A Calendar of Scottish Saints Part 7

The history of the early life of this saint is involved in obscurity.

There are various legends relating to it; but recent historians reject them as spurious. St. Thenew was the mother of St. Mungo or Kentigern; she is said by Jocelin in his life of St. Mungo (written in a later age) to have been befriended by St. Serf, and baptised by him, when she was cast ash.o.r.e near his dwelling. The fact, however, is disputed by modern critics, on account of chronological difficulties.

At an early period a chapel dedicated to St. Thenew existed in Glasgow; but at the {110} Reformation it was destroyed. The street leading to this chapel was known for centuries as "St. Thenew's Gate"; it is now called Argyll Street. The chapel had been popularly styled "San Theneuke's Kirk," and its name still survives in the corrupted form of "St. Enoch's"--the modern designation of an important square in the city with its large railway station 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 tradition affirms that he was born in Perths.h.i.+re, and that he became a recluse in his native parish of Weem, where he built a small chapel.

The shelf of the great rock of Weem, upon which the chapel formerly stood, is still called "Chapel Rock." A holy well hard by is called after the saint.

This well was once much frequented by pilgrims. It was a common opinion that St. Dabius would grant any wish made there if an offering were thrown into the water. When the well was cleaned out some years ago a large number of coins was discovered; these were {111} evidently offerings of the kind. There was an ancient burial ground at Weems which bore the name of the saint, and on his feast-day a fair was held annually there.

The name Kildavie (Church of Davius) which is found in the parish of Kilblane, in Bute, and also in the parish of Kilninian, in Mull, testifies to ancient churches in honour of St. Davius in those localities. The Church of Kippen, Stirlings.h.i.+re, is also dedicated to this saint, under the designation of "Movean."

AUGUST

3--St. Walthen or Waltheof, Abbot, A.D. 1160.

He was the son of Simon, Earl of Hunting don, and Maud, grand-niece of William the Conqueror. After the death of her first husband, Maud married David, King of Scotland, one of the sons of St. Margaret. The early life of the young Walthen was consequently spent at the Scottish Court, where he edified all who knew him by his purity of life and diligent practice of the Christian virtues. Desiring to embrace the religious life, Walthen {112} left Scotland, and entered the monastery of Nostell in Yorks.h.i.+re, 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 pa.s.s into that Order, and was encouraged in his purpose by St. Aelred, Cistercian Abbot of Rievaulx, who became his attached friend. In spite of the remonstrances of his religious brethren, and the avowed indignation of his kindred, Walthen persevered in his resolution, and took the Cistercian habit at Rievaulx, where he eventually made his profession as a monk.

He was made Abbot of the Scottish abbey of Melrose, which he ruled till his death. In the later years of his life he was nominated Archbishop of St. Andrew's; but his humility shrank from the burden, and he prevailed upon his religious superiors to prevent the election. He died at Melrose at an advanced age. Many miracles are attributed to him, even during life, and fifty years after death his body was found to be incorrupt. {113}

9--St. Berchan, Bishop.

This Irish saint spent a good part of his life in Scotland. Few particulars of his career now remain to us, but he laboured near Stirling as a missionary. Some traces of devotion to him are still existing. The name of Kilbarchan, in the county of Renfrew, proves the connection of the saint with that neighbourhood. St. Barchan's Fair was held there annually. In the same county is to be found an ancient Celtic cross erected in honour of St. Berchan. Another fair was at Tain; this is evident from an ancient charter of that burgh, in which it is stated that St. Barquhan's Fair is "held on the 3rd day after the Feast of St. Peter ad Vincula, commonly called Lambmes." St. Peter ad Vincula, or, as it is usually called, St.

Peter's Chains, is a feast which falls on August 1st, hence St.

Berchan's Fair, in celebration of his feast, was held on the 4th.

Lambmes or Lammas was the ancient name of this feast of St. Peter and was derived from the Saxon _hlaf_ (loaf). It had its origin in the offering at Ma.s.s of a loaf made from the first-fruits of the harvest.

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

In the account given of St. Matilda (April 11) allusion was made to her brother Alexander, who, concealing his royal origin, entered the Cistercian monastery of Foigni, in the diocese of Laon, France. He died some years before his holy sister on May 4th, 1229. His feast is celebrated by his Order on this day. A fair was formerly held in his honour at Keith, in Banffs.h.i.+re.

9--St. Oswald, King and Martyr, A.D. 642.

This ill.u.s.trious King was the son of a pagan. Ethelfrid, King of Northumbria. He was compelled on the death of his father to seek safety in the north, and took refuge with his two brothers at Iona, where all three received baptism. Eanfrid, the eldest, obtained the throne of Northumbria, but relapsed into paganism. He met with a violent death at the hands of the British prince, Cadwalla, and Oswald succeeded him as king. Cadwalla was defeated near Hexham by Oswald's inferior army, the Christian prince having previously erected a large wooden cross on the field of {115} battle, before which he knelt in prayer for the success of his arms, and promised, with the consent of his soldiers, that all would embrace Christianity should G.o.d grant them the victory.

On ascending the throne Oswald procured a missionary for his people from Iona in the person of Aidan, who became eventually the first Bishop of Lindisfarne. The saintly King did not disdain to act as interpreter to his people of the instructions given by Aidan in the Celtic tongue. Oswald reigned but eight years, yet they were years of blessing for the nation The King led the way in the practice of the Christian virtues, especially of charity to the poor. It was on the occasion of the distribution to a hungry mult.i.tude at the palace gates of the food prepared for the King's repast, and the division of the costly silver dish itself amongst the poverty-stricken people, that St. Aidan, who was about to join the King at a banquet, cried out enthusiastically as he seized Oswald's right hand, "May this hand never corrupt!" The utterance was prophetic, as the sequel will show.

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The saintly King met his death on the field of battle, when resisting the invasion of his dominions by Penda, the pagan king of Mercia. His dying words were a prayer for the souls of all who had fallen in the battle. Many miracles were wrought by his intercession and by the use of particles of the cross he had erected. His right hand and arm, in accordance with St. Aidan's prophecy, remained in corrupt till the time of the Venerable Bede, who tells us that they were honoured in the Church of St. Peter at Bamborough. His head was taken to the monastery of Lindisfarne; it was eventually deposited in St.

Cuthbert's shrine 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 c.u.mbria can scarcely be termed Scottish in these days, but Kirkoswald near Maybole and Carluke in Lanarks.h.i.+re possessed respectively a 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. {117} Oswald flourished greatly in Ireland as well as in Scotland and England, and extended to the Continent.

St. Angus.

At Balquhidder, in Perths.h.i.+re, there is a local tradition regarding a saint of this name. He is said to have been a disciple of St.

Columba, and to have preached the Faith in that neighbourhood. His name is preserved in the _Clach Aenais_ (Stone of 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 to Presbyterian authorities to savour of superst.i.tion, the stone was removed to the churchyard about a century ago. Near the church are the foundations of the "Chapel of Angus." A hillock hard by is pointed out as the spot where the saint preached, and it still bears his name.

"Angus Fair" was formerly held at King's House, in the parish of Balquhidder, on the Wednesday after the second Tuesday in August.

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This locates the saint's feast-day (which the fair doubtless commemorated) in the early part of August, although the exact date is uncertain.

11--St. Blaan, Bishop, A.D. 590.

He was born in Ireland of a n.o.ble family, and after spending seven years under the direction of St. Comgall and St. Kenneth, pa.s.sed over to Bute, to St. Cathan, his mother's brother. He is said to have made later a pilgrimage to Rome. The monastery he founded became the site of the well-known Cathedral of Dunblane a place which derives its name from the saint where the mediaeval building begun by David I. is still to be seen. Among the many miracles attributed to the saint is the restoration to life of a dead boy. He is also said to have rekindled the extinguished lamps in his church during the night office, on one occasion, by striking fire from his fingers as from a flint; the miracle being vouchsafed by G.o.d to clear the saint of any imputation of negligence in his duty.

St. Blaan became eventually a bishop. After his death devotion to him became popular, {119} and many dedications bear witness to his callus. There was a church of St. Blaan in Dumfries and another at Kilblane in Argyll. The ruins of the saint's church in the parish of Kingarth, Bute, form an object of great interest to antiquarians, and stand amid surroundings of extraordinary beauty and charm. His bell is still preserved at Dunblane. The saint's feast was restored to the Scottish Calendar by Leo XIII. in 1898.

18--St. Inan, Confessor, 9th century.

In the southern district of Scotland are to be found many traces of the _cultus_ of a saint bearing this name, though his history is not known.

Some consider him a native of Ayrs.h.i.+re, 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 it has been conjectured that his 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 {120} seems to have been at Irvine, though many interesting remains recall his memory at Beith On the Cuff Hill in the latter parish is a cleft in the rock which was originally of natural formation, but has been enlarged by art; it bears the name of "St. Inan's Chair." At a short distance from it is a double spring of abundant and excellent water known as "St. Inan's Well." On the day corresponding to the 18th August, old style, a fair is annually held in the vicinity, which bears the name of "Tenant's (probably a corruption of St. Inan's) Fair." Inchinnan (Renfrews.h.i.+re) is said to signify "Inans' Isle."

Another well bearing the saint's name is at Lamington in Lanarks.h.i.+re, where the church was dedicated to him. At Southenan, Ayrs.h.i.+re, was another church or chapel bearing the name of St. Inan; for a charter of James IV. in 1509, confirms the donation of John, Lord Sempill, of a perpetual Ma.s.s therein.

24--St. Yrchard or Merchard, Bishop, 5th or 6th century.

This saint was born of pagan parents in the district of Kincardine-O'Neil, Aberdeens.h.i.+re. {121}

In his early youth he embraced the Christian Faith, and was ordained priest by St. Ternan, who a.s.sociated the young man with himself in his missionary labours. In later life he journeyed to Rome, and was there consecrated bishop. Returning to Scotland he ended his days in Aberdeens.h.i.+re. At Kincardine-O'Neil a church was erected over the spot where the chariot which was conveying his remains to burial was miraculously stopped. A fair was formerly held there annually on St.

Merchard's feast and during the octave.

One of the saint's churches was in Glenmoriston. The ancient burial ground which adjoins it is still in use, and some few stones of the old building are yet to be seen there. The local tradition tells that the saint when labouring as a missionary in Strathgla.s.s with two companions, discovered, by previous revelation, three bright new bells buried in the earth Taking one for himself, he gave the others to his fellow-missionaries, bidding each to erect a church on the spot where his bell should ring for the third time of its own accord; undertaking to do the same with regard to his own. {122} One of these companions founded a church at Glenconvinth, in Strathgla.s.s, the other at Broadford, Isle of Skye.

St. Merchard travelled towards Glenmoriston. His bell rang first at _Suidh Mhercheird_ (Merchard's Seat), again at _Fuaran Mhercheird_ (Merchard's Well), near Ballintombuie, where a spring of excellent water treasured by both Catholics and Protestants still bears his name, and a third time at the spot where the old churchyard, called _Clachan Mhercheird_, close by the river Moriston, recalls his memory.

The bell of the saint was preserved there for centuries. After the church fell into decay's early in the seventeenth century, the bell remained in the churchyard. The narrow-pointed spar of granite on which it rested still stands there. The bell, unfortunately, was wantonly removed, by Protestant strangers about thirty years ago, to the great indignation of the inhabitants of the glen, Protestant as well as Catholic; it has never since been discovered.

Tradition has it that the bell was wont to ring of its own accord when a funeral came {123} in sight, and that whenever it was removed from its usual position it was invariably found restored miraculously to its place, Many persons still living in the glen have seen the bell, and the grandparents of some of them used to relate that they heard it ring in their youth. Devotion to this saint was very strong in that neighbourhood in Catholic times, and he is still regarded by Catholics as the local patron.

25--St. Ebba, Abbess, A.D. 683.

She was sister to St. Oswald, and to Oswy, his successor, Kings of Northumbria. She founded a monastery at Ebchester, on the Derwent, and another and more important one at Coldingham. It was at the latter place that the great St. Ethelreda received her monastic training. St. Ebba was buried at Coldingham, but portions of her relics were afterwards placed in the tomb of St. Cuthbert at Durham.

St. Abb's Head, the well-known promontory on the coast of Northumberland, takes its name from this saint.

30--St. Fiacre, Hermit, 7th century.

He was born in Ireland about the year {124} 590. A hermitage and holy well near Kilkenny are called after him, and were frequented as late as the beginning of this century by pilgrims who wished to pay him honour. After labouring as a missionary in 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 as the patron saint of the province of Brie, and his shrine became a famous place of pilgrimage.