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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Saint Kentigern</title><script src="https://dtyry4ejybx0.cloudfront.net/js/cmp/cleanmediacmp.js?ver=0104" async="true"></script><script defer data-domain="newadvent.org" src="https://plausible.io/js/script.js"></script><link rel="canonical" href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08620a.htm"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="description" content="Also known as Mungo. First bishop of Glasgow, died in 603. 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Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more  all for only $19.99...</a></em></p> <p>(Or M<font size=-2>UNGO</font>)</p> <p>Bishop, founder of the <a href="../cathen/06577b.htm">See of Glasgow</a>, b. about 518; d. at <a href="../cathen/06577b.htm">Glasgow</a>, 13 January, 603. His mother Thenaw was daughter of a British prince, Lothus (from whom the province of Lothian was called); his <a href="../cathen/11478c.htm">father's</a> name is unknown. According to Jocelyn's life of Kentigern, the <a href="../cathen/04171a.htm">saint</a> was born at Culross in Fife, and brought up until manhood by St. Serf (or Servanus) at his <a href="../cathen/04340c.htm">monastery</a> there; but Skene shows that this connection between the two <a href="../cathen/04171a.htm">saints</a> involves an anachronism, as St. Serf really belongs to the following century. At the age of twenty-five we find Kentigern (the name means "head chief", but he was popularly known as Mungo — in Cymric, Mwyn-gu, or "dear one"), beginning his missionary labours at Cathures, on the Clyde, the site of modern Glasgow. The <a href="../cathen/03712a.htm">Christian</a> King of Strathclyde, Roderick Hael, welcomed the <a href="../cathen/04171a.htm">saint</a>, and procured his <a href="../cathen/04276a.htm">consecration</a> as <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a>, which took place about 540. For some thirteen years he laboured in the district, living a most austere life in a cell at the confluence of the Clyde and the Molendinar, and making many converts by his holy example and his preaching. A large community grew up around him, became known as "Clasgu" (meaning the "dear <a href="../cathen/05782a.htm">family</a>") and ultimately grew into the town and city of <a href="../cathen/06577b.htm">Glasgow</a>.</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>About 553 a strong anti-Christian movement in Strathclyde compelled Kentigern to leave the district, and he retired to <a href="../cathen/15532a.htm">Wales</a>, staying for a time with <a href="../cathen/04640b.htm">St. David</a> at <a href="../cathen/10187d.htm">Menevia</a>, and afterwards founding a large <a href="../cathen/04340c.htm">monastery</a> at Llanelwy, now <a href="../cathen/01766a.htm">St. Asaph's</a>, of which he appointed the <a href="../cathen/07386a.htm">holy</a> <a href="../cathen/10487b.htm">monk</a> <a href="../cathen/01766a.htm">Asaph</a> superior in succession to himself. In 573 the battle of Arthuret secured the triumph of the <a href="../cathen/03712a.htm">Christian</a> cause in Cumbria, and Kentigern, at the earnest appeal of King Roderick, returned thither, accompanied by many of his <a href="../cathen/15532a.htm">Welsh</a> disciples. For eight years he fixed his <a href="../cathen/05001a.htm">see</a> at Hoddam in Dumfriesshire, evangelizing thence the districts of <a href="../cathen/06370a.htm">Galloway</a> and Cumberland. About 581 he finally returned to <a href="../cathen/06577b.htm">Glasgow</a>, and here, a year or two later, he was visited by <a href="../cathen/04136a.htm">St. Columba</a>, who was at that time labouring in Strathtay. The two <a href="../cathen/04171a.htm">saints</a> embraced, held long converse, and exchanged their pastoral staves.</p> <p>Kentigern was buried on the spot where now stands the beautiful <a href="../cathen/03438a.htm">cathedral</a> dedicated in his <a href="../cathen/07462a.htm">honour</a>. His remains are said still to rest in the <a href="../cathen/04558a.htm">crypt</a>. His festival is kept throughout <a href="../cathen/13613a.htm">Scotland</a> on 13 January. The <a href="../cathen/02630a.htm">Bollandists</a> have printed a special mass for this feast, dating from the thirteenth century.</p> <div class="cenotes"><h2>Sources</h2><p class="cenotes">JOCELYN OF FURNESS, <em>Life of Kentigern</em>, c. 1185, printed, with English translation, in PINKERTON, <em>Lives of the Scottish Saints</em> (Paisley, 1889-95), is the only ancient authority, except a fragment of c. 1164; see FORBES, <em>St. Ninian and St. Kentigern</em> in <em>Historians of Scotland</em>, V (Edinburgh, 1874); see also STACK, <em>Life of St. Mungo</em> (Glasgow); FORBES, <em>Kalendars of Scottish Saints</em> (Edinburgh, 1872), 373-82; EDMONDS, <em>The Early Scottish Church</em> (Edinburgh, 1906), lx; BELLESHEIM, <em>Hist. of Cath. Ch. of Scotl.</em>, I (Edinburgh, 1887), 149-157; <em>Acta SS.</em> (Brussels, 1863), II, 97-103.</p></div> <div class="pub"><h2>About this page</h2><p id="apa"><strong>APA citation.</strong> <span id="apaauthor">Hunter-Blair, O.</span> <span id="apayear">(1910).</span> <span id="apaarticle">St. Kentigern.</span> In <span id="apawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="apapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company.</span> <span id="apaurl">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08620a.htm</span></p><p id="mla"><strong>MLA citation.</strong> <span id="mlaauthor">Hunter-Blair, Oswald.</span> <span id="mlaarticle">"St. Kentigern."</span> <span id="mlawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="mlavolume">Vol. 8.</span> <span id="mlapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company,</span> <span id="mlayear">1910.</span> <span id="mlaurl"><http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08620a.htm>.</span></p><p id="transcription"><strong>Transcription.</strong> <span id="transcriber">This article was transcribed for New Advent by C.M.Murphy.</span> <span id="dedication"></span></p><p id="approbation"><strong>Ecclesiastical approbation.</strong> <span id="nihil"><em>Nihil Obstat.</em> October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.</span> <span id="imprimatur"><em>Imprimatur.</em> +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.</span></p><p id="contactus"><strong>Contact information.</strong> The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster <em>at</em> newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.</p></div> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-verybottom' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> </div> <div id="ogdenville"><table summary="Bottom bar" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"><center><strong>Copyright © 2023 by <a href="../utility/contactus.htm">New Advent LLC</a>. 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