Filanus

ON ST. FILANUS, OR FELANUS, ABBOT IN SCOTLAND.

Seventh century.

Filanus, Abbot in Scotland (St.)

[1] St. Filanus, Abbot of an ancient monastery in Fife called Pittenweem, is recorded and reported on this day by David Camerarius in his Menology of the Saints of Scotland. He is also called Fillanus, Felanus, and Philanus. The Carthusians of Cologne in the Additions to Usuard printed in the years of Christ 1515 and 1521: "On that day, of Felanus, Abbot and Confessor." Adam King in the Calendar of Scotland: "In Scotland, St. Filanus, Abbot." Ferrarius also mentions him in the general catalogue of Saints and adds, on the authority of Dempster, that a great concourse of people was accustomed to assemble for the veneration of his relics. Pittenweem is indeed in Fife, as has been said, a province not far from the metropolis of St. Andrews.

[2] From the Chronicles of Paisley and the Breviary of Aberdeen (which we have not seen), Camerarius relates this epitome of the life of St. Filanus: St. Fillanus The infant is preserved from death drew his origin from a noble father, Feriath, and a most holy mother, Kentigerna. When Filanus was already born, his father ordered him to be cast into a nearby lake, because the child, when brought into the light, appeared to carry a stone in his mouth after the manner of a monster. But (as the Breviary of Aberdeen relates for this day) by the ministry of Angels he was freed from the waters and preserved by them at the shore of the lake until, discovered among Angels by Ibarus, a holy Bishop, Filanus was baptized and restored to his mother Kentigerna -- who with tears had constantly besought God that her son Filanus, whom she knew had been cast into the lake by his father, might be restored to life and granted the sacrament of baptism.

[3] When Filanus had grown older, he was entrusted by Bishop Ibarus to Abbot Mundus for his education; under whom he began to fulfill every measure of solid virtue, and his fame for holiness began to spread far and wide. He becomes illustrious in holiness and miracles Filanus was often seen, while he spent entire nights in prayer, to be surrounded by a heavenly light that illuminated his entire cell more brightly than the sun. Sometimes when he was in darkness, his left hand, shining like a most brilliant torch, was seen by the other monks to provide light for his right hand while he wrote or read.

[4] He becomes Abbot When Abbot Mundus had departed this life, Filanus was elected Abbot by the consent of the monks; in which office he shone before all others by his example of every virtue. But shortly afterward, sensing that the day of his departure from this life was at hand, having left a successor, he betook himself to the solitude of Strathfillan, not far from Glendochart; in which place he gave himself entirely to the contemplation of heavenly things, and by divine aid freed many from infirmities of body and soul. He dies Camerarius adds that he departed this life around the year of Christ 649.

[5] Victory of the Scots through the aid of St. Filanus That Edward, King of the English, was routed by Robert Bruce, King of the Scots, with the aid of St. Filanus, Hector Boethius writes in bk. 14 of the History of the Scots: "They report that the total number of infantry and cavalry that the Englishman had then gathered was this: namely, one hundred and fifty thousand infantry and nearly as many cavalry........ On the opposing side, Robert, doing everything prudently and with full knowledge, Preparations for battle proceeding against the enemy with thirty thousand infantry and cavalry, most of them veteran soldiers, encamped on level ground -- whether trusting in the strength of his men, or by a bold plan removing the enemy's contempt for him........ Meanwhile he ordered each man to make ready his arms and to prepare himself before God, by confessing his sins to the Priests and praying God for pardon, so that on the following day, having heard Mass and received the Body of Christ, they might be fit to join battle and obtain the victory. In the enemy camp, each man was hoping for the most ample spoils for himself -- that by the trifling labor of a single day they would have immense riches and most ample fields, which they had not previously hoped for even in their dreams; indeed they believed that nothing would be easier to accomplish than to trample the enemy at the first assault."

[6] "But at night, when Robert, anxious about his affairs, gave almost no rest to his body, spending his time either in prayers or revolving everything in his mind, The arm of St. Filanus miraculously conveyed to the camp while he was intent on this and turned with certain companions to prayer (for he was praying to God and to St. Philanus, whose arm enclosed in silver he believed he had with him in the army, that they might mercifully grant him the victory), the silver case in which the true arm had been enclosed was seen to open suddenly and to close again in the blink of an eye, with no one approaching or moving. When this seemed a thing to be marveled at, the Priest approached the altar to inspect what had happened; and there he saw that the true arm was inside. Exclaiming that the divine power was truly present, he confessed his deed to the King: that when the King had requested the arm of St. Philanus, the Priest had given him only the empty silver case, having removed the true arm, fearing that it might be lost in the tumult. The King therefore, filled with hope, persevered for the rest of the night in prayers and thanksgiving."

[7] "On the following day, when all things had been prepared for the sacred rite, he summoned the soldiers and commanded all to receive the Body of Christ, that they might be stronger in spirit. The piety of the Scots There was in the army the Abbot of Inchaffray, named Maurice, who at that time was celebrating the sacred rite from a somewhat elevated place; he administered the Eucharist to the King and the nobles; then the same was done by the remaining Priests for the rest of the soldiers........ Maurice, seizing with both hands the cross on which the crucified Christ hung and displaying it to the soldiers -- that in His name they should defend their homeland with good courage and trust in Him alone -- led them forth to battle. And when the battle lines were still some distance apart on both sides, he ordered all to commend themselves to God, prostrate upon the ground. When the enemy saw this, they all cried out that they were making a humble surrender. But soon, when they saw them rise up and charge upon them with the greatest force, their fear was turned back and each man began to tremble for himself. At the first assault, therefore, very many fell......... Victory In that battle, fifty thousand fell on the English side; and two hundred knights, together with the Duke of Gloucester; only two Scottish knights were lost: William de Vieuxpont and Walter of Ross; of the common soldiers, no more than four thousand perished." Camerarius likewise attributes this victory, won in the year of Christ 1314, as he says, to the propitious divinity, conciliated for his countrymen by St. Filanus. The battle was fought at Bannockburn, as John Major, bk. 5 of the History of Scotland, ch. 4, and Camden attest, not far from the town of Stirling. John Leslie, in bk. 7 of his work on the deeds of the Scots, describes this battle and the pious preparation of King Robert and the Scots for it, the exhortation of Abbot Maurice, and the bearing forth of the Cross of Christ; yet he makes no mention of St. Filanus -- nor does Major -- much less Buchanan, who would have considered it impious to commemorate the ancient piety of the Scots toward the Venerable Eucharist, the Cross of Christ, and the Saints.