St Mungo Patron Saint of Glasgow
The Life of St Mungo's
Saint Mungo is the Patron Saint of Glasgow and known as Kentigern who is believed to have been born and brought up in Culross in Fife. Mungo is believed to have began his Christian Ministry at aged 25 around the year 540. Mungo established himself in Glasgow living a simple life beside a tributary known as the Molendinar and Mungo set up his Church which is the site of Glasgow Cathedral. Glasgow Cathedral is also the burial place for Saint Mungo.
Feast Day 13th January Legend of St Mungo'sThe Glasgow coat of arms relate to the life and legend of St Mungo. The arms include 'the tree that never grew' relating to St Mungo tending a fire in St Serf's monastery but he fell asleep and some lads who were envious of Mungo's favoured position with St Serf put out the fire while he slept. When Mungo woke he broke off branches from a frozen hazel tree and by praying over them and lit the fire again, the hazel branches were transformed in to a fully grown tree. The 'bird that never flew' is about a robin that had been tamed by St Serf and it had been accidently killed. Mungo prayed over the robin and brought it back to life. The 'fish that never swam' is about a ring which a King gave to his wife Langoureth who gave it to her lover a knight who wore it and when the King noticed this took it from him when he was sleeping and through it in the River Clyde. The King then demanded to see the ring from Langeoreth and she confessed this to Mungo who sent a monk to fish the river and found the lost ring. The bell is attributed to a bell that was reputedly given to Mungo by the Pope.
|