This week's Coracle: 28/11/2025
St Andrew, Angels and Compton Mackenzie plus some of Scotland's Saints for December.
Saint Andrew: James Bundy asks if our patron Saint is still important?
Although our thoughts turn to Advent and the coming of our Lord, Scotland’s calendar still has plently of room to remember her Saints - and December has one of my favourites - St Obert. Although nothing much is known of him/her it was the efforts of the local Kirk in the teeth of the reformation to stamp out the youthful exuberance of Obert’s Eve that is most entertaining.
There is also the interesting St Manire, who revealingly in the 9th century was sent to the country around Braemar and Ballater it appears to re-evangelise the locals who had retained their earlier beliefs. The reason given was the difficulties in communication with the earlier Gaelic missionaries. There is also St Buite, an Adrian or Odran or maybe Ethernan and the mysterious St Mayoca; who like the majority of early Scottish female Saints, little is known and appears rather to fulfill a femine saintly archetype.
Just a heads up - we will publish as usual on the 2nd Friday of December but for this years Advent we plan to publish a reflection on the day of each of the O’Antiphons. They are a beautiful path leading us to the coming of the Lord through the Virgin but also remind us we are still waiting on His final return.