Born about 1045, died 16 Nov., 1092, was a daughter of Edward “Outremere”, or “the Exile”, by Agatha, kinswoman of Gisela, the wife of St. Stephen of Hungary. She was the granddaughter of Edmund Ironside. A constant tradition asserts that Margaret’s father and his brother Edmund were sent to Hungary for safety during the reign of Canute, but no record of the fact has been found in that country. The date of Margaret’s birth cannot be ascertained with accuracy, but it must have been between the years 1038, when St. Stephen died, and 1057, when her father returned to England. It appears that Margaret came with him on that occasion and, on his death and the conquest of England by the Normans, her mother Agatha decided to return to the Continent. A storm however drove their ship to Scotland, where Malcolm III received the party under his protection, subsequently taking Margaret to wife. This event had been delayed for a while by Margaret’s desire to entire religion, but it took place some time between 1067 and 1070.
In her position as queen, all Margaret’s great influence was thrown into the cause of religion and piety. A synod was held, and among the special reforms instituted the most important were the regulation of the Lenten fast, observance of the Easter communion, and the removal of certain abuses concerning marriage within the prohibited degrees. Her private life was given up to constant prayer and practices of piety. She founded several churches, including the Abbey of Dunfermline, built to enshrine her greatest treasure, a relic of the true Cross. Her book of the Gospels, richly adorned with jewels, which one day dropped into a river and was according to legend miraculously recovered, is now in the Bodleian library at Oxford. She foretold the day of her death, which took place at Edinburgh on 16 Nov., 1093, her body being buried before the high altar at Dunfermline.
In 1250 Margaret was canonized by Innocent IV, and her relics were translated on 19 June, 1259, to a new shrine, the base of which is still visible beyond the modern east wall of the restored church. At the Reformation her head passed into the possession of Mary Queen of Scots, and later was secured by the Jesuits at Douai, where it is believed to have perished during the French Revolution. According to George Conn, “De duplici statu religionis apud Scots” (Rome, 1628), the rest of the relics, together with those of Malcolm, were acquired by Philip II of Spain, and placed in two urns in the Escorial. When, however, Bishop Gillies of Edinburgh applied through Pius IX for their restoration to Scotland, they could not be found.
The chief authority for Margaret’s life is the contemporary biography printed in “Acta SS.”, II, June, 320. Its authorship has been ascribed to Turgot, the saint’s confessor, a monk of Durham and later Archbishop of St. Andrews, and also to Theodoric, a somewhat obscure monk; but in spite of much controversy the point remains quite unsettled. The feast of St. Margaret is now observed by the whole Church on 10 June.

According to The Book of Saint Devenick (1961), St Devenick was one of the last missionaries to be sent out from St Ninian’s monastery at Whithorn to minister to the Picts. He penetrated as far north as Caithness where he worked among the wild Catti tribes. It is thought that for many years St Devenick laboured in the North East of Scotland and founded two churches, at Methlick and at Lower Banchory or Banchory-Devenick. St Devenick is comrnemorated at Methlick by a well situated at the north end of the Den of Ardo on the opposite bank of the river Ythan from the village. The well was said to have great powers of healing and annually on St Devenick’s Day (13November) it was the scene of pilgrimage.`St Devenick’s Fair’ took place annually on the second Tuesday of November for generations, and it was an important and well attended event in the life of the community. St Devenick died in the year 877 and is said to have expressed the wish to be buried in his church at Banchory-Devenick.

There is hope for me yet.

St. Brice was raised by St. Martin of Tours at Marmoutier and also known as Britius. He became a vain, overly ambitious cleric, holding Martin in great contempt. Despite Brice’s attitude, Martin was most patient with him, and in time, in great remorse, he asked Martin’s forgiveness for his attitude toward him. He succeeded Martin as Bishop of Tours in 397 but reverted to his old ways, neglected his duties, was several times accused of lackness and immorality. Though cleared of the latter charge, he was exiled from his See. He went to Rome and in the seven years of his exile there, repented and completely changed his life style. When the administrator of his See, in his absence died, he returned and ruled with such humility, holiness, and ability, he was venerated as a saint by the time of his death. His feast day is November 13th.