Weekly Round-Up 17/10-23/10
The Fathers, The Mediatrix and a national myth.
In 345AD, Patras in western Greece a Bishop has a dream instructing him to take the relics of St Andrew away before Emperor Constantine does. Leaving by ship with some followers, this holy band headed west, passing through the Gates of Hercules and then turning North following the sea routes that would take them to the land on the edge of the Atlantic. Eventually the winds take them and then dump them at a Pictish settlement called Kilrymont on the east coast of Scotland; welcomed by the local King they start a Church dedicated to St Andrew. This is the origins story of St Andrews, a place that became the most important ecclesial centre in Scotland and our oldest University.
This story in particular is quite interesting because it goes to not only the foundation of an important town but the origin story of Scotland itself. At the battle of Athelstaneford in 832AD, the Pictish King, Oengus, being chased by the Northumbrian King made his final stand near the village named after this Northumbrian in East Lothian. It was here that as King Oengus prayed for deliverance a white cross appeared in the sky. From then on King Oengus vowed to make St Andrew his patron and of course they won the battle beating the Northumbrians and the Saltire was born.
However there is another account of the origins of St Andrews - in 732AD Bishop St Acca of Hexham left his See under a cloud and came North taking up residence for a time at a Church dedicated to St Rule/Regulus - St Rule thought to be of Irish origin and a contemporary of St kenneth. There is a tower in the grounds of the now ruined St Andrews cathedral still called St Rules. Hexham had a strong devotion to St Andrew and it is thought that Bishop St Acca brought some of St Andrew’s relics North with him turning Kilrymont into a major centre of pilgrimage.
St Rule was venerated around Aberdeenshire, Forfarshire and into Kincardenshire.
St Munnu or Mund as he is known in Argyllshire was the great Irish Saint Fintan-Munnu. His life is almost totally associated with his monastery in Taghmon Wexford however he was a very popular Saint in Argyll having spent some time here. His greatest foundation in Scotland was at Kilmun in Cowal near Dunoon but there are other sites nearby with his name attached to them. It is also possible Holy Loch got its name from his presence.
St Munnu had left Ireland in 597AD to join the rule of St Columba at Iona but upon arriving he had just missed the death of the Saint and met his successor - Baithene. St Baithene then read aloud the will of St Columba saying:
“Baithene, remember my words. Straight after my repose a brother called Fintan, son of Talchan, who is now living in great piety and brilliantly versed in the Holy Scriptures, will come here from Ireland. He will ask you for permission to join our brethren, but it is against God’s will. For, the Lord has preordained that he become not a simple monk, but an abbot, a spiritual father and teacher of numerous monks. That is why you will not let him stay in our islands, but instruct him to return to his native Ireland with peace, so that he can found there a monastery in Leinster not far from the sea and labour for the salvation of many souls”
St Munnu sailed back to Ireland after this establishing his great monastery. His life was marked with various sickenesses, including possibly Leprosy but was known for his great holiness and perserverance in the faith until the end.
St Mund, pray for us!