Ninian of Whithorn

Pilgrimage prayers at Whithorn Bishop John Cunningham joins rain-soaked pilgrims in honouring St Ninian in Galloway Scottish Catholic Observer September 4, 2009 by Martin Dunlop. ___________________________________________________ BISHOP John Cunningham celebrat­ed the Mass in honour of St Ninian on the annual Galloway Diocese pil­grimage to Whithorn last weekend. Accompanied by Bishop Emeritus Maurice Taylor, many of the priests and hundreds of parishioners from throughout the Galloway Diocese and beyond braved the appalling weather to join the open-air congregation perched on rocks to contin­ue this most ancient of Scottish Catholic traditions. On the last Sunday of August the Galloway Diocese, led by the bishop, has traditionally gathered on the beach in front of St Ninian's cave to celebrate Mass. History and tradition Fr Stephen Latham, parish priest at St Joseph's, Kilmarnock, enjoyed this year's pilgrimage and spoke of the history surrounding St Ninian and the traditions of Galloway Diocese. “Nowadays when we think of pilgrimages, we think mainly in terms of overseas shrines like Lourdes or Rome or Medjugorje," Fr Latham said. "Modem travel has brought these places within the reach of all and tourist agencies make visiting such places relatively easy. But long before planes or railway, Scots pilgrims were to be found following the great pilgrim routes of Europe to Canterbury, Cologne or Compostela. "But of all pilgrimages within Scotland there is one which, above all others, should be described as Scotland's National Pilgrimage-the pilgrimage to the shrine of St Ninian at Whithorn in Galloway." Fr Latham explained that, older and more frequented than pilgrimages to St Andrews, Iona or Dunfermline, the pil­grim routes to Whithorn were in use during the Dark Ages and remained busy throughout the Middle Ages. Early pilgrims When St Ninian died, in the year 432AD, he was buried in the little church he had built at Whithorn and pilgrims continued to visit Whithorn to learn the scientia sanctorum-the knowledge of holy things. "Throughout medieval times an annual feast in honour of St Ninian was celebrated at Whithorn," be said. "It began on the Tuesday of Whitsun Week when the shrine of the saint was carried from the priory to the chapel outside the town and lasted until the Feast of St John the Baptist on June 24. "Another resort of the medieval pil­grim was the cave which ancient tradition associates with St Ninian. The crosses carved on the walls of this cave prove that, as far back as 12 centuries ago at least, pilgrims were visiting this cave where St Ninian once prayed. "Individual pilgrims came from all over the land; some sought healing others came to thank St inian for favours received. Kings and queens, as well as commoners, were' to be seen on the pil­grim road." Royal visitor In 1329, a few months before his death, King Robert the Bruce came from Cardross to Whithorn seeking a cure of his leprosy. His son, King David II came also to seek healing. The most regular royal pilgrim was King James IV, who visited the site almost every year. Bishop John Cunningham (inset) celebrates Mass with Bishop Emeritus Maurice Taylor, while hundreds of pilgrims brave the weather and rocks to participate (main). – PICS: EDWARD FLANNIGHAN • martin@scottishcatholicobserver.org.uk

Scotand First Saint

16th September

Saint Ninian, Scotland’s First Saint

The Whithorn Trust was established in 1986 - explores the writings of the Venerable Bede ...

www.whithorn.com/saint-ninian.htm

St. Ninian: (NINIAS, NINUS, DINAN, RINGAN, RINGEN)

Bishop and confessor; date of birth unknown; died about 432; the first Apostle of Christianity in Scotland. The earliest account of him is in Bede (Hist. Eccles., III, 4): "the southern Picts received the true faith by the preaching of Bishop Ninias, a most reverend and holy man of the British nation, who had been regularly instructed at Rome in the faith and mysteries of the truth; whose episcopal see, named after St. Martin the Bishop, and famous for a church dedicated to him (wherein Ninias himself and many other saints rest in the body), is now in the possession of the English nation. The place belongs to the province of the Bernicians and is commonly called the White House [Candida Casa], because he there built a church of stone, which was not usual amongst the Britons". The facts given in this passage form practically all we know of St. Ninian's life and work.

The most important later life, compiled in the twelfth century by St. Ælred, professes to give a detailed account founded on Bede and also on a "liber de vita et miraculis eius" (sc. Niniani) "barbarice scriptus", but the legendary element is largely evident. He states, however, that while engaged in building his church at Candida Casa, Ninian heard of the death of St. Martin and decided to dedicate the building to him. Now St. Martin died about 397, so that the mission of Ninian to the southern Picts must have begun towards the end of the fourth century. St. Ninian founded at Whithorn a monastery which became famous as a school of monasticism within a century of his death; his work among the southern Picts seems to have had but a short lived success. St. Patrick, in his epistle to Coroticus, terms the Picts "apostates", and references to Ninian's converts having abandoned Christianity are found in Sts. Columba and Kentigern. The body of St. Ninian was buried in the church at Whithorn (Wigtownshire), but no relics are now known to exist. The "Clogrinny", or bell of St. Ringan, of very rough workmanship, is in the Antiquarian Museum at Edinburgh.

www.newadvent.org/cathen/11084a.htm

Our Lady of Sorrows

September 15, 2009

Our Lady of Sorrows

In the 'grand-stairs' of the Guesthouse, a set of the traditional frames of the Seven Sorrows came with the foundation. The morning sun shines in from the east, and there the light has direct sun and has sadly caused the bleaching of the pictures.
The reproductions of the Durer (see to left) are not subject to fading of the colours from the Internet exposure.

The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary First Sorrow The Prophecy of Simeon. Reading: Luke 2: 25-35. When Mary and Joseph present the infant Jesus in the temple, Simeon predicts that a "sword" (of sorrow) will pierce her soul. Second Sorrow The flight into Egypt. Reading: Matthew 2: 13-15. When King Herod orders the death of all male children age two or younger, Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt with the infant Jesus. Third Sorrow The Child Jesus Lost in the Temple. Reading: Luke 2: 41-50. Mary and Joseph search for the child Jesus for three days, fnding him at last in the temple. Fourth Sorrow Mary meets Jesus carrying the cross. Reading: Luke 23: 27-29. Mary shares Jesus' suffering as He carries the cross through the streets of Jerusalem. Fifth Sorrow Mary at the foot of the cross. Reading: John 19: 25-30. Mary witnesses the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Sixth Sorrow Mary receives the body of Jesus. Reading: Psalm 130. Jesus is taken down from the cross and his body is placed in Mary's arms. Seventh Sorrow Mary witnesses the burial of Jesus. Reading: Luke 23: 50-56. The body of Jesus is laid in the tomb and Mary awaits the Resurrection.

Seven Sorrows

See: Albrecht Durer. The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin.

The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin is the earliest known altarpiece by Dürer. It was originally very large, about 2x3 m. The right half, representing the Seven Joys of the Virgin, is now missing and only the left part with sorrows survived. The central part depicts the grieving Virgin after the Crucifixion. Around the Virgin are seven smaller panels with detailed scenes from the life of the Christ (from top left): 1. the Circumcision, 2. the Flight into Egypt, 3. the 12 year old Christ among the Doctors, 4. the bearing of the Cross, 5. the Nailing to the Cross, 6. the Crucifixion and 7. the Lamentation. The altarpiece was bought in mid-sixteenth century by the artist Lucas Cranach the Younger (1515-86), it was probably him who sawed the work into separate panels.

( www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/durer

Reading A Sermon of St Bernard His Mother stood by the Cross. The martyrdom of the Virgin is set forth both in the prophecy of Simeon and in the actual story of our Lord’s passion. The holy old man said of the infant Jesus: He has been established as a sign which will be contradicted. He went on to say to Mary: And your own heart will be pierced by a sword. Truly, O blessed Mother, a sword has pierced your heart. For only by passing through your heart could the sword enter the flesh of your Son. Indeed, after your Jesus – who belongs to everyone, but is especially yours – gave up his life, the cruel spear, which was not withheld from his lifeless body, tore open his side. Clearly it did not touch his soul and could not harm him, but it did pierce your heart. For surely his soul was no longer there, but yours could not be torn away. Thus the violence of sorrow has cut through your heart, and we rightly call you more than martyr, since the effect of compassion in you has gone beyond the endurance of physical suffering. Or were those words, Woman, behold your Son, not more than a word to you, truly piercing your heart, cutting through to the division between soul and spirit? What an exchange! John is given to you in place of Jesus, the servant in place of the Lord, the disciple in place of the master; the son of Zebedee replaces the Son of God, a mere man replaces God himself. How could these words not pierce your most loving heart, when the mere remembrance of them breaks ours, hearts of iron and stone though they are! Do not be surprised, brothers, that Mary is said to be a martyr in spirit. Let him be surprised who does not remember the words of Paul, that one of the greatest crimes of the Gentiles was that they were without love. That was far from the heart of Mary; let it be far from her servants. Perhaps someone will say: “Had she not known before that he would not die?” Undoubtedly. “Did she not expect him to rise again at once?” Surely. “And still she grieved over her crucified Son?” Intensely. Who are you and what is the source of your wisdom that you are more surprised at the compassion of Mary than at the passion of Mary’s Son? For if he could die in body, could she not die with him in spirit? He died in body through a love greater than anyone had known. She died in spirit through a love unlike any other since his. Concluding Prayer O God, when your Son was hung high on the cross you willed that his Mother should stand by him and suffer with him. Grant to your Church that she may share, through Mary, in Christ’s passion and deserve to share also in his resurrection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.