St Machar Day, Patron Saint of Aberdeen

Saint Machar is the Diocesan Patron Saint of Aberdeen; the Feast Day being observed on 12th November.

Founder of Aberdeen, Scotland, and companion of St. Columba. Also called Macharius and Mochuemna, he was baptized by St. Colman and joined Columba on lona. Machar evangelized the island of Mull. Consecrated a bishop, he became the Apostle to the Picts in the Aberdeenshire region.

Saint Machar was a 6th-century Irish Saint active in Scotland. (AD 540-594)

A Bishop of Irish origin, Machar is said to have been a former nobleman, baptized by St Colman.

He came to Iona with Columba and preached in Mull and later ministered to the Picts around Aberdeen.

For this reason he was described anachronistically as the first Bishop of the see of Aberdeen. His legend, however, in the Aberdeen breviary makes him “Archbishop of Tours”, appointed by Gregory the Great for the last few years of his life. This story deserves no credence. Water from his well was used for baptism in Aberdeen Cathedral.

Commemoration

• St Machar’s Cathedral in Aberdeen is named in his honour. The Cathedral’s font by Hew Lorimer depicts the saint baptising converts.[
• The Machar oil field in the North Sea is named after the saint.
• There is also a St Machar Academy in Aberdeen, situated on St Machar Drive.
• His feast day is 12 November. = St Machar’s, Ranfurly church in Bridge of Weir is named in his honour after a minister from St Machar’s cathedral became the minister.