Banffshire Pilgrimage Group
In the footsteps of ......
In the footsteps of ...
We cannot travel far in Scotland without visiting a town, street, building, ancient shrine or watering hole (a well rather than pub) that is dedicated to some pre-reformation ‘saint’, or historic Christian event. In our Scottish cities, there’s St Enoch square in Glasgow, the palace of the Holy Rood in Edinburgh, the St Nicholas shopping centre in Aberdeen, to name a few. Yet, if we were to ask most people about historical Christian events, or the saintly personage relating to these dedications, or ‘who, or what is a saint’ we may be confronted with either a blank stare, or at best a wonderful mythical tale.
Not far from here, we can tread the paths of legendary Pictish missionary saints who have gone before us, and were responsible for transmitting not only Christian beliefs but also moulding differing models of community according to culture and context. The most important saint with a local connection, but unlikely to be known by most people, is Saint Drostan a proto missionary evangelist in both Eastern and Northern Pictland, founder of monastic communities, a hermit, and a healer of the sick. He was accompanied by ‘his three’ companions - saints Fergus, Medan and Comb, who went on to establish monastic communities east of Aberdour.
Other local saintly legends of the Pictish era include Saint Brandon (Better known as Brendan the Navigator). Abbot, AD 486-577. It was said that there were as many as three thousand monks in his various monastic foundations in both Ireland and Scotland. He is reputed to have lived at nearby Brandon’s Haven before his journeys across the Atlantic, and the old church at Boyndie is dedicated to his memory.
Saint Maelrubha. Abbot, AD642-722. According to tradition, Maelrubha was born near Derry in 642, related to Niall of the Nine Hostages through his father Elganach, and through his maternal lineage was of Pictish stock, thereby combining the branches of the Celts who at that time were bitter rivals across the sea in Alba. He became a monk as a youngster under the rule of his relative, St Comgal. Maelrubha became a missionary to the north of Alba where he established, foundations at Applecross (where he was buried), his travels included missions to Fordyce, Portsoy, Forres, Keith and Urquhart (the reputed place of his martyrdom),.
Saint Talorcan. Missionary Bishop, 6th Century. His name is of Pictish origin and he spent most of his fruitful ministry as the first bishop in the mission fields of Northern Pictland. He led by example and his preaching, and by the merits his holiness was renowned for healings of diseases and miracles. The burn (and well) at Fordyce was famous for its cures. There was previously a festival and fair celebrated in the village on his feast day, 30th October.
Saint Marnan (Marnoch). Bishop and Confessor, circa 7th Century. The saint’s name was a contraction of the Gaelic name Ernin, originating from the old Irish word that means ‘iron’. Tradition recalls that he was a passionate preacher, labouring as a missionary until he died and was buried at Aberchirder around AD625. Marnoch village bears his name, and the surrounding area was traditionally known for the sites of early monastic settlements. For many centuries, Marnan’s shrine was a popular pilgrimage place, and tradition relates that his relics, were miraculous, with his head often carried in procession to ensure good weather. His feast was celebrated on either 25th October, or 1st March, and in bygone years the ‘Marnock Fair’ was held on the second Tuesday in March, but like most Scottish religious festivals it has been discontinued since the Reformation.
During the earliest Christian period the term ‘saints’ included all Christians to distinguish them from pagans, however, the term soon was used to describe individuals who by tradition or formal process were renowned for great virtue and holiness in their lifetime, or who may have suffered death by martyrdom, and were believed to be intercessors with God in heaven.
More than a few of the hagiographies of the early saints were legendary rather than factual and/or historical accounts, and were written primarily to eulogise the saint’s heroic Christian qualities and to inspire devotion to their cults. It was not unheard of for one cult being replaced with another - the suppression, obliteration or appropriation of the cults of the Pictish saints by their Gaelic successors is a recognised fact acknowledged by secular and church historians alike.
Every saint’s legendary power (frequently cited as proof of their authentic relationship with God), was embellished by the many stories of their actions, either, emphasising the degree of either foretelling the future; or by controlling creation (animals, the weather, people); or by wisely reading situations or a person’s mind; or by the performing miracles; or by leading people to overcome adversity; or by the efficacy of their blessing (or cursing) – the greater the deed, the better! My saint is closer to God than yours and therefore he/she has these powers that makes him/her a superior saint than yours!
Some of the early local saints were renowned for their travels. According to legend, Ninian and Mungo became missionary bishops, and were usually accompanied by a small group of missionary followers, who founded settlements which may be considered monastic, then moved on to evangelise the next community. Their Christian influence upon a community remained until the next re-evangeliser arrived, e.g. Drostan and Columba, (who would become abbots), and many others whose cult have disappeared into the mist, never to be recovered from the oral tradition.
These hard and dangerous missionary journeys, often consisting of sea, land, and river crossings, were usually well-considered and planned, especially when they were venturing into unknown territory. These were not the purposeless perigrinations of the fantastic Victorian epic tales of the so-called Celtic Church. Penitentials and pilgrimage were difficult undertakings, so unlike the modern pilgrimage that some in our society have come to know and love.
Saints of the first millennium were usually proclaimed as such by the local Church, yet some had reputations that stretched across continents way beyond their original place of ministry. By the beginning of the second millennium the formal process of being made a saint (canonisation) had been introduced, and this process became even more bureaucratic in the post reformation Roman Catholic Church – with some only finally acknowledged by canonisation as late as 20th century!
Saints had a high profile in Scottish culture until the Reformation, after which many of the reformed traditions dismissed them, with the result that they became mainly the ‘property’ of the RC Church and some quarters of the Anglican Communion. Sadly, the remembrance of saints in our local communities and culture became a thing of the past – Holy Days, feasts, festivals and markets which had been in existence for hundreds of years ceased almost overnight.
Thereafter, recognition of sanctity in men and women of the various eras was gauged by their moral certitude rather than spiritual prowess. In some 21st century Scottish minds, the so-called ‘Celtic Church’ is pre-eminently a church of great and distinguished saints. It is sometimes difficult, however, to convince devotees that these saints were the highly exceptional people and for every saint there were, and are, many other men and women struggle to live a virtuous and holy life in every aspect of faith, community and culture. One thing is certain, saints have been invoked, commemorated and celebrated at varying degrees of popularity throughout the centuries, but with regular deconstruction and reconstruction of their profiles and cults in accordance with the needs and fashion within both Church and community. This may never change, and the legends of saints will continue to be recreated as modern representations, perhaps for evermore. It has been said that those who invoke the saints today are not so much concerned about the saintly profiles of a bygone era, but more about their efficacy and power to meet the needs and challenges of today (some things never change then).
So why talk about Saints? Where does it fit in with being ‘on the way’? We know that reverential, spiritual journeys (aka pilgrimages) were made to places and sites associated with the saints through the centuries, and continue to do so.
In a Scottish context, some propose that the dormant tradition of pilgrimage may be resuscitated to help confront the challenges and uncertainties of today, be they spiritual, psychological, physical, social, political or financial, to name but a few.
These challenges and concerns are fundamentally no different from those found in life throughout the ages, however, it may be argued that there are currently very few positive role models in our society available to lead such an undertaking without a hidden agenda. Granted, the saints proclaimed the Christian gospels in word and action, but they also understood the fact that Christianity without community, communion and communication was a non-starter, and had to be lived, as well as believed.
Some of the traditional Scottish pilgrimage routes and sites are already identified, and much work is underway to connect sites and establish better routes for the modern pilgrim. We know of the old pilgrims’ ways to the shrines of St Andrews, St Ninian at Whithorn, St Columba at Iona, St Duthac at Tain, and St Cuthbert in the borders. There are other opportunities to create shorter routes throughout Scotland in the footsteps of the saints, for example why not develop a Banffshire, and/or Buchan, or even a Moray Way dedicated to the Pictish saints.
The development of so-called ‘Braided’ routes may be considered more complex and time consuming but they may well open up pilgrim places that are of added interest and the opportunity for local communities and churches to participate in the process. One of the challenges of braided routes, however, is their integration and development in a practical manner when planning the walks, accommodation and hospitality within ‘major pilgrimage’ ways, but these can be overcome by good communication and collaboration between all interested parties.Why not discuss your vision with the local community council and other community movers/shakers? Together, recover your local community’s identification with a saint, saints, or holy place – rehabilitation of the sacred. Identify the historians, archaeologists, artists, poets, musicians, storytellers, multimedia people who can create ‘the vision’, re-create the legend, and make it accessible for all; provide people with an opportunity to extend hospitality among themselves and others.Revive the local saint’s feast day celebrations with a festival, famers’ market, a bbq, or a ceilidh? Encourage our schools and local youth organisations, community associations, folk and drama club, to participate in the re-telling of ‘the legend’; and don’t forget to invite the ‘churches together’ to provide an attractive event for local charities – maybe hold an ‘alternative’ service? Coastal communities - how about a regatta beginning with a traditional blessing of boats and seafarers; with local fish wholesalers/retailers offering their products by the quayside; a presentation about the local saints who lived, worked and died along their shores? What may be achieved is only constrained by the lack of imagination and restrictions from within the community and the project’s facilitators.We have only taken but a few steps on the way. To do so successfully, we have to bring people with us on this journey, introduce them to the saintly places, and to those 21st century saints who now offer hospitality, history, hope, wholeness and well-being in both a cultural context and spiritual space-in-place. These are some of the aims of Banffshire Pilgrimage, you are invited to participate with us.
We cannot travel far in Scotland without visiting a town, street, building, ancient shrine or watering hole (a well rather than pub) that is dedicated to some pre-reformation ‘saint’, or historic Christian event. In our Scottish cities, there’s St Enoch square in Glasgow, the palace of the Holy Rood in Edinburgh, the St Nicholas shopping centre in Aberdeen, to name a few. Yet, if we were to ask most people about historical Christian events, or the saintly personage relating to these dedications, or ‘who, or what is a saint’ we may be confronted with either a blank stare, or at best a wonderful mythical tale.
Not far from here, we can tread the paths of legendary Pictish missionary saints who have gone before us, and were responsible for transmitting not only Christian beliefs but also moulding differing models of community according to culture and context. The most important saint with a local connection, but unlikely to be known by most people, is Saint Drostan a proto missionary evangelist in both Eastern and Northern Pictland, founder of monastic communities, a hermit, and a healer of the sick. He was accompanied by ‘his three’ companions - saints Fergus, Medan and Comb, who went on to establish monastic communities east of Aberdour.
Other local saintly legends of the Pictish era include Saint Brandon (Better known as Brendan the Navigator). Abbot, AD 486-577. It was said that there were as many as three thousand monks in his various monastic foundations in both Ireland and Scotland. He is reputed to have lived at nearby Brandon’s Haven before his journeys across the Atlantic, and the old church at Boyndie is dedicated to his memory.
Saint Maelrubha. Abbot, AD642-722. According to tradition, Maelrubha was born near Derry in 642, related to Niall of the Nine Hostages through his father Elganach, and through his maternal lineage was of Pictish stock, thereby combining the branches of the Celts who at that time were bitter rivals across the sea in Alba. He became a monk as a youngster under the rule of his relative, St Comgal. Maelrubha became a missionary to the north of Alba where he established, foundations at Applecross (where he was buried), his travels included missions to Fordyce, Portsoy, Forres, Keith and Urquhart (the reputed place of his martyrdom),.
Saint Talorcan. Missionary Bishop, 6th Century. His name is of Pictish origin and he spent most of his fruitful ministry as the first bishop in the mission fields of Northern Pictland. He led by example and his preaching, and by the merits his holiness was renowned for healings of diseases and miracles. The burn (and well) at Fordyce was famous for its cures. There was previously a festival and fair celebrated in the village on his feast day, 30th October.
Saint Marnan (Marnoch). Bishop and Confessor, circa 7th Century. The saint’s name was a contraction of the Gaelic name Ernin, originating from the old Irish word that means ‘iron’. Tradition recalls that he was a passionate preacher, labouring as a missionary until he died and was buried at Aberchirder around AD625. Marnoch village bears his name, and the surrounding area was traditionally known for the sites of early monastic settlements. For many centuries, Marnan’s shrine was a popular pilgrimage place, and tradition relates that his relics, were miraculous, with his head often carried in procession to ensure good weather. His feast was celebrated on either 25th October, or 1st March, and in bygone years the ‘Marnock Fair’ was held on the second Tuesday in March, but like most Scottish religious festivals it has been discontinued since the Reformation.
During the earliest Christian period the term ‘saints’ included all Christians to distinguish them from pagans, however, the term soon was used to describe individuals who by tradition or formal process were renowned for great virtue and holiness in their lifetime, or who may have suffered death by martyrdom, and were believed to be intercessors with God in heaven.
More than a few of the hagiographies of the early saints were legendary rather than factual and/or historical accounts, and were written primarily to eulogise the saint’s heroic Christian qualities and to inspire devotion to their cults. It was not unheard of for one cult being replaced with another - the suppression, obliteration or appropriation of the cults of the Pictish saints by their Gaelic successors is a recognised fact acknowledged by secular and church historians alike.
Every saint’s legendary power (frequently cited as proof of their authentic relationship with God), was embellished by the many stories of their actions, either, emphasising the degree of either foretelling the future; or by controlling creation (animals, the weather, people); or by wisely reading situations or a person’s mind; or by the performing miracles; or by leading people to overcome adversity; or by the efficacy of their blessing (or cursing) – the greater the deed, the better! My saint is closer to God than yours and therefore he/she has these powers that makes him/her a superior saint than yours!
Some of the early local saints were renowned for their travels. According to legend, Ninian and Mungo became missionary bishops, and were usually accompanied by a small group of missionary followers, who founded settlements which may be considered monastic, then moved on to evangelise the next community. Their Christian influence upon a community remained until the next re-evangeliser arrived, e.g. Drostan and Columba, (who would become abbots), and many others whose cult have disappeared into the mist, never to be recovered from the oral tradition.
These hard and dangerous missionary journeys, often consisting of sea, land, and river crossings, were usually well-considered and planned, especially when they were venturing into unknown territory. These were not the purposeless perigrinations of the fantastic Victorian epic tales of the so-called Celtic Church. Penitentials and pilgrimage were difficult undertakings, so unlike the modern pilgrimage that some in our society have come to know and love.
Saints of the first millennium were usually proclaimed as such by the local Church, yet some had reputations that stretched across continents way beyond their original place of ministry. By the beginning of the second millennium the formal process of being made a saint (canonisation) had been introduced, and this process became even more bureaucratic in the post reformation Roman Catholic Church – with some only finally acknowledged by canonisation as late as 20th century!
Saints had a high profile in Scottish culture until the Reformation, after which many of the reformed traditions dismissed them, with the result that they became mainly the ‘property’ of the RC Church and some quarters of the Anglican Communion. Sadly, the remembrance of saints in our local communities and culture became a thing of the past – Holy Days, feasts, festivals and markets which had been in existence for hundreds of years ceased almost overnight.
Thereafter, recognition of sanctity in men and women of the various eras was gauged by their moral certitude rather than spiritual prowess. In some 21st century Scottish minds, the so-called ‘Celtic Church’ is pre-eminently a church of great and distinguished saints. It is sometimes difficult, however, to convince devotees that these saints were the highly exceptional people and for every saint there were, and are, many other men and women struggle to live a virtuous and holy life in every aspect of faith, community and culture. One thing is certain, saints have been invoked, commemorated and celebrated at varying degrees of popularity throughout the centuries, but with regular deconstruction and reconstruction of their profiles and cults in accordance with the needs and fashion within both Church and community. This may never change, and the legends of saints will continue to be recreated as modern representations, perhaps for evermore. It has been said that those who invoke the saints today are not so much concerned about the saintly profiles of a bygone era, but more about their efficacy and power to meet the needs and challenges of today (some things never change then).
So why talk about Saints? Where does it fit in with being ‘on the way’? We know that reverential, spiritual journeys (aka pilgrimages) were made to places and sites associated with the saints through the centuries, and continue to do so.
In a Scottish context, some propose that the dormant tradition of pilgrimage may be resuscitated to help confront the challenges and uncertainties of today, be they spiritual, psychological, physical, social, political or financial, to name but a few.
These challenges and concerns are fundamentally no different from those found in life throughout the ages, however, it may be argued that there are currently very few positive role models in our society available to lead such an undertaking without a hidden agenda. Granted, the saints proclaimed the Christian gospels in word and action, but they also understood the fact that Christianity without community, communion and communication was a non-starter, and had to be lived, as well as believed.
Some of the traditional Scottish pilgrimage routes and sites are already identified, and much work is underway to connect sites and establish better routes for the modern pilgrim. We know of the old pilgrims’ ways to the shrines of St Andrews, St Ninian at Whithorn, St Columba at Iona, St Duthac at Tain, and St Cuthbert in the borders. There are other opportunities to create shorter routes throughout Scotland in the footsteps of the saints, for example why not develop a Banffshire, and/or Buchan, or even a Moray Way dedicated to the Pictish saints.
The development of so-called ‘Braided’ routes may be considered more complex and time consuming but they may well open up pilgrim places that are of added interest and the opportunity for local communities and churches to participate in the process. One of the challenges of braided routes, however, is their integration and development in a practical manner when planning the walks, accommodation and hospitality within ‘major pilgrimage’ ways, but these can be overcome by good communication and collaboration between all interested parties.Why not discuss your vision with the local community council and other community movers/shakers? Together, recover your local community’s identification with a saint, saints, or holy place – rehabilitation of the sacred. Identify the historians, archaeologists, artists, poets, musicians, storytellers, multimedia people who can create ‘the vision’, re-create the legend, and make it accessible for all; provide people with an opportunity to extend hospitality among themselves and others.Revive the local saint’s feast day celebrations with a festival, famers’ market, a bbq, or a ceilidh? Encourage our schools and local youth organisations, community associations, folk and drama club, to participate in the re-telling of ‘the legend’; and don’t forget to invite the ‘churches together’ to provide an attractive event for local charities – maybe hold an ‘alternative’ service? Coastal communities - how about a regatta beginning with a traditional blessing of boats and seafarers; with local fish wholesalers/retailers offering their products by the quayside; a presentation about the local saints who lived, worked and died along their shores? What may be achieved is only constrained by the lack of imagination and restrictions from within the community and the project’s facilitators.We have only taken but a few steps on the way. To do so successfully, we have to bring people with us on this journey, introduce them to the saintly places, and to those 21st century saints who now offer hospitality, history, hope, wholeness and well-being in both a cultural context and spiritual space-in-place. These are some of the aims of Banffshire Pilgrimage, you are invited to participate with us.