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.