Saint Mirin
Encyclopedia
Saint Mirin or Mirren, an Irish
monk
and missionary
(born circa 565; died circa 620), is also known as Mirren of Benchor (now called Bangor), Merinus, Merryn and Meadhrán. The patron saint
of the town and Roman Catholic diocese
of Paisley
, Scotland
, he was the founder of a religious community which grew to become Paisley Abbey
. The shrine
of this saint
in the abbey became a centre of pilgrimage
.
A contemporary of the better known Saint Columba
of Iona
and disciple of Saint Comgall
, he was prior
of Bangor Abbey
in County Down
, Ireland
before making his missionary voyage to Scotland
. He is venerated in both Ireland and Scotland and in the Orthodox
tradition.
of Bangor Abbey
in County Down
in the north east of Ireland
, where he was placed under the care of St. Comgall
. St Mirin later took oversight of the monastery and thus became the prior of Bangor Abbey, where he accepted visitors and sojourners.
Later on, St Mirin travelled to the camp of the High King of Ireland
with the purpose of spreading the Christian faith. Having heard of Mirin's arrival, the king refused to allow the saint to enter the camp. Mirin, thus slighted, was said to have prayed to God that the king might feel his wife's labour pangs, her time being near. The legend continues that, just as St Mirin had prayed, the king fell ill and roared in pain for three days and nights. In desperation the king sought out Mirin and granted him all he wished, including the right to go out and preach the Gospel
to the men of his camp. In response to these concessions St Mirin prayed on his behalf and he was freed from his pain.
When St Regulus
had established himself at St. Andrews, he appointed many pious men to go out and bring the Gospel
to Scotland. One of these missionaries was St Mirin. He was appointed to the west and, after a long and difficult journey, arrived where the town of Paisley now stands. The area had recently been abandoned by the Romans
and was in the possession of a powerful local chieftain. This chief took a liking to Mirin and the saint was alloted a small field near the river in the southern part of town. This plot was called St Mirin's Croft until it was later developed.
In various charters and Papal Bull
s Mirin is referred to as The glorious confessor, Saint Mirin. His image was engraved on the seal of the Abbey, depicting him in the vestments of a bishop
. Around the seal was inscribed the prayer O Mirin, pray for your servants. In King James IV
's Charter of 1488 raising Paisley to the status of burgh of barony
, one of the reasons cited was "the singular respect we have for the glorious confessor, Saint Mirin".
within Paisley Abbey
, dedicated to Mirin containing a sculptured stone
frieze
depicting the life of the saint. The Roman Catholic St Mirin's Cathedral
is also named in his honour. St. Mirren F.C.
, a football
club from Paisley
, is named after him. The St Mirin Burn flows into the White Cart Water
close to the town centre. He is also commemorated by St Mirren Street which links Paisley Cross to Causeyside Street. Unfortunately, since the closure of St Mirin's High School
in 2001 there has been no school in the town dedicated to the saint. However, there is a St. Mirin's Primary School in the Croftfoot
area of the neighbouring city of Glasgow
.
Elsewhere in Scotland
, the island of Inchmurrin
(i.e. Mirin's Island) in Loch Lomond
and a farm called Knockmurran (i.e. Mirin's Hill) near Coylton
in Ayrshire
are named after him. There is a St Mirin's Well near Kilsyth
in Stirlingshire
.
, designed by landscape architect Daniel McKendry, bearing the inscription taken from the Aberdeen Breviary
At Length Full of Sanctity and Miracles, Mirin Slept in the Lord at Paisley was erected in 2003 opposite St Mirin's Cathedral at the junction of Incle Street, Gauze Street and Glasgow Road in Paisley. A bronze
statue
of the saint by Norman Galbraith was mounted on the pedestal and was unveiled on the saint's day 15 September 2007 by the Provost
of Renfrewshire
Councillor Celia Lawson in the presence of the Bishop of Paisley
the Rt Rev Philip Tartaglia
, the Minister of Paisley Abbey
the Rt Rev Alan Birss, the Rt Hon Douglas Alexander
MP, Jim Sheridan MP, Hugh Henry
MSP, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire
James Wardrop and the sculptor Norman Galbraith. The erection and unveiling of the statue were co-ordinated by Daniel McKendry on behalf of the Mirin Project.
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...
monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
and missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
(born circa 565; died circa 620), is also known as Mirren of Benchor (now called Bangor), Merinus, Merryn and Meadhrán. The patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of the town and Roman Catholic diocese
Diocese of Paisley
The Diocese of Paisley is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in Scotland. Erected on 25 May 1947 from the Archdiocese of Glasgow the diocese covers the historic county of Renfrewshire and is in area making it the smallest diocese by area in Scotland...
of Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, 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...
, he was the founder of a religious community which grew to become Paisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey is a former Cluniac monastery, and current Church of Scotland parish kirk, located on the east bank of the White Cart Water in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, in west central Scotland.-History:...
. The shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
of this 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...
in the abbey became a centre 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...
.
A contemporary of the better known Saint Columba
Saint Columba
-Saints:* Columba , Irish Christian saint who evangelized Scotland* Columba the Virgin, also known as Saint Columba of Cornwall* Columba of Sens* Columba of Spain* Columba of Terryglass* Sancta Columba -Schools:...
of Iona
Iona
Iona is a small island in the Inner Hebrides off the western coast of Scotland. It was a centre of Irish monasticism for four centuries and is today renowned for its tranquility and natural beauty. It is a popular tourist destination and a place for retreats...
and disciple of Saint Comgall
Saint Comgall
Saint Comgall, an early Irish saint, was the founder and abbot of the great Irish monastery at Bangor , who flourished in the sixth century.-Life:...
, he was prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
of Bangor Abbey
Bangor Abbey
Bangor Abbey was established by Saint Comgall in 558 in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland and was famous for its learning and austere rule. It is not to be confused with the even older abbey in Wales on the site of Bangor Cathedral. Bangor Abbey was a centre of learning which trained...
in County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Ireland
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...
before making his missionary voyage to 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...
. He is venerated in both Ireland and Scotland and in the Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
tradition.
History and Legend
The history of St Mirin has grown dim and much of what is known about the saint is difficult to separate from fable. However, it is believed that Mirin was of noble birth. While still a young boy, his mother took him to the monasteryMonastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of Bangor Abbey
Bangor Abbey
Bangor Abbey was established by Saint Comgall in 558 in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland and was famous for its learning and austere rule. It is not to be confused with the even older abbey in Wales on the site of Bangor Cathedral. Bangor Abbey was a centre of learning which trained...
in County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
in the north east of Ireland
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...
, where he was placed under the care of St. Comgall
Saint Comgall
Saint Comgall, an early Irish saint, was the founder and abbot of the great Irish monastery at Bangor , who flourished in the sixth century.-Life:...
. St Mirin later took oversight of the monastery and thus became the prior of Bangor Abbey, where he accepted visitors and sojourners.
Later on, St Mirin travelled to the camp of the High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...
with the purpose of spreading the Christian faith. Having heard of Mirin's arrival, the king refused to allow the saint to enter the camp. Mirin, thus slighted, was said to have prayed to God that the king might feel his wife's labour pangs, her time being near. The legend continues that, just as St Mirin had prayed, the king fell ill and roared in pain for three days and nights. In desperation the king sought out Mirin and granted him all he wished, including the right to go out and preach the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
to the men of his camp. In response to these concessions St Mirin prayed on his behalf and he was freed from his pain.
When St Regulus
Saint Regulus
Saint Regulus or Saint Rule was a monk of Patras who, in the fourth century, according to a Scottish legend that became current during the twelfth century , fled to Scotland with the bones of Saint Andrew, and deposited them at St Andrews...
had established himself at St. Andrews, he appointed many pious men to go out and bring the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
to Scotland. One of these missionaries was St Mirin. He was appointed to the west and, after a long and difficult journey, arrived where the town of Paisley now stands. The area had recently been abandoned by the Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and was in the possession of a powerful local chieftain. This chief took a liking to Mirin and the saint was alloted a small field near the river in the southern part of town. This plot was called St Mirin's Croft until it was later developed.
In various charters and Papal Bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
s Mirin is referred to as The glorious confessor, Saint Mirin. His image was engraved on the seal of the Abbey, depicting him in the vestments of a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. Around the seal was inscribed the prayer O Mirin, pray for your servants. In King James IV
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
's Charter of 1488 raising Paisley to the status of burgh of barony
Burgh of barony
A burgh of barony is a type of Scottish town .They were distinct from royal burghs as the title was granted to a tenant-in-chief, a landowner who held his estates directly from the crown....
, one of the reasons cited was "the singular respect we have for the glorious confessor, Saint Mirin".
Mirin in modern Scotland
There is a chapelChapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
within Paisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey is a former Cluniac monastery, and current Church of Scotland parish kirk, located on the east bank of the White Cart Water in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, in west central Scotland.-History:...
, dedicated to Mirin containing a sculptured stone
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
depicting the life of the saint. The Roman Catholic St Mirin's Cathedral
St Mirin's Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Saint Mirin in Paisley, dedicated to Saint Mirin the patron saint of Paisley, is the mother church of the Catholic Diocese of Paisley and is the seat of the Bishop of Paisley.-History:...
is also named in his honour. St. Mirren F.C.
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
, a football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club from Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, is named after him. The St Mirin Burn flows into the White Cart Water
River Cart
The River Cart is a tributary of the River Clyde, Scotland, which it joins from the west roughly midway between the towns of Erskine and Renfrew....
close to the town centre. He is also commemorated by St Mirren Street which links Paisley Cross to Causeyside Street. Unfortunately, since the closure of St Mirin's High School
St Mirin's Academy
St Mirin's Academy was a Roman Catholic senior secondary school for boys founded in 1922 in Paisley, Scotland and dedicated to St Mirin, the patron saint of the town and of the Diocese of Paisley. The original buildings were located in East Buchanan Street next to St Mirin's Church. In 1933 the...
in 2001 there has been no school in the town dedicated to the saint. However, there is a St. Mirin's Primary School in the Croftfoot
Croftfoot
Croftfoot is a residential district on the southeastern side of the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is named after an old steading which was situated at the eastern end of the present day Croftfoot Road, where the Castlemilk Burn now enters a culvert downstream from the site of Castlemilk House.In...
area of the neighbouring city of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
Elsewhere 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...
, the island of Inchmurrin
Inchmurrin
Inchmurrin is an island in Loch Lomond in Scotland. It is the largest fresh water island in the British Isles.- Geography and geology :...
(i.e. Mirin's Island) in Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
and a farm called Knockmurran (i.e. Mirin's Hill) near Coylton
Coylton
Coylton is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located east of Ayr, and west of Drongan, on the A70. Sundrum Castle Holiday Park is located to the west of the village, in the grounds of Sundrum Castle, which partly dates to the 13th century...
in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
are named after him. There is a St Mirin's Well near Kilsyth
Kilsyth
Kilsyth is a town of 10,100 roughly halfway between Glasgow and Stirling in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.-Location:...
in Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
.
Statue
A pedestal of blond sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, designed by landscape architect Daniel McKendry, bearing the inscription taken from the Aberdeen Breviary
Aberdeen Breviary
The Aberdeen Breviary is a 16th-century Scottish Catholic breviary. It contains brief accounts of various Scottish saints. It was edited by William Elphinstone, and printed in Edinburgh in 1507 by Walter Chapman and Andrew Myllar....
At Length Full of Sanctity and Miracles, Mirin Slept in the Lord at Paisley was erected in 2003 opposite St Mirin's Cathedral at the junction of Incle Street, Gauze Street and Glasgow Road in Paisley. A bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
of the saint by Norman Galbraith was mounted on the pedestal and was unveiled on the saint's day 15 September 2007 by the Provost
Provost (civil)
A provost is the ceremonial head of many Scottish local authorities, and under the name prévôt was a governmental position of varying importance in Ancien Regime France.-History:...
of Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
Councillor Celia Lawson in the presence of the Bishop of Paisley
Bishop of Paisley
The Bishop of Paisley is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paisley in the Province of Glasgow.The diocese covers an area of and is the smallest by area in Scotland. The see is in the town of Paisley where the seat is located at St Mirin's Cathedral.The diocese was erected on 25 May...
the Rt Rev Philip Tartaglia
Philip Tartaglia
The Right Reverend Philip Tartaglia is the fourth Roman Catholic Bishop of Paisley, Scotland. He has been described as a conservative in religious and moral issues.-Early life:...
, the Minister of Paisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey is a former Cluniac monastery, and current Church of Scotland parish kirk, located on the east bank of the White Cart Water in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, in west central Scotland.-History:...
the Rt Rev Alan Birss, the Rt Hon Douglas Alexander
Douglas Alexander
Douglas Garven Alexander is a British Labour Party politician, who is currently the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the shadow cabinet of Ed Miliband. He has held cabinet posts under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including Secretary of State for Scotland and...
MP, Jim Sheridan MP, Hugh Henry
Hugh Henry
Hugh Henry is a Scottish Labour politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Paisley South since 1999.-Background:...
MSP, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire
Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire
The Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire is the representative of the British Crown covering a lieutenancy area of the county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
James Wardrop and the sculptor Norman Galbraith. The erection and unveiling of the statue were co-ordinated by Daniel McKendry on behalf of the Mirin Project.
Sources
- Brown, Isaac. "Renfrewshire Characters and Scenery". 1824. p42-49.
- Proceedings of the Society; on St. Mirin's Chapel
- Statue of St. Mirin
- Catholic Online; St. Merinus
- History of Paisley;
- 15 September Feasts; Orthodox wiki
- Lees, J. Cameron. "The Abbey of Paisley". 1878.
- Aberdeen Breviary. 1484.
- Black, C. Stewart. "The History of Paisley". 1948.