A Calendar of Scottish Saints

14 – St. Conran.

He was a Bishop of Orkney in the seventh century whose name was illustrious for sanctity, zeal, and austerity of life.

17 – St. Finan, Bishop, A.D. 661.

This saint was an Irishman who became a monk in the monastery founded by St. Columba at Iona. During his monastic life he was distinguished for the virtues befitting his state, especially prudence and gravity of demeanour. He was devoted to prayer and strove zealously to live according to the Divine Will in all things. When St. Aidan, who had been a monk of Iona, passed to his heavenly reward, a successor in his see of Lindisfarne was again sought in that celebrated monastery, and the choice fell upon Finan. His first care was to erect on the island of Lindisfarne a suitable cathedral, and in this he placed the remains of his saintly predecessor Aidan.

During the few years that St. Finan ruled his diocese he exhibited all the virtues of a model bishop. His love of poverty, contempt of the world, and zeal for preaching the Gospel, won the hearts of his people. Under his guidance, Oswy the King was brought to realise his crime in 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.

The influence of St. Finan extended beyond his own people; for the kings of more southern nations, with their subjects, owed the Faith to his zeal and piety. Peada, King of the Mercians, and Sigebert, King of the East Saxons, both received Baptism at his hands, and obtained from him missionaries to preach to their respective peoples.

The most famous work in which St. Finan was directly concerned was the foundation by Oswy of the Monastery of Streaneshalch on the precipitous headland afterwards known as Whitby. This was to become in later years, under the rule of the first abbess, Hilda, a school of saints and a centre of learning for the whole territory in which it stood, and the admiration of after ages for its fervour and strictness of discipline.

St. Finan died after an episcopate of ten years, and was laid to rest beside the remains of St. Aidan in the cathedral he had built at Lindisfarne. His feast was restored to Scot land by Leo XIII. in 1898.

18 – St. Colman, Bishop, A.D. 676.

On the death of St. Finan, another monk of Iona was chosen to succeed him in the see of Lindisfarne. This was Colman, who, like Finan, was of Irish nationality. At the time a fierce controversy was raging in Britain as to the correct calculation of Easter. The Roman system of computation had undergone various changes until it was finally fixed towards the end of the sixth century. It was adopted gradually throughout the Church, but Britain and Ireland still retained their ancient method. In consequence of this it sometimes happened that when the Celtic Church was keeping Easter, the followers of the Roman computation were still observing Lent. This was the case in the Court of Oswy, King of Bernicia, who followed the Celtic rite, while his Queen Eanfleada and her chaplains, who had been accustomed to the Roman style, kept the festival in accordance with it.

To bring about uniformity a synod was held at Whitby to give the advocates of either system an opportunity of stating their views. St. Wilfrid, the great upholder of Roman customs, brought such weighty arguments for his side that the majority of those present were persuaded to accept the Roman computation. St. Colman, however, since the Holy See had not definitely settled the matter, could not bring himself to give up the traditional computation which his dear master, St. Columba, had held to. He, therefore, resigned his see, after ruling it for three years only, and with such of the Lindisfarne monks as held the same views retired to Iona.

On his way thither he seems to have founded the church of Fearn in Forfarshire, which he dedicated to St. Aidan, placing there some of the saint's relics brought with him from Lindisfarne. He also founded a church in honour of the same saint at Tarbert in Easter-Ross. This, however, was afterwards called by his own name.

After a short stay at Iona, St. Colman re turned to Ireland and founded a monastery at Inisbofin, an island on the west coast of that country, peopling it with the monks who had left Lindisfarne in his company. Later on a new foundation was made at Mayo for Saxon monks only; it became known as "Mayo of the Saxons." The saint ruled both monasteries till his death, which occurred at Inisbofin, where he was buried. He had translated thither the greater part of St. Aidan's relics. The ruins of the ancient church may still be seen on the island. St. Colman's feast has been restored to Scotland by Pope Leo XIII.

Protestant writers have tried to interpret St. Colman's conduct regarding the Synod of Whitby as a manifest opposition to Roman authority. This, however, is a mistaken conclusion. It must be remembered that the matter was regarded by him as an open question, and he considered himself justified in keeping to the traditional usage until Rome declared against it. St. Bede, who had no sympathy with his views on the Easter question, speaks highly of St. Colman as a holy and zealous Bishop.

There is some discrepancy between Scottish and Irish authorities as to the precise date of the saint's death. In Scotland he was honoured on this day, but Irish writings give the date as August 8. There are also some slight differences in the particulars of his life; but as no less than 130 saints of this name are mentioned in Irish ecclesiastical records, it is conceivable that their histories have become intermixed.

23 – St. Boisil, Confessor, A.D. 664.

The old abbey of Melrose was not the Cistercian house whose ruins still remain, but an earlier monastery which had been founded by St. Aidan and followed the rule of St. Columba, which was afterwards changed for that of St. Benedict. The Roman usage regarding Easter was adopted there, very soon after the Synod of Whitby. Its abbot was the holy Eata, who was given the government of Lindisfarne Abbey also, when many of its monks followed St. Colman to Ireland. Just before these events occurred the subject of this notice was called to his reward. He was prior of Melrose under Eata, and it was he, who, being a monk and priest of surpassing merit and prophetic spirit, as St. Bede says, welcomed with joy and gave the monastic habit to a youth in whom he saw "a 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 of the inhabitants. Boisil and Cuthbert were both attacked by the malady, and the lives of both were endangered. The holy prior, however, from the beginning foretold the recovery of Cuthbert and his own death. Summoning the latter to his bedside, he prophesied his future greatness, relating all that was to befall him in the years to come, and especially his elevation to the episcopal rank. Then he begged Cuthbert to assist him during the seven days of life which remained to him to finish the study of St. John's Gospel on which they had been engaged. In this they occupied themselves till St. Boisil's peaceful death.

The church of St. Boswell's was dedicated to this saint, the name is a corruption of St. Boisil's. The old town has disappeared. An annual fair was formerly held on July 18th, in honour of the saint. His well also was situated there.

25 – St. Cumine, Abbot, A.D. 669.

He was the seventh abbot of Iona, and his learning and holiness rank him among the most illustrious monks of that renowned monastery. The Synod of Whitby, which was instrumental in overthrowing the ancient Celtic computation of Easter and substituting the Roman use, occurred during Cumine's occupation of the abbacy. He wrote a life of St. Columba, probably to vindicate his sanctity after the apparent slight offered to his memory by the synod in setting aside the traditional usage which he had cherished. This life seems to have been the result of St. Colman's visit to Iona before his return to Ireland (see Feb. 18th).

A more important work is St. Cumine's letter on the Easter controversy, which he wrote before he became abbot, and which shows a thorough acquaintance with the difficulties of the subject, as well as deep knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures and writings of the Fathers. He is often called Cumine Ailbhe (Cumine the Fair-haired). His name survives in Kilchuimein (Church of St. Cumine), the ancient designation of Fort-Augustus, and the only name by which it is still called in Gaelic. A spot in the same neighbourhood is known as St. Cumine's Return; it is in the vicinity of a hill called St. Cumine's Seat. The parish church of Glenelg also is named after this saint.

MARCH

1 – St. Marnock or Marnan, Bishop, A.D. 625.

Like so many of the Celtic saints, the name of this one has been changed by the addition of particles expressive of reverence. The original form was Ernin; the Scottish name is a contraction of the Gaelic words Mo-Ernin-og (my little Ernin). He is considered by some writers to have been of Irish nationality, but this is by no means established. St. Marnock laboured as a missionary in Moray, being specially noted for his zeal in preaching. He died at Aberchirder in Banffshire, and was buried in the church there. The place after wards received the additional name of Marnock from its connection with the saint. St. Marnock's shrine became a favourite place of pilgrimage, and miracles were wrought through his relics, which were religiously preserved there. The head of St. Marnock was frequently borne in procession to obtain fair weather. It was the custom also to have lights placed round it every Sunday and to wash the relic with water, which was afterwards used, greatly to their benefit, 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. Marnock are to be found in many districts of Scotland. Besides the church in which his remains were honoured, a holy well at Aberchirder still bears his name. A fair on the second Tuesday in March, held there annually, was known as Marnock Fair. There was a Marnock Fair at Paisley also, which lasted for eight days. The church of the well-known parish of Kilmarnock, in Ayrshire, is another of his dedications. Near Kilfinan, in Argyllshire, and not far from the sea shore, may be seen the foundation and a fragment of the wall of a chapel with a graveyard round it; the field in which the chapel stands is called Ard-Marnoc. On an eminence not far off is a cell which tradition assigns to this saint as a place of retirement for solitary communion with God. Inchmarnock, an island near Bute, is another place connected with him; Dalmarnock at Little Dunkeld, is named after this saint. Other churches and parishes also show traces of the honour paid to him in Catholic ages.

St. Monan, Martyr, 9th century.

According to some writers, he was one of the companions of St. Adrian (who was honoured on March 4), and preached the Gospel in Fifeshire; his relics being afterwards translated to Abercrombie in that county – King David II., in thanksgiving for cures obtained through the saint's intercession, erecting there a noble church to contain them. Dr Skene, however, is of opinion that this saint was not a martyr, but was St. Monan, Bishop of Clonfert, 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 Irish monasteries about the year 841. On account of the great devotion of the saint, Abercrombie became generally known as St. Monan's, but has now reverted to its original title. The church was given by James III. to the Dominicans; later on it was transferred to the Canons Regular of St. Andrews. St. Monan's Well is near the ancient building.

2 – St. Fergna, Bishop, A.D. 622.

This saint, a fellow-citizen and relative of St. Columba, became eventually Abbot of Iona. During his rule many of the young nobles who had fled from the sword of 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 a bishop in the later years of his life, but this is called in question by some writers. He seems to have been of partly British descent and is often styled "Fergna the Briton."

4 – St. Adrian and Companions, A.D. 875.

An old legend, which was long regarded as authentic, relates that this saint was of royal birth and was a native of Hungary, and that he came to Scotland with several companions to preach the Faith. Modern historians identify him with the Irish St. Odhran, who was driven from his country by the Danes and took refuge in Scotland. He preached the Gospel to the people of Fifeshire and the eastern counties. Eventually he founded a monastery on the Isle of May in the Firth of Forth. Here he suffered martyrdom, together with a great number of his disciples, in an incursion of the Danes. A Priory was built on the island by David I, and placed under the Benedictine Abbey of Reading. Later on it was given over to the Canons Regular of St. Andrews. The Isle of May became a famous place of pilgrimage on account of the connection with it of other saints besides St. Adrian and his companions. James IV visited it several times, having evidently a great affection for the holy place. In 1503 he took the "clerkis of the Kingis chapell to Maii to sing the Mes thair." Other records occur in his treasurer's accounts, such as the following: "To the preistis to say thre trentals of Messis thair"; for "the Kingis offerand in his tua candillis in Maii."

6 – St. Baldred, Hermit, A.D. 608.

This saint, according to a popular tradition, was a disciple of the great St. Kentigern. He has often been styled the Apostle of East Lothian. After his master's death St. Baldred took up his residence upon the Bass Rock, near North Berwick, and there he devoted himself to penance and prayer, his favourite subject of meditation being the Passion of Christ Our Lord. From time to time he would pay missionary visits to the mainland. He died at Aldhame in Haddington, a village which has now disappeared; St. Baldred's Cave is on the sea-shore near its former site. Tyningham Church, in the same county, and also that of Prestonkirk, were dedicated to him. The former was burnt by the Danes in 941. The old parishes of Aldhame and Tyningham are now united under the designation of Whitekirk. At Prestonkirk there is a well which bears the saint's name, whose water, as a Protestant writer notes, is excellent for making tea! An eddy in the Tyne is called St. Baldred's Whirl. A century ago Prestonkirk churchyard possessed an ancient statue of St. Baldred. The ruins of a chapel dedicated to the saint are still discernible on the Bass Rock.

St. Cadroe, Abbot, A.D. 937.

He was connected with the royal family of Strathclyde. In his youth he was sent to Ireland to be educated at Armagh. Returning to Scotland, he devoted himself to the training and education of youths for the priesthood.

Later on he gave himself to a life of pilgrimage and passed into England, where Odo, Arch bishop of Canterbury, received him with great kindness; he also visited the King, Edmund, at Winchester. Crossing over to France, Cadroe, by the direction of St. Fursey, who appeared to him in a vision during prayer, took the monastic habit at the Benedictine Abbey of Fleury. But although he wished to remain there as a simple monk, his sanctity caused him to be made abbot of the monastery of Wassons-on-the Meuse, which he ruled for some years. At the request of the Bishop of Metz he took up his residence in that city in the Abbey of St. Clement, where he instituted a thorough reform of discipline. He remained at the latter monastery till his death at the age of seventy, which was followed by many miracles.

8 – St. Duthac, Bishop, A.D. 1068.

This saint was of Scottish birth, but was educated, like many of his contemporaries, in Ireland. Returning to his native land, he was consecrated bishop, and devoted himself with zeal to the pastoral office. He is said to have especially shown this devotion in hearing the confessions of his people. He laboured as bishop in the districts of Moray and Ross. Both during life and after death he was noted for many miracles. He was buried in the church of Tain, whose Gaelic title is Baile Dhuich (Duthac's Town). Seven years after death his body was found incorrupt, and was removed to a more honourable shrine 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 that date St. Duthac's Bell was treasured at Tain. St. Duthac is patron of Kilduich, at the head of Loch Duich in Kintail. The saint probably visited this spot, which belonged to his pastoral charge. Kilduthie, near the Loch of Leys, Kincardineshire, and Arduthie, near Stonehaven, in the same county, both take their names from this saint. A chapel in the Benedictine Abbey of Arbroath bore the dedication of St. Duthac. Two fairs called after him were held annually at Tain – "St. Duthac in Lent" was on his feast-day; that in December probably indicated some translation of his relics. At Tain is St. Duthac's Cairn. A holy well bears his name in the parish of Cromarty. Leo XIII restored his feast in 1898.

10 – St. Failhbe (the second), Abbot, A.D. 745.

This saint was one of the abbots of Iona. 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.

He was a native of Ireland, but devoted himself to missionary labours in Scotland, in the province of Lennox. He used as his retreat Innis a' Mhanaich (Monk's Island) in Loch Lomond. Tradition says that he suffered martyrdom near Luss, in Dumbartonshire. Another version is that being martyred in a foreign country, and his body being conveyed to Scotland for burial, the herbs with which it was surrounded took root and grew where he was laid to rest; hence the name Luss (herbs) was given to the spot, and was afterwards extended to the parish. The place of his burial is called "Carnmacheasaig." The church of Luss had the privilege of sanctuary, which extended for three miles round it, so that no one could be molested within that boundary for any cause; this was granted by King Robert Bruce in 1313. The church of Auchterarder, Perthshire, was dedicated to this saint, and he was also venerated at Callander; at both places, as also at Comrie, Perthshire, fairs were held annually on his feast-day. Near Callander is a conical mound bearing his name. The bell of the saint was preserved up to the seventeenth century. At Inverness is "Kessog Ferry." The saint's name was often used by the Scots as a battle-cry, and he is 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 British king who reigned in Cornwall. His early life was stained by many crimes, but, 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 him to devote himself to preaching the Faith in Cumbria. St. Constantine accordingly founded a monastery at Govan, in Lanarkshire, where he became abbot, and from whence he and his disciples preached Christianity to the people of the surrounding country. He converted the people of Cantyre, and met his death in that district at the hands of the enemies of his teaching. He was buried at Govan, where the church bears his name. Kilchousland in Cantyre takes its name from him. The ancient church of Kinnoul, near Perth, and that of Dunnichen, Forfarshire, were also dedicated to this saint; at the latter place was St. Cousland's (or Causnan's) Fair, and some remains of St. Cousland's chapel are there still. The water of his well at Garrabost, in Lewis, known as St. Cowstan's, is said never to boil any kind of meat, however long it may be kept over a fire. The feast of this saint was restored by Leo XIII.

St. Libranus, Abbot.

He was one of the many saintly abbots of Iona.

12 – St. Indrecht, Abbot and Martyr, A.D. 854.

This saint was also Abbot of Iona, being the twenty-first in order of succession. On his way to Rome he was martyred by the Saxons.

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

He was one of the twelve disciples who accompanied St. Columba to Scotland. He was probably born in the north of Ireland, and spent 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 saint, surnamed "The Leper," from the disease with which he was afflicted, is mentioned in Irish calendars on the 16th of this month. Although the dedications to St. Finan in Scotland are many, and devotion to him must therefore have been widespread, it is difficult to assign a cause for it. Some have thought that he was at some time at Iona, but the authentic particulars of his life which are now extant are so few that it is impossible to determine. To him is attributed the evangelisation of part of Argyllshire, in the district which still bears the name of Glen-Finan. The ancient burial-place of the district is on Eilean Finan, an island in Loch Shiel, where he is said to have lived, and where is preserved one of the few ancient bronze bells which still exist in Scot land; it is called by the saint's name. A fair was formerly held there annually, and was called "St. Finan's Fair." Other dedications to this saint are at Kilfinan in the same county Kilfinan, near Invergarry, and Mochrum in Wigtonshire. "St. Finzean's Fair" (a manner of denoting Finyan), formerly held at Perth, is supposed to have been in honour of the festival of this saint.

St. Charmaig, A.D. (about) 640.

This was a saint much honoured among the Hebrides. He is patron of the church of Keills, Argyllshire. At Ellanmore, in that county, there are the remains of a chapel, named after him, Kilmacharmaig, and in a recess is a recumbent figure thought to be a representation of the saint. Kirkcormaig, in the parish of Kelton, Kirkcudbright, possibly refers to this saint.

St. Boniface or Curitan, Bishop, 8th century.

An ancient legend, which modern historians have shown to be a fanciful distortion of facts, relates that this saint, an Israelite, came from Rome to Britain, and that after converting Nectan, King of the Picts, and his people to Christianity, he consecrated 150 bishops, ordained 1000 priests, founded 150 churches, and baptised 36,000 persons. The real facts of the case seem to be that this saint is identical with Curitan, an Irish saint, who laboured in Scotland to bring about the Roman observance of Easter. The testimony of St. Bede that King Nectan in the year 710 adopted the Roman computation, and the fact that St. 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 to give weight to the supposition. This saint became a bishop, and the cathedral of the diocese of Ross, which replaced the primitive building raised by him at Rosemarkie (now Fortrose) and dedicated to St. Peter, was subsequently named in his honour. A fair was formerly held there annually on his feast-day.

In Glen-Urquhart, Inverness-shire, Clach Churadain, an ancient church at Corrimony, was dedicated to this saint. Croit Churadain ("Curitan's Croft") and Tobar Churadain ("Curitan's Well") are hard by.

17 – St. Patrick, Bishop, A.D. 493.

To many it may seem strange that the name of the great Apostle of Ireland should appear among Scottish saints; but the calendar would be incomplete without it. According to many competent authorities St. Patrick was born in Scotland. They fix his birthplace at Kilpatrick on the Clyde, near Dumbarton. Even 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 mention of his feast here. About fourteen churches bore his name, and many have given the designation to the parish in which they stand, as Kilpatrick, Temple-Patrick, Ard-Patrick, Dalpatrick, Kirkpatrick, etc. Fairs were held on this day – known as "Patrickmas" – at Dumbarton and Kirkpatrick – Durham (Kirkcudbrightshire). There is a sacred well called 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 his feast up to the beginning of last century. At Dalziel (Lanarkshire), Kilpatrick (Dumbartonshire), and Port Patrick (Wigtonshire), are holy wells bearing St. Patrick's name.