A Calendar of Scottish Saints

At Corgarff, in Strathdon, is another spring known as Tobar Mhachar (the well of St. Machar); miracles were formerly obtained there. Of this spring the legend is related of a priest, in time of famine, drawing from it three fine salmon which lasted him for food till supplies came from other quarters.

St. Machar's feast was restored to Scotland by Pope Leo XIII. in 1898.

13 – St. Devenick, about the 6th century.

Tradition tells that this saint was a contemporary of the former, and preached the Gospel in Caithness. A legend relates that his body was borne for burial to Banchory Devenick, in Kincardineshire, in accordance with his continually expressed desire to rest in the district of St. Machar, whom he had tenderly loved during life. A church was afterwards built over his relics, and named after him.

Criech, in Sutherlandshire, was probably another of his churches, if he is the saint known there as St. Teavneach. Besides a fair of great antiquity, known as "Dennick's", held at Milton of Glenesk, Forfarshire, another at Methlick, Aberdeenshire, held in November about this date, bore the same name; this implies that the respective churches are dedicated to him, as fairs bearing saints names had their origin in all instances in the concourse of people assembled for the celebration of the patronal feast of a church. St. Devenick's Well is near Methlick church.

15 – St. Machutus, or Malo, Bishop, A.D. 565.

The Aberdeen Breviary gives on this day the feast of the British saint who became one of the apostles of Brittany and is commemorated there by the town of St. Malo.

There is no record of this saint's residence in Scotland, but his cultus flourished there, possibly on account of his connection with St. Brendan (see May 16). Lesmahago, the site of a Benedictine monastery, takes its name from him, the title being a corrupt form of Ecclesia Sti. Machuti (Church of St. Machutus). Wigtown church, also, was dedicated to this saint.

16 – St. Margaret, Queen, A.D. 1093.

It is impossible here to say much in detail of the life of the saintly queen who is regarded as one of the heavenly patrons of the Kingdom of Scotland; but to omit all notice of her would make our calendar incomplete. It will be sufficient to note briefly the chief events of her life. St. Margaret was granddaughter to Edmund Ironside. Her father, Edward, having to fly for his life to Hungary, married Agatha, the sister-in-law of the king. Three children were born to them. When Edward the Confessor ascended the English throne, 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, having been driven on the Scottish coast by a tempest. Malcolm, attracted by the virtue and beauty of Margaret, made her his bride, and for the thirty years she reigned in Scotland she was a model queen. The historian Dr. Skene says of her: "There is perhaps no more beautiful character recorded in history than that of Margaret. For purity of motives, for an earnest desire to benefit the people among whom her lot was cast, for a deep sense of religion 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 of the time all bear witness to her exalted character." Her solicitude for the nation was truly maternal. She set herself to combat, with zeal and energy, the abuses which had crept into the practice of religion, taking a prominent part – 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 lavish in her charity to the poor. Her own children, through her training and example, were one and all distinguished for piety and virtue. Her three sons, Edgar, Alexander and David, were remarkable for their unparalleled purity of life: David's two grandsons, Malcolm IV. and William, and William's son and grandson, Alexander II. and III., were noble Catholic kings. Thus did the influence of this saintly queen extend 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 been killed in battle only four days before her own death, in the church they had founded at Dunfermline. At the Reformation her relics were secretly carried into Spain, together with the remains of her husband, and placed in the Escurial. Her head, with a quantity of her long, fair hair, was preserved for a time by the Scottish Jesuits at Douai. The sacred relics disappeared in the French Revolution. Fairs on the saint's feast-day, known as "Margaretmas," were held at Wick, Closeburn (Dumfries shire) and Balquhapple (now Thornhill) in Kincardineshire. St. Margaret's Well at Restalrig near Edinburgh, was once covered by a graceful Gothic building, whose groined roof rested on a central pillar; steps led down to the level of the water. It is thought to have been erected at the same period as that covering St. Triduana's Well in the same place.

When the North British Railway required the spot for the building of storehouses, the well-house was removed to Queen's Park, where it still stands, but the spring has disappeared (see October 8th). Innocent XII. at the petition of James VII. (and II.) in 1693, placed St. Margaret's feast on June 10th, the birthday of the King's son James (stigmatised the "Old Pretender"), but Leo XIII., in 1898, restored it for the Scottish calendar to the day of her death.

18 – St. Fergus, Bishop, 8th century.

This saint, a Pict by nationality, is said to have been for many years a bishop in Ireland. Moved by a desire to benefit the pagans of the northern districts of Scotland, he left Ireland and returned to his own land, accompanied by a few priests and clerics, and settled in Strathearn. Here he founded three churches, which he dedicated to St. Patrick. Passing north wards he visited Caithness, and after preaching the Gospel there for some time he travelled to Buchan, where he built a church at Lungley, a place afterwards known as St. Fergus. Finally he moved on to Glamis, in Forfarshire, where he founded another church, and it was here that he ended his life and was buried.

Several dedications to this saint are to be found in the northern and eastern parts of Scotland. The churches of Wick and Halkirk, in Caithness; Dyce and St. Fergus, in Aberdeenshire; and his well, called "Fergan Well," at Kirkmichael, in Banffshire, famous for its miraculous efficacy in curing skin diseases: all these bear witness to the devotion borne towards St. Fergus by Scottish Catholics in past ages. An annual fair was held at Glamis on his feast-day (known as "Fergusmas"), and continued for five days. Another fair took place at Wick.

Other proofs of his connection with Scotland are seen in the traces of the three churches founded by the saint in Strathearn: Strogeth-St. – Patrick, Blackford-St. – Patrick, and Dolpatrick.

The head of St. Fergus was venerated in the Abbey of Scone, where James IV. provided a silver reliquary for it. His arm was preserved at Aberdeen, in the old cathedral.

The pastoral staff of the saint, long treasured at St. Fergus, in Buchan, is said to have calmed a storm on that coast. No traces now remain of it.

An ancient image of St. Fergus existed at Wick until 1613, when it was destroyed by a minister, who was drowned by the indignant people for his action. The saint's holy well was honoured there. He is thought to be the same "Fergus, the Pict, Bishop of the Scots," who took part in a Synod in St. Peter's 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.

This saint, though brought into close connection with the country, was not of Scottish lineage. She was the sister of St. Margaret, and therefore the daughter of Edward the Etheling. Together with her mother Agatha, sister to the Queen of Hungary, Christina took the veil in the Benedictine Abbey of Romsey, in Hampshire. Here both royal ladies became distinguished for holiness. Matilda, daughter of St. Margaret, was educated by her aunt at Romsey. She became known as the "good Queen Maud" after she had married Henry I. of England. St. Christina died in the odour of sanctity about the year 1085.

27 – St. Oda or Odda, Virgin, about 8th century.

She is said to have been a daughter of a Scottish king. Having the misfortune to lose her sight, she made a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Lambert the martyr, at Liege, to implore the help of that renowned wonder-worker. Her faith was rewarded by a cure, and Oda resolved, in gratitude for the favour, to dedicate herself to God in the religious state. She therefore retired to a hermitage in Brabant, where she spent her remaining years in 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 feast of this saint was inserted in the calendar drawn up for the Scottish Episcopal Church by order of Charles I. St. Oda's supposed royal descent is thought to have won for her this distinction.

28 – St. Callen.

Nothing more is known concerning this saint than the facts that the church of Rogart, in Sutherlandshire, was dedicated to St. Callen, and a fair, known as "St. Callen's Fair," was formerly held there on this day.

30 – St. Andrew, Apostle, Patron of Scotland.

We cannot reckon St. Andrew among the national saints of Scotland, for he lived and died far from these northern lands. Scotland 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 so far back that history cannot point to any precise date St. Andrew has been venerated as the special protector of Scotland, and his feast, known as "Andrewmas," celebrated everywhere with great rejoicing. The legend of St. Regulus (see October 17) which attributes to that saint the bringing of the apostle's relics to the country is rejected by modern historians. The origin of devotion to St. Andrew in Scotland is nevertheless due to the translation of the apostle's relics thither (probably from Hexham) during the eighth century. These relics were undoubtedly honoured with much devotion at the place which was afterwards known by the name of the great Apostle, and eventually became the Primatial See of that country.

Whatever be the true facts of the case, St. Andrew has been invoked for more than one thousand years as the Patron of Scotland, whose battle-cry in the ages of faith was "For God and St. Andrew."

DECEMBER

2 – St. Ethernan, Bishop.

This saint belonged to a noble Scottish family and was sent to Ireland for his education. On returning to his native land, he devoted himself to the work of preaching the Faith among his countrymen in the province of Buchan, Aberdeenshire. He eventually became a bishop.

On the east side of the hill of Mormond near Rathen, in Aberdeenshire, is a place called "St. Ethernan's Den"; it is believed to have been the spot chosen by the saint as his hermitage. The neighbouring church of Rathen is dedicated to him. The church of Kilrenny in Fifeshire, popularly known as "St. Irnie's," is probably one of his dedications; it is a favourite landmark for mariners. St. Ethernan's well is there. At Forfar a fair was annually held on this day under the name of "Tuetheren's Fair." He was also honoured at Madderty in Perthshire.

There seems to have been a chapel of this saint in the old monastic church on the Isle of May; as, 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 St. Ethernan in that place."

6 – St. Constantine III., King, A.D. (about) 945.

The life of this saint is involved in obscurity. According to the most probable account he was a Scottish King, who resigned his crown after a reign of more than forty years, and retired, as the Chronicle of the Picts and Scots relates, "to the monastery on the brink of the waves and died in the house of the Apostle." This monastery was probably the Culdee establishment at St. Andrews. A cave near Fife Ness called after the saint, and marked by many pilgrims crosses, is supposed to have been his place of retirement for prayer.

7 – St. Buite, Monk, A.D. 521.

He was born in Ireland, and from his infancy was believed to possess miraculous powers. Early writers compare him with Venerable Bede 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 vestments and 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 in Pictish territory, where he is said to have restored the king of the country to life by his prayers. Receiving as a reward the royal fort in which the miracle had taken place, St. Buite founded a monastery there, and remained for some time instructing the people of the country in the Faith. Eventually he returned to Ireland.

Dunnichen, in Angus, is thought to be the site of St. Buite's foundation. Near it are still to be seen the remains of an ancient fortress known as Carbuddo or Caer Buido (Buite's Fort). The saint is said to have foretold the birth of St. Columba, which occurred on the very day upon which St. Buite himself died.

11 – St. Obert.

All that is now known of this saint is that he was honoured in Perth in Catholic ages as the patron saint of bakers. On December 10, known as St. Obert's Eve, the bakers of that city were accustomed to pass through the streets in procession by torchlight, playing pipes and beating drums, and wearing various disguises. One of their number used to wear a dress known as "The Devil's Coat." Another rode on a horse shod with men's shoes. In its primitive form this pastime was probably some kind of sacred drama representing the chief features in the life of the saint; but its character had changed in the course of time.

On account of their connection with the ancient faith such performances gave great offence to the Puritans. In 1581 "an Act against idolatrous and superstitious pastimes, especially against the Sanct Obert's Play," was issued by the Session. It seems to have had little effect, for again in 1587 the bakers were required "to take order for the amendment of the blasphemous and heathenish plays of Sanct Obert's pastime." Eventually in 1588, several "insolent young men" were imprisoned for their "idolatrous pastime in playing of Sanct Obert's play, to the great grief of the conscience of the faithful and infamous slander of the haill congregation."

17 – St. Crunmael, Abbot.

No particulars of the life of this saint are extant, beyond the fact that he was one of the Abbots of Iona.

18 – St. Flannan, Confessor.

This saint was of Irish nationality; the precise period at which he lived is uncertain. The group of islands to the west of Lewis are called after him, the Flannan Islands. On the largest of these seven islands are the remains of a chapel known as Teampull Beannachadh (St. Flannan's Chapel). This seems to indicate that the saint resided there at some period, though no record remains of 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 a saint of Scottish nationality, who laboured in Deeside. He was especially honoured at Crathie and Balvenie. He was a strenuous opponent of the idolatrous or superstitious practices which the half-barbarous people to whom he preached were accustomed to introduce into their worship of God. He is said to have mastered the many dialects then spoken in the district which he inhabited, in order to be able to preach the Faith to all.

22 – St. Ethernascus, Confessor.