25th January
St Eochod, Apostle to Galloway, 597AD
One of the twelve chosen by St Columba to evangelise the Picts with Eochod being sent to Galloway. Little is known of this Saint who seems to appear in Dom Michael Barratt’s great work; ‘A Calendar of Scottish Saints’, as St Euchadius.
29th January
St Voloc, 5th-6th Century
St Voloc was said to be Irish and moved to the Northern parts of Scotland to spread the faith. It was here he was raised to Episcopal rank and laboured into long old age, when at his death, angels were said to surround his bed. For his own sins and those who he laboured for he lived a life of great austerity. His house was made of woven reeds and had much regard for the poor. His life was one of holiness and many miracles were attributed to him. The chief area of his veneration was in Logic-Mar and Dunmeth Parishes which now lie in ruin, situated with Aboyne to the East and Ballater to its West. What was quite a shock when I was doing a bit of research on the fine Saint is that there is a St Voloc Festival in the American State of Texas! They dress up I think with Braveheart in mind but what an interesting link that is! There was of course in times past a fair held in Logic-Mar in his name, that included the pleasant ditty:
‘Wala-fair in Logic Mar, the Thirtieth day of Januar’.
30th January
St Glascian
Little is known of this Bishop who can also go by the spelling ‘Maglastian’. What we do know is that he was deemed an ‘illustrious Bishop’ in the time of King Achaius, a Scottish King who reigned in the same period as Charlemagne. He chief cultus was centred in what is now a small one street village called Kinglassie outside of Kirkcaldy in Fife. As you can imagine (if you have been keeping up with the Saints) there are a couple of wells in his name, including; St Glass’ Well in the same area and another in Dundrennan, Dumfries and Galloway.
31st January
St Adamnan of Coldingham, 686 AD approx.
This Saint has a wonderful story; a wild life the man lead before God intervened and wrought a dramatic conversion. So changed was Adamnan that he sought the counsel of an Irish Priest on what he should do and make penance for his sins. The Priest said he should only eat twice a week until they meet again. Unfortunately, the Irish Priest returned to Ireland and died shortily thereafter. But Adamnan was unperturbed and kept up this penance of only eating twice a week for the rest of his long life. He became a Monk and then Priest in the Abbey at Coldingham, which St Ebba was Abbot over, and gained the gift of Prophecy.
St Mittan
Much is unknown about this Saint, but he was venerated in the Southern Perthshire Parish of Kilmadock near Doune Castle and a fair held in his honour there to.