THE isles of Orkney are twenty-six in number, besides the lesser, called
Holmes, which are uninhabited, and serve only for pasture. The faith was
planted here by St. Palladius, and St. Sylvester, one of his
fellow-laborers, who was appointed by him the first pastor of this
church, and was honored in it on the 5th of February. In these islands
formerly stood a great number of holy monasteries, the chief of which
was Kirkwall. This place was the bishop's residence, and is at this day
the only remarkable town in these islands. It is situated in the largest
of them, which is thirty miles long, called anciently Pomonia, now
Mainland. This church is much indebted to St. Conran, who was bishop
here in the seventh century, and whose name, for the austerity of his
life, zeal, and eminent sanctity, was no less famous in those parts, so
long as the Catholic religion flourished there, than those of St.
Palladius and of St. Kentigern. The cathedral of Orkney was dedicated
under the invocation of St. Magnus, king of Norway. On St. Conran, see
bishop Lesley, Hist. Scot. l. 4. Wion, in addit. c. 3. Ligni Vitae. King,
in Calend.