Part 10 (1/2)

Among the Irish saints who benefited Scotland, the ill.u.s.trious contemporary and dear friend of his biographer, St. Bernard, must not be omitted. St. Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh, twice visited Scotland. On his return from one of his visits to Rome, he stayed with King David I., and by his prayers restored to life the monarch's son, Prince Henry, who was in danger of death. During this visit, St.

Malachy erected an oratory of wattles and clay on the sea-sh.o.r.e near Port Patrick. St. Bernard relates that the saint not only directed the work but laboured with his own hands in its construction. He blessed the cemetery adjoining, which was arranged according to Irish usage, within a deep fosse. The second visit to Scotland was shortly before St. Malachy {158} set out on that last journey to the continent from which he never returned, dying on November 2nd, 1148, in St. Bernard's own Abbey of Clairvaux. He had set his heart on founding a monastery in Scotland at a place called _Viride Stagnum_, ”The Green Lake,” situated about three miles from the present town of Stranraer. There he marked out the boundaries, and established a community brought from one of his Irish houses. St. Bernard alludes to a monastery in Scotland as the last founded by St. Malachy, and this is undoubtedly the one referred to. Later on, this monastery, which acquired the name of Soulseat (_Sedes Animarum_), was peopled by Premonstratensian Canons, brought from St. Norbert's own house of Premontre. It became known in after ages as Saulseat.

St. Nidan, Bishop, about the 6th century.

He was one of the Welsh disciples of St. Kentigern, and probably accompanied him on his return to Scotland (see pp. 47-8). He is said to have evangelised the part of Deeside round Midmar, of which he was the patron. {159}

St. Englatius, Abbot, A.D. 996.

This saint, whose feast-day appears in the calendar of the Aberdeen Breviary, is a.s.sociated with the parish of Tarves in Aberdeens.h.i.+re, where he is known by the name of Tanglan. There is a ”Tanglan's Well” in the village, and a ”Tanglan's” Ford on the river Ythan.

St. Baya or Vey, Virgin, about the 9th century.

She is said to have inhabited the island of Little c.u.mbrae, where she lived in solitude surrounded by birds and beasts. The ruins of an ancient chapel, called that of St. Vey, are still to be seen, and the saint is believed to have been buried there. Tradition tells us, in proof of her love of solitude, that when the Rector of Dunbar attempted to carry off St. Baya's relics, a furious storm arose through the saint's intervention, and compelled him to desist. Kilbag Head in Lewis is probably named after a church dedicated to this saint.

St. Maura, Virgin, about the 9th century.

This saint was a friend of St. Baya, and used to visit her upon her island for spiritual converse. {160} She is said to have governed a very austere community of virgins consecrated to G.o.d. She died at Kilmaura (Church of Maura) in Ayrs.h.i.+re.

6--St. Methven.

There are no particulars extant concerning the life of this saint, and it is therefore impossible to determine the time in which he flourished. A church bearing the name of St. Methven formerly stood in the parish of Fowlis Wester, in Perths.h.i.+re. A fair used to be held there on this day in each year, locally known as St. Methvenmas Market. The day itself was observed as a holiday. Like most of such remains of Catholic merry-makings, the custom has long disappeared.

8--St. Moroc, Bishop.

Some writers maintain that this saint was formerly Abbot of Dunkeld.

His name certainly survives in that neighbourhood in Kilmorick, where a spring is called St. Mureach's Well. Another church named after this saint was at Lecropt, near Stirling, and here his {161} body is said by tradition to have been laid to rest. Kilimrack (Beauly) has been sometimes ascribed to this saint, but the more reliable authorities give it as one of Our Lady's dedications. The period in which St. Moroc flourished is not known with any degree of certainty.

St. Gervadsus or Gernadius, Hermit, A.D. 934,

This saint was of Irish nationality. Longing for a life of entire seclusion from the world, he left his native land and took up his residence in Scotland. He is said to have lived many years as a hermit in the province of Moray, and in corroboration of the tradition a cave was formerly pointed out in the parish of Drainie, near Elgin, known as ”Gerardin's Cave,” it was situated on the height behind the modern Station Hotel at Lossiemouth. For many centuries this habitation was intact. It had an ancient Gothic doorway and window-opening, but these were demolished more than a hundred years ago by a drunken sailor. Since 1870 the whole face of the cliff known as ”Holyman's Head,” including the cave, has {162} been quarried. No trace now remains of the spring of water there, called ”Gerardin's Well,” from which the anchorite drank a thousand years ago.

It is said that a monastery was founded by this saint at Kennedar, in the same parish of Drainie where he a.s.sociated himself with many fellow-soldiers in Christ, and built a church under the direction of angels. The remains of Kineddar Castle, a residence of the Bishops of Moray, may still be seen there. Tradition tells that on stormy nights, the saint was wont to pace the beach below his cell, lantern in hand, to warn off vessels from the dangerous rocks. This is commemorated in the Lossiemouth Burgh seal, which represents the saint with his lantern and bears the motto: _Per noctem lux_. A Presbyterian church erected at Stotfield (Lossiemouth) in recent years bears the name of ”St. Gerardine.”

12--St. Machar or Moc.u.mma, Bishop, 6th century.

This saint was the son of Fiachna, an Irish chieftain, and was baptised by St. Colman. In his youth he became a disciple of the great St. {163} Columba, and when that saint went to Scotland, Machar accompanied him, together with eleven other disciples. After some years he was made a bishop, and was sent by St. Columba with twelve companions to preach to the pagan Picts of Strathdon, in the northeast of Scotland. It is said that his holy master commanded him to found a church in the spot where he should find a river forming by its windings the shape of a bishop's pastoral staff. Such a configuration he found in the river Don, at the spot now known as Old Aberdeen. Here he accordingly fixed his seat, and the cathedral that rose from the humble beginnings of a church inst.i.tuted by Machar now bears his name.

Besides the old Cathedral of Aberdeen, there are in the same county two parishes, formerly joined in one, which are known as New and Old Machar, respectively. At Kildrummie, in Aberdeens.h.i.+re, is a place called (after the saint) ”Macker's Haugh.” There is St. Machar's Well, near the cathedral, at Old Aberdeen; the water used always to be taken for baptismal purposes to the cathedral. {164}

At Corgarff, in Strathdon, is another spring known as _Tobar Mhachar_ (the well of St. Machar); miracles were formerly obtained there. Of this spring the legend is related of a priest, in time of famine, drawing from it three fine salmon which lasted him for food till supplies came from other quarters.

St. Machar's feast was restored to Scotland by Pope Leo XIII. in 1898.

13--St. Devenick, about the 6th century.

Tradition tells that this saint was a contemporary of the former, and preached the Gospel in Caithness. A legend relates that his body was borne for burial to Banchory Devenick, in Kincardines.h.i.+re, in accordance with his continually expressed desire to rest in the district of St. Machar, whom he had tenderly loved during life. A church was afterwards built over his relics, and named after him.

Criech, in Sutherlands.h.i.+re, was probably another of his churches, if he is the saint known there as St. Teavneach. Besides a fair of great antiquity, known as ”Dennick's”, held at Milton of Glenesk, Forfars.h.i.+re, another at {165} Methlick, Aberdeens.h.i.+re, held in November about this date, bore the same name; this implies that the respective churches are dedicated to him, as fairs bearing saints names had their origin in all instances in the concourse of people a.s.sembled for the celebration of the patronal feast of a church. St.

Devenick's Well is near Methlick church.

15--St. Machutus, or Malo, Bishop, A.D. 565.