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Early 8th century; in Ireland his feast is celebrated on January 9 which is the day of his death.

The Irish Fillan, son of Feriach, grandson of King Ceallach of Leinster, received the monastic habit in the abbey of Saint Fintan Munnu. Then he accompanied his mother, Saint Kentigerna (f.d. January 7), and his uncle, Saint Comgan (f.d. October 13), to Scotland, where he became a missionary monk. He was perhaps a monk at Taghmon in Wexford and a hermit at Pittenweem, Fife, before being chosen as abbot of the nearby monastery, which he governed for some years. He retired to Glendochart in Perthshire, where he lived a solitary life and built a church. There he died and was buried at the place now called Strathfillan in his honour. Until the early 19th century, the mentally ill were dipped into the pool here and then left all night, tied up, in a corner of Fillan's ruined chapel. If they were found loose the next morning, they were considered cured.

Further north, in Ross-shire, there are dedications to his memory and that of his uncle (Kilkoan and Killellan). Both Irish and Scottish martyrologies recorded his sanctity, and the "Aberdeen Breviary" relates some extraordinary miracles performed by him.

History also records that Robert the Bruce put his hopes of victory at Bannockburn into the hands of Saint Fillan. It is reported that he brought an arm relic of the saint into battle having passed most of the night praying for his intercession. Not surprisingly, the Scottish victory at Bannockburn revived and perpetuated his veneration, and his feast is still kept in the diocese of Dunkeld.

The bell and staff of St. Fillan still exist. His pastoral staff, or crozier, (the Quigrich), and his bell are in the National Museum in Edinburgh. To see the reliquary cover of the crozier, go here http://www.cushnieent.force9.co.uk/photogallery1.html

His "healing stones" are at the Tweed Mill, Dochart Bridge, Killin. (Attwater2, Benedictines, Coulson, Farmer, Gill, Montague).



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