1--St. Gilbert, Bishop, A.D. 1245.
St. Gilbert was the last Scotsman who was honoured as a saint before
the Reformation. He belonged to the noble family of Moray, being son
of William, Lord of Dufus. Having entered the ecclesiastical state he
became in due time Archdeacon of Moray, and when the see of Caithness
became vacant he was consecrated bishop of that diocese. During the
twenty years he ruled the church of Caithness he edified all by his
zeal and by the virtues of his private life.
The cathedral at that time was but a small, insignificant church at
Dornoch, dedicated to St. Finbar, an Irish saint of the sixth century
{58} who laboured as a missionary in Scotland. The poverty of the
diocese and the unsettled state of the times had prevented any
extension of this. Gilbert therefore resolved to provide at his own
cost a more worthy edifice for the mother-church of the diocese. The
church when completed was a beautiful Early English structure, with
aisles, transepts, and central tower and spire. The holy bishop
considered it a privilege to help with his own hands in the building
work. He would himself superintend the making of glass for the
windows in the glass works he had established at Sideray.
When the cathedral was finished, St. Gilbert's next care was to form
a Chapter, as hitherto there had been no canons. In this important
undertaking he followed the model of Lincoln Cathedral and
established the rite of that church in the ceremonial of the
services. The dignitaries and canons were ten in number, and there
were also sufficient vicars choral, or minor ecclesiastics, to enable
the sacred offices to be celebrated with becoming solemnity.
St. Gilbert worked many miracles during life; among them is recorded
the bestowal of {59} speech on a dumb man by means of prayer and the
sign of the cross. The saint was laid to rest under the central spire
of his cathedral, and a century after his death the dedication, which
had previously been to St. Mary, had been changed to St. Mary and St.
Gilbert.
The relics of the saint were greatly honoured in Catholic ages. No
trace of St. Gilbert's resting-place remains now except a portion of
a broken statue which probably formed part of it; like those of so
many of our holy ones, his ashes are left unhonoured in the
desecrated church wherein they repose. St. Gilbert's Fair was
formerly held annually at Dornoch; it lasted for three days.
2--St. Ebba, Virgin and Abbess, and her Companions, Martyrs, A.D. 870.
The monastery of Coldingham, in the ancient kingdom of Northumbria,
founded in the seventh century by St. Ebba, sister of the kings
Oswald and Oswy, was governed in the ninth century by another Ebba,
who presided over a band of holy virgins following the Rule of St.
Benedict. About the year 867 several thousand {60} Danish warriors,
under the command of the brothers Hinguar and Hubba, landed on the
coast of East Anglia and desolated the whole north country. When
Abbess Ebba received tidings of the near approach of the pagan
hordes, who had already wrecked vengeance upon ecclesiastics, monks,
and consecrated virgins, she summoned her nuns to Chapter, and in a
moving discourse exhorted them to preserve at any cost the treasure
of their chastity. Then seizing a razor, and calling upon her
daughters to follow her heroic example, she mutilated her face in
order to inspire the barbarian invaders with horror at the sight. The
nuns without exception courageously followed the example of their
abbess. When the Danes broke into the cloister and saw the nuns with
faces thus disfigured, they fled in panic. Their leaders, burning
with rage, sent back some of their number to set fire to the
monastery, and thus the heroic martyrs perished in the common ruin of
their house. Some chronicles give the 23rd August as the day of their
martyrdom, but Scottish writers assign this as their feast day. {61}
4--St. Gonval, Ring, A.D. 824.
Some Scottish historians speak of this good king as an example of
piety and respect for the Church and her ordinances. He is said to
have received the commendation of St. Columba. His name occurs in the
ancient Litany known as that of Dunkeld, formerly in use among the
Culdees.
11--St. Macceus or Mahew, A.D. (about) 460.
He is said to have been a disciple of St. Patrick, and spent the
greater part of his life in retirement in the Isle of Bute. No
particulars of his life can be ascertained. St. Mahew was honoured
at Kilmahew near Dumbarton. In 1467 a new chapel and cemetery,
dedicated to this saint, were consecrated there by George, Bishop of
Argyle.
St. Mechtilde or Matilda, Virgin, 13th century.
According to some Scottish historians, two members of the royal
family resigned all the honours and dignities belonging to their
state and left their native country to serve God in poverty and
obscurity. These were a brother and sister, bearing the names of
Alexander and {62} Matilda, the latter being the elder. It is not
clear which of the kings of Scotland was their relative. Alexander,
having concealed his origin, became a lay-brother in the Cistercian
monastery of Foigni, in the diocese of Laon, where he died in 1229.
His sister, taking leave of him at the gates of the monastery, took
up her abode in a small hut about ten miles distant. Here she spent
a long life in dire poverty and austerity. She would refuse all alms,
working laboriously for her daily sustenance, and spending all the
time that remained in prayer and contemplation. Miracles are said to
have proved her power with God, both during her lifetime and after
her happy death, which took place some years after that of her
brother.
16--St. Magnus, Martyr, A.D. 1116.
The noble Cathedral of Kirkwall rose over the tomb of St. Magnus one
of the most popular of the pre-Reformation saints of Scotland. It was
founded by the nephew of the martyr, twenty years after he suffered,
and to it were translated the remains of St. Magnus, which {63} had
hitherto reposed in a more humble sanctuary at Birsay. In all
probability they still rest undisturbed in the cathedral which bears
the name of the saint.
Like many of the early English saints, Magnus received the title of
martyr rather from the popular voice than by the decision of
ecclesiastical authority. As his story shows, he merited the title by
shedding his blood not so much in defence of the Christian Faith as
in behalf of the virtues of a Christian life, whose brilliancy
excited the jealous anger of his enemies.
St. Magnus was the son of Erlin, Earl of Orkney. He was distinguished
from childhood by an uprightness of life which indicated his future
sanctity. Erlin was opposed by Magnus Barefoot, King of Norway, who
made him prisoner and seized his possessions, carrying off the young
Magnus to act as his personal attendant. After ravaging the Western
Isles the Norwegian king encountered, off the Island of Anglesey, the
forces of the Norman Earls of Chester and Shrewsbury, and defeated
them with much slaughter. The young Magnus {64} refused to take any
part in the unjust warfare, and remained in his ship engaged in
prayer throughout the battle. He was soon after able to escape to the
court of Malcolm III, where he remained for some time in safety.
Magnus bitterly lamented for the rest of his days the excesses into
which he had fallen in the life of constant warfare and strife which
had been his lot with the Norwegians; whatever their guilt may have
been, it was his constant endeavour to atone for them by penance and
prayer.
The family possessions in the Orkneys were regained on the death of
Barefoot, but fresh contests were stirred up when Haco, cousin of St.
Magnus, laid claim to them for himself. To avoid bloodshed St. Magnus
agreed to a meeting with Haco in the island of Egilshay that thus the
dispute might be settled in a friendly manner. Haco, however, was a
traitor; and caused his own forces to be drawn round the unarmed
Magnus to compass his destruction. The latter, made aware of the
treachery, and unable to make any defence, prepared for his conflict
by a night of prayer in {65} the church, and the reception of the
Sacraments. Then, when morning dawned, he advanced courageously to
confront his murderers, and met a barbarous death with Christian
fortitude. The only Catholic cathedral in Scotland which remains
entire still shelters the body of a saint. It may be that God has
spared it to restore it to Catholic worship through the merits of St.
Magnus. The feast, known in the Middle Ages as "Magnusmas," was
restored by Pope Leo XIII. His fair was formerly held at
Watten-Wester in Caithness. A holy well at Birsay, in Orkney, bears
his name.
17--St. Donnan and Companions, Martyrs, A.D. 617.
Like St. Columba, whose countryman he was, St. Donnan left his native
Ireland and passed over to Scotland, where he established a monastery
on the Island of Eigg, one of the Inner Hebrides. While celebrating
the Holy Mysteries on Easter morning the abbot and his monks were
surprised by a horde of pirates, possibly Danes, who had been
instigated by a malicious woman to put them to death. At F {66} the
prayer of the monks they granted them a respite till Mass was
finished, and then put them all to the sword. The martyrs numbered
fifty-three.
Many churches, especially in the west, bore St. Donnan's dedication.
Among them were Kildonan of Eigg, Arran, South Uist, Kintyre, and
Lochbroom. On the island of his martyrdom is the saint's well. St.
Donnan's abbatial staff existed up to the Reformation; it was
treasured at Auchterless, Aberdeenshire, where "Donan Fair" was held
as late as 1851. Another fair used to be held at Kildonan, in
Sutherlandshire. The feast of these martyrs was restored to the
Scottish Calendar by Leo XIII in 1898.
18--St. Laserian or Molios, Abbot, A.D. 639.
This saint was of princely race in Ireland. He seems to have been
brought to Scotland at an early age, and to have been sent to Ireland
for his education. Later on he returned to Scotland for a life of
sanctity and solitude. A small island in the bay of Lamlash, off the
coast of Arran, became his abode for many {67} years. His virtues
gave it the name it still bears of Holy Island.
St. Laserian seems to have made a pilgrimage to Rome, where he was
raised to the priest hood. Returning to Ireland, he afterwards became
abbot of the monastery of Leighlin. He is said to have espoused with
much zeal the Roman usage with regard to Easter.
In Holy Island, which was so long his solitary abode, are still to be
seen traces of his residence. A cave scooped out of the rock bears
his name, and a rocky ledge is called "St. Molio's Bed." A spring of
clear water near the cave is also pointed out as the saint's well,
and miraculous properties have been attributed to it. The cave itself
is marked with many pilgrims crosses.
21--St. Maelrubha, Abbot, A.D. 722.
He was born of noble race in Ireland, and in early life began his
monastic life under the rule of his relative, St. Comgal, at Bangor.
When he reached the age of twenty-nine he passed over the sea to
Scotland, and founded at Applecross, in Ross, a monastery, over which
{68} he ruled for more than fifty years. During his residence in
Scotland he founded a church on a small island in the beautiful lake
now known as Loch Maree, which takes its name from this saint.
St. Maelrubha acquired a great reputation for sanctity throughout the
west coast of Scot land and the islands adjacent, where he was one of
the most popular of the Irish saints in Catholic ages. An old
Scottish tradition, quoted by the Aberdeen Breviary, says that he met
his death at the hands of pagan Norwegians, at Urquhart, in the Black
Isle, on the eastern side of Ross-shire, and that he was left lying
severely wounded, but still alive, for three days, during which
angels consoled him. A bright light, hovering over the spot, is said
to have discovered the dying saint to a neighbouring priest, and thus
procured for him the participation in "the Body of the Immaculate
Lamb" before he expired. His title to martyrdom is, however, disputed
by later authorities.
The devotion of Catholics to this saint is attested by the numerous
dedications of churches to his memory. At least twenty-one of these
{69} are enumerated by antiquarians. Chief are Applecross (where he
was laid to rest), Loch Maree, Urquhart (the reputed place of his
martyrdom), Portree, Arasaig, Forres, Fordyce, Keith, Contin and
Gairloch. In these dedications the saint's name assumes various
forms, such as Maree, Mulruy, Mury, Samareirs (St. Mareirs, at
Forres), Summaruff (St. Maruff, at Fordyce), and many others.
Many place of interest in connection with this saint may still be
found. At Applecross, in the vicinity of the ruins of the church, is
the martyr's grave, called _Cladh Maree_, near the churchyard is
"Maelrubha's River," while two miles away is the saint's seat, called
in Gaelic _Suidhe Maree_. Several other traces of him are to be
discovered in the place-names of the neighbourhood.
Loch Maree is the most interesting locality connected with St.
Maelrubha. A small island in the loch called _Innis Maree_ contains
an ancient chapel and a burial place. Near it is a deep well,
renowned for the efficacy of its water in the cure of lunacy. An oak
tree hard by is studded with nails, to each of which was {70}
formerly attached a shred of clothing belonging to some pilgrim
visitor. Many pennies and other coins have at various times been
driven edgewise into the bark of the tree, and it is fast closing
over them. These are the Protestant equivalents to votive offerings
at the shrine.
At Forres, in Moray, an annual fair was held on this day, as also at
Fordyce, Pitlessie (Fife), and Lairg (Sutherland) at the latter place
under the name of St. Murie. Keith in Banffshire was formerly known
as Kethmalruf, or "Keith of Maelrubha." At Contin, near Dingwall, the
ancient church was dedicated to the saint; its annual fair called
_Feille Maree_, and familiarly known as the "August Market," was
transferred to Dingwall. Many other memorials of this saint are to be
found in Ross-shire. It is worthy of note that many dedications
formerly supposed to be in honour of Our Lady are now identified as
those of St. Maelrubha under the title of Maree; this is proved by
the traditional pronunciation of their respective names.
St. Maelrubha is one of the Scottish saints whose _cultus_ was approved
by Rome in 1898, {71} and whose feast has been consequently restored
in many of the Scottish dioceses. It was formerly observed in
Scotland on August 27, but has been always kept in Ireland on this
day.
21--St. Egbert, Priest and Monk, A.D. 729.
He was an Englishman of good family, who, after some years of study
in the monastery of Lindisfarne, followed the almost universal custom
of those days and passed over to Ireland, then renowned for its
monastic schools, entering the monastery of Melfont. During his stay
there a pestilence broke out which carried off a great number of the
inmates. Egbert prayed earnestly to be spared that he might live a
life of penance, making a vow never more to return to England, to
recite daily the whole psalter in addition to the canonical hours,
and to fast from all food one day in each week for the rest of his
life. His vow was accepted and his life spared.
After some years Egbert was raised to the priesthood, and his zeal
for souls led him to desire to preach the faith to the pagan people
of that part of Germany then known as Friesland, In this project he
was joined by some {72} of his pious companions. A vessel had been
chartered, and all things were ready, when it was revealed to Egbert
through a holy monk that God had other designs in his regard; in
obedience to this intimation the voyage was at once abandoned.
The later life of Egbert exemplifies the way in which God chooses and
preserves the instruments for accomplishing His Will. Entering the
monastery of Iona when already advanced in years, he spent the last
thirteen years of his life in untiring efforts to induce the monks to
give up the Celtic traditions to which they clung, and to conform to
the Roman computation of Easter. His sweetness and gentleness were at
last rewarded. On Easter Day 729 he passed away at the ripe age of
ninety, "rejoicing," as St. Bede says, "that he had been detained
here long enough to see them keep the feast with him on that day,
which before they had always avoided."
Though the monks of Iona did not then, as a body, accept the Roman
custom, yet the seeds sown by Egbert bore fruit eventually in
complete conformity with the rest of the Church, {73} St. Egbert thus
merits a high place among the saints of Scotland, although but a
short period of his life was spent in the country. He also shares
with St. Willibrord the renown of converting Friesland to the Faith;
for it was by his example and persuasion that the latter was induced
to undertake the work which terminated so successfully. On account of
his connection with the conversion of the country, the feast of St.
Egbert was formerly celebrated in the diocese of Utrecht. Some
authors maintain that St. Egbert never took monastic vows, but was a
priest living in the monastery; others say, and with good reason,
that he was a bishop.
25--St. Cunibert, Bishop, A.D. 699.
This saint was entrusted by his parents for his education to some
monks living in a monastery near the Tay, whose site cannot now be
identified. He became a priest, and afterwards bishop. Towards the
end of his days he retired into solitude as a hermit, and thus
finished his earthly course.
St. Machalus, Bishop, A.D. 498.
He was a bishop in the Isle of Man, which {74} then formed part of
Scotland. His name is variously written as Machalus, Machella, and
Mauchold. One of the parishes in the island bears his name, and in
the churchyard is the saint's holy well. A ledge of rock hard by is
called his "chair"; it used to be a favourite devotion of pilgrims
to seat themselves on this ledge while drinking the miraculous water
of the well and invoking the saint's aid. The water is said to have
been effective in preventing the action of poison. Many churches in
Scotland are called by his name. There was a chapel near Chapeltown
in Banffshire known as Kilmaichlie, which seems to refer to this
saint. A holy well is still to be found in the vicinity.
29--St. Middan, Bishop.
Very little is known of this saint. Some think him to be identical
with St. Madden or Medan, who was honoured at Airlie, in Angus. Near
the church of Airlie is a spring called by the name of St. Medan,
and a hillock hard by is known as "St. Medan's Knowe." The bell of
the saint was also preserved there till it was sold for old iron
during the last century. Ecclesmaldie, {75} now called Inglismaldie,
in the Mearns, has also a "Maidie Well," which may possibly be
connected with St. Middan.
30--St. Brioc, Bishop, A.D. 500.
This saint was British by birth. He became a disciple of St. Germanus
and devoted himself to preaching the Gospel to his fellow-country
men. Flying for his life from the fury of the pagan Saxons, he passed
over the sea to Brittany, and there built a monastery on the sea
coast which was afterwards called by his name. The town which grew up
in the vicinity became the seat of a bishop, and is still known as
St. Brieuc.
There is no record of the saint having visited Scotland, but there
was much devotion to him among Celtic peoples, and Scottish
dedications bear witness to the honour in which he was held in that
country. He is the patron of Rothesay; the church bore the
designation of St. Mary and St. Brioc, and "St. Brock's Fair" was
held there on the first Wednesday in May. "Brux day fair," which
seems to refer to this saint, was instituted in 1585 to be {76} held
in July every year on the island of Cumbrae, but it has long ceased
to be kept. Dunrod Church, in Kirkcudbright, bears the dedication of
St. Mary and St. Brioc. The island of Inchbrayock in the Esk, near
Montrose, is called after him. The French keep his feast on May 1st,
but in Scotland it was celebrated on April 30th.