St. Kentigern Mungo - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online There Mungo was born. It was Serf who gave him his popular pet-name. If youre like me, those four lines are new to you. St. Serf cared for Thenue, helped raise her boy, and guided him into priesthood. The King organised a hunting party in which the knight would be present. He is said to have died in his bath, on Sunday 13 January. To this day, Glasgow schoolchildren learn a rhyme about St. Mungo: This is the bird that never flew, and this the tree that never grew. It is very difficult and, in many cases, ultimately hopeless, to try to recover what actually happened in a saints life, says Broun. Kentigern (Welsh: Cyndeyrn Garthwys; Latin: Kentigernus), known as Mungo, was a missionary in the Brittonic Kingdom of Strathclyde in the late sixth century, and the founder and patron saint of the city of Glasgow. He ended up growing up in a monastery before traveling on his own, probably in his 20s, to do Gods work. Mungo placed the body in a cart and commanded two bulls to pull it to a place ordained by God. Miracles. St. Mungo - by Mairi Bontorno - Magpie Tidings It also weaves through central Glasgow past two exquisitely detailed murals of St. Mungo, both more than 30 feet tall, covering the sides of buildings on High Street. Mungos fledgling settlement grew, helped by the fact that he had chosen the best spot for people to cross the Clyde. Obviously not a nice man and wanting rid of his queen, the king threw her wedding ring into the Clyde then claimed she had given it to her lover. At Townhead and Dennistoun in Glasgow there is a modern Roman Catholic church and a traditional Scottish Episcopal Church[16] respectively dedicated to the saint. Myth rather than legend, all of it, but the bell, tree, bird and fish have long featured on Glasgows crest, and the saint is also responsible for the citys motto: Lord let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of thy word and the praising of thy name.. The story is that he accompanied a cart carrying the body of Fergus, a holy man, looking for a burial site. Lives to Inspire: Mungo of Glasgow - Online Prayer Icon of St. Kentigern (Mungo), Bishop in Scotland. Here is the tree that never grew There are two other certain medieval accounts: the earlier partial Life in the Cottonian MSS [scholarly abbreviation for manuscripts] now in the British Library, and a later one, based on Jocelin, by John of Tynemouth. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. First bishop of the Strathclyde Britons. Each of these icons represents a famous St. Mungo miracle, says Patricia Barton, lecturer in the history department at the University of Strathclyde Glasgow. His maternal grandfather, Lleuddun, was probably a King of the legendary Gododdin; Lothian was named after him. She became pregnant after being raped . Far to the north and west, St Columba was in the midst of . It is believed that the bell was given to Mungo by the Pope in Rome. He. His feast day in the West is 13 January. Ever since he settled there in the 6th century, stories of his life give him a mythical status. Saint Mungo was born to Saint Teneu in 518 AD, in Culross, Fife. There is a St Kentigern's school and church in Blackpool. He is St. Mungo, the illegitimate son of an alleged witch thrown from a cliff while he was in her womb. Christianity had been introduced to the region by Saint Ninian and his followers welcomed the saint and procured his consecration by an Irish bishop. This gala event has grown enormously since its inception, says Stephen McKinney, spokesman for Mediaeval Glasgow Trust, which helps organize the festival. As the knight slept the King took the ring and threw it into the River Clyde. Saint Mungo - Wikipedia He is also said to have performed many other miracles, including healing the sick and feeding the hungry. Wallace at Ardrossan Castle (Ayrshire Legends Collaboration). A sign alongside it even concedes that, in regards to his life story, much of it was made up.. All rights reserved, St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, St. Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art. I dont know of another city in Europe where a [patron] saints legends are as well known, says Macquarrie. After his departure, Mungo travelled to Stirling where he lived at the home of a holy man named Fergus. Upon learning of Teneu's pregnancy, her father, King Lleuddun of Lothian, became . He built his church across the water from an extinct volcano, next to the Molendinar Burn, where the present medieval cathedral now stands. In Scotland he is considered a patron saint of those needing help against bullies, of those accused of infidelity, and of salmon. Mungo, who was supposed to have been looking after the fire, found some frozen branches and prayed, causing them to burst into flames. These can be traced to the early seals of Glasgow's Bishops and to the Burgh Common Seal. In Chrtien de Troyes; Burton Raffel, "The grandchildren of Lady Anne Clifford were sent to Utrecht in 1655 for the treatment of rickets and returned two years later in a man-of-war. During her second apparition, November 27, 1830, Our Lady stood on a globe, with her feet crushing a serpent.In her hands she held a small golden globe. This 12th-century book provides the most detailed account of St. Mungos life. He built his church across the water from an extinct volcano, next to the Molendinar Burn, where the present medieval cathedral now stands. Such is his mystery, theres no proof St. Mungos remains are inside the cloth-covered coffin in the cathedrals crypt. Rays of light came from her hands and lit up the globe on which she was standing. When students at St. Serfs monastery accidentally killed a pet robin, and blamed Mungo, the boy held this bird, engaged in prayer, and sent it flapping back into the sky. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. All rights reserved. A mural on High Street in Glasgow, Scotland, depicts a modern day St. Mungo, founder and patron saint of the city. These four miracles are portrayed on the current coat of arms of the city of Glasgow. Kentigern and his mother were saved by St Serf at a monastery at Culross. St Mungo, was an apostle of the Scottish Kingdom of Strathclyde in the late sixth century. Glasgow Cathedral, dedicated to St. Mungo, is the oldest church in mainland Scotland and the oldest building in Glasgow. The Bird refers to how the saint restored life to the pet robin of St. Serf, which had been killed by some of his classmates, hoping to blame him for its death. [4] The Mungo pet name or hypocorism has a Gaelic parallel in the form Mo Choe or Mo Cha, under which guise Kentigern appears in Kirkmahoe, for example, in Dumfriesshire, which appears as ecclesia Sancti Kentigerni in the Arbroath Liber in 1321. While there, he undertook a pilgrimage to Rome. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. Jocelin states that he rewrote the Vita from an earlier Glasgow legend and an old Gaelic document. Glasgow Science Centre set to host UK Queen: Heaven Premiere, University of Glasgow named amongst Europes most beautiful. You can visit his tomb in the lower church. [20] [21] Saint Mungo's runs hostels, outreach, emergency shelters, and . Mary stands upon the globe as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Upon learning of Teneus pregnancy, her father, King Lleuddun of Lothian, became outraged and sentenced her to death. The two saints embraced, had a long conversation, and exchanged their pastoral staves. There seems little reason to doubt that Mungo was one of the first evangelists of Strathclyde, under the patronage of King Rhiderch Hael, and probably became the first Bishop of Glasgow. The cathedral is one of two in Scotland to have survived the Reformation intact. Chronicling the saint's life, from the remarkable circumstances surrounding his birth to his lifelong quest to reinvigorate Britain's Christian culture and his pivotal role in founding the city of Glasgow, the author creates a compendium of the well-known legends surrounding . We can be pretty certain that Mungo, or Kentigern, actually existed. She was kicked out of the kingdom after she fell pregnant following an encounter with her cousin, king Owain of North Rheged. This would later shorten to Let Glasgow Flourish becoming the motto for the city. This jealousy and resentment continued to grow eventually causing Mungo to leave the monastery. St. Homobonus - Saint John Institute The history of book bansand their changing targetsin the U.S. Should you get tested for a BRCA gene mutation? We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. A contemporary of St. Columba of Iona, he reposed not long after the papal Augustinian mission to Anglo-Saxon England. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". There is a United Church of Canada charge in Cushing Quebec Canada, Saint Mungo's United Church. It is more hagiography than biography but it is the main source of details about Mungo well leave out the more fanciful stuff and concentrate on what is probably factual. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Jocelin seems to have altered parts of the original life that he did not understand; while adding others, like the trip to Rome, that served his own purposes, largely the promotion of the Bishopric of Glasgow. A few minutes walk north from there lies St. Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art. Saint Mungo, also known as Saint Kentigern, Cantigernus or Cyndeyrn Garthwys, lived from 528 to 13 January 614. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Every January 13 we celebrate the patron saint of Glasgow - St Mungo. In Wales and England, this saint is known by his birth and baptismal name Kentigern (Welsh: Cyndeyrn). St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries is the primary hospital of Magical Britain in the Harry Potter series of books by J. K. The Life of Saint Mungo bears similarities with Chrtien de Troyes's French romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Eventually, these beasts paused in the green and serene Clyde Valley. Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. The name Kentigern, an Old English form, seems derived from an Old Welsh name, today Kyndeyrn or Cyndeyrn in Welsh, with roots meaning either "hound lord" or "chief lord." It is part of the Church of Scotland, a Presbyterian denomination. Tourists can learn these wondrous tales while following the St. Mungo Heritage Trail, an online guide created by the Glasgow City Council. This 12th-century book provides the most detailed account of St. Mungos life. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Today is the feast day of Saint - Made in Scotland Tours - Facebook Saint Mungo according to tradition founded a number of churches during his period as hierarch of Strathclyde, of which Stobo Kirk is a notable example. After completing his religious training, Mungo left Culross and encountered a dying holy man named Fergus, whose final wish was to be hauled on a cart by bulls and buried wherever they halted. Inside the cathedral you can visit the tomb of St Mungo, once affectionately referred to by . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. St. Mungo, The Foundation of Glasgow, and Four Miracles Whatever the truth, his legacy is still feltand celebratedin Scotlands biggest city. In Kilmarnock, a Church of Scotland congregation is named St Kentigern's. It was nearby, in Kilmacolm, that he was visited by Saint Columba, who was at that time labouring in Strathtay. In carrying out this sentence Teneu was thrown from Traprain Law, East Lothian. The festivals growth underscores the enduring influence of St. Mungo. He eventually returned to Glasgow where a large community grew up around him. It was there Fergus was interred, and Mungo established a church and a new community he named Glasgu. This chapel developed into the magnificent 12th-century Glasgow Cathedral, now the citys oldest building, which is decorated by four symbols shared with the Glasgow crest. The front side of the Miraculous Medal depicts Mary Immaculate, her hands open, full of light. [2] Other etymologies have been suggested, including British *Kintu-tigernos 'chief prince' based on the English form Kentigern, but the Old Welsh form above and Old English Cundieorn do not appear to support this.[3]. St Mungo is the Patron Saint and Founder of the City of Glasgow, and today is a day of celebration in the city. Jennifer Westwood and Sophia Kingshill The Lore of Scotland: A guide to Scottish Legends (2009).Allison Galbraith Lanarkshire Folk Tales (2021).St Mungo Heritage Trail Guide. Saint Kentigern | Christian missionary | Britannica A mural on High Street in Glasgow, Scotland, depicts a modern day St. Mungo, founder and patron saint of the city. Kentigern, which means hound-lord, was Mungos real name. Kentigern Gardens is the location of a murder in The Cuckoo's Calling, a novel published under J. K. Rowling's pseudonym of Robert Galbraith. Mungo's mother Teneu was a princess, the daughter of King Lleuddun (Latin: Leudonus) who ruled a territory around what is now Lothian in Scotland, perhaps the kingdom of Gododdin in the Old North. However, the new King of Strathclyde, Riderch Hael, invited Mungo to return to his kingdom. To approach a question 400 million years in the making, researchers turned to mudskippers, blinking fish that live partially out of water. Saint Mungo was born to Saint Teneu in 518 AD, in Culross, Fife. To save chestnut trees, we may have to play God, Why you should add native plants to your garden, What you can do right now to advocate for the planet, Why poison ivy is an unlikely climate change winner, The gory history of Europes mummy-eating fad, This ordinary woman hid Anne Frankand kept her story alive, This Persian marvel was lost for millennia. Who buys lion bones? Please be respectful of copyright. There St. Kentigern was born. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. St. Mungos miraculous story is a murky mix of fact and fiction. They are on the citys coat of arms, and the name St. But after 13 or 14 years, the anti-Christian faction in Strathclyde drove him out and he went south to meet Saint David of Wales and helped found a monastery at St Asaphs. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's The bell, meanwhile, represents one that Mungo brought back to Glasgow from Rome, Barton explains. It is said her father tied her to a chariot and sent it flying off Trapain Law - but she survived. Stay tuned for the fish story. A Gannett Company. In desperation, the queen sought help from Mungo, who had a fish scooped from the river and cut it open to reveal the lost ring. The fate of the original bell is unknown, however, a replacement which was bought by the citys magistrates in 1641 can still be seen in the Peoples Palace Museum. His four stories also make up the coat of arms of the University of Glasgow. Mungo died on January 13, 614. contact the editor here. The King was suspicious of his wife, believing her to be guilty of infidelity. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. The Glasgow coat of arms has the bird, tree, bell and fish. Acting on this Mungo sent one of his monks to the River, instructing him to bring back the first fish that he caught. Nor is there too much archaeology to shed light on Scotlands Dark Ages we really just do not know for certain what happened back then. He decided to go and appointed Saint Asaph/Asaff as Bishop of Llanelwy in his place. The original bell no longer exists, and a replacement, created in the 1640s, is now on display in Glasgow. Davies, John Reuben, "Bishop Kentigern among the Britons," in Boardman, Steve, John Reuben Davies, Eila Williamson (eds), McArthur Irvin, Lindsay, "Building a British Identity: Jocelin of Furness's Use of Sources in Vita Kentigerni," in, This page was last edited on 28 March 2023, at 21:07. I dont know of another city in Europe where a [patron] saints legends are as well known, says Macquarrie. It was said that the bell was used in services to mourn the dead. Each year thousands of people gather in town to celebrate his legacy during the St. Mungo Festival. The Coat of Arms of the City of Glasgow was given to the royal burgh by the Lord Lyon on 25 October 1866. You might have also seen the huge mural on High Street depicting a modern-day version of St Mungo with the robin. He eventually returned to Glasgow where a large community grew up around him, becoming known as Clas-gu (meaning the 'dear family'). The bird, tree, bell and fish are associated with miracles attributed to Mungo. St Mungo's Parish, Glasgow. The fish was the first to appear in 1270, joined by the bird in in 1271 and, shortly thereafter the tree, or at least a branch. In A.D. 528, Scottish princess Thenue became pregnant from an affair with a cousin, and her furious father had her pushed off Traprain Law peak, 18 miles east of Edinburgh. All of its events are free, the most popular of which are lectures on Glasgows heritage by experts in history, literature, art, and archaeology. Bishop Jocelin is an important presence in Glasgows history and will reappear later in this series. His shrine was a great centre of Christian pilgrimage until the Scottish Reformation. St mungo performed 4 miracles in his life time in Glasgow. Glasgow children learn the rhythm about St Mungo's miracles just like any other nursery rhyme or poem. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. He also has associations with figures from Arthurian legends, having lived in that time of transition between post-Roman Celtic Britain to pagan Anglo-Saxon domination of the island. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A distraught Languoreth visited Mungo and pleaded with him to help find the ring. It is believed that St Enochs square in the city centre was the medieval site of a church built to honour Saint Teneu. Glasgow's current motto Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of His word and the praising of His name and the more secular Let Glasgow flourish, are both inspired by Mungo's original call "Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the word." One dead and seven injured in Cornwall nightclub knife attack, Nurses strike continues: Major disruption for NHS services in England, Additional flight to evacuate Britons from Sudan today, Ryanair cancels 220 flights over May 1 bank holiday due to strikes, Hardcore coronation fans already camped outside Buckingham Palace, Don Robertson replaces injured Collum as referee for Rangers vs Celtic. The Christian King Rydderch Hael, known as the Liberal, won the throne of Strathclyde in or around the year 573, and immediately sent for Mungo who brought many monks with him. You can still find traces of St. Mungo and St. Enoch in Glasgow today if you know where to look. Surviving, she was then abandoned in a coracle in which she drifted across the River Forth to Culross in Fife. He had in his hand the Manual-book, always ready to exercise his ministry, whenever necessity or reason demanded. Saint Mungo's feast day is 1 July. (Why Glasgow is Scotlands most exciting city right now.). Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reachmore than 20 million unique users per month! He died in 614, and was buried near the church. St. Mungo His history and influence. He is a patron saint of the city of Glasgow that he founded. St Kentigern's is a small Roman Catholic Church in the village of Eyeries, on the Beara peninsula in West Cork, Ireland.[19]. St. Kentigern is venerated as the Apostle of what is now northwest England (including Cumbria and the Lake District) and southwest Scotland. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. The Glasgow coat of arms seen on the side of a trolleybus in Scotland. Despite living some 1,400 years ago, he remains so relevant in Glasgow each January a large festival celebrates his legacy. The Vita Kentigerni had to show that he had performed miracles in his life. St. Mungo is mentioned in the Father Brown series of books by G. K. Chesterton, as the titular saint of Father Brown's parish. The knight told Mungo, who asked a monk to catch a fish. Only one ancient account mentions the existence of Xerxes Canal, long thought to be a tall tale. National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. The Crest. While there, he undertook a pilgrimage to Rome. For more than a decade, Mungo lived in a simple cell, converting many people to Christianity and helping others to rediscover their faith by the example he showed. Photograph by Rory Prior, Alamy Stock Photo. Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Mungo let the oxen pulling the cart go where they wanted, and they stopped at the spot where Glasgow Cathedral now stands. The Miracles of St Mungo. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. .css-tadcwa:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Philip Kosloski - @media screen and (max-width: 767px){.css-1xovt06 .date-separator{display:none;}.css-1xovt06 .date-updated{display:block;width:100%;}}published on 01/13/19. No matter how slippery, this holy mans tale helps explain the origin, evolution, and medieval wonders of Glasgow, particularly to travellers who follow the St. Mungo Heritage Trail or attend his festival. During his time at the monastery, Mungo became the favourite student of Saint Serf, often causing jealousy and resentment amongst his monastic peers. Here Is The Bell That Never Rang - about a bell that Mungo brought back from Rome. At this time, Saint Serf had a pet, Robin. On opening the fish, the ring was miraculously found inside, which allowed the Queen to clear her name. King Riderch demanded to see her ring, which he claimed she had given to her lover. In the mid 6th century, on the site where Glasgow cathedral now stands, St Mungo set up a church and a community which grew into the city of Glasgow. Details of Mungo's infirmity have a ring of authenticity about them. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Such is his mystery, theres no proof St. Mungos remains are inside the cloth-covered coffin in the cathedrals crypt. His maternal grandfather, Lleuddun, was probably a King of the Gododdin; Lothian was named after him. In another tale, Mungo fell asleep while guarding the monasterys holy fire, woke to find it extinguished, and so snapped branches from a tree and prayed until they were set ablaze. St. Serf cared for Thenue, helped raise her boy, and guided him into priesthood. Mairi Bontorno. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. It was nearby, in Kilmacolm, that he was visited by St Columba, who was at that time labouring in Strathtay. He knight lost it, and when the king demanded to see his wifes ring, he threatened to kill her unless she showed it. [10], Saint Mungo's Well was a cold water spring and bath at Copgrove, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, formerly believed effective for treating rickets. Mike Haynes taught journalism at Amarillo College from 1991 to 2016 and has written for the Faith section since 1997. The pet, however, was killed by some of the boys at the monastery, who wished to place the blame on Mungo. Quite simply, St Mungo is the patron saint and the founder of Glasgow. For some years, Mungo fixed his Episcopal seat at Hoddom in Dumfriesshire, evangelising thence the district of Galloway. At 25, Mungo headed west and began missionary work along the Clyde. A spring called "St. Mungo's Well" fell eastwards from the apse. The bloody legend of Hungarys serial killer countess, See how stonemasons keep Englands oldest cathedrals standing tall, Behind the mystery of Saint Valentines bones, Why the shipyards that built the Titanic still influence Belfast, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society. His nickname Mungo possibly derives from an Old Welsh form for "my dear" or "beloved." What began as a small event in 2010 has bloomed into a flagship fair for Glasgow, a proudly working-class city of 630,000 people in the countrys south.