Part 7 (2/2)

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.

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