A Calendar of Scottish Saints Part 9

28--St. Machan or Mahon, Bishop, about 6th century.

St. Machan, born in Scotland, was like many of his contemporaries, sent to Ireland, then renowned for its schools, to be educated. After he had returned to his native land and had become a priest, he laboured in various provinces of Scotland.

At Rome, whither he had gone as a pilgrim, he was consecrated bishop in spite of protestations from his humility; later he returned to Scotland and to the apostolic ministry. After many years of fruitful labour he died and was laid to rest at Campsie in Lennox. His name still survives in Ecclesmachan (Church of Machan) in Linlithgow, of which he is patron. The parish of Dalserf, Lanarkshire, formed at one time the chapelry of St. Machan, and was known as Machanshire. It was connected {142} with the church of Cadzow (now Hamilton). An altar in St. Mungo's Cathedral, Glasgow, was dedicated to him. A fair in honour of this saint was held annually at Kilmahog, Perthshire.

OCTOBER

8--St. Triduana, Virgin, 7th or 8th century.

St. Triduana devoted herself to G.o.d in a solitary life at Rescobie in Angus (now Forfarshire). While dwelling there, a prince of the country having conceived an unlawful pa.s.sion for her is said to have pursued her with his unwelcome attentions. To rid herself of his importunities, as a legend relates, Triduana bravely plucked out her beautiful eyes, her chief attraction, and sent them to her admirer.

Her heroism, it is said, procured for her the power of curing diseases of the eyes. Many instances are related of such miracles worked after her death.

St. Triduana died at Restalrig in Lothian, and her tomb became a favourite place of {143} pilgrimage. Before the Reformation it was the most important of the holy shrines near Edinburgh. On account of this prominence her church was the very first to fall a victim to the fanatical zeal of the Puritans. After being honoured for a thousand years her relics were desecrated by the destruction of her shrine.

The General a.s.sembly, decreed on December 21, 1560, that "the Kirk of Restalrig, as a monument of idolatrie, be raysit and utterlie castin downe and destroyed." An interesting discovery was made in 1907 in connection with this church, which had long been used as a Presbyterian place of worship after restoration. An octagonal building, standing near, was thought to have been a Chapter House in Catholic times; it was filled with earth and rubbish, after having served as a burial place, and a mound of earth surmounted it on the outside on which trees had rooted. The Earl of Moray, superior of the village, offered to restore the church to its original state, and, when examined by competent authorities, the supposed Chapter House was found to be a beautiful little Gothic chapel with groined roof supported {144} by a central pillar, similar to the building which once covered St. Margaret's well at Restalrig. Further explorations proved that the little octagonal building had evidently been raised over the miraculous well of St. Triduana, so much scoffed at by Reformation satirists. Steps led down to the water, thus covered in, and a chapel, which must have formed an upper story above the well, is thought to have been the "Triduana's Aisle" alluded to in ancient doc.u.ments. The building has now been thoroughly restored after its original form and is regarded as a valuable monument of antiquity.

Thus do more enlightened ages condemn the foolish fanaticism of bygone days!

This saint was honoured in various parts of Scotland, and her name has undergone so many changes in the different districts as to be often unrecognisable. It occurs under the various forms of Traddles, Tredwell, Tradwell, Trallew, Trallen, etc.

Among these dedications are Kintradwell in Caithness and Trad lines in Forfarshire. Near the island of Papa Westray in the Orkneys is St.

Tredwell's Loch, and on the east side of {145} the loch is a small peninsula containing the ruins of a little building measuring 20 feet in length and 22 feet in breadth, known as St. Tredwell's Chapel. At Rescobie a fair used to be held on her feast-day, but in the beginning of last century it was transferred to Forfar. It was known as "St. Trodlin's Fair." Relics of this saint were honoured in Aberdeen Cathedral in Catholic ages. Devotion to St. Triduana has been revived in the modern Catholic church at Restalrig.

11 St. Kenneth, Abbot, A.D. 599.

With St. Columba, St. Bridget and St. Maelrubha, St. Kenneth ranks among the most popular of the Irish saints honoured in Scotland. He was the child of poor Irish parents, and was employed during his early years in tending sheep. When he attained the years of man hood he became a monk, and pa.s.sed over to Wales, where he became the disciple of the renowned St. Cadoc. He was one of that saint's most beloved followers on account of his perfect obedience. After being ordained priest he made a pilgrimage to Rome, and returning {146} to Ireland became the disciple of St. Mobhi and St. Finnian. St.

Columba, St. Comgall and St. Kiaran lived with him as members of the same community.

Later on St. Kenneth visited Scotland, where he lived for some years as a monk. He is believed to have founded a monastery at St. Andrews and to have built churches in other parts of the country, converting many of the pagan inhabitants to Christianity by the fervour of his preaching. He spent some time at Iona with St. Columba, and accompanied that saint in his visit to King Brude at Inverness, and it was St. Kenneth who, with the sign of the Cross, caused the King's hand to wither when he drew his sword against the missionaries.

St. Kenneth died in Ireland. He founded the monastery of Aghaboe, and around it grew up the town of that name, which up to the twelfth century was the seat of the Bishops of Ossory, whose residence was later transferred to Kilkenny. In Scotland this saint had many dedications. Kilchenzie, in Kintyre; Kilkenneth, in Tiree; Kilchainnech, in Iona; Kilchainie, in South Uist; Laggan in Inverness-shire, {147} and others. The great abbey of Cambuskenneth takes its name from him, as well as Chenzie Island, in the river of Islay, and Kennoway (anciently Kennochi) in Fifeshire.

13--St. Comgan or Congan, Abbot, 8th century.

This saint was the brother of the holy recluse, Kentigerna, whose life was given on January 7th, and was consequently the son of a Prince of Leinster. On succeeding his father in the government of the province he ruled his people as a true Christian prince should do; but, meeting with violent opposition from the neighbouring chiefs, he was forced to fly the country to save his life. Taking with him his sister and her son, Fillan, he crossed over to Scotland, and settled in Lochalsh, Argyllshire. Here he lived many years as a monk in great austerity. He was far advanced in years when death came. He was buried at Iona.

His nephew, St. Fillan (see February 3), built a church in his honour at Lochalsh. There were also many other dedications to this saint in Scotland. Among them were {148} Kilchowan in Kiltearn (Ross and Cromarty), Kilchoan or Kilcongan in the island of Seil, St. Coan in Strath (Skye), Kilquhoan in Ardnamurchan, Kilchoan in Knoydart, etc.

The church of Turriff in Aberdeenshire was dedicated to him, and the annual fair on his feast-day was called "Cowan Fair." A hospital of St. Congan was founded at that place in 1272 by the Earl of Buchan, consisting of a collegiate establishment for a warden and six chaplains. Thirteen poor husbandmen of Buchan were maintained there.

King Robert the Bruce added to its endowment. Some of the remains of this inst.i.tution are known as "The Abbey Lands." Leo XIII. restored St. Comgan's feast to the Scottish calendar in 1898.

St. Fyndoca, Virgin.

No particulars of this saint's life remain to us. Her feast occurs in the Breviary of Aberdeen on this day. She seems to have been specially venerated in the diocese of Dunblane. An old charter of the thirteenth century mentions a chapel dedicated to St. Fyndoca at Findo Cask, near Dunning, in Perthshire; a fair was {149} formerly held there for eight days from the saint's feast. There are ruins of an old building known as the chapel of St. Fink at Bendochy, near Coupar Angus; this was probably one of her dedications.

17--St. Rule, Abbot, (about) 6th century.

An old legend, long accepted as history, but rejected altogether by modern critics, makes this saint the bearer of the relics of St.

Andrew from Patras in Achaia to Scotland in the fourth century. The story relates that Rule, when engaged in his duties as custodian of the apostle's shrine, was favoured with a Heavenly vision, in which an angel commanded him to set aside certain of the relics--among them an arm-bone and three fingers of the Apostle--and to conceal them for a time in a certain spot indicated. Another vision later on directed the holy man to set sail with the relics in a north-westerly direction "towards the ends of the earth," and when the vessel should be in danger of shipwreck on a northern coast to recognise that as a sign that a church should be built near that spot in honour {150} of St. Andrew, where the relics should be enshrined. St. Rule is said to have carried out the command in company with many fellow voyagers, and to have founded the church of St. Andrew's, where he lived more than thirty years after his landing. A cave on the sea coast hard by still bears his name. He is said to have retired there for prayer.

The old church of St. Rule, with its quaint, slender tower, was the first cathedral of the city, which formerly bore the saint's name.

Most modern historians identify St. Rule with an Irish abbot of similar name who is honoured on this day. He was a contemporary of St. Kenneth, and probably ended his days at St. Andrews, after labouring there as a missionary. St. Rule is the patron of Monifieth, Forfarshire; of Meikle Folia, near Fyvie, Aberdeenshire; and of Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire, where an ancient fair, held on the second Tuesday in October as late as the beginning of last century, was known as "Trewell Fair." There was a chapel of St. Rule at St. Cyrus (formerly called Ecclesgreig) in Kincardineshire. {151}

21 St. Mund or Fintan-Munnu, Abbot, A.D. 635, He was born in Ireland, and was a contemporary of St. Columba. He bears the character of being the most austere of all the Irish saints, and suffered grievously from bodily infirmities with the greatest resignation. Crossing over to Scotland, he dwelt for a time upon an island of Loch Leven, still called after him by the t.i.tle of Eileanmunde.

A more important foundation was afterwards made by this saint at Kilmun, north of the Firth of Clyde, in Argyllshire. An old burial ground still marks the site of the monastery founded by St. Mund; the hills and wooded glens which surround the spot make up a scene of striking beauty. A small bay in the vicinity is called "Holy Loch."

It is a matter of dispute whether the t.i.tle came from its proximity to St. Mund's foundation or from a shipload of earth from the Holy Land, destined to form part of the foundation of a church in Glasgow, and reputed to have been sunk in a storm near that spot.

It is said that St. Mund made application to Baithen, St. Columba's successor at Iona, to be {152} received as a monk of that monastery, but that Baithen advised the saint to return to Ireland and found a monastery there. The holy abbot gave this advice on account of a prophecy of St. Columba, who had foreseen St. Mund's desire, and had declared that G.o.d willed that saint to become abbot over others and not the disciple of Baithen.

It was owing to this advice that St. Mund returned to his native land and founded Teach-Mun (Tagmon) in Wexford, which became famous under his rule.

Mediaeval doc.u.ments mention the saint's pastoral staff as preserved in Argyllshire; its hereditary custodian held a small croft at Kilmun; it may have been in honour of this saint that a fair was held at that place for eight days during April as alluded to in records of 1490. No trace of the above relic now remains. In Ireland this saint is known as St. Fintan-Munnu; but Mundus or Mund is the t.i.tle which appears in Scottish records.

26--St. Bean, Bishop, llth century.

This saint was venerated at Fowls Wester {153} and Kinkell, both in Perthshire. His well is pointed out at the former place, and his fair is held there. St. Bean is inserted in the calendar of the Breviary of Aberdeen, but few particulars of his life are known to us.

Tradition makes him Bishop of Mortlach, in Banffshire, though the existence of such a see is not generally admitted. St. Bean, probably resided at Morlach of which he became patron (in succession to St.

Moluag see--June 25); he is said to have ruled a monastery of Culdees there. An ancient stone effigy, in existence in the eighteenth century in Mortlach Church, was supposed to represent the saint; nothing of the kind is now to be seen. Balvenie, in the neighbourhood, is thought to be derived from _Bal-beni-mor_ ("dwelling of Bean the Great"). The feast of St. Bean was restored to Scotland by Leo XIII.

St. Eata, Bishop, A.D. 686.

He was one of the boys trained by St. Aidan in the monastery of Lindisfarne. When he grew to manhood he made his profession as a monk of that abbey, and in after years became {154} Abbot of Old Melrose, where St. Boisil and St. Cuthbert were among his disciples.

He became Bishop of Lindisfarne, and was afterwards translated to the See of Hexham. He was buried in Hexham Cathedral.

30--St. Talarican, Bishop, A.D. (about) 720.

This saint has been claimed as one of the Irish missionaries to Scotland, but competent authorities maintain that his name shows him to have been of Pictish origin, and they add that the Irish calendars do not contain a saint whose name can be identified with that of Talarican. The saint is said to have been raised to the episcopate by Pope Gregory (perhaps St. Gregory II.). It is specially said of him that he was careful to offer Holy Ma.s.s every day. His life was one of stern discipline. He laboured in the northern districts of Scotland, and his popularity is shown by the numerous dedications in his name.

The large district of Kiltarlity in Invernessshire, in which Beauly Priory was situated, takes its name from St. Talarican.

A church and burial-ground known as Ceilltarraglan once {155} existed in the Isle of Skye; it was situated on the plain above the rocks to the north of Loch Portree. In the island of Taransay we find _Eaglais Tarain_, or Church of Talarican. The saint is also a.s.sociated with the church of Fordyce, in Banffshire, where a fair was held on his feast and during the octave. There is a St. Tarkin's Well at Fordyce and another in the parish of Kilsyth, Stirlingshire, is thought to own this saint as patron. Leo XIII. restored St.

Talarican's feast to the Scottish Calendar.

St. Monoch.

At Stevenson, in Ayrshire, an annual fair was formerly held on October 30th, which was called "Sam Maneuke's," or "St. Monk's Day"; it has long been discontinued. An old will of the sixteenth century points to this saint as the patron of the town. Archibald Weir, in his testament, dated October 7th, 1547, says: "I give and bequeath my soul to G.o.d Almighty and my body to be buried in the church of St.

Monoch, of Steynstoune." A procession once took place annually on this day in the above locality. It was doubtless the remnant of some {156} popular Catholic demonstration in honour of the patronal feast; though mentioned as late as 1845 it has now disappeared. In the parish of Sorn, in the same county, is an estate known by the designation of Auchmannoch, which probably refers to this saint.

31 St. Bees or Begha, Virgin, A.D. (about) 660.

This saint was of royal Irish race. In her youth she was promised in marriage to a Norwegian prince, but as she had vowed virginity in her earliest years she fled from home to escape the force which might possibly be brought to bear upon her to bring about the proposed union. Embarking alone in a small boat, she made her way to the opposite coast of Northumbria. Here she dwelt for some time in a woodland retreat, after receiving the monastic habit from St. Aidan, the bishop. She afterwards presided over a community of virgins, whose government she eventually resigned to St. Hilda. St. Begha founded another monastery in Strathclyde, which was known by her name. The tongue of land on which it stood is still called St. Bee's Head. {157}

In this retreat she died in the odour of sanct.i.ty. Kilbagie, in Clackmannan, is probably named after this saint, and also Kilbucho (Church of Begha), in the parish of Broughton, Peebleshire.

NOVEMBER

3--St. Malachy, Archbishop, A.D. 1148.