ST DEVENICK

 

According to The Book of Saint Devenick (1961), St Devenick was one of the last missionaries to be sent out from St Ninian's monastery at Whithorn to minister to the Picts. He penetrated as far north as Caithness where he worked among the wild Catti tribes. It is thought that for many years St Devenick laboured in the North East of Scotland and founded two churches, at Methlick and at Lower Banchory or Banchory-Devenick. St Devenick is comrnemorated at Methlick by a well situated at the north end of the Den of Ardo on the opposite bank of the river Ythan from the village. The well was said to have great powers of healing and annually on St Devenick's Day (13November) it was the scene of pilgrimage.`St Devenick's Fair' took place annually on the second Tuesday of November for generations, and it was an important and well attended event in the life of the community. St Devenick died in the year 877 and is said to have expressed the wish to be buried in his church at Banchory-Devenick.

St Devenick


Saint of the Deva stream, whose clear strong voice
Woke the dark echoes of our Northern vale,
Bidding the souls of mortal men rejoice
In Gospel light, and o'er their sins bewail;
We hail thee from the century afar,
DEVENICK, the preacher-saint of Celtic zeal,
Who with Saint Machar didst point the star
Of Christ's bright love that men might see, and feel
That 'mid the darkness of their heathen life
Hope had arisen, and the dawn was near
Of-deathless Joy, and Peace 'mid sturdy strife;
That men might love, and never more should fear.
Patron and Saint! For thy great work we joy:
Thy sturdy zeal be ours without alloy.

        Arthur Austin Foster