The Last Coracle of the Year
This week I will list all the Saints (not many) between 12/12 and 31/12. I also include a link to this years most read editions.
Before we get down to the main focus of this weeks edition I just wanted to include this video of England footballer Bukayo Saka who during a press conference (before the France game) was asked about his faith. I will let the clip speak for itself but what I found most wonderful and refreshing was how straightforward and unapologetic he was about his faith and what he felt about God.
He is far from alone when it comes to footballers having faith, another England colleague Marcus Rashford spoke about it in a Guardian interview:
"For me and my family, that's definitely the case. If you could see our lives 15-20 years ago to where we are now, it's impossible not to have faith in God and all he does for us,".
As we look into the beggining of Christmastide, thinking about that moment of incarnation and the hope that was birthed onto our planet let’s also look to the new year with a fresh perspective - talking about our faith should not be something we have to hide or speak about with heightened worry. It is who we are and when we speak from that place of authentic faith it comes across as something real and worth sharing.
December 18th
St Flannan, 7th Century
West of Lewis lies the Flannan Isles on which you will find Teampull Beannachadh (St Flannans Chapel) on the main isle of Eileen Mor. It appears Flannan was Irish and is the patron Saint of Killaloe in County Clare where he had been consecrated Bishop and was remembered as a great preacher.
Saint Manire/Minir/Manirus, Bishop and Confessor, 824AD
St Manire was one of Scotlands Pictish Saints who operated in Deeside at Ballater and Braemar. His mission was to Picts who had been evangelized but much of their previous belief still persisted. The Aberdeen Breviary mentions that the early (Gaelic) missionaries were less adept in the language of the people here (Picts) and so this obviously effected the efficacy of their preaching and teaching. St Manir on the other hand, could speak both languages, Gaelic and Pictish, and even the dialects of the areas he worked in.
There is evidence that his muinntir was at a place called Rhynabaich just North of the Aberdeen-Braemar Road where you will find a standing stone - all that is left of the building. Local place names like ‘Pollmanire’ (Pool of Manire) and ‘Creag Eaglais’ (the hill of the Church) point to the Saints activities in this area. It is believed that he was buried at Crathie, Ballater - in his church. However the current Crathie Kirk that stands just south of this shows no remains of a building older than the medieval period.
December 23rd
St Caran
This is one of those names that appears often in Irish Martyrologies with spellings that include Kieran and Ciaran. There are some famous Saint’s of this name so therefore we must tread carefully. This St Caran who is mentioned in the Aberdeen Breviary seems chiefly to have operated in the East of Scotland with a well and associated fair at the Kirkton of Premnay just south of Insch in Aberdeenshire and also Fetteresso to the west of Stonehaven.
St Mayota, Virgin, 6th Century
St Mayota or Mayoca’s seems intertwinned with two stories. One was that she was part of the nine virgins that travelled over with the great St Brigid of Ireland and established a convent at Abernethy under the Superior St Darlughdach. In earlier editons we covered St Fyndoca and Fyncana who was also said to be in this group. St Mayota was known for following the example of St Brigid better than any other and many miracles were wrought by her. Another is that she was one of the nine maidens whose father was St Donald of Glen Ogilvy in Forfarshire. After his death they were given a place at Abernethy. In addition there is also an entertaining story of the nine maidens and a dragon! Whatever the exact truth is, Abernethy is consistently a location associated with nine holy women. She is also associated with Dalmaik at Drumoak near Banchory.
25th December
St Bathan
In a letter Pope John IV, who died in 642AD mentions this Saint as especially associated with Scotland - the letter itself was sent by the Pope to chastise the Northern Irish clergy in particular about the correct dating of Easter and condemn monothelitism. The actual letter is mentioned by Bede in his histories but but the text itself has not actually come to light. The chief place St Bathan is associated with is the Abbey of St Bathans in Berwickshire. There is also a well that apparently never freezes alongside the Burn that it flows into. We know nothing else of St Bathan.
Best of the Year 2022
A selection of the articles you read the most this year:
Merry Christmas and see you in the new year. I have some exciting features taking shape for next year with the first one in January encouraging us all to take a pilgrimage in 2023! God bless and see you then.
Eric