However
a fountain was near, and taking water from it, Servanus blessed it and he changed it mto wine.
a fountain was near, and taking water from it, Servanus blessed it and he changed it mto wine.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
We find, in different Menologies of Scotland, the name of St.
Serf, Bishop, entered at the 20th of April, corres- ponding with xii.
of the May Kalends.
The Aberdeen Breviary calls Servanus a Scot.
Again, he is said to have been a Pict, on the mother's side, and her name is set down as Alma, a daughter to the King of the Cruithne ;> while his father is called by some Proc, King of Canaan of Egypt, and by others Obeth, son of Eliud,* Thus, it appears, there is evidently great confusion, in the accounts furnished, regarding him.
' David Camerarius,'" and the Scottish Kalendar," place his festival, at the 20th of April ; while, by other writers, it is assigned, to the 1st July.
" Some notices of this holy man, called Servanus, BishopovertheOrkneys,havebeengivenas,byThomasDempster;'3 and, again, he has an account of St.
Serfus, as a distinct personage.
'* This latter is said to have flourished, a.
d.
293, and to have lived at the time of the first dawn- ing of religion in Scotland.
Dempster gives the festival of this holy man, for the ist of August, citing the Scottish Breviary.
He is said to have been elected as Bishop,andtohavebeentaken,fromacommunityofCuldees.
Withgreatzeal, he preached the Gospel, among the people of the Orkney Islands, not yet converted to the Christian Faith ; and, although he was not the first,'s Dempster regards him as being the second.
Apostle of that distant mission.
The writings attributed to him, by Dempster, are, Conciones ad Orcadianos, Lib.
i.
, De Religionis Christianae Mysteriis, Lib.
i.
, as also Epistolae ad Scoticas Ecclesias, Lib.
i.
'* By some writers, his period is assigned to the fifth century ;•' while others have him entered, in the time of Brude, brother to Nectan, who died a.
d.
706.
'' He is thought to have been identical with a Servandus,'9 who was one of the companions of St.
Boniface,'" the circum- stances of whose history are also shrouded in legend.
" However, it is stated.
* Seehis " Chronicles of the Picts, Chroni- * See itiif. , nnm. 1032, p. 574.
cles of the Scots, and other early Memorials '5 Thii seems to indicate, that another St.
of Scotiish History," Appendix num. vi. , pp. . Servanus preceded him there ; but, as an 412 to 420. instance 01 Dempster's recklessness of <. tate- ' III that Tract on the Mothers of the Irish meiit, the former is said to have flourished, Saints, attributed to St. Magna the Culdee, A. D. 440. and the latter, A. n. 293. On this
she is so named. matter, also, see Archbishop Ussher's re- '"
-According to the Life, published by Wil- liam F. Skene, where the mother is called
daughter tu the King of Arabia.
"
» Itisnot — unlikely that there were two
marks, in Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An-
blihops of the name of Serf, or Servanus one, the disciple of Palladius, the other, of Columba—and that their actions were mixed
See ilistoria Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1032, P- 574.
our writers. "—Rev. Ur. F. up together by J.
' According to the Breviary of Aber- deen.
"
Scalachronica," as quoted by William F. Skene, in his Pre- face to the "Chronicles of the Picts and
Scots, "p. clix.
'» See William F. Skenes' work, ibid. . Pre-
face, sect, viii. , p. clix.
"Both are said to have been natione
Isr(ulitici. This curious History is taken from the Breviary of Aberdeen, Temp. Hyem. , fol. Ixix. Appendix vii. , pp. 421 to 423. Ibid.
" It is said, that St. Kyrinus, or Kristinus, who flourished in Scotland, A. D. 660, had been identical with the venernble man Boni- facius, an Italian, who came into that coun-
"
'" to According
Gray's
S. Gordon's
Bishop Keith's Catalogue of Scottish Bis-
At p. 237.
Bishop Forbes' Saints," p. 250.
"
Kalendais of Scottish
Scotichronicon : comprising
hops, enlarged ; with Ree%'es' and Goodall's
Treatises on the Culdees," vol. i. , p. 42.
'" "
Thus : 20 Die. Sanctus Scrnanus Epis-
—et Confessor et Orcadensium coptis
"
lus.
Aposto- " At xii. Kl. Mail. Serf, Bishop. —See
" This holy man is noticed, by the BoUan- dists, as Semanus, at the present date. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Aprilis xx. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 744.
'' See " ilistoria Ecclesiastica Gentis try and founded many churches in it. See
• Scotorum," tomui ii. , lib. xvii. , num. PP- 573. 574-
1030,
Rev. Dr. Gordon's "Scotichronicon," vol. i. , p. 66.
tiquitates," cap. xv , pp. 352, 353. *' "
250
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 20.
that some grains of truth are in it; for, churches are known to have
been dedicated to the names of some, among the companions of St Boni-
face " in those very districts, which he is thought to have eyangehzed. Al- though the existing legend of St. Servan's life is full of historical inaccuracies and fmprobable wonders; yet, we seem to have little option, but to presen an abbreviated version, so that its contents may serve as a clue, to other
Srts and conjectures^egarding him. The Legendary Acts of St
have a miraculous account, regarding his conception and birth, wihSetrhva^^t^^o^f^^h^i^s^ brother Generatius. These are said to have been twins. Malachias, ren- dered " the angel of God," was a name given, likewise, to Servanus which is
servant of God. " After the birth of our samt he was broughtto interpreted"the and tha gave Magonius, Bishop of Alexandria, to be baptized by him, prelate
him the n^me Servanus. ^4 Atthe age of seven years, his father died; and our saint who despised the things of this world, willingly resignea his right to rule in favour of his brother Generatius. Servanus applied to sacred studies and science in Alexandria, where he remained for thirteen years, and where he assumedthemonk'shabit. BytheaforesaidBishop,hewaspromotedthrough succSiveorderstothepriesthood. Afterwards,goingintohisowncountry
all thJcananeans joyfully elected him as their Bishop There he constructed
churches and monasteries, serving God day and until an Angel n^ht,
mam
warned him, after a lapse of twenty years, to depart from his own country and Sred He wished to know, whither his steps should be directed, and an
Ansel then declared, that he should accompany the saint, wheresoever he 2ht proceed, promising at the same time, to guard h. m against every dan- Sr and assault of the devil, to the very end of his life. Imparting a blessing o
his friends clerics and laics, Servanus left them m tears; and afterwards
the shores of the Red Sea, they crossed it with dry feet. Next, he went to
S^e ^edible story, that coming to the banks of the Nile, with -xty thousand
companions, he safely passed over, and then advancing with a 1 of these o
STerusa^em,
and became its Patriarch, succeeding James, who was Bishop and
The told him, to ascend the Hill of S. on, and arcT^f that city. Angel
to make its circuit. Then, he was shown that tree, from which the Cross of CShrist had been cut, and he was told, to cut four staves from it. However,
saint only cut three baculi, and the Angel fashioned a W«. of arger
size wh ch he gave to Servan.
ceived a waning, to visit Constantinople.
a83. Tl,, H. 1. f M„ch i, . h. d. . . . . .
'^'jTiTM '
cidenct,
m. rani ot . St. S«. . . «u.
. od toving tonntrion . 111. our
^^^^ ^^ that Island.
=6 H„^^ absurdly this fict ou has been
the pars est>v fol. See B shoj, o •'Kalendars of bcottish baints, ^P- 44/
^^^
This may be the holy man, d. sgu. sed the present Legendary
/„„ the fact, that no 1°TM^^^" ^' ^^^^- t,,e name of
di^ot lib. i. . Epistol* ad Ecclesias Scot. -
f/" ,f^^P^;P;^^^ Peter.
unde Life, ^"d who s ab-
He returned to Jerusalem, but soon he re-
With all of his companions Ser-
Thence
and for three years, he had a hospitable reception reTourneyed to the Island of Our Saviour. =5 Afterwards, with a great number, teca etoRome,and,atatime,also,whenneitheraPopenoraDoctorwas
vanus went
tS
»» P- W^, „„„j^, „ . „j^, „u,.
is told
April 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
251
he performed great miracles. Then, an Angel warned him to leave Rome, for more distant places, and he obeyed to the great regret of the Romans, who wept when he left their city. Leaving some of his companions there, he' brought another company of pilgrims towards the Alps, where, in a valley called Nigra, he had a dreadful vision, representing the powers of evil; but, after impartingablessingtothatplace,thedemonsentirelydesertedit. Afterwards, Servan came to the Ictean Sea, lying between France and England ; but'
although the water had to be crossed, this was done with dry feet, and'pass- ing from one place to another, he at last reached the river called Forthe. =7 At this time, St. Edheuanus '* was Abbot in Scotland, and he came to the Island ofInchkeith,'*tomeetServanus. Theseholymenhadaninterview,andthey passedonewholenight,inreligiousconferences. WhenSt. Servanasked,how he could best dispose of his religious family, St. Edheunanus recommended him to seek the land of Fife, and that country, stretching from the Mons 3o BritannicustotheMonsOkhdl. 3' Withonlytwentyincompany,St. Servan came to Kinel, where his baculus was thrown beyond the sea. There it grew
into a fruit-bearing tree, called in modern language Morglas. This the Angel told him should be his place of rest. Brude,3» son of Dargart, was then King of the Picte. 33 When Servan had come to Culenros,34 he removed the thorns and brushwood, at this place. However, the king, not wishing that Servan should settle there, sent his satellites to murder the saint, with all of his com- panions. Wherefore,ajudgmentfellupontheking,andonlyforSt. Servan hewasapparentlyabouttodie; but,havingrepentedofhisrashact,hegave
. a place for a cemetery and for a church, in Culenros. These our saint is said to have founded. He then sought the presence of St. Eudananus, to speak with hira, in the Island, at Lochleven. 35 This was finally granted to St. Servan asaspotsuitedforhissojourn. 3* Forsevenyears,theholymanwasengaged' m building there a monastery. Going out from it, through the whole countnj of Fife, he constructed different churches, which he dedicated to the Most High God. A place called Desart,37 or the Dysert, is mentioned, where there was a cave ; and here, a brother lived with him, who was sick Wine was required for the invalid ; but, it could not be had at the time.
However
a fountain was near, and taking water from it, Servanus blessed it and he changed it mto wine. This the sick man drank, and he was healed In the
same cave, also, Servan lay in bed, one morning, after reciting Matins, when thedevilapproachedanddesiredtoengage,inadispute,withthesaint. 38 At
»7
of Forth, m Scotland
Z . ^'r". "^"**? Y- . ^l^'? "*'? -
*"4^! °"e',"e.
to be the Caer Guid. of Venerable Bede ;
and. It seems to have been fortified, previous
to his t. me. See an account of it, in the met with, in the "Imperial Gazetteer of
Probably intended to signify the Firth
en Fiffe. "—". Scala Chronica "
« Now known as Culross," a parish con- 'fining the royal burgh of its own name, in Perthshire. An . iccount of w U
"• ishofKinghom,mI'fesh. re Itis
;, 7^'- '\*°
interesting it found, Imperial Gazetteer of Scot
Imperial Gazetteer of bcotland," vol. li. ,
P'°. 5-
ci, . . . . ,_ M'-. Skfne supposes this to have beena
,
mistake in the Latin Life for Mare.
Scotland," vol. ii. , pp. 328 to 330.
*
Here, too, it is Slated, that he estab-
lished a community of KiUdn hermils. See
3' He was the venerable man who sessed Cu. lennros in Srath Hirem, in the Comgells, between Sliabh or Ochel, and the Sea of Ou. d,. . See Rev Dr. Reeves' "Cul- dees of the British Islands, p. 124.
He niled from A. D. 697 to 706, as
William F. Skene's " Celtic ii. , chap, vi. , pp. 259, 260
Scotland," Book
3^
William F. Skene m his
Scotlaml, vol 11. , chap. . . ,pp. 31, 32.
En quel temps veint Saint Servanus
37 This lay on the north side of the Firth of Forth. See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scotland," Book ii. , chap, vi. , p. 257
3«The following dialogue then ensued • The Demon enquired, "Art thou a wise cleric, O Servanus ? " He replied •" What do you desire, most wretched of all crea-
shows,
"Celtic
,.
'° 'he par-
supposed,
pos-
land," vol. i. ,
pp. 334
to
^^6
inthe-
3S An interesting account 'of it will be
tures? " The DevU said " :
I wish to
dispute
252 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 20.
a place called Tuligbotuan, rendered Tullbody, our saint cured a man, who had a very voracious appetite. At another place, called Tulicultrin, rendered Tullycoultry,heraisedthetwodeadsonsofapoorwomantolife. InAlueth, or Alva, where he was hospitably entertained, by a very poor man, who had killed the only pig he possessed ; this was found to be living, on the day following. A singular story is given, about a thief, at a place called Atheren, or Airthey,35 and whose theft of a sheep was discovered, in a singular manner. At Dunnensis—also called Dunning—a horrible dragon was destroyed, by the saint wielding his staff. Afterwards, the place where this occurred was called the Dragon's Valley. Three blind men, three that were lame, and three men that were deaf, came from the Alps to St. Servan, whom they entreated to work a miracle, on their behalf. Expressing his diffidence, to afford them the favour of healing ; their belief in his power with God was expressed, on bended knees. Then, St. Servan blesseda certain fountain, and he caused them to wash three different times in it, when they were all restored. Having wrought various wonders, theday of his death—the istof July""—arrived; for, a fever had seized upon him. '*' He called his monks around him, and they wept, at the prospect of his near dissolution. He departed this life, at Dun- ning; but,hisremainswerebroughtforfinaldepositiontoCulenros,where he was religiously interred, psalms, hymns and canticles being heard about his grave. ^^ The foregoing accounts we find, in the Legendary Acts ; and, the following have been drawn, from other sources. By some writers, St.
with you, and to ask you some questions. "
"
not God form a new man, and send him to free the human race ? " The saint answered " Because no one different from Adam's pos- terity could have belonged to us. " " Why are you men, and not we demons, liberated
St. Servan returned for answer :
you miserable creature, be. i;in. " Satan then asked, " Where was God before he created Heaven and earth, and all his creatures. " Blessed Servan faid to him : "As he is not confined to any place, he was within himself; being neither bound wiihin nor extended by any place, nor subject to the movements of time, everywhere he is whole. " The De\ il enquired: "For what reason hath God made creatures? ' The saint returned:
" Because he could not be a Creator without
creatures. " " Why did he make them very
good ? " To this question, the holy man re-
" Because God could not do evil, nor seem to be envious, as if lie willed not any thing to be good but himself. " The Devil said: "Where did God create Adam? " The saint said : "In Ebron. " Satan asked : "Where was he after having been cast out ofPaiadise? " The saint replied : "Where he is formed. " Satan then enquired : "How long did he remain in Paradise after his sin? "
"
plied :
you
no further can I dispute with you. " Then
Only seven hours. " Satan " Why did God permit Adanr and Eve to sin in Paradise ? " To this, the ' ' Because the fore-
Said the saint :
then said
:
saint replied
Almighty
sees something great to come, for Christ should not have taken human flesh, but for the sin of Adam and of Eve. " Satan asked : " Why could not Adam and Eve be liberated of their own accord? " Serv. in said, "Be- fell not of their own accord, but
they
:
through Christ, born of one among tlieir
cause
through another, that is, the Devil templing them. Thoefore, throu. t;h another, that is,
posterity, they are liberated. "
"
Why did
Begin,
Because
the holy man replied: "Go, go, you wretch, hastily depart fiom this pl. ice, nor dare further to appear in it to any person. " The spot was aferwards deemed most vene- rable, as connected with the memory of St. Servan, and because it was believed, that there the Devil could not dwell.
3» All of these places, mentioned in the text, are on the nortli side of theTorth, and extend from Sterling to Alloa. See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scotland," Book ii. , chap, vi. , p. 257.
'" At that day, more will be found, regard- ing St. Servanus.
"See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp. 446, 447.
'•' SeetheLifeofSt. Seivanus,inWilliam F. Skene's "Chronicles of the Picts, Chroni- cles of the Scots, and other early Memorials of Scottish History," Appendix vi. , pp. 412 to 420.
through the Passion of Christ ?
the original fall was not through ourselves, but through you, Devils. But you Devils, be- cause you were not of a fragile nature, and because you would not repent, and because of yourselves you have willingly contracted original sin, as a consequence, the Passion of Christ cannot profit you. ' Then the Devil, finding he could effect nothing against the saint, who overturned all his interrogatories, cried out, "O Servanus, are wise, and
'"
April 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 253
Servanus is styled the first bishop, the Apostle and founder of the Orkneyan Church/3 therefore he is regarded as the Patron. Again, the Lections, in the Breviary of Aberdeen, make Servanus a Scot, who lived under the rite and form of theprimitive Church, until the arrival of Palladius,''-' who was sent by St. Celestine,'«5 to convert the Scots, and who, finding Servanus there, ordained him as his suflFragan. ** Moved by divine inspiration, Palladius in- structedhim,andmadeServanushisassistant. ^' Hewasfound,wearetold, atCulros. AccordingtoBoece,*'PalladiusmadeSt. Serfabishop,andsent him into Orkney, to instruct the rude people there in the Faith. Palladius is said to have preached, with his followers, through all Scotland. ' The re- mains of Servanus were at Culros, in 1530, according to the Martyrology of Aberdeen. InScotland,thisholymanwaschieflyvenerated. 5° Aboutthe
year 15 11, George Browne, Bishop of Dunkeld, dedicated the parochial church of Petcarnia to St. Servan. " Monivard is one of his churches, in Perthshire. 5' Servanus is the patron of Creich and Dysart. sj He was com- memorated, at Dunning, where there were lands, attached to the chapel of St. Servanus. 5-» In the parish church of Monkege, now called Keith-Hall, there was an altar of "St. Serwe," another form of his name. This was in Aber- deenshire. 55 The present parish church is situated, upon a portion of St. Sare's bank, where it is said St. Sare's fair was held, before its removal to Culsamond. 5* AstraditionholdsSt. ServanustohavebeenaScot,itseems probable enough, that he may have been an Irish missionary, who laboured in Scotland. However, we must have more light thrown on his personal his- tory, to decide belter, regarding his native country, and about his period.
ArticleV. —St. Sobhartan,Bishop. Theinfluenceofaholybishop over his flock is greater even than that of a great king over his subjects, or than agreatmihtarycommanderoverhistroops. IntheMartyrologyofTallagh," at this same date, we read St. Sobairihein, a Bishop. However, we have no
account of his- age and place, among our Irish prelates. The Martyrology of »
Donegal records a festival, in honour of Sobhartan, on this day,
" For the»e titles, Dempster cites John Colman, St. Mamach, St. Moloch, Su "
Lesley, Historia bcolorum," lib. iv. , p. Notlilan, St. Marnan, St. Rumold, St.
cxxxvii. , Polydoras Virgilus'
"
Histona Tigernach, St. Medanach, St. Machut, St.
Anglorum. " lib. iii. , p. Iviii. , Antonios Pos- Cormach, St. Dagamach. See Rev. Dr.
"
icTinus' Apparatus Sacer," p. ccx.
• His feast occurs, at the 6th of July.
« See his Life, already given, at the 6lh of
'"
Gordon's Scotichronicon," vol. i. , p. 68.
s" Alexandro . Millo teste, adds Dempster, in "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scoto- rum," tomus ii. , lib. xviL, num. lOJo,
p. 573.
s' See " New Statistical Survey of Scot-
land," Perthshire, p. 723.
» According to Commissary Records of the Diocese ol Glasguw.
* Seehis " Chronicles of the Picts, Chroni- * See itiif. , nnm. 1032, p. 574.
cles of the Scots, and other early Memorials '5 Thii seems to indicate, that another St.
of Scotiish History," Appendix num. vi. , pp. . Servanus preceded him there ; but, as an 412 to 420. instance 01 Dempster's recklessness of <. tate- ' III that Tract on the Mothers of the Irish meiit, the former is said to have flourished, Saints, attributed to St. Magna the Culdee, A. D. 440. and the latter, A. n. 293. On this
she is so named. matter, also, see Archbishop Ussher's re- '"
-According to the Life, published by Wil- liam F. Skene, where the mother is called
daughter tu the King of Arabia.
"
» Itisnot — unlikely that there were two
marks, in Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An-
blihops of the name of Serf, or Servanus one, the disciple of Palladius, the other, of Columba—and that their actions were mixed
See ilistoria Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1032, P- 574.
our writers. "—Rev. Ur. F. up together by J.
' According to the Breviary of Aber- deen.
"
Scalachronica," as quoted by William F. Skene, in his Pre- face to the "Chronicles of the Picts and
Scots, "p. clix.
'» See William F. Skenes' work, ibid. . Pre-
face, sect, viii. , p. clix.
"Both are said to have been natione
Isr(ulitici. This curious History is taken from the Breviary of Aberdeen, Temp. Hyem. , fol. Ixix. Appendix vii. , pp. 421 to 423. Ibid.
" It is said, that St. Kyrinus, or Kristinus, who flourished in Scotland, A. D. 660, had been identical with the venernble man Boni- facius, an Italian, who came into that coun-
"
'" to According
Gray's
S. Gordon's
Bishop Keith's Catalogue of Scottish Bis-
At p. 237.
Bishop Forbes' Saints," p. 250.
"
Kalendais of Scottish
Scotichronicon : comprising
hops, enlarged ; with Ree%'es' and Goodall's
Treatises on the Culdees," vol. i. , p. 42.
'" "
Thus : 20 Die. Sanctus Scrnanus Epis-
—et Confessor et Orcadensium coptis
"
lus.
Aposto- " At xii. Kl. Mail. Serf, Bishop. —See
" This holy man is noticed, by the BoUan- dists, as Semanus, at the present date. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Aprilis xx. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 744.
'' See " ilistoria Ecclesiastica Gentis try and founded many churches in it. See
• Scotorum," tomui ii. , lib. xvii. , num. PP- 573. 574-
1030,
Rev. Dr. Gordon's "Scotichronicon," vol. i. , p. 66.
tiquitates," cap. xv , pp. 352, 353. *' "
250
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 20.
that some grains of truth are in it; for, churches are known to have
been dedicated to the names of some, among the companions of St Boni-
face " in those very districts, which he is thought to have eyangehzed. Al- though the existing legend of St. Servan's life is full of historical inaccuracies and fmprobable wonders; yet, we seem to have little option, but to presen an abbreviated version, so that its contents may serve as a clue, to other
Srts and conjectures^egarding him. The Legendary Acts of St
have a miraculous account, regarding his conception and birth, wihSetrhva^^t^^o^f^^h^i^s^ brother Generatius. These are said to have been twins. Malachias, ren- dered " the angel of God," was a name given, likewise, to Servanus which is
servant of God. " After the birth of our samt he was broughtto interpreted"the and tha gave Magonius, Bishop of Alexandria, to be baptized by him, prelate
him the n^me Servanus. ^4 Atthe age of seven years, his father died; and our saint who despised the things of this world, willingly resignea his right to rule in favour of his brother Generatius. Servanus applied to sacred studies and science in Alexandria, where he remained for thirteen years, and where he assumedthemonk'shabit. BytheaforesaidBishop,hewaspromotedthrough succSiveorderstothepriesthood. Afterwards,goingintohisowncountry
all thJcananeans joyfully elected him as their Bishop There he constructed
churches and monasteries, serving God day and until an Angel n^ht,
mam
warned him, after a lapse of twenty years, to depart from his own country and Sred He wished to know, whither his steps should be directed, and an
Ansel then declared, that he should accompany the saint, wheresoever he 2ht proceed, promising at the same time, to guard h. m against every dan- Sr and assault of the devil, to the very end of his life. Imparting a blessing o
his friends clerics and laics, Servanus left them m tears; and afterwards
the shores of the Red Sea, they crossed it with dry feet. Next, he went to
S^e ^edible story, that coming to the banks of the Nile, with -xty thousand
companions, he safely passed over, and then advancing with a 1 of these o
STerusa^em,
and became its Patriarch, succeeding James, who was Bishop and
The told him, to ascend the Hill of S. on, and arcT^f that city. Angel
to make its circuit. Then, he was shown that tree, from which the Cross of CShrist had been cut, and he was told, to cut four staves from it. However,
saint only cut three baculi, and the Angel fashioned a W«. of arger
size wh ch he gave to Servan.
ceived a waning, to visit Constantinople.
a83. Tl,, H. 1. f M„ch i, . h. d. . . . . .
'^'jTiTM '
cidenct,
m. rani ot . St. S«. . . «u.
. od toving tonntrion . 111. our
^^^^ ^^ that Island.
=6 H„^^ absurdly this fict ou has been
the pars est>v fol. See B shoj, o •'Kalendars of bcottish baints, ^P- 44/
^^^
This may be the holy man, d. sgu. sed the present Legendary
/„„ the fact, that no 1°TM^^^" ^' ^^^^- t,,e name of
di^ot lib. i. . Epistol* ad Ecclesias Scot. -
f/" ,f^^P^;P;^^^ Peter.
unde Life, ^"d who s ab-
He returned to Jerusalem, but soon he re-
With all of his companions Ser-
Thence
and for three years, he had a hospitable reception reTourneyed to the Island of Our Saviour. =5 Afterwards, with a great number, teca etoRome,and,atatime,also,whenneitheraPopenoraDoctorwas
vanus went
tS
»» P- W^, „„„j^, „ . „j^, „u,.
is told
April 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
251
he performed great miracles. Then, an Angel warned him to leave Rome, for more distant places, and he obeyed to the great regret of the Romans, who wept when he left their city. Leaving some of his companions there, he' brought another company of pilgrims towards the Alps, where, in a valley called Nigra, he had a dreadful vision, representing the powers of evil; but, after impartingablessingtothatplace,thedemonsentirelydesertedit. Afterwards, Servan came to the Ictean Sea, lying between France and England ; but'
although the water had to be crossed, this was done with dry feet, and'pass- ing from one place to another, he at last reached the river called Forthe. =7 At this time, St. Edheuanus '* was Abbot in Scotland, and he came to the Island ofInchkeith,'*tomeetServanus. Theseholymenhadaninterview,andthey passedonewholenight,inreligiousconferences. WhenSt. Servanasked,how he could best dispose of his religious family, St. Edheunanus recommended him to seek the land of Fife, and that country, stretching from the Mons 3o BritannicustotheMonsOkhdl. 3' Withonlytwentyincompany,St. Servan came to Kinel, where his baculus was thrown beyond the sea. There it grew
into a fruit-bearing tree, called in modern language Morglas. This the Angel told him should be his place of rest. Brude,3» son of Dargart, was then King of the Picte. 33 When Servan had come to Culenros,34 he removed the thorns and brushwood, at this place. However, the king, not wishing that Servan should settle there, sent his satellites to murder the saint, with all of his com- panions. Wherefore,ajudgmentfellupontheking,andonlyforSt. Servan hewasapparentlyabouttodie; but,havingrepentedofhisrashact,hegave
. a place for a cemetery and for a church, in Culenros. These our saint is said to have founded. He then sought the presence of St. Eudananus, to speak with hira, in the Island, at Lochleven. 35 This was finally granted to St. Servan asaspotsuitedforhissojourn. 3* Forsevenyears,theholymanwasengaged' m building there a monastery. Going out from it, through the whole countnj of Fife, he constructed different churches, which he dedicated to the Most High God. A place called Desart,37 or the Dysert, is mentioned, where there was a cave ; and here, a brother lived with him, who was sick Wine was required for the invalid ; but, it could not be had at the time.
However
a fountain was near, and taking water from it, Servanus blessed it and he changed it mto wine. This the sick man drank, and he was healed In the
same cave, also, Servan lay in bed, one morning, after reciting Matins, when thedevilapproachedanddesiredtoengage,inadispute,withthesaint. 38 At
»7
of Forth, m Scotland
Z . ^'r". "^"**? Y- . ^l^'? "*'? -
*"4^! °"e',"e.
to be the Caer Guid. of Venerable Bede ;
and. It seems to have been fortified, previous
to his t. me. See an account of it, in the met with, in the "Imperial Gazetteer of
Probably intended to signify the Firth
en Fiffe. "—". Scala Chronica "
« Now known as Culross," a parish con- 'fining the royal burgh of its own name, in Perthshire. An . iccount of w U
"• ishofKinghom,mI'fesh. re Itis
;, 7^'- '\*°
interesting it found, Imperial Gazetteer of Scot
Imperial Gazetteer of bcotland," vol. li. ,
P'°. 5-
ci, . . . . ,_ M'-. Skfne supposes this to have beena
,
mistake in the Latin Life for Mare.
Scotland," vol. ii. , pp. 328 to 330.
*
Here, too, it is Slated, that he estab-
lished a community of KiUdn hermils. See
3' He was the venerable man who sessed Cu. lennros in Srath Hirem, in the Comgells, between Sliabh or Ochel, and the Sea of Ou. d,. . See Rev Dr. Reeves' "Cul- dees of the British Islands, p. 124.
He niled from A. D. 697 to 706, as
William F. Skene's " Celtic ii. , chap, vi. , pp. 259, 260
Scotland," Book
3^
William F. Skene m his
Scotlaml, vol 11. , chap. . . ,pp. 31, 32.
En quel temps veint Saint Servanus
37 This lay on the north side of the Firth of Forth. See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scotland," Book ii. , chap, vi. , p. 257
3«The following dialogue then ensued • The Demon enquired, "Art thou a wise cleric, O Servanus ? " He replied •" What do you desire, most wretched of all crea-
shows,
"Celtic
,.
'° 'he par-
supposed,
pos-
land," vol. i. ,
pp. 334
to
^^6
inthe-
3S An interesting account 'of it will be
tures? " The DevU said " :
I wish to
dispute
252 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 20.
a place called Tuligbotuan, rendered Tullbody, our saint cured a man, who had a very voracious appetite. At another place, called Tulicultrin, rendered Tullycoultry,heraisedthetwodeadsonsofapoorwomantolife. InAlueth, or Alva, where he was hospitably entertained, by a very poor man, who had killed the only pig he possessed ; this was found to be living, on the day following. A singular story is given, about a thief, at a place called Atheren, or Airthey,35 and whose theft of a sheep was discovered, in a singular manner. At Dunnensis—also called Dunning—a horrible dragon was destroyed, by the saint wielding his staff. Afterwards, the place where this occurred was called the Dragon's Valley. Three blind men, three that were lame, and three men that were deaf, came from the Alps to St. Servan, whom they entreated to work a miracle, on their behalf. Expressing his diffidence, to afford them the favour of healing ; their belief in his power with God was expressed, on bended knees. Then, St. Servan blesseda certain fountain, and he caused them to wash three different times in it, when they were all restored. Having wrought various wonders, theday of his death—the istof July""—arrived; for, a fever had seized upon him. '*' He called his monks around him, and they wept, at the prospect of his near dissolution. He departed this life, at Dun- ning; but,hisremainswerebroughtforfinaldepositiontoCulenros,where he was religiously interred, psalms, hymns and canticles being heard about his grave. ^^ The foregoing accounts we find, in the Legendary Acts ; and, the following have been drawn, from other sources. By some writers, St.
with you, and to ask you some questions. "
"
not God form a new man, and send him to free the human race ? " The saint answered " Because no one different from Adam's pos- terity could have belonged to us. " " Why are you men, and not we demons, liberated
St. Servan returned for answer :
you miserable creature, be. i;in. " Satan then asked, " Where was God before he created Heaven and earth, and all his creatures. " Blessed Servan faid to him : "As he is not confined to any place, he was within himself; being neither bound wiihin nor extended by any place, nor subject to the movements of time, everywhere he is whole. " The De\ il enquired: "For what reason hath God made creatures? ' The saint returned:
" Because he could not be a Creator without
creatures. " " Why did he make them very
good ? " To this question, the holy man re-
" Because God could not do evil, nor seem to be envious, as if lie willed not any thing to be good but himself. " The Devil said: "Where did God create Adam? " The saint said : "In Ebron. " Satan asked : "Where was he after having been cast out ofPaiadise? " The saint replied : "Where he is formed. " Satan then enquired : "How long did he remain in Paradise after his sin? "
"
plied :
you
no further can I dispute with you. " Then
Only seven hours. " Satan " Why did God permit Adanr and Eve to sin in Paradise ? " To this, the ' ' Because the fore-
Said the saint :
then said
:
saint replied
Almighty
sees something great to come, for Christ should not have taken human flesh, but for the sin of Adam and of Eve. " Satan asked : " Why could not Adam and Eve be liberated of their own accord? " Serv. in said, "Be- fell not of their own accord, but
they
:
through Christ, born of one among tlieir
cause
through another, that is, the Devil templing them. Thoefore, throu. t;h another, that is,
posterity, they are liberated. "
"
Why did
Begin,
Because
the holy man replied: "Go, go, you wretch, hastily depart fiom this pl. ice, nor dare further to appear in it to any person. " The spot was aferwards deemed most vene- rable, as connected with the memory of St. Servan, and because it was believed, that there the Devil could not dwell.
3» All of these places, mentioned in the text, are on the nortli side of theTorth, and extend from Sterling to Alloa. See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scotland," Book ii. , chap, vi. , p. 257.
'" At that day, more will be found, regard- ing St. Servanus.
"See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp. 446, 447.
'•' SeetheLifeofSt. Seivanus,inWilliam F. Skene's "Chronicles of the Picts, Chroni- cles of the Scots, and other early Memorials of Scottish History," Appendix vi. , pp. 412 to 420.
through the Passion of Christ ?
the original fall was not through ourselves, but through you, Devils. But you Devils, be- cause you were not of a fragile nature, and because you would not repent, and because of yourselves you have willingly contracted original sin, as a consequence, the Passion of Christ cannot profit you. ' Then the Devil, finding he could effect nothing against the saint, who overturned all his interrogatories, cried out, "O Servanus, are wise, and
'"
April 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 253
Servanus is styled the first bishop, the Apostle and founder of the Orkneyan Church/3 therefore he is regarded as the Patron. Again, the Lections, in the Breviary of Aberdeen, make Servanus a Scot, who lived under the rite and form of theprimitive Church, until the arrival of Palladius,''-' who was sent by St. Celestine,'«5 to convert the Scots, and who, finding Servanus there, ordained him as his suflFragan. ** Moved by divine inspiration, Palladius in- structedhim,andmadeServanushisassistant. ^' Hewasfound,wearetold, atCulros. AccordingtoBoece,*'PalladiusmadeSt. Serfabishop,andsent him into Orkney, to instruct the rude people there in the Faith. Palladius is said to have preached, with his followers, through all Scotland. ' The re- mains of Servanus were at Culros, in 1530, according to the Martyrology of Aberdeen. InScotland,thisholymanwaschieflyvenerated. 5° Aboutthe
year 15 11, George Browne, Bishop of Dunkeld, dedicated the parochial church of Petcarnia to St. Servan. " Monivard is one of his churches, in Perthshire. 5' Servanus is the patron of Creich and Dysart. sj He was com- memorated, at Dunning, where there were lands, attached to the chapel of St. Servanus. 5-» In the parish church of Monkege, now called Keith-Hall, there was an altar of "St. Serwe," another form of his name. This was in Aber- deenshire. 55 The present parish church is situated, upon a portion of St. Sare's bank, where it is said St. Sare's fair was held, before its removal to Culsamond. 5* AstraditionholdsSt. ServanustohavebeenaScot,itseems probable enough, that he may have been an Irish missionary, who laboured in Scotland. However, we must have more light thrown on his personal his- tory, to decide belter, regarding his native country, and about his period.
ArticleV. —St. Sobhartan,Bishop. Theinfluenceofaholybishop over his flock is greater even than that of a great king over his subjects, or than agreatmihtarycommanderoverhistroops. IntheMartyrologyofTallagh," at this same date, we read St. Sobairihein, a Bishop. However, we have no
account of his- age and place, among our Irish prelates. The Martyrology of »
Donegal records a festival, in honour of Sobhartan, on this day,
" For the»e titles, Dempster cites John Colman, St. Mamach, St. Moloch, Su "
Lesley, Historia bcolorum," lib. iv. , p. Notlilan, St. Marnan, St. Rumold, St.
cxxxvii. , Polydoras Virgilus'
"
Histona Tigernach, St. Medanach, St. Machut, St.
Anglorum. " lib. iii. , p. Iviii. , Antonios Pos- Cormach, St. Dagamach. See Rev. Dr.
"
icTinus' Apparatus Sacer," p. ccx.
• His feast occurs, at the 6th of July.
« See his Life, already given, at the 6lh of
'"
Gordon's Scotichronicon," vol. i. , p. 68.
s" Alexandro . Millo teste, adds Dempster, in "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scoto- rum," tomus ii. , lib. xviL, num. lOJo,
p. 573.
s' See " New Statistical Survey of Scot-
land," Perthshire, p. 723.
» According to Commissary Records of the Diocese ol Glasguw.
