Ian Paton is Rector of Old Saint Paul’s Church, Director of Liturgical Studies
in the Scottish Episcopal Institute, and former Convener of the Provincial
Liturgy Committee.
For more information, including pre-registration:
www.staidansclarkston.org.uk/lectures
A Service to launch the Scottish Episcopal Institute will take place in St
Ninian’s Cathedral, Perth on Sunday 4th October at 3pm. The preacher will
be the Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld &
Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Further details to
follow.
SAINTS DAYS IN APRIL
23 April St George (ca 275-23 April 303)- Patron Saint of England
According to tradition he was a Roman Soldier from SyriaPalestine and a guard of Emperor Diocletian. He is one of
the oldest venerated saints in the Catholic and Orthodox
Church. He was immortalised by the story of St George &
the Dragon, and is one of the 14 Holy Helpers. Historians
debate if he ever existed, but the Church has no doubt.
Chief among the sources for his legend is the Golden
Legend (translated in the 15th c by William Caxton) His
father was also a soldier, who died young, George followed
him in his career and went to Diocletian in Nicomedia. In 302 Diocletian issued
an antichristian degree, George refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, was
tortured and executed The Iconography of George and the Dragon seems to
be an image of his martyrdom, the maiden being the wife of Diocletian who
witnessed the death, the dragon the Roman Empire. But the story is pre
Christian, maybe George a Christian version of older deities. The legend was
brought to Europe by the Crusaders.
21 April St Maelrubha (ca. 671)
He was a Pictish apostle from Ireland who became a
monk at Bangor, count y Down. He founded a
monastery in Applecross, Ross and Cromarty, and built
a church on Loch Maree’s Island which became
famous for healing. He lived until the age of 80. The
Church in Poolewe, Ross-shire, dedicated to him, is
Scottish Episcopal, and is one of the smallest churches
in Scotland. It was converted from a barn in 1965. It is
worth visiting when seeing the famous Inverewe
Gardens (National Trust)
StOM Page 10