Saints -- Scotland; Scotland -- Church history -- Biography
Like so many holy souls whose lives drew down the grace of Heaven
upon the land, St. Kentigerna was of Irish race. Her brother, St.
Comgan, succeeded their father, a prince of Leinster, in the
government of his territory. Meeting with violent opposition from
the neighbouring princes, on account of his just and upright
Christian rule, St. Comgan was obliged to fly the country, and
together with his widowed sister, who had been married to an Irish
prince, took refuge in Scotland. St. Comgan devoted himself to
monastic life, and {3} Kentigerna retired to an island in Loch
Lomond to live as an anchoress. Here in her solitary cell, on the
hilly, wooded isle which is now called in memory of her _Innis na
Caillich_ (the Nun's Island), she spent many years of the remainder
of her life. The island became the seat of the old parish church of
Buchanan, which was dedicated to her, and in the graveyard, which
is still in use, are many tombs of the chiefs and illustrious men
of the clan MacGregor. The church has been long in ruins. St.
Kentigerna died in 733. Her feast is to be found in the Aberdeen
Breviary.
11--St. Suibhne (Sweeney), Abbot, A.D. 656.
This saint was an Abbot of Iona who died in the odour of sanctity
when he had been Superior of that monastery for about three years.
14--St. Kentigern or Mungo, Bishop, A.D. 603 or 612.
The ancient kingdom of Cumbria or Strathclyde extended from the
Clyde to the Derwent in Cumberland. It had been evangelised by St.
Ninian, but, in the course of two centuries, through constant
warfare and strife, the Faith {4} had almost disappeared when, in
the middle of the sixth century, St. Kentigern was raised up to be
its new apostle. The saint came of a royal race, and was born about
A.D. 518. He was brought up from childhood by a holy hermit of
Culross called Serf, who out of the love he bore the boy changed
his name of Kentigern (signifying "lord and master") to that of
Mungo (the well beloved). It is under the latter name that he is
best known in Scotland. It should be noted, however, that the
benefactor of the young Kentigern, though possibly bearing the same
name, cannot be identified with the well-known St. Serf of Culross,
who, according to modern historians, must have flourished in a
later century. At the completion of his education Kentigern fixed
his abode at Cathures, now known as Glasgow, and was joined by many
disciples, who lived under his rule in a kind of monastic
discipline. His holy life caused him to be raised--much against his
will--to the episcopal state. He fixed upon Glasgow for his see,
and ruled his flock with all the ardour and holiness of an apostle.
Simple and mortified in life, he abstained entirely from {5} wine
and flesh, and often passed two days without food. He wore
haircloth next his skin, slept on a stone, and often rose in the
night to praise God. Throughout his life he preserved the purity of
his baptismal innocence. His pastoral staff was of simple wood. He
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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