Saint Duthac

2025-10-09T16:09:07Z

109.78.240.228: /* Veneration */ Changed 'was' to 'is'.

{{redirect|St Duthus|the association football club|St Duthus F.C.}}
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[[File:St Duthus Kirk - geograph.org.uk - 819923.jpg|thumb|St Duthus Kirk]]

'''Saint Duthac''' (also '''Duthus''' or '''Duthak'''; 1000–1065) was a [[History of Christianity in Scotland|Scottish Christian]] prelate who served as [[Bishop of Ross (Scotland)|Bishop of Ross]]. He is the [[patron saint]] of [[Tain]] in [[Scotland]]. His feast day is 8 March.<ref name=Turpie/>

== Biography and legacy ==
According to the ''[[Aberdeen Breviary]],'' Duthac was a [[native Scot]]. Tradition has it that Duthac was born in Tain and educated in [[Ireland]].<ref name=Dieghi>{{cite web | url=http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/44310 |author=Dieghi, Franco | title=San Duthac di Ross|publisher=Santi e Beato}}</ref>
[[File:Saint Duthus Chapel, Tain - geograph.org.uk - 1484.jpg|thumb|St Duthus Chapel]]

A [[chapel]] was built in his honour and a sanctuary established at Tain by the great [[Fearchar, Earl of Ross|Ferchar mac in tSagairt]], first Earl or [[Mormaer of Ross]] in the thirteenth century, and was ministered by the [[Norbertine]] canons of [[Fearn Abbey]]. St. Duthus's Chapel, is thought to have been where St Duthac was born.<ref>[https://easterrosspeninsula.com/listings/st-duthuss-chapel-the-ruin-on-the-links/ "St. Duthus’s Chapel", Easter Ross Peninsula]</ref> A century later, this sanctuary was notably breached by [[England|English]] supporters who captured [[Robert the Bruce]]'s wife, daughter and sisters sheltering in the chapel.<ref name="historicenvironment1">{{cite web|url=http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM3753 |title=St Duthus's Chapel, Tain (SM3753) |website=portal.historicenvironment.scot |date=2016-09-14 }}</ref> The chapel was burnt later in political violence between regional power groups, namely the [[Clan MacKay]] and the [[Clan Ross]]. The ruins of the chapel still exist as a centrepiece of St Duthus Old Burial Ground on the shores of the [[Dornoch Firth]].

Saint Duthac was greatly venerated in Scotland and his memory is still preserved in variations, in the names of places and organisations, including Kilduthie; Arduthie near Stonehaven and Kilduich on the [[Loch Duich]]. Tain, where he is reputed to have died and been buried, had the Church built in his honour. His death is recorded in the "[[Annals of Ulster]]" for the year 1065. After many years his body was found to be [[incorrupt]] and his [[relics]] were translated to the shrine at St. Duthus Collegiate Church built between 1370 and 1458. The ruins of the St Duthus Church are still there but the relics disappeared c. 1560 at the time of the [[Scottish Reformation|Reformation]].<ref name=Dieghi/>

==Veneration==
St Duthac was known as the Chief Confessor of Ireland and Scotland (Dubtach Albanach) and his saint's [[calendar of saints|feast day]] is 8 March. His shrine was visited multiple times by [[James IV of Scotland|King James IV]],<ref name=Turpie>[https://www.ssns.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Turpie_2013_Vol_44_pp_3_20.pdf Turpie, Tom. "The many lives of St Duthac of Tain", ''Northern Studies'', vol. 44]</ref> Robert the Bruce and his family, and other notable pilgrims.

[[Tain]] is called Baile Dhubhthaich in [[Scottish Gaelic]] or Duthac's Town and near it stands [[St. Duthac's Cairn]], although the biennial Fairs called by his name are no longer held in the town.

St Duthac is venerated by Catholics, Anglicans, and Eastern Orthodox Christians.

==St Duthac's Way==
St Duthac's Way runs from Tain to Aberdeen, with an expanded section continuing to St. Andrews.<ref>[https://www.britishpilgrimage.org/portfolio/st-duthacs-way "St Duthac's Way", British Pilgrimage Trust]</ref> From [[St Mary's Cathedral, Aberdeen|St Mary's Cathedral]] in Aberdeen the route continues to [[Stonehaven]] and goes down the coast pass [[Dunnottar Castle]] to [[Montrose, Angus|Montrose]], then pass [[Arbroath Abbey]] and [[Inchcape]] to [[Dundee]], and on to [[St Andrews]].<ref>[https://www.thewayofstandrews.com/route/routes-and-photos/st-duthacs-way/ "St Duthac's Way", The Way of St Andrews]</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Boyle, Alexander, "Notes on Scottish Saints," in ''The Innes Review'', Spring 1981, pp. 66–7
See the Acta Sanctorum and KSS pp. 328–329

==Further reading==
{{commons category|Saint Duthus}}
*Alban Butler ''The Lives of the Saints''. London: Burns Oates, 1956.
*Various publications published by Morgan Publications, 11 Arden Drive, Dorridge, Solihull B93 8LP, UK.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Duthac, Saint}}
[[Category:1000 births]]
[[Category:1065 deaths]]
[[Category:Medieval Gaels from Scotland]]
[[Category:People from Tain]]
[[Category:11th-century Christian saints]]
[[Category:Medieval Scottish saints]]
[[Category:Canonizations by Pope Leo XIII]]

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Saint Duthac