Saint Gervadius
Encyclopedia
Saint Gervadius (d. ~934 AD) was an Irish
saint
. His feast day is celebrated on November 8. He was an Irishman who established himself as a hermit
in Scotland
, near Kenedor (present day Kinneddar, Lossiemouth
, Moray
).
He may have emigrated to escape Viking
raids in his native land. It is possible he may have been part of a Gaelic
religious community that was present in Kinneddar in the 10th century, and who placed his cell in a cave in a rocky promontory to the east.
The early maps give reference to his having been there by naming the area Holyman's Head near Elgin
. His cave became a place of pilgrimage
right up to the Reformation
and survived into the 19th century before being quarried out.
down to where he was working. An alternate version states that the river brought him food. The Life of Gervadius states that he met with English soldiers sent by Athelstan in 934.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
. His feast day is celebrated on November 8. He was an Irishman who established himself as a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, near Kenedor (present day Kinneddar, Lossiemouth
Lossiemouth
Lossiemouth is a town in Moray, Scotland. Originally the port belonging to Elgin, it became an important fishing town. Although there has been over a 1,000 years of settlement in the area, the present day town was formed over the past 250 years and consists of four separate communities that...
, Moray
Moray
Moray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
).
He may have emigrated to escape Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
raids in his native land. It is possible he may have been part of a Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
religious community that was present in Kinneddar in the 10th century, and who placed his cell in a cave in a rocky promontory to the east.
The early maps give reference to his having been there by naming the area Holyman's Head near Elgin
Elgin, Moray
Elgin is a former cathedral city and Royal Burgh in Moray, Scotland. It is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray. The town originated to the south of the River Lossie on the higher ground above the flood plain. Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190...
. His cave became a place of pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
right up to the Reformation
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
and survived into the 19th century before being quarried out.
Legends
A legend states that he lit flaming torches at night to warn ships away from the dangerous rocks. Another states that once, when Gervadius needed wood to complete the construction of a church, he was miraculously assisted by a river, which washed timberTimber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
down to where he was working. An alternate version states that the river brought him food. The Life of Gervadius states that he met with English soldiers sent by Athelstan in 934.