St Mungo, St Hilary of Poitiers

St Mungo, (also know as St Kentigern) 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.

Mungo's mother Teneu was a princess, the daughter of King Lleuddun, who ruled a territory around what is now Lothian in Scotland. She became pregnant after being raped by Owain mab Urien, according to the British Library manuscript. Other historic accounts claim Owain and Teneu (also known as Thaney) had a love affair with her whilst he was still married to his wife Penarwen, and that her father, King Lot, separated the pair after she became pregnant. Later, allegedly, after Penarwen died, Tenue/Thaney returned to King Owain and the pair were able to marry before King Owain met his death battling Bernicia in 597 AD.

Her furious father had her thrown from the heights of Traprain Law. Surviving, she was then abandoned in a coracle in which she drifted across the Firth of Forth to Culross in Fife. There Mungo was born.[

Mungo was brought up by Saint Serf who was ministering to the Picts in that area. It was Serf who gave him his popular pet-name. At the age of 25, Mungo began his missionary labours on the Clyde, on the site of modern Glasgow. He built his church across the water from an extinct volcano, next to the Molendinar Burn, where the present medieval cathedral now stands. For 13 years, he laboured in the district, living an austere life in a small cell and making many converts by his holy example and his preaching.

A strong anti-Christian movement in Strathclyde, headed by King Morken, compelled Mungo to leave the district, and he retired to Wales, via Cumbria, staying for a time with Saint David at St David's, and afterwards moving on to Gwynedd where he founded a cathedral at Llanelwy (St Asaph in English). While there, he undertook a pilgrimage to Rome. However, the new King of Strathclyde, Riderch Hael, invited Mungo to return to his kingdom. He decided to go and appointed St Asaph as Bishop of Llanelwy in his place.

For some years, Mungo was based at Hoddom in Dumfriesshire, evangelising the district of Galloway. He eventually returned to Glasgow where a large community grew up around him. It was nearby, in Kilmacolm, that he was visited by St Columba, who was at that time labouring in Strathtay. The two saints embraced, had a long conversation, and exchanged their pastoral staves. He died on Sunday 13 January.

In the Life of Saint Mungo, he performed four miracles in Glasgow. The following verse is used to remember Mungo's four miracles:

Here is the bird that never flew
Here is the tree that never grew
Here is the bell that never rang
Here is the fish that never swam

The verses refer to the following:

The Bird: Mungo restored life to a robin, that had been killed by some of his classmates.
The Tree: Mungo had been left in charge of a fire in Saint Serf's monastery. He fell asleep and the fire went out. Taking a hazel branch, he restarted the fire.
The Bell: the bell is thought to have been brought by Mungo from Rome. It was said to have been used in services and to mourn the dead. The original bell no longer exists, and a replacement, created in the 1640s, is now on display in Glasgow.
The Fish: refers to the story about Queen Languoreth of Strathclyde who was suspected of infidelity by her husband. King Riderch demanded to see her ring, which he claimed she had given to her lover. In reality the King had thrown it into the River Clyde. Faced with execution she appealed for help to Mungo, who ordered a messenger to catch a fish in the river. On opening the fish, the ring was miraculously found inside, which allowed the Queen to clear her name.

On the spot where Mungo was buried now stands the cathedral dedicated to him. His shrine was a great centre of Christian pilgrimage until the Reformation. His remains are said to still rest in the crypt.

Mungo's four religious miracles in Glasgow are represented in the city's coat of arms. 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'.

There are many shrines, churches and school around the world dedicated to St Mungo/St Kentigern.

His life was told by several medieval writers including Jocelyn of Furness and John of Tynemouth.

St Mungo is mentioned in the Father Brown series of books by GK Chesterton, as the titular saint of Father Brown's parish.

St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries is the primary hospital of Magical Britain in the Harry Potter series of books by JK Rowling.

Read about St Mungo's Festival 2024 which is taking place in Glasgow this week: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/48875

St Hilary of Poitiers

Bishop of Poitiers. Born in 315, to wealthy pagan parents, Hilary became an orator, married and had a daughter, Afra.

After a long process of study, he became a Christian in 350 and devoted the rest of his life to the Church. In 353 he was chosen as bishop. St Hilary was an outspoken champion of orthodoxy against the Arian heresy. He took part in the Synod of Bitterae in 356 and the council of Selucia in 359. He was exiled to Phrygia under the Emperor Constantius from 356-360. In 364 he successfully refuted the arguments of the Arian Bishop of Milan Auxentius.

St Hilary was described by his contemporaries as gentle, courteous and friendly. His principle writings are De Trinitate - a treatise against the Arian beliefs, De Synodis, and Commentaries on the Psalms and St Matthew's Gospel.

His feast begins the terms for some law courts and universities. Three churches are dedicated to him in England. He was named a Doctor of the Church by Pius IX in 1851.