March 14th - St. Boniface Curatan of Ross
The origins of this St Boniface are obscure. Some sources say he was
Roman
by
birth, others, an Irish Celt. It appears that this St Boniface was
originally
called Curitan, sometimes rendered Curetan or Curatan. When contemplating
this
saint, we must remember that we are dealing neither with Boniface of
Canterbury,
an arrogant and much disliked prelate nor with the greatly loved Boniface
of
Devon, who became the apostle of Germany.
The Venerable Bede in his history of the English Church tells how King
Nechtan
mac Derile in 710, wi****ng to convert his Pictish subjects to Roman usage,
wrote
for guidance to Abbot Ceolfrid at Wearmouth. In addition to guidance on
Roman
practices in religion, Nechtan sought master builders to build him a
church
"after the Roman style". From other sources it appears that among those
sent to
the king was a Pict named Curitan or Kiritinus , who himself had accepted
Roman
customs and taken the name of Boniface.
According to tradition, Curitan returned to his native land leading a
group
of
clerics all eager to begin the task of weaning the Picts from their
strange
schismatic ways to the centralized faith. They sailed up the Tay and
landed
at
the mouth of the little River Gobriat at Invergowrie where they built a
church
or chapel. The ancient ruin at Dargie, though of course later, occupies
the
site, from where the great Pictish slab with three carved figures has been
removed to Edinburgh. The three figures represented on the Pictish slab
are
said to be Curitan and two helpers, one possibly Pesandus.
At Invergowrie an interesting folk tale concerns the great "Paddock
Stane"
which lies in the grounds of and gave its name to what was for a long
time,
Greystane Hotel. The story is that when the devil saw Curitan's mission
coming
up the Tay he flung two stones at them. One fell in the river and can be
seen
as an island: the second fell on land and is the Paddock or Greystane.
St Boniface Curitan introduced Roman Christianity to over 150 parishes in
Pictland and became Bishop of Ross, with his seat at Rosemarkie on the
Black
Isle. The town****p of Fortrose celebrates St Boniface Fair in March
around
the
saint's day of March 14th. Rosemarkie, Restenneth and a number of other
kirks
as far north as Orkney founded by Curitan were dedicated to St Peter,
indicating
a triumph of the Roman form of Christianity over the Columban.
Legend has St Boniface Curitan accompanied by St Triduana on his missions
to
the
Picts in the 7th century and there are shrines to them both on Papa
Westry.
The
title "papa" is from the Norse meaning "monk".
This Version Taken From:
http://www.lowson-memorial.org.uk/st_boniface.htm
Saint Quote:
Even while living in this world, the heart of Mary was so filled with
tenderness
and compassion for men, that no one ever suffered so much for his own
pains
as
Mary suffered for the pains of others.
-St. Jerome
Bible Quote:
11. He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12. And
whosoever
shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself
shall
be
exalted. (Matthew 23:11-12)
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At the Hour of the Crucifixion
O Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour, who art great in mercy
and abundant in the gifts of Thy bounty, Thou who because of
our sins didst of Thine own will endure at this hour the
sufferings of the Cross and of death, and who didst
abundantly grant the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit to the blessed
apostles, make us also, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to be
partakers of Thy divine gifts, of the forgiveness of our sins,
and of receiving the Holy Ghost. Amen.
FROM THE LITURGY OF THE ARMENIANS
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee, because by Thy Holy Cross Thou
hast
redeemed the world.
THE RACCOLTA
**Don't forget to pray the Stations of the Cross on Fridays
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