A Calendar of Scottish Saints

by Michael Barrett

MAY

1—St. Asaph, Bishop, A.D. (about) 590.

St. Asaph was one of the most eminent of the disciples of St. Mungo (Kentigern). When the latter was driven from Scotland he took refuge in Wales and there founded a monastery, which attracted a great number of disciples desirous of placing themselves under his guidance. It was to Asaph that St. Mungo resigned the government when he himself was allowed to return to Glasgow. Owing to the sanctity and renown of the new abbot the monastery eventually bore his name. St. Asaph was consecrated Bishop about A.D. 650, and his diocese has {77} retained the name of St. Asaph's for thirteen centuries. Some writers have maintained that St. Asaph accompanied his master to Scotland, but it seems more probable that Scottish devotion to him originated in his close connection with the "beloved" saint of Glasgow. Many traces of this devotion still survive. In the island of Skye is a ruined chapel dedicated to him called "Asheg." In that island is also an excellent spring of clear water known as Tobar Asheg, or St. Asaph's Well. Kilassie, an old burial ground near Loch Rannoch, also takes its name from him.

The most interesting of these remains is a ruin in the island of Bearnarey, in the Sound of Harris. It is evidently a chapel of the saint and is called Cill Aisaim. Near it once stood an obelisk about eight feet high, bearing sculptured symbols, and in comparatively recent years this was surrounded by heaps of coloured pebbles, coins, bone pins, and bronze needles, which were probably pilgrims offerings. The obelisk was broken up some years ago and its materials used for building, but a Scottish antiquarian managed to gain possession of a fragment. {78}

3—St. Fumac.

This was a saint specially venerated in Banffshire. He was the patron of Botriphnie or "Fumac Kirk" in that county. According to an old MS. of the eighteenth century, the wooden image of the saint was formerly preserved there, and the old woman who acted as its custodian used to wash it with all due solemnity in St. Fumac's Well on the 3rd of May annually. This image was in existence in 1847, but a flood of the Isla swept it away to Banff, where the parish minister in his Protestant zeal burnt it. St. Fumac's Fair was kept on this day at Botriphnie and also at Dinet, in Caithness, and Chapel of Dine, Watten, in the same county.

9—St. Comgall, Abbot, A.D. 602.

He was a native of Ireland, and founder and ruler of the renowned monastery of Bangor, where he is said to have governed no less than three thousand monks. In the year 598, anxious, like so many of his countrymen, to bring the blessing of the Christian Faith to Scotland, he left his native land to found a {79} monastery in Tiree. He was a great friend of St. Columba, and was one of that saint's companions in the journey to Inverness and the miraculous conversion of King Brude. St. Comgall did not remain permanently in Scotland; he died in Ireland, and was laid to rest at Bangor. The date of his death is given by Irish authorities as the 10th of May, but his feast has always been celebrated in Scotland on the 9th. The church of Durris, Kincardineshire, bore his name, and an annual fair, the only remains of his festival in Protestant times, was formerly held there on this day.

16—St. Brendan or Brandan, Abbot, A.D. 577.

He was born in Ireland, and in early youth became the disciple of St. Jarlaath, of Tuam. He afterwards crossed over to Britain, and spent some years in the Abbey of Llancarvan, in Glamorganshire, where he is said to have baptised Machutus, whose name (under the French form of Malo), is cherished still as that of one of the apostles of Brittany.

Returning to Ireland, St. Brendan founded several monasteries, the most important of them {80} being that of Clonfert, on the Shannon. He is said to have had as many as three thousand monks under him in his various foundations. The saint was also closely connected with Scotland, where he founded monasteries; it is thought that one was in Bute and the other in Tiree. His many dedications are an indication of Scottish devotion to him, Kilbrannan (Church of St. Brandan) in Mull, Kilbrandon in the Isle of Seil, Boyndie in Banffshire, Birnie in Moray and Kilbirnie in Ayrshire (where the saint's fair is held on May 28th—16th old style) are some of these. At Kilbirnie is St. Birnie's Well; another named after this saint is in Barra. Another fair, granted in 1474, was held on this day at Inverary (Argyllshire). There is a ruined chapel bearing his name on St. Kilda.

St. Brendan's name is associated with wonderful narratives—probably dating long after his time—of his voyages towards the west; they possibly contain some little truth mixed up with much that is entirely fabulous. It is beyond doubt that St. Brendan and his companions in their missionary voyages sailed to {81} regions hitherto unknown to the mariners of the time; it has even been maintained that they actually touched the American shore. However this may be, the tradition of the discoveries of the saint, familiar to every country in Europe, kept in mind the possibly existing western land, and issued at last in the discovery of the American continent by Columbus.

A curious custom in connection with St. Brendan existed up to almost recent times. When they wished for a favourable wind the fishermen would cry repeatedly: Brainuilt! The word seems to be a contraction of Breanainn-Sheoladair ("Brendan the Voyager"), and was originally an invocation of the saint. The feast of St. Brendan has been restored to the Scottish Calendar.

17—St. Gathan, Bishop, 6th century. This saint was probably of Irish nationality. He dwelt for the greater part of his life in the Island of Bute. St. Blaan, whose ruined chapel is still to be seen in Kingarth parish in that island, was his nephew. No particulars of the life of St. Cathan remain to us. His name G {82} survives in Kilchatten village, mill and bay, in Kingarth parish, and a hill near is called St. Cathan's Seat. There is another Kilchattan in Luing Island, Argyllshire, and in the same county is Ardchattan. Churches were dedicated to the saint in the islands of Gigha and Colonsay. The confederation of clans known as Clan Chattan is thought to have originated in Bute, and to have taken its name from St. Cathan. Gillichattan and Macgillichattan are characteristic names belonging to Clan Chattan; the latter was common in Bute in the 17th century. They signify respectively "Servant of Cathan" and "Son of the servant of Cathan."

18—St. Mcrolilanus, Martyr, 8th century.

He was a holy priest, probably from Ireland, who was killed by robbers when passing through France on a pilgrimage to Rome. His body was buried at Rheims, and remained unknown and unhonoured for many years. Miracles at length revealed the saint's tomb, and his body was found on examination to be entire and fresh, exhaling a delicious odour. The sacred remains were afterwards translated to the {83} Church of St. Symphorien in the same city. In 1618 the Cardinal-Archbishop of Rheims presented an arm-bone of the saint to the Scots College in Rome. It was removed for safety to the Vatican Treasury when the college was closed during the French occupation of Rome. Through the good offices of the Right Rev. Bishop Pifferi, the Papal sacristan, the relic was restored to the college in 1893. A notable relic of this saint was obtained from Rheims by the Abbey of Fort-Augustus and is now honoured there. There is no other record of the saint's connection with Scotland.

St. Conval, Confessor, A.D. (about) 612.

This saint was born in Ireland, but crossed over to Scotland in his youth to become the disciple of St. Kentigern. An old legend relates that, as no vessel could be procured for his voyage, ne was miraculously conveyed across the channel upon a large stone, this stone after wards becoming an instrument of healing to the sick who touched it. St. Conval's relics were honoured at Inchinnan on the Clyde. He was patron of the old church of Pollokshaws or {84} Polloc-on-the-Shaws; with regard to the name of this parish, Shaw in old Scottish meant "a grove." The Shaws' Fair probably the patronal feast of the church was formerly held on the last Friday in May every year. This saint was also the patron of the churches of Cumnock and Ochiltree, as ancient documents attest. Many miracles have been attributed to him. It seems probable that the chapel known as St. Conall's, at Ferrenese in Renfrewshire, whose ruins still remain, and the holy well hard by, were named after St. Conval; the designation (often written Conual) might easily become corrupted to Connal in the course of centuries. The land belonging to this chapel became in the sixteenth century part of the endowment of a collegiate church founded at Lochwinnoch by Lord Sempill.

23—St. William, Martyr, A.D. (about) 1201.

It is a fact, unknown perhaps to many, that St. William, whose shrine in Rochester Cathedral was the object of great devotion in Catholic ages, must be reckoned among Scottish saints. He was a native of Perth, and for many years {85} followed the trade of baker. In his youth he fell into careless and irreligious ways; but being converted he began to be zealous in good works. He became especially remarkable for his charity to the poor, bestowing upon them in alms a tenth part of all the bread he made.

To satisfy his devotion he started on a pilgrim age to Jerusalem, taking as his companion a youth whom he had found in the streets, as an infant deserted by his mother, and whom he had carried home and brought up as his own son.

The two made their way through England, and having passed through Rochester were on their road to Canterbury, when the youth, led by avarice, yielded to the temptation to murder and rob his benefactor. Striking the saint a blow on the head from behind, he afterwards despatched him with an axe, and then made off with his booty.

The dead body remained for some days lying off the road, when it was discovered by a mad woman who was roaming about there. In insane sport she crowned the head with flowers, and afterwards transferred the wreath to her {86} own brow, when she was instantly restored to sanity. The miracle becoming known, the sacred remains were reverently laid to rest in Rochester Cathedral. The tomb of the saint soon became famous on account of the numerous graces obtained there through prayer. After his canonization by Innocent IV in 1256, pilgrimages to Rochester grew more and more frequent, and to this day may be seen the steps worn hollow by the constant press of pilgrims to the shrine. So generous were their offerings that they sufficed to rebuild the choir and transepts of the cathedral.

This day is probably the anniversary of the finding of St. William's relics.

29—St. Daganus, Bishop, A.D. (about) 609.

This saint was honoured in Galloway. St. Bede mentions him as a zealous opponent to the introduction into the Celtic Church of the Roman computation of Easter. This, however, does not militate against the sanctity of his life; for the Holy See had not yet definitely set the matter at rest, and he was therefore free to cling to the rite so long observed in his native country. His name occurs in the Dunkeld Litany.