Moroc

ON ST. MOROC, BISHOP OR ABBOT IN SCOTLAND,

AT AN UNCERTAIN TIME

Moroc, bishop or abbot in Scotland. (S.)

C. D. S.

[1] Of Moroc, abbot Of St. Moroc, as of St. Gervadius, there exists a twofold tradition: one, which says that he was a bishop; the other, which calls him abbot or confessor. The latter is presented by those martyrologists who made St. Gervadius a bishop Cf. above, page 855, no. 2.. These were preceded by Adam King, in whose calendar on the 8th of November he is announced: S. Moroke confess. in Scotland under King Achaius, 817 In Forbes, Kalendars of Scottish SS, p. 167., and again he was followed by Dempster in the Scottish Menology: In Scotland, of Marnocus, confessor, most dear to King Achaius. K. Ibid., p. 218.; by Philippus Ferrarius: On the same day, of St. Marnocus, confessor, who was most dear to the aforesaid King Achaius Catal. sanctorum qui in Mart. Rom. non sunt, on the 8th of November, annot., and by Richard Challoner Cf. above, p. 855, no. 2 at the end.. David Camerarius alone, however, related that he was an abbot and indicated the monastery over which he presided, writing thus in his calendar on the 8th of November: St. Moroc, abbot of that most ancient monastery among the Scots whose name is Dunkel or Duncalidonia In Forbes, vol. cit., p. 242., while he put off the memory of Gervadius to the following day.

[2] or even of a bishop, A bishop, however, St. Moroc is called by a twofold ancient liturgical document of Aberdeen, namely the martyrology, in which on the 8th of November mention is made: In Scotland, of St. Moroc, bishop, whose church with his burial is at Lekraw near Striveling Ibid., p. 136., the commemoration of St. Gervadius being omitted, and the calendar at the head of the breviary Cf. above, p. 855, no. 1., where on the same day are marked the names of Moroc, bishop, confessor … 9 lessons. Gervadius, conf., 9 lessons. But in the body of the breviary on the 8th of November no proper lessons on St. Moroc are handed down, but the lessons from the common of a confessor pontiff are indicated to be recited. With the Aberdeen calendar agrees the old calendar of Arbuthnott, announcing on the same day the festivity of St. Moroc, bishop,

9 lessons Forbes, vol. cit., p. 107..

[3] obscure history. Of the history of Moroc, however, we have found only this recorded, and that in Camerarius alone Cf. above, no. 1 at the end., that he was abbot of the monastery of Dunkeld or Duncaldonia in the territory of the present county of Perth. That monastery was founded about the year 850 Skene, vol. cit., pp. 368, 370; Bellesheim, vol. cit., p. 187 – 88., and the episcopal see was established there at the beginning of the 12th century Skene, vol. cit., pp. 368, 370; Bellesheim, vol. cit., p. 187 – 88.. Nor does what is read in the Aberdeen Breviary Summer part, fol. cxlviiv. at the head of the announcement of the office of St. Moroc contradict this tradition, but rather confirms it: Of St. Moroc, bishop and confessor, in the diocese of Dunblane, which was, namely, bordering on the diocese of Dunkeld to the south; for the village of Lekraw or Lecropt near Stirling Cf. Sam. Lewis, Topogr. Dict. of Scotland, under the words Lecropt and Stirling., where according to the Aberdeen Martyrology the sacred remains of Moroc were kept Cf. above, no. 2., although situated in the diocese of Dunblane, was subject to the see of Dunkeld, as were not a few other places outside the borders of this diocese Forbes, op. cit., pp. 395, 414.. But whence Adam King, whom Dempster and Ferrarius almost copied out, drew what he reports of the familiar intercourse of Moroc with some King Achaius Cf. above, no. 1., I have not been able to divine.

[4] Of his cult. Besides the village of Lekraw, where Moroc is said to be known under the name Maworrock, William Forbes Op. cit., p. 414. indicates some others which he judges to have been devoted to the cult of St. Moroc. But I fear that he has no other argument for this opinion than the names of the places themselves, Kilmorick, Kilmorack, Kilnamoraik; by which, however, churches could have been designated which acknowledged as patrons men almost homonymous with our Moroc, Marnan or Marnoc and Mernoc Ibid., pp. 392, 398. Cf. Act. SS., Oct. vol. XI, p. 649 – 50..