ST. NINIAN OF SCOTLAND (SEPT. 16TH)

 

Contemporary Mosaic Icon of St. Ninian

Edited by Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)

Today, September 16th, the Western Orthodox celebrate the life of St. Ninian, Missionary to the Picts!

Tradition holds that Ninian was a Briton who had studied in Rome, that he established an episcopal see at the Candida Casa in Whithorn, that he named the see for Saint Martin of Tours, that he converted the southern Picts to Christianity, and that he is buried at Whithorn. Little else is known of his life, and many different versions of his tale have echoed down through the centuries since the Venerable Bede first wrote of his great missionary labors. What is known is that St. Ninian became a very famous Saint after death, a very popular intercessor for the Scottish people, and is commemorated by all English-speaking Orthodox today as an important early witness to Christ in the Scottish lands! 

COLLECT 

Almighty and everlasting God, Who called Thy servant St. Ninian to preach Thy holy gospel to the people of northern Britain: raise up in this and every land heralds and evangelists of Thy kingdom, that Thy Holy Church may make known the immeasurable riches of Thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ, Who livest and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen