A Calendar of Scottish Saints

From his retired life and spirit of recollection this Irish saint was known as "Ethernascus, who spoke not," or "The Silent." He was one of the chief patrons of Clane, in the county of Kildare. It is difficult to determine what was his precise connection with Scotland, but his office occurs with a proper prayer in the Breviary of Aberdeen. The church of Lathrisk, in Fifeshire, was dedicated to St. Ethernascus conjointly with St. John the Evangelist.

23 – St. Caran, Bishop, A.D. 663.

This was an east country saint who was formerly held in honour at

Fetteresso and Drumlithie in The Mearns, and at Premnay in

Aberdeenshire. There are also traces of his cultus in Strathmore,

Caithness. At Drumlithie is a spring known as St. Carran's Well.

His fair was formerly held on this day at Anstruther, Fifeshire.

Some of these dedications have been, by certain writers, accredited to another saint 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, one of the chief glories of Ireland, visited 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. Darlughdach was placed as superior; or, as some think, she was the real foundress. St. Mayota was one of the nine virgins who came from Ireland to form the first community at Abernethy. She is said to have been remarkable for having wrought many striking miracles in her lifetime. The church of Drumoak or Dulmaoak (Field of St. Mayota), situated near the Dee, takes its name from this saint. A spring in the neighbourhood is called "St. Maikie's Well."

25 – St. Bathan, Bishop, A.D. (about) 639.

In a letter to the Scots from Pope John IV. mention is made of this saint as especially connected with Scotland. No particulars of his life are now known, but his cultus can be traced by the churches dedicated to him. Abbey St. Bathans, a parish in Berwickshire, takes its name from this saint. The ruins of an abbey for Cistercian nuns are there, and in a wooded nook, in the vicinity is a spring called St. Bathan's Well. In addition to a reputation for healing diseases, it has the unusual quality of never freezing; a mill-stream into which it flows is said to be never blocked with ice in winter. The parish of Yester (Haddingtonshire) formerly bore the name of St. Bathan's, and the parish of Bowden in Roxburghshire probably takes its designation from the same saint.

ALL YE SAINTS OF SCOTLAND, PRAY FOR US