2--St. Ethernan, Bishop.
This saint belonged to a noble Scottish family and was sent to
Ireland for his education. On returning to his native land, he
devoted himself to the work of preaching the Faith among his
countrymen in the province of Buchan, Aberdeenshire. He eventually
became a bishop. {175}
On the east side of the hill of Mormond near Rathen, in
Aberdeenshire, is a place called "St. Ethernan's Den"; it is believed
to have been the spot chosen by the saint as his hermitage. The
neighbouring church of Rathen is dedicated to him. The church of
Kilrenny in Fifeshire, popularly known as "St. Irnie's," is probably
one of his dedications; it is a favourite landmark for mariners. St.
Ethernan's well is there. At Forfar a fair was annually held on this
day under the name of "Tuetheren's Fair." He was also honoured at
Madderty in Perthshire.
There seems to have been a chapel of this saint in the old monastic
church on the Isle of May; as, by an ancient charter, Alexander
Cumyn, Earl of Buchan, grants a stone of wax or forty shillings
yearly to "St. Ethernan of the Isle of May, and the monks serving God
and St. Ethernan in that place."
6--St. Constantine III., King, A.D. (about) 945.
The life of this saint is involved in obscurity. According to the
most probable account he was a Scottish King, who resigned his crown
after a {176} reign of more than forty years, and retired, as the
_Chronicle of the Picts and Scots_ relates, "to the monastery on the
brink of the waves and died in the house of the Apostle." This
monastery was probably the Culdee establishment at St. Andrews. A
cave near Fife Ness called after the saint, and marked by many
pilgrims crosses, is supposed to have been his place of retirement
for prayer.
7--St. Buite, Monk, A.D. 521.
He was born in Ireland, and from his infancy was believed to possess
miraculous powers. Early writers compare him with Venerable Bede
for his virtues and mode of life. He is said to have lived many
years in a monastery in Italy, and to have returned, by Divine
admonition, to his native land, taking with him many copies of
the Holy Scriptures together with sacred vestments and numerous
holy relics. On his journey he was joined by a number of pilgrims
who desired to live under his rule; accordingly he sailed with his
company for North Britain, and landed in Pictish territory, where
he is said to have restored the king of the country to life {177} by
his prayers. Receiving as a reward the royal fort in which the
miracle had taken place, St. Buite founded a monastery there, and
remained for some time instructing the people of the country in the
Faith. Eventually he returned to Ireland.
Dunnichen, in Angus, is thought to be the site of St. Buite's
foundation. Near it are still to be seen the remains of an ancient
fortress known as Carbuddo or _Caer Buido_ (Buite's Fort). The
saint is said to have foretold the birth of St. Columba, which
occurred on the very day upon which St. Buite himself died.
11--St. Obert.
All that is now known of this saint is that he was honoured in Perth
in Catholic ages as the patron saint of bakers. On December 10, known
as St. Obert's Eve, the bakers of that city were accustomed to pass
through the streets in procession by torchlight, playing pipes and
beating drums, and wearing various disguises. One of their number
used to wear a dress known as "The Devil's Coat." Another rode on a
horse shod with men's shoes. In its {178} primitive form this pastime
was probably some kind of sacred drama representing the chief
features in the life of the saint; but its character had changed in
the course of time.
On account of their connection with the ancient faith such
performances gave great offence to the Puritans. In 1581 "an Act
against idolatrous and superstitious pastimes, especially against the
Sanct Obert's Play," was issued by the Session. It seems to have had
little effect, for again in 1587 the bakers were required "to take
order for the amendment of the blasphemous and heathenish plays of
Sanct Obert's pastime." Eventually in 1588, several "insolent young
men" were imprisoned for their "idolatrous pastime in playing of
Sanct Obert's play, to the great grief of the conscience of the
faithful and infamous slander of the haill congregation."
17--St. Crunmael, Abbot.
No particulars of the life of this saint are extant, beyond the
fact that he was one of the Abbots of Iona. {179}
18--St. Flannan, Confessor.
This saint was of Irish nationality; the precise period at which
he lived is uncertain. The group of islands to the west of Lewis
are called after him, the Flannan Islands. On the largest of these
seven islands are the remains of a chapel known as _Teampull
Beannachadh_ (St. Flannan's Chapel). This seems to indicate that
the saint resided there at some period, though no record remains
of the fact beyond the traditional designation of the ruins. The
Flannan Islands have always been regarded by the people of Lewis
with almost superstitious veneration.
St. Manire, Bishop, A.D. 824.
This was a saint of Scottish nationality, who laboured in Deeside.
He was especially honoured at Crathie and Balvenie. He was a
strenuous opponent of the idolatrous or superstitious practices
which the half-barbarous people to whom he preached were accustomed
to introduce into their worship of God. He is said to have mastered
the many dialects then {180} spoken in the district which he
inhabited, in order to be able to preach the Faith to all.
22--St. Ethernascus, Confessor.
From his retired life and spirit of recollection this Irish saint
was known as "Ethernascus, who spoke not," or "The Silent." He was
one of the chief patrons of Clane, in the county of Kildare. It is
difficult to determine what was his precise connection with Scotland,
but his office occurs with a proper prayer in the Breviary of
Aberdeen. The church of Lathrisk, in Fifeshire, was dedicated to
St. Ethernascus conjointly with St. John the Evangelist.
23--St. Caran, Bishop, A.D. 663.
This was an east country saint who was formerly held in honour at
Fetteresso and Drumlithie in The Mearns, and at Premnay in
Aberdeenshire. There are also traces of his _cultus_ in Strathmore,
Caithness. At Drumlithie is a spring known as St. Carran's Well.
His fair was formerly held on this day at Anstruther, Fifeshire.
Some of these dedications {181} have been, by certain writers,
accredited to another saint Kieran (September 9). No particulars
of St. Caran's life are extant.
St. Mayota or Mazota, Virgin, 6th century.
It is maintained by some writers that the great St. Bridget, one of
the chief glories of Ireland, visited Scotland in the beginning of
the sixth century, and founded a monastery for women at Abernethy,
which she dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Over this house St.
Darlughdach was placed as superior; or, as some think, she was
the real foundress. St. Mayota was one of the nine virgins who
came from Ireland to form the first community at Abernethy. She
is said to have been remarkable for having wrought many striking
miracles in her lifetime. The church of Drumoak or Dulmaoak (Field
of St. Mayota), situated near the Dee, takes its name from this
saint. A spring in the neighbourhood is called "St. Maikie's Well."
25--St. Bathan, Bishop, A.D. (about) 639.
In a letter to the Scots from Pope John IV. mention is made of this
saint as especially {182} connected with Scotland. No particulars of
his life are now known, but his _cultus_ can be traced by the
churches dedicated to him. Abbey St. Bathans, a parish in
Berwickshire, takes its name from this saint. The ruins of an abbey
for Cistercian nuns are there, and in a wooded nook, in the vicinity
is a spring called St. Bathan's Well. In addition to a reputation
for healing diseases, it has the unusual quality of never freezing;
a mill-stream into which it flows is said to be never blocked with
ice in winter. The parish of Yester (Haddingtonshire) formerly bore
the name of St. Bathan's, and the parish of Bowden in Roxburghshire
probably takes its designation from the same saint.