Part 3 (1/2)
This was a saint much honoured among the Hebrides. He is patron of the church of Keills, Argylls.h.i.+re. At Ellanmore, in that county, there are the remains of a chapel, named after him, Kilmacharmaig, and in a recess is a rec.u.mbent figure thought to be a representation of the saint. Kirkcormaig, in the parish of Kelton, Kirkcudbright, possibly refers to this saint. {45}
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. {46}
In Glen-Urquhart, Inverness-s.h.i.+re, _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 {47} (Kirkcudbrights.h.i.+re). There is a sacred well called by the saint's name, and also a small chapel in honour of St. Patrick, at Muthill, Perths.h.i.+re, 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 (Lanarks.h.i.+re), Kilpatrick (Dumbartons.h.i.+re), and Port Patrick (Wigtons.h.i.+re), are holy wells bearing St. Patrick's name.
18--St. Finian or Finan, Bishop, A.D. 660.
This feast is noted both in the Breviary and Martyrology of Aberdeen, as well as in other Scottish calendars. There is a wide divergence of opinion among authorities as to the particular saint referred to, and the Aberdeen Breviary affords no account of his life. It seems, however, not improbable that this is the St. Finan, patron of the churches of Migvie and Lumphanan, both in Aberdeens.h.i.+re, who is thought by Dr. Skene to have been one of St. Kentigern's Welsh disciples, sent, together with St. Nidan (see Nov. 3), to preach the Gospel in Deeside. ”In the upper valley of the Dee, on the north side of the river, we find a group of {48} dedications which must have proceeded from a Welsh source. These are Glengairden, dedicated to Mungo, Migvie and Lumphanan to Finan, the latter name being a corruption of Llanffinan, and Midmar dedicated to Nidan; while in the island of Anglesea we likewise find two adjacent parishes called Llanffinan and Llannidan.” (”Celtic Scotland,” ii., 193.)
A chapel at Abersnethick in the parish of Monymusk bears the name of St. Finan, and an Aberdeen authority notes in 1703 that: ”Finzean Fair at the kirk of Migvie ”was kept at that time,” whiles in March and whiles in April, on the Tuesday before Midlenton fair at Banchrie.”
St. Comman, A.D. 688.
He was the brother of St. c.u.mine, Abbot of Iona, and therefore of Irish descent. Like him, too, he became a monk at Iona. The parish of Kilchoman, Islay, takes its name from this saint.
20--St. Cuthbert, Bishop, A.D. 687.
This saint was born of Saxon parents in Northumbria, and was early left an orphan. {49} While tending sheep on the slopes of Lammermoor the youth had a remarkable vision, in which he saw the heavens at night-time all bright with supernatural splendour and choirs of angels bearing some soul of dazzling brightness to its eternal reward. Next day he learned that Aidan, the holy Bishop of Lindisfarne, had pa.s.sed away. Cuthbert had often before thought of embracing the monastic state, and this vision of the blessedness of one who was a brilliant example of that way of life decided him. He therefore presented himself at the gates of the monastery of Melrose, being probably in his twenty-fourth year. He was received as a novice by St. Boisil, the Prior, who, on first beholding the youth, said to those who stood near: ”Behold a true servant of the Lord,” a prediction abundantly fulfilled in Cuthbert's life.
For ten years the saint remained hidden at Melrose perfecting himself by the routine of monastic observance. Then on the foundation of Ripon he was sent there as one of the first community. After a short stay he returned to Melrose, and on the death of St. Boisil was {50} made Prior. To the greatest zeal for all that concerned monastic life he added a tender charity for the souls of others, which led him to make many missionary excursions into the surrounding territory.
When Abbot Eata in 664 received the charge of the Abbey of Lindisfarne in addition to Melrose, Cuthbert was sent thither as Prior. For twelve years he was a teacher to his community, both by word and example, of the precepts of the perfect life. Then, desiring more strict seclusion, he retired to a solitary cell on Fame Island, that he might give himself more completely to prayer. Here he lived eight years, visited on great feasts by some of the Lindisfarne monks, and at frequent intervals by pious Christians who sought his direction and intercession.
Having been thus prepared, like St. John Baptist in his desert, for the work G.o.d had in store for him, he was chosen Bishop of Lindisfarne. During the two years he exercised this office he was to his flock a model of every virtue, and a pastor full of zeal and charity. He preserved, notwithstanding his high dignity, {51} the humility of heart and simplicity of garb which belonged to his monastic state. Numerous and striking miracles attested his sanct.i.ty.
Foreseeing his approaching end he retired to his little cell at Fame where he pa.s.sed away, strengthened by the Sacraments, with his hands uplifted in prayer. He was buried at Lindisfarne; but incursions of the Danes necessitated the removal of his remains, and for nearly two hundred years his body was conveyed from place to place till it was eventually laid to rest in the Cathedral of Durham. There it became an object of pious pilgrimage from all the three kingdoms. More than 800 years after death the sacred body was found still incorrupt, and there, in a secure hiding-place, it still awaits the restoration of St. Cuthbert's shrine to its rightful custodians, the sons of St.
Benedict, the guardians of the secret. Among the churches dedicated to St. Cuthbert in Scotland were those at Ballantrae, Hailes, Ednam, Glencairn, Kirkcudbright, Drummelzier, Gienholm (Broughton), Malton, Edinburgh, Prestwick, Eccles, Drysdale, Girvan, Maybole, Mauchline, Weem, and even distant Wick. Besides Kirkcudbright (Church {52} of St. Cuthbert), which gives the name to a whole county, Northumbria is studded with churches built in his honour, which recall the resting-places of his body, and witness to the devotion inspired by those sacred remains to this great saint. Fairs were formerly held on his feast-day at Ruthwell (Dumfries-s.h.i.+re), and Ordiquhill (Banffs.h.i.+re)--both for eight days--and probably in other localities also. His holy wells were at St. Boswell's and in Strathtay (Perths.h.i.+re).
22--St. Finian, Wynnin, or Frigidian, Bishop, A.D. 579.
In this saint we have a remarkable instance of a change of name in accordance with the character of the language spoken in the various countries in which he successively lived. Born in Ireland of the royal line of the Kings of Ulster, St. Finian was sent early in the sixth century to be educated at Candida Casa or Whithorn, where a famous school of learning and sanct.i.ty had grown up round the tomb of St. Ninian. Returning to his native land, Finian, by the fame of his wonderful erudition, attracted to him numerous disciples in his {53} monastery at Moville. Here, among others, was trained the youth who became in after years the great St. Columba--the Apostle of the north of Scotland.
After a pilgrimage to Rome whence here turned with a copy of the Sacred Scriptures--a volume rare and precious in those early times--Finian again journeyed into Italy and came to the city of Lucca, where his holiness procured him such regard from the people that they succeeded in obtaining his consecration as bishop of that city. It was during his residence there that the wonderful miracle occurred which St. Gregory the Great, who calls the saint ”a man of rare virtue,” relates in his book of Dialogues. This was the turning of the channel of the river Serchio, which had previously given much trouble to the citizens by overflowing its banks and spoiling orchards and vineyards round about. The saint after prayer made a new channel with a small rake, and commanded the river to flow in that direction for the future, which it did. He is known in Italy as St.
Frigidian.
At one time in his life this saint dwelt in the {54} Cunningham district of Ayrs.h.i.+re, where his name survives in the Abbey of Kilwinning (Church of Wynnin or Finian). He is said to have come there from Ireland with a few companions and to have established monastic life in that place, which was afterwards the site of a famous Benedictine Abbey. A like miracle is related of him here. He is said to have changed the course of the river Garnoch. He seems to have preached the Faith at Dairy, in Ayrs.h.i.+re, also; for a hill hard by is called Caer-winning, and there, as at Kilwinning, is a holy well bearing the saint's name. An annual fair, still known as ”St.
Wynnin,” is held at Kilwinning.
The saint departed this life at Lucca, where his body is venerated in the church of St. Frigidian. His feast occurs in March in some calendars, and in others in September. By some writers the names of Finian, Wynnin, and Frigidian have been considered as representing distinct persons; but modern research has p.r.o.nounced them to be merely different forms of the same name and to refer to the same saint. {55}