A Calendar of Scottish Saints

A Calendar of Scottish Saints
Michael Barrett

Michael Barrett

A Calendar of Scottish Saints

INTRODUCTION

The title of Scottish, applied to the holy ones whose names occur in these short notices, must be understood to refer not so much to their nationality as to the field in which, they laboured or the localities where traces of their cultus are to be found. The Calendar here submitted does not pretend to be exhaustive; the saints therein noted are those who appear prominently in such records as remain to us and in the place-names which still recall their personalities.

In this new edition much additional information has been inserted, and many emendations made to render the Calendar as complete as possible.

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 1509.

Dr. Forbes' Kalendars of Scottish Saints.

Origines Parochiales Scotiae.

Dr. Skene's Celtic Scotland.

Canon O'Hanlon's Lives of Irish Saints.

Cardinal Moran's Irish Saints in Great Britain.

New Statistical Account of Scotland.

The date at the head of each notice is generally that of the death of the saint concerned.

JANUARY

1 – St. Ernan, Abbot, A.D. 640.

The Saint whose feast is celebrated on this day was a disciple of the great St. Columba, and is said by Colgan, the renowned Irish scholar, to have been his nephew. What connection the saint had with Scotland is not clear. He may have laboured for a time there under St. Columba, but he became Abbot of Drumhome in Donegal. On the night St. Columba went to his reward, as we are told by that saint's biographer, St. Adamnan, Ernan was favoured with a vision in which the saint's death was revealed to him. St. Ernan died in his Irish monastery at an advanced age in the year 640. The church of Killernan, in Ross-shire, is named after him. Another dedication to this saint is thought by some to be Kilviceuen in Mull.

4 – St. Chroman or Ghronan, A.D. 641.

On account of the destruction of so many ecclesiastical records at the Reformation, many particulars regarding some of our Scottish saints have been irrevocably lost. This is the case with the holy man before us. All that we know of him may be told in a few words. He lived in the Cunningham district of Ayrshire, where he was revered during life and venerated after death for his great sanctity. On his deathbed we are told he kept continually repeating those words of the 83rd Psalm, "My soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the Living God."

7 – St. Kentigerna, Recluse, A.D. 733.

Like so many holy souls whose lives drew down the grace of Heaven upon the land, St. Kentigerna was of Irish race. Her brother, St. Comgan, succeeded their father, a prince of Leinster, in the government of his territory. Meeting with violent opposition from the neighbouring princes, on account of his just and upright Christian rule, St. Comgan was obliged to fly the country, and together with his widowed sister, who had been married to an Irish prince, took refuge in Scotland. St. Comgan devoted himself to monastic life, and Kentigerna retired to an island in Loch Lomond to live as an anchoress. Here in her solitary cell, on the hilly, wooded isle which is now called in memory of her Innis na Caillich (the Nun's Island), she spent many years of the remainder of her life. The island became the seat of the old parish church of Buchanan, which was dedicated to her, and in the graveyard, which is still in use, are many tombs of the chiefs and illustrious men of the clan MacGregor. The church has been long in ruins. St. Kentigerna died in 733. Her feast is to be found in the Aberdeen Breviary.

11 – St. Suibhne (Sweeney), Abbot, A.D. 656.

This saint was an Abbot of Iona who died in the odour of sanctity when he had been Superior of that monastery for about three years.

14 – St. Kentigern or Mungo, Bishop, A.D. 603 or 612.

The ancient kingdom of Cumbria or Strathclyde 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 had almost disappeared when, in the middle of the sixth century, St. Kentigern was raised up to be its new apostle. The saint came of a royal race, and was born about A.D. 518. He was brought up from childhood by a holy hermit of Culross called Serf, who out of the love he bore the boy changed his name of Kentigern (signifying "lord and master") to that of Mungo (the well beloved). It is under the latter name that 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 to modern historians, must have flourished in a later century. At the completion of his education Kentigern fixed his abode at Cathures, now known as Glasgow, and was joined by many disciples, who lived under his rule in a kind of monastic discipline. His holy life caused him to be raised – much against his will – to the episcopal state. He fixed upon Glasgow for his see, and ruled his flock with all the ardour and holiness of an apostle. Simple and mortified in life, he abstained entirely from wine and flesh, and often passed two days without food. He wore haircloth next his skin, slept on a stone, and often rose in the night to praise God. Throughout his life he preserved the purity of his baptismal innocence. His pastoral staff was of simple wood. He always wore his priestly stole, to be ready to perform the functions of his sacred office.

Driven from Glasgow by the enmity of a wicked king, the saint took refuge with St. David in South Wales. He subsequently founded the monastery known afterwards, from the disciple who succeeded him in its government, as St. Asaph's, and here more than nine hundred monks are said to have lived under his rule. Later on he was recalled to Glasgow, and after a 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 to the Holy Catholic Church, their mother, he breathed his last, being at least 85 years old. His saintly body was laid to rest where the magnificent under-croft of St. Mungo's Cathedral, Glasgow, was raised to his honour in after ages.

Many old churches in Scotland bear the dedication of St. Mungo; the chief of these is Lanark parish church. There is a parish bearing his name in Dumfries-shire, and many holy wells are called after him; one of these is in Glasgow Cathedral, others are in the precincts of Glasgow, and at Huntly, Peebles, Ayr, Dumfries, Glengairn (Aberdeenshire), also at Currie, Penicuik and Mid-Calder, near Edinburgh. There is also St. Mungo's Isle in Loch Leven. Besides these Scottish dedications, there are seven churches in Cumberland which bear his name. It is noteworthy that all of them bear the more popular title of Mungo. Within about six miles of Carmarthen, in Wales, is the ancient parish church of Llangendeirne – "Church of Kentigern"; this is one instance, at least, of a dedication to the saint under his real name, and maybe the only one. There were formerly two fairs of St. Mungo kept in Alloa each year, where the church was dedicated to this saint. St. Kentigern is said to have made no less than seven pilgrimages to Rome in the course of his life. His feast, which had long been celebrated by the Benedictines of Fort-Augustus and the Passionists of Glasgow, was extended to the whole of Scotland by Leo XIII in 1898. As he died on the Octave of the Epiphany, the feast is kept on the following day, January 14.

19 – St. Blaithmaic, Martyr, 8th or 9th century.

This saint was of princely birth, and a native of Ireland. In early youth he renounced all the attractions of wealth and honour and entered a monastery. Here for his many virtues he was chosen abbot, and ruled his flock with wisdom and prudence. But from his youth he had longed for martyrdom, and though he had often begged leave from his superiors to preach the Faith to unbelievers, he could never obtain it. Being at Iona, where he had entered the community as a simple monk on renouncing his charge in Ireland, he announced one day to the brethren in the spirit of prophecy that an irruption of pagan Danes was about to take place. He exhorted those who felt themselves too weak for martyrdom to seek safety in flight. They concealed the shrine of St. Columba's relics, and many of the monks betook themselves to the mainland.

Next morning, while Blaithmaic was at the altar, having just offered the Holy Sacrifice, the pagans rushed upon him and the few companions who remained, and slaughtered all except Blaithmaic. They offered him life and liberty if he would show them the shrine of St. Columba with its treasure of gold and gems. But the intrepid martyr refused to betray his trust and was hewn down at the altar. He was buried at Iona on the return of the monks from their place of safety. There is some doubt about the date of his death, some writers place it as late as A.D. 828.

20 – St. Vigean or Fechin, Hermit, A.D. 664.

The parish of St. Vigean's, Forfarshire, derives its name from this saint, who though called Vigean in Scotland, is no other than the Irish abbot Fechin. He ruled three hundred monks at Fore, in Westmeath. It is 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, is pointed out as his residence, and the foundations of a small chapel may still be traced. Near them is a spring known as St. Vigean's Well. A fair called by his name was held at Arbroath on this day up to the eighteenth century.

Ecclefechan known in Middle Age charters as Ecclesia SanctiFechani (Church of St. Fechan) takes its name from the same saint.

It has acquired celebrity in later times as the birthplace of Thomas

Carlyle. St. Fechin was buried in the Monastery of Fore.

25 – St. Euchadius, Monk, A.D. 597.

This saint was one of the twelve disciples who accompanied St. Columba from Ireland and settled with him upon the island of Iona. He was one of the saint's helpers in the conversion of the Northern Picts. He is said to have written the Acts of St. Columba. It seems probable that St. Euchadius laboured at one time in Galloway, as he received special veneration in that district. This may have been due, however, to relics of the saint preserved there in Catholic ages.

26 – St. Conan, Bishop, A.D. 648.

He was born in Ireland, and is said to have passed over to Iona to join the community there, in which his virtues and talents placed him high in the estimation of the monks. He was characterised by a special devotion to the Mother of God, which won for him a singular purity of soul. He was made tutor to the three sons of Eugenius IV, King of Scotland, and brought them up carefully and wisely. Later on he became a Bishop. St. Conan was greatly honoured in Scotland. His name survives at Kilconan, in Fortingal, Perthshire, and at St. Conan's Well, near Dalmally, Argyleshire. St. Conan's Fair is held at Glenorchy, Perthshire, but this seems to relate to another saint of like name, as its date is the third Wednesday in March and our saint was venerated on January 26th, as the best authorities testify.

28 – St. Nathalan or Nauchlan, Bishop, A.D. 678.

This saint was born of a noble Scottish family at Tullich, Aberdeenshire. From his youth he was distinguished for great piety, and spent much of his time in manual labour in the fields as a voluntary mortification and a means of subduing the passions. Many miracles are related of him. It is said that having given away all his corn in time of famine, he caused the fields to be sown with sand for lack of grain, and was rewarded by a plentiful harvest. Having given way to murmuring in a moment of impatience he imposed upon himself the penance of making a pilgrimage to Rome, wearing on his leg a heavy chain; this he fastened by a padlock and threw the key into the Dee at a place now known as "The Pool of the Key." He is said to have bought a fish for food in Rome and to have found the key in its stomach; this he took for a supernatural intimation to discontinue his self-inflicted mortification.

Being made bishop by the Pope, he returned to his native land as an apostle of the Faith. He built in Deeside several churches at his own expense; one of these was at his native place, Tullich, where a huge slab of granite, sculptured with an antique cross, forms the top lintel of one of the doors of the ancient church, and is thought to have been a portion of the saint's tomb. St. Nathalan is said to have visited Ireland, and to have founded the monastery of Dungiven in Ulster. He died at a very advanced age at Tullich, on January 8th, 678. He became the patron saint of Deeside, and traces of his cultus still remain in that district. Long after Protestants had lost sight of the reason for it, an annual holiday was held on his feast day, no work being allowed to be done. A market was formerly held at Old Meldrum on or near this day, called "St. Nathalan's Fair," and another at Cowie, Kincardineshire. The ancient name of Meldrum was Bothelney, a corruption of Bothnethalen, which signifies "habitation of Nathalan." Near the ruins of the old church is still to be seen "Nauchlan's Well." A quaint local rhyme preserves his memory at Cowie:

"Atween the kirk and the kirk ford
There lies St. Nauchlan's hoard."

The feast of St. Nathalan was restored by Leo XIII.

29 – St. Voloc 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 with the Irish name Faelchu. He is said by the Aberdeen Breviary to have left his native land to spread the Roman Faith in Scotland, where he was raised to the episcopal rank. He voluntarily took upon himself a life of great austerity to satisfy for his own sins and those of others. His evangelical labours were devoted to the northern parts of the country chiefly. He lived in a little house woven of reeds and wattles, for his attraction was towards everything poor and humble. His simple and holy 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 old churches of Dunmeth and Logie Mar in Aberdeenshire were dedicated to this saint. The former parish is now included in that of Glass. Two miles below Beldorny in that parish are St. Wallach's Baths and a ruined chapel called Wallach's Kirk, while in the neighbourhood of the latter is St. Wallach's Well, which up to recent times was a recognised place of pilgrim age. An annual fair was formerly held in his honour at Logie; it is commemorated in a provincial rhyme:

"Wala-fair in Logic Mar
The thirtieth day of Januar."