Blessed Nathalan of Aberdeen
Saint Nathalan of Aberdeen (died about 678 AD in Tullich, near Aberdeen, Scotland) was an early medieval Scottish holy man, remembered as a hermit and bishop who labored among the people of the region of Aberdeen. Honored from ancient times as a saint by immemorial custom—that is, from before the era of formal papal canonizations—he is venerated as a Saint of the Church. His feast day is January 8.
Traditionally described as a man of noble birth who devoted himself to God, to manual labor on the land, and to the relief of the poor, Nathalan is one of the venerable saints of early Scotland. As with many figures of that distant age, the surviving accounts are largely traditional, and this article keeps to what that tradition affirms.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Nathalan of Aberdeen
| Blessed Nathalan of Aberdeen | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | January 08 |
| Profession | Hermit; bishop |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church |
| Patronage | The region of Aberdeen |
| Attributes | Bishop's insignia; a stone (from the legend of his penance) |
| Birthplace | Scotland |
| Death Place | Tullich, near Aberdeen, Scotland |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; hermit and bishop in the region of Aberdeen |
| Primary Shrine | Tullich, Scotland |
Biography
Nathalan lived in Scotland in the early Middle Ages, in the region around Aberdeen, and by tradition died about the year 678. He is remembered as a man who, though of good family, chose a life of humility, devoting himself to prayer, to the cultivation of the soil with his own hands, and to feeding the poor from the fruits of his labor, especially in times of famine.
Later tradition attaches to him a well-known penitential legend: that, having in a moment of frustration during a hard season spoken rashly against God's providence, he bound his hand to his leg with a lock and cast the key into a river, vowing not to release it until he had made pilgrimage to Rome. There, after many years, the key was said to have been miraculously recovered, and he was reconciled and, according to the account, ordained bishop before returning to his homeland.
He is honored as a bishop and confessor who served the Church in early Scotland. Places such as Tullich near Ballater preserved his memory, and his cultus is of great antiquity, dating from long before the age of formal canonization by the Holy See. His feast is kept on January 8. Because the reliable historical record of this period is limited, the details above are given as the tradition reports them.
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Legend
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Feast day
January 8
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