Page 23 - LOTN Spring Issue 52 2023

FAITH AND CULTURE

called Hrossey). A tradition of Irish monks and hermits
were thought to have been at work there before the Norse
invasions in the seventh century. This theory is brought to
life in a poem by George Mackay Brown, called Cormac the
Sailor, whose Laus Deo (praise be to God) rings out loud
and clear.
An inscribed stone set into an ancient graveyard wall in
the village of Kingussie signifies that "here lie the hallowed
remains of the old church of Kingussie, dedicated to St
Columba, and according to tradition, planted by himself".
This holy stone sits above what appears to be a small font
of grey granite. The inscription reads, "My Druid is Christ the
Son of God". The inscription is in both Gaelic and English.
Legend says Columba established a monastery here,
but excavations to date have only evidenced a thirteenth
century settlement. Columba is venerated in the village by
a church in his name, which stands on a significant mound
about half a mile from the ancient graveyard.
Columba and his fellow monks also sailed southeast
from the area of Inverness, to the Buchan coast, in the
latter part of the sixth century. This was to be a new base
for their missionary work. They were not welcomed at first,
but became accepted after Columba performed a miracle,
recorded in one of the written margin texts in the Book
of Deer, where it states that he healed the sick son of the
Mormaer or Earl of Buchan (with a holy stone from a well).
In gratitude a substantial cathair (church settlement) was
given, suggesting that in all probability the mormaer was
already Christian.
This was pleasing to Columba as he believed the site to Stained glass window in Iona Abbey
be full of the grace of God. He then gave the settlement
over to Drostan, one of Columba's companions. Drostan an ancient settlement. It clearly states in the burial ground
is recorded as having cried tears of joy and sadness, as at Kirkton of Alvah that an early Celtic church had existed
Columba was set to move on. Thus the name Dear(a) which there.
means tears, was to be the name chosen by Columba for the At the summit are two Bronze age cairns, and an
Monastery. The Aberdeen Breviary informs us that Columba astonishing view. Lifting the eyes from mountain to sea,
was the uncle of Drostan, which endorses the fact that the one might imagine Columba, finding a place of peace in
two were very close. early medieval Banffshire. There is a well-spring nearby
Much of the credit for this venture goes to Drostan, but named after him, which continues to run clear.
given the experiential legacy of Columba, and his presence Little did Columba realise that he and his monks would
as an enthusiastic founder of monasteries (enthusiasm, be the first Christian missionaries to the Picts of what is
translated from Greek means "full of God"), his contribution now much of the Diocese of Aberdeen. Adomnan, almost a
cannot be discredited. century later, describes Scotland as a pilgrimage landscape
The Book of Deer is a small illuminated manuscript which and tells of important moments from Columba’s life there.
includes the whole of the Gospel of St John, parts of the What is certain, is that a relic of Columba was held in a
three synoptic gospels, an early version of the Apostles’ small casket, later called the Monymusk Reliquary, and
Creed and a charter granted to the monks by King David I kept for four hundred years in a small chapel dedicated to
of Scotland. The illuminations resemble those in earlier Irish Columba’s biographer, Adomnan, not a mile from Alvah,
gospel books. in historic Banffshire. As late as 1314 this was carried into
Gaelic marginalia suggests that the founder of the battle at Bannockburn before the Scottish army. Columba
monastery of Deer was Columba, although Drostan appears was not to be forgotten; his psalter and crozier also made
to have taken the lead role in its administration. appearances before battles, as symbols of hope.
Further, in the property records (Text III) of the Book of There is so little evidence to illustrate the life of Columba.
Deer, are notes relating to various holdings, including We know that he established Iona as an important centre
the Deep Spot at Pitfour, which was gifted to "Christ and with regards to the production of literature in Scotland,
Colum Cille and Drostan, free of mormaer or toisech until where monks taught, curated libraries and brought
Judgement". together Christian texts from near and far.
Today, at the entrance to Deer Abbey, there is a modern The Amra Choluimb Chille was written about 575 by the
stone carving of Drostan with Columba. blind saint Dallan Forgaill, on the death of Columba:
The Hill of Alvah, a few miles west of Deer, is the site of

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