. Ebba presided, was a
monk of great sanctity and austerity named Adamnan. It is not
certain whether he was a native of Scotland or not. In his youth
Adamnan had led a life of great licentiousness, and being converted
by the grace of God from his evil ways was moved with a desire to
do penance for his sins. Accordingly he sought the counsel of a
certain Irish priest, to whom he made a general confession and
confided his desire of entering upon a penitential life. So deep
was his sorrow that he expressed himself ready to accept any
penance his director might impose, even to spending whole nights in
prayer, or fasting for a week continuously. The priest having
imposed upon him the penance of taking food twice only in a week
until he should see him again, departed into Ireland, and died
there before Adamnan was able to consult him a second time. Taking
this as a sign of God's Will that he was to persevere in his heroic
course of penance, Adamnan resolved to continue to the end the hard
life begun by the counsel of the Irish priest. Having become {16} a
monk at Coldingham after his conversion, he lived there for many
years, and was made one of the priests of the monastery. He died in
the odour of sanctity after being favoured with the gift of
prophecy.

St. Mittan.

All that is known of this saint is that a fair, called after him,
was held formerly at Kilmadock in Perthshire, on January 31st.,
which must consequently have been his feast day.

FEBRUARY

1--St. Darlugdach, Virgin, A.D. 524.

This saint was an Irish virgin who was educated to the monastic
life by the great St. Bridget, the glory of Ireland. She is said to
have visited Scotland during the reign of King Nectan and to have
presided over a community of religious women attached to a church
which that King had built at Abernethy and dedicated to the Blessed
Virgin. By some writers St. Bridget herself is said to have led the
monastic colony to Scotland, but this is by no means {17} clear. It
is true that great devotion was shown towards her, and many
Scottish churches and wells bear her name, but this may be
accounted for by the close connection with Ireland which subsisted
in those early times. Her relics, too, were venerated at Abernethy.

St. Darlugdach did not remain in Scotland, as she succeeded her
friend and patroness St. Bridget as Abbess of Kildare, where she
died.

3--St. Fillan or Faolan, Abbot (8th century).

He was the son of St. Kentige