

bearing the
in

name

Methven

stood

the

parish
fair

Fowlis Wester,

in Perthshire.

used to

be held there on

day

in

each year, locally

known
itself

as St.

Methvenmas Market.
as a holiday.

was observed

The day Like most of

the

such remains of Catholic merry-makings,

custom has long disappeared.

8
St.

Moroc, Bishop.
that
this

SOME

writers

maintain
of
in

saint

was
cer

formerly Abbot
tainly survives

Dunkeld.
that

His name
in

neighbourhood
St.

Kils

morick, where a spring is called Well. Another church named

Mureach

after this saint

was

at

Lecropt,

near

Stirling,

and here

his

NOVEMBER
body
rest.
is

161

by tradition to have been laid to Kilimrack (Beauly) has been sometimes

said
to
this
it

ascribed

saint,

but the more reliable

authorities give
cations.

as

one of
in

The
is

period

which

Our Lady s dedi Moroc St.

of

flourished
certainty.

not

known with any degree

St.

Gervadsus OP Gernadius, Hermit, A.D.

saint

934,

THIS
left

was

of

Irish nationality.

Longing

for a life of entire seclusion

his

from the world, he

native land

in Scotland.

He

is

and took up his residence said to have lived many

years

as in

a hermit in the province of

Moray,
a cave
of
s

and

corroboration

of

the

tradition
in

was formerly
Drainie,
Cave,"

pointed
Elgin,
situated

out

the
"

parish

near

known

as

Gerar din

it

was

modern Station Hotel

on the height behind the at Lossiemouth. For

many

centuries this habitation

was

intact.

It

had an ancient Gothic doorway and windowopening, but these were demolished more than

a hundred years ago by a drunken

sailor.

Since
as

1870
"

the

whole
s

face

of

the

cliff

known

Holyman

Head,"

including the cave,

has

162

NOVEMBER
"

No trace now remains of the been quarried. Gerardin s spring of water there, called
Well,"

from

which

the

anchorite

drank

thousand years ago.

It
is

said that a monastery

was founded by

this saint at

Kennedar,

in

the same parish of

Drainie where he associated himself with

fellow-soldiers
in

many

Christ,

and

built

church

under the direction of

angels.

The

remains of

Kineddar Castle, a residence of the Bishops of

Moray, may
that

still

be seen there.

Tradition

tells

on stormy nights, the saint was wont to pace the beach below his cell, lantern in hand, to warn off vessels from the dangerous rocks.

This

is

commemorated

in

the

Lossiemouth
saint

Burgh
lantern

seal,

which represents the

:

with

his

and bears the motto

church

Per noctem
at

lux.

A
of

Presbyterian

erected

Stotfield

(Lossiemouth) in recent years bears the name

"St.

Gerardine."

12

St.

Machar or Mocumma, Bishop, 6th century.

saint

THIS
his

was the son

of

Fiachna, an
St.

Irish

chieftain,

and was baptised by youth he became a disciple

Colman.

In

of the great St.

NOVEMBER
Columba, and when
that saint

163
to Scotland,

went

Machar accompanied him,

other
disciples.

together with eleven

After

some years
sent

he

was

made a bishop, and was

by

St.

Columba

with twelve companions to preach to the pagan Picts of Strathdon, in the north-east of Scot
land.
It
is

said

that

his

holy master
in

com
spot
its

manded him

to found a church find a river

the

where he should

forming by
s

windings the shape of a bishop

pastoral

staff.

Such a configuration he found

at

in the river

Don,
the

the

spot

now known
fixed

as

Old Aberdeen.
seat,

Here he
of
his

accordingly

his

and

cathedral that rose from the

a church instituted

humble beginnings

by Machar now bears

name.
Besides
the
in

old

there are

the

formerly joined in

Cathedral of Aberdeen, same county two parishes, one, which are known as
respectively.
is

New
(after
is

and Old Machar,

in
"

At

Kil-

drummie,

Aberdeenshire,

a place

called

the saint)

Macker

Haugh."

There
at

St.

Machar

s
;

Well, near

the cathedral,

Old Aberdeen

the water used always to be

taken for baptismal purposes to the cathedral.

164

NOVEMBER
Corgarff,
as
;

At

in

Strathdon,

is

another spring
well
of
St.

known
there.

Tobar Mhachar
miracles

(the

Machar)
priest, in

were

formerly
legend
is

obtained

Of

this spring the

related of a
it

time of famine, drawing from

three
till

fine

salmon

which

lasted

him

for

food

supplies
St.

came from other

s

quarters.
to

Machar

feast

was restored
1898.

Scotland

by Pope Leo XIII.

13
St.

in

Devenick, about the 6th century.

tells

TRADITION
in Caithness.

that this saint

was

contem

porary of the former, and preached the Gospel

A
for

legend relates that his body

was borne
in

burial to
in

Banchory Devenick,
accordance

Kincardineshire,

with
in

his

continually

expressed

desire

to

rest

the

district of St.

Machar,
life.

whom

he had tenderly

loved during

church was afterwards

after

built over his relics,

and named

him.

Criech,

in

Sutherlandshire,
if

was

probably

another of his churches,

there as St. Teavneach.
antiquity,

he

is

the saint

known
at

Besides a
"

fair of great
",

known

as

Dennick

held

Milton

of

Glenesk,

Forfarshire,

another

at

NOVEMBER
Methlick, Aberdeenshire,

165
in

held

November
;

about

this

date,

bore the

same name

this

implies that the respective churches are

dedi

cated to him, as

fairs

bearing saints

names had

their origin in all instances in

the concourse of
of

people
patronal

assembled
feast

for

the

celebration
St.

the
s

of

church.

Devenick

Well
15

is

near Methlick church.

St.

Machutus, or Malo, Bishop, A.D. 565.

gives

THE
feast

Aberdeen Breviary
of

on

this

day the
of

the British saint

who became one

is

the apostles of Brittany and

there by the

commemorated
residence
there,

town

of St.

Malo.
s

There
in

is

no record
but
his

of this saint

Scotland,

cultus

flourished

possibly on account Brendan (see May

of his connection
16).

with St.

of a Benedictine monastery, takes

Lesmahago, the site its name from

him, the
Sti.

title

being a corrupt form of Ecclesia

Machuti

(Church
also,

of

St.

Machutus).
to
this

Wigtown
saint.

church,

was dedicated

16

St.

Margaret, Queen, A.D. 1093.

IT

is

impossible here to say

much

in detail of

166
the
life

NOVEMBER
of the saintly

queen

who

is

regarded as

one

of the
;

heavenly

patrons of the
all

Kingdom
It

of

Scotland

but to omit

notice of her

would
be

make our calendar

sufficient
life.

incomplete.

will

to note briefly the chief events of her

St.

Margaret
Ironside.
fly

was

granddaughter
father,

to

Edmund
having to

Her
of

Edward,

for his life to

Agatha, the sister-in-law

the

Hungary, married the king. Three

children were born to them.

When Edward
English
throne,

Confessor

ascended

the

Prince

Edward

returned with his family to his

native land, but died a few years after.

When

William the Conqueror obtained the crown, Edgar, the son of Edward, thought it more
prudent to retire from England, and took refuge with his mother and sisters at the court
of

Malcolm

III.

of

Scotland,
coast

having
a

been

driven on

by tempest. Malcolm, attracted by the virtue and beauty of Margaret, made her his bride, and for the

the

Scottish

thirty years she reigned in Scotland she

was a

The historian Dr. Skene says model queen. There is perhaps no more beautiful of her
"

character

recorded

in

history

than

that

of

NOVEMBER
Margaret.
earnest

167
motives,
for

For
to

purity
benefit
cast,

of

an

de:ire

the
for a

people

among
of

whom
religion

her

lot

was

deep sense

and great personal piety, for the unselfish performance of whatever duty lay before her, and for entire self-abnegation she is unsurpassed, and the chroniclers
to

of the time all bear witness

her

exalted

character."

Her

solicitude

for the

nation

was

truly

maternal.

She

set

herself to

combat, with zeal and energy, the

abuses which
religion,

had crept
a

into

the
part

practice

of

taking

prominent

with

her

royal husband as the interpreter of her southern

speech

in

many

councils

summoned

at

her

instigation.

She loved and befriended

clergy

and monks, and was

poor.

lavish in her charity to the

Her own

children, through her training

and example, were one and all distinguished for Her three sons, Edgar, piety and virtue. Alexander and David,

were
life

remarkable
:

for

their unparalleled purity of

David

two
and
II.

grandsons,

Malcolm
son

IV.

and

William,

William

and

grandson,

Alexander
kings.

and

III.,

were noble Catholic

Thus

did the influence of this saintly queen extend

168

NOVEMBER

over the space of two hundred years and form

monarchs

of extraordinary excellence to rule Scotland wisely and well. St. Margaret died on the 16th of November

at

the age of forty-seven. Her body was buried with that of King Malcolm, who had
killed

been

in battle only four days before her

own
were

death, in the church they had founded at

Dunfermline.

At

the Reformation her relics

into Spain, together with

secretly carried

the remains of her husband, and placed in the

Escurial.

Her

head, with a quantity of her

for a time

long, fair hair,

was preserved
Douai.

by the
Fairs

Scottish Jesuits at

The
as

sacred relics

disappeared in the French Revolution.

on the
mas,"

saint s

feast-day,
at

known
(now

"

Margaret-

were held
and

Wick, Closeburn (Dumfries

Thornhill)
s

shire)

Balquhapple
St.

in
at

Kincardineshire.

Margaret

Well

Restalrig near Edinburgh, was once covered by a graceful Gothic building,

rested

whose groined
steps
is

roof
to

on a central

pillar

led

down
to

the level of the water.

It

thought
period

have
that

been

erected

at

the
s

same

as

covering St. Triduana

Well

in the

same

place.

NOVEMBER When
the North British

169

Railway required the

Park, where

wellspot for the building of storehouses, the

house was removed to

still

Queen

it

stands, but the spring has disappeared (see

Innocent XII. at the petition October 8th). VII. of James (and II.) in 1693, placed St. Margaret s feast on June 10th, the birthday of
"

the

King

son James (stigmatised the

but

Old
her

Pretender"),
it

Leo XIII.,

in

1898, restored

for the

Scottish calendar to the

day

of

death.

18

St.

Fergus, Bishop, 8th century.

THIS

saint,

Pict

by

nationality,

is

said

to

have been

for

many
of
his

years a bishop in Ireland.

Moved by
northern

a desire to benefit the pagans of the

districts

Scotland,

he

left

Ireland

and returned

to

own

land,

accompanied by

a few priests and clerics, and settled in Strathearn.

Here he founded
to
St.

three churches,

which

he dedicated

Patrick.

Passing north

wards he

visited

Caithness, and after preaching

the Gospel there for

some time he
church
at

travelled to

Buchan, where he
place afterwards

built a

Lungley, a
Finally

known

as St. Fergus.

70
to

NOVEMBER
Glamis, in Forfarshire, where
it

he moved on

he founded another church, and

he ended
his life

was here

that

and was buried.

to

Several dedications to this saint are

be
of

found

in

the

northern and eastern

parts

Scotland.
in

The
;

churches of

Wick and
called

Halkirk,

Caithness
;

Dyce and
his

St. Fergus, in
"

AberFergan famous
:

deenshire
Well,"

and

well,
in

at

Kirkmichael,

Banffshire,

for
all

its

miraculous efficacy in curing skin diseases

bear
witness
to

these

the devotion borne

towards St.
past ages.

An
for

Catholics in Fergus by annual fair was held at Glamis

Scottish
"

on

his feast-day

(known
five

as

Fergusmas

"),

and
took

continued
place at

days.

Another

fair

Wick.
of his connection
traces of

Other proofs
are

with Scotland

seen

in

the

the three churches

:

founded by the
St.-Patrick,
patrick.

saint in Strathearn

Strogeth-

Blackford-St.-Patrick,

and

Dol-

The head
the

of

Abbey

of

St. Fergus was venerated in Scone, where James IV. pro^

it.

vided a silver reliquary for

His arm was

cathedral.

preserved at Aberdeen, in the old

NOVEMBER
The
St. Fergus, in

171

pastoral staff of the saint, long treasured at

Buchan,

is

said to

have calmed a

storm on that coast.

of
it.

No

traces

now

remain

An
Wick
people

ancient image of St.

until

Fergus existed

at

minister,

1613, when it was destroyed by a who was drowned by the indignant The saint s holy well for his action.
there.

was honoured
same
"

He

is

thought to be the
Scots,"

Fergus, the Pict, Bishop of the

who

took part in a

Synod

in

St.

Peter

at

Rome

under Pope Gregory II. in A.D. 721. Pope Leo XIII. restored the feast of St.

Fergus in 1898.
26
St. Christina, Virgin,

A.D. (about) 1085.

into

THIS

saint,

though

brought

close
of

con

nection with the country,

lineage.

was not
of
St.

Scottish

She was the

the

sister

Margaret,

and

therefore

Etheling.
sister to

Edward the daughter Together with her mother Agatha,

of
of

the

Queen

Hungary, Christina took

the veil in the Benedictine

in

Abbey

of

Hampshire.

Here both

royal ladies

Romsey, became

distinguished for holiness.

Matilda, daughter

72

NOVEMBER
Margaret, was educated by her aunt
at

of St.

Romsey.
of

She became known

"

Queen Maud
of sanctity

after she

St. England. about the year 108!?.

good had married Henry I. Christina died in the odour

as

the

"

27

St.
is

Oda or Odda,
said
to

Virgin, about 8th century.

SHE

have been a daughter of

Scottish king.

her sight,
St.

Having the misfortune to lose she made a pilgrimage to the tomb of

Lambert the martyr, at Liege, to implore the help of that renowned wonder-worker. Her
faith

was rewarded by a
in to

cure,

and

Oda
She

resolved,

in gratitude for the favour, to dedicate herself to

God
retired

the
a

religious

state.

therefore

hermitage

in

Brabant, where she

in

spent

her

remaining

years

prayer

and

penance, winning from Heaven many graces for the people of that district. After her death her
relics

were enshrined

in a collegiate

church

in

the town of

Rhode, and she became the

chief

patron of the place.

It
is

remarkable that the

in

feast

of this saint

was inserted
the Scottish

the

calendar

drawn

up

for
of

Episcopal

Church

by order

NOVEMBER
Charles
is
I.

73

St.

Oda s
won

supposed royal descent

for her
this

thought to have
28

distinction.

St. Callen.

NOTHING

more

is

known concerning
to
s

this saint

than the facts that the church of Rogart,

Sutherlandshire,

in

was dedicated
"

St.

Callen,

and a

fair,

known

as

St.

Callen

Fair,

was

formerly held there on this day.

30
St.

Andrew, Apostle, Patron of Scotland.

reckon St.

WE

cannot

Andrew among
for

the

national saints of

Scotland,

he lived and
Scotland

died far from these northern lands.

cannot even claim connection with him on the

ground

of

having

received

missionaries

from

him, as England can boast of her connection with St. Gregory the Great. Yet from time

immemorial
point
to

so

far

back that history cannot

date
the
St.

any

precise
as

Andrew
protector
as

has
of

been

venerated

special

Scotland, and his feast,

mas,"

known

"Andrew-

celebrated everywhere with great rejoicing.

The

legend of St.

Regulus (see October 17)

the

which

attributes to that saint

bringing of

174
the apostle
s relics

DECEMBER
to the country
is

re,ecteJ

by

modern
St.

historians.
in

The
the

origin of devotion to
is

Andrew

Scotland
of

neverthe ess due to

s

the translation

apostle

relics

thither

(probably
century.

from

Hexham)
relics

during

the

eighth

were undoubtedly hon oured with much devotion at the place which

These

was afterwards known by the name of the great Apostle, and eventually became the Primatial
See
of thtf* country.

Whatever be the

true facts of the case,

St.

Andrew
thousand

has been invoked for

years
as

more than one

of

the

Patron

Scotland,

whose

battle-cry in the ages of faith

St. Andrew."

was

"

For

God

and

DECEMBER
2
St,

Ethernan, Bishop.

THIS

saint

belonged to a noble Scottish family

and was

sent to Ireland for his education.

On
his

returning to his native land,

to the

he devoted himself

work

of

preaching the Faith

of

among

countrymen
deenshire.

in the province

Buchan, Aber-

He

eventually became a bishop.

DECEMBER

75

On
near
called
to
his

the east side of the

hill

of

Mormond
is

Rathen,
"

in

Aberdeenshire,
s

place

St.

Ethernan

Den

"

it

is

believed

have been the spot chosen by the saint as The neighbouring church of hermitage.
is

Rathen

dedicated to him.

The

church of
as
"St.

Kilrenny
Irnie
is
s,"

in Fifeshire, popularly
is

known

probably one of his dedications

it

favourite
s

landmark
is

for

mariners.

St.

Ethernan

well

there.

At

Forfar a

fair

was
of

annually held on this day under the

"

name

Tuetheren

Fair.*

He

was

also

honoured

at

Madderty in There seems

in
;

Perthshire.
to

have been a chapel of

this
Isle

saint

the old monastic church on the

as,

of

May

by an ancient

charter,

Alexander

Cumyn,

Earl of Buchan, grants a stone of

"

wax

or forty shillings yearly to

St.

Ethernan of

the Isle of

May, and

the

monks serving God

and
6

St.

Ethernan

in that

place."

St.

Constantine
of

III.,

King, A.D. (about) 9*5.

is

THE

life

this saint

involved in obscurity.

According

to the

most probable account he was

a Scottish King,

who

resigned his

crown

after a

76

DECEMBER
more than
forty years,

reign of

and

retired, as
"

the Chronicle

of the Picts
house
of

and Scots

relates,

to

the monastery on the brink of the waves and

died

in

the

the

Apostle."

This

monastery was probably the Culdee establish ment at St. Andrews. cave near Fife Ness

called

after

the

saint,
is

and

marked

by many
his

pilgrims

crosses,

supposed to have been

place of retirement for prayer.

St. Buite,

Monk, A,D.

521,

HE
was

was born
believed

in Ireland,

and from

his infancy

possess powers. Early writers compare him with Venerable Bede

to

miraculous

for his virtues

and mode

of

life.

He

is

said to

have lived many years in a monastery in Italy, and to have returned, by Divine admonition, to
his native land, taking

with him

many

copies of

the

Holy Scriptures together with sacred vest

and

ments

numerous

holy

relics.

On

his

journey he was joined by a number of pilgrims who desired to live under his rule accordingly he sailed with his company for North Britain,
;

and landed
to

in Pictish territory,

where he

is

said
life

have restored the king

of the country

to

DECEMBER
by
his prayers.
fort in

177

Receiving as a reward the royal

place, St.

which the miracle had taken

Buite founded a monastery there, and remained

for

some time
in the

instructing

the

people

of

the

country

Faith.

Eventually he returned

to Ireland.

Dunnichen,
site of St.

in
s

Angus,

is

thought to be the

Buite

foundation.

Near

it

are

still

to be seen the remains of an ancient

fortress
s

known
Fort).

as

Carbuddo
saint
is

or
said

Caer Buido (Buite

to

The

have foretold the

Columba, which occurred on the very day upon which St. Buite himself died.
birth of St.
11
St,

Obert,
of
in
this saint is that

ALL

that

is

now known
in of

he

was honoured
patron
saint

Perth
bakers.
s

Catholic ages as the

On

December

10,

known
city in

as

St.

Obert

Eve, the bakers of that

through the
streets

were accustomed

to pass

by torchlight, playing pipes and and wearing various disguises. drums, beating One of their number used to wear a dress
procession

known

"

as

The

Devil

s Coat."

Another rode
shoes.

on a horse shod with men

In

its

78

DECEMBER
was probably some
chief
its

primitive form this pastime

kind of
features

sacred
in

drama representing the

life

the

of

the

saint

but

character had changed in the course of time.

On
ancient

account of
faith

their

connection

with
gave
"an

the
great

such

performances
In

offence to the Puritans.

against

1581

Act
was

idolatrous

and

superstitious

pastimes,

especially against the Sanct

Obert

Play,"

issued by the Session.

little

It
1

seems to have had

effect, for
"

again in

587

the bakers were

required

to take order for the

amendment

of

the blasphemous and heathenish plays of Sanct

Obert
"

s pastime."

Eventually in
"

588, several
for

insolent
"

young men

were imprisoned

their

idolatrous pastime in playing of

s play, to

Sanct

Obert

the great grief of the conscience

of the haill

of the faithful
congregation."

and infamous slander

17

St.

Crunmael, Abbot.
the
fact
life

No
the

particulars

of

of

this

saint

are

extant,

beyond the Abbots of lona.

that

he was one of

DECEMBER
18
St.

79

Flannan, Confessor.
;

THIS
period

saint
at

was

of Irish nationality

the precise

which he

lived

is

uncertain.

The
called

group
after

of islands to the west of

Lewis are

him, the Flannan Islands.

seven islands are
as

On

the largest
a

of

these

the

remains of

chapel

known
s

Teampull Beannachadh
This
seems
to

(St.

Flannan
that

Chapel).
saint

indicate

the

resided

there at
of

some period,

though no record remains

the fact beyond

the traditional designation of the ruins.

The

Flannan Islands have always been regarded by the people of Lewis with almost superstitious
veneration.

St.

Manire, Bishop, A.D. 824.

THIS was
laboured

a saint of Scottish nationality,

in

who

Deeside.

He

was

especially

honoured

at

Crathie and Balvenie.

He

was a

strenuous opponent of the idolatrous or super

stitious

practices

which

the

half-barbarous

people to

whom

he preached were accustomed

to introduce into their said

to

He is worship of God. have mastered the many dialects then

180

DECEMBER

spoken in the district which he inhabited, in order to be able to preach the Faith to all.
22
St.

Ethernascus, Confessor.
life

FROM
this

his retired saint

and

spirit of
"

recollection

Irish

was known
or
"The

as

Ethernascus,

who
one

spoke

not,"

Silent."

He

was

of the chief patrons of Clane, in the county

It
is

of Kildare.

difficult

to

determine what

was
his

his precise connection

office

with Scotland, but

occurs with a proper prayer in the

of in

Breviary
Lathrisk,

Aberdeen.
Fifeshire,

The
St.

church
to

of
St.

was dedicated
with

Ethernascus
Evangelist.
23

conjointly

John

the

St,

Caran, Bishop, A.D. 663.

east country saint

THIS was
lithie

an

who was
Premnay

for

merly held in honour at Fetteresso and

in

Drumin

The Mearns, and

There are
Strathmore,

at

Aberdeenshire.
cultus
lithie

also traces of his

in
is

Caithness.
as St.

At Drums

a spring

known

Carran
this

Well.
at

His

fair

was formerly held on

day

Anstruther, Fifeshire.

Some

of

these dedica-

DECEMBER
tions
to another saint

181

have been, by certain writers, accredited Kieran (September 9). No

particulars of St.

Caran

s life

are extant.

St.

Mayota

or Mazota, Virgin, 6th century.

IT

is

maintained by some writers that the great

St. Bridget,
visited

one of the chief glories of Ire and, Scotland in the beginning of the sixth

century,

and founded a monastery for women at Abernethy, which she dedicated to the Blessed

Virgin.

Over

this

house
;

St.

was placed as superior was the real foundress.

of

or, as

Darlughdach some think, she

St.

Mayota was one

Ireland to

the nine virgins

first

who came from

at

form the
is

community
been

said

to

have

She Abernethy. remarkable for having

wrought many striking miracles in her lifetime. The church of Drumoak or Dulmaoak (Field
of St.

name

Mayota), situated near the Dee, takes its from this saint. spring in the

neighbourhood
25
St.

is

called

"St.

Maikie

s Well."

Bathan, Bishop, A.D. (about) 639.

the Scots from
of th s

IN a

letter to
is

Pope John IV.

as

mention

ma j e

saint

especially

182

DECEMBER No
particulars

connected with Scotland.

his life are

of

now known,
the

but his cultus can be

traced

by
St.
its

churches

dedicated

to

him.

Abbey
takes

Bathans, a parish in Berwickshire,

this saint.

name from
in

The
is

ruins of an

abbey
St.

for

Cistercian nuns are there,

and

in

wooded nook,
Bathan
s

the vicinity

a spring called

Well.

In addition to a reputation
it

for healing diseases,

has the unusual quality

of never freezing

a mill-stream into

which

it

flows

is

said

to

be never blocked with

of

ice in

winter.

The

parish

Yester (Haddingtons,

shire) formerly bore the name of St. Bathan

and the parish

probably takes
saint.

of
its

Bowden

in

designation

Roxburghshire from the same

ALL YE SAINTS OF SCOTLAND, PRAY FOR US.

INDEX

INDEX
Abbey
St.

Bathans

Abb s Head
Aberchirder

182 123 33

Arasaig
Arbirlot

Abercorn 101 Abercrombie (St. Monan s) 34 Aberdeen 109, 163 Aberdour 91, 95, 106, 107 Aberlednock 101 Aberlour 107 Abernethy 16, 17, 93,
108, 181

Arbroath Arbuthnott Ardchattan Ardeonaig

9,

69 134 39, 134

19,

94 82
138

Ard-Marnoc
Ard-Patrick Arduthie Argyle Cathedral Arnold (Adanman),

33 46 39 98
St. 139 St.

Arnty(

,,

),

Abersnethick Abriachan

48

137 137 Aboyne 136 Adanman, St. of Coldingham 15 ,, Adrian (Odhran), St. 35 125 Aidan, St.

Arran Asaph, St. Ashkirk Auchinblae Auchterarder Auchterawe

Auchterless

139 66 76 134 105

41

Airlie

Aldhame
Alexander, Bl. Alloa Alness

74 37 114
6
91

Annan (Adanman), Ayr

Baitan (Baithen), Baldred, St.
Ballantrae

St.

98 66 139 6
91

St.

36

Alva Alvah
Alvie

100
91

Alyth Andrew, St. Andre wmas"

"

Angus, St. Anstruther

Applecross

107 98, 134 173 173 117 180 67 seq.

51 19 117 Balquhidder Balvenie 153, 179 93, 94, 164 Bancliory Bannockburn 17 Barr 141 Barr (Finbar), St. 139 Barra 80, 143 Barvas 100

Balmodhan

i86

INDEX

Bass Rock

INDEX
Chroman(Chronan), St

187

i88

INDEX
134,

Dull

INDEX
Fair of (Contd.)

189

INDEX
(Hen of Ogilvy
108, 109

INDEX
Kilmacharmaig Kilmadock
Kilmaglas

191
(2)

44
18

Kirkpatrick Kirkwall Kirriemuir

Kilmahew Kilmahog
Kilmaichlie

Laggan
142

Lairg
Laisren, St.

46 62 88 101, 146 70
56,

Kilmalomaig Kilmarnock Kilmaronog Kilmaronock Kilmaurs

Kilmichael-Glassary

74 98
33 22 22 160

135

Lamlash Lamington Lanark

Largs Laserian (Molios), Lathrisk Leer opt
1

66
120 6
8, 91

St.

66
180 160
165

Kilmochalmaig

Kilmodan Kilmorack Kilmun

Kilpatrick

21 161
5 A 46, 47

Lesmahago
Lewis
Lismore Lochalsh

23, 56, 98, 179 Libranus, St. 42

97
17, 147

Kilquhoan Kilrenny
Kilsyth
Kiltarlity

148 175 132, 155 154

Lochbroom Loch Duich Loch Etive

Lochlee

66
39
19 107 6, 151 40. 132

Kilviceuen
54 Kilwinning 1 20 Kincardine O Neil Kincardine-on-Forth 135 Kingarth 23, Si. 119
Kinglassie

Kinkell Kiimeff Kinnoull Kintradwell

14 153 138

Loch Loch Loch Loch Loch

Leven

Lomond
Long Maree
Shiel

3,

42
144
42,
I i i

Logie Mar Lolan, St. Longforgan Lossiemouth

20 69 44
13

135 1 03
161
St.

Kintyre (Cantyre)

66, 129, 140

Lua (Moluag), Lumphanan

Luss
Machalus,
St.

97 47

Kippen
Kirkcormaig Kirkcudbright Kirkholm Kirkmaiden Kirkmiohael Kirk Mirren Kirk of Cruden Kirkoswald

40
St.

44
5
1

Macceus (Mahew),

61

73

91 103 170 132 56 116

Machan, St. 141 162 Machar, St. Machutus (Malo), St. 165 Mackessog (Kessog),
St.

Madden (Medana),

40
St.

71

192

INDEX
175
St.
"

Madderty
Maelrubha,
.*

Magnusmas
St.
St. St.

Magnus,

67 65 62
61
141

Mittan, St. Mo Gaelic prefix

16
22, 32

Mochrum

Mocumma
St.

44
(Machar),
162

Mahew,

Mahon

(Machan),

Maiden Castle Mains

Malachy, St. Manire, St.

Man,
"

Isle of
St.
"

Margaret,

Margaretmas Marianus Scotus,

St.

104 134 157 179 73 165 168 102

Modan, St. 19 Modenna( Medana), St. 103

Moffat Molios (Laserian), Moluag, St.
St.

128 66

Monan,

St.

Monifieth

Monoch,

St.

Monymusk

Marnock (Marnan), St. Marnock (Aberchirder)

Maree,
St.
St.

32 32

69
135 61
5
1

M ortlach
Mund,

Monzievaird Moroc, St.

97 34 129, 150 155 48 100 160

98, 153

Mart horn,
Mauchline Maura, St. Maybole
Mayfield

Mull, Isle of
St.

80,98,

Matilda, St.

in, 134
151
3,

159 51, 116 134

35, 175

Mungo
St.

(Kentigern),
109 6 128

Mungo s
Mury

May,

Isle of

Isle, St. Murdoch, St.

Mayota, St. Medana, St. Meikle Folia Meldrum, Old Melrose

181

103

150
12
1 1

Melrose,01d29,49, 126, 154

(Maelrubha), St. 65 seq. Muthill 47 10 Nathalan, St. Nairn 134 Nauchlan (Nathalan),
St.

Menmuir
Merchard,
Methlick
St.

126. 134

10
St.

Merolilanus, St.

120 82
165

Newburgh
Nidan,

Methven
Mid-Calder Middan, St. Mid Genie
6,

160
109 74
141
48, 158

Nigg Nine Maidens, The

Ninian, St.
3,

109 158 124 108

Oathlaw
Obert, St. Ochiltree

132 109 177

Midmar
Migvie Milton of Glenesk
Mirin, St.

84
St.

47 164 130

Oda,

St.

Odhran (Adrian), Qg Gaelic suffix

172 35 22, 32

INDEX
Olaf, St.

193

194

INDEX
Wells
of (Contd.)

195

61575